travbowman asked
Poker is not a sport. But it sure seems like one. Earlier this summer, ESPN ran a countdown clock on SportsCenter reminding viewers how much time remained until the start of the World Series of Poker. The Travel Channel and Bravo also have anted up with poker programming. These days, people watch poker on TV until their eyes turn as red as the ace of hearts. One of my editors even watches poker reruns. It wasn't until Sunday morning that I felt the urge to write about this phenomenon. It came moments after seeing my 16-year-old son walk downstairs carrying a fresh deck of playing cards and a box of poker chips. With the puny allowance I give him, it's no wonder that he and his buddies play with Monopoly money (at least that's his story). I used to think my kid wanted to be the next Alex Rodriguez. Now all he talks about is Chris Moneymaker. I wonder if this means he'd rather watch the World Series of Poker rather than the World Series. I hope not. I know many people who gamble. Most do so recreationally. They wager a few skins on the golf course and no one suffers. They go to Vegas, play blackjack and enjoy themselves. They can't wait for autumn because betting pro and college football becomes their seasonal hobby. And I'm sure many of us have purchased a lottery ticket or two. Not all folks are so, well, lucky. Some of them are even famously unfortunate, such as Pete Rose, Rick Neuheisel and the latest addition, Jeremy Roenick. As we all know, compulsive gambling can lead to a destructive lifestyle. Negative implications can include loss of employment, financial despair, troubled relationships, substance abuse, crime — even suicide. Experts say that young men, in particular, are potentially at risk. As for my son, my hope is that he plays it close to the vest with this poker stuff. I'm not sure he'd agree, but his father would much rather see him holding a bat than a royal flush.
305 answers · 0 comments
Answer this yourself in the app
See how this splits by age, gender, and region in the app.
