When it's your year, it's your year.
That’s right. Come some point early next week, when the November NineTM has played down to one, we think that’s the headline we’ll be posting (again). Jeff Shulman is our pick to win it.
(Editor’s Note I: reference this excellent thread in 2+2 for a detailed breakdown of starting final table chip counts and results from 2004 to present)
(Editor’s Note II: If Shulman DOES win, Jeff Madsen will probably put out a theory that the final table was actually filmed yesterday in a secret bunker deep inside the Rio where they also filmed the moon landing and that’s how we knew the results. Also, if you still believe in the 9/11 conspiracy, read this).
Why Shulman?
A few bunch of factors: He’s got a healthy stack, with 19.58M chip (10% of chips in play). He’s experienced. This is his second WSOP final table of the decade. He’s been on TV (mostly via Poker SuperStars) many times. And he’s freaking editor of Card Player magazine. Dude has been in the industry long enough to not let all of this get to his head. So the spotlight isn’t going to affect/distract him as much as it does others (see: Phillips, Dennis). Plus, we’re big believers in the unscientific theory of, “Hey, if it’s your year, it’s your year.” And it’s the Shulmans’ year.
Why is it Shulmans’ year? Of course, Barry Shulman, Jeff’s dad, won the WSOPE Main Event. But it goes deeper than that. It’s about redemption.
After years of being out of favor with “the industry”TM due to its strong-arming tactics, Card Player, who has at least been a little kinder and gentler under Jeff’s reign, is more than due to have the sun shine on its ass. CP has been kicked to the curb by the WSOP and the WPT. Even in the WSOP Media Guide, the very last line of Shulman’s bio contains the mini-shot, “A vocal WSOP critic, despite his ongoing participation and success.” Nobody else has anything remotely close to a personally shot in their bio. So yes, this is redemption time, at least for the Shulmans. Jeff has shown a very disciplined game in ESPN broadcasts, he’s being “coached” by the best NLH tournament closer of all-time, Phil Hellmuth, and despite his comment about throwing the bracelet in the garbage, he’s repped himself well on TV (i.e. not a douche, like some others).
So yeah, after years of it not being the Shulmans’ year, it’s their year again. He’s our pick.
But if it’s not Jeff Shulman, then who will it be?
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Tagged as:
Jeff Shulman,
November Nine,
Phil Ivey,
WSOP Main Event