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World series of poker 2006
Mike "The Mouth" Matusow
From: Las Vegas, Nevada
You really have to hand it to Mike Matusow. This guy has staked out a very distinctive bit of poker history terrain. In doing so, he has created a truly memorable persona that poker enthusiasts are sure to be writing and talking about for many years to come.
It was back in the year of 1986 that Mike Matusow really grabbed people’s attention in the world of high stakes poker. He did this not as a result of his of playing (which was, undoubtedly, very strong) but by the nonstop flow of trash talk with which he peppered the event. Rarely has a sportsman ever earned a more fitting nickname. Although it is not known exactly who coined this most appropriate moniker, Matusow has forever since been known as "The Mouth."
Most people, even the most fair-minded folks, would admit that Mike Matusow is, at best, an acquired taste. There are certainly flocks of poker fans who find a tremendous amount of entertainment in his extraordinarily verbal style of play. But for each other them, there must be one of or maybe even two or three observers who find him to be unbearably obnoxious.
Have you ever heard it said of a player that he is his own worst enemy? Well, this certainly is the case with Mike "The Mouth" Matusow. He has earned at a reputation for consistently allowing victory to slip away by making some foolish and totally insensible move at the table. In fact, this has become such a habit for him that two phrases have been added to the poker lexicon in his (dis)honor: "Matusow collapses" and "Matusow meltdowns." Certainly, any poker player would be pleased to add a new phrase to the game, but it’s a safe to speculate that not many would prefer to do it in this fashion.
However, Mike Matusow’s worries have extended to far more serious matters than simple mockery from his fellow players. In 2003, he was arrested by the Las Vegas Police Department as the result of a cocaine-related sting. He did six months in prison and was released in April of 2005. However, it has not all been bad news for "The Mouth." He has two World Series of Poker bracelets to his name, has finished in the money at least 15 times in that tournament and has an additional number of money finishes on the World Poker Tour. He has sat at the final table at the WSOP an impressive nine times and has raked in substantial amounts of money from his poker skills. If only he could learn to keep his mouth shut. But that just would not be appropriate somehow for Mike Matusow.
Author: Mark
