It would be easy to look at inclusions like Brian Townsend, Kenny Tran and Jonathan Little and slap the producers at NBC on the back for a job well done. After all, they did include some of the up and coming stars of poker and I suppose that should be good enough.

But of course it is not. I am not trying to be picky but the people who are in charge of this event are really missing the point. From the outside looking in it appears that Full Tilt Poker should have a major say in this event, after all, they had half of the field last year and they are the title sponsor for “Poker After Dark”. Clearly they should have NBC’s ear. Well if they do they are really missing the point of how to market to their consumer. Last year I had a problem with the celebrities included, I have less of a problem with the celebrities than I do the retread poker players this year. Including players like Sam Grizzle, Jean Robert Bellande, TJ Cloutier and Clonie Gowen makes you wonder what the hell the producers are thinking. Even some of the better known players really have not had great results, even in the Heads up event.

In my opinion if you are playing online in hopes of getting to the WPT and WSOP and making a name for yourself forget that. You will have to burn up the world to have a chance to be included and even so you still have to ride the pine because Orel Hershiser took your spot.