One day later and I'm hearing that new poker champion Jamie Gold is playing his part well and winning back people he had offended. At first I wondered if it was an act, then I decided it doesn't matter and I don't care. If he an ass, that's fine, he just shouldn't act like one when representing poker, which is exactly what he is doing, whether he likes it or not. Normally it wouldn't matter if he acted like a total ass, but in this period where online poker is under assault from the government, the most visible man in the game has to act respectable. If he's an ass, Senators are that much more likely to think badly of poker players and poker in general.

Anyway, for $12 million, I think it's a small price to pay. And after his final table performance, lucky cards or not, he's going to get some respect with unconventional but demonstratably effective play.