Day 2 and 3 Coverage

Yes, I am certainly happy that ESPN is doing the WSOP. Yes, it brings tons of appeal, money and donkeys to the "sport." However, I continue to bristle at how little of the actual action they are capturing. The Kondracki/Kim hand (the "Degree All In" Hand of episode 2 last night) is a perfect example. ESPN sees that hand as compelling because it was the biggest pot of the tournament. True enough, and it also feature future final tabler Kondracki raking a huge pot. But sadly, it COMPLETELY MISSES the action in the hand (as I re-told it), which for a poker player, was staggering. (and FYI, Olga's exit was far, FAR more compelling than the cameras captured. I'll set the record straight with my day 3 re-cap later today)

I'm not saying making Steve Dannenman look like a complete asshole doesn't make for good t.v., I just wish they had included more of the hand details when they had a chance. Even if they don't capture the action on film, Norm and Lon could fill the audience in on the action that had occurred by having someone with the camera crew get it from the players at the table. Then, I think, we'd have the best of all worlds.

Two more things:

(1) I may be a pasty, chubby fool, but I didn't see anyone else bold enough to give Olga a one-man standing O.

(2) There's no crying in poker.