Letter from the Editor: Saying Goodbye To the PokerNews Family
There are times in poker when you're dealt a really good hand, but the action at the table puts you in a real dilemma. You tank, and tank, and tank, and eventually the clock gets called on you. After the seconds tick down and you realize a decision must be made, you decide to go with your hand, unknowing of the outcome, but trusting your gut that your bet will be a winner.
When I first found out I was selected to cover the 2008 World Series of Poker with PokerNews I was as giddy as ever. A college kid at Elon University still undecided what I wanted to do after graduation, a great opportunity came to me. Fast forward more than eight years, and the 2016 WSOP marked my ninth time covering poker’s most prestigious festival, still as excited as ever.
Sprinkled in between the summer months, I've been covering the game of poker near and far. Whether it was sitting behind my computer in my office in Las Vegas or walking the tournament floor at the Aussie Millions on the other side of the globe, it was poker 24/7 for me. The gig has blessed me with the opportunity to see places in the world I never thought I would, and it's allowed me to develop relationships I never thought I would have. All of this and more while covering a game I fell in love with during a college break at a kitchen-table home game.
But as they say, all good things come to an end. Today I am announcing that I will be closing the PokerNews chapter of my life and starting a new one. A couple of weeks ago I accepted a position with the World Poker Tour, and this will be my final WSOP with PokerNews. It wasn't an easy decision in any regard, as I am leaving behind family, but I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead.
I am extremely grateful for the experience I've had with PokerNews. I've had the chance to learn from and work alongside some outstanding professionals. I look forward to seeing the continued growth of the company under Jon Squires, Matthew Parvis, and the rest of the team. Going forward, it will be Matthew stepping back in to the editor-in-chief role upon my departure, a role which he first took on in 2009. I have the utmost respect and appreciation for the entire team in place at PokerNews and leave confident the company will continue to thrive as poker's leading media outlet.
After falling in love with the game of poker ever since I watched Chris Moneymaker win the 2003 WSOP Main Event, I couldn't get enough of it. The intricacies of the gameplay, the strategy, the different variants of card games, the characters within the community, the ups and downs, the million-dollar prizes — it all sucked me in. Equally so, I fell in love with the media and content creation side of the industry.
PokerNews has always been family to me, and I'm extremely proud of everything we have accomplished over the years and what the company has grown to be. Within the current state of the industry, it's not that easy for a poker media company to see growth, but year after year PokerNews has stood the test of time.
Finally, I would also like to thank you, the readers and the greater poker community. Without your loyalty, PokerNews wouldn't be in the position it is in today and I personally wouldn't have been able to live out such a professional dream.
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