Welcome to America's Heartland!

Hi. I'm LA Mike, some of you loyal readers probably have heard of the legendary name. Some of you probably are saying, "Screw this idiot, where's JDN at?" Well, he's a worldly traveler but that doesn't include the Heartland baby! LA Mike gets sent to do correspondence from the "not so desired tourney stops."

Anyway, I'm in the $2.1k NL Circuit event from Hammond. I flew in from LA, just for this big internship with pokerwtf.com. This could turn into the next google or youtube ya know? Now remember, I left LAX and it was 88 degrees outside. I land in the NWA 757 and realize it's f'n snowing outside. WTF? It's 36 degrees in the Heartland of America!

I make it to the casino early enough to jump into a $250 STT for the $2100 event. Weee, play is horrible LA chops it up with HU. BTW, also chopped up the $100 7-way last longer. Oops, now LA is getting in on the cheap. LA proceeds to cage, signs all his right away and buys in. I tell lady as she's counting my money that I'd like to vote for the local guy Obama...she peers up at me with this completely baffled look on her face. I say, "ya, I'd like to go ahead and vote now too". She's not overly amused I don't think after realizing I was just goofing on her.

I get my seat and boy o boy what a lineup. My abbreviations may slightly differ from JDN's so I'll try to explain.

1. LA
2. CWSD...Chick with squatters disease, every decision she had this pained looked on her face like she was pinching off a giant load. She stunk like cig smoke too. Ugg LA pissed.
3. RD...random donk
4. SODWDMF....Super Old Donk Who Didn't Miss Flop
5. Tatoo guy with backward hat...later I find out he's Kevin Saul's buddy.
6. TAG
7. DWOPEH....Dumbass Who Overplays Every Hand
8. SSOD....Super Super Old Dude
9. OGHS...Old Guy Hawaiian Shirt

Start with 15k chips, LA plays pretty solid first 2 levels up to 25k...score one for the good guys!

Table ends up breaking and LA wanders around for awhile looking for his new seat. LA finds beer lady...score! Two Heinekens please, weeee.....

I find new table, I am card dead for like 6 hours just stealing and occasionally restealing to stay afloat and build to about 30k at dinner break. Good enough, buffet time.

LA chats it up with Tourney Director extradonaire Chris Spears...he proceeds to introduce LA Mike to the local Hammond crowd over the PA...wow, instant respect for LA from the locals. I think to myself, mamas gonna be proud...I've finally made it!

Anyway, a few other things I want to discuss but I made it to the final 18 and into the money after a brutal money bubble. Play starts back up at 2pm CDT today with 18 left, I have about 60k at 1k/2k. I'll be looking to put it in quickly.

Oh one other thing, the damn boat confiscated my computer on my way in, apparently too much porn or some shit. WTF? More to come...sorry for the wait.

-LA Mike