Michael Craig's Journal

Are they just giving bracelets away?

I just got back to Vegas and was preparing to spend a fun evening joining Tony Holden for dinner and attending Full Tilt’s party at PURE. Forget all that. Self-loathing is now on the menu.

I got a call as I was arriving from Frank Scatoni, a partner in Venture Literary. Frank and his partner Greg Dinkin represent writers with publishers, film production companies, etc. They aren’t just a “poker” agency though they represent several poker writers. I’m looking for a new agent and Dinkin is friends with my editor, Colin Fox.

Greg had e-mailed me a couple weeks ago and told me he and Frank would be in town right before the main event and would like to meet. That was fine.

Frank said that because Greg was the chip leader going into the final table of Stud Eight-or-Better, the meeting would have to be tomorrow at earliest. Of course, I responded by saying if Dinkin didn’t have anything better to do than play cards, I had no interest in being represented by him.

I look and they’re now down to five players and and Greg has 40% of the chips. To give you an idea of how well he is doing, from the perspective of a mortal like me, I played in this event, busted, went home to Scottsdale, drive my kids to and from camp, went shopping, cooked dinner, spent two nights sleeping in my own bed, and came back. And he’s friggin’ still in the tournament.

Then I notice Jeff Madsen is also the at the final table. He’s got two bracelets already this Series, plus made another final table. But he’s 21, so obviously he’s just getting lucky. Day after day, tournament after tournament, final table after final table.

And Phil Hellmuth won his 10th last night. I’m sure Phil would tell you they are definitely NOT giving them away. Following it on the Internet (combined with his two near-misses already this year), it sounded like a tough battle.

Good for him. I know Phil a little bit, though he is one of the few members in my 50% Club. (50% of the time, they act like they know me well; 50% of the time, they act like we’re strangers.) I wrote an article about him for PokerPages.com after he finshed 3rd in last year’s Tournament of Champions, “The Return of the Man with Two Hats: In (Reluctant) Appreciation of Phil Hellmuth.” Check it out; I really like the piece and I don’t say that about a lot of things I write.

I’ve gotten to know Phil a little bit over the past year, both in connection with the ToC and a small but important role he played in the Andy Beal story. (You’ll probably get that story out of me at some point.)

I think Phil is a very talented poker player, maybe one of the best tournament poker players ever. His problem, analogous to Wilt Chamberlain’s during his basketball days, is that he gives the impression that he tries to achieve things just to please other people. I don’t know Phil enough to give him image advice, but that, of course, didn’t stop me.

This is the letter I wrote to him late last night:

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Phil:

Congratulations. I think you proved throughout this Series that when you go after something, that means you are giving it nothing less than full effort and the full range of your talents. And the Series isn’t over yet!

I believe, Phil, that you should use this achievement as a lever to subtlety change your public image. You can’t abandon the Poker Brat -it’s what you are. But I think you should start affecting a change so you are perceived as not caring what you prove to other people and are perceived as someone who cares only about what he can prove to himself.

My opinion is not infallible on such things but I think I understand these matters pretty well. The more you want respect, the more people want to come up with ways not to give it to you. The less you appear to want it - especially coincident to your towering achievements during this Series - the more people have to concede it to you.

I’d love to discuss this with you, but I also understand that maybe you feel I don’t know what I’m talking about or you’re not going to take the advice of someone else. But I see you as someone getting a fraction of what he can out of his image and achievements. You have worlds still to conquer and I think you can do it by gently moving beyond the Poker Brat.

Regardless of whether we ever discuss this, let me again comment on the circumstance that caused me to bring this up: superb job, man. Really, another for the ages!

Michael Craig

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Then I sent it to him at the e-mail address we used for correspondence last year, PokerPhilWins@xxxxxxxx.com . It was sent back undelivered so I’ve as yet been unable to send it to him. The fact that he’s given up “PokerPhilWins” as an e-mail address, however, suggests that maybe he’s already getting the message.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 26th, 2006 at 8:40 pm and is filed under My favourites:.

2 Responses to “Are they just giving bracelets away?”

Larry Van Quathem Says:
July 27th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
you could try this link to his website.
http://www.philhellmuth.com/ask-phil.html
julie Says:
July 27th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Do poker players have agents?? I think another branch just sprouted:-). Public relations manager??? That was good advice