Mike the Mouth IS BACK!

Before we move on to some good stuff about the ongoing travails of the NBA, let's take a quick look at a sporting event with no integrity issues whatsoever - the World Series of Poker!

Specifically, the news that Mike "the Mouth" Matusow has won his first bracelet since 2002, capturing Event #18, $5,000 No Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/ rebuys against an elite field. I'm going to be a man and admit that I don't even know how that game is played, but the combination of a high buy-in and relatively obscure game drew an incredible roster. The final table included such luminaries as Jeffrey Lisandro, Erick Lindgren, and Barry Greenstein, who would probably be the consensus choice for the best player on the planet. But in the end, Mike was triumphant.

It's almost impossible not to like Matusow, and I always root for him. As evidenced by his nickname, he never shuts up, and his ceaseless patter can be hilarious and biting. But it's the key element of his persona, and if you can't withstand it, you shouldn't be at the table with him. On TV he sometimes comes across like Phil Hellmuth, but as Matusow himself once explained to a player, "the difference between me and Hellmuth is that Phil really does believe he's the best player on the planet."

Way to go, Mike.