Frantic Friday : The Halloween Edition....(NSFW)

It's the most wonderful time, of the year!

Yeah yeah, I know! That normally goes with another holiday right? Well I happen to love Halloween and often I think of it, as my second


We don't have a ton of neighbours out here in Bedrock but those we do have, love to party it up at this time of year.

Last years party was totally off the hook and judging from our conversations so far this year, it looks like we may have even more fun than that!

What's that?

Oh yes! We take this time so seriously around these parts, that we all get together for a


to discuss our



This neighbouhood party for


always keeps me busy as a bee!

Last year Marcy and Britney from next door, rocked the party as two


I can't wait to see Britney this year, as she's decided to come as Peter's little Sister


Can you imagine!

One thing about living out in the boonies like we do in our little cave here, it can be said that we never get sick of seeing us some


I had a huge laugh with Marcy about her costume this year.

She's recently married and when asked about her ideas on how to dress up for the party she replied with, "I'll be coming as the old ball and chain."

I gave some careful consideration as she described the way her costume would look and then I told her, "if you dress exactly the way you've described,


Even brudder CC and Gueber are going to get in on the action this year. CC is famous for his past costumes and after that breathalizer thing he wore last year, I can't wait to see what he comes up with this time around. He always keeps his costume ideas to himself but one things for certain, he never dissapoints!

Neither should Gueber I believe. Although I can't quite picture what she's going to look like as her hero


I was seriously considering going as a little boy this year, just in case she really got into the part!

Peb's had a real dilemma figuring out how to top last years amazing costume. Absolutely everyone thought her


outfit was HAWT!

I was a little dissapointed when she said she was going to dress up a little bit "tamer" this year. Then she showed me her costume!

My Peb's is going to be a


and if you ask me, a HAWT one at that!

Alright kids, that's going to have to do for now.

I hope each of you has a great


and if possible, you all get to attend a wild


and have a blast!

Take care!

Huh? What?

Oh...... me!

Well, it's supposed to be a secret but since we're all friends here and I know I can trust you to keep it, I'll let you in on what I'm going to wear to the party.

Let's just say that this year, I'm hoping to deliver a lot more


than Pizza!

;)

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Me Hold'EM? Puh-leeeease....

Lack of sleep, (more than usual) has seen me sitting down at the virtual felt a little more than normal. Rather than get wound up at a bad beat, I'm finding it brain exercise that can actually help me get the old eyes closed a little faster.

So I've committed to a plan of 90 player SNG's again, hoping to learn enough to consider it a little bit of practice. That is practice for the game against you my dear readers, in our game up coming in Vegas in just a few short weeks.

I know, I know! G/L me!

Anywho....

I usually get all jammed up when the games start like this. I was just settling in when I realized, I didn't have a beer in front of me.

*bing* I hear the game start, as I'm making my way to the beer fridge in the back room. As I get back to the 'puter, I see my hand time out and fold. No biggie, it was only the first hand after all. I watch the action unfold and see that big slick took the pot off of A-Q.

Boat over boat... DAMN!

I must've had crap anyways.


Uh........ ya.

So early in the game, and both players slow played the hell out of pretty good holdings. Interesting. NOT typical at all, but interesting!

Then after a few hands where I once picked up only the blinds and then, made a good re-steal on my BB after a SB raise, I was moved to a new table.

It was there at that new table, that I think I found the gold standard in ATM drawing machines. I watched three hands where with only a draw to gutters and second or third best frushes, this chap managed to get all of his chippies into the center. Problem was, he was hitting!

So I took a shot here while in a hand with him, hoping to hold and double up.


Apparently according to the chatbox I, "got lucky there."

Mmmmmm....... K.

As we went along it became clearer and clearer to me, that this player was heavily leaning towards betting any draws he had out there.

Yes potentially I guess he could hit his draws against me, (as he had some others) and any play would cripple me with a loss. But it did make it easier to get his chips in on a race, when I was actually holding some type of hand.

Here was my favorite example. Apparently I was a real, "Lucky Donkey" for seeing a flop in my BB. Uh.....with no raise pre!


Considering how many times he did hit his draws on the River, I guess all I can say is, "Hee-Haw!"

I haven't scored any big wins or anything, but I have managed to final table a few here and there for some cash. Not much at my $1, $2 & $3 levels mind you! But every little bit helps the confidence, you know?

I'd honestly rather get some deep sleep truthfully, but as long as I can "Donkey" my way into some fun and some pay outs, I'll take the practice when I can get it I guess.

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

The 'Payne' always remains....

Ten years to the day after I lost one of my favorite Golfers on the tour, I sat at the first tee focused on one simple phrase.

W.W.P.D.?

I must have asked that question of myself, dozens and dozens of times over the last 10 years. Only yesterday on the anniversary of his passing, a slight chill ran through my body each time I did it.

It's actually happening again right now as I write this, as my mind races with the thoughts of a great time passed. Not in the way it does with thoughts of one of his two US Open wins, or the PGA Championship win for that matter.

It's all about the loss of a friend. A friend only for one day I'm sad to say but, it was a pretty special day to me.

Still the single most popular read around these parts, the story of how I met Payne Stewart consistently brings back a swell of emotion and laughter. Every single time I re-read it, the roller coaster of sensations starts that long and grinding chug-chug to the top, always to be followed by the inevitable free wheeling fall to the bottom. It's times like this the anniversary of his passing, that brings out some of the deepest sadness I possess within me. I mourn for Golf's loss, our loss, his families loss and quite selfishly I know, I take myself deep into a place I only reserve for that one days memories, and I mourn my loss by myself.

Although physical memories surround me as I write this, such as a tribute wall to his incomparable 1999 US Open win.


The phenomenal print I was given with Payne putting on the 12th. hole at Augusta, with his friend and caddie Mike Hicks at his side.


And of course there's also the closet full of knickers and knee socks always ready to come out to the course with me, when ever the opportunity and emotions arise.

But the one that has and probably will always mean the most to me, sits hanging on the wall in front of me now.


That picture brings me right back to that one day. The day that I found out that one of my heroes, was really just a friend waiting to meet me.

So there I sat on the first tee asking myself, What Would Payne Do?

I continued to ask myself the question W.W.P.D. over each and every single shot. Over the first tee shot, all the way to the last 8" putt for the win.

I won a special event on a very special day, all thanks to wondering W.W.P.D. as I went about my business on the Golf course.

A victory indeed, but a bitter sweet victory at best.

Quietly as the stragglers from the event started to make their way home for their Sunday dinner with family, I raised my glass to the heavens and said a quick prayer and toast to a lost friend and his family.

One things for certain if you'd ever met the man, The "Payne" will always remain.

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Frantic Friday : The Blahs Edition.... (NSFW)

I don't what it is today, but I feel a little bit off my game. I'm not sure if it's the suddenly constant


and always


conditions around here, or what.

I just really feel off!

At first I thought it may have been have been my morning


something about those two cups, sorta' ruined my day you know?

Immediately after I had them I got all like,


and I just wanted to go


Yes kids, it's really THAT bad!

As a matter of fact, here's a clear indication of how bad the blahs have really gotten to me.

I was putting together a 1600 word Poker piece on some brilliant ideas for play from the


position and without even re-reading it, I just hit delete.

What a waste of a few hours!

Speaking of which, WTF is getting some of you so damn fired up about these LCS games in Baseball? If mistakes are what get you all jammed up for excitement, then you must be in heaven! Sure there's the occasional great play or timely hit but come on! It's really the mistakes that keep these games even remotely interesting at all.

I think I'd rather watch professional


than watch bad management decisions, followed by mistake after mistake on the field.

Listen up carefully Frantic Friday sports lovers, if you even remotely think you like the game and need to get your fix, try taking in a game of


Obviously, they've got the game down pat!

Hey!


That reminds me of the one thing that always makes me feel better!

I just need to get out of here right now and start googling me some


That'll do!

Oh and on a side note. Someone special has started sending nearly 100 new readers through here every Frantic Friday. It is very much appreciated my friend! But I'm too lazy to track back your google link so, make it easy for me to find you by comment or whatever and I'll put a special Frantic Friday together for just you and all your friends. The choice is yours.

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Straight up....

Initially, that's how those little hairs on the back of my neck stood. Straight up!

All it took to get that to happen was, five little words out of Peb's mouth.

"Look! Free Bar Poker tonight."

As she read it off the sign at the side of the road, I could hear the genuine excitement in her voice. I could see the glee and giddiness in her smile and her eyes, well her eyes shone bright with the look of an 8 year old on Christmas morning.

These all factored into the one sure thing of the day. I was taking her out to play some live Poker at this Pub's free roll.

Did I ever mention that I despise free bar Poker?

OH! .......
That many times huh.
Sorry!

****From the desk of the Editor****
Having no access to a quality event such as those held by the good folks at Riverchasers, I'm stuck with the crap free bar Poker around here. In no way should Riverchasers EVER be confused with crappy free bar Poker.

There! I feel less uuuuhhhh "shitty!"

Well Peb's was pretty wound up about holding real cards and chips in her hands again and since it sounded like "so much fun," she mentioned it to DonKaaa in passing. It came as no great surprise that when DonKaaa was first spotted arriving in the Pub's parking lot, Carson was right at his side. Having not seen brudder Carson for so long, it was great to get together with him for a bit last night.

So the four of us wandered in to see what amazing and free Poker was about to enthral us.

The game was NLHE with 35 BB's as a starting stack. The chips were set appropriately for play and the tables were just fold open game tops, placed on pushed together tables. The organizer even had the good laptop and tournament structure program up and running, just to keep everyone on the same page. Only real issue was, seat yourself. But I thought, "it's all good" 'cause I remembered that it's free!

Problem #1 - Only two seats available, Peb's sits on my immediate left. ZOINKS!

I win the deal and we start play just about right on time. The winners of the first three or four hands prove typical for free bar Poker. Limp-ins all over with one raise and several calls. The betting is minimal and calling the norm, all the way to the river. Then this is where we see the original pre-flop raiser show middle pair with his Ace kicker, as the flop hit the 8 that went with his Ace. Pretty much everyone else shows an Ace rag or small pair except the calling station that continually acted last. With nothing scary on the boards like straightening or flushing possibilities, this guy twice called down bets all the way to the river, with pocket Kings and pocket Queens. No value bets on the rivers, no re-raises pre. Not even a check-raise with a set on the turn. Just "I call."

I get a chance to set a table image early into the game, when I make a fold to two others interested in the flop of 10-K-10. I had made the initial raise with slick and the two callers were the loose chick beside Peb's and DonKaaa. I felt pretty good about the flop to be honest, that is until I lead out for 200 and was called by loosey and then DonKaaa made it 500 to go. Loosey could have any two face cards for a draw, or possibly a 10. As I was considering my options, I could see Loosey holding enough chips to make the call on DonKaaa. "I'm out." I said, as I showed my cards to my end of the table. DonKaaa took the pot down with his trip 10's and as he scooped the pot the guy to my right announces, "watch this guy everyone! He just made a great fold."

I was dealt slick three more times in a row then, with it only being successful once. The one flop saw A-7-A with me check-calling a bet from a guy who'd played just about every hand so far. The 3 on the turn saw exactly the same action. When the 9 hit the river I lead out for 500 and waited. I figured for sure I was about to be re-raised. Instead the guy just sat back at first and asked, "are you bluffing me?" I told him, "I could be." and waited for the 1500 chips he had in his hand, to make it into the pot. Then the "free bar Poker thing," happened.

Problem #2 - Folks at free bar Poker, just can't keep their mouths shut!

Guy to my right looks at the LAG about to re-raise me and says, "NO. He's probably not bluffing."

The re-raise instantly turns into a call and I'm left wanting to drive the guy to my rights head, right through the wall behind him. "Nice hand." he says, as I rake in the smaller than I wanted pot. "Thanks" was not followed by 'shut the fuck up' although it was kinda' close there at first.

The last hand of any interest for me the rest of the night, was the next problem. In my BB of 600 with an ante of 50 in the middle, I was dealt the K-J of clubs. Two callers and the three of us see the flop of Ac-10c-6c. (YAY crubs!) As expected, the ultra-LAG leads out with a minimum bet that is called by both myself and the third party that is new to our table. A turn 2 of crubs makes me a bit giddy inside, knowing that one of them possibly has the Queen. Hopefully it's the new guy though, as the ultra-LAG isn't good enough to let go of his 8 of clubs if he's got it. I want both of those stacks.

Problem #3 - Refer to problem #2.

After new guy bets out the turn card and ultra-LAG is counting out a re-raise, right-side guy says, "Boys, have you not been watching this guy play? You know he's got the nuts!"

Just then a small aircraft crashed through the wall, driving that fucker straight down through the floor. Leaving nothing, not one sign! Of his earlier presence at the table.

Man that was a good vision!

Ultra-LAG actually flipped up the 5c as he tossed his cards into the muck, leaving me very little options left for the new guy. I decided on a call and we saw the river bring a harmless 3d. Naturally as the feel of the hand had been so dramatically changed by the idiot to my right, new guy checked the action over to me. Big surprise. I tossed out a bet and watched him consider a call for exactly 3 seconds. He then showed the Ah-Qc as he launched his hand into the muck with a, "You got it."

I did the only thing I could think of to change things around. I open mucked the Jack, as I raked in another too small pot on the night.

Problem #4 - Dickhead grabbed my King out of the muck as I stacked my chips, and then flipped it up to show the table.

I never saw another hand the rest of the way and when I did toss chips out, I was allowed to get the blinds and antes. Twice I flipped up the hammer(2-7) and the bammer(9-3) afterwards to try and get something going, but to no avail.

I was going to be blinded out by this table. The big-stack that was eventually moved to my right made three separate plays with hands like 4-8 sooted, 4-10 off and 3-6 sooted in a row. It was folded to his SB and naturally with my stack sitting at exactly 1 1/2 BB's to go, that's what he made it to me. I saw the one King and face up made the call. I ended up holding K-4 and was up against his A-Q. Nothing hit the board for either of us and his Ace high sends me packing.

Peb's wants to go back and honestly, I did enjoy holding actual chips and cards myself again. If I can look at it as 'fun' Poker just to get us out of the house for a bit, I think I can enjoy the experience. I mean, it is what it is right?

Free Bar Poker.

shudder

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Shootout....

One of this kids favorite events went off yesterday, The Men's Shootout. The idea is quite simple, everyone plays a hole of Golf and based on your handicap, the one with the worst score goes home. This is repeated on each hole of the course, until there's just one Golfer standing.

To me as a Golfer the Shootout is about hitting that great shot, exactly when you have to. There's really something to be said for the pressure that can stir within you, when you're sixteenth to hit and there's already fifteen balls on the green.

As a guy though, this sucker is all about the camaraderie. Every sincere "great shot" or "that's OK. It's just a chip and a putt" is usually surrounded with cries of "sand bagger" and "hack." We have a great group of guy's make it out most every Thursday and having a whack of us head onto the course at the same time, always makes for a fantastic event.

My strategy for this thing is simple to start out. Since we're all playing the one hole at the same time, I liken it to matchplay. I just try and pay attention to the worst score early. I know pretty much who gets how many strokes where, so if I see a probable double bogey or worse coming up for someone that gets a stoke on the hole, a simple and straight forward par will do. There's no sense in pushing for the birdie, when you just don't have to.

So how'd I do?

I started out pretty strong actually. When we got to the first par 3, I damn near jarred the tee shot for the ace. There were two guy's in real trouble so when it came time for me to putt, I wasn't too pissed about making the two putt. When we moved on to the first par 5, it was obvious that everyone was playing the 'safe' ball in play game from the tee. None too long and not one left or right to the trees. I needed to stripe one! So I did. I managed to catch the left rough, but only about 4 feet off the fairway. The final guy to hit however, must have really felt it building in him. Typically long and straight, Colin snap hooked his tee shot into the woods on the left. When he had even more trouble on his next two shots, I knew that even a bogey would be good to move on to the next hole. With no real need to reach the green in two, I laid up to about 100 yards for my second shot. Then I saw the pin placement!

This would be a good time to mention that the course Superintendent has as much fun with this Shootout, as we do! The pins are always a little bit tougher these days and yesterday, was no exception at all! The pin on this par 5 was right up front and tucked behind the huge and steep front bunker. There was also some of the gnarliest rough on the course, grown in the eight feet of space between the two. I hit the back edge of the green and just rolled off. A chip and a putt later and thankfully, I moved to the next tee.

The next hole played out pretty boring for me, a drive a wedge and two putts for par to seal the deal. There was a funny moment though. After taking a few moments to look for Terry Y's tee shot, the realization that it had to be stuck in the Spruce tree on the right was the only possibility. Yep! There it was! I wish I would've taken a picture of the ball AND the look on poor Terry's face!

Being the only one to hit the green on the tough par 3 5th. hole, made it a pretty routine hole for me. DonKaaa got into trouble here though and luckily, he escaped by the hair of his chinny, chin chin. WoooOOOoooT!

It was my turn on the par 4 sixth hole though, as I pulled my drive into the waste bunker on the left. Then I tried to bite off more than I could chew and didn't get it out in one. Ruh-Roh! I stuck it to about 6 feet beside the pin in four and honestly, I was in big trouble. A higher handicap player was looking to make a double bogey with two strokes on the hole. It looked like I was going to have to make that putt, just to get into a chip-off shootout. When he three-putted instead of two putting, I cozied my first putt up to the hole. NOT! I blew the damn thing about three feet past. I made the come backer and looked for Peb's to tell us where the shootout chip would take place. (her job for the day!) When Queen_K said, "you're good Bammer" (scoring is her job for the day) I was stunned. Then I remembered that this was one of the toughest holes on the course and miracle of miracles, I got a stroke too! WHEW!

Golfers were having all kinds of trouble from the tee on the next hole. I simply "bunted" a drive down the left center, then gave myself two to get to the hole. I only needed a two putt to survive and that's exactly how I played to move on.

I hit what I thought was a great shot on the 8th. hole PAR 3. Only to watch the ever increasing right to left wind, carry the ball to a missed green on the left. It was on my chip that my funny moment, (now.... definitely NOT then!) happened. On the way to the hole my ball made an abrupt stop, after jumping straight up into the air. WTF??? I managed to hit an old, hard and dried up piece....... of Goose shit! That fecker left me with about 20 feet for par. I was pissed off so, I gave that putt a run. I knew I could two putt, but the adrenaline definitely got the best of me. After the par put lipped out, I dropped it in for a Goose shit bogey. Since it was good enough, DonKaaa brought out my sense of humour again and on we went to the 9th. tee.

Playing all of 548 yards, the 9th. is a hole I do not try to reach in two. Water left and right of the really small green and all that distance to carry, just makes it a crazy decision in my mind. Despite all of the trouble others were having around me, I jammed my drive down the center and made a safe lay up to 110 yards on the second shot. After dropping a wedge to about 7 feet below the pin on my third shot, a simple two putt was plenty to keep me keepin' on.

As I was teeing off on the 10th. hole, I heard the distinct click of a camera. I was so going to go all "Tiger" on the crowd and spew forth every four letter word that I know. But it was Peb's AND she took it before I'd even taken the club back.


I know they aren't the Packer colours I usually like to wear on Sundays, but I had the Steelers in our challenge CK suicide pool. I figured I'd best go with Payne's Sunday garb strategy in the end. (Yes I'm still alive in the pool!)

I almost eagled the par 4 10th. but when I moved on to #11, I hit a pretty craptastic tee shot. I gave myself a great opportunity for par but unfortunately, I lipped out the putt. I was off to my first shootout chip. Three of us went to where Peb's had placed the tees. A bunker shot from the down slope of the back lip, to no green to work with. NICE! Dee went first and hit just a terrible chunked shot. Naturally as a uber-high handicapper, his ball ski-jumped up the front lip of the bunker and landed right next to the hole. *sigh It was my turn next and I blasted the ball up the the front edge of the green. That got me to about 6 feet. There was only Terry Y left to go and all he had to do was, stick it closer than 6 feet. When I saw his ball air-mail the green, I knew I'd gotten away with one there.

The very tough and demanding tee shot on #12, definitely got the best of one of the guys. Well not really one of THE guys, but one of the guys playing in the event. With his first shot out of bounds on the right, his 3 off the tee hit a tree and went in the water on the left. That left him an option of 5 off the tee, or shoot 5 from the center of all the trees just in front of that water. His choice was 5 off the tee and when he topped that ball down into the trees on the left, let's just say that I learned a few words that I hadn't ever heard before AND, there's probably a highly damaged Taylor Made R7 for sale on e-bay right now. At a greatly reduced price I'm sure. :)

Silly boy!

When he conceded after realizing he had no shot and would have to hit 7 off the tee on a par 5 playing 535, we all just walked along to the next tee.

It was at that tee that I finally took the time to see who was left in our group. Yes! I get that focused on the course at times, that I'm not even aware of who I'm playing against as persons. They're just a golf ball and a number of strokes to me.

Anywho.... With just four of us left to play due to several cancellations prior to the event, it was on the 13th. tee that I realized I was playing against DonKaaa, brudder CC and Teddy Bear. As we frequently all Golf together, it was actually kind of surreal to have just the four of us left.

When Teddy had no idea where his tee shot went on that hole, (always wait for someone else to watch a shot into the Sun kids!) it got even more amazing to me that myself, brudder CC and DonKaaa, were all that were left to play for the win. The three amigos who do everything together, were now vying for their name on the prettiest trophy in all of Golf. The one that says on this day, I beat'em all.

I laid up with an iron on the tight par 4 14th. hole. DonKaaa pulled a 3 wood down into the valley of sin. Then brudder CC hit a massive slice off the tee, putting him way right of the hole in play. I felt pretty damn good about my decision to lay up! Then I got to my ball. Despite what looked like a fairly straight forward shot down the middle, I left the tree at the corner of the slight dog leg right, in play. Directly in my path to the green! (words not suitable for most ears were said here) With no shot low and having to get the ball up immediately off of the club, I could only hope to get a good enough bounce to catch part of the front of the green. I didn't. I hit a descent shot I guess, but I landed about 15 yards short of the green. A chip to the back pin was all I had left. I only got that chip about 3/4 of the way to the hole. A two putt for bogey and DonKaa and I were in what could be, my last shot at this thing.

Peb's gave us an uphill chip out of the rough, with two destinct breaks on the green we had to work with. It was about a 38 foot shot. I was drawn to go first and when I saw my ball settle at just inside 6 feet from the hole, I knew I was done even before Donnie took a look at the shot. My man DonKaaa has one of the best wedge games that I know of. I don't just expect him to get it to within a foot or two on most shots, I actually get amazed when he doesn't make about three of them a round! Needless to say, he stuck it to about half the distance that mine was sitting at, and I go home in third place.

Brudder CC and DonKaaa were going to settle it on the par 3 15th hole. With DonKaaa having to give brudder CC a stroke on the 179 yard uphill hole. They both missed the green, DonKaaa in the front bunker and brudder CC missing the green to the right. Then the both put a second shot within puttable range to make it interesting. When brudder CC 3-putt for a 5, I thought it was all over but the drinking. DonKaaa's par put fell exactly one-half of an inch short. His bogey let CC in, or CC's 3-putt let Donnie back in. Whichever way you looked at it, the shootout was going to finish, with a shootout!

Peb's gave them a pot bunker sand shot, with as little green as possible to work with. When CC's ball flew the green and didn't roll back down the slope that was there to work with, DonKaaa just flopped his ball onto the center of the green for the winn!

Congrats again champ and to you as well brudder CC. Like I said at the end yesterday, You guy's played some damn fine golf........

for a change!

;)

I'm never sure how I always end up running this thing every year, but when it's all said and done I'm glad I do. Great friends, great times always and the awesome help of my girls Queen_K and Peb's, clearly makes our Shootout one of my favorite days of the year.

The weather is supposed to hold for us until next week at least, so Peb's and Queen_K have thrown down the gauntlet. We're going to put together a group of 9 to 18 and do a unisex version of the shootout next Sunday. WoooOOOoooT !

Oh and for what it's worth, I say none of us guys stand a chance!

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Frantic Friday : A Life Lesson Edition....(NSFW)

Well Frantic Friday lovers, we're back! Not 100% sure for how long or how many though, as all of my time seems to be focused on finding some type of gainful employment. Amazing how all that cash coming in, can make life so much more simple huh?

I was all wound up about a job that Peb's came across that basically, fit me to a tee. Unfortunately though, I got the call earlier this morning.


was already filled.

Damn that sucked! This was a pretty good job tailer made for my skill set. And the pay, well let's just say it wasn't too shabby!

It was pharmaceutical though and one thing I do know about me, is that I don't look all that hot in


anyways.

Oh well.

I tell you ever since getting laid off, I feel like life is just one big


that I've gotten stuck in!

Good thing for me my life motto has always been that 1/2 full glass! I constantly remind myself to sit back after every set back and count my


Lord knows I run like a god in the friends department so, you all make it a lot easier to get through! I thank you for that.

I'll tell you something


my friends, if you ever only learn one damn thing from me, it's to keep that glass 1/2 full!

Life lessons come and go I know, but the one that should always stick with you is the one that's the most important.

Simply put,


So hopefully you can take that away from this little corner of the intertubles with you!

It ain't easy, trust me I know!

For a while there, I was ready to drop everything and join my Hippie buddy down in Key West and start up something like my own


I'm sure that would be a great life, it's just that I think I need a little more hustle and bustle than that.

Oh and on the Poker front, (YES I know, this is supposed to be a Poker Blog!) I ended up frickin' breaking even after such a great start to the week. I knew I shouldn't have posted the run good story! When will I ever learn?

So as far as Poker goes for this Frantic Friday, this is going to have to suffice for now.


Hopefully, that'll get you through until the next time!

Now if you'll all excuse me, I really need to take this


Hopefully it's something really important like a job offer!

But if it's not, here's hoping that it's someone else like BadBlood looking for a butt bonus and some


I can always handle that!

Lord knows it better not be DRIZZ!

I get so sick of all that discussion about Favre and those silly purple


of his!

:p

To each of you I say stay strong in these challenging times and as best you can, KEEP THAT GLASS 1/2 FULL!

As always,

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Killer Rake Back....

I just love double entendres!

With all the free time that's suddenly become available, I decided to clean up all of the leaves off the property. Now.... I'm crippled!

If you want to get some real Poker reading done, Riggstad and Spaceman have been working with The Hippie to handicap the November nine. If you aren't reading over at Al's little corner office of our Blogoverse in this kid's humble opinion, you sure ought to be!

Now pass the Rub A535 and put a leaf blower on my Christmas Wishlist would you.

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Yawn-line Poker....

I know, I know!

You're all 'real' Poker players and reading a strategy or advice post from me is well, kind of like taking sobriety lessons from me too!

Maybe this is coming out more for my own good however, rather than anything else. Maybe if I write it all out, some of the good bits will stick in the mush between my own ears. Who knows?

There's just no sense making a play or creating misdirection, when the players you are up against just don't get that level of play. The facts are the players in the lower limit MTT's, just won't let go of top pair no matter what the size of their kicker is. There's also the fact that at least half of the table is probably going to see the flop, (or 4th. & 5th. street) no matter what the pre-flop action has gone down like.

I've sat back and wondered how, "that guy could make that call?" far too many times lately, so I started actually breaking down the hands a little more. The answer kept jumping out at me in each and every one. They don't know that I'm trying to deceive them! They just know that they have what they think, is a good hand. My betting pattern means nothing. In most cases for me at least, this also translates well in that what my board happens to show in STUD or RAZZ, also happens to mean nothing. So in reality betting without the nuts, is just a waste of time on-line.

It took me awhile I know but then again, I never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed! Unless you know and have a great read on your opponent from tons and tons of history against them, trying to transfer your live play strategies to on-line Poker MTT's is almost never going to work out.

Case in point -

While playing pretty solidly in one of the rapid HORSE games, I managed to run myself down to the final table. With a healthy stack for the format and a "known" player to my left, I ran out a board that looked brilliant for the straight and flush. I had squadoosh in reality, but I figured making a play at the pot by firing three shells on 5th., 6th., and 7th. street, would be good enough to get the guy to lay down what I thought had to be two pair. My read was right on the money, but he went in with that two pair and took down the pot. At first I went through my usual how can he call there routine. Then I realized that I want him to call there, EVERY SINGLE TIME! My strategy just needed to change to getting him to make those calls, when I'm way ahead!

So as if a light switch clicked on in my head, the next time I got him into the pot that's just what I did.

I started with rolled up 7's and despite knowing that a King had been folded, I re-raised his opening raise. As expected, my opponent made the call. When the cards came down on 4th. street and he continued on with his betting despite only showing four to a flush, I saw no reason to run. His King on the 5th. card was like magic to me, as I had just hit my one outer. Knowing that quad's was not an option for him, I bet the hell out of the pot on each remaining street.


Normally I'd get all tricky and shit, hoping to get more chips in the pot at the end. But I realized that no matter what I did in this spot, this guy was going to pay me off. He had a 'hand' in his mind. There was just no way he was going to let it go.

So with that in my mind the rest of the way, I sat back and jammed the nuts when I thought I had them. For the most part, this was the right way to go. I jammed my boats at apparent flushes and won. I jammed the hell out of a steel wheel with nothing but low cards showing in O/8, and scooped a pot against two pair and a 2 ~ 6 low. Funny enough the only place this strategy didn't work at all was LHE. When a shorty jammed against my pre-flop raise with pocket Kings, naturally his 9 and J of spades ran themselves into a straight on the flop and then improved to a flush by the river.

I took this event down with my new "only jam the nuts" mentality, and then another and another. I actually played seven of these games with a record of four wins, a second and two thirds to show for it. Good results for me, but something was missing. Does anyone know what I mean by I felt a bit robotic while I was playing? Winning is supposed to be fun, no? I was winning no doubt, but the results totally lacked any form of satisfaction from out playing my opponents. Now in truth, they also lacked the smash the mouse against the wall from another idiot sucking out on me misery situations as well. But at least even that is some kind of emotion from the game!

I guess what I'm trying to ask myself is, do I want to continue to dabble in yawn-line Poker? Why do I play it and what am I trying to get out of it in the end?

If it's for the win and that's all that matters, I'd better grab a book to read while I'm playing and settle in for a loooooong Winter of boring success yawn-line. If it's for the distraction and fun of playing a game of Poker to entertain myself, with the joy and misery that can be on-line Poker, I'd best stop getting too pissed off at the suckouts and bad beats that are going to come.

I guess I'd better face the facts huh, I have a lot of thinking to do!
Thoughts anyone?

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Frantic Friday: The DD Edition....

My apologies for the sneaky'ish title. There's just no time for good old T & A today kids! Well....... there's always time for that, just not time enough to post anything too "Frantic" in these parts right now. So hopefully that little flashback will suffice for today.

Unlike me and my temporary situation, one of us has real issues and is heading under the scalpel today. Good Luck PokahDave and even more important, better skill Doctor!

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

Me no Blog longtime....

***WORK***

After taking a week for myself to sort things out in my head and also knock a few hundred things off of my "Honey-Do" list, I guess it's time to get with the plan for going forward.

Have no fear, there is one! I just don't think that this is the appropriate spot to start a forum on it. So I'll share more details at a later point in time.

= = = = = =

***Golf***

Back to last Friday's Golf game, my brudder The Doc should have definitely gone the other way! The under was where the smart money was put, as I did manage to get the score to a couple under. Not good enough FTW unfortunately, but respectable none the less. *After seeing me hit balls the way I did in PA, I can't say I blame young master Chako for being a skeptic!

Sunday our club held their inaugural 27 hole challenge. A fun 2-player format where three different games are involved on each of the three nine hole layouts. The Island nine was played as a regular shoot your own score and record the best of the two players scores on each hole. Also known as better-ball. I've really learned to love that new 9 and despite mother natures attempts to throw me off my game with some serious hail pellets for about 10 minutes or so, I maintained enough composure to shoot a solid 37 on my own. My partner played great from tee to green, but sometimes getting that damned little white ball to fit into to the hole was a real challenge.

The South nine was a two person scramble. This was really where I wanted to take advantage of the partner I chose! There are a couple of reachable PAR 4's and with my partners length off the tee, I wanted to see some great approach shots out of me when it came to the long PAR 5's! On the very first hole of the scramble, my partner damn near put us on the green in one! I knew right there and then, that my Peb's was the best choice I could've ever made as my partner. I had a 6 iron in for a second shot on the ultra long first PAR 5 and she did it again on the last PAR 5 as well. I think she left me something like 131 yards in on that one. Man she was getting some Daly'esque distance with the big stick! We really wanted to score better in this format, (and should've!) but once again our putting was pretty suspect.

The Central nine was a complete alternate shot format. Meaning you just take turns hitting the ball, until it's holed out at the end of the nine. Lather-Rinse-Repeat is all that really needs to be said. Great shot after great shot, only to be followed up with some brutal missed putts. Now the pins were in some really awesome and tough spots for sure, but we have no excuses for missing as many two and three foot putts as we did.

It was a blast and one things for absolute certain, we'll be back at it again next time. We didn't get to play with DonKaaa and Queen_K but judging from their comments and the smiles on their faces, I'm pretty sure that they are looking forward to the next one as well.

The last "big" Golf deal of the year for me now, is The Men's Shootout. I start on the first tee with 18 of my friends and we try to annihilate each other, one hole at a time. You have to play well to move on, as the worst score on each hole sends one Golfer packing at every hole along the way. In the end the guy that shot the best on all 18 holes is left standing alone, as The Men's Shootout Champion for the year. I've only got my name on that trophy once. I think it's time I went and did something about that don't you?

= = = = = =

***Poker***

I might as well register for 50 different huge field and big buy-in events right now and not show up to play. I'm quite certain to run worse than ever, (if that's possible?) for sure after I tell you, I haven't been running so bad of late. Nothing big or special really, just a fair amount of 1st. to 5th. type cashes along my merry way. Certainly I just put that to a complete and utter stop right there!

I've been digging a certain HORSE game and have really worked on my H. and O. hand selections a lot. After careful study of HH's and matching the information to chip stack sizes and hands played, it really shouldn't be a surprize at all, that those formats were where I was leaking my stack away in the games. I've adjusted and hopefully retained what I've learned. Yah I know! I'll let you know how that goes another time!

:)

OK I'd better get at it! Hopefully it won't be so long, until I get another chance to drop back in here again. For some silly reason, I really miss this place!

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....

GOLF!!!!!!!!!1one1!!!one1!!....

Men's closing is tomorrow.

Golf with 120 of my closest friends.

Talk about a Frantic Friday!

(I'd take the under on me, but that's just me!)

My sincerest thanks for dropping by....