Thursday, March 30, 2006

Down For Poker

(Note from Blood:  G-Rob has decided to take up residence here and be a regular contributor to this blog rather than his former location.  This is his first post.)

RADIOACTIVE MAN (and fallout boy)

I hope you've noticed my absence at Up for Poker.  I doubt many of you true poker players actually read the site, but "Otis" has grown a pretty devoted following among the semi-literate and sedated.  CJ has readers because he shares the site.  More than a year ago, close to two really, I joined them in a silly poker blog that wasn't unlike this one.  In fact, that's how I met BadBlood, though poker blogs in G-Vegas.  Now I've joined his site.

I love poker.  I started playing after my frisbee golf buddies talked it up for years.  After some brief initial sucess, it went from part -time hobby to full-time obsession.  Hopefully a few of Blood's readers followed the jouney with me.  Actually, Blood was pivotol in my development.  We started playing weekly, then bi-weekly, then several times a week.  My style is a perfect foil for his conservative but aggressive play.  

Meanwhile, Otis became a problem.  

"Otis" and I were good friends, at least I always thought we were.  Really we were drinking buddies thrown together by a common workplace and hobbies.   Our different personalities were bound to clash.  Last Friday was the last straw.

Blood and "Otis" had been feuding for months.  It started on our last blogger trip to Vegas.  Blood had a pretty rough time, a few bad beats and, to be honest, he didn't play his best.  When he explained that to Otis, Otis replied, "A lot of people who are good at their home game get a reality check here.  It happens to a lot of people."

I'll give him this, that's GENERALLY true.  But anyone who reads this site regularly, and anyone who's played with Blood online, knows he's an outstanding player.  Worse, telling someone in the middle of a tough run that, essentially, they're losing because they suck and they're too arrogant to admit it...is a dick thing to do.  Especially when it's patently false.

They've been at each other's throats for weeks now, refusing to play at the same homegames.  It's been wierd for me, being friends with both, until I realized "Otis" wasn't my friend either.

FRIDAY

Friday was "TheMark's" birthday.  He hosted a $33 (his age) NLHE touney to "mark" the occasion.  I got there late for the cash game and both Blood and "Otis" played.  When I walked in, about midnight, they were drunk as hell and at each other's throats.  "Otis" accused Blood of peeking at other players cards and Blood asked Otis to "step outside" 3 times.  Otis, being a pussy, refused.  I know Otis didn't really think Blood was cheating.  Nobody who knows EITHER player would believe it.  But we were playing with a dozen new players and some of them DID.  It was surreal.

I tried to calm things down which, if you know me, isn't really my stlye.  Both people have been friends of mine, however, and I wanted it to blow over.

It didn't.  After the tourney (Otis chopped for 2nd place) Otis joined the rest of us in the $100NL cash game.  That's when he started in on me.  Really it was the same shit he's been digging on Blood but more personal with me.  He called me a "hack ass writer" for my contributions to "UpforPoker" and said my play was "laughable".

I'd be the first to admit I'm not that good, but the shit talk went too far.  Mostly because he obviously MEANT IT.

Then he started the fat jokes.

Then the wife jokes.

Then, he insulted my kids.

I threw the first punch, and the last.  As I said, "Otis" is a pussy.

He stayed at the game and Blood and I left.  It was kinda sad really because we were playing with Blood's chips, forcing everyone to cash out.  The other players, unaware of the fighting, gave Blood shit for "taking his chips and going home" but we couldn't stand another minute.

I love poker but I hate that shit.

SO?

Here I am.

I'm the new addition at "BadBlood (and G-Rob) on poker."  It's long overdue.

I hope those of you who read this site will welcome me.  I hope the people who read me there will follow.

And...FUCK OTIS.





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