That’s just straight out of the Skip Bayless / Stephen A. Smith playbook of creating controversy to stay relevant. And it’s obviously working, Jessica Welman is somebody I had totally forgotten about.

Once I reach the aston martin, I'll spend the rest of my FPPs on Isai for president.

Also, I think you guys mean Armadillo Tim

why?

You only have to look at what stars has become without Isai at the helm for evidence of why he should be in the HOF.

He should be in the HOF. The only reason he is a "criminal" is because governments have ridiculous laws surrounding online gambling / poker. Not a real criminal.

Of course not.

From his Associated Press obituary in the Washington Post:

(I think the last paragraph there is a reference to the Nolan Dalla interview mentioned above)

Lol says CEO of Catena Media, who is an affiliate for grey market casinos all over the world. Butthurt much?

if being involved with 'criminal activity' at some time during ones life disqualified a person from being in the poker HOF, would there be many still eligible?

Sorry, but this thread tilts the f**k out of me every time I see it. Apparently, Ms. Wellman fails to grasp the difference between "new markets" and regulation or protectionist barriers to entry.

I am curious how the "New Markets Director" for Catena Media thinks new markets are created ? Did online poker get launched around 2000- 2001 because someone like her decided that poker players had a pent-up demand to play online ? Are new markets created by government or legislative or regulatory fiat ?

What government regulation does, primarily, is capture for their favored operators a share of markets they had very little to do with creating. That has been the function of protectivist, anti-competitive regulation across many industries, not just gambling or poker.

Basically,, despite what Ms. Wellman may believe, no one ever accused Isai of running a dishonest poker operation or acting against poker players' interests.

We can laud Isai for his business acumen and people skills but idk if he actually gave a crap about poker.

Daniel, Terrence and Adam talked about Jessica Welman's tweet along with Isai's contributions to poker on the latest episode of DAT Poker Podcast. The discussion starts at about 29:00. Here's the cued video.

https://youtu.be/fRhM9iFRCeY?t=1742

I think that literally 100% of the people who know Isai also knows that he cared deeply about the game of poker.

He made Stars into the biggest site by making it a quality site. He realized that making it a good environment for regs would make it successful. He didn't do things for short term profit which damage the site like most sites do now.

If you don’t let the criminals and scumbags in, the poker hall-of-fame would be an empty building..

I’m pretty sure that he did care for online poker. But even if he didn’t, would that really matter?

If there was an “Online Shoe Retailer HOF”, Tony Hsieh would be the first person to be elected. Unanimously. Even though he didn’t care about selling shoes.

If you have a restaurant with good food, it will probably do well. If you have a restaurant where everyone gets sick, it eventually won't have many customers.

I'll defer to Josem's view. I can relate that the poker customer experience and benefit was paramount.

I spoke with Isai only once, on one topic, the utility of bitcoin for poker. His absolute focus during the conversation was whether or how bringing BTC into the Stars economy or gaming experience would or would not benefit players. That was the yardstick, would something benefit players.

Article done to do up drama and get views.

I honestly believe that Isai tried to build online poker and Pokerstars as his primary motivation for operating. The money was a bi-product.

I am convinced that Isai on numerous occasions would do things (often through a 3rd party) that would be pushing the envelope in legality. Nothing over the top... but around the edges. banking evasiveness for players to deposit... bribes errr donations to politicians to leave online poker alone. In those examples the intention was to allow players to play the game they want. Online Poker. It benefited Pokerstars and the players. It's a win-win.

Isai should certainly be in the Poker Hall of Fame. I'd hope that some current members, whom benefitted greatly by Isai, would step up on his behalf by threatening to give up their membership if he continues to get passed over. btw that includes all FT pros whom would have had a major stain on them had Isai not paid off the FT accounts.

Pretty much.

If Benny Binion is in a man who was TWICE convicted for murder, shouldn't lawbreakers almost get a free pass to the front of the line?

Benny Binion was so crooked that they should honor him in the Mob Museum rather than the Poker HOF. He makes Russ Hamilton look like the salt of the Earth. Involved in numerous crimes and murder schemes. I'm sure Doyle would say he was a great guy though.

Anyone running a poker site has to be involved in shady things. Isai is a poker hero for his conviction for keeping online poker available in the US.

lol no

if you were going to make "involved with an illegal raked game" a disqualifier for the poker hall of fame, would literally anyone make it in?

No.