I could have swore i made a thread about him before but i couldn't find it with the search tool. Anyway, ESPN Classic showed highlights of the 1997 WSOP last night at 1 in the morning. I was dead tired but had to watch my boy Stu. It was quite a showing and what made it all the more great was how the announcers were basically crowning Stuey the champ even though there were still 7 players left. Even Helmuth was all over his jock which is amazing considering that Phil doesn't really praise other players.

I don't know why so many of my heros self destruct but it sure seems that way. Maybe it's because they are so easy to relate to in my mind. Just wanted to give up some props to Stu for his amazing feat in 1997. He signed up for the tourney 1 minute before it started after he begged Bill Baxter to spot him the money. I'm reading the book again cause it's so good and last night got me in the mood again. Any poker fan should buy this thing. It's tragic but still inspirational(at least for me). I'm going to Vegas in 2 weeks and hope to bring some Stuey magic at the tables with me.

cool 8 minute feature on Stu from espn a couple of years ago.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=lr22gnZzvoA

You'll be in Vegas in two weeks, and I'll be waking up there in one. Too bad our paths won't cross. Good luck on the gamblin'. I'm looking forward to trying out my best Stu Ungar impression while I'm there.

why did you pick next week to go?

Clubber it's funny that you posted this cause I was sitting in bed last night flipping through the channels after SNL finished up and watched the exact same '97 tourney till 2, only because I had never actually watched Unger play in a tourney and I felt compelled to watch. It was certainly much different watching this episode without knowing what the hole cards were, but Stu was just steam rolling over the competition. Like you said, from the get go, Kaplen could just tell that Stu was going to win this thing, almost like all the stars were alligned for this moment. That was a great youtube clip you posted, I remember seeing that on ESPN a while back, it was a great segment. It's hard to believe that the guy ended up allmost broke, $800 left to his name, after winning nearly $30 million playing cards. It's not suprising though that his heart gave out at such a young age considering his habbit for the candy. It's really to bad that he missed out on the whole "poker boom." I wonder how he would have been today with all the online players adding a new dimension to the game. I'm sure he would have been just as marketable if not more than Helmuth, Ivey, Mattasow Etc... Anyways good luck in Vegas, make all of us fellow gamblers proud

Didn't pick. A buddy of mine called me about a month ago and told me he had a free room at Mandalay Bay for 3 nights. Couple of us decided to buy a plane ticket and enjoy the free room. I'm going cause Bodog has been good to me, and my wife is the shit (she deserves the plug for letting me run in Vegas with some college buddies for three nights).

I'd MUCH rather be there when you're going. Believe you me.

I think he'd be HUGE which makes it even more sad. A brash New Yorker with an aggressive style would be great for TV. Poker would even be bigger with him in it if that's even possible. Such a shame.

wow, 3 nights for free is gold. That's like $600 in extra gambling money. Mandalay Bay is a great hotel too. Pretty good sportsbook and good poker tables.

Great to hear. Never been.

Lasvegasvegas.com has a great search engine for all the poker tourneys.

I have yet to see a picture of Eric the Midget (from Howard Stern), but Stu Ungar is always the mental image I have of him.

i saw a second of that wsop of highlight reel too. Man ungar's hard-living sure showed. He was pasty as could be and his nose was all f'd from all the coke. What a shame he was so out of control.

I love that feature. I'm not a poker guy really. But I know Stu Ungar. They show it every year on SC at the begining of the WSOP.