Shaun Deeb just isn’t having any of it from the gang that argues poker reporters are liable for calling out a crucial error they witness throughout a event they’re protecting.
The talk over the difficulty stems from an obvious mistake made deep within the latest World Series of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) Principal Occasion in Maryland the place Maurice Hawkins gained his record-tying 18th ring for $140,752. However the controversy sparked when the eventual champ busted Divyam Satyarthi in third place on a hand the place the shedding participant hit what ought to have been a winning flush.
Nobody on the desk caught the flush, and that included the seller. This led to a 48-hour heated debate on social media as to the position of the reporter, on this case a revered business veteran, Jeff McMillan for PokerOrg, who understands his position as a “fly on the wall,” to which Deeb agrees.
Poker Legend Does not Maintain Again
Deeb, a six-time World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner and sure future Poker Corridor of Famer, is among the most outspoken gamers within the recreation. As an skilled event professional, he is handled reside reporters extra occasions than he rely.
There are few situations the place in professional or faculty sports activities an announcer or reporter would talk an error made in the course of the recreation with the referees, as Deeb identified. Jerod Smith, nevertheless, had a rebuttal: “Not the identical factor in any respect, and you already know it. What can be a extra apt comparability is that if the cameraman seen that the scoreboard was incorrect and a group wasn’t awarded the correct quantity of factors,” to which Hayley Hanna agreed, stating Justin Bonomo’s related argument swayed her on the facet of, sure, “the reporter ought to say one thing.”
Matt Savage, the World Poker Tour’s (WPT) government tour director, has been probably the most vocal proponent of reporters calling out essential errors reminiscent of what occurred within the WSOPC Principal Occasion.
“Actually the one folks that don’t need poker media to talk up is the poker media. I perceive why lots of you are feeling prefer it’s not your job or isn’t your home however I nonetheless favor your involvement to the flawed participant profitable the pot particularly if the participant amassing it is aware of,” Savage wrote in certainly one of his quite a few tweets on the difficulty.
Deeb, nevertheless, would not agree. He mentioned he’d favor reporters to say nothing as an alternative of selecting and selecting which gamers to talk up for or in opposition to.
Shirley Ang, PokerNews’ Senior World Dwell Occasions Supervisor, trains her reside reporters to report on the motion, to not be a part of the motion.
“I might by no means go on to a participant or seller,” mentioned Ang. “If I needed to, and I used to be 100% positive, I might go to the ground employees. I believe each reside reporter over the course of their profession has exchanged a look or two with a ground whereas reporting as if to say, ‘Hey, you may want to try this.'”
Ang acknowledges the temptation to step in, however she emphasizes that respecting on line casino employees, occasion construction and clean operating of the event is essential.
