The Muck: What Happened to 'Angry' John Monnette?
Now, you might be thinking it's easy to get over being angry when you win your third WSOP bracelet, which John Monnette did by outlasting 92 entries in Event #22: $10,000 No-Limit 2-7 Lowball Draw Championship. Taking home $256,610 is sure to make someone more agreeable, too.
And while all that may be true, Monnette credits his wife, Diana, for helping him control his anger. In his post-tournament interview on Tuesday night, we witnessed the pride and the emotion of the moment settling in, something we're not used to seeing when talking with Monnette. The source of all this feel good? You guessed it, Diana.
Monnette was given the nickname "Angry John" in his early twenties by his fellow players because he was known for berating dealers and making his frustrations known to the entire poker room. When mistakes, mishaps, and bad beats were dealt, Monnette wasn't quiet about it. Now in his mid-thirties, Monnette has toned down his behavior.
“I just want to say, this has been my first bracelet with my wife,” Monnette said. “She’s been awesome for me. All of them are special, but it was super cool with her being here. She’s always been supportive of me in everything I do. She’s always rooted for me, and there’s been some disappointment. She deals with me being gone thirteen hours a day, and coming home angry, but luckily, I’m not so angry anymore. And I thank her almost every day for that.”
We thank her, too. The "Angry John" nickname will likely continue to live on, as nicknames tend to do. But we are seeing a much more pleasant attitude to go along with the incredible talent at the felt in 2017.
Funny, Not So Funny
With the report of Legionnaire's Disease affecting two people who recently stayed at the Rio hitting the mainstream media, it seems everyone's afraid to drink the water, wash their hands and even breathe at the World Series of Poker.
There is no other logical explanation for that sniffle, right? Surely putting your body through a sixty-degree temperature difference every time you enter or exit the Rio has nothing to do with it. Yesterday's Rio flu is today's Legionnaire's disease.
Of course, leave it to the poker Twitter to find the funny. We would be disappointed with anything less.
Just heard about the legionnaire's disease cases at the Rio. Now using my one time for some immune system rungood #wsop
— MrFeedback (@noiserawker)
Skipping the @WSOP Legionnairre Maker @RioPokerRoom today. I heard it's really sick, though.
— Clayton Fletcher (@claytoncomic)
@BeL0WaB0Ve @RioVegas @WSOP @WSOPTD Oh, right, because you can TASTE legionnaire's disease. :rolleyes: Idiots.
— Rachel (@diverdown66)
People catching Legionnaire's Disease from the Rio, imagine if they reported every disease people could catch out in Vegas.
— Fairweather Marvin (@MAD_Marvin)
Go to the Rio for the World Series of Poker. Stay for the Legionnaire's disease. https://t.co/Jlo1Yn3w4e
— Matt Flynn (@MFlynnRaleigh)
Remember Who Pays Your Paycheck
We are two weeks into the summer schedule at the World Series of Poker and tempers are becoming short, bad beat stories are getting louder, and the occasional tantrum can be found in the hallway.
Cory "BiNks" Waaland posted a gentle reminder to Twitter and with a message for everyone to take to heart and remember when you get runner runnered.
A MUCH NEEDED MESSAGE TO THE ENTIRE POKER COMMUNITY @WSOP https://t.co/RcYI5swKmi
— Cory "BiNks" Waaland (@wildwAAland)
With 903 likes and 305 retweets at the time of publish, it's obviously a message that resonated with the poker community.
The moral of the story is to stop tapping the glass, shaking the cage and any other poker cliché that means driving away the people that are here for an experience while playing the game they love, a game you also love, by the way.
Give them what they came for, so they come back again next year and everybody wins.
Qui Nguyen Writing a Book?
Sarah Herring talks to 2016 WSOP Main Event Champion Qui Nguyen about his book which is launching in November.
