Poker’s Strike Zone

I was starting to believe that poker was officially "on the map." Poker is everywhere on television, from the sports stations, the travel channels, the game show channels, and even the major networks. Poker chip sets and accessories are on the shelves of every major retailer, not just at the specialty shops anymore. Poker magazines and instructional books are gaining lots of attention and boosting sales. Like athletes in more established sports, some of the biggest names in poker are endorsing non-poker products such as sunglasses, liquors, and clothing. The poker craze has led to poker-themed office parties and wedding receptions. Stars from all venues have been attracted to the game, such as Ben Affleck, James Woods, and Shannon Elizabeth. I was really convinced poker had been accepted in the mainstream when non-players began to recognize poker professionals in public. In my opinion, poker had arrived!

Recently, my rose-colored glasses broke, though. The New York Yankees poster-boy superstar Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez has been vilified on number sports television shows, news programs, radio talk shows, and nationally respected newspapers due to his "nasty" habit: playing poker. A-Rod has apparently taken a liking to the game, and has been spotted chatting it up with Phil Hellmuth at the well-known Chelsea club in New York City. The reaction of almost every sports pundit was overly dramatic dismay. One commentator on an ESPN radio show made reference to a movie-type clich�, saying one risk of A-Rod playing in these games was getting his kneecaps broke if he didn't quickly pay his debts! Ironically, the same ESPN network that has enjoyed the amazing ratings of their WSOP coverage aired some of the most critical commentary on Rodriguez. Just before running 2005 WSOP re-runs, sports writers were on the same network talking about how Alex was tainting his clean image by playing poker in the club. They spoke about if he might lose endorsement deals. They openly wondered if his poker playing might lead him to sports betting, and possibly betting on baseball. They then moved into whether this famous professional baseball player would be safe in such an unstructured and dangerous environment. An uninformed watcher would probably have a visual image in their mind which would make the Chelsea club look like a game run in a prison. In reality, the clubs in NYC's East Side are frequented by poker's elite and Hollywood elite (such as Hank Azaria from TV's Mad About You and Macaulay Culkin from Home Alone).

The NY Daily Times quoted one high-ranking MLB official as saying, "What in the world is he thinking?" The team officials reportedly have asked the player to avoid the clubs. In addition, baseball commissioner Bud Selig is said to be keeping an eye on A-Rod, with an implied threat of action if A-Rod does not cease playing there. But here is the catch: despite the barrage of negative comments and pressure, A-Rod is not doing anything illegal. By all accounts, playing in these clubs is indeed legal. Running a poker club may not be, depending on the structure of the rake and some legal nuances. Playing, though, is certainly fine. This isn't a legal debate, though. It is more a social commentary, highlighting how far we have to go.

Sociologically speaking, poker is still in the dark ages here in the US and Canada. You see, poker still immediately conjures up uneasy emotions in the general public. The media's representation of the game only fuels the fire. The mention of poker makes people automatically think of Wild West shoot-outs, back alley illegal gambling, and rough rouges looking to cheat and rob their opposition. Mom's shield their children from gaining exposure to the game as if it is a harmful disease. While we've made some slight strides in the Moneymaker/Raymer era, the recent swirl around A-Rod's poker habits show that we are nowhere close to true acceptance. Nobody would balk at hearing that pro athletes were betting on golf shots at the local links. There would be no news stories gracing the newspaper pages if a famous person wagered on his performance on his famous video game. But poker playing � gasp!!

In addition to being a poker columnist and lecturer, John is a National Certified Counselor (NCC). He has a Master of Arts degree in Counseling from West Virginia University, and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Lock Haven University. You can find out more about the psychology of poker by emailing carlisle14@hotmail.com.

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