Role Models

The great Charles Barkely once said, "I am not a role model." Well, like it or not, his behavior had some influence on the game of basketball, nonetheless. Young basketball players of the future look up to someone like Charles Barkley because of his talent or maybe even his image. It's important that pro basketball players realize this, and act accordingly when dealing with their fans.

Well, even though poker isn't in the same ballpark as basketball, some of the same rules should still apply. The top tournament players should take it upon themselves to give something back to the poker community. They should spend some time answering some questions from new tournament players, or basically just not treat them like dirt.

This reminds me of some things that happened to me during the '96 and '97 tournaments at Foxwoods. I was only 22 years old when I went to Foxwoods for the first time in '96, and I was just starting my tournament poker career.

I'd read Card Player, so I recognized some of the players from their pictures in the magazine. It was a pretty big thrill to play with some of the best tournament players in the world. It wasn't exactly akin to meeting movie stars, but it was the same sort of idea.

At the same time, I was a little shy and didn't really know how to approach these high-profile players. So, for the most part, I remained quiet. Finally, I saw an opportunity to engage in a conversation with a couple of these top players during a tournament in which we were at the same table. They were discussing a hand in which I was involved, trying to figure out what the eliminated player must have had. One said, "Flush draw," and the other said, "Ace-king." They continued to discuss the hand until, finally, I chimed in, "He must have had king-queen."

They looked at me as if to say, "Who said you could speak?" They didn't even acknowledge that I'd spoken. I thought to myself, who do they think they are?

Well, that '96 trip wasn't all bad, as I did meet one of the top players whom I still consider to be a good friend to this day. His name is Greg Pappas. He didn't know me, or probably most of the other people at the table that day. Yet, he engaged in conversation with everybody. He didn't ask you what you'd won or who you were. He didn't care.

Anyway, we spent some time together that year; he showed me around a little bit and really treated me, the nobody, very well. He always took the time to answer any apparently silly questions I had.

Well, I didn't do anything special that year at Foxwoods, but I returned again the next year a much improved player. I had finally booked a tournament win early in the year in Los Angeles, so I approached this go-round at Foxwoods a little differently – with a little more confidence. I saw my buddy Greg Pappas there and nothing had changed with him; he was still the great all-around guy I knew him to be.

Anyway, I had a great tournament in '97 at Foxwoods, winning back-to-back limit hold'em tournaments as well as sharing the best all-around player award with Alan Miller (another good guy).

Midway through that run, things had changed. All of a sudden, those same people who wouldn't give me the time of day a year before were asking me, "Hey, Danny, how's it goin' buddy? So, anyway, how would you have played this hand?" I thought to myself, huh? Why am I all of a sudden worth talking to?

I guess that's just the way things work in this world with some people, but I really admire Greg Pappas' approach. He is a class act. I learned a lot from Greg, especially about the way to conduct myself in public.

In order to sell the game of poker, which I'm sure is the goal of most of the top tournament players, we need to develop a fan base that doesn't consist solely of those who play in the major events. In order to do that, tournament players as a whole need to become more involved in selling the game. Obviously, I'm a big fan of poker, but more importantly, I'm a big fan of the good people in poker. Greg Pappas will always remain at the top of that list.