Michael Craig's Journal

I may be swamped with work and desperate to finish the Full Tilt book so I can get away from poker for awhile, but there is no shortage of people who want to keep me around. I’m not complaining, but I’m not bragging, either.

Richard Brodie, Phil Gordon, and Mike Matusow have all asked me about collaborating with them on books. I’m supposed to write the cover story for the December issue of BLUFF about Chris Ferguson. A couple guys who did some publicity for me earlier this year want me to let them market a theatrical-release movie project based on The Professor, the Banker, and the Suicide King. Robin Leach is trying to sell a TV movie based on the BLUFF articles about the 2006 Andy Beal games.

It all sounds rich and glamorous, doesn’t it? From my perspective, it’s simply … amusing.

If you saw it through my eyes, it would all be very entertaining. Wait! Isn’t that what this Journal is supposed to do: show it from my perspective?

1. David Grey

David has no project in the works and has said nothing about having me do anything with him. I don’t even know him especially well. But I really like the guy. He is a real survivor, staying in action for 20 years, long past being broke, realistic enough to probably never go broke. He has a great caustic wit and mentioned to me that his wife Taylor has been encouraging him to market himself more. My head is spinning with ideas.

If I had to give David a nickname, it would be “The Instigator.”

 

2. Mike Matusow

I’m alternately charmed and horrified by his actions, and always concerned. He wants me to collaborate on his autobiography, an instructional book, and a DVD. He is so hooked on playing poker online that I don’t know how he imagines any of these projects would get STARTED, much less finished.

A couple mutual friends independently told me, “Mike will be broke for the rest of his life. It’s impossible for him to stop gambling until he is broke, no matter how good he is.” I hope that’s not true, but I’m worried it is.

I’m concerned enough that I’ve seriously considered offering to be his manager, though I know that would be a nightmare.

 

3. Richard Brodie

Richard is my spiritual brother. We are the same age, physically similar (at least one person saw his avatar on Full Tilt and thought that was me), came to poker after doing something completely different for nearly all our lives, and have met many more interesting people than we expected.

And we share some interests. For example, I use Microsoft Word. Richard wrote it. I’ve read two books by Bill Gates. Richard is friends with Bill.

Richard wants me to help him with a book based on his incredibly entertaining Lion Tales. How could I not be flattered by that? Richard is one of the smartest people I have ever met, and I know a lot of very smart people.

Richard, who seems to know what’s going on at every casino in town, told me at dinner last night that Harrah’s announced its plans for its Center Strip properties, including tearing Bally’s down and putting up a Horseshoe.

I haven’t checked this out but I pray to god that it’s true. As much as I hate that property, I’d promise to gamble there 16 hours a day until they close if I can man the wrecking ball or implosion switch. If Dante’s version of Hell is accurate, one of the worst circles has a Bally’s.

I’ve never had a conversation with anyone staying there who wasn’t rude. The last three times I’ve been by there, the DEALERS told me what a shithole the place was. In a town where every property has a great coffee shop, they are a glaring exception. Their coffee shop has the ambiance of the smoking section of a bus terminal. And I had $2,700 stolen from me there, probably from one of their employees.

Check out Part II for more of my jumbled interactions with some of the world’s best poker players and most interesting people.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 21st, 2006 at 2:25 pm and is filed under My favourites:.