The 10 best things in poker during 2011 Part 2

The following is a list of 10 things that put a smile on my face in what has been a rather morose year for online poker, and poker on the whole. The list covers a variety of topics from results, to ad-libbed comments, to misadventures, and even a fail-story.

6. Phil Hellmuth auditions for Bridesmaids

Phi Hellmuth had an incredible 2011 WSOP, and if it wasn’t for Ben Lamb’s slightly better run the “Poker Brat” would have walked off with the WSOP Player of the Year award. As it stands, Hellmuth can add the POY award to his list of runner-up finishes at the 2011 WSOP, considering he finished second in a record three events during the Series!

7. Outing of the degens

If you’re like me you are probably very happy that players like Chino Rheem have been getting outed when they borrow money and do not repay it, or when players who are accused of cheating like Sorel Mizzi, Nick Grudzien, Daniel Cates, Haseeb Qureshi, and Jose Macedo have to face the music and explain their actions.

This is far better than the old days where the gossip would never see the light of day, and the poker world as a whole would remain unaware of who has a reputation as unreliable.

8. F. Scott Qureshi/Haseeb Kerouac

The slight mention to Haseeb Qureshi above leads me to the #8 spot on the list, and the comical spin-off threads and nicknames that Haseeb Qureshi received as he explained away his role in the Jose “Girah” Macedo scandal. Two of my favorites were F. Scott Qureshi -apparently Macedo likened Qureshi’s ability to write prose to that of the American literary icon-and after Qureshi announced his plans to travel the world with nothing but a backpack, he received a second name: Haseeb Kerouac.

9. DonkDown Radio debates the 1980’s Super Golden Crisp commercial

One of the highlights of my year has been the DonkDown Radio boys playing the Super Golden Crisp commercial for Al “Sugar Bear” Barbieri. But even better was when they started to debate what the precise words to the commercial were! Todd Witteles, Bryan Micon, and Brandon Gerson would go so far as to ask guests what they thought the words might be.

10. Beth Shak’s shoes

My final spot on the list goes to “Poker Pro” Beth Shak and her 1,200 pairs of shoes. What was supposed to be some kind of fashion brag -which I guess it was to the right crowd-was laughed away in the poker world considering the article made it seem that Shak had purchased the shoes with her tournament winnings -which are sparing to say the least– and not from the 8-figure divorce settlement she received from her ex-husband Dan Shak!

You can Read Part 1 HERE