I’ve been totally into Euro 2008, the third biggest sporting event next to the World Cup and the Summer Olympics.  The championship started out with a crawl, the games now are absolutely riveting.  If you want to get introduced to soccer on the grandest stage, Friday’s games are the ones to watch.  Italy-Romania will feature the current World Cup holders trying to recover from the blistering embarassment from their loss to Portugal.  Holland-France should be a riot, as the French must get a result from this game and the Dutch looked as good as Spain and Portugal have so far.

iTunes has some great podcasts that I’ve been listening to while working (head to Sports & Recreation in the podcasts section to find the Guardian’s podcast and World Soccer Daily’s, the two best out there).  Best websites to stay up-to-date include Grant Wahl’s daily blog, Fox Sports World,  and Nick Webster’s blog (also on Fox Sports World).  You can follow the games on Soccernet through their Gamecast (click on Live Scores, then pick the game and click on Gamecast).

I normally work feverishly on a morning post, but yesterday wasn’t the day to do that.  My family stayed away for an extra day, and I’ve been busy multitasking.  It’s a good thing for them to stay as they’ve had a great time and enjoying what is now the chunk of change to drive to Hilton Head and back.  I seem to be getting more and more productive, and these couple weeks have been both cathartic and a tiny bit transforming.

It is very strange that I am minimally following the WSOP when I spent every waking hour there last summer.  Railing a tournament online is very difficult until an event gets to the Final Table, although I tried to follow Liz Lieu over the weekend (she finished 28th in a $2.5k NLHE event).  I still receive press releases from the WSOP, and I can check the spreadsheets of finishers or Day 1 chipcounts.  This morning I saw that the Ladies Event winner was Svetlana Gromenkova, arguably the best Ladies Event winner the WSOP has had in a very long time.  I tried to interview her last summer (she is a big online player on Stars), and her one word responses made it fairly tough to write up.

Another strange thing I’ve been dealing with involves soccer.  I’m sort of spearheading the creation of a new soccer club, leaving the church league we’ve been a part of for the eight years we’ve lived here.  I’m pitching the concept to parents and coaches, and I’m finding that I really like pushing from the idea into the creation.  I also really like the selling of the idea, and I seem to be very good at it.  This soccer experience seems to be a blueprint for starting other things.  I don’t mean the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, but more the core of what I’m experiencing and feeling.  I haven’t been convicted and believed in something for a very long time, haven’t been a zealot for some endeavor outside of myself.  I’m certainly not like that about my own business.  Maybe this is another example of the need to tweak or blow up what I’m doing.

Nothing much here, sorry for that.  Back to work.

Probably the news of the weekend was Big Brown’s first to worst finish in the Belmont Stakes.  I’ll admit that I’m glad that he didn’t win the Triple Crown, although my reasoning probably doesn’t make any sense.  I know less than nothing about horse racing, only watching during the Triple Crown races.  Let me give you my perception of what it has become, though.  It seems as though a ton of horses are tossed into the Kentucky Derby.  More often than not, the Derby favorites get blasted by some other horse who no one had talked about.  Then that winner heads to the Preakness, often without most of his friends from the Derby.  If he wins, then only a few horses show up at the Belmont Stakes.  Often, a couple of good Derby also-rans join some new horses that we’re told are tailor-made for the 1.5 mile trek.  My impression in listening to everyone was that this year was some sort of down year in horse racing, that Big Brown was a pretty pig in a bad litter.  Missing really is the great build-up duel that us sports fans can just drink up.  Horse racing needs Affirmed vs Alydar.

Here’s a great recap of that 1978 duel, narrated by Jim McKay, who passed away this weekend.

Affirmed won the three races by a total of less than two lengths, and the races still are riveting.  McKay is a broadcaster who will never exist again.  Not one of the beautiful people nor a guy, not prone to overhype, he became one of those iconic voices and faces of sports.  ABC Wide World of Sports was part of my youth, and McKay was always there.

The Belmont Stakes of 1978 has to be one of the top five horse races of all time.  Affirmed and Alydar were basically two horses who could run exactly the same speed lining up and running neck and neck for a mile and a half.  It’s still an incredible thing to watch, these two horses running like a rope connected their necks for the last mile.

The greatest horse in my lifetime won the Triple Crown after a long drought similar to what we’re in the midst of.  I don’t have to give you the name of the 1973 Triple Crown winner.  McKay’s description is above, and ESPN Sports Century’s two-parter is below.  The Belmont Stakes run is described very well in the 2nd part below, a Forest Gump-like sprint for the ages.  It was a freak of nature performance, “…an almost supernatural experience.”

Another major disappointment from the weekend was the men’s French Open.  I was a big-time youth tennis player and used to eat up everything tennis for a long time.  I don’t follow tennis much anymore, and it’s hard to figure out exactly who Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal really are.  Federer is possibly the greatest player in history, in the tiny group that includes Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, and Bjorn Borg.  Nadal seems more like Guillermo Vilas to Federer rather than Laver’s Newcombe, Sampras’s Agassi, or Borg’s McEnroe.  This was supposed to be the year that Federer finally pushed through in the French Open.  After the 6-3, 6-1, 6-0 bludgenoning in the final, it is clear Federer will never beat Nadal at the French Open.  His only hope to take down the French is for Nadal to be hit by a truck.

I spent most of my time when I wasn’t working this summer watching Euro 2008, arguably the third biggest sporting event in the world after the World Cup and the Summer Olympics.  The Group of Death starts today (Holland, Italy, France, and Romania).  There is a real magic to the start of every match, and every match is exactly the same.  The two teams walk out side-by-side, each holding the hand of a young boy or girl in their opponents kits or uniforms (incidentally, just to show you how we can screw this up, the kids walking with the US-Argentina players in the Meadowlands last night were wearing McDonald’s t-shirts).  The teams line up on either side of the referees for the match at midfield, then the national anthems are played.  No over-the-top singers, just half of the players gabling the words, half of the players stone-faced, and half of the stadium screaming the lyrics with national pride.  The camera pans every time from the center down to the last player, showing each player’s face.  Rinse and repeat for their opponent.

I sweated my buddy Liz Lieu through most of the night as she went deep in the $2.5k NLHE event at the WSOP.  Busted late in 28th place, which I’m sure she’s excited about yet frustrated with.  When you can look around and see the Final Table so close, it stings that much more.

We call it a quiet time, sitting down with Bible in hand, reading Scripture, contemplating, then spending time in prayer.  This morning, with my family six hours away and my dog ten feet to my right, I had my first quiet time in quite awhile.

It was a new process I went through, actually.  As I’ve been working away here and tiriing of the same songs over and over, I’ve started diving into podcasts on iTunes.  I listened to a whole host of things, from Dan Patrick to soccer shows to NPR.  This morning, I headed to the podcast of our church, Perimeter Church (found on iTunes).  Steve Brown is a regular guest teacher (preacher) at our church.   It is always a very welcome treat to listen to him.  His voice is a booming bass, which in and of itself makes you sit up and listen differently.  But it is his message through a voice of trials and struggles and humility that makes his words more endearing.  He doesn’t have empathy for the struggler and seeker–he always seems to be a card-carrying member of this group rather than someone from above talking down to us strugglers.

Here are two YouTube videos (part A and B) which you may find interesting as well:

Listening to his message on the podcast (of the Prodigal Son) while being in front of my laptop was a new way of listening.  As many of us are, I’m now a full-fledged wandering multi-tasker, ready to head off to another link or website while doing any and everything. Being able to quickly Google his references actually was very helpful for me.

I was in the middle of my prayer time and was praying for my wife when she called me, in her car waiting for everyone to jump in on the way to church.  No scripture references here today, but I’ll end with my prayer for her.

Father, I lift up my wife to you.  Thank you for watching over her, protecting her from physical and medical threats.  I thank you that she is part of my life, such a wonderful mother to our three boys.  I ask that you forgive me for the pain and struggle I have given her as I have struggled with my own faith, my own life-focus, my career.  Protect her today, Lord.  Hold her in your arms as I cannot.  I ask that you continue to help me know your path so that she may transition her energies from concern and frustration with me toward fulfilling your will together.  Amen.

All replies, please send to csquard@gmail.com

• eMail Marketer (for set-up for new projects)
• Articles on sales and marketing topic for a relaunch of my corporate website
• Marketing assistant:  part-time marketer to work on corporate marketing for my firm; services would include creating marketing programs (we have graphic design/web capabilities), lead generation, lead qualification, research.  Location could be anywhere, and I may bring on more than one person (if multiple individuals, at least one would be international)
• Unpaid internship to work on special projects; this position is specifically for any MBA students who currently do not have an internship

Please forward this link on to anyone you think may be interested in any of these positions as well.  B-to-b/industrial/manufacturing company experience ideal but not required.

I know most folks don’t like repopping here with KQs, but what is your line and what did these guys lay down here?  And do I like the turn or hate it?

PokerStars Game #17940221360:  Hold’em No Limit ($0.50/$1.00) - 2008/06/05 - 18:30:05 (ET)
Table ‘Umbriel V’ 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 1: LavaBrick ($175.30 in chips)
Seat 2: csquard ($187.45 in chips)
Seat 3: mrcrgl ($99.50 in chips)
Seat 4: oOTOUCHOo ($103.40 in chips)
Seat 5: halloworld ($14.10 in chips)
Seat 6: Thulsadoon ($48.10 in chips)
halloworld: posts small blind $0.50
Thulsadoon: posts big blind $1
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to csquard [Qc Kc]
LavaBrick: raises $2 to $3
csquard: raises $5.75 to $8.75
mrcrgl: calls $8.75
oOTOUCHOo: folds
halloworld: folds
Thulsadoon: folds
LavaBrick: calls $5.75
*** FLOP *** [Kh 4h Qs]
LavaBrick: checks
csquard: bets $22.70
mrcrgl: calls $22.70
LavaBrick: calls $22.70
*** TURN *** [Kh 4h Qs] [4s]
LavaBrick: checks
csquard: bets $75
mrcrgl: folds
LavaBrick: folds
Uncalled bet ($75) returned to csquard
csquard collected $92.85 from pot
csquard: doesn’t show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $95.85 | Rake $3
Board [Kh 4h Qs 4s]
Seat 1: LavaBrick folded on the Turn
Seat 2: csquard collected ($92.85)
Seat 3: mrcrgl folded on the Turn
Seat 4: oOTOUCHOo (button) folded before Flop (didn’t bet)
Seat 5: halloworld (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 6: Thulsadoon (big blind) folded before Flop

Just in case you youngsters needed any evidence…

This is Amy Winehouse’s first concerts since her stint in rehab, part of a Lisbon (Portugal) music festival.  Not exactly a stellar performance, to say the least.

I’d forgotten what the meat of the World Series of Poker is like.  When you’re there, the days of the week begin to blur together, just as the events start to blur together.  Four events are now in the books, with six more in action today.  It is dizzying to say the least.

The early performance trend is that the pros knows poker.  Of the first four bracelet winners, we have one first time winner/casher (Grant Hinkle, in the crapshoot called the $1.5k NLHE cattle drive).  The other three bracelet winners claim bigger cashes than their WSOP victory this week.  Nenad Medic took down Event #1 $10k PLHE for a nice $794k (bested by his $1.7mil at the 2006 WPT Foxwoods $10k NLHE event), David Singer’s $214k for the Event #3 was his seventh highest cash (an even $1.0mil for his 2007 Caesar’s Palace Classic title was his best cash).  Erick “E-Dog” Lindgren took home $347k for his Event #4 $5k Mixed Hold-em bracelet, his best cash in almost seventeen months ($795k, 2007 Aussie Millions $100k event).

Upcoming Final Tables are packed with experienced pros young and old.  Event #5 $1k NLHE w/ re-buys includes chip leader Michael Banducci (seven WSOP cashes), Michael Binger (3rd place in ‘06 Main Event, ten WSOP cashes), and Atlanta native Jeff “yellowsub86″ Williams (first WSOP season, winner of ‘06 EPT Monte Carlo Grand Final).  The lower buy-in events likely will continue to produce Final Tables littered with wide-eyed newbies, but the higher buy-in events are filled with names we’ve all come to know.  Lindgren’s Final Table is a good example of that (in order of finish):  Lindgren, Justin Bonomo, Andrew Robl, Roland de Wolfe, David Rheem, Howard Lederer, David Williams, Pat Pezzin, and Isaac Haxton.  Robl’s $132k won in the last six months and Pezzin’s $142k in his four years of tourney play are the lowest amounts at this Final Table.

I’ll do these quick rundowns every few days.  Let me know if they are helpful and interesting, as well as if you’d like to see anything in particular.

With Senator Barack Obama’s late surge of delegates yesterday, the inevitable has been realized:  an Obama-McCain race to the finish line.  I’m on the team with all three candidates that the result of our choices in November must mark a comprehensive, seismic shift in America’s policies, actions, and resulting influence around the world.

The Wall Street Journal has a lengthy analysis of what went wrong with Senator Hillary Clinton’s run for the nomination (can’t link it as it is a subscriber-only article).  They cite Mismanagement, a Flawed Message (experience vs the change movement), Failure to Mobilize, and Clinton Craziness (i.e., her spouse).  Fundamentally, I don’t think she and her team understood the deep, lingering resentment and ill feelings that many of us normal Americans felt toward she and her husband.  I think it was always going to be a huge battle between Senator Clinton and whomever emerged as the alternate, anybody-but-a-Clinton candidate.  That the finalist just happened to be a charismatic, fresh-faced outsider made it even tougher to head toward her.

Senator John McCain, in my opinion, should be completing his second term in office rather than preparing for a bitter race toward the November elections.  It was during the South Carolina primary in the 2000 campaign that Governor George W. Bush brought out all the stops to cast doubt about McCain in the eyes of my wife’s home state.  The specifics of the assault I’m not exactly familiar with (here is a laundry list of either accurate or inaccurate information), but this summary from Richard Davis in a 2004 Boston Globe article has a nice synopsis.  I’m pretty sure I would have voted for McCain had he won the GOP nomination, and I am absolutely certain that America and the world would be significantly different had he been our President in 2001.

There will be a sizable groups who will blindly head to the polls in November with their minds made up without much thought.  Obama won this race partly due to his race and the dramatically high percentage of African Americans who voted for him.  These large percentages should be repeated in November, just as a chunk of America will vote against him due to his skin color.  A chunk of America will salute the donkey and elephant flags and line up behind them.  Some states are decided basicallly, so it falls to our brains hopefully to dive into these two, see into the future as much as possible, then make our decisions.

CC, officially Undecided.

Today marks a day of pause in the World Series of Poker coverage, as it should be the first day that online sites are forced to return to old posts and rid their site of photos older than 72 hours (above photo from 2007 WSOP Event #1, which doesn’t fall under these rules).  PokerListings has one of many views on this, but I can’t see how this is good for anyone.  A quick glance around the web shows most sites have not complied yet, so we’ll see how all of this progresses today.  As many have written, poker pros need more exposure, not less, so I can’t see how this benefits them.  There must be side deals that exempt certain sites, and the biggest early offenders seem to be some of the biggest sites.

As I’m not part of the official poker media anymore, it is interesting to look at how coverage is unfolding.  Several sites have mastered the art of the one-hour update restriction, which is a set-in-stone rule in effect the last two years (and policed in 2007).  Sites are not supposed to update their blog or website with live coverage more frequently than an hour at a time, although other news (interviews, news reports, etc) is not covered by this.  Probably the best at adapting to this restriction is CardPlayer and their coverage.  It pains me to say that, to be sure.  They were part of the first evil empire of poker media, and their people were quite arrogant throughout the 2006 WSOP, putting anyone without the CardPlayer badges in their place.  I don’t know anyone there, but their tournament coverage is top notch.  They have a common format they are using each hour to cover a tournament.  It includes the following (in order):  Blinds/antes, players left/# in starting field, Chip Leaders, average stack, and Big Hands and Storylines.  It gives you a better understanding of how a tournament is progressing and is very easy to read, and I find myself retyping CardPlayer in my browser more than once a day (I can’t leave their site up on my laptop due to too many old scars…).

Event #2 saw the largest non MaIn Event field in the history of the WSOP, and with it came the first significant poker operational problem of the WSOP.  A decision had already been made that these hugely popular WSOP-newbie tourneys would be split into two starting days.  This brought out an initial red flag of the field dissipating too quickly, getting dangerously close to what the cash bubble might be on Day 1A.  Think of it like a golf tournament, where you split the starting field of the Masters into two Days 1 & 2.  The second player group would know what score they would have to shoot to make the cut, a very big advantage over the first players.  225 players made it through Day 1A from a field of 2,048, while 224 bagged their chips on Day 1B from a field of 1,881.  With 378 players being ultimately being paid, it meant that the Day 1’s were too short (ending around a little after midnight, 19 minutes into Level 9) while the Day 2 was too long.  The WSOP started play for Day 2 at 3:00PM Monday, which in retrospect was at least two hours too late (play ended around 12:30AM for Day 1B, and policy is to give players at least twelve hours off).  I’m not sure of the exact time, but play ended on Day 2 around 6:00AM after play had gotten down to 18 players.  A vote was held, and players will reconvene now at 1:30PM.  All of this is an unfortunate side effect from the large field and quick evacuation of players on Days 1A and 1B.  It is most unfortunate as the money gets significant as the players dwindle, and most of the players aren’t used to fifteen-hour marathons that end as the sun rises the following morning.  I’m not sure why they didn’t simply tell the players to come back at 6:00PM and play to a winner for Day 3, unless it was as a convenience to any Harrah’s executive who would be at the Final Table.  Pokerati reports that ESPN made the call as they are planning to film the Final Table.  Again, why should that have anything to do with anything?

The first Final Table was all the WSOP could have hoped for, with top pros and recognizable names filling the seats.

1st  Nenad Medic    $794,112.00
2nd Andy Bloch    $488,048.00
3rd Kathy Liebert    $306,064.00
4th Mike Sexton    $248,160.00
5th Amit Makhija    $198,528.00
6th Chris Bell    $157,168.00
7th Patrik Antonius    $124,080.00
8th Mike Sowers    $99,264.00
9th Phil Laak    $74,448.00

My buddy Liz Lieu snuck away from her sick bed and entered Event #2 over the weekend.  She’s had an evil run with pocket aces all year, and she was knocked out of Day 1B with them.  She is blogging for PokerListings, so you can check her out there.

That is another trend this year, pros blogging virtually everywhere.  I’ll scout around to see if there are any particularly worth reading.  I’m hoping to snag some interviews remotely and will try to sneak in some WSOP content throughout the Series.