Poker's Rise to Television Glory

It can be argued that poker is not a sport. Golf used to receive the same comparisons as pot bellied Jack Nicklaus was the most successful golfer the sports has ever seen. Now with Tiger Woods prowling the well manicured grassy links around the world it's tough to argue against golf being a sports. After all Woods won one of the toughest tournaments in the world on one leg in 2008, The US Open at Torrey Pines just north of San Diego. If an injury is part of the game and an athlete can overcome the injury it's tough to argue that the game is not a sports.

Poker meanwhile has been around for centuries going back to the fictional 1800's with Maverick riding the horse of luck across the old west. The rise of poker this century has been galvanized by television and various online poker rooms. Poker has drawn a favorable comparison to golf. Competitors don't need to hit the weight room nor do miles of roadwork to build up their stamina to compete on the highest of levels, just take a look at John Daly and his multiple major championship victories or Tom Watson competing for the British Open at the age of 69, actually he's 59 but it's been decades since the 5 time British Open Champion has competed at this level. Both activities are individual and based on the individuals performance is how they make their living or get paid. So playing it safe instead of playing to win can line the wallet quite effectively with Uncle Sam's greenbacks.

Anyone that knows golf though knows a player of the caliber of Tiger Woods is never one to lay up with the championship on the line. Woods is actually at his most exciting when he is down and needs ot make great shots because he usually comes through in the clutch. You needn't look any further than the 18th green of the 2008 US Open when Woods sank a 20 foot birdie dead center of the cup to catch Rocco Mediate and force a Monday playoff which he battled an extra 18 holes on a wounded knee to victory.

Tiger is one of the exceptions in golf. He plays to win and not for the paycheck. It's tough in both golf and poker to have a loser when a guy comes in 2nd place and still earns a hefty paycheck worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Poker has come a long way in a short period of time. The game certainly would not be hurt by putting a face on the game. Numerous online gaming companies are pushing for their players to be just that face of Poker and one face has even drawn a comparison to golf's super talent Tiger Woods. Phil Ivey a southern California native with African American heritage has been the comparison to Woods. He is allegedly the most feared player in the world of professional poker. He has those baby face looks of Tiger. He is the all-time leading money winner of the sport. He is a candidate but he is not even close to being a Tiger Woods. Phil Ivey has yet to win the Super Bowl of poker, no-limit World Series of Poker Texas Hold'em.

Phil makes a lot of final tables, gets a lot of television time and is probably the most patient player in poker. He sits around takes very few risks and lets his competitors beat go all-in knocking off one another until there is Phil and the eventual winner. Thus there is a huge difference between Phil Ivey and Tiger. Tiger goes out and takes wins. He has the patience to wait around but when he needs to strike he comes through. Phil Ivey has made 7 final tables at the World Series of Poker no limit Texas Hold'em championships and has zero braclets to show for it. Hardly Tigeresque.

For now Phil is more of a Scott Hoch. Scott Hoch was a highly successful PGA professional. He routinely finished in the top 25 often in the top ten. He won some tournaments but never a major. When he did have his big shot at a major in the 1989 Master's he caught a little putter wiggle jiggle on the 18th hole from three feet to come in second but still managed a nice paycheck.

Phil Ivey is a great poker professional, one of the better players in his business but he is no more a Tiger Woods than former USC All-American and Atlanta Hawk, Harold "Baby Jordan" Miner was the next Michael Jordan. Harold won a slam dunk contest during all-star game but he never won a scoring title, rookie of the year, MVP, or six MVP titles. Phil isn't done though, there is still the upcoming WSOP where he can prove himself worthy of being the face of the industry, then there is a world of work to do to catch up with Tiger.