As it does every year, the Main Event will crown new stars. But I want to take a moment to look back at the first 38 events. I have picked the Top 5 Players of this year’s Sihoki Slot (pre-Main Event), and I’ll be revealing them in five separate blog entries.
Unlike David Letterman, I’m going to start at the top, because I think those are the most obvious choices. In this case, I think there’s more drama waiting to see who comes in behind the first two.
- Jeff Madsen
Jeff Madsen came out of nowhere to make four final tables, winning two bracelets and finishing third twice. This would have been a noteworthy accomplishment five years ago, when the fields were an order of magnitude smaller. But with today’s monstrous (1,000+) fields, it becomes that much more impressive.
Media Coverage Update
Yes folks you have been hearing just a bit of bitchin’ from my media brethren about the “New Media Rules” that we are all living with. Now despite the fact that I am above all of this whining and carping…. I thought it might be a good idea to give you some insider perspective on what is physically happening on the floor of the tournament room right now. This, of course, in the name of all of us getting the best coverage we can out to you on the Internet.
First and foremost, decisions are made and changed on the fly by tournament officials. Some decisions are good, some not so good and others… well this is informational only, no bitching, no whining. Only Cardplayer interns and staff have permanent access inside the ropes today and even they must stay out of the way of ESPN crews and the tournament floor staff.
Editorial Comment: Everyone should stay out of the way of the tournament floor staff; except for that one guy on the day shift who is just a dick.
The fewer the tables the less the space and the more media who want to get in there and see the action. Something like the law of diminishing returns but with poker tables and reporters and big cameras and long, unwieldly boom microphones. Think of herding cats in a crowded Vegas buffet on seafood night with twelve bus loads of senior citizens arriving with walkers and attitude.
Brenton Goulding: From Hanging out to Hanging on
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Brenton Goulding is still holding on during Day 4 of his first WSOP. Beginning the day with $246,000, Brenton had worked his way up to almost $600,000 before the dinner break.
Today revealed a different Brenton than I noticed from Day 2. Pulling in chips, sitting back with a beer, Day 2 Brenton was having a great time. Today he is moving a little slower and he is playing a little more cautiously.
“Before it was kind of a joke because I didn’t think I would make the money,” he said about his play the previous days. “I was chip leader for a good 30 minutes. I might as well actually be serious. I will be all smiles eventually…I just got to wake up.”
