Go figure. Turns out that wearing a black Adidas Tiro 24 Competition sweatsuit to a poker tournament is every bit as benign and unintimidating as it is on a airplane.

I mean, seriously, would you call an all-in stone-cold bluff on the river to THIS guy?

I certainly wouldn’t.

But you’d be surprised at how many people would. And DID!

So, I took two stabs at that little $400 tourney and while in both cases I gave it a stalwart effort, I came away no wealthier and probably no wiser.

Although I did meet a fascinating guy named Ross, who sat beside me for three hours and did not shut up once. And I am casting no aspersions here. By his own admission, Ross has one of the worst cases of verbal diarrhea in medical history. We’ve all met people like that. You know, when you start wishing you had a dying grandmother just so you’d have a reason to excuse yourself so that you could be at her deathbed?

But at the poker table you’re stuck there until one of you either runs into pocket aces or has a fatal heart attack.

Strangely, I wasn’t hoping for either one of those events with Ross. Despite the oral onslaught, I actually found him quite engaging. He’s a tax accountant who collects old coins and comic books and something else I can’t remember. (I do admit there were moments when I tuned out a bit). He’s 54 but looks like he could be my older, whiter, shorter, slightly doughier brother.

But God love him, he certainly knows how to fill his days. Besides all the collecting and accounting and poker, he is currently writing a book that is going to change the world as we know it and save it for future generations.

The impetus of the book (and subsequent film) is that people should be nicer to each other.

That’s the whole concept in a nutshell.

And I’m not poking fun here. He’s right. People should be nicer to each other. And whether Ross actually finishes and publishes that book, and whether or not it changes lives and does immeasurable good, at least he’s making an effort. Me? I’m not even trying to save the planet for future generations.

So, Ross? I’ll buy that book. Put me down for two copies. And maybe throw in the “friends and family discount”, OK?

Anyway, there’s another $400 tourney at 4:00 PM today so we’ll take one last attempt at glory before I leave tomorrow. Between here and my last trip to LA I’m zero for 6.

 I’m encouraged, though, to hear that my poker podcast hero, Clayton Fletcher announced on his end-of-year broadcast that he cashed only three times in 46 tournaments in 2024. Again, I just love this guy’s honesty. And it just proves… it happens to the best of us. Maybe I’ll send Clayton an Adidas sweatsuit for Christmas. Couldn’t hurt, right?