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Faces That Shone During World Series of Poker

WSOP Tournament Assistants Rise to Announce ESPN Final Tables

by Lisa Wheeler  |  Published: Aug 28, 2006

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One of the most prestigious jobs for a tournament director (TD) is announcing a televised final table at the World Series of Poker. This year, two of the faces that shone in that role started out as mere assistants.

The announcer's job is to run the game and call the action for the live audience, while staying out of view to the TV cameras. To an unknowing observer it might appear that the director is doing a dance, shuffling back and forth while winding around a table, when actually he's being coached by ESPN crewmembers through an earpiece. "Step to your left" and "stand behind seat three" are standard commands given throughout filming.

Tournament director Jack Effel was slated to call out the final table action, but Harrah's executives and ESPN realized that it would take more than one man to complete the task. Additional auditions were held, and two people rose to the challenge. Their faces will become verySam Minutello familiar to viewers by the end of the ESPN WSOP televised season.

Sam Minutello

Sam Minutello wasn't quite sure what his role should be at this year's WSOP, so he proceeded to assist other TDs in the field. Then a few days into the featured table schedule, TD Bob Daily began interviewing staff for positions. Minutello was technically savvy and immediately went to bat calling out the action.

The 30-year-old Minutello started his career a decade ago as a poker dealer in Florida. In 2000, he moved to Las Vegas and dealt at the Mirage. Eventually promoted to floor supervisor, he assisted with the WPT and PPT events there. Other gigs included the WPT in Aruba and the WSOP Circuit. And when the dust finally settled at this year's WSOP, Minutello returned to Florida to run the Tampa Bay Downs poker room.

"I completely enjoyed what I did this summer," says Minutello about his experience at the WSOP. "It all happened so fast."

WSOP Tournament Director Chris SpearsChris Spears

Chris Spears was starting his second year with the World Series, and assigned to work the floor. He was quickly promoted to running the nontelevised events going on in the Amazon room. It took only one run at a featured final table for ESPN and Harrah's executives to take notice. Spears' charm and charisma translated well over the microphone and camera lenses.

It was ESPN camera director Rick Diaz who recognized Spears' potential. "Don't worry if this kid is in a hot spot," said Diaz to fellow crewmembers. "I think he's okay." Spears spent the rest of the Series alternating with Jack Effel. And when the championship event celebrated its final nine players, Spears was being fitted for his tuxedo. He would be sharing the most prestigious role of feature table tournament announcers with his mentor and comrade Jack Effel.

This isn't the first time that Spears has caught the eye of tournament officials while in the field. Spears supervisor, Charles Williams, at the Reno Hilton (now the Grand Sierra Resorts) introduced him to Jimmy Sommerfeld, a popular and respected TD along the circuit. It was during the Hilton World Poker Challenge that Sommerfeld took Spears under his wing. Sommerfeld introduced Spears to Jack Effel, who quickly added him to the WSOP Circuit roster. Then, it was off to Las Vegas for the 2005 WSOP where he ran the single table satellites and nightly $540 events. There, Spears focused primarily on the technical aspects of tournament poker. Following training, he was assigned to Tunica where he led the Second Chance events. After a yearTD Chris Spears Congratulates Clare Miller on the Circuit it was only natural that he would land a position at this year's World Series in Las Vegas. But Spears never imagined it would lead him to the final table of the championship.

"This was real honor, " said the humble Spears. "But if it weren't for the support and efforts of people like Jimmy, Johnny (Grooms), Jack, and Charles, I wouldn't even be here."

Congratulations to Sam Minutello and Chris Spears for a job well done at this year's WSOP final tables. After 40 days of providing players and spectators with first-class direction and entertainment, these two are well suited for calling out feature-table action in the future.

 
 
Tags: world series of poker,   floor supervisor,   poker dealer,   effel,   doing a dance,   tv cameras,   tournament director,   earpiece,   wpt,   wsop,   espn,   world series,   mirage,   tds,   gigs,   auditions,   few days,   faces,   aruba,   tampa bay
 
 
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