NFL Network

I am a little disappointed in CBS and NBC for agreeing to show the Pats game on Saturday, which was originally scheduled to air exclusively on the NFL Network (I use bold to show reverence, of course). I don't understand why the networks would give in to THE NETWORK and let the NFL off the hook. The fans were angry that they didn't get to see the Pats go for purrrrfect, well looks like the NFL screwed the pooch. But no, CBS and NBC are terrified of looking like the bad guy, when it is the NFL who moves MNF to cable and fails to actively engage the cable companies to get THE NETWORK into all those cable viewing homes. I do have to --- watch out here --- commend some of the cable companies for not giving in and including THE NETWORK on the basic cable packages of subscribers. If I have cable, which I don't, I would probably be willing to pay for THE NETWORK, but I don't think it is fair to have non-interested subscribers paying (not a small) amount for this channel. I understand that the same argument could be made for most cable channels, but I think it is a matter of degree given the specialization of THE NETWORK and the cost per subscriber per month proposed by the NFL. But in the end, I know the cable companies are trying to hold out to get their cut too -- especially the local provider here in Madison.

On the game side of things, I think the pats will finish 16-0 and fall in the Championship or Super Bowl... but maybe I'm just hoping here. Go Pack! Go Colts!

Pot Limit Win

I won a 49 player PL tournament last night on bodog. It was a 15+1 with 9 spots in the money. The tournamnet followed normal bodog structure and started with a 1,500 stack. The stack size doesn't seem to be that big of a deal in these tourneys until you hit level 6 (start of the second hour). By level 8-9 the game should become much more push oriented, but per chance last evening it didn't. The field was remarkably passive, sans on hyper aggresor sitting two to my right through the whole tourney. I eventually picked him off at the final table with KK vs. AQs. I was involved in very few big pots and therefore was able to stay around average stack until the final table. The KK hand I mentioned was what put me in the chip lead with $18K and the blinds at 400/800 with a 100 ante and seven players left. This shows that my chip leading stack was quite small with respect to the blinds, but I guess this should be expected with a passive field an only 1,500 starting chips. I was able to pick off four of the last five villians -- most with easy calls (TPTK or better). Overall, it was nice to win a tourney for the first time in quite a while.

Cheers.

The Steroid Era

I still have not completely resolved how to treat this whole steroid era thing, or the Mitchell report, but I have decided that this report in conjunction with the media's treatment of Eric Mangini of the Jets are both testament to our continued anti-whistleblower attitude in society. Or should I say the "stop snitching" attitude. I know that there are a vast array of issues and forces weighing on any individual regarding loyalty, duty and personal self preservation in these decisions... but it seems to me that the same media that gets frustrated by the lack of willingness to report crime are the same ones that go after anyone that breaks "unwritten codes." I'm not sure how to thoroughly weigh the competing forces, but I do know that it is annoying to have these conflicting values being promoted in the media.

Oh well...

Blame the media, right?

Poker for the kiddies...

An interesting piece in the NYT yesterday highlighted a new group being founded at Harvard Law, which focuses on promoting poker as an educational tool.

A Harvard Law School professor and a group of his students formed an organization this fall — the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society — dedicated to demonstrating that poker has educational benefits. They argue that the game, which is probability-based and requires risk assessment, situational analysis and a gift for reading people, can be an effective teaching tool, whether for middle school math or in business and law classes.

I'm not totally convinced that promoting poker for middle school math learning is a positive expected value for the game as a whole, but I do appreciate a group working to show that this is not exclusively a game for degenerate gamblers. The variety of situations faced in a game are virtually endless and the number of decision points involved allow for a relatively fast learning environment. The value of poker for grad level students is not in doubt to me and it may be that younger kids can take a lesson from the game as well -- but it probably shouldn't be in the same form they see on TV. In addition, if poker is to be used as an educational tool -- it must include more than just NL Texas Hold'em. An exploration into Limit Hold'em may be the best spot to gain interest and keep math as the center focus... NL tends to involve much more reading of people and understanding implied odds and other factors.

Also, if any grad students want to learn how to play... I'd be glad to teach you. (Bring $50).