Mission WSOP

Poker has been a slow grind for me lately.  I think this is due to a switch to mostly cash games and sit & gos rather than tournaments.  Tournaments are good for home runs while cash games and sit & gos you mostly get singles and doubles.  The thing with tournaments is there are a lot of strike outs and walks too. 

In one of the strangest occurrences, last night I bailed on a tournament roughly 1/2 way through because I had an opportunity to hang with friends I hadn’t seen in a while and I actually ended up finishing 38th and profiting $5 for the $3.30 buy-in tourney. 

The Aussie Millions poker tournament is at the final table and poker great Erik Seidel is at the final table.  I stole the picture from PokerNews at the bottom of the entry.  It’s Erik Seidel’s lucky penguin that he picked up in Australia.  There are only 5 players left and Seidel is still hanging in there.  I knocked Erik out of a tournament on Full Tilt once… it’s always fun to brag about those things.   Also, you can find a picture of the player who was eliminated in 6th place, Antonio Casale.  He looks like he is about 200 years old.

Last night, I got to see Roger Federer sweat out a close shave against an unranked player to make it through Round 3 of the Australian Open.  Is there any question whether Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player of all-time?  I can’t fathom another player even close to his resume of tennis accomplishments.  Up until this tough battle, Federer had only lost 6 games in his first 2 Australian Open matches and 30 straight sets since his 2006 final match against Marcos Baghdatis.  Federer has won nearly $36 million in his tennis career.  He’s 546-132 lifetime.  Federer has won the last two Australian Open singles titles, four consecutive US Open titles, five straight Wimbledons and has 12 Grand Slam titles to his name.  He’s just two behind Pete Sampras for most Grand Slam wins.  I wish I could say I was this good at anything I have ever done… it must be an amazing feeling.

Finally, it’s prediction time.  The NFL Championship Games are upon us and I’m coming in 6-2.  If we were looking at picking against the spread I’d be 5-3.  With that being said… here are my predictions:

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Patriots 28, Chargers 20

Something keeps telling me the Chargers have a chance… but then common sense rears its ugly head and I’m forced to swallow a cold cup of reality.  Why do I think the Chargers can win? 

1. Ladainian Tomlinson has struggled in the playoffs and is due for a breakout game.  The Patriots are better against the pass than the run but Tomlinson is the best in the league and I think he knows this game might lie on his shoulders.
2. The revenge factor is in effect. 
3. Their defense is amazing!  They have a league leading +24 turnover ratio and Shawne Merriman is a beast.
4. They are red hot… 8 straight wins.

One reason why they can’t win:

1. They are playing the 17-0 Patriots.

NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: PACKERS 24, GIANTS 17

So, here’s how I plan on breaking my jinx.  I pick the Packers to win but the Giants to cover since the spread is 7 1/2.  Now, it totally throws the universe into a tailspin since I can’t be totally wrong in this game.  HA!  Take that, sports gods!  I think the Packers have no problem here and the Giants score a late TD to slide just under the number.