Thursday, December 30, 2010

SEAN ROMAN ON: Texas Hold 'Em

Quick Question to ponder:
Has Texas Hold ’em become a traditional American sport?

Before you take on an elitist position and get set to defend the superiority of millionaire athletes you have NOTHING in common with -- give my defense of poker as a sport a few seconds of consideration.

First, making it to the NBA, NHL, etc., is really a statistical anomaly. Consequently, the reason I most want to make the case for poker is that it can be the sport of the common man.
With Poker, if any of us regular-folk actually desire to be part of a Big Time Sporting event, Texas Hold ‘em is our best shot.

Not yet buying in?
Well, It is quite notable that ESPN 2 presently reruns the World Series of Poker (which finished in early November) more than the repeats of any other event. Professional broadcasters provide great enthusiasm, not when catches are made, nor when punches are landed, but rather when playing cards hit the green felt.

Further, at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, large crowds are on hand to cheer what can only be described as anti-gladiators. The crowds who watch live poker certainly believe they are at some type of sporting event; as the spectator’s gallery is filled with men wearing their some version of their local home team’s sports regalia.

I want to recount a highlight of the World Series of Poker that made me look at it in a new light.

In an episode when the competitors were approaching the final table of nine, the spotlight focused on a portly American player, Matt Affleck, 23, who is apparently quite well-known.
Affleck was involved in a BIG hand against Canadian, Josh Duhamel, who seemed to have the personality of a bar of soap.

Affleck was the leader in poker chips (or points) and he clearly held a desire to be at that Final Table akin to how Lebron wants to get back to the Finals. In this particular hand,
Matt Affleck was dealt the most powerful opening hand in Texas Hold ‘em – two Aces.
His opponent, Josh Duhamel, received two Jacks, which is quite a strong hand in its own right.

At this point, the chances of Josh winning were very slim. The statisticians calculated that the American had an 81% chance of winning at this point. Big bets were made by both players, indicating both had a large hand and the result would determine which would be in good shape to get to the Final Table.

The dealer flopped the next set of cards (three in total) and more betting took place. Since there were no aces or jacks, Affleck still held a terrific chance of winning. When the next card (called the “Turn”) hit the table, Affleck made his move and declared that he was “All in.”

At this point there is one more card to come, and now the American had virtually an 80% chance of winning the hand. Josh Duhamel made the call with his pocket Jacks and finally saw what he was up against.

However, on the flip of the final card (called the “River”), Josh received a one of the few cards that allowed him to win this hand, in this case completing a straight. Upon seeing the final card (an "8), Affleck’s eyes opened wide, as if he had been punched in the gut.

Affleck was out of the game, his dream crushed. His lips fluttered, he was red-faced and welled up. When he first left the card room, he hurled something on the floor. He then appeared to cry against the wall of the Rio Hotel. However, in taking 15th place, Affleck took home just north of $500,000.

Then Matt came back in the card room to give a proper good-bye. He made a showing of respect, composure, and maturity. As a footnote, Josh Duhamel went on to win the tournament.

There was drama in what happened. Even more, Affleck was actually able to create a moment of pathos. It was during this hand that I concluded that Poker is now a traditional American
sport.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

SEAN ROMAN ON: BOXING

101 years ago, heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson (209lbs), knocked out great middleweight Stanley Ketchel (160 lbs) in the 12th round of their infamous bout. There is great video footage of this fight available should you ever want to take a peek; and free clips are on YouTube.

It may have been in this 100 year old fight that the popular boxing phrase was coined:

“A good small man just does not beat a good big man.” Nevertheless, there is one modern fighter, Fillipino Icon, Manny Pacquiao, that just may defy all boxing maxims that would attempt to limit him. Manny Pacquiao is simply a once in a generation athlete. At this point, if Manny lumped-up Vitali Klitschko, I would only be moderately surprised.

Two years ago, Manny beat Oscar De La Hoya into retirement after eight one sided rounds. The most marketable boxer of the modern era finished his career on his stool. Before that fight, many observers, including myself, thought Pacquiao was fighting too far above his natural weight limit.

Last year, Pacquiao took on another heavier superstar, Miguel Cotto, at 145 pounds (a catch-weight). The effort was completely one sided, with Pacquiao knocking his opponent down in rounds three and four before the referee stepped during the final round. It is paradoxical to recall that Cotto showed a lot of heart in this fight, when he was humbled by a man he should have bullied.

Most recently, Manny Pacquiao fought Antonio Margarito in the Super Welterweight Division, at a catchweight of 150 pounds. On the day of the fight, Pacquiao weighed 148 and Margarito weighed 165 pounds. The difference in size was glaring and I thought that this time, Pacquiao had surely bitten off more than he could chew.

However, once that bell rang, Manny Pacquiao became that image a few of us still hold of Mike Tyson, when he was demolishing taller and heavier opposition. Manny used superior hand speed, lateral movement, and raw punching power to punish Margarito.

In the eleventh round, in a showing of tremendous sportsmanship, Pacquiao held up his punches and looked to the referee to call a halt to the contest. The fight was not called and the result was that Margarito suffered an orbital bone fracture and needed to undergo an emergency surgical procedure. Boxing is really one hell of a way to make a living.

I remember a few years ago, Felix Trinidad, attempted a comeback and faced off against Roy Jones, Jr. Felix simply could not overcome the size difference. This was the way the Pacquiao-Margarito fight was supposed to go.

How Manny can step into the ring against opponents so naturally bigger and beat them pillar to post, is a feat that can not be overstated. It makes Manny Pacquiao a true legend of the game.

Sunday, December 05, 2010

SEAN ROMAN ON: Ohio - State Michigan - Recent History

Over the 2010 college football season the Big Ten Conference has produced three teams that can beat any team in the country. Nevertheless, I think the story of last decade in the Big Ten is Ohio State’s dominance in “The Game.”

Since Jim Tressel took over in 2001, he has compiled an outstanding 8-1 record against the Wolverines. The most recent installment left Michigan crushed 37-7.

Let it not be forgotten, as we head into endless BCS banter, that Rich Rodriguez has lost three straight games to Ohio State. While Ohio State’s dominance is likely to continue for the foreseeable future, it will likely not be against Rodriquez.

Michigan fans are demanding a coach akin to Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel, who understands the nature and power of this rivalry. Michigan will be looking for such a person this offseason.

It is largely forgotten outside of the state of Ohio, but when Tressel was announced as the new coach, he gave the perfect speech for the moment. He addressed the student body on a cold January day, during halftime of a basketball game against…..imaginary drum roll please…..the Michigan Wolverines.

Tressel told the capacity crowd: “I can assure you that you will be proud of our young people, in the classroom, in the community, and most especially in 310 days in Ann Arbor, Michigan on the football field.”

And yes….Ohio State won the 2001 contest by holding off a furious Michigan comeback attempt. This was Ohio State’s first win in Ann Arbor since 1987 -- which was the year that a Simpsons cartoon first appeared on the Tracy Ullman Show.

At present, the officials who make the important decisions at Michigan are refusing to speculate on their coach’s future. Instead they say, with a collective poker face, that they are waiting until after the bowl season to make their decision, as they “evaluate” Rodriguez’s body of work.

Let me briefly do that for the high and mighty in the ivory towers at Michigan. The bottom line is, three straight losses to Ohio State can not be countenanced. Just as bad is that Rich’s 2008 team finished with the worst record in program history, 3-9

Conversely, a quick look back at Tressel’s resume highlights why his tenure appears safe at Ohio State at least until…perhaps…..the next ice age. In 2002, Ohio State beat Michigan again in a 14-9 game decided on the final play – an interception in the end zone by Will Allen. If memory serves correct, the Buckeyes then went on to beat Miami in a game much less significant.

In 2003, Tressel suffered his only loss to the Wolverines (then led by Lloyd Carr), 35-21. After two more Ohio State victories in 2004 and 2005, the teams met in 2006 when they were universally ranked #1 (Ohio State) and #2 (Michigan). This game lived up to its billing as “The Game of the Century,” with Ohio State winning 42-39.

This would have been the BCS’s one real chance to make an Ohio State – Michigan game a reality in the nation’s premiere college football game. As you should know, Ohio State and Michigan usually play the Saturday before Thanksgiving in their final regular season game. The 2006 game was so fierce and tight, that college football fans lost out on the greatest chance they would ever have for the rematch of the ages.

The following year, 2007, came one of Michigan’s all time low points. The Wolverines, ranked at #5, lost to Appalachian State, 34-32. That loss probably led to Lloyd Carr leaving at the end of the season, and Michigan trying to go in a different direction offensively with Rich-Rod.

If Michigan does not get back to basics, I think that we just may be a mere 13 years from Ohio State tying Michigan in their head to head battle. As it stands now, Michigan is leading the series 57-44, with 6 ties.