REFLECTIONS: Poker becoming America's new pastime

January 2004

I was sitting at a blackjack table a few weeks ago (winning some nice cash) when I heard the craziest streak of comments from a fellow gambler.

"You would never believe what my son said to me the other day," an older father said in a garbled deep voice to a gentleman sitting to his left.

"What’s that?" the guy asked as he scored his second straight blackjack.

"My son said, 'Dad, when I’m older, I want to be a professional poker player.'"

Both men looked at each other and let out a hard, direct laugh.

As I sat at third base, my mind began to ponder exactly what I just heard. His son wants to be a professional poker player when he gets older? What?!?!

What is happening to our world? When I was younger I said I wanted to be a baseball player when I grew up. My cousin said he wanted to be a motorcycle-driving baseball player when he grew up. My brother said he wanted to be a hockey player.

This kid … he wants to be a poker player.

Thanks to ESPN, the world has been given a dose of the poker world. Almost every night, ESPN finds a way to broadcast an episode – or six – of either the World Series of Poker or the battle of champions.

The Travel Channel and Bravo have poker shows of their own, too.

What is happening to our world?

My hero when I was growing up was Frank Thomas. A baseball player. You know, Baseball, America’s pastime. But maybe the pendulum is swinging. Maybe poker is now America’s new pastime, because now, I am hearing about young boys who want to be Phil Hellmuth when they grow up. Some young girls are idolizing Annie Duke.

Times are changing. There are fewer 1-800-GAMBLER advertisements because it's suddenly kosher to be a gambler. It’s no longer an addiction. It's a skill.

What’s next? Smoking? Drugs? Honestly, nothing would surprise me. At least the river won’t kill you – well, physically.

– NP