2008 WSOP, Day 46: Whoopee

Am sitting in Gate A of McCarran International Airport, the air filled with indecipherable public address announcements, cell phone conversations, and, of course, the incessant drone of electronic bells and other effects emanating from the rows of slots that fill the center of the space. Oh, and there’s a toddler with a whoopie cushion in the row behind me, firing it off every couple of minutes and giggling “I farted!”

Will be in the air about an hour from now. Had originally intended to stick around LV for another couple of days, as there were still a few other things to do and people to see. But yesterday I was overcome with a sudden realization that it was time for me to go home. So I changed my flight and here I sit, typing and occasionally smiling at the sound of faux flatulence.

Went back over to the Rio last night with James to watch a bit more of the last night’s proceedings. Tiffany Michelle had already busted by the time we got there. We got seats in the ESPN arena and watched a couple of levels’ worth of poker. Saw some interesting hands, and three or four bustouts. Have little or no familiarity with any of the fellas who made the final nine. Or interest, really, for that matter.

I noticed WSOP Commissioner Jeffrey Pollack standing over by media row at one point when it was down to just 12 players left. I saw him studying the crowd and looking up at the big screen overhead. I wondered if he was perhaps reconsidering the whole final table delay. Or maybe wondering just how arduous of a task it is going to be to build any interest beyond hardcore poker fans in these nine who made it.

I said it back in the spring when it was just a rumor, and again at the beginning of May when the rumor become reality. And I’ll say it again now. I think the final table delay stinks. That kid with the whoopie cushion is providing a perfect soundtrack.

Thanks, everybody, for reading along these 46 days. Will be getting back to the usual routine here at Hard-Boiled Poker pretty soon.

Thanks also to everybody at PokerNews and all of the other folks I got to meet and spend time with this summer. (Not naming anybody here, as I’m in a bit of a hurry, but they know who they are.) As I say, I’m more than ready to get back home, but you guys all made my home-away-from-home pretty special, and for that I’ll always be grateful.

Talk to you again soon.