Sunday, December 31, 2006

Beginner's Luck

It's been a long, stressful road but I accomplished my goal: I made the playoffs in fantasy football.
It was my first year to take part and my only hope was to not completely humiliate myself and to make the playoffs. I'm not sure how I did with the humiliation aspect of my goal, but at least I made the final rounds.
We will be drafting again Monday for new players who are on teams that are in the playoffs. My opponents are James, Justin and Linda. I eked out a great week when I needed it against Mike and John Bishop. John was making a spectacular run at the playoffs in the last couple of weeks scoring 90-100 points each week. He almost came from behind to snatch the final playoff spot from Mike and me.
Honestly, I could get blown away in the finals and I will be happy with what has happened. I wanted to show with a little luck and some committed learning a person with little knowledge of both football and fantasy leagues could be a factor. I think I have done that... with a little help from some friends.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

A Casino Royale Christmas

As if my childish antics and refusal to grow up weren't enough to have many of you wondering what my true age was, one of my Christmas gifts this year will completely baffle you.
My mom bought me a remote control car (from Radio Shack no less) that was so perfect for me it's scary. You might be pondering why a 26-year-old would be so excited about a toy that most 15-year-olds would think they were too old for.
Well, first of all it is because I haven't owned a remote control car in years and I love them. But secondly, and more importantly, this model car is special. It is a 1:12-scale replica of the Aston Martin DBS from "Casino Royale."
When I unwrapped the paper off of the box and saw what it was my eyes lit up like a young boy finding a puppy underneath the Christmas tree or seeing his bicycle with a big red bow taped to the handle bars for the first time.
I had to charge the batteries last night and have not yet been able to get behind the wheel of my new vehicle, but I plan to today after work. I will most assuredly believe that as I move my furniture around to make room for a track that when I begin controlling James Bond's newest vehicle I will become the smooth spy with a heart like ice.
Make fun of me as much as you want, I don't care. I am really excited to make ramps and set up the scene where Vesper is in the roadway as Bond screams along the dark street toward her helpless, bound body.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas!

Another year has passed and it is time to give those special someones their gifts. I hope everyone got what they wanted. The stores weren't really all that bad this year. I went to the mall and Target a couple of time the last two weeks (once yesterday) and I didn't hate life like I have in the past.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your friendly blogger.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Busting The Bubble

After the first few times of making my grand poker exits on the bubble (which is the highest finish a person can have without getting paid) we all thought it was cute and fun. IT'S NO LONGER CUTE AND IT'S NO LONGER FUN.
My goal for 2007 is one thing and one thing only: not going out on the bubble in a poker tournament. I don't care if I win or if I am first out, as long as I don't become the bubble boy again I will be happy.
I am going to tweak my game and fix a few things here and there in order to figure out what it is that's causing this recurring problem. Hopefully by fixing the leak in my game that causes my bubble exits I will begin to make the money more frequently, but only time will tell.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

The Latest 10 Things I'm Out On List

Clint McWilliams began the "Ten Things I'm Out On" list, but here is my latest.

1. Children on leashes. Your kid is not a pet, so don't treat them like one. And especially don't put your kid on a cute leash that is decorated with fake lion fur. Just because you aren't using a metal chain to keep your kid within yanking distance doesn't mean you are any better of a parent.

2. People who wander aimlessly through the mall during Christmas. Have a flight plan and stick to it. I don't want to be stuck behind you while you are pondering your next move.

3. Passive drivers. If you are going to get over then step on the gas and come over. Don't make me slow down to be the nice person and then you contemplate if you can make the gap or not. Just go for it.

4. Those who stare at their cell phone while they are walking in a crowd. I don't care if you think you are the greatest texter on the planet, you are in my way and I want to move. Either walk to where you are going and then converse with your friends electronically or get out of my way.

5. This one I am guilty of so I will have to do something about this. People who own more shirts or other type of clothing for a university they didn't attend than one they did.

6. Tabloids. If you can't report the news accurately then don't report it at all. You give fanboys of whatever rumor you happen to be talking about hope of something that isn't going to happen.

7. People who walk in the middle of the path in a parking lot. Get to the side and let cars go on through.

8. Nicknames for couples: TomKat, Brangelina, Bennifer. Stop it!

9. Poker players who pay to draw for overs and then don't bet if they hit what they were looking for. If you're going to draw out on somebody, have the decency to make some money out of it.

10. Cancer. It's the 21st century's version of the plague. We will reach a point someday when the question isn't, "Will you get cancer?" but, "Will you survive your cancer?"

Monday, December 11, 2006

My Oklahoma Tournament Results

I doubt anyone reading this who cares about my results in the $30,000 Bounty Tournament that took place this past weekend in Oklahoma doesn't yet know what happened, but I will inform you anyway.
There were a total of 77 participants and the play was somewhat decent. A lot of players knew each other and seemed to have played together before. Besides James I didn't really recognize anybody. There was one player who I recognized his screen name from the Weston Poker forum.
The top 12 spots were paid with first place taking home $6,000. Ninth through twelfth place received $700 each. With 13 players left I was my table's chip leader and probably second in chips overall. My situation in the tournament was looking good and James was already making phone calls.
Well, no-limit can be a brutal game, as no more than 10 minutes went by and I went from chip leader to out in thirteenth place. That is right. Out on the bubble.
The hand that crippled me was when I flopped a set of sevens and a guy rivered a flush on me. It was a brutal beat that left me with $1,900 while the blinds were $800-1,600 with a $100 ante. I was gone two hands later with nothing to show for my day except memories of playing aces four times and winning with them every single time.
It was a good tournament that I will play in again if given the opportunity. Things got pretty hectic for about two rounds or so when nobody was getting knocked out and the blinds were starting to rise. If you had told me I was going to go out on the bubble I would have told you to bite your tongue, but come to find out that is how it happened.
Your's truly,
Matt "Bubble Boy" Cook

Friday, December 08, 2006

Due North

For those who haven't yet heard, James and I are taking the skills we have been honing for the last three years with the extra-long tournament and putting it to good use Sunday. A medium size tournament is taking place about three hours north in Oklahoma, about 40 miles south of Oklahoma City. It is a spectacular structure for a $365 tournament and approximately 100 people will be playing. I haven't really thought about the actual tournament much since deciding to play, but now I am starting to think about the drive, the tournament, the possibility of winning $9,000, the possibility of being bounced out really early and having to lower my head in poker shame. It's getting to me.
I will be walking out the door as the lights go down on our skit Sunday at church and jumping in the car to hit the road. And yes, I know how hypocritical it sounds to say I am leaving church to go play poker. Wish me luck and hopefully I will have a happy story for everyone on Monday.

Monday, December 04, 2006

Do you believe in Romo-mentum?

It is hard to deny that Tony Romo has not been a big factor in turning around this Dallas team. Before he took the field we were grumbling about how poor of a team we had and Bledsoe was killing us with his refusal to leave the pocket. Of course, a weak offensive line wasn't helping him very much either, but Romo sometimes has to deal with the same pressure Bledsoe did and he is able to scramble away and get a throw off. Too bad if the throw is to T.O. Owens there is a better than good chance he is going to drop the thing.
The Cowboys had a big day yesterday against the New York Football Giants and I am glad to see that our kicking game has given us some hope. That first wide right miss by Gramatica harkened back to the days of Vanderjagt - you know, a whole week ago.
Since the Cowboys had a good week, I of course had to have a bad week in the realm of fantasy football. A dismal failure on my selection process led to a 35-point finish, which my optimal lineup would have fetched 117 points. Quite a difference. I am not going to say that I am completely out of the playoffs yet, but its not too far fetched of an idea if I can't turn things around next week.