Dware94's Poker Blog

Love Lockdown

2008-12-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

Hey whats up. Im back from my 4 month break from blogging. I still dont feel like blogging but i felt like it needed an update. Ive been back in Utah for about 2 months now. Things are pretty meh right now. Poker has been somewhat disapointing(although im having a good Dec) and i have been pretty lazy when it comes to working out, going to yoga etc etc.

I got an Xbox 360 from all my frequient player points from Poker Stars and ive been playing a ton of Madden 09. Madden is alot like poker, because you play different players online all over the world. It deff requires alot of skill to be a good Madden player, you have to think about what your opponent is going to do, and do something different. Ya always gotta be one step ahead of him. Xbox live is pretty addicting but not too productive, so im going to try to cut back on playin so much starting in 09.

Oh yeah ive been listening to this song pretty much 24/7...The Video is pretty ill too

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVZX-W3vo9I

Utah Recap

2008-08-29T20:56:00.000-07:00

I really havent felt like blogging lately and i apoligize for the lack of updates. Today is The 28th and ive been back in Texas for over a week now. Utah was a total blast but its amaizing the things i accomplish out here in Texas. Its crazy the entire time i was in Utah i didnt feel like playing poker at all, granted i was on vacation and was spending alot of time catching up with all my old friends, but i still had pleanty of opportunities to play poker when i was there and i really just didnt feel like playing.

Ok im going to recap my whole trip to Utah, i flew in on the 6th and had a whole 2 weeks to just relax and enjoy myself. I met this really cool chick at the San Angelo Airport. She was a Physcology Major at LSU and we chatted it up all the way to Houston. I did number close her but the only bad thing is she isnt from San Angelo and was just visiting Grandparents, bad beat i guess=) So my flight was delayed a few hours in H-Town but i finally got in around 1 AM. It was really really wierd going home. Let me remind you that these past 5 months have been the longest time ive spent away from home and when i got back everything just seemed different. The House was different, TV channels different, Bed was different, for the first time in my life i kinda felt like a guest in my own house, which was deffinetely wierd.

I was super excited to see my dog Zues, this will prolly come off as mean but i was alot more excited to see him then my Mom or Sister. I didnt get a chance to stay there long though, My Mom and I immediatly left the next day to go Finches Hollow. Finches is kinda like a family reunion of sorts for my mom and all her old friends from Vernal. The place we were staying at was up in the Mountains of Utah, which were very very beautiful. After living in Texas for 5 months you really learn to appreaciate the sceanry of Utah, it really is a beautiful state. Although pretty this place was out in the middle of nowhere, which means no cell phones, no TV, No laptop. A pretty big change for somebody who spends 99.99% of their time on the computer.

The real reason i went was to see my Dad. Me and my Dad dont have the best relationship in the world. We are like polar oppisites. That doesnt mean i dont love him though and it was really great to see him again. My Dad is a pretty talented musician and he and all of his old friends play in a Band. He is the bass player and they cover alot of old Rock and Roll songs, which i happen to like alot. So every night the band would play and all the people there would Drink, Dance and really enjoy themselves. Even though i suck at dancing i got out there a few times and all in all the vacation was alot of fun. We stayed for about 4 days which was pleanty, and headed back on a Sunday, which left me about 9 days to hang out and catch up with all my old friends.

My first Night back i Went and hung out with my Best Friend Tom. Ive known him pretty much my whole life and it was great to see him again. We went out with my other friend Troy, We went to this local bar and had a few drinks and shot some pool. The highlight of the night was deffinetely me beating Tom in pool. We played 5 games and i won 3 of him after basically spotting him the first game after playing like a total noob. I made an epic 8 ball bank shot to win game 3 and ever after he tied it at 2-2 i came through and won game 5 convincingly. Let me note that we played pool two more times after that and he completely handed me my ass, so i sure as hell didnt go out on top lol. After pool we had a few Weed cookies that my mom made(yeah i know, best mom ever) and went and saw Pinnapple Express. It was funny, like any Seth Cogan Movie but i thought it was way too long and that they tried a little too hard to be funny, still a good movie though.

The Rest of the week was somewhat uneventfull. I hung out With my good friends John and Jon. We chilled at John's house one night and puffed out(smoked weed) and watched Hardknocks, which is a reality show following the Dallas Cowboys during training camp. I was super stoked to watch that. We watched a little gymnastics after that when i heated debate ensued. It had nothing to do with the Gymnaists and their scores lol. Instead we agrued over who was the best looking Gymnast on the US Squad. I obv had the order down pat...

1. Alicia Sacramone
2. Shaun Johnson
3. Nastia Lukien

But both John and Jon disagreed. Both of them thought Nastia was the hottest and my friend John didnt even think Sacramone was hot....WTF!?!!?!?! I couldnt disagree more but i thought it was pretty funny that we enjoyed checking out the 15 year old gymnasts instead of watching them compete.

On Thursday i went out to my Favorite Resurant and one of the Nicest places to dine in Utah. Its Called "Francks" which is french and named after the chief. I had been there a few times so i knew all the good things to order, but you really cant go wrong with anything there, its that good. I figured since i was ballin it up id order a ballin drink to start the night. 18 year old scotch FTW! lol i dont even like scotch but it was the most expensive liquor on the menu and it wasnt bad for 17 dollars a shot. We ordered a seared Pork Appitiezer which was to die for. When it came time to Order i got the Blueberry Meatloaf and my Mom Ordered Francks Friend Chicken. Although it is a French Resturant one thing i really like about it is that the Dishes arnt too Frenchy(lol is that even a word?). All the stuff on the menu is stuff i like but made with really wierd combinations, like cherrys and onions or A Melon flavored soup. Everything was Fantastic and i even got to meet Franck himself, which i was pretty stoked on. All in all it was a great night and im looking forward to going back when i visit Utah again

Friday night was one of my funnest nights of the vacation. I got to see my good friend Zeke who i hadnt seen in about 18 months. Zeke and me are boys and he went to Iraq about 18 months ago. When he came back i was in Texas and we deffinetley had some catching up to do. So he picks me up in his New 2 door coupe 08 Honda Accord. This car was ballin out of control for a Honda. It was cherry red, very sporting looking, had nice ass leather seats,GPS, Voice command everything, you could literally adjust the volume of the car or the AC by talking to it. So me and him go to the Liquor Store and thats where the biggest decision of the night came. Instead of getting the usual Yaeger or Spiced Rum, i figured i needed to splurge a little and i bought a nice bottle of Cogniac.

So all of this lead up to us going to a Party at this Ericas house. Erica is Tom's girl and a pretty good friend of mine. Right before i left i felt like Erica her friend Brooke and me kinda had a little falling out. It pretty much consisted of me being a little baby about a few things that i dont really want to get into. So i was happy that both of them were there so we could put all that stupid stuff behind us and get back to being good friends, which i would Consider Erica one of my friends. So we ended up getting super super Drunk that night. The congiac was the hit of the party and i had about 7 shots to go with my 4 glasses of Covasiea. We went to a bar down the street but everyone was just super drunk. About 3 broken shot glasses and a few Attempted Car jackings later we somehow made it home. MY friend Zeke took me home and we bumped Devin the Dude in his nice sterio system.

I had a little recovering to do the next few days and stayed at home and watched the Olympics on Friday and Saturday. Michael Phelps is the man and he has inspired me to start swimming again. OK on to Monday the last night of my Vacation and deff on of the funnest!!!

I started the day early in the morning going to a Physic Reading. MY mom had met this lady who was a shamin during the Weekend and she agreed to see me and give me a reading and help me find a way to help my hurting back. It was a crazy experience, She knew all about my childhood and my relationship with both my Mom and My Dad. She knew that i was super close to my Mom's Grandparents and somewhat Distant with my Dad's. She gave me a somewhat meditative excercise to do whenever my back is Hurt. She also linked me too an Animal, the Cheetah. She told me to go out and find a bunch of things that resemble a Cheetah. She read me a little passage about Cheetahs and how they relate to us as humans. It wasnt some horiscope BS either, all the stuff she said about Cheetahs being very impulsive and being fast leaners seemed to relate to me as a person. All in all it was a very cool experience and she recorded the whole thing wihich i deffinatly plan on re-listening to.

After that i Met up with Tom and my good friend Harvey. We went and played some more pool. Im going to leave out the details because it wasnt pretty, but it was really good to see Harvey again and i enjoyed it. After pool Harvey left and we went back to Toms Appartment where Erica and Brooke were there cooking us a lavish dinner. The four of us had a nicely cooked Rib-eye steak, Mashed Potatoes, Corn and Bread, topped off with a big old Glass of MELK(lol). It was delish and a really nice gesture by Erica to cook for us.

After the great meal is the beggining of one of the drunkest nights of my life. We started by taking shots of Spiced Rum left over from the Weekend. Brooke is a girly girl so she eneded up taking the last shots of Flavored Vodka and Tom, Erica and I almost killed a whole bottle by Ourselves. After that we decided to go to a local bar called "Lumpys". We meet up with my friends Zeke and Stephan, and this really cute girl named Sarah. We played a few games of pool, Which me and Sarah won, then lost, then won again. And after that it was the end of old Bretter. We had a shot of Tequila when we first got there. Then i orded Kamakszias, then The girls ordered Yaeger shots for us. Before I knew it i was about to pass out and it was almost 1 AM. Now what i forgot to mention during this whole drinking Spree is that i had a flight to catch at 6:45 AM, which i payed for dearly later on.

So my Friend Brooke drove me Tom and Erica Back to the Apartment. I dont really remember what happened after that and what i do remember isnt suitable for the younger audience reading my blog so i will just leave it at that =) So after "hanging out" for about an hour it was 2 am and i needed to be at the Airport in 3 hours!! I was going to call a cab but Brooke insisted on giving me a ride home. I accepted the ride home even though she had no business driving and we made it back to my place. She dropped me off and made it home safely herself. I went up to my room, staggered around and packed all my stuff up. At this point it was only 2 hours before my Mom was going to take me to the Airport so i just rocked the All nighter. I was drunk when my mom woke up lol. She was nice enough to give me a ride and i somehow survived the rest of the morning. That was the end of my Trip to Utah. It was one of the funnest two week stretchs ive had in awhile and a shout out to all my Great friends who made it special!!!! One.

-Brett

Back in Utah

2008-08-16T22:37:00.000-07:00

Quick blog update. Ive been in Utah for about 10 days now. When i first got here everything seemed so different. I have never been away from home for more then a few weeks, everything from the shower, TV channels, weather seemed different. After a few days though i remembered why i love this state so much. I have only played 1.5k hands of poker this month, which is kinda sad, but i knew going into August that i wasn't going to play that much. I don't feel like blogging right now and pretty tired so I'm going to keep this kinda short. I'm going to make a bbbbbiiiiiiiiiiiigggggggg blog entry about my trip to Utah when i get home.

Brag

2008-07-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

Ok i haven't blogged much at all this month. Even right now i don't feel like blogging but i feel likes its kinda mandatory i brag about what a great month i had. Today is only the 29th and I've made around 12.5k this month. Cool thing is i was able to do this in only 30k hands, which leaves me with a sicko win rate of about 6.89 ptbb/100. For all my non-poker blog readers, who obv have no clue what ptbb/100 is, well i played 30,000 hands this month, logged 77 hours and averaged $145/ per hour. Its pretty cool to only work 77 hours this month and make that much money....hey i warned you guys this was going to be a Brag Post =)

Ill post some of my biggest and most Interesting Hands for the month, starting with the Bad Beats and then some winners(ala raptor).

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2838990 - I can honestly say this is the worst beat ive ever taken playing online, given the stack sizes and me being 98% to win on the flop.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2966561 - This was from a 5/10 shot vs the infamous Tenking

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2955473 - Another Brutal beat at a 5/10 shot. This was button vs Blind too, meh

Ok now for the Winners

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2966569 - I was on cloud 9 after winning this hand. It was one of my first times playing 5/10 this month and it was so sick to get it in KK vs AA, AK, but of course i bink a K on the river =)

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2955560 - This is one of the coolest hands of the month. Such a brutal spot if you follow the action. Guy is a solid Reg at these stakes and hes repping a Set/FD like 90% of the time with that flop line. I would have folded if he didnt check back the Turn, but the River was a great card and the Turn check really threw me off.

http://www.pokerhand.org/?2966587 - I felt like i played this hand perfectly and was a great example of how you have to take certain lines to both maximize your value and protect your stack when your playing at deep tables.

As for outside of poker, not much to write home about. The days seem kinda slow here. Id like to say my grandma is doing better but it almost feels like shes reached a point where, while shes improving, its going to be really hard for her to ever walk again without a walker. I am not negative and i do think she will eventually be able to walk. Its actually one of the Reasons i want to stay here in Texas. I feel like if i leave now, its almost like i didn't finish my Job, i want to leave here knowing she is going to be ok. Whether that is walking or not...i don't know, I'm going to be optimistic and keep showing her love.

I have also started a new Routine a few days ago that i hope i can stick with. I really suck at Routines but I've already seen some great results with this one, so I'm going to stay with it.....

Every Day, i wake up around 11 AM(hey I'm a poker player) and take a shower, eat a small Breakfast and then do my Little workout routine. This Consists of doing 50 push ups, and walking/jogging a mile each day, 5 days a week. I know that isn't some vigorous cardio but 2 years ago i couldn't even do a push up, and why don't you guys try running a mile in 105 degree heat!!! =)

After my run i usually go to Subway and order a Foot long Turkey Breat and Ham. Ive put on a few pounds here and i want to start eating healthy again. After the Meal i usually take another shower(lol) so i can feel completely refreshed. Then i find a Quiet place and Listen to "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. Its a book on Tape and although Ive listened to it before, i feel like I'm learning so much more the Second time around. I put on my Bose Headphones and just relax, without a worry in the world. So I'm going to listen to an Hour a day until I'm done with "Power of Now". But after that i plan on reading/listening to more books about positive thinking and spiritual Enlightenment.

Were not done!!! Here is the Great part. I am always in a great mood when I'm done reading, so i immediately hop right in and put in my Daily Poker Session. I feel so much more relaxed and in a much better state of mind when I have just got through reading my Spiritual Enlightenment books. I am learning to block out all my negative thoughts and emotions i have towards other players and life in General. It is pretty cool, For instance today i had a guy put a really bad beat on me for a 100 bb pot. Usually i would slam my mouse down and Cuss the guy out and berate his bad play. But today i just smiled and said "NH" to him in the chat box. One of the things Ekhart teaches you is that Anger you have towards others, usually stems from a problem you have with yourself. IF i am Comfortable and Happy with myself then i wont have angry thoughts towards others, instead i will see the good in people. I really am living in the "now" and I'm excited everyday to learn more and hopefully fulfill all the things i want to accomplish in life.

Anyways I'm going back home to Utah from Aug 6th-19th to visit my Family but more importantly see a Spine Specialist who will hopefully be able to fix my back. I haven't blogged about my Back problems and I'm not going to start because that would just end up being a Negative Rant. I'm hoping that This guy will be able to help me, but well see. I'm super Excited to see my DOG, family, friends. Even though i put on a tough guy act, i miss them all a bunch and I'm looking forward to doing all the fun things I'm not able to do down here in Texas. I plan on taking a small break from Poker/Blogging but i will try to throw in a few updates here and there.

-Brett

Mid June Update

2008-07-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

I'm going to keep this short and sweet because i don't really feel like blogging. June has gone really good so far, I'm up around 6K in 15 days played. I feel like I'm playing really really good but running somewhat below expectation. At the same time i am also losing motivation to play, the past few days ive kinda forced myself to play and my results while good...could have been better.

I'm going to try to find some other fun things away from poker to keep me busy. Ive been reading like crazy this summer and I'm almost finished with Phil Jackson's "The Last Season." Its a pretty cool book and i love Phil's "zen like" approach and the way he approaches situations in a positive manner. Its also really cool to find out some of the small coaching subtleties that NBA coaches use that i had no idea about.

Anyways I'm going to make a bigger blog entry in a few days, until then take it easy and enjoy life!

Rinse and Repeat

2008-06-30T13:09:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to say that the month of June is finally over! IF you follow my blog, then you know that i had a bunch of goals i wanted to accomplish for the month of June. Well i ended up not hitting a single one. Instead of whining and complaining, I'm just going to turn the page on June and look forward to July.

I'm keeping the same set of goals for July. I wont be able to qualify for the WSOP, but if i work hard i think all the other goals will be attainable. If you want to see a list of them, scroll down and check my "Goals for June" post.

Poker was going so bad towards the end of June that i decided to take the last week off and do one "fun"activity each day. Ill recap all of those for ya, since it was a pretty fun week and i have nothing else to blog about.

Monday- I went and played golf at the Local Course down the street. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they only charge 8 bucks for 18 holes(no cart). Although the Course is No Torrey Pines, its a fun little course that is very forgiving. I only play 9 holes and shoot +8 including my first birdie in years.

Tuesday- Nothing too exciting today. I had no idea what to do for my "activity" so i decided to check out the visitor Center here in San Angelo and see if i can find something fun to do. So i end up going on a hike on this mile long trail called the "Nature Trail." It was fun but nothing too breath taking.

Wednesday- Back to the Links where i decided to play with same course i played on Monday cept i plan on playing 18 today. Well my Front 9 is terrible, i shoot +16 with not a single Birdie or Par. Even though I'm tired i decide to still play the back 9 and i Birdie the first hole. Now with a little pep in my step i end up shooting +6 for the back 9 including going Par, Birdie, Par on the last 3 holes. Only negative on the day was i forgot to put on Sun Screen and my nose and Ears get a little Burned.

Thursday- Decided to have a lazy day and just sit around and watch TV all day. The NBA draft was tonight and as expected, Rose went #1 to Bulls and Beasley went #2 to the Heat. The Rest of the Lottery was somewhat exciting. The Big Shocker to me was Russell Westbrook going #4 to the Sonics. I had seen Westbrook play a few times and i just wasn't too impressed with his game. Brook Lopez slipping all the way to the Nets at #10 was also a big surprise. All in all the Draft was fun to watch and will prolly be my last good sports fix till Football season starts.

Friday- Today I got my check from Ultimate Bet and Decided to do a little shopping. Not the kind your thinking of though. I spent 200 bucks on grocery's and Gas. I'm not used to shopping for myself. Back home my Mom would buy alot of little things like Pop Drinks, Bread and Lunch meat for me. Well my grandparents are on a somewhat limited Budget so i now have to buy these things for myself. I have alot more Respect for all the Money my mom spent on me because these small things can sure add up as i find myself spending 200+ on Vitamin Waters and Red bulls.

Saturday- I didn't do much today, i played a few poker Tournaments for the first time in about a month. Ill save you guys the time and not tell you about the bad beats i took. At night i decided to check out this Bar down the street. Now let me remind you Ive been in Texas about 3 months, and this is this is probably the 3rd time Ive been "Out" so to speak. I spend about 15 minutes there alone and not socializing with anyone. I feel really stupid and discouraged and leave shortly after. Making friends, to me, it alot harder then it looks.(ill elaborate more on this later in my blog)

Sunday- I decide to go check out the Local Drag Boat races that visit San Angelo Annually. It was a pretty cool little event if i might say so. It was a little too "redneck" for my taste but still fun. The Boats were super fast and unbelievably loud. One of the Fastest Boats Raced the Quarter Mile in 8.52 seconds and topped speeds of about 190 MPH. There were a ton of people there. But being the Social Zombie i am i didn't talk to any of them and again left discouraged that even though i got out of the house everyday that week, i didn't meet a single person.

So all in all it was a fun week. But a disappointing one. I really just want to make new friends out here in San Angelo. I want to meet some girls and do some fun things as well. I almost feel an added pressure to considering every time i leave the house my Grandpa asks "Did you meet anybody while you were out there?" And every time i say "No" with a saddened look on my face.

It really sucks moving to a new place and meeting new people. Its one of the hardest things Ive had to do in my life(no exaggerating.) I am a very Quiet and Shy person to begin with, so that doesn't really help my cause. I also think that I must be very intimidating or maybe even Scary looking because i just give off an Angry or Depressed Vibe. Alot of that has to do with being in a bad mood from losing in poker. But i just feel like i must not be very approachable because i never find myself making small talk with anybody when i leave the house. I really am turning into a walking Zombie.

With all of that said i need to stop focusing on all these negative things about and put more emphasis on the positive side of life. Although i plan on returning to Poker fresh next week. I'm still going to try and do something fun each week. And I'm not giving up on meeting new people either. I plan on going out a few times this week and trying my hardest to be social. I hope things will change, and I'm confident they will...

Brett

Ware's early 08 NFL predictions

2008-06-22T15:40:00.000-07:00

It's almost that time again boys. Training camps are starting, every ones getting the details of their Fantasy Football Draft planned out. Football Season is right around the corner and it couldn't come any sooner. There is nothing worse then the 2 month stretch between the End of the NBA finals and the start of Football Season. Regular Season Baseball is about as boring as a Ron Karkovich fantasy Golf thread.

So here we Go boys, the official Mdot AKa Demarcus Ware Aka Team DimE 2008 NFL Football Predictions...With Record Predictions, Players to Watch, Team Weaknesses, all that good stuff.....

***********WARE'S 08 NFL PREDICTIONS**************

AFC EAST

1. New England Patriots 13-3

The Patriots had a remarkable season last year. Obviously going undefeated throughout the regular season and up until the Superbowl was a great accomplishment. Will there be a hangover after the Superbowl Loss though? The Answer is No. New England is too talented and has one of the Easiest Schedules in the League. Belichick is a Master Motivator and will have the
Pats playing with a chip on their shoulder in 08 just like they did after the whole spy gate debacle.

Team Strengths - DL, WR, OL
Team Weakness - LB, CB

Player to Watch- Jerod Mayo.

Mayo needs to be an impact player as a rookie. The Pats LBers are older then Dirt and they lost arguably their best LB in Roosevelt Colvin.

2. Buffalo Bills 7-9

The Bills have been one of the most over achieving teams in the few years. During Dick Jauron's first two years they have had alot of injuries and inexperienced players at key positions. Even with all the question marks the bills have been in playoff contention the past few years and seem to play with alot of heart. With some key Free Agent signing(Marcus Stroud, Kawika Mitchell) i see the Bills as a team on the rise in 08.

Team Strengths - ST, DL, RB
Team Weakness- WR, CB

Player to Watch- James Hardy

The Bills Desperately need a big possession WR to go along with Lee Evans. I think the 6'6 Hardy will be a great fit and an Early Candidate for OROY.

New York Jets 6-10

The New York Jets are an Interesting Team. They have some Very Talented players and Added alot of missing pieces during the off season. But they still don't have a QB and missing out on Mcfadden leaves them with a pretty weak running game. Even with all the off season additions i think the Jets underachieve again and miss the playoffs.

Team Strengths- OL, CB
Team Weakness- QB, RB

Player to Watch- Darrelle Revis

Revis Started every game as a rookie last year and showed signs of being a future shutdown corner. Revis and Rhodes are going to be perennial Pro Bowls for the next 5-10 years.

Miami Dolphins 3-13

Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano Bring much needed Toughness to a very soft and thinly talented Dolphin Team. The Dolphins(or the Cowboys B team) have holes at every position and are at least 2 or 3 years away from being even remotely competitive. They do have "hope" though. Nobody is better at taking a terrible team and turning them around then Bill Parcells. Look for the Dolphins to Ship Jason Taylor before the Season starts. BP doesnt do Hollywood...

Team Strengths- GM and Scouting Department
Team Weakness- QB, WR, LB

Player to Watch- Ronnie Brown

IF Ronnie Brown can come back from his ACL tear and be somewhat productive then the Dolphins could win as many as 5 games. If they have to rely on Ricky Williams or some Unknown then they could be looking at another Win less season come week 12 or 13.

AFC North

1. Cleveland Browns 10-6

The Surprise team of 07 is back and they are loading up for a playoff push. Derrick Anderson came out of nowhere and provided the Browns with a much needed lift at the QB position. The Pressure is on Romeo though to get to the playoffs. The Browns Were the "off season winners" so to speak, spending lots of money and draft picks to solidify their DL and WR positions. The Secondary must play alot better though in order to win the Division

Team Strengths- WR, OL, ST
Team Weakness- CB, LB

Player to Watch- Joshua Cribbs

Cribbs was Devin Hester Esq last year and should be the best Return man in the game going into 08. He was maybe the Browns MVP last year and led the league with around 30 yards per return.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers 10-6

The Steelers are a very physical team. They run the ball down your throats and play good defense. Its been their trade mark for...well forever. I expect them to have a more dynamic passing game this year to compliment the Running game. Heath Miller will have another big year and The Defense will be really solid as usual.

Team Strengths- QB, RB, LB, TE
Team Weakness- CB, OL

Player to Watch- Rashard Mendenhall

Mendenhall was a steal at #23 and should be a great compliment to Willie Parker. Mendenhall will get you tough yards up the gut and Parker will be more of a home run threat.

Cincinatti Bengals 6-10

The Bengals are trying to Turn the page on there terri-bad 07 campaign and trying to shake the Reputation as the Bad Boys of the NFL. They got rid of a few trouble makers and added some New players to the Mix. But there is too many "ifs" for the Bengals to be competitive. What will Happen with Ocho Cinco? Is Mike Zimmer really the answer to turn around one of the Worst Defenses in the NFL? Even with all the Question marks, the Bengals Still have a chance just because of Carson Palmer but it wont be enough to get them back to the playoffs.

Team Strengths- QB, WR
Team Weakness- LB, CB, S

Player to Watch- Keith Rivers

Rivers is an Athletic OLB that can hopefully cause havoc for the Bengals. Rivers is also know for being a class act off the field, Two things the Bengals Desperately need.

Baltimore Ravens 3-13

The Ravens are in Total rebuilding mode. They have a new Head Coach, New Quarterback and are very thin on the Offensive Line after J. Ogden decided to retire a few weeks ago. They have some Young Talented players on the Defense, but some Aging players as well. Don't Expect much from Baltimore this year but they could be a team on the rise 2 or 3 years from now.

Team Strengths- DL, LB, RB
Team Weakness- QB, WR, OL

Player to Watch- Ray Rice

Rice could be the steal of the Draft and provide a solid 10-15 carries a game behind McGahee. He was a workhorse in College and i expect him to play with a chip on his shoulder all year after being drafted late in the 2nd round.

AFC SOUTH

Jacksonville Jaguars 12-4

This could be the year of the Jags finally win the AFC south and put their stamp on this Division. After losing time and time again to the Colts. The Jags made sure they addressed their few weaknesses by Drafting two Pass Rushers with their first 2 picks in the Draft. They also picked up a few WR's so Gerrard will have a decent passing attack to go along with their Great Running game. This Team is loaded and ready to make a run at the SB.

Team Strengths- QB, RB, DL
Team Weakness- CB, WR

Player to Watch- Mercedes Lewis

After being very Quiet in his First few years with the Jags, Lewis came on late in 07 and should be starting in 08. Expect big things from the Former UCLA Bruin.

Indianapolis Colts 11-5

There is no reason to think that the Colts wont be one of the top 3 or 4 teams in the AFC again this year. This Is Tony Dungy's Last hurrah and the Colts are the same dominate team they have been for the last 5 years. The Big Question Mark for the Colts is if Marvin Harrison will be the same after missing most of the 07 season with a Knee Injury. Even Without Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark will continue to give defensive coordinators Fits and Peyton Manning is...well Peyton Manning.

Team Strengths - QB, TE, RB, WR, S
Team Weakness- LB, K

Player to Watch- Joseph Addai

Addai is a Star in the Making and will be a top 5 pick in Virtually every Fantasy Draft.

Houston Texans 7-9

The Texans are another team on the Rise. With a Very Solid and Young Defense i expect the Texans to Continue to Improve. Even though 7-9 is a drop off from their 8-8 record a year ago the Texans will be alot better with a healthy Andre Johnson. The lack of a running game and playing in a great division will prohibit the Texans from making the Playoffs though.

Team Strengths- DL, WR
Team Weakness- OL, RB

Player to Watch- Amobi Okoye

The Youngster got off to a great start last season but faded down the Stretch. Him and Williams are going to be a hand full for OT's and D coordinators.

Tennessee Titans 6-10

The Titans are a team that seems to over achieve every year. But i think there luck runs out this year. Last year the Titans won alot of games they shouldn't have. I think if anything Young has Regressed since his Rookie year and it doesn't help that the Titans have gotten him Zero Weapons as far as WR Goes. A very strong Defense will keep them in games but i don't see the Titans making the playoffs this year.

Team Strengths- DL, OL
Team Weakness- QB, WR

Player to Watch- Chris Johnson

Will Johnson and his blazing 4.2 speed be a home run threat every time he touches the ball? Or is he just a work out wonder? Only time will tell...

AFC WEST

San Diego Chargers 13-3

The Chargers are one of the Most Talented teams in the League. They are loaded on both sides of the ball and its Superbowl or bust for Norv this year. The Chargers should run away with this division and the Only Question mark coming into the season is how Rivers, LT, and Gates come back from Injuries. But the best DL in the league and an unbelievable LB'ing core will get the Chargers to the playoffs even if the offense somehow struggles.

Team Strengths- DL, LB, CB, RB
Team Weakness- WR, K

Player to Watch- Vincent Jackson

Jackson must be more consistent for the Chargers. He came on strong towards the end of 07 and he really needs to turn the teams only weakness into a strength

Denver Broncos 9-7

The Broncos are a team that is average but will benefit from a weak division. They have a solid QB in Cutler and a up and coming WR in Brandon Marshell. But that's about it as far as the Offense goes. Don't count on Selvin Young and Mike Bell to light it up this year. The Defense is pretty average all around. Expect big things from Elvis Dumervil and Champ Bailey. But they will need a much better pass rush this year if they want to make the playoffs.

Team Strengths- QB, CB
Team Weakness- DL, LB

Player to Watch- Elvis Dumervil

The 5'11 Dumervil should really come into his own in his 3rd season. Seems to always play with a chip on his shoulder and was an absolute steal for the Broncos in the 05 draft.

Oakland Raiders 7-9

The Raiders are going to be an interesting team this year. While making a big splash in the off season and drafting the electrifying Darren Mcfadden you would think the Raiders will be in the Hunt for a playoff berth come December. The raiders have one of the weakest schedules in the league as well. All that being Said Jamarcus Russell is unproven and will have growing pains. The raiders will still win 7 games though because of the super soft AFC West.

Team Strengths- LB, CB, RB
Team Weakness- QB, OL

Player to Watch- Darren McFadden/ Jamarcus Russell

The Success of the Raiders will come down to these two players. Alot of pressure on a bunch of Kids so to speak. Both are top 5 picks and very talented so the raiders expect big things from both.

Kansas City Chiefs 3-13

The Chiefs are another Team that is in complete rebuilding mode. With an unproven Quarterback and and a team that's expected to start 6 rookies i wouldn't expect too much from them in 08. The Chiefs also traded away their best player and arguably the best pass rusher in the game in Jared Allen. The chiefs had a great Draft, Hard to go wrong when you have 13 picks and 6 in the first 3 rounds. Don't Expect much from these rookies right away but watch out come 09 or 2010.

Team Strengths- DL, RB, TE
Team Weakness- QB, WR, CB, LB, K

Player to Watch- The whole 08 Draft

Only time will tell if it was the right move to trade Jared Allen. But Glenn Dorsey should be a monster in the middle and all of the draft picks from 08 have a chance to come in and play immediately.

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys 11-5

The Cowboys are the most Talented team in the NFL. No question about that. But Talent can only get you so far. The Cowboys lack Mental toughness and a desire to win. But 13 pro bowlers and adding more play makers should be enough to win the NFC East this year. I expect the Offense to have another great year. Romo to Witten is something your going to be hearing alot this year. Should Be interesting to see how MB3 handles the starting Job at RB, but i have a feeling he will be fine.

The Question Marks are all on Wade Phillips and his Defense. Wade Phillips has a history of doing very will his 1st year with a team and going completely downhill from there. I feel like his Defense underachieved big time last year. Look For Chris Canty to have a breakout year and for Demarcus Ware to have around 15-18 sacks and Win DPOY. The Secondary should be better but who knows how much of an impact Adam Jones Will have. Look out for Mike Jenkins though the rookie outta USF.

Team Strengths- QB, WR, RB, TE, LB, CB
Team Weakness- S, Head Coach

Player to Watch- Anthony Spencer

A rookie last year, Spencer had a hard time getting on the field playing behind pro bowler Greg Ellis. But this year he is expected to start and showed some signs of greatness in limited playing time last year. Look for him and Ware to put up 25+ sacks between them

New York Giants 10-6

Some people will say its a slap in the face to not have the SB champs winning there division. But the Giants played out of their minds last year en route to winning a Superbowl. Give D coordinator Steve Spagnola ALL the credit. He came up with a beautiful game plan for both the Cowboys and Patriots games. Holding both these powerhouses to 17 and 14 points. I expect Eli manning to be average again, but I think the Defense will really miss Strahan for both his play and his leadership.

Team Strengths- DL, OL, WR, TE, RB
Team Weakness- QB, K

Player To Watch- Kenny Phillips

Ive head alot of great things about the Safety from Miami, Expect him to come in and start right away for the G-men.

Washington Redskins 7-9

The Skins, like the rest of the Teams in the NFC, have alot of Talent. But Its going to be hard for First year coach Jim Zorn going from a QB coach to Head Coach. There has to be somewhat of a sharp learning Curve there. The Skins loaded up on WR's in the Draft but i think the Jury is still out on Campbell. He has alot of weapons on offense now but learning a new system will take some time. The Defense is solid, not great but solid. Laron Landry should have a pro bowl type season but i think the Skins are still lacking a dominate pass rusher.

Team Strengths- TE, RB, S
Team Weakness- DL, K, QB

Philadelphia Eagles 6-10

The Eagles Success in 08 will come down to Donovan Mcnabb. I think the Eagles Days as contenders in the NFC are done. Even if Mcnabb does turn the Corner i don't think they have enough Weapons on Offense to compete in a very loaded division. Not getting a game changing WR really turns them into a 6 or 7 win team opposed to 9 or 10 win team with a guy like Chad Johnson or Anquan Boldin. Westbrook is still a top 3 rb and Samuel should help out an already good Secondary. But i just don't think it'll be enough to have a winning record in the NFC East, the toughest division in football.

Team Strengths- RB, DL, CB
Team Weakness- OL, WR, LB

Player to Watch - Trent Cole

A monster last year with 14 sacks. Cole Should have made the Pro Bowl and had to go against some very tough LT's. Expect another great year from Cole.

NFC NORTH

Minnesota Vikings 11-5

The Paper Champs in the NFC so far this year the Vikings are absolutely loaded on the Defensive side of the Ball. One of the Best Defenses last year adds Jared Allen to an already sickening good Defensive Line. The Vikings have the best RB in the league and the Best OL in the league as well. But they also have Tavaris Jackson as their QB, If the Viks had a really good QB i think they could win 14-15 games this year. But Jackson has shown nothing in his first 2 years and i don't expect him to just all of the sudden become an all pro.

Team Strength- RB, DL, OL, LB
Team Weakness- QB, WR, CB

Player to Watch- Sidney Rice

Steve Spurier said he was the best WR he ever coached in college. Rice came on big last year but Im not sure how well he will handle being the #1 option.

Green Bay Packers 11-5

The Aaron Rodgers era Begins and Green Bay and while the Jury is still out on Rodgers the Rest of the Team is very Solid and should get GB back to the playoffs. Rogers should have alot of Help on offense with a really good young WR core. On Defense the Packers have a great pass rush and CB play, along with some really good young linebackers. The Defense should be top notch next year and if Rodgers plays well the packers could win 13-14 games next year.

Team Strengths- OL, DL, CB, WR
Team Weakness- QB, TE

Player to Watch- Ryan Grant

IF Grant plays anything like he did last year then the Packers have found themselves a hell of a running back. But i need to see one more solid season out of him before i get out the anointing oil.

Detroit Lions 6-10

The Lions started out Blazing last year, but limped past the finish line and finished 7-9. I don't expect them to improve upon that mark this year. John Kitna is still there QB and they still have a terrible running game. CJ and Roy should put up some good numbers but they Lions just have too many holes to fill to be competitive in 08. The Defense is terri-bad and i don't see them improving at all this year.

Team Strengths - WR
Team Weakness- The Whole Defense

Player to Watch- Kevin Smith

Ill continue my Draft pick trend for players to watch. The Lions desperately need to catch lightening in a bottle with Smith. He was a gamer in college but dropped in the Draft because of his 40 time.

Chicago Bears 4-12

Alot of people disagree with me here. But i think the Bears are going to be very very bad this year. They have NO QB, NO RB and i literally cant name a WR on their Team. Their OL got abused last year and they will have to rely on Defense and Special Teams again this year. I think Urlacher's play will see a big decline this year. The Secondary could be better if Mike Brown is able to come back, but i just don't see it being enough. Devin Hester should be exciting to watch as always though.

Team Strengths- DL, LB, S, ST
Team Weakness- The whole offense

Player to Watch- Matt Forte

With no Cedric Benson Forte is the guy now and there will be alot of pressure on him to be productive as a rookie.

NFC SOUTH

New Orleans Saints 12-4

The Saints will be the Bounce back team in 08. They have a great QB in Brees, Solid RB's and some good young WR's. Sean Payton is a great coach and will have that offense clicking early on in the season opposed to late like last year. The Saints have a great Defensive Line. Charles Grant needs to be healthy but Will Smith is a Stud and will have another pro bowl type season. They will need alot better play from their Secondary though

Team Strengths- QB, WR, DL
Team Weakness- CB, S

Player to Watch- Johnathan Vilma

The Saints need Vilma to be healthy and play well. If he does a weakness in this team could turn into a strength.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 9-7

The Bucs will benefit from having a bad division. But i don't think they will wow us by any means. Garcia is Solid and will keep the Bucs in Games. But they are in Desperate need of a big Play maker on offense. Joey Galloway is an ageless wonder but he didn't show up at all in the playoff game vs NY. The Defense should be solid again and Barrett Rudd is one of the better young LBers. Jermaine Phillips is another player to look out for and should have made the pro bowl over Roy Williams.

Team Strengths- LB, QB, S
Team Weakness- WR, RB, DL

Player to watch- Gaines Adams/ Aquib Talib

Adams didn't live up to his top 5 draft status but i hear hes improving. Aquib Talib better show the Bucs they made a smart decision drafting him over local- home grown CB Mike Jenkins who said he really wanted to play for Tampa. Carolina

Panthers 7-9

I think the Panthers are somewhat in a rebuilding mode. They need to give up on Delhomme and start the rebuilding process completely. If not i think Fox's job may be on the line this year. The Panthers had a good Draft and have alot of good young players. But i think lack of a solid RB and QB will prohibit them from making the playoffs this year. Julius Peppers really needs to have a bounce back year otherwise that defense will really Struggle.

Team Strengths- WR, LB
Team Weakness- QB, RB, TE

Player to Watch - Jon Beason

Beason is an absolute "beast" and i expect him to have a great sophomore season to go along with his 140 tackle rookie season.

Atlanta Falcons 2-14

Too many New faces for the Falcons to even be remotely competitive. New head coach, New QB, new D Coordinator. There really arnt that many expectations going into this year for the Falcons. I think they just want to put the Whole Mike Vick thing behind them and move forward with their new franchise QB Matt Ryan. Micheal Turner should help out a little. Roddy White is also turning into a Solid WR. The O-line and D-line need alot of help though, Gotta win the battles up front if you want any kinda chance at winning more then 3 games this year

Team Strengths- RB, LB
Team Weakness- OL, DL, CB, S

Player to Watch- Matt Ryan

Ryan is the Face of the Franchise now and like any other top 5 QB selected, hes going to be expected to come in and produce immediatly.

NFC WEST

Seattle Seahawks 11-5

Another year, another NFC WEST tittle for the Seahawks. Hard to really tell how good the Hawks really are considering they play in a D-2 Division. But Hassellbeck is a very good QB and will carry the Seahawks once again. I don't think Julius Jones will be an upgrade at all over Alexander. The Seahawks do have a great pass rush and i think Kearny will have another monster year. The Seahawks might have the best LB core in the NFL too. Julian Peterson is a top 3 LB IMO.

Team Strengths- QB, LB, DL
Team Weakness- RB, S

Player to Watch- Darrell Tapp

Tapp is another solid pass rusher who should have a field day playing behind guys like Kearny who will be seeing constant double teams.

Arizona Cardinals 8-8

Every year the Cardinals seem to have hopes of making the playoffs. Every year they seem to disappoint. I think The Cards will put together a pretty good Squad this year.They will have a decision to make on who is there starting QB. I honestly think Warner gives them the Best chance at winning if he doesn't turn the ball over(which is obv a big "if"). The Defense must improve this year in order to take the next step. Everybody knows Boldin and Fitzy are dominate so i don't elaborate more on that.

Team Strengths - WR, LB, CB
Team Weakness- QB, DL, OL

Player to watch - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Cousin of Chargers Antonio Cromartie the Cardinals Expect big things from their First Round Draft pick. Although i heard he came into camp 15 pounds over weight. DRC has all the skill sets to be a shut down corner though.

St Louis Rams 6-10

The Rams could surprise everyone and actually win this Division. IT all depends on how Bulger Bounces back and how Steven Jackson Plays. Even with those two guys healthy the Rams are so Bad on Defense i cant imagine them breaking .500. I wont even try to grade their Defense because i honestly don't know half the players on their D. They also need Offensive Line Help big time.

Team Strengths- QB, RB, WR
Team Weakness- The Whole Defense

Player to Watch- Chris Long

Gotta go with Long as the player to watch. Only time will tell if they made the right choice picking Long over Dorsey

San Fransisco 49ers 4-12

I live In Utah and went to plenty of Utah Ute games when Alex Smith was the QB. Let me say this, he had no business being the #1 pick in the draft. He was strictly a product of Urban Meyers system and at this point is a complete bust in my minds. The Niners haven't helped smith out though, He really needs a big time WR to go along with Gore who is a great RB. The Defense should be a little better this year with the signing off Justin smith. But they still need Secondary help and an OLB to compliment Willis.

Team Strengths- RB, LB
Team Weakness- QB,WR, CB, S

Player To Watch- Patrick Willis

After an absolute monster Rookie year i expect Willis to Put up similar Numbers and show everyone why he was named DROY last year.

Some NBA Finals Thoughts

2008-06-19T12:35:00.000-07:00

So Unless you live in like Europe or something, I'm pretty sure you witnessed the Boston Celtics win their 17th Championship and their First tittle in 22 years on Tuesday. I'm really a big NBA fan but I've never had a true team i cheer for. I think the NBA is more of a players league and I'm drawn to Certain Players opposed to just liking a specific team. This Couldnt be more opposite in Football but i think with Basketball i am just a fan of the game.

It was a great moment to see KG( Kevin Garnett) win his first Championship. I don't think I've ever seen an athlete in my lifetime want to win more then KG. His Focus and Determination to win is just something you don't see too often in Sports Nowadays. I watched an interview with the "Big 3" before the playoffs started. Just their demeanor, attitude and mentality told me that they were going to win it all this year. I actually told my friends after watching that Interview that i thought there was no way Boston would lose, they just wanted it more then anybody else.

Seeing KG cry right after the game and during his interview with Michele Tefoya(that was hilarious by the way) was really pretty touching. IT kinda reminds me of Poker and all the Struggles I've had, the hardships along the way. To finally reach the top, the pinnacle, must be a truly amazing feeling. I hope one day i can experience What KG and the rest of the Celtics felt on Tuesday night.

I'm actually going to expand further on what i just wrote and Explain how a really feel about my Favorite Sports team in the World. The Dallas Cowboys. Ive been a Die hard fan since I've been a baby and i live and die with every game the Cowboys play. Well after being in the Dweller of the NFL during the Early 2000's the Cowboys have put together a very talented team the past few years. Going into the 2008 season i think they have the most talented team in the NFL.

But that's pretty much where it ends. The Cowboys have all the Talent in the world, but they don't have any Football I.Q or more importantly, they don't have the Desire to Win, The Drive to be the Best. I'm going to take a shot at my Favorite Sports Team.... The Cowboys are soft. Id give anything to have a competitor like Kevin Garnett on the Cowboys.

I know they are two completely different sports. But when i see the Cowboy players, i see a bunch of young Cocky guys who only care about cashing in on a paycheck, only care about putting up some nice stats, or making the Pro Bowl. I don't see the Desire to Win driving them. Ive watched them lose two very disappointing playoff games the past 2 years. And yeah they cried afterwards blah blah blah. But it doesn't seem to be Bothering them too much. I don't see the burning desire to go back to work and achieve the ultimate goal.

I think we may have 2 or 3 players that care about Winning. I think T.O is one of them. I think MB3 and Terence Newman care. But going back to my original point. Id give anything to have a player with KG's mentality. I think that passion to Win rubs off on everybody and i think without a Player who really cares about winning(or a Quarterback...yeah i said it..) then we are doomed for another disappointing playoff exit, if were lucky enough to even get there.

I know Basketball and Football are completely different Sports. And its Hard for one player to change the Attitude of a team when you have 53 players on a football team opposed to 12 on a basketball team. But i just wanted to give KG props and i think we should all be aware of what you can achieve when you truly dedicate yourself to something you want. Again Congratulations to KG and the Whole Boston Celtics team, you guys earned it!

-Brett

Mid June Update...

2008-06-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Well if you remember from my most recent post i had alot of goals i wanted to accomplish this June. Well so far i have had just a terrible month and im on a terri-bad downswing. About the 9th of June it almost felt like a doom switch was set from Off to On in my account(I kid, I kid.) It really has been brutal, I'm down about 15 buy ins(3.2kish) and towards the end i started playing bad and would go on monkey tilt anytime i took a bad beat. I say i lost about 1k of the 3k due to tilt which is just unacceptable and really disappointing.

I don't want to bitch or dwell on negative stuff, but i feel like I'm about a 10% favorite to win, when i get it AIPF with KK. Ill post a few of my bad beats for no apparent reason, just to vent....

This is a standard BvB spot for me, actually thought i lost the minimum on this hand..
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771396

More standard-ness
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771406

Really weird hand, don't really like my line at all. I was just trying to isco the first raiser who was a donk, Guess i made a good turn fold
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771413

Preflop raise is meh, but I've bricked on every combo draw I've played this month.
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771420

Now the KK madness
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771483

Yay short stackers
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771486

Such 4 bets pre with 99
http://www.pokerhand.org/?2771489

Sorry bout all the venting. Its just really frustrating to play about 40-60 hours a week and literally not have one winning session. I was so down on myself i cashed out all of my online poker roll and was on the verge of quiting. But like Matt Damon in rounders i turned the Car back around and cancelled my cashouts 24 hours later. I played a little bit of .50/$1 for the first time in awhile and won about 7 buy ins so I'm back on the winning track. Ive had a few winning sessions over the past few days so hopefully it ll turn around, I'm sure it will....

As for my other goals, i played both of the big W.S.O.P qualifiers on Tilt and Stars on Sunday. I played terrible and ran even worse. I just couldn't get anything going. Every Late position raise i made got 3 bet. I never got in any good situations and i felt like i was doomed from the start. I played a decent short stack, but busted out on a squeeze play with KQ on tilt and shoved J10 into KQ on the stars tourney(yeah i am playing bad i know..)

As for my personal goals. I don't think I've left the house in about a month. No new friends. No new girls =( I feel like if I'm on the computer for another day for 7+ hours I'm going to start stabbing my eye lids with a pencil. I really need to do something fun and get out of the house. I gotta get out of this little social rut I'm in. I think at the end of June I'm going to take 2 weeks off from poker and go out and do something fun everyday...that's the plan =)

Well I'm off, Going to watch game 6 of the NBA finals. Boston is up 3-2 and has a chance to close it out tonight IN Boston. They really need to ship it tonight because i think there would be alot of pressure on them to win game 7 after already being up 3-1. Plus i have a small bet on them at +165. So go Celtics!!!! Later all...

-Brett

Goals for June

2008-06-05T16:21:00.000-07:00

As a Poker player you always look forward to the start of a new month. IF you have been running bad it gives you a chance to start fresh. If your running well it gives you a chance to set goals for yourself and what you want to accomplish. I'm going to list a bunch of poker and life goals i want to accomplish for the month of June.

1. WIN 7-10K PLAYING CASH GAMES.

Its going to be hard but as long as i keep myself fresh and minimize losses i think it is very attainable if i put in about 30k to 40k hands.

2. WIN A 10K SEAT TO THE WSOP.

I figure i got 3 more chances at it. Two on the 15th when FT and Stars have there big giveaways. And again on the 14th for the 50 seat UB tourney.

3. MOVE UP TO 2/4.
IF I'm able to keep beating these 1/2 games, i think ill have the BR to move up to 2/4 and then i can start to make some really good money =)

4. WIN A BIG TOURNAMENT.

I prolly wont be playing alot of tournaments but if I'm going to play them then i might as well do something in them. If I'm going to be playing in the WSOP then i really need to work on my tournament game. The last few tournaments i have played in i feel like i have no idea what I'm doing so I'm going to have to correct a bunch of leaks.

SOME LIFE GOALS........

1. KEEP IN GOOD SHAPE.

Im not able to work out or play basketball anymore so its important that i eat healthy while im down in Texas. Its hard with all the fried food down here, gotta resist the temptation sometimes.

2. KEEP HELPING MY GRANDMA.

The reason i moved down here(Texas). Besides needing a change of scenery was to take care of my Grandma. She is like a 2nd mother to me and raising me when i was younger. Ever since she moved from Utah to Texas she has had hip problems and hasn't been able to walk. She has her 2nd and hopefully final Hip Surgery on March 24th.

I'm happy to say she is doing alot better and moving around like she never has before. She is getting to the point where she can do more stuff. But sometimes she pushes herself too hard and she almost passed out the other other day. So i need to make sure im available to help her out all the time. Some days i play poker all day and only go see her a few times a day. Need to make more time for my grandparents even though i already spend alot of time with them already.

3. MEET SOME NEW FRIENDS AND SOME GIRLS.

This is by far my most important goal, both poker and life. I have been in Texas for about 3 months and i haven't met a single person my age. It is very frustrating and I'm starting to think i am anti-social or something because i feel like as more time goes by, it gets harder and harder to meet new people.

Its frustrating Because i feel like i am a really cool guy and i am good looking too. But i just cant seem to make any new friends out here. Mainly because i spend all my time on the computer and taking care of my Grandparents. Ive went out a few times and met some girls, but nothing really panned out. I'm afraid that if i don't meet some new people that I'm going to get homesick and eventually come home. Which to be honest wouldn't be the best thing for me.

I'm going to look for some new things to do out here and hopefully meet some new people doing that. They have a really cool lake out here and Ive seen some people out there fishing and riding Jet Skis. I think one of these Saturdays I'm going to go make some sandwiches and go fishing all day. Ive always enjoyed fishing and i think itll be fun and relaxing.

Anyways I'm gotta go. Game 1 of the finals is starting and I'm pumped up to watch the game. I have 150 bucks on the Celtics at +165 so ill be cheering for them the whole series. I honestly think the Lakers are going to win in 5 or 6. But i love KG and Ray Ray and thought the Celtics at +165 were a good price and i hate the Lakers so it was an easy bet for me to make.

Take care all and ill cya later.

End of May

2008-06-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

May was a great month for me poker wise. I finally decided to ditch out on playing tournaments for a living and switched to playing 6 max cash games full time. I was very happy with my results for the month and even more happy about the changes Ive made to my game.

When i first started playing cash games seriously, i have to admit, i was terrible. I had no concept of how to 3-bet and when to 3-bet profitably. I would play my hand for its face value and never took into consideration about which hands played well against other peoples 3-bet calling range.

I found myself 3 betting hands like AQ, AJs, KQ OOP against good solid regulars and would get in some very difficult spots when id flop a top pair type hand and be forced to play for stacks. This was by far my biggest leak and Ive corrected it and seen amazing results.

I feel like my games has taken so many strides and i am confident that i am the best 1/2 regular on UB. I don't mean to come off as cocky, just the way i feel. I have a good idea about how all the Regs play on there and i have adjusted my play accordingly and I'm giving these regulars no room for error and really just crushing their souls.

I think i made about 8k for the month. I had an insane bb/100 because i generally play short sessions and i don't have rakeback =( I think i ended up with a 7 .7 or 8 bb/100 win rate over about 20k hands. Small sample size i know but i play super short sessions and always try to log small wins because of no rakeback and i think even over a bigger sample size, i will be able to attain this win rate.

We will see, some people say its impossible but i feel like the way i am playing i can easily keep a 5 or 6 bb/100 win rate over 100k hands. I am a bit worried about moving up to 2/4. Its more of a mental hurdle for me because i feel very comfortable playing 1/2 and I'm not going to lie i have taken a few shots at 2/4 and i just don't play the same game i do at 1/2. I feel like in order to take the next step in my poker career I'm going to need to adjust my play for the higher stakes. There will be less and less fish at the bigger games and i am really good at pounding on weaker players. So I'm going to need to learn how to mix it up profitably with some good 2/4 regs.

I am going to post some goals i have for June on my next blog entry. Both Poker and Life goals. I am doing great at poker right now but i am failing at life(not really, this is an exaggeration but ill get more into it on my next post.) . Take care all and have a great day.

First Entry

2008-05-24T15:10:00.000-07:00

Whats up guys, this is Brett from Cardrunners....haha just kidding. Ive always wanted to say that and i laugh every time i watch a CTS video and he uses that intro. Well ive been playing poker for almost 5 years now and i finally decided to start writing a blog. Shout out to my boy Tom for inspiring me to start one. I read his and decided it would be a good idea to fire one up myself.

Where do i start. Today is Saturday the 24th and i just busted out of one of the bigger tournaments Ive played in awhile. Earlier in the week i Satellited in to the $530 Ultimate Bet 25 Seat GTD W.S.O.P Qualifier.

For those of you viewing this that don't follow Poker, The W.S.O.P stands for the " World Series of Poker." Every year now for about the past 30+ the W.S.O.P is an annual poker tournament held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Great thing about the W.S.OP is that anybody can play in it. From the Best Pros, to you average Joe's. As long as you have $10,000 dollars you can buy your way in.

Well the Easiest way to Qualify if your an Online Player is Via Satellite. Each of the Major Poker Sites run Weekly Qualifiers to the Big show and today was my first time ever playing one. The Tournament i was playing was on Ultimate Bet and cost $530 bucks to enter and had about 700+ entrants and gave away 30 Seats to the W.S.O.P.

Lets just say things didn't turn out the way i wanted it to. I got all ready to play, had a nice meal, was in a great mental state and within 23 minutes i was sent to the rail on a pretty awkwardly played hand.

Now i will be using hand history's for most of Poker Related posts. But for Some Reason Ultimate Bet is a joke when it comes to importing HH's so my first entry is going to somewhat ghetto and ill just have to tell you the action and how it unfolded.

It was early on in the Tournament, all players start with 2500 in chips and blinds start out at 5/10 and double every 15 minutes(UB always has a good structure). Now i got a pretty good table draw. I didn't really recognize any players but i Data Mined a Few and there were no Superstars to say the least, all average to sub par players.

So about 20 minutes in I'm Dealt AA UTG(under the gun) and id say 95% of the time i am coming in for a raise in this spot. Well the Table dynamics had been pretty loose in EP and somewhat aggressive in LP. Which is standard for any tournament. But i felt like if i Limped i would easily induce some kind of raise behind me and if i raised i would fold out alot of hands i crush. Players tend to not like to get into confrontations early on in tournaments and will fold alot of hands to UTG raises.

So i limped in, got another Limp from a weak player on the Button. And a pretty Decent player raised it up in the SB. Our Stack sizes were somewhat similar(again i apologize for no Hand History) and this was really an ideal situation for me. I could do allot of things in this spot, but i think the most obvious play would be to Re raise, which i did, to about 370, Blinds were 10/20 at the time. And he called, we both had about 2k behind and the pot was about 820 if i remember correctly.

So the flop comes 2s 7c 9s. Beautiful flop for my hand. I make a standard C-bet of 590, and i get insta shoved on, for the Rest of my stack. Normally i would at least be somewhat concerned with a good solid player showing up with a set(3 of a kind) in this spot. But the Fact that he raised In the blinds, really really polarizes his range to big pairs and AK and AQ type hands. I just could never see anybody raising 22 or 77 in that spot. I think 99 is a part of his range, but i was about 95% sure he had 1010-kk.

So i make a Fist Pump, High Five my monitor call, expecting him to table QQ or some hand like that. Well my heart sinks when i see 22 shown for a flopped set. I sat there in disbelief for about 5 minutes. I just dont see how anybody could ever raise a hand like 22 or even 77 in that spot. It makes absolutely no sense to put in a big raise OOP(out of position) to a couple of limpers. Especially an UTG limper and then for him to call a big reraise, is bad on so many levels. But he flopped Gin and my first chance at a WSOP was gone.

Im not too disappointed with my play. I feel like i have been playing some great poker the past 3 weeks and if i keep focusing on my game and correcting some of my Leaks, the time will come...the time will come.

Anyways, I'm sorry this first Entry turned into somewhat of a small novel. Once I'm able to Upload Hand Histories i wont have to explain hands in vivid detail and it will obviously be allot easier to read. I am going to go rest now and watch game 3 of the Celtics vs Pistons Series. I hope Boston can pull one out and reclaim home court. We shall see....said the blind man.