AimlesslyChasingAmy

I wasn’t sure which surprised me more: the question or its source.  The email’s subject was “Been to Hooters lately?”  I’ve been to Hooters exactly one time in my life and that was to play the PokerNews.com freeroll in Las Vegas earlier this month.  The source was Jeff Hwang, casino and gaming analyst for my favorite investment site, The Motley Fool. 

There have been exactly four people that I’ve “cold called” via email in my life.  The first was the late Andy Glazer.  I was up in the mountains of New Mexico, working on my dissertation with only stray dogs as company.  I had been writing about poker for my own personal pleasure for over a year and was wondering about someday getting published.  Out of the blue I sent Glazer some of my work which he responded to, candid critique and all, within hours.  The second person I cold emailed was Barry Greenstein.  I had just gotten wind of the Andy Beal games and was curious to learn more.  Again, Barry responded immediately and hooked me up with Michael Craig, just prior to his book’s publication.  The third person I cold emailed was FlipChip.  I was heading out to Vegas to film Vegas Virgins (I still have never seen the final episode I was in - which is probably all for the best) and contacted FlipChip.  I had been a fan of LasVegasVegas.com for a long time.  Not only did he respond, but both he and PokerProf showed up to the filming.  You know how it goes; the start of a beautiful friendship. 

The last person I ever cold emailed was Jeff Hwang.  In the course of following the casino and gaming industry, I ended up reading all the analysts and IMHO, Hwang was the best.  I also liked that he wrote for the philosophically (and financially) independent Motley Fool.  So many of the investment analysts have ties to big brokerage houses or investment banks - and you have to wonder just how much of their analysis is colored by their corporate loyalties.  I emailed Jeff when Harrah’s was first in play.  Again, he emailed immediately and an email friendship was born.  But it wasn’t until this WSOP that I realized just how much Hwang and I had in common.  HE’S AN OMAHOLIC.  

In the course of attending some shareholder meetings in Vegas, Jeff decided to mix a little business with pleasure and hit the WSOP.  After a few missed sightings, we finally met up late one night in the Amazon room.  Bless him, he was playing Omaha.  He was just coming off his 3rd place finish at Binions Omaha hi/lo event.  He didn’t know that I used to write for investment sites and I didn’t realize he had a Pot Limit Omaha book due out in December.  It was one of those wow moments.

So back to original email that started this whole post.  Jeff had picked up the latest copy of Poker Player and saw a room review for Hooters.  The article had a picture - and although my back was turned, Hwang recognized the black hat.  For most people, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.  But an occupational hazard of hanging out with writers and bloggers means that whatever happens in Vegas is fodder for articles and blogs.  I guess I should be relieved that it wasn’t the Spearmint Rhino.   And I did cash in the freeroll, so I got that going for me; which is nice.  I haven’t seen the article yet, but I’ll put money on FlipChip as photographer.  And I’m guessing Pauly was the reviewer. 

I have a lot of blog catching up to do - both reading and writing.  I want to thank Iggy for keeping me current during the WSOP - with everything he’s got going on, the little dwarf still has his finger on the pulse.  And I need to do a major pokerboyz post.  All the boyz (minus one or two of the usual suspects) made it out to Vegas for a predictably entertaining and lucrative poker extravaganza leaving us all with one nagging question - when’s the next trip?

PS Hooters Magazine cover girl is Nicole from Austin. 
PSS Also check out my latest article on PokerNews on how the Brits are getting Fristed