World Series of Poker roundup

One of the biggest events in sports, the 2008 World Series of Poker came to a dramatic close, when Peter Eastgate, a college dropout from Odense, Denmark, defeated Russian juggernaut Ivan Demidov to win the 2008 Main Event and the top prize of $9 million ($9,152,416 to be exact).

In winning the Main Event, Eastgate outlasted a field of 6,844 players to become the youngest player to win the Main Event since Phil Hellmuth who won at age 21 in 1989 and the first European player to win the event since Noel Furlong in 1999.

Eastgate wins the main event in a clutch final hand, where Eastgate holding A-5 pulled out a straight opposed to Demidov holding 2-4 and having two pair after the turn, when the four on the turn gave Eastgate the wheel (a straight that is A-2-3-4-5).

Eastgate, who was one of the November 9, the final field of nine players who had to wait four months before their play at the final table, personally I think that was a terrible idea.

Maybe it's just me, but it looked like players who were on a roll going into the final table, seemed to lose momentum like chip leader Phillips, who coasted to the final table with a chip stack of over 25 million chips, then when the final table finally began, his game just wasn't the same and ended up being bullied by Eastgate and Demidov.

As much as it was newsworthy to see a young rookie win the main event, it is so damaging to the professional contigent who haven't crowned a main event winner since Carlos Mortensen in 2001.

The best finish by a pro this year belonged to David Rheem who finished in seventh place.Other pros who came close, Brandon Cantu who finished 20th, Mike Matusow who finished 30th and Hellmuth who finished in 45th place.

Highlights at this year's included Erick Lindgren winning "Player of the Year" (an accolade won when a player accumulates the most points during the WSOP).

Russian player Nikolay Evdakov led all players with 10 money finishes, shattering a record that was owned by pros Hellmuth, Humberto Brennes, Chad Brown and Michael Binger.

Hellmuth also set the record for most career final tables, with 41, surpassing the mark set by T.J. Cloutier.

Scotty Nguyen became the first player to hold both the Main Event in 1998 and the $50,000 H.O.R.S.E. championship, ( Hold'em, Omaha, Razz, Seven-card Stud high, Seven-card stud high-low Eight or better, or hi-lo), despite winning the event with some very unprofessional behavior. It's saying something when third place finisher Lindgren says "I want the kid to win." (referring to the runner up novice Michael DeMichelle).

Despite the pros not winning the main event, several notable pros took home bracelets including Daniel Negreanu($2,000 Limit Hold 'Em), Kenny Tran ($10,000 World Championship Heads Up No Limit Hold 'Em), Barry Greenstein ($1,500 Razz), Mike Matusow ($5,000 No Limit 2-7 Draw Lowball w/Rebuys), Erick Lindgren ($5,000 Mixed Hold 'Em) and Max Pescatori­­ ($2,500 Pot Limit Hold'em/Omaha).

Let's not forget the fairer sex, this year's "Last Woman Standing" was PokerNews.com's Tiffany Michelle, who finished in 17th place.

The WSOP also features a huge celebrity turnout, this year alone featured Jason Alexander, Nick Cannon, Mekhi Phifer, Brad Garrett and Ray Romano among others.

Romano advanced to Day 2, outlasting defending Main Event Champion Jerry Yang.

Some may say that this is not a sport, I disagree, I feel that the WSOP is just as big as the MLB World Series, the NBA Finals, the Super Bowl, etc.

Poker, not a sport, then why does retired athletes like Orel Hershiser and Jose Canseco and current UFC stars Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin take in part in the event, granted they were all eliminated after Day 1.

According to Wikipedia, the players at this year's the November Nine played for over 65 hours, I as a regular player, can play for three hours, then I'm bushed.

Man I can't wait for next year, and personally I would like to see a pro win next year, namely my favorite players, Mike Matusow or Daniel Negreanu.

On a side note, I got to praise Phillips for coming up with quite possibly the coolest souvenir idea I've ever seen and that was getting several pros to sign his St. Louis Cardinals cap he wore during the Main Event, a cap that Phillips retired soon after the Main Event.