Pushing the limit...

What's up y'all! Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends...step inside...

So, after humping the 8 - 5, I played a little 1-2 limit. Yeah, I said I was stepping back to NL, but I had a slight change of heart. So, I fired up partypoker and found what looked to be a hella-live game. Average pot sat at $15...no one had a serious stack...so I figure I'm just going to set my hook and reel me in some overplayers.

For once in my life, I couldn't have been more right. At least 3 guys were calling raises pre-flop with A-shit offsuit and playing them to the showdown. 35 minutes later, I was up $35 on my $50. A couple of complete loose cannons joined the table and I didn't feel like dealing with them, so I cut loose. Seriously, these two guys went head-to-head in their first hands. They capped pre- and post-flop, capped the turn, and 2 bet the river. Board ended up 5 A 7 K T (no 3-flush). Moron one won it with 53o, Moron 2 went to the river with J2o. What the HELL!? So, I'm up for the night and all is well in Hundoland. Hopefully y'all had good nights, too.

While we're talking limit, if any of you haven't read "Small Stakes Hold'em", you'd might as well be using your bankroll to wipe you dog's ass. Seriously, go pick it up and read it 3 times. After that, keep it in the "office" and pick 'er up when nature calls. The book teaches a very tight aggressive style that your bankroll will thank you for (well, assuming your cards can beat the 43off I've been getting lately:)

So, let's talk some rock. I'm going to get on my soapbox here about The Wrens. First, a little background...

Back in '96, the band released Secaucus, one of the seminal indie-rock, emo albums, to massive critical success. Halfway thru the tour, Grass Records tells them that unless they sign their "big buck" new contract and go more "radio-friendly", all promotion for the album will cease. They basically tell them to "suck it" and Grass Records pulls ALL funding and cancels the European tour. The head of the label goes ballistic, fires the executives responsible, and vows that the next band that walks thru his door will be HUGE. Shortly thereafter, Scott Stapp and the musical atrocity that is Creed walk in the door. Grass Records becomes and Creed becomes famous.

So, the band piddles around for a while in the dirges, and records "The Meadowlands" in '02 in one of the member's living room. Their label, Drive Thru Records, strikes a deal with MCA and The Wrens pull out...having no desire to deal with more major label horseshit. They release the album on a friend's label, Absolutely Kosher Records, and the album makes nearly EVERY critic's Top Ten list and sets the indie world aflame. Vengeance is sweet.

The best way I can describe the album is frighteningly immediate and honest. The exuberance of their youth has been trampled by broken dreams and emotional heartache...but, in their own words, "I been let down, but I stood up, dead off of the ground, but I stood up, and faced another round". (Hang on, I need a second here...okay) Listening to the album, it feels the band sweat and bled on the reel-to-reel. This is music the way it should be. No more Britney Spears, no more Maroon 5, no more FUCKING AMERICAN IDOL!!!

So, drop whatever you're doing, hit Limewire on your desktop and check out "Boys You Won't Remember", "Happy", "She Sends Kisses" (personal fave), and "Everyone Chooses Sides". Then, run to your local independent records store (Everybody's Records) and pick up "The Meadowlands". Downloading is great to check out bands, but we HAVE to support music like this...keep these guys around. Hell, go one step further, pick up a ticket to The Wrens show at Southgate House on June 3rd (tickets are only $10!!)...I'll buy you a beer at the show.

Best of luck on the felt and at the record shop. Until later, y'all...

Let's get ready to RUMBLE!!!

Captain's blog, Stardate One Four Four Six Niner...hang on, this blog has nothing to do with Star Trek. Oh well, live long and prosper and may the shwartz be with y'all.

So, let's get bloggin'!! This is my new and first blog, so bear with the general randomness until I can get the training wheels off this bee-otch. As you may have guessed, this is a general musing on my two favorite things 1) sitting down at the felt and finding pocket rockets staring back at me and 2) kickin' back with a Maker's on the rocks and popping a sweet new disc into the stereo. Why this odd combination, you ask? Well, the way I see it, most guys have two dreams in life. The first is walking on stage (after drinking copious amounts of Jagermeister backstage), cranking your Marshall stack up to "10", and letting your guitar WAIL!! If not that, we'd have ourselves at the WPT Championship final table, staring across the felt at Phil Ivey and Gus Hansen and bluffing them off a million dollar pot with 7 2 offsuit!! So, here it goes...let's talk check-raises and rock and roll...let's talk hold'em hands and concerts...let's talk...aces and indie rock.

So how about the felt??? Well, I've been playing poker since college, but really amped it up in the last 6 months. You can usually catch me on partypoker at 1-2 limit or .25-.50 and .50-1 no-limit...screenname is thehundo. Lately, I've been playing a lot more limit, but that may change soon. Am I the only one who finds the small stakes game boring as all get out?? I have the mentality of a NL player, and I'll be heading back soon. Stay tuned for the results...

I haven't played much in the last few days. I ended up missing a game yesterday with my boy Jeff (check out the blog) and Iggy (a must read for any player) yesterday. I waited around for the satellite guy all day...it's amazing how domestic responsibility gets in the way of building a bankroll. Earlier this evening, I bent over and grabbed my heels in a SNG. Sometimes I don't know why I bother with these things...catching a run of shitty cards ends the evening in a hurry. So, that's about it for the poker game. I'll get into the game more in coming days.

So, how about rock? Well, I'm always the critic and constantly on the look out for new bands. I've picked up some great discs in the week or so. For starters, if you haven't picked up the new Eels album, "Blinking Lights and Other Revelations", click "Leave Table" at your game and get to the store. It's a little morose overall, but DAMN that shit rocks my socks!! I also picked up Ryan Adams' new "Cold Roses"...and wow, this shizzy is better than masterbation. Admittedly, our boy has put some real turds out lately, but the days of Whiskeytown are back. Ryan, I'm sorry I ever doubted you. Other than that, I've been listening to a lot of the new Aqualung album and the last Snow Patrol disc. If you don't know Snow Patrol, fire up limewire RIGHT NOW and get "Run"...these boys from Northern Ireland will not disappoint. Okay, enough of this for now...

There are some super-hot concerts coming up in the Nati area. I'll be checking out The Wrens on 6/3 at Southgate House and Aqualung on 6/25 at Madhatter. I'll also be road trippin' out to Chi-town on June 9 & 10 for the FINAL Get Up Kids shows...EVER [tear]. Also, for those who haven't heard, Modest Mouse is playing Madison Theater on 6/10...get your tickets NOW.

Alright, enough for now. We've laid down the ground rules, so let's keep it rolling in the days to come. I'm looking to talk some no limit and best albums of 2004 in the coming days. Until then, crank up the music and take down a few monsters!!

Captain CAVEMAAAAAAANNNNNN!!!!!!!



Hundo

First Post

"Loaded like a sailor
Tumbling off a ferry boat,
I was at the bar till three.
Oh Lord, and I wasn't ready to go...
I'm never ready to go"

- Ryan Adams