Let the Chips Fall Where They May....

Okay, so my blog has been officially in existence for a little over two weeks now, and all I have done is posted an introductory entry about my opinions, and the arrogance that surround them.

Well, here is a great example. I have come to the conclusion that nothing I have to say about anything that is going on in the world today is even remotely original. I have spent time over the past weeks considering the goings-on in the world of politics, the situations overseas, and the drama that is Hollywood. One of the things that strikes me as odd is that there does not seem to be a single situation in any of those three realms of reality that requires the stupidity of the situation to be pointed out. Maybe it is that I am thinking about things in the wrong way….not quite looking at the world through the “goggles” that I should have on….

So let’s try pointing the spotlight at an activity I personally enjoy, and the one common occurrence that has allowed me to witness countless fights in the last 8 months alone. The activity is No-Limit Hold ‘em, and the occurrence…..the suck-out. As players, we have all seen it. We have all been guilty of it. And as a dealer at a weekly “free-roll” tournament, I have seen more people become completely enraged over this event.

For a short period of time, I actually quit playing cards, and for that very reason. I had two friends, whose company I truly valued, get absolutely “ugly” with me over the cards that I had chosen to play, and my refusal to buy into the hands they were representing with their bets. I won all three hands, and actually that tournament, and then swore that I would never play cards again, stating that it would never be worth it to me to lose a friend over money, let alone a hand of cards.

I never did quit…..

I am happy to say I am still friends with the two people that caused me to react in the manner I did. One of the two immediately recognized the affect his/her action had on me, apologized, and explained that the anger that was expressed was at him/herself, and not at me. The other of the two, well, let’s just say that he is possibly worse than he was at that time, but I am beginning to understand.

Egos and poker chips get tossed across the table with about as much frequency and consistency as cups get tossed from the upper deck in Neyland Stadium. It is very easy to get mad when you get out-played. Even worse when luck sweeps in and puts a major hit on you. My theory has always been that when I am on the better end of this situation, it is best to simply remain humble. I’ll let them rant and rave about the hand, but only to a point, and at that moment I lay it all out for them.

Each and every one of us payed the same amount to play in this particular game (it is really sad when this speech comes out at the “free-rolls”). Each and every one of us has an equal right to do with our cards and our chips as we may. Long shot or not, poor decision or not, it was completely my own decision to make. No one else at the table has the right to make that decision but me. As much as you might have hated the choice I made given the outcome, recognize that I would have felt just as bad had it gone the other way. Can this be true for life in general….I guess so. But why go and try to attach a metaphor to life as a whole. Life is its own metaphor.