Although I know little about them, from what I understand, PokerStrategy is hardly a smaller player. They were claiming on quadjacks to be the largest poker website in the world.

I agree with your point. Gambling911 has been guilty of sensational headlines with no content for years.

I'm lazy, do tell.

Thanks for referencing that ColtraneDog post - I read the first of the Lingren thread and then assumed that it was not gonna get much more interesting.

I totally agree that it's the guys building their rolls and grinding up the stakes that really deserve admiration. It's interesting to think how different things might have been if the poker economy had developed along different lines - imagine if the sites didn't sponsor players/pay their buy ins to tournaments, but instead added overlays straight into the prize pool. I wonder how many of the TV faces might have played very different schedules.

I've never herd of a black and tan with Bass, only Harps?

56:42, Mike says Faraz Jaka, and no jokes ensued.... i was crushed for a moment.

Guessing.

seems Erica Schoenberg is drawn to the biggest FTP sponsored degens.

If I was Mike Matusow I would put on a clean shirt and wait by the phone.

Matt Kaufman does a podcast with Mark Gahagan called the "Rabbit Hunt". It is quite good! Interesting that you had never heard of him, considering he's your direct competition.

Thanks Guys

Thanks Tanya, wasn't aware of that.

TBH, I haven't listened to any other poker podcasts (with any regularity) in quite some time and would doubt other hosts listen to ours. It just becomes too much after spending much of the week following poker stuff to take on listening to another show.

Just went over and listened to their recent show and turned it off a couple minutes in after Kaufman says other media outlets who were critical of him were jealous.

As I was one of the critical media people he was talking about, I can assure him jealousy was pretty far down the list of emotions that were felt after reading his "interview".

If Bernie Madoff (or some other scumbag that stole insane amounts of money from a group of people) went to some reporter or magazine writer and said "Hey, I'd like to basically craft an apology where I look like a great guy even though I crushed many peoples lives" I'd say most of 'em would tell him to get stuffed.

Now some of them would likely respond "Ok Bernie, as long as you understand that I have to ask you some very tough questions as well and if you don't answer them I'm still going to cite them in the piece". I'm fine with that, because it exposes the person for what they really are.

Matt was aghast on twitter when I tweeted my thoughts, saying "Do you honestly believe I didn't ask additional questions? I printed what Ray answered, and it may lead to more info later."

I'm not sure how were supposed to guess that he asked more questions, but why not print them in the piece? Afraid of pissing off Ray?

**** Ray. In my opinion, he doesn't deserve the right to dictate to people and that is where we disagree. Matt obviously does.

That's not jealousy, and to suggest it was is to dismiss any opinion that he doesn't agree with.

For the record, this is nothing personal at all towards Matt. I'm sure he's a nice guy and good at his job and hope for nothing but success for him, his podcast and the site he writes for. As anyone who knows me will tell you, I don't have a jealous bone in my body about basically anything.

Thanks for your thorough response, Adam! I can totally understand that you are sick of poker news that go beyond your podcast and your research for it.

TBH, I still don't know how I would've acted if there was a chance of preserving Ray for a potential future interview, but then again, I'm not in the journalist profession for a reason. ;-) (not very good). I am certainly glad that you fall on the correct side of the issue that you wouldn't let Ray dictate you what you could publish.

And on another note, SteveD said that he didn't see any opposition to Zoom. I really beg to differ. The LHE community is quite against it, even at the small stakes.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/22...sh-no-1162234/

What a great head on his shoulders BigRiskky has!!! Such a pleasant interview with responses such as, "If you owe money, you pay it," when referring to the E-Dog debacle. It was rather refreshing to hear an interview like that after last weeks "Im too sexy for my life," interview with Matt.

Mike

Adam is correct, Guinness is a very different drink in Dublin to anywhere else. Personally, I prefer the smoother taste of Murphy's.

Dublin's a great town for the criac at night but if you get knocked out early, you may want to consider getting yourselves over to Kerry and West Cork for some even better craic.

Btw...a drink called Black and Tan in Ireland is total nonsense and a request for such is not going to receive a very warm reception.

motte

Adam, just want to give u my heartfelt thoughts on the passing of your father. I only know you from this forum and your voice on the pokercast but none the less i feel that i know you and what you are going through. You have my thoughts and prayers. all the best from that crazy land where the natives talk funny and drink stronger beers than americans and canadians are used to. Ozi

Im going to visit my almost 100 year old great grandfather tomorrow. It has been too long and I need to do it before it is too late. Im taking my kids and I hope he treasures the memory.

Adam, god bless your father. Respect our elders. FTW

Adam - pretty sure the only thing wrong with the publication of that Bitar piece on PS was calling it an interview. Should have been framed as a press release.

Any news > no news, it's no one's fault but Ray Bitar's that the interview was so unsatisfying.

The writer said afterwards that Ray was asked questions that Ray refused to answer and that he published 'only the apology' at Ray's request. Yet, nowhere in the piece did it indicate that Ray a) refused to answer other questions or b) what those questions were.

It was plain as day what happened. PokerStrategy and FTP have a longstanding affiliate relationship. PokerStrategy got the website traffic they knew would come with a sensational headline of 'Exclusive:Ray Bitar Aplogizes' and in exchange for a promise to not make Ray look like the bad guy and only publish what he wanted them to.

It wasn't even an apology. Ray actually stated that if he could say more he could 'take the heat off himself'. He didn't show any accountability for what has happened whatsoever. He basically said 'sorry you are all screwed' which is nothing close to 'sorry that I screwed you, I accept the blame'.

The lead-in introduction to the non-interview was so soft toward Ray 'gracious enough to speak with us' Bitar. They said 'since BF FTP has frequently made headlines', without referencing even one of the many negative headlines that Ray has made over the past year in connection to the collapse of FTP. The only headline mentioned was the possible sale(positive spin). The lead-in says that many people have been critical of Ray Bitar yet doesn't bother to tell the reader even one of the laundry list of reason why he's been criticized.

They make a point of adding that he's the first member of FTP management who has done an interview, which was clearly aimed at making him look better and is pointless since his statement basically states a bunch of reasons why no one in management is permitted to talk. If the CEO says to the rest of management, 'don't do any interviews for legal reasons and to not jeopardize a possible sale', he can't then come out and say 'hey look, I'm the only member of management willing to talk to the poker community'.

Just finished w/ the beginning segment of the show, loved the owning mahowny ref in beginning, very appropriate to lindgren and also a great PSH movie and insane real life story it was based on. Pretty ironic how the banker ran ridic well at stealing money while at the very same time running ridic bad at sports and casino betting.

Also, lots of credit to adam for soldiering on and recording the show even after what happened w/ his dad. I must admit, when I checked for new show weds in here and saw the condolence thread, my first thought was "ah crap, I feel bad for adam, he seems like a really good guy and that must be tough for him", but then my 2nd selfish thought was "ah, well I guess that means no show this week, too bad this would have been a good week for them to have a show and hear MJ and Adam break down the lindgren dramabomb for me." And as usual, I thought you did a great job w/ the cliffs of the situation and were on point in your opinions on it.

Cheers

Ive never been a Jim Rome fan either....I know lots follow him voraciously, but the whole idea of starting with supposition as opposed to facts, so as to develop an inevitable confrontation and aggressive conflict, just to fill air time and self promote, is lost on me.

Media should inform always, and educate when they can. Its about tone - and ADZ was a perfect example of setting a tone that made many not even listen or care about what he had to say.

I havent read the 'interview' but based on the Pokercast cliffs I neednt waste my time...the podcast appears to be a douche-fest as well. Will his next interview be Annie Duke/Jeffrey Pollack? urghhhhhhhhh

- one man's opinion

Absolutely and actually I now feel terrible for talking about Bitar/PS first.

Adam, my condolences obviously go out to you and the Schwartz clan. But crashwhips is right, for you to carry on and record the show this week is outstanding, well done sir. I was very very surprised to hear your voice this week and I don't think anyone would have begrudged you a cancelled show.

Can't imagine how you feel right now but keep it up bud, you're a trooper.

Good ep as always guys.

Any link to the Chinese low->high limit player?

First of all, you're being silly if you think Kaufman was actually trying to make Bitar look good, or if you think he thought that anyone would look at his statement in a positive light. Just look at the members' comments, everybody hates on this just like you do. I thought it was a journalist's job to publish statements like this and then let people judge for themselves.

I am pretty disappointed with how you handled this discussion, there was way too much hating going on, and pretty confused as to how journalism is supposed to work.

It seems like Mike and Adam think it would've been standard for the interview to have an intro talking about what an !¤=(/& Bitar is, that he's suspected of screwing everyone over and so on, before the questions and answers. I always thought that journalists treated their interviewees as well as they could, so that they would want to speak to them again.
You also said something about not getting anyone on the show if you didnt get to ask the questions you wanted, well..

I'd like to remember an interview connected to FTP a while ago by you with Alan Boston. You get him on, and he proceeds to talk for like an hour without you asking more than perhaps 1 or 2 questions - which he pretty much ignore. It is clear during the interview that he doesn't know any details about the situation, because all he talks about is how Howard is such a stand-up guy and wouldn't steal from anyone.

After that interview, according to your current critisism of the Bitar "interview" (or statement) you shouldve afterwards heavily critisized Alan's lack of knowledge in the matter, apologized to the listeners for not getting any of your questions across, and perhaps even call him a scumbag for trying to cover up for one of the biggest villains in this FTP story.

As far as I can remember, you were very polite to him during the interview and let him rant on and on about whatever he wanted. Basically, he just came there to make his personal statement about Howard's character and couldnt care less about your questions or the details.

Why did you let him do this? Why didnt you shut him up, tell him the details he was missing that clearly showed Howard knew about the situation, and ask him how he could support Howard knowing this new information?

I understand that Alan isn't one of the villains himself (just trying to cover up for one of them!), and that you might think my comparison is stupid because Bitar is pretty clearly the super-villain here. But I just thought you weren't really making sense in the extreme bashing of the people behind publishing this 'interview'. If you receive this statement, why the hell wouldnt you publish it? People have their own opinions afterwards.

Also, Mike should be a little more careful with making it sound like PokerStrategy is some kind of shady little site who make sensational announcements because it's desparate for traffic... I know you're very american-centered, but come on.. their CEO is nr 12 on the Bluff Power 20 which you've talked about before.
(yes I'm a member and I'm biased :P)

Listen to you every week, dont hate on me too much now please

Mike and Adam have a standing invitation to stay at my place in West Cork (near the Old Head of Kinsale) although, as it is, I'll be there at Easter when they're in Dublin

Y'all should have a trip down to Cork, visit Kinsale (the gourment capital of Ireland, home of seafood and bacon !) and see proper Ireland rather than just Dub

Well said Tipee, pretty much my reaction too.

+1


cut the guy some slack, he usually is well informed and well opionend. They are doing a really good job with their podcast and they are not afraid to speak their minds. Listen f.i. to episode 39, where they put Joe Sebok on the grill

Glad to see a few people cut Kaufman some slack. Sure, he might not have handled the "interview" in the most polished way – e.g. I agree that at the very least a mention of the refused questions would have been appropriate. Kaufman is not a journalist by trade (he used to work on Wall Street), so getting an exclusive with such a controversial figure was likely a new experience for him.

But Kaufman is in NO WAY an apologist or a shill for Bitar and Full Tilt. He's a member here on 2+2, so I wouldn't be surprised if he has voiced his opinions about that site's operations.

I just hope Bitar doesn't try to use Kaufman as a mouthpiece since, as MJ mentioned, PokerStrategy was a Full Tilt affiliate site. I know Matt is looking to keep the door open for future Bitar correspondence, but my guess is that he will go in with his guard up after the backlash he got after this one. He is too smart not to.