Tiffany Michelle defends her WSOP actions - (Life's A Bluff)
This is a Life's A Bluff Special Report
Professional poker player Tiffany Michelle sits down with LaB's Matt Waldron & defends her WSOP actions.
Tiffany provides some context for her controversial clock call on an opponent during a hand she was not involved in.
Questions came from the Poker Road forums.
This was filmed at the 2008 World Series Main Event.
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*UPDATE - THE COMMENTS have really gotten out of hand. Downright disgusting. I am getting ready to block future posting if you morons can't handle yourselves. (at the very least make them approval only) Criticism is one thing... but what has been said so far is a whole nother ball game.. and we aint playin no more.
I wrote the following as a reply to the original blog posting of this video on http://lifesabluff.com - It's even more appropriate for here.... yet, somehow I doubt those with the proud mothers will even read this far, let alone any further...
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Will all due respect to the players at her table we didnt sit with them for 10 hours. If I had someone at my table constantly standing up, going to the rail, excessive celebrating, etc I would have called the clock after a few minutes and my attitude would get nasty. she gave him 15. Regardless of what anyone says.. it is a good strategy. Why should she miss 15 mins of action?
Now on the other side of that is she opened herself up for everyone to gun for her. It isnt really a great strategy to piss off your table.
But the guy at her table who spoke up and said it was out of line Who the hell is he anyway? Isnt he just as out of line speaking on a situation he had no part of? TM was clearly exercising a right while he was invoking some hidden poker principle.
This so called respect/honor amongst poker players is way overblown and overrated. People hear Gabe Kaplan taking about honor and handshakes and they think it applies across the board to all players. The truth is a large portion of poker players are angle shooters and look for any edge they can get. The idea that TM should have adhered to some BS principles at the risk of her winning is crazy.
I also agree with the idea that if this were a man it wouldnt be an issue.
So TM is now catching heat because she called the clock, ate some french fries at the table, and rooted for women to be eliminated.
She had every right to call the clock and after her explanation it is a no brainer. Everyone eats at the table if she wants to touch chips that have been in the hands of a guy who just fiddled with his junk, and then her fries that is her prerogative. And her answer as to why she wanted other woman to fail suits me. How is that not a reasonable goal for her to have and accomplish? It obviously meant alot to her. Well done on goal reached.
I dont know TM very well. But I met her once or twice at a charity event and she was very nice. People who know her , like her. She has a lot of friends and does a lot for the poker community. She participates and gives her time to charity events more than most. (that I know of) She isnt a fluke player and is better than 99 percent of those criticizing her. She may not have millions of wins behind her (yet) but she has been a constant force in tournaments recently and only can go up. Her records dont show her final table appearances OR charity poker wins.
Women NEVER come across looking cool when they are aggressive. The word bitch is thrown around quite a lot when referring to female players. It is in our nature as men to feel put off by a strong opinionated sassy women. It isnt attractive. Psychology has more to do with this hate than anything else in my opinion.
Now that said if I asked the average internet poker mouth who was the sweetest nicest female player overwhelmingly the response would be Jennifer Harman. Not that I disagree at all because I know her and she has always been nice to me. BUT if you have played with her in the big game or in other various cash games your opinion would be totally different. A dealer from the Bellegio told me once that she was the biggest bitch this dealer ever dealt to. TV has a funny way to skew opinion. TMs appearance on ESPN couldnt have been put more out of context. They put the idea in the heads of the masses.
- Frank Frisina (11-24-08)