When a Picture is Worth More Than a Thousand Words
Read MoreThere’s a saying, that a picture is worth a thousand words.
But there are also occasions when a picture isn’t quite all that it seems.
Read MoreThere’s a saying, that a picture is worth a thousand words.
But there are also occasions when a picture isn’t quite all that it seems.
Read MoreMarvin Miller.
That’s right.
Marvin Miller.
For those unfamiliar with that name, Marvin Miller was a man who changed sports forever. He was arguably the most influential figure during the past 50 years when it comes to reshaping the four major professional sports leagues and revolutionizing where the money goes.
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
— Dr. Seuss
Lou Krieger was so fond of quotations.
Yet I sit here now reflecting upon the devastating news of his passing and the extraordinary measure of his character, desperately grasping for the appropriate quip which captures the essence of a man who passed away yesterday.
Of all people, Dr. Seuss provides the best summation of how we should look upon the death, and more importantly the life of the man known by most people in the poker world as Lou Krieger.
Most of us simply called him “Lou.” That was his chosen pen name. Over the course of two decades, during which poker was ushered out of smoky backrooms into international prominence, he wrote hundreds of columns for Card Player magazine. He authored 11 poker books, all on strategy.
Lou was a writer, a teacher, a broadcaster, a strategist, and a player. But his accomplishments within the game of poker – although widely appreciated – were but a tiny fraction of the very full life of the man who was born in Brooklyn, NY and died yesterday at his home in Palm Springs, CA.
Indeed, Lou was actually born as Roger Lubin. The son of Jewish parents, Lou spent his early childhood on the streets and playgrounds of Brooklyn and his summers along Coney Island. Although he later blossomed into a true philosopher and gifted intellectual, Lou never veered very far from his working-class roots. He was able to converse with just about anyone, on virtually any subject, and was able to make those around him feel as though they were both heard and respected — sadly characteristics increasingly rare in society.
Alas, if listening is an art form, then Lou was our Michelangelo. He was the best listener I have ever met. Perhaps that’s ultimately what made him such a respected and beloved figure to those who knew him. Lou was always there to listen.
Read MoreI loved Barry Tanenbaum.
I miss Barry Tanenbaum.
He passed away a year ago, this week.
For those who don’t remember Barry, he was probably best known for his widely-read column in Card Player magazine which ran for nearly ten years. Barry also authored two excellent poker books — both on Limit Hold’em, which was his specialty.
Barry was a real poker pro. He spent most evenings playing at the Bellagio, where the $30-60 Limit Hold’em game served as his office. Barry’s contemporaries included highly-respected player-writers — including Roy Cooke, Mason Malmuth, Jim Brier, Dr. Alan Schoonmaker and others who wrote about the game as they played it for a living.
But Barry was so much more than just a poker writer and colleague.
He was one of the most decent men I ever met. He was a genuinely good person. He was both an intellectual and emotional mentor to those who were fortunate enough to know him.
Please take a few minutes to watch this short 11-minute video I made last year as a tribute to Barry. The video was shown at his funeral.
A few notes about this video: Special thanks to Betty Tanenbaum and Lupe Soto for providing many of the photos which appear. Also, thanks to Ashley Adams, the excellent writer and radio personality who provided the two-minute audio clip of Barry which is heard during the middle of this video.
The first part of the retrospective shows Barry’s personal life. The second interlude highlights his career in poker.
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Read MoreLeonardo da Vinci was a spark. He was a luminous force in a dark world trembling in fear and ignorance for a millennia. Da Vinci is widely thought of just as an artist and painter. But Da Vinci was so much more than that. He may very well have been the most extraordinary man who’s ever lived.