The Muck: Ike Haxton Takes on Barstool Sports' Poker Invasion
Table Of Contents
Barstool Sports is beginning to have a stronger influence in the poker world, and Isaac Haxton isn't sure if that's a good thing or not. But many others — recreational players and pros alike — are fans of the media giant, and support the exposure Barstool brings to the game.
At the 2022 World Series of Poker, a number of Barstool personalities, some from the popular Cracking Aces poker podcast, competed in the Main Event. While most were felted before the end of Day 2, Adam "Smitty" Smith, aka "General Spank," will enter Saturday's Day 3 session with an above-average stack.
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In this edition of The Muck, we discuss the poker community's take on Barstool Sports, and why Dave Portnoy's media company is at the center of some heated poker drama.
Haxton Disses 'Stoolies'
Smith and Ben Mintz both appeared at the PokerGO feature table during the first two days of the world championship event. Those who love Barstool enjoyed the coverage, while others, such as Haxton, felt differently.
Really torn about this Barstool comes to poker arc. On the one hand, stoolies are some of the last people I want to… https://t.co/y01MsHWF14
— Isaac Haxton (@ikepoker)
The social media drama involving Barstool began on Day 1c when Allen Kessler and Owen Roeder, an inexperienced tournament player and Barstool personality, busted in the same hand. Roeder had three-bet preflop with pocket aces barely twice the size of the initial raise, and then eventually lost the hand to another player who flopped a full house.
Afterwards, Kessler referred to the raise as an "annoyance bet" on Twitter, and some poker fans felt the comment wasn't necessary. Eric "Barstool Nate" Nathan, who busted on Day 2, bashed the "Chainsaw" for supposedly being rude to Roeder, although Kessler denies doing anything of the sort. The argument sparked a back and forth Twitter feud between the two poker players, and it would eventually lead to Haxton's tweet.
What the Poker Fans are Saying
Haxton isn't the only poker player who doesn't appear to be much of a Barstool Sports fan. But the sports media outlet has some passionate and loyal followers, referred to as "Stoolies," and they showed up to defend Barstool on Twitter.
"Isaac, I’m sure you’re the last person stoolies want to hang with as well," 2021 WSOP Player of the Year Josh Arieh responded.
"I’d hate for poker to turn into a game where I only interact with people I like/agree with. Part of the beauty of poker to me is getting small doses of interactions with people whom I’d never otherwise meet. It’s such a great activity to really burst your bubble," 2022 WSOP Player of the Year leader Dan Zack wrote.
"Idk dude, we just love the game. We want to grow it. You’re putting an entire fan base in a box. A ton of your peers are fans. Maybe Barstool isn’t for you (we are so widely spread I’m positive there’s something you’d enjoy) but there’s no denying the buzz we created this week," Eric "Barstool Nate" Nathan defended the company he works for.
"It’s undeniably good for the game and it’s growth," poker pro Darryll Fish argues.
@SamENole @ikepoker @BarstoolMintzy Agreed. @BarstoolMintzy is here to grow the game as he did in Omaha. Hope to s… https://t.co/fj2FzoEdee
— Alan Neubauer (@Alan_Neubauer)
Adam "adam22" Grandmaison of the popular No Jumper adult lifestyle podcast, who entered the 2022 WSOP Main Event, also stood up for Barstool Sports, and argues that the poker community needs to embrace the Stoolies.
We all know poker is fun and that if people are exposed to it enough they might give it a try. Poker desperately ne… https://t.co/JmcQRIbAEL
— adam22 (@adam22)
"This is such a strange thing to be worried about. No one is forcing you to be friends/colleagues/associated with anyone. You’re playing a literal game," @Schwangstar tweeted.
"Maybe you and Bono could start your own safe space poker tour," @MikeDami88 responded.
"Cmon man at first I found barstool a bit cringe but they are funny and entertaining to listen too and poker should be for everybody not just gto math wizards," @Seahawksfan2314 wrote.
While most who responded defended Barstool Sports, there were a few who sided with the high-stakes poker legend and potential future Poker Hall of Famer.
"Stoolies suck. No real offense, but they are like cicadas," @FabFive45212425 tweeted.
@ikepoker 2/2 As far as the “barstool wsop takeover” goes, I wish them good luck, but won’t be surprised when they… https://t.co/OrD9ND9Fkh
— Phil McCutcheon (@czechrays)
"this is the truest statement i have read today," @KyngTearz claims.
Barstool Sports is a US media giant, last valued at $450 million in 2020 when Penn National Gaming purchased 36% of the business for $163 million. Portnoy founded the company in 2003 and built it, as he says, "brick by brick" from the ground up.
Along the way, the numerous blogs, social media content, and podcasts under the Barstool brand have received criticism from those who believe Barstool plays into the "toxic masculinity" culture. But the Stoolies don't see it that way, and as Mintz pointed out to Kessler in a tweet, Barstool's CEO, Erika Nardini, is a woman, and the company employs many females.
Whether or not you love or hate Barstool Sports, or think the media outlet is sexist and bad for poker, there's no denying the brand is becoming more prevalent within the game. And they'll likely be here to stay.
In this Series
- 1 Officials Offer First Look at 2022 WSOP; Answer Several Lingering Questions
- 2 Bally's & Paris: Your Guide to the New Home of the World Series of Poker (WSOP)
- 3 Negreanu, Deeb (as Expected) Highest Bids in $25k WSOP Fantasy Draft
- 4 WSOP Transportation Guide: Riding the Las Vegas Strip Monorail
- 5 Let the Games Begin: 2022 WSOP is Officially Underway
- 6 Phil Hellmuth Misses 2022 WSOP Opener After Bout of Traveler's Diarrhea
- 7 Kenney, Schindler & Imsirovic Arrive at 2022 WSOP Despite Recent Cheating Allegations
- 8 Phil Ivey is Back! Poker G.O.A.T. Cashes First 2022 WSOP Event
- 9 Baltimore Raven Calais Campbell at WSOP: "We Have Super Bowl Potential"
- 10 2022 WSOP Featured Females: Katie Kopp Becomes Bally's First-Ever Bracelet Winner
- 11 WSOP Player of the Year Race One Week In: Defending Champ Arieh Off and Running
- 12 ClubGG Offers Bubble Protection For Eight 2022 WSOP Events
- 13 Doyle Brunson Skipping 2022 WSOP Due to COVID-19 Concerns
- 14 Retired NBA Star Paul Pierce Allegedly Won't Pay His Poker Debts
- 15 Scott Seiver Pays $43k to Enter $1k WSOP Event, Fails to Cash
- 16 2022 WSOP Featured Females: Lara Eisenberg Talks Poker's Impact on Dementia
- 17 2022 WSOP Hands of the Week: Depaulo vs. Hellmuth, a Pure One Outer & a Royal Flush
- 18 Reigning World Champ Koray Aldemir Quietly Crushing it at 2022 WSOP
- 19 2022 WSOP Player of the Week 2: Jeremy Ausmus Wins Third Bracelet in 9 Months
- 20 Hellmuth Controversy at WSOP: Poker Brat's Chips Swiped on Break
- 21 Security Mistakenly Tries to Kick Out Neymar Jr. After He Cashes First WSOP Event
- 22 Breaking News: Phil Ivey Closing in on Elusive 11th WSOP Bracelet Tonight
- 23 Doyle Brunson Becomes a WPT Ambassador, Might Play WSOP Main Event
- 24 World Series of Daniel's? Zack, Weinman (But Not Negreanu) Lead POY Race
- 25 WSOP $250,000 Super High Roller Kicks Off; Ivey, Negreanu and Kenney All Enter
- 26 Ali Imsirovic Busts WSOP $250K Super High Roller on Brutal Cooler
- 27 Cruising in the $250k, Is 2022 One of Phil Ivey's Best WSOP's Ever?
- 28 Runner-Runner Bad Beat Tilts Negreanu; Poker Star Out of WSOP $250k
- 29 Navy Vet Reps Military Charity During WSOP Salute to Warriors Event
- 30 2022 WSOP Featured Females: Meet Wendeen Eolis, 1st Woman to Ever Cash Main Event
- 31 Dan Zack Still Leads WSOP POY Race; Ivey, Deeb within Striking Distance
- 32 888poker Pro Ian Simpson Gears Up for 2022 WSOP Main Event
- 33 Poker Players Who Have Defended Their WSOP Bracelet
- 34 How to Make Day 2 of the Million Dollar Bounty
- 35 Poker Player Wins WSOP Main Event Satty in His Sleep...Literally
- 36 Josh Arieh Flushed Out of WSOP Main Event Early; Four Past Champs in Day 1a
- 37 2022 WSOP Hands of the Week: Yuvee Loses $50K to Pair of Deuces; Ivey Hits Ace from Space
- 38 BREAKING: Phil Hellmuth at 2022 WSOP $3,000 NLH Final Table, Chasing 17th Bracelet
- 39 Will the 2022 WSOP Main Event Smash the Attendance Record?
- 40 Barstool Sports' Cracking Aces Podcast Hosts Crush it on Main Event Day 1
- 41 WSOP Main Event Railbird Pays Back Daniel Negreanu Four-Year "Debt"
- 42 Matt Glantz Finds the $1 Million WSOP Bounty
- 43 BREAKING: WSOP Main Event Day 2 Schedule Altered
- 44 Aces Bust Kings 15 Minutes into Day 1b of WSOP Main Event
- 45 The Muck: Ike Haxton Takes on Barstool Sports' Poker Invasion
- 46 2022 WSOP Player of the Week 5: Jessica Teusl Wins First Bracelet at First WSOP
- 47 2022 WSOP Main Event Draws Massive Field, Almost Breaks All-Time Record
- 48 Phil Hellmuth's World Series of Poker Entrance Met w/ a Chorus of Boos
- 49 Robert Lipkin is the 2022 WSOP Main Event Bubble
- 50 SO SICK! Kings vs. Kings Cooler Busts 888poker's Sam Abernathy from the WSOP Main Event
- 51 Koray Aldemir: Back-to-Back WSOP Main Event Runs "A Privilege"
- 52 Brutal River! Aces, Queens, & Jacks All In Preflop in WSOP Main Event
- 53 Former World Champ Tom McEvoy Shares his Poker Samadhi Wisdom
- 54 Did Alejandro Lococo Pull Off Best WSOP Main Event Bluff Since Moneymaker?
- 55 The Muck: Did Mike Matusow Really Have a Blow Up in the WSOP Main Event?
- 56 Dan Zack Claims 2022 WSOP Player of the Year Honors
- 57 How Much Money Players at 2022 WSOP Main Event Final Table Really Made
- 58 Espen Jorstad Wins 2022 World Series of Poker Main Event for $10,000,000
- 59 Las Vegas Active Shooter Rumors Spark Panic; WSOP Impacted, Negreanu Injured
- 60 Quads Dooms Asher Conniff at WSOP Main Event Final Table
- 61 Aces Cracked! Souki Busts from WSOP Main Event Final Table
- 62 Espen Jorstad Holds Commanding Lead in Pursuit of WSOP Main Event Title
- 63 Not Su's Day: From Chip Leader to Out in 9th Place
- 64 A Look at All the 2022 WSOP Online Michigan Bracelet Winners
- 65 Five Memorable Hands from the 2021 WSOP Main Event Final Table
- 66 Where Are They Now: Ron “The Carolina Express” Stanley Battled Stu Ungar at 1997 WSOP
- 67 WATCH: One of the Best Folds in WSOP Main Event History?
- 68 Adrian Attenborough Just Made Two of the Gutsiest Plays of the 2022 WSOP
- 69 Can Karim Rebei Click his Way to a WSOP Main Event Title?
- 70 Cool, Calm & Collected Efthymia Litsou is WSOP Main Event's Last Woman Standing
- 71 2022 WSOP Hands of the Week: Quads, Quads, Quads, Quads!
- 72 Brutal River! Aces, Queens, & Jacks All In Preflop in WSOP Main Event
- 73 Daniel Negreanu Wraps 2022 World Series of Poker Down $1.1 Million
- 74 How the 2022 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Will Be Remembered
- 75 PN Podcast: 2022 WSOP Main Event Final Thoughts; Interviews w/ Main Event Final Three
