Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

were you in to speedway as a lad Tikay?  My late grandfather (died before I was born) was a speedway racer/rider (what's the correct terminology?) - no idea if he was well known or not.  I should make an effort to find out more about him. 

I most certainly was! Find out your Grandad's name, please.

It's "rider" not racer.

Barry Briggs was Billy Big Bollocks was I was following the sport, I believe.

I used to go & watch Speedway at White City, Hackney, Stamford Bridge, Coventry, Perry Barr, & Ipswich, where, later, I attended the annual World Stock-Car Championship every year. My Stock-Car heroes were Barry Lee (351), Duffy Collard & George Polley (BOOOOOOO!).

In those days, ALL Speedway bikes were JAP-powered. And all Speedway riders had their pick of the girls - "Spedway-rider" then was like Rock-star, or Street-Artist (= Tosser), today.

bumping a very old post from another thread, but these photos have just surfaced of my grandad in his speedway days.  He's second from the right in the team photo (Harringay 1947).  Pretty cool I reckon!

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

Incredible photos Claire, thank you very much.

[tikay]

LOL - the guy at 3rd base nearly fluffed it on the final play.

Nearly but produced an excellent throw to save the perfect game.

Can you imagine how he'd have felt if he'd fluffed (fumbled?) that? What pressure!

More of this sort of stuff please, love it.

[tikay]

A picture of our hero from last weekends deepstack at DTD in his papa smurf outfit!!

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/7138/tikka.jpg[/img]]

Click to see full-size image.

Tikay's younger brother in the background also!!

Umm, thanks for that Mr B, & for the Compo lookalike from The Kimber chap.

I thought it rather suited me, a sort of Natty Nitty.

Full marks to the kid who owned the hat, he was on my table, & he was doing the aggro thing with me, but he was a great sport, & there were smiles-a-plenty. I enjoy poker tourneys for the table company & craic, not the wins. Yup, just as well.

[tikay]

I live the life of Riley (who was he?) & I have a grand job which I love to death.

Some days good, some not so, now & then a nut bad day comes along, but that's when the character is tested, & yesterday was one of those days.

Yesterday was about as tough as it gets for me, I'm a little fatigued maybe, but the workload, stress & sense of occasional injustice tested me to the hilt.

Had no less than 3 Telecons, being the upcoming SPT in Blackpool, a series of poker shows we are planning to get on Sky Sports in the Autumn, & final preps for the players we are taking to Vegas (10 of them) spread thoughtout the day. Vegas worries a little, wiring the cash for the 10 x Main Event entrants, paying for the hotels, da de da, the devil is in the detail.

Add in a sort of "social" lunch engagement - & I don't do "lunch", ever - plus more texts, e-Mails, PM's & phone calls than I can ever recall in a single day, the regular "haters" stuff (goes with the job), 6 hours in the Studio last night (5 of them "Live", where the wits need to be kept close to hand), & I missed my afternoon meditation due to workload.

The "injustice" is the flak that anyone asociated with an Online Cardroom has to endure. It's a very odd thing, blame culture means peeps get upset when they lose, or can't get what they want, & I'm the focal point of that. It's what I do, it's who I am. I'm a cheat, liar, retard, moron, my company is run by idiots, we are all dishonest, & the RNG is rigged. Oh, & that pause berfore the river card, online? Ahh, well that is "so the software can find the card to beat me, it always does, fucking Sky Poker shafted me up the arse again". Holy moly.

It's balanced, of course, by lovely feedback, especially from newbies & smaller players, for whom we devote much time & care, & I receive more lovely "thank you" notes than you could ever imagine. I probably get 10 or 15 every single day, & I never tire of them, they are the pineapple & beetroot on the plate.

Funny old world, 'innit?   

So I was close to my limit, & the mettle was certainly under the microscope, but I just about contained my angst & when it was all done, @ 1am this morning, I was quite pleased with myself, in a non-smug way.  And I KNEW that after a good kip & I'd awake today full of the joys of spring, & I did.

And recognizing the balance is part of that. On Sunday I head out to Vegas for a month, part financed by next door, to play poker non-stop for 2 weeks, then "work" for 2 weeks, looking after my players, blogging every day (which I love), & generally doing things most would give their right arm to do.

A great day, in it's own way, & a great life. It was always so.

[tikay]

good to see you last night Tony and you looked fit as a fiddle. How did that exit hand go again?

Don't go there Phil, don't go there......

And yes, was right grand to see you again. Everyone who saw the photo remarked how young you look. We must use the same moisturiser.

It just shows how looks can be deceiving Tony, I only pretend to be old on here but only today did I purchase a pair of trousers with an elasticated waist simply because they felt nice and comfy when I tried them on.

Rock on eh?

Phil! Even I have not reached that stage!

I'm ashamed of you.

[tikay]

I'm sure I read once, or maybe you told me, that a few years ago, you found yourself penniless and homeless?

If so, how did it feel? And how did you rebuild, to manage to get where you are now?

Blimey, what a question!

Penniless, homeless, car-less, jobless, the clothes I stood up in, & the spare change in my pocket, no family, no nothing, that was it, 32 years of age & proper, proper, totally busto, after I got done for everything I owned, & more, by one Mr Barrymore Cordial.

I'm off to rehearse for tonight's Show now (= get some sleep, as 5 hours is energy sapping), & I have a very crammed week ahead, but I'll try answer that in the next day.

How's your health, short plump bloke? You were coughing shocking last time I saw you, WAY too many ciggy-wiggies. Diet still going badly, too? Yup, thought so. All good then.

I would love to hear/read this ...if you ever find the time please write about it

I have not forgotten this Lee, bear with me please.

[scotty77]

Yeah sorry for adding to ur workload yesterday.  Can imagine that thins are especially hectic at the minute.

With the random nice messages....well was playing that Rio turbo today(just the 1.3k runners and 50 bags uptop for a 235$ lol) and during yet he breaks/in the corridors THREE random people stopped me saying I love Sky poker TV.  Like how does that happen a million miles away from home.

[tikay]

110 years! Yikes. Fallen hero Allen Stanford won't do that again in a hurry.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18450893

Note the photo on his Wiki page, described, perhaps ironically, as a "Mug Shot"!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_Stanford

A few years ago, he was the man, basking in the glory, & Cricket, & his Clients, were the suckers.

With remissiion he'll be out in 70 years. He's a rotten stinking crook & thief, but jeez, that's some bill he's paying.

Talk about hero to zero, eh?

There are some amazing stories in life.

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

Yeah sorry for adding to ur workload yesterday.  Can imagine that thins are especially hectic at the minute.

With the random nice messages....well was playing that Rio turbo today(just the 1.3k runners and 50 bags uptop for a 235$ lol) and during yet he breaks/in the corridors THREE random people stopped me saying I love Sky poker TV.  Like how does that happen a million miles away from home.

No worries Ryan, you were the least of my probs yesterday, we soon sorted that stuff (I see you got some nice feedback, well done), you are a perfect pleasure to deal with. And I KNOW you know about them der haters, like me, you've even got your own dedicated Facebook Haters Page! Incred. That's what you got for working hard, improving yourself, & doing well. Well I'm proud of you, very. You've worked hard to better yourself, & you are honest, that's all that matters.

1,300 runners for a $235 jobbie, & $50k up top, lol, that's just AWESOME! I'll be in those in a few days, too....more value.

Run good man, & keep them blogs coming. And remember what I said, "message".

And even in Vegas, peeps stop & tell you they enjoy Sky Poker? Yup, that's part of the balance, for you, for me. I get that every time I go play Live Poker, "I enjoy the site, the community", even "can I have my photo taken with you", & even the odd request for an autograph.  Which embarrasses a little - well, a lot - but yes, I love it, of course I do.  It's that balance thing again, rough with the smooth. Today, a retard, (jeez, I SO hate that stuff) tomorrow, "can I have my photo taken with you"?.

Keith Hawkins mused on the oddity of poker players being lionised, but I don't think it's that, it's "ooh look, he's been on the telly" really. Funny thing, TV. 

See you Sunday bud, take care, enjoy, & run good.

[Junior Senior]

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/7138/tikka.jpg[/img]]

Click to see full-size image.

Sometimes it's just better to grow old gracefully :-)

[tikay]

It was announced yesterday that the rights to televise Premiership Football for 3 seasons from 2013/214 were sold to BSKYB & BT. (BT?!).

BT will be starting a new Live Sports TV Channel. They get 38 games per season, including 19 "first picks".

BSKYB got 5 of the 7 "packages", effectively 116 live matches per season.

Between then, Sky & BT paid £6.6 million PER GAME.

The Club which finishes bottom of the Premiership will receive more money per season than Man City were paid for TV rights after WINNING the Premiership this year. Man City received, I think, about £60 milllion.

Premiership Football have been enjoying monsta TV income for years now, & yet, collectively, they lost £361 MILLION last year. Their TV Income was £2.3 billion.

We can stand on the sidelines & say that Football Clubs don't run their finances well, & it is so easy to knock, but the case seems to be made.

Premiership Footballers & Managers seem to exist in a parallel universe. I learned yesterday that when signing a "star" player, the player often refuses to move to somewhere local. When I'm king for a day, & kiddo with his flash agent tells me that, I'll tell him to gtfo.

Harry has gone, but they need to discuss his compensation, let's call it £2 mill shall we? Compensation, my arse.

When John Kirkland took over running Derby County, he came to me one morning & said, "here Tony, guess what I discovered yesterday?"

Go on John.....

"When our players get suspended, for dissent or whatever, & so are unavailable to their employer, we still have to pay them".

You do, John?

"Not any more, I've stopped that".

There spoke a man with his feet on the ground, & in touch with reality.

[tikay]

I went into my bank on Wednesday, I was the first punter through the door, it was deserted, just me, & girls behind the counter. Lovely.

A kid, 18, 19, clipboard & smart new suit, intercepted me.

"How can I help you today Sir?"

Eh?

I've come to pay in some cheques, sign some papers, & get some cash.

"That's fine sir, just go to the counter, look, there are no queues".

And I SO nearly said (but deffo thought) get away, no shit, sherlock?

Luckily, I refrained. As I stood waiting for the girl to sort my stuff, I looked at this kid. First day at work, nervous as hell, they told him "go greet the Clients, make them feel wanted, say hello".

And I wanted to be Sammy Smartarse.

Poker, bankers, policeman, mods, traffic wardens, tax inspectors, get the wrong side of the table & you are gonna get stick.

It's who we are. It's what we do.

 

[Laxie]

"I know it's not your fault, you only work here, but...."  When I was working in NYC, I'd to deal with complaints now and then.  It was five star treatment for anyone who talked to me with a half decent tone and started their complaint with that line.  To the lowly person just trying to do their job, it means the world to miss the crossfire.

Well done holding back on the banker kid.

[tikay]

"I know it's not your fault, you only work here, but...."  When I was working in NYC, I'd to deal with complaints now and then.  It was five star treatment for anyone who talked to me with a half decent tone and started their complaint with that line.  To the lowly person just trying to do their job, it means the world to miss the crossfire.

Well done holding back on the banker kid.

I only JUST held back, ( I deffo THOUGHT it!) but afterwards, I was so relieved I did, & I felt so bad.

It must be the nut worst job to work in, say, a call centre, particularly if it is for a service industry. Imagine working for low money, & having irate poker players venting their angst at you, one after the other, bang bang bang. 

And they have to be SO careful what they say, they have to be guarded, because players, or the general public, time after time, publish the chat log, which always seems bang out of order to me, because if the boot were on the other foot, there'd be blue murder.

If the site messes up - it happens - the punter splashes it all over the forums.

Imagine this though....

"You have been found to be multi-accounting, & your account closed".

How do you like that Mister? Nah, not much.

[tikay]

In the middle of that testing day yesterday, when I was in that weird zone between hell & happiness, sunshine and shit, an unidentified number rang me. Shall I answer? No way. Oh wait, you never know.

Tony Kendall.

Hi Anthony. Fuck it's a salesman.

Hi

This is Virgin Atlantic. FML, Wooly Jumper of all people, today of all days. He can bollox. Hold up - flight cancelled?

Just checking you are clear about everything. What?

Ahh, thank you.

Don't forget your passport. Oh really?

Nope got it, thank you.

Have you got your ESTA? Of course I bloody well have.

Yes, & thank you. Where is this going?

Do you need car hire in Las Vegas" Ahh, now I get it.

No thanks, I don't drive whilst in Vegas.

We are very competitive. Bully for you

Thanks, but I don't need a car.

We do the best rates available for Premium Economy passengers. Are you deaf woman?

Yes, but I don't need a car, thank you.

Now then Anthony...... please do not EVER start a sentence to me with ""now then", OK?

We have a couple of spare seats in Upper class, & you have been selected for one if you wish. Ooh.

Does that interest you? You bloody bet it does.

Well perhaps, yes.

I'll put you through. Eh?

There follows 7 minutes of piped music, funky version of "Car Wash", which was marginally irritating first 3 times, then a little less so after the 5th play.....

Good morning Anthony. Jeez, here we go again

Good morning!

I understand you are interested in an upgrade to Upper Class? For free, you bet I am.

Well yes, it would be jolly nice.

Well I can do that for £1,549 on this occasion. WHAT?

That's very interesting, but I'll leave it on this occasion, thank you.






I really really try not to dislike people, negativity is such a wasteful & horrible emotion, & I feel bad when I do. When it comes to Wooly Jumper though, I am prepared to make an exception.

If I ever see another photo of him cheesily posing, with his hair all ponced up, smirking for England, I'll scream. He is to me, what Little Danny is to The Camel.