anyone watch?

i watched a little from harrahs last nigth with no sound and only watched between hands. but i saw Jennifer bust in 2nd with an overpair to rivered trips.

thoughts on the production?

Overall it was OK.

As for the poker, one of the plays that surprised me the most was Phil Ivey going in w/9-5. He couldn't have possibly thought Bellande, the chip leader at the time I believe, was going to fold any two cards there, and it seemed like Phil could have waited until the next hand to get something even slightly better than 9-5. I think he must have been bored, not digging the short stack thing, and was ready to play in some cash games, But hey, he's Phil Ivey, so who am I to talk, right?

As for the production, only thing I didn't like was that they kept Norman Chad.

IMHO, he's an moron, who knows next to nothing about the game of poker, and more importantly he really annoys the censored outta me. It's like everytime I hear him talk I want to shove a rusty nail through my ear drum. :evil:

Couldn't they have replaced him with Shanna Hiatt... mmmmmmm...

Heck they could replace him with one of those dogs playing poker from the ESPN commercial, and it would be much more entertaining.

I did enjoy the part where he said he was growing "fond of Bellande..." no wonder he has so many problems with Ex-wives... he prefers loud mouth dudes.

I thought it was excellent coverage by ESPN. Good final table over all. Unfortunately for Jennifer her QQ got smoked by 9-10 os. Oh well thats poker.

One question, when was that game played live? The date if someone has it.

Agreed about Norman Chad. Tacky jokes, boring commentary and a useless personality. Its like they picked someone at the last minute and then realized, "oh shit, maybe this poker thing really is going to take off"

Bellande made some really nice reads until the play on Lee with Lees made stt8t. Oops. Harmon played well and got lucky with her Q7 against Lees Q9 and then got hit by a reversal of fortune when her QQ got nailed on the river by Lees trips. That is poker.

I like Norman Chad. He is funny.

That comment about growing fond of Bellande was very funny.

Was Chad the moron who was giggling like a hyena every three seconds? Or was that a different poker show? I had to turn the channel on the hyena.

I think he is funny and not so full of him self.

And one thing I really like about him is he doesn't say "WIRED PAIR" ever three hands like another putz on TV.

What the **** is a "WIRED" pair anyway? I have never been good with home improvement. :wink:

I was played on March 20-22

Final table was way back on March 22nd. I remember "watching" it on Cardplayer, excited for hometown boy Doug Lee.

That event happened like last October!!!

According to the ESPN schedule this years main event wont be broadcast till October. I dont get it. There is all this hype around the WSOP now....newspaper articles, tv coverage, etc....WHY wait another 3 months to show the main event. By then the only ones who will care will be people like us. And we are not enough to get the ratings up...they need the avergae joe shmoe to watch because he heard about it on ESPN or saw it in his local sports page.

Can anyone explain this??? I understand the need for a delay....but 3 months??

You guys sure it was March...I could have sworn i saw something that said October. Oh well. Still too long!

You got plaaaaaaaaaaaaaayed! :roll:

I only watched the last 45 minutes of it, but I thought it was decent. I think they show too much background of the players, but then again, it's nice to see a little about them.

I liked the dog commercial....but are they going to play that all the freakin time. They must have played it at least 18 times last night alone.

Lots and lots of editing to do is most of it. If you think the ratings would be a lot worse if it was on within a few weeks compared to in Oct, I think you are mistaken.

Has anyone noticed all the other station's websites (ABC, si.com, NBC, etc.) are trying to spoil the drama for ESPN by having who won on their front page??

ABC owns ESPN, doubt they are trying to stop their ratings

I watched last night, and overall I thought it was a good show. However, I have forgotten how annoying Norman Chad is. He really bugs the hell out of me. They definitely need a better personality along side the Lon McEahorn guy (Not sure on spelling) to really liven things up.

I was rooting for Jennifer Harmon. Bummer her QQ got busted. Didnt like the Doug Lee guy. I think he misplayed his KK earlier when Bellande was still in it.

Looking forward to next week though, but definitely not looking forward to seeing more commercials for the re-runs of TILT. :evil:

Yea, I think of that after I sent it...it was CBSsportsline.

I don't think you can complain that any other network was trying to ruin it for ESPN, considering I saw multiple updates on Sportscenter and ESPNews during the main event; including them announcing the winner.

Also, Joseph Hachem appeared on ESPN 2's Cold Pizza show a couple of days after the main event.

I think ESPN knows that people will want to watch, no matter if they know who won or not.

Doug Lee is a garbage player who would've ended up losing if he didn't river trips on harman. As for Norman Chad, it makes me wanna change the channel every time he speaks. He says the corniest jokes and knows jack about the game. If he says the ex-wife joke one more time ..... I thought the coverage by ESPN was great tho, they did well for the first tournament and I'm excited to watch the other events.

First of all, Norman Chad is a terrific announcer and is great for the WSOP. Second of all, most of the players at the final table were awful, only idiot donkeys slow play trip kings on the flop and turn with a straight and flush draw out there. Then there was the backwoods donkey who was short stacked with almost nothin left and lays down A-Q. Then the winner Doug Lee knew that he wasnt going to out play Harman so he just tried to get lucky, and he did. He was pratically having a seizure waiting for the river card.

For the record, Norman chad is to poker as AIDs is to the immune system.

For all saying that he is a great commentator, may I ask you how? He consistantly misreads play, outs, etc. His comic relief is the furthest thing from comedy. Last year I started cracking up at his analysis of Josh Arieh when he busted out in 3rd in the ME. Stating that he was a good player that needed a whole lot of growing up to do personality wise.

I would take VVP/Sexton over Chad/McEachern anyday of the week. I would rather have Lederer/Hellmuth for a mix of comedy relief and analysis however

Good coverage, yes, but that Live Full Tilt spoiled me. I think it helps to see every hand, and espn might want to consider devoting enough time for the big events for live final tables, or at least unedited. Or at the very least only edit the down time in between hands so that we just see the "action." But it is nice to see the hands that get layed down, and the poker being played...not just the gambling.

just my $.02

VVP/Sexton are to poker what Bellande was to the final table last night, annoying and obnoixus. I think Mceachern and Chad are great announcers and please quote to me the last time Chad mis-read a hand. He doesnt do the commentary live, so I know for a fact he doesnt mis-read a hand cause it would be corrected in editing. Anymore stupid complaints?

final table 04. krux all in with A9 and ramer raymer has AQ

board AK53

chad "krux needs a nine or if a 5 comes we'd have a split pot"

chad missed the fact that if a 3 came there'd also be a split pot. not the worst misread but definately the most recent

I like the setup of the WPT better with 6 people at the 2 final table, but Norman Chad makes up for it. He is the most entertaining poker host hands down. 8)

something that I thought that was cool was I remember Daniel N. say after Jean Robert knocked him out of the WPT at the Mirage I believe that Jean robert REALLY overvalues his draws and wow did it come out. Espically in the hands that he doubled up Jen Harmon and went out on with a pair of 4's and a gutshot straight.

Overall, I liked it.

How is that a mis-read??? Nothin he said was false or not true. He failed to mention a 3, thats not a mis-read, he just forgot to mention a 3 would split. Sexton and VVP are just censored boring. They have no entertainment value.

$800,000 omission

No complaints! You have just proven my point! He doesn't even do it live, and still censoreds up the scenarios. Conclusion, even editing can't help them

The only specific example I have is what Ian posted, however, I know that there are most definately more recent, and with the WSOP 2005 events debuting, I can't wait to post them.


Also, how is Mike Sexton obnoxious?! I never heard him say anything that would result in "obnoxious" being the correctly used adjective. VVP says "Wired Pair", get over it. Norman Chad has his hilarious "Ex wives" jokes (sw)

problem w/ that is that the ME final table was what, like 14 hours. It'd be really hard to show that much straight live coverage. I mean, only us poker junkies would watch that whole thing. It'd be really nice if they could just put it on ESPN2 or something.

As for norman Chad, what he does that really bothers me is not think about the situation. There was one time where the Iron worker guy was on the short stack and folded AQ after a raise and a reraise. To hear Chad talk about it you'd think he folded the nuts. I'm not saying I would have definitely folded there, but I can't say it was a horrible fold.

$800,000 omission?? How did Norman Chad cost anyone 800K? Did a 3 come?? No......I dont get your comment......

He means that if the 3 came, it would have saved Krux from going out = $800,000. He obviously doesn't mean that Norman Chad was responsible for the 3 not coming. You asked for an example, and he presented one, that was all. You lose.

I agree that Normad Chad's commentary is very annoying.

However, a lot of his commentary is probably scripted. After they finish all the editing, Chad probably sits in a sound stage and does his commentary over the finished product. Notice how he continues to talk during the hand even over the editing process. There is a lot cut out that we don't see like the 5 minute decisions players make that seem to only take a few seconds. Yet Chad seems to keep on talking without a break in the action.

Fire the writer and replacing him couldn't hurt.

I agree that Normad Chad's commentary is very annoying.

However, a lot of his commentary is probably scripted. After they finish all the editing, Chad probably sits in a sound stage and does his commentary over the finished product. Notice how he continues to talk during the hand even over the editing process. There is a lot cut out that we don't see like the 5 minute decisions players make that seem to only take a few seconds. Yet Chad seems to keep on talking without a break in the action.

Fire the writer and replacing him couldn't hurt.

coverage/layout looked like last year, not necesessarily a bad thing. Norman Chad is kinda growing on me, I have a feeling he aint goin anywhere, and some of his comments, tho dumb, can be funny....SOME. I was surprised to see Phil push with 9-5off and I thought when Jen picked up QQ she was gonna double up again, and comeback for the win....but poker is always full of surprises....overall, it was fun to watch I think

Yeah your right, and if I wouldve gotten my Ace on the river I would of won that 1K pot but I didnt and the 3 didnt come, it wasnt an 800K omission, so the comment was stupid.

And please dont make claims that you cant back up. If your going to say he mis-reads hands, please have examples, him not saying a 3 would split a pot isnt a misread, nothin he said was a misread, he said a 9 would win it for Krux and a 5 would split it, both of which were true.

da_suit, you are either a major tool, a complete moron, or norman chad's son


but my guess is all fucking 3

Last night: Harman goes all in with QQ and gets called by 9 10,

Chad to crowd: "Jennifer Harman is a 4/1 favorite, but I am sure she wanted Lee to fold"

Yes, I am POSITIVE she wanted him to fold there, being a 4/1 favorite to double up and win the tournament.

gg.

Did anyone else watch his post tourney interview with Chad??

"Sometimes I just have these feelings, and most of the time, when I listen to those feelings, it works"

If I had a nickel for everytime a donkey said, "I just had a feeling" I wouldnt be playin 1/2.

If he folds, then she takes down the pot right there, there are no more cards, she cant lose the hand. Sure she wants to double up, but if you dont have the nuts, then there are hands that can beat you and with an overcard on the board, why would she want him to call?? O, and she couldnt of won the tournament right there, she would of just doubled and Im not sure she would of even been chip leader at that point, Lee had a monster chip lead. Sorry buddy, you lose again

Be sure to let us know when you make a final table so we can watch and critique your play. Oh Yea... It'll never happen. Untill then S T F U

Tool, wow, like a hammer?? Only censored donkeys call people tools, what the hell is a tool?? Is that just a dumbass slang term?

The Hold'Em or Fold'Em commercials with Chris Ferguson were hilarious. Nice to see a poker player getting an endorsement from something thats not an online poker room.

Also, I think the ESPN announcers are fine. I do like them better than Vince and Mike, but they're ok too.

I didn't think Lee played terribly. Obviously, the KK hand was terrible but the final hand didn't he have top pair? He's taking another shot to win and he still would have had the chip lead. Very few people are mentioning how lucky Jen was to stay alive with q7 vs q9.

I know if I'm playing Jen Harmon head up I'm going to try and win big pots to beat her because I'm certainly not going to outplay her over a bunch of smaller pots.

Would you like to be a phillips-head screwdriver?

Howard Ledererererererererererererererer easily does the best job announcing when he gets a chance.

VVP and Sexton are bad. Norman Chad is bad.

Bob Costas would be a good poker announcer, don't you think? What about Vin Scully?

Ice

The only point you have is that I meant to say "Possibly win the tournament"

Second, if she has AK, and he pushes with 10 10, would she call before the flop?

Third, give me a ****ing break, being a 4/1 favorite, I am sure her first thoughts were not "Shit! I wish he folded, I am a HUGE favorite!'

This is turning into a flame fest, as result of Norman Chad's stupid face.

I nominate John Madden and Pat Summerall to announce the Main Event next year.

No he didnt, He raised in the SB with 10-9 off, she re-raised 150K, and he called. FLop comes K-10-3 or something and she went all in and he called.

And I agree, I think Lee knew he was going to have to get lucky to beat Jen since she is obviously the better player, so he took his shots and got lucky. But his "I just had a feeling" speech afterwards lost him alot of credibility.

Im sure she wasnt dissappointed with a call, but I Im promise she wanted to take down the pot right there. Everyone in poker always uses the quote "Its better to win a small pot, then lose a big pot" which is what happened right there. The pot was big enough for her to want to take down at that moment. He called and had outs, and he caught one, if he folds she wins the pot and is still alive with more chips.