Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[DaveShoelace]

Douglas Adams

(i think this is great)

I enjoyed this even before the punchline, truly great.

[MrDickie]

Just finished reading “One Summer: America 1927” by Bill Bryson. Fascinating read, thanks for the recommendation.

[bobby1]

I know you are now an NFL convert Tony and I just wanted to post a few things regarding the 'Miracle in Seattle' from last Sunday.

Towards the end of regulation time, in fact just after Seattle took the lead in incredible circumstances it became clear that a guy around 6 seats away from me was in trouble. Some of the fans around him were trying to get stewards to him as he seemed to have passed out as was half laying on the seats with his head dangling towards the floor. When the first two stewards arrived they got on radios quickly and within a minute the paramedics had arrived. They laid him across the seats and were examining him. They eventually strapped him into a chair to carry him off the stand.

Seattle win the game after being around 100/1 to win it with just 5 minutes left, it is the most incredible game and atmosphere in any sport I have ever attended. So improbable that many people were crying at the end in sheer relief/amazement/joy at what they had seen.

After the adrenalin had worn off the next day I did a quick search online to see if I could find any news about the guy that was taken ill. Thankfully I didn't find any reports about a fatality at the game but that incident and the game has been on my mind since Sunday. From the sheer joy the guy must have been feeling when the improbable happened, just to explain the emotion in the stands there were so many people just crying, shaking, screaming and among all of that a poor guy just passed out. I hope he is ok.

When searching online I came across two things that I thought encapsulated the day and also how easily and comfortable Americans are with expressing emotion. At the end it was like everyone around me had decided to pull their orgasm face and then have a little cry, grown men and women just bursting into tears and hugging anyone around them, over a football game.

Here is a video from a guy that filmed a selfie, even when the Seahawks scored to make it 19-14 he still barely celebrates which just shows how even after that TD it was still highly improbably that Seattle would win.


http://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2015/01/19/seattle-seahawks-green-bay-packers-ending-fan-selfie-video

If you take away the face paint and the hat with green hair on it, I think most people in the crowd made all these expressions and shouted roughly the same things as this guy does.

This is a little heart warmer from a Green Bay fan writing a 'thank you note to Seattle'.



''''SEATTLE — It was an incredible comeback win for Seahawks fans Sunday in the NFC Championship. And a heartbreaking loss for Green Bay Packers fans.

One of those Packers fans wrote a heartwarming “thank you” note to Seattle and posted it on Craigslist early Monday.

The 55-year-old from Orlando tells a story of his 10-year-old son’s loss of a beloved friend — and how a trip to the NFC Championship in Seattle changed everything.

“First of all what a great game yesterday. Both teams had their ups and downs and as a Packer fan I must say the end was not what I expected. The reason I am posting today is to let others know of the kindness shared to my 10 year old son by a 12 year old girl from Seattle at the game .

My son lost his best friend in the world last week after a short illness. He grew up with Boo from about one year old. Boo was my sons dog, his best friend, the one who played with him, shared most all home meals with him and loved him no matter what. About 3 months ago Boo was just not himself and after a vet visit we all learned his time on earth was very short. Well Boo went to dog heaven last week and my son knew for the first time in his short life the feeling of losing someone you love.

I was lost as how to help him heal , and out of no where a dear friend offered us two tickets to the game in Seattle. I got the tickets, bought the plane tickets and called a friend of mine in Seattle to see if we could bunk for the weekend. All was ready so I told my son. He was very excited and for a minute seemed to be doing better.

Off we went and boy what a great time we had. Seattle is such a wonderful city and to see our much loved Packers play could it get any better. Sunday arrived and off we went to the game. Great seats, loud, exciting, nothing better then this I thought.

We were seated next to a large family of Seattle fans so what joy we were having kidding them as our Packers run off to a lead. My son was sitting right next to a young girl of 12. They talked and seemed to be having a great time.

Well we all know that the Packers played a great game but a win was not to be had. After Seattle scored in overtime I noticed the young girl was crying and still sitting in her seat. Her father talked to her and gave her a hug. When we were leaving I asked the father if the girl was crying for joy by the win and to my shock he told me no, she was crying because she wanted the Packers to win because she knew my son had lost his dog and she thought he needed this more then she did. I kept this to myself on the flight home.

While my son was having our dinner meal he looked at me and said he was glad that Seattle had won. I was surprised and ask him why. He looked at me and told me the girl sitting next to him had lost her cat to a dog attack only the day before and he wanted her to have something to help her feel better.

Football will never be the same to me. So Thank You Seattle for the great game, and Thank You God for putting so much love for others to these two young people.'''

[tikay]

Will reply properly tomorrow, bit busy right now, as I'm working tonight.

Great great story though. There are a few sidebars, too, which you omitted.....

[ForthThistle]

I know you are now an NFL convert Tony and I just wanted to post a few things regarding the 'Miracle in Seattle' from last Sunday.

Towards the end of regulation time, in fact just after Seattle took the lead in incredible circumstances it became clear that a guy around 6 seats away from me was in trouble. Some of the fans around him were trying to get stewards to him as he seemed to have passed out as was half laying on the seats with his head dangling towards the floor. When the first two stewards arrived they got on radios quickly and within a minute the paramedics had arrived. They laid him across the seats and were examining him. They eventually strapped him into a chair to carry him off the stand.

Seattle win the game after being around 100/1 to win it with just 5 minutes left, it is the most incredible game and atmosphere in any sport I have ever attended. So improbable that many people were crying at the end in sheer relief/amazement/joy at what they had seen.

After the adrenalin had worn off the next day I did a quick search online to see if I could find any news about the guy that was taken ill. Thankfully I didn't find any reports about a fatality at the game but that incident and the game has been on my mind since Sunday. From the sheer joy the guy must have been feeling when the improbable happened, just to explain the emotion in the stands there were so many people just crying, shaking, screaming and among all of that a poor guy just passed out. I hope he is ok.

When searching online I came across two things that I thought encapsulated the day and also how easily and comfortable Americans are with expressing emotion. At the end it was like everyone around me had decided to pull their orgasm face and then have a little cry, grown men and women just bursting into tears and hugging anyone around them, over a football game.

Here is a video from a guy that filmed a selfie, even when the Seahawks scored to make it 19-14 he still barely celebrates which just shows how even after that TD it was still highly improbably that Seattle would win.


http://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2015/01/19/seattle-seahawks-green-bay-packers-ending-fan-selfie-video

If you take away the face paint and the hat with green hair on it, I think most people in the crowd made all these expressions and shouted roughly the same things as this guy does.

This is a little heart warmer from a Green Bay fan writing a 'thank you note to Seattle'.



''''SEATTLE — It was an incredible comeback win for Seahawks fans Sunday in the NFC Championship. And a heartbreaking loss for Green Bay Packers fans.

One of those Packers fans wrote a heartwarming “thank you” note to Seattle and posted it on Craigslist early Monday.

The 55-year-old from Orlando tells a story of his 10-year-old son’s loss of a beloved friend — and how a trip to the NFC Championship in Seattle changed everything.

“First of all what a great game yesterday. Both teams had their ups and downs and as a Packer fan I must say the end was not what I expected. The reason I am posting today is to let others know of the kindness shared to my 10 year old son by a 12 year old girl from Seattle at the game .

My son lost his best friend in the world last week after a short illness. He grew up with Boo from about one year old. Boo was my sons dog, his best friend, the one who played with him, shared most all home meals with him and loved him no matter what. About 3 months ago Boo was just not himself and after a vet visit we all learned his time on earth was very short. Well Boo went to dog heaven last week and my son knew for the first time in his short life the feeling of losing someone you love.

I was lost as how to help him heal , and out of no where a dear friend offered us two tickets to the game in Seattle. I got the tickets, bought the plane tickets and called a friend of mine in Seattle to see if we could bunk for the weekend. All was ready so I told my son. He was very excited and for a minute seemed to be doing better.

Off we went and boy what a great time we had. Seattle is such a wonderful city and to see our much loved Packers play could it get any better. Sunday arrived and off we went to the game. Great seats, loud, exciting, nothing better then this I thought.

We were seated next to a large family of Seattle fans so what joy we were having kidding them as our Packers run off to a lead. My son was sitting right next to a young girl of 12. They talked and seemed to be having a great time.

Well we all know that the Packers played a great game but a win was not to be had. After Seattle scored in overtime I noticed the young girl was crying and still sitting in her seat. Her father talked to her and gave her a hug. When we were leaving I asked the father if the girl was crying for joy by the win and to my shock he told me no, she was crying because she wanted the Packers to win because she knew my son had lost his dog and she thought he needed this more then she did. I kept this to myself on the flight home.

While my son was having our dinner meal he looked at me and said he was glad that Seattle had won. I was surprised and ask him why. He looked at me and told me the girl sitting next to him had lost her cat to a dog attack only the day before and he wanted her to have something to help her feel better.

Football will never be the same to me. So Thank You Seattle for the great game, and Thank You God for putting so much love for others to these two young people.'''

Loved that Video.

[tikay]

[Rod Paradise]

This is a little heart warmer from a Green Bay fan writing a 'thank you note to Seattle'.



''''SEATTLE — It was an incredible comeback win for Seahawks fans Sunday in the NFC Championship. And a heartbreaking loss for Green Bay Packers fans.

One of those Packers fans wrote a heartwarming “thank you” note to Seattle and posted it on Craigslist early Monday.

The 55-year-old from Orlando tells a story of his 10-year-old son’s loss of a beloved friend — and how a trip to the NFC Championship in Seattle changed everything.

“First of all what a great game yesterday. Both teams had their ups and downs and as a Packer fan I must say the end was not what I expected. The reason I am posting today is to let others know of the kindness shared to my 10 year old son by a 12 year old girl from Seattle at the game .

My son lost his best friend in the world last week after a short illness. He grew up with Boo from about one year old. Boo was my sons dog, his best friend, the one who played with him, shared most all home meals with him and loved him no matter what. About 3 months ago Boo was just not himself and after a vet visit we all learned his time on earth was very short. Well Boo went to dog heaven last week and my son knew for the first time in his short life the feeling of losing someone you love.

I was lost as how to help him heal , and out of no where a dear friend offered us two tickets to the game in Seattle. I got the tickets, bought the plane tickets and called a friend of mine in Seattle to see if we could bunk for the weekend. All was ready so I told my son. He was very excited and for a minute seemed to be doing better.

Off we went and boy what a great time we had. Seattle is such a wonderful city and to see our much loved Packers play could it get any better. Sunday arrived and off we went to the game. Great seats, loud, exciting, nothing better then this I thought.

We were seated next to a large family of Seattle fans so what joy we were having kidding them as our Packers run off to a lead. My son was sitting right next to a young girl of 12. They talked and seemed to be having a great time.

Well we all know that the Packers played a great game but a win was not to be had. After Seattle scored in overtime I noticed the young girl was crying and still sitting in her seat. Her father talked to her and gave her a hug. When we were leaving I asked the father if the girl was crying for joy by the win and to my shock he told me no, she was crying because she wanted the Packers to win because she knew my son had lost his dog and she thought he needed this more then she did. I kept this to myself on the flight home.

While my son was having our dinner meal he looked at me and said he was glad that Seattle had won. I was surprised and ask him why. He looked at me and told me the girl sitting next to him had lost her cat to a dog attack only the day before and he wanted her to have something to help her feel better.

Football will never be the same to me. So Thank You Seattle for the great game, and Thank You God for putting so much love for others to these two young people.'''

Piss off Bobby, no need for that. And no I've not got a tear in my eye, I'm having contact lens trouble, honest.....

[tikay]

I know you are now an NFL convert Tony and I just wanted to post a few things regarding the 'Miracle in Seattle' from last Sunday.

Towards the end of regulation time, in fact just after Seattle took the lead in incredible circumstances it became clear that a guy around 6 seats away from me was in trouble. Some of the fans around him were trying to get stewards to him as he seemed to have passed out as was half laying on the seats with his head dangling towards the floor. When the first two stewards arrived they got on radios quickly and within a minute the paramedics had arrived. They laid him across the seats and were examining him. They eventually strapped him into a chair to carry him off the stand.

Seattle win the game after being around 100/1 to win it with just 5 minutes left, it is the most incredible game and atmosphere in any sport I have ever attended. So improbable that many people were crying at the end in sheer relief/amazement/joy at what they had seen.

After the adrenalin had worn off the next day I did a quick search online to see if I could find any news about the guy that was taken ill. Thankfully I didn't find any reports about a fatality at the game but that incident and the game has been on my mind since Sunday. From the sheer joy the guy must have been feeling when the improbable happened, just to explain the emotion in the stands there were so many people just crying, shaking, screaming and among all of that a poor guy just passed out. I hope he is ok.

When searching online I came across two things that I thought encapsulated the day and also how easily and comfortable Americans are with expressing emotion. At the end it was like everyone around me had decided to pull their orgasm face and then have a little cry, grown men and women just bursting into tears and hugging anyone around them, over a football game.

Here is a video from a guy that filmed a selfie, even when the Seahawks scored to make it 19-14 he still barely celebrates which just shows how even after that TD it was still highly improbably that Seattle would win.


http://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2015/01/19/seattle-seahawks-green-bay-packers-ending-fan-selfie-video

If you take away the face paint and the hat with green hair on it, I think most people in the crowd made all these expressions and shouted roughly the same things as this guy does.

This is a little heart warmer from a Green Bay fan writing a 'thank you note to Seattle'.



''''SEATTLE — It was an incredible comeback win for Seahawks fans Sunday in the NFC Championship. And a heartbreaking loss for Green Bay Packers fans.

One of those Packers fans wrote a heartwarming “thank you” note to Seattle and posted it on Craigslist early Monday.

The 55-year-old from Orlando tells a story of his 10-year-old son’s loss of a beloved friend — and how a trip to the NFC Championship in Seattle changed everything.

“First of all what a great game yesterday. Both teams had their ups and downs and as a Packer fan I must say the end was not what I expected. The reason I am posting today is to let others know of the kindness shared to my 10 year old son by a 12 year old girl from Seattle at the game .

My son lost his best friend in the world last week after a short illness. He grew up with Boo from about one year old. Boo was my sons dog, his best friend, the one who played with him, shared most all home meals with him and loved him no matter what. About 3 months ago Boo was just not himself and after a vet visit we all learned his time on earth was very short. Well Boo went to dog heaven last week and my son knew for the first time in his short life the feeling of losing someone you love.

I was lost as how to help him heal , and out of no where a dear friend offered us two tickets to the game in Seattle. I got the tickets, bought the plane tickets and called a friend of mine in Seattle to see if we could bunk for the weekend. All was ready so I told my son. He was very excited and for a minute seemed to be doing better.

Off we went and boy what a great time we had. Seattle is such a wonderful city and to see our much loved Packers play could it get any better. Sunday arrived and off we went to the game. Great seats, loud, exciting, nothing better then this I thought.

We were seated next to a large family of Seattle fans so what joy we were having kidding them as our Packers run off to a lead. My son was sitting right next to a young girl of 12. They talked and seemed to be having a great time.

Well we all know that the Packers played a great game but a win was not to be had. After Seattle scored in overtime I noticed the young girl was crying and still sitting in her seat. Her father talked to her and gave her a hug. When we were leaving I asked the father if the girl was crying for joy by the win and to my shock he told me no, she was crying because she wanted the Packers to win because she knew my son had lost his dog and she thought he needed this more then she did. I kept this to myself on the flight home.

While my son was having our dinner meal he looked at me and said he was glad that Seattle had won. I was surprised and ask him why. He looked at me and told me the girl sitting next to him had lost her cat to a dog attack only the day before and he wanted her to have something to help her feel better.

Football will never be the same to me. So Thank You Seattle for the great game, and Thank You God for putting so much love for others to these two young people.'''

Amazing stuff Phil, thanks for posting.

There was quite a backstory to this trip, it was on/off/on/off, but eventually he did it. Missed his wife's birthday for the trip, too, yikes. 

Phil is quite worldly wise, seen it & done it when it comes cto spiorts & betting, but he was like a kid in a sweet shop all trip & I lost count of the excited texts I received.

The next dilemma was should he return to the USA to watch Super Bowl?

After some ditherage, the answer was yes. And on the same trip, Phil polans to go watch the Phoenix Waste Management Open (a golf thing) which will include Tiger Woods in the field.

Living the dream.

Enjoy the trip, Phil. 

[tikay]

Just finished reading “One Summer: America 1927” by Bill Bryson. Fascinating read, thanks for the recommendation.

Glad you enjoyed it, Mr Dickie.

I've not got round to listing my "Most Enjoyable Books of 2014" yet, but that one tops the list.

Beautifully written, educational, upbeat, gloriously funny in places, but every single page was interesting, & I struggled to put it down.

I read it whilst in Vegas, & although I knocked it in at the Poker this trip, it helped make my 2014 Vegas trip my most enjoyable ever.   

I strongly recommend others to read it.

[tikay]

Whilst I think of it, I will make mention of the worst book I read in 2014.

In total, I think I read 33 books in 2014, & the winner of "Biggest Pile of Poo" (& it's not close), was this crock of shit.

It should have been such a great read, Twitter has, in some ways, genuinely changed the world, & now is usually first with news from the world's hotspots instead of being what it was originally envisaged as, which was a "Status Update". So the Book should have been a great read.

[redsimon]

Did you go to the PLO at UKIPT yesterday?

We had a much smaller affair at Alea, 24 runners 4/5/6 PLO High. Lots of the field hadn't played before so there was some fun and games!

Looking forward to the APAT in Aspers, Stratford PLO8, 4/5/6 PLO High, razz, OFC, Irish. Could go the whole week and a bit not playing the two card game. You popping in?

[tikay]

Did you go to the PLO at UKIPT yesterday?

We had a much smaller affair at Alea, 24 runners 4/5/6 PLO High. Lots of the field hadn't played before so there was some fun and games!

Looking forward to the APAT in Aspers, Stratford PLO8, 4/5/6 PLO High, razz, OFC, Irish. Could go the whole week and a bit not playing the two card game. You popping in?

Hi Simon,

Yes, I played the UKIPT PLO yesterday, report to follow shortly.

The APAT Events @ Aspers?

Diary permitting I'll play the PLO, PLO4/5/6 & PLO8. Too early to say if I'll be available, but yes, I'd love to play them.

All being well, I'll tootle up to The Vic this Thursday, too, for their 4/5/6 PLO.

I played one of those 4/5/6 jobbies at The Vic last year, my first that I can recall, & eventually got heads up, & as it happened, we were on the 6 card Level. I'm shite at Heads Up at the best of times, but I'm not at all sure I can fold ANY hands pre-flop in 6 card PLO. Anyway, I lost eventually, but took a nice profit home with me. The problem was the tourney started at 6pm, & by the time we finished, it was......5am.  I'd like to do as well again this Thursday, but not sure I can manage 11 hours, especially as I have to work on Friday.

We shall see. Chance would be a fine thing.

Have to say, I love PLO & PLO8 as much as I've ever loved any poker, & 15 years in to my poker journey, I still get as excited as a 5 year old on Xmas Day when I'm due to play.  

I had THE most enjoyable day yesterday, too.

Anyway, by way of a change, some poker content shortly, as I want to do a little report.

Sorry boys, gotta be done.

[tikay]

So, some poker chat.

Went to the £220 UKIPT PLO yesterday, first time I've touched real cards or chips since August as far as I can recall, & I was like a dog with 2 tails, incredibly excited.

Jumped a Piccadilly Line train from Hatton Cross to Leicester Square. (Unusually, the Piccadilly Line uses 6 car sets). Amazingly efficient, The Piccadilly, trains are every 3 or 4 minutes, even on a Sunday.

Click to see full-size image.

Arrived at 11.40, & spent 15 minutes trying to buy-in. The Hippodrome is prefectly lovely, but it's like Fawlty Towers, there are weird staircases & split levels everywhere. After puffing up & down stairs, & being sent hither & thither, eventually I paid in, & it was fingers crossed there'd be a decent size field.

It ended up with a most satisfactory 50 runners, with 7 paid.

The TD was a guy who used to work at DTD. Our plasma failed, but he did his best to keep us updated throughout, & the whole thing ran with great efficiency, all start times & breaks were punctual. 

The Hippodrome is not really my cup of tea, it's a bit shiny & glitzy for my taste, but they run it with ruthless efficiency, it must be a proper little money factory, they even have Roulette & Blackjack tables on the Smoking Terrace. Adjacent to those House Games is an ATM. I've never been convinced that ATM's ought to be allowed in Cardrooms & Casinos, it's hardly conducive to "Responsible Gaming", but that's another story I suppose. 

I was wearing a (rather fetching) hat when I arrived, & a great big bouncer fella sort of impeded my entrance with his arm. "Take your hat off" he said brusquely.

"Good morning to you too" I tetchily replied.

"Take your hat off" he repeated. No eye contact, no nothing. I was going to give him a smack in the chops, but I spared the ill-mannered tosser. How lucky was he?

 

Click to see full-size image.

[tikay]

The Hippodrome is not what I would call a "real" cardroom, it reminds me of The Empire when it ran the WSOP-E, all liittle rooms on different levels, tucked away here & there.

We were in a sort of eerie, at the very top, just 8 or 9 tables, perfect really, nice & cosy.

First "face" I noticed was JJ. I played with him way back in Gutshot days, & at every cardooom in the UK since. He's a decent sort I guess, but after 15 years, you'd think he'd have got past the stage of telling all & sundry, at 2 or 3 different tables, after every outdraw. It is PLO, after all.

I got 2 outered TWICE

I got it in good 3 hands running & got called down by a pile of poo

And so on. Marv. It should not grate with me, but it does, if you have not gotten used to outdraws in PLO after all those years, it's time you did.  And do his mates really want to know?

I digress, sorry.

[tikay]

 

Most of the field were Vic regulars, good sprinkling of Greeks, & I guess the average age was about 50. Nits paradise, I was well at home.

Debbie Rogers was on my Table, always good for some bants. "Do Sky Poker still use those stand up Avatars off the TV Show" she asked, as she does every time I see here. No, they went 6 years ago Debs.

It was a Double Chance, 6,000 chips x 2, with the DC to be taken either immediately, or at the end of Level 4.

My table was all limpy limpy, 6 or 7 way every hand, (we were 9 handed to begin), so I just sat & watched tricks for a while.

Soon, the Table Captain emerged, & he quickly ran his 6,000 up to 40,000.

All the players were warm, friendly, & chatty, & it made me hanker to play "Live" more often.

Eventually, I started to get involved. Table Captain had taken full control now, & was not allowing the limpers to play in their comfort zone.

I had no plans especially to take him on, but it just panned out that way, & it was him & me heads up hand after hand.

I was playing OK (I think) but running pretty decent & hitting boards. 

My first double up was against him after I raised with.....

 

The flop came a delightful.....

 

We got the lot in, & unsurprisingly I got the lot with a turned straight. BOOMIO.   

Next, I got pushed off this board.....

   

I had the bad straight, (10-J) no flush, no boat, so folded to 3 way strength. Trip queens (no boat, no flush) won it. Bugger.

I had been winning a good few pots though, & was opening up a bit.

I opened with a raise from the cut off with 

The Flop was a beautiful......

 

Chips were flying in all directions & then the geezer set me in. Really? Can he possibly have A-A here?

To my shame, I gave it a moments thought before making the call for my stack. Never folding I suppose, but I was not liking life much. What a nit.

He had 3-2 (!), & must have put me on A-K or whatever. I filled up on the turn for good measure. Another 2xup. 

Next, I raised it pre with K-K-5-3, 3 callers, & flopped perfect, 2-4-6, my danglers did the job. This is fun.

That marked the end of Level 4, I had not taken my DC yet (but had to now) & I was sitting pretty with 36,000.

Then the table broke. Bugger.