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Nick Calathes: Know when to fold them

One under reported story this basketball season so far is the $600 Nick Calathes lost in online poker. The reports from the Gainesville Sun, AP and Yahoo all imply that Calathes is in the clear, just stupid for losing $600 in online poker. However, Yahoo's reporting of former walkon Michael Weisenberg might be the more troubling factoid. Apparently, Weisenberg has dabbled in drugs and now is a hanger on, despite leaving the basketball team. Although, if you had to guess who was the one who started leaking information about the inquiry (investigation I think is too strong a word here), Weisenberg is my guess.

But let's get back to Calathes. No one should be concerned with a $600 lost by a college student in online poker. If you ask any college male, especially at UF, they know people who have lost more at live games or online. Poker has become part of the UF experience. The difference is by junior and senior year, you realize $100 a week on poker (or worse, Ocala Jai Alai) is the dumbest thing you can do in Gainesville next to punching a police horse. (Third is eating at the 13th Street Waffle House between 2-6am.) In my own case, I stopped playing when I had something better to spend money on; a girlfriend.

College basketball and gambling have had a relationship since the days of the 1950s' CCNY and the New York mob, to point shaving at Arizona State and Toledo recently. Calathes did nothing wrong, let's remember that. But as a public figure, Calathes has to keep his head on a swivel. And this applies to all college athletes. The attention on the Florida Gators is just as intense, if not more, than the Miami Heat or Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Someone less friendly or looking to make for themselves will catch you drinking a beer underage, or making out with a girl or worse.  Being a crappy poker player is not a crime. But in the court of public opinion, everyone is guilty. It's a bit unlucky, but as poker player Phil Hellmuth said, "If luck wasn't involved, I'd win every time." And Calathes has lost more than 600 bucks here. He has lost a level of trust.

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Kill the snitch.

Oh god, the mob is infiltrating more than just Calathes’s wallet – they’re infiltrating our minds!!!

Seriously, dump the snitch. What a man does with his own money (short of taking out hits, prostitution, etc.) is his own business.

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bdalebs on Nov 16, 2008 8:24 PM EST reply actions  

Oh, and Republican viewpoint:

etc. includes being involved in any possible terrorist activities. Then, we’d have to kick Calathes off the team.

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bdalebs on Nov 16, 2008 8:25 PM EST up reply actions  

Um, you might want to go back and read the post. And I’m not sure what online poker has to do with a political party.

mlmintampa
UF C/O 06

by mlmintampa on Nov 16, 2008 8:48 PM EST up reply actions  

I read it.

Tried to make joke about mob and gambling controlling some collegiate basketball, and it spreading to the fans. I failed.

The Republican thing was a reference to the Patriot Act. Basically, I added it to the list of things that we should be concerned about when it comes to someone else’s money.

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bdalebs on Nov 19, 2008 8:54 PM EST up reply actions  

Meh...

He’s either a bad poker player or bad at managing his bankroll. All that tells me is that the kid isn’t the brightest. Gambling isn’t inherently bad.

Here we go again: http://thefulldeck.blogspot.com/

by ejruiz on Nov 17, 2008 1:26 AM EST reply actions  

I’m glad some got the idea of the post.

mlmintampa
UF C/O 06

by mlmintampa on Nov 17, 2008 10:41 AM EST up reply actions  

I got it. I just didn't keep going with it.

Gambling is fine as long as you know when to stop, either from losses or from winnings.

Clutch: A measurement of how much better or worse a player does in high leverage situations than he would have done in a context neutral environment. http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/glossary/

by bdalebs on Nov 19, 2008 8:55 PM EST up reply actions  

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