Jamie Gold should be banned from the world series of poker main event final table

Today is the day. The biggest prize in poker history will be paid out. $12 million dollars and one kickass bracelet goes to the winner. A player by the name of Jamie Gold sits in the lead. He’s played aggressive and given attitude to players at his tables, making sure they, everyone he encountered, knew his name.

Some time yesterday, ESPN broke a story regarding Mr. Jamie Gold, though I’d have sworn they were quoting someone as "out there" as John Rocker. No, he didn’t say anything racist, but he made a really stupid comment to the media. He tells ESPN “There might be a story,'' Gold said, "if I dump at the end because I don't want to be famous.”

In the interest of fairness and getting the proper contect of this quote, he goes on to say:

"I don't want to be famous,'' Gold said while sitting in the Bodog lounge before Day 6 of the event Monday. "I'm not sure if I want to win. And I'm in control of that.

"I just thought about what would happen if I won,'' Gold said. "Out of the goodness of their heart, a lot of people would feel like they needed to talk to me, they'd want to know what I was doing, cameras would follow me around. I don't want my life on display. I don't have anything to hide. I'm just not that person. I've always been behind other people. I like making other people famous. I'm not comfortable being in the spotlight. I like my private life.

"I also don't want to be responsible for being the ambassador of poker or anything like that. What Greg Raymer does is amazing. Good for him. I'm not looking to quit my job. I like the job I do. I don't need the money. I'm not doing this for the money. I love the competition.''

And they (The WSOP... ESPN) expect me to actually pay to watch the WSOP Final Table live with this hanging over our head?

In MY OPINION

The “right thing to do” would be to set another first. For the first time ever, a person got disqualified from the main event for placing their chips in their pocket while transferring tables, which is something I agree with, by the way. Chips must remain visible. They do provide trays in case anyone did not know. They also discourage cheating, or so we’d think.

Jamie Gold has implied, scratch that, he came out and said he may dump chips, because that allows him to remain in control. Is that not throwing a game? It sounds as if Jamie Gold is wanting to totally control his destiny. It sounds as if he’s wanting to more than that actually, he’s wanting to play God in this 2006 WSOP Main Event. I say banish the sorry SOB. Take his chips out of play from the opening moment. Remember, you cannot guarantee victory… you can guarantee defeat. Point shaving in college basketball is illegal. Chip dumping is virtually the same thing. Get him out of the WSOP Main Event.

WSOP Coverage live on the poker pub

Nuff said,

Mike



Poker News
Thoughts on Poker
Poker