Gambling, violence, sex: three words that do a lot to rouse the interest of the average male. The sponsorship marriage between Full Tilt Poker and Randy "The Natural" Couture has at least two of the three covered.
The 45-year-old Couture is a five-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion, with titles in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. He is now being called a "friend" of Full Tilt Poker, joining the ranks of other noted UFC fighters such as Mike "Quick" Swick and Matt Hughes.
Couture's new status with Full Tilt appears to be part of a bigger trend which is seeing athletes of all sorts, including NHL hockey great Mats Sundin, take on roles with major online poker rooms.
In 2007, Couture walked away from the UFC in an attempt to get a fight with the man largely considered to be the best heavyweight MMA fighter in the world, Russian Fedor Emelianenko.
However, Couture rejoined the UFC in early September, which was good news not just for Full Tilt Poker, but for the entire UFC.
"As you all know, we've had problems with Randy over the last few months, but we've got them all worked out now. Randy has always been our heavyweight champion," said UFC President Dana White when Couture rejoined the UFC after a layoff of more than a year.
"I think a lot of compromises were made on both sides," said Couture. "But we're both ready to try and move forward. We've cleared the air and we're both in different places than we were a year ago. Spending the last year in legal fights is not some place that I've had a very good time."
Couture returned to the octagon last Saturday to face former World Wrestling Entertainment heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.
Watching what was dubbed by some as the biggest fight in Mixed Martial Arts history, fans, many of whom were probably playing poker at the same time, couldn't help but notice that Couture was branded by Full Tilt from head to toe.
Gone are the T-shirts of Couture's former sponsor Affliction; in their place is Full Tilt Poker's ubiquitous inverted triangle. Couture and Affliction are now locked in a bitter dispute that's taken a very personal and now legal tone.
"Randy, if you're listening right now, I hope Lesnar kills you," Affliction CEO Todd Beard told reporters before the Championship fight.
"I really don't understand where Todd Beard's coming from in his attack to me, my wife, and my attorney [...]," said Couture.
"He feels there's this adversarial relationship created and I just don't get it. It's gone beyond kind of the antics of being a promoter, so we'll see how all that unfolds, and where the relationship stands, and where we end up with that down the road. Frankly, it's a bunch of crap and I don't need anymore crap in my life."
All of that conflict opened the door for Full Tilt, and the company appears to be taking advantage of the chance to place itself front and center in what is the fastest-growing spectator sport in the world. Unfortunately, it was a bad beat that was waiting for Couture in his first fight in his new sponsor's duds.
Couture was the victim of Lesnar's toaster-sized fists, finished by the Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy product after being caught behind the ear and then pounded on until the referee wisely stopped the fight.
"I think the thing that surprised me the most and I don't think I was prepared for, which is always an issue with any fighter, is figuring out that range," Couture told Sherdog.com reporters after the fight.
"He's got ten inches of reach on me and I didn't anticipate that. I didn't think of that. I didn't know that little tidbit of information that his reach is what it was."
Couture was also spotted wearing his Full Tilt duds in the lead-up to the fight on mainstream television shows such as The Best Damn Sports Show Period.
This has many fans of both mixed martial arts and poker wondering if the U.S. Department of Justice is finally starting to lay off the multibillion dollar global poker industry. Let's hope so.
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Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
FITCH , WELLISCH BACK WITH THE UFC !!!!!!!
The Ultimate Fighting Championship's feud with highly regarded welterweight Jon Fitch lasted all of one day.
Fitch said on Thursday that he and heavyweight Christian Wellisch are back with UFC, barely 24 hours after the company terminated their promotional contracts. Fitch was the company's No.1 welterweight contender as recently as August, when he lost a decision to champion Georges St-Pierre. One of Fitch's teammates at American Kickboxing, Josh Koscheck, is also a top-five welterweight in UFC.
The company cut Fitch after he declined to quickly sign over lifetime exclusive rights for video game licensing. He agreed to the deal on Thursday after his manager directly contacted UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta, Fitch said.
UFC President Dana White earlier this week faulted American Kickboxing's management, but Fitch said the problem was White's approach.
"It was never about the agreement itself," Fitch said. "I feel like I should be talked to like I'm an educated adult. Sometimes I don't feel like Dana speaks to me that way."
Earlier this week, the company also had said it would not renew or renegotiate the contracts of Koscheck and heavyweight Cain Velasquez, each of whom have one fight remaining on their current deals. Velasquez is still negotiating with UFC, Fitch said. Koscheck said Thursday he won't think about contractual issues until after Dec. 10, when he is scheduled to fight at a UFC fundraiser for a hospital to treat veterans with brain injuries.
Fitch said on Thursday that he and heavyweight Christian Wellisch are back with UFC, barely 24 hours after the company terminated their promotional contracts. Fitch was the company's No.1 welterweight contender as recently as August, when he lost a decision to champion Georges St-Pierre. One of Fitch's teammates at American Kickboxing, Josh Koscheck, is also a top-five welterweight in UFC.
The company cut Fitch after he declined to quickly sign over lifetime exclusive rights for video game licensing. He agreed to the deal on Thursday after his manager directly contacted UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta, Fitch said.
UFC President Dana White earlier this week faulted American Kickboxing's management, but Fitch said the problem was White's approach.
"It was never about the agreement itself," Fitch said. "I feel like I should be talked to like I'm an educated adult. Sometimes I don't feel like Dana speaks to me that way."
Earlier this week, the company also had said it would not renew or renegotiate the contracts of Koscheck and heavyweight Cain Velasquez, each of whom have one fight remaining on their current deals. Velasquez is still negotiating with UFC, Fitch said. Koscheck said Thursday he won't think about contractual issues until after Dec. 10, when he is scheduled to fight at a UFC fundraiser for a hospital to treat veterans with brain injuries.
UFC - 2 UFC Fighters Let Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!
More Cuts Are Coming !!!
Jon Fitch, who last competed at UFC 87 in August against welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, has been released from his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by members of Fitch's camp.
According to sources close to the situation, Fitch was in negotiations with the UFC about a lifetime contract for likeness rights for their upcoming video game release and future video games. An agreement could not be reached and the Indiana native was subsequently released from his fight contract.
During his time with the UFC, Fitch went 8-1 while in the promotion with his only loss coming at the hands of St. Pierre, as previously mentioned.
There were rumors that he was set to return in January to fight Japanese fighter Akihiro Gono, but all that came crashing down with the news of his release on Wednesday.
Other fighters including Christian Wellisch have also been released as a part of this contract negotiation of likeness rights, but at this time Jon Fitch is the biggest name that has been confirmed as being cut by the promotion. Speaking anonymously with MMAWeekly on Wednesday, a source said more names could follow in the coming days.
Jon Fitch, who last competed at UFC 87 in August against welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, has been released from his contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by members of Fitch's camp.
According to sources close to the situation, Fitch was in negotiations with the UFC about a lifetime contract for likeness rights for their upcoming video game release and future video games. An agreement could not be reached and the Indiana native was subsequently released from his fight contract.
During his time with the UFC, Fitch went 8-1 while in the promotion with his only loss coming at the hands of St. Pierre, as previously mentioned.
There were rumors that he was set to return in January to fight Japanese fighter Akihiro Gono, but all that came crashing down with the news of his release on Wednesday.
Other fighters including Christian Wellisch have also been released as a part of this contract negotiation of likeness rights, but at this time Jon Fitch is the biggest name that has been confirmed as being cut by the promotion. Speaking anonymously with MMAWeekly on Wednesday, a source said more names could follow in the coming days.
UFC Dana White defends MMA !!!!!!!!!!
Todd duBoef, the president of the powerful boxing promotional company Top Rank, clearly does not understand mixed martial arts very well, as his recent comments in a Los Angeles Times article would indicate.
During a media day workout for Manny Pacquiao on Monday, duBoef questioned the safety of MMA based upon the finish of the Brock Lesnar-Randy Couture heavyweight title fight on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Lesnar knocked Couture down with a right to the back of the ear and then finished him with a series of blows on the ground.
That caused duBoef to question the widely held belief that MMA is a safer sport than boxing in an interview with the Times' Lance Pugmire.
"When I see stuff like that, it looks like nothing more than a Toughman contest," duBoef told Pugmire. "There's no way it's safer than boxing."
Au contraire, Mr. President.
The UFC was founded in 1993 and began the modern era of MMA. Since that time, there have been two deaths in MMA competition. Douglas Dedge died on March 18, 1998, from injuries sustained in a fight on an unregulated card in Kiev, Ukraine, two days earlier. And in 2007, Sam Vasquez died on Nov. 30, 2007, from injuries sustained in an Oct. 20 fight in Houston.
The Journal of Combative Sport has documented 71 deaths since 1993 in boxing, including several from shows that Top Rank promoted.
DuBoef's comments did not escape the notice of UFC president Dana White, who ripped him upon reading the Times story.
"What Todd duBoef said the other day in the L.A. Times, this is the same Todd duBoef who got the free tickets from me to be at that event that night," White said. "He said that the Randy Couture stoppage proves that boxing is much safer than MMA. [Top Rank chairman] Bob Arum is 95 years old and senile, when he says crazy [expletive] you know, it goes over your head because you expect it from him. Bob has been saying crazy [expletive] since Day 1. But Todd duBoef? What does Todd duBoef know about MMA?
"I have a study from Johns Hopkins that proves that MMA is safer than boxing. Todd duBoef ought to stick to what it is he knows, but I don't know what that is. He's Bob Arum's stepson and that's how he got that job at Top Rank. This is insane. Bob Arum's stepson commenting on MMA safety? He doesn't know what he is talking about. I don't know what he knows, but whatever it is, he ought to stick to that."
The Johns Hopkins' study White referenced was published in the July 2006 edition of the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.
In it, it makes several references to the fact that MMA is a safer sport with fewer traumatic brain injuries than in boxing.
"With MMA competitions, the opportunity to attack the extremities with arm bars and leg locks and the possibility of extended periods of grappling could serve to lessen the risk of traumatic brain injury," the article noted.
In its conclusions, it noted that "Knockout rates are lower in MMA competitions than in boxing. This suggests a reduced risk of TBI (traumatic brain injury) in MMA competitions when compared to other events involving striking."
During a media day workout for Manny Pacquiao on Monday, duBoef questioned the safety of MMA based upon the finish of the Brock Lesnar-Randy Couture heavyweight title fight on Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Lesnar knocked Couture down with a right to the back of the ear and then finished him with a series of blows on the ground.
That caused duBoef to question the widely held belief that MMA is a safer sport than boxing in an interview with the Times' Lance Pugmire.
"When I see stuff like that, it looks like nothing more than a Toughman contest," duBoef told Pugmire. "There's no way it's safer than boxing."
Au contraire, Mr. President.
The UFC was founded in 1993 and began the modern era of MMA. Since that time, there have been two deaths in MMA competition. Douglas Dedge died on March 18, 1998, from injuries sustained in a fight on an unregulated card in Kiev, Ukraine, two days earlier. And in 2007, Sam Vasquez died on Nov. 30, 2007, from injuries sustained in an Oct. 20 fight in Houston.
The Journal of Combative Sport has documented 71 deaths since 1993 in boxing, including several from shows that Top Rank promoted.
DuBoef's comments did not escape the notice of UFC president Dana White, who ripped him upon reading the Times story.
"What Todd duBoef said the other day in the L.A. Times, this is the same Todd duBoef who got the free tickets from me to be at that event that night," White said. "He said that the Randy Couture stoppage proves that boxing is much safer than MMA. [Top Rank chairman] Bob Arum is 95 years old and senile, when he says crazy [expletive] you know, it goes over your head because you expect it from him. Bob has been saying crazy [expletive] since Day 1. But Todd duBoef? What does Todd duBoef know about MMA?
"I have a study from Johns Hopkins that proves that MMA is safer than boxing. Todd duBoef ought to stick to what it is he knows, but I don't know what that is. He's Bob Arum's stepson and that's how he got that job at Top Rank. This is insane. Bob Arum's stepson commenting on MMA safety? He doesn't know what he is talking about. I don't know what he knows, but whatever it is, he ought to stick to that."
The Johns Hopkins' study White referenced was published in the July 2006 edition of the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.
In it, it makes several references to the fact that MMA is a safer sport with fewer traumatic brain injuries than in boxing.
"With MMA competitions, the opportunity to attack the extremities with arm bars and leg locks and the possibility of extended periods of grappling could serve to lessen the risk of traumatic brain injury," the article noted.
In its conclusions, it noted that "Knockout rates are lower in MMA competitions than in boxing. This suggests a reduced risk of TBI (traumatic brain injury) in MMA competitions when compared to other events involving striking."
Woman gets 10 years for poker pro slaying and alot of people out there say they dont need help and look what happens !!
LAS VEGAS—A woman has been sentenced to 10 years to life in a Nevada prison for stabbing her poker player husband to death in a luxury Las Vegas condominium.
Jill Rockcastle, 50, sobbed and professed her love for her dead husband, William Gustafik, during a rambling apology before sentencing Tuesday by Clark County District Court Judge Michael Villani.
"I just lost control," Rockcastle said.
Rockcastle pleaded an equivalent of no contest Sept. 16 to second-degree murder in the slaying of Gustafik, 44, a former California a corrections officer and chiropractor who became a Las Vegas poker pro and used the nickname "The Manipulator."
Her so-called Alford plea avoided trial and acknowledged that prosecutors could prove the case against her.
Rockcastle's public defense lawyer, Joseph Abood, cast his client as a battered wife who grabbed a knife and stabbed Gustafik after he grabbed her by the hair. Authorities said Gustafik was stabbed up to 15 times.
Prosecutor Sam Bateman said there was no evidence Gustafik was violent toward Rockcastle.
Police found Gustafik's body April 13, 2007, after a lawyer in California directed authorities to in a blood-spattered bedroom in a 23rd floor condo at the Panorama Towers across Interstate 15 from the Las Vegas Strip.
Rockcastle was arrested several days later, after she was found unconscious at a motel in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Police said they believed she overdosed on
medication after leaving a note in a car for her children and sending confessional e-mails to friends.
In a suicide note, Rockcastle claimed Gustafik hired a hit man to kill his ex-wife so she wouldn't get custody of their daughter, and that Gustafik took performance-enhancing drugs and used cocaine.
Rockcastle said she and Gustafik underwent cosmetic surgery and hatched a scheme to sell fake real estate to maintain their high-roller lifestyle.
"We were living this fake life of millionaires. But we weren't," she wrote. "We were going broke."
Jill Rockcastle, 50, sobbed and professed her love for her dead husband, William Gustafik, during a rambling apology before sentencing Tuesday by Clark County District Court Judge Michael Villani.
"I just lost control," Rockcastle said.
Rockcastle pleaded an equivalent of no contest Sept. 16 to second-degree murder in the slaying of Gustafik, 44, a former California a corrections officer and chiropractor who became a Las Vegas poker pro and used the nickname "The Manipulator."
Her so-called Alford plea avoided trial and acknowledged that prosecutors could prove the case against her.
Rockcastle's public defense lawyer, Joseph Abood, cast his client as a battered wife who grabbed a knife and stabbed Gustafik after he grabbed her by the hair. Authorities said Gustafik was stabbed up to 15 times.
Prosecutor Sam Bateman said there was no evidence Gustafik was violent toward Rockcastle.
Police found Gustafik's body April 13, 2007, after a lawyer in California directed authorities to in a blood-spattered bedroom in a 23rd floor condo at the Panorama Towers across Interstate 15 from the Las Vegas Strip.
Rockcastle was arrested several days later, after she was found unconscious at a motel in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Police said they believed she overdosed on
medication after leaving a note in a car for her children and sending confessional e-mails to friends.
In a suicide note, Rockcastle claimed Gustafik hired a hit man to kill his ex-wife so she wouldn't get custody of their daughter, and that Gustafik took performance-enhancing drugs and used cocaine.
Rockcastle said she and Gustafik underwent cosmetic surgery and hatched a scheme to sell fake real estate to maintain their high-roller lifestyle.
"We were living this fake life of millionaires. But we weren't," she wrote. "We were going broke."
Here is a good joke for all you married couples out there that have kids that dont live at home !!!!
A man in Phoenix calls his son in New York the day before Thanksgiving and says,"I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; forty-five years of misery is enough.
"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.
"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."
Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this."
She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there.
I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.
The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way !"
"Pop, what are you talking about?" the son screams.
"We can't stand the sight of each other any longer," the father says. "We're sick of each other, and I'm sick of talking about this, so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."
Frantic, the son calls his sister, who explodes on the phone. "Like heck they're getting divorced," she shouts, "I'll take care of this."
She calls Phoenix immediately, and screams at her father, "You are NOT getting divorced. Don't do a single thing until I get there.
I'm calling my brother back, and we'll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don't do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?" and hangs up.
The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. "Okay," he says, "they're coming for Thanksgiving and paying their own way !"
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
POKER NEWS
Appeals court grants stay in Kentucky case
A Kentucky appeals court Friday granted a stay of the forfeiture order that would have affected 141 Internet domain names belonging to various gambling sites. The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) and the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) had requested the stay.
The move curtails a forfeiture hearing scheduled for Dec. 3, giving the appeals court time to consider the issues raised in iMEGA's petition seeking the overturn of the original order.
"We're glad that the Appeals Court recognized the need to prevent the immediate forfeiture of those domain names," said Joe Brennan, Jr., chairman of iMEGA.
"The Commonwealth's attorneys have tried from the very beginning to push this seizure action through at a breakneck pace, so that by the time any of the domain owners realized what was happening, they would have lost their rights to their domains," added Brennan, referring to the fact the original complaint was filed under seal and the affected domain names were unaware that there had even been a seizure motion and hearing.
Panel of judges to assess petitions
The hearing on iMEGA's petition is scheduled for Dec. 12 in front of the same three-judge appellate panel that granted the stay. At that hearing, the panel will first consider whether the lower court lacked jurisdiction to order the domain seizures and whether Secretary Brown lacked the authority to initiate the seizure action in the first place.
If jurisdiction was lacking, then the other issues become moot. However, if the lower court's exercise of jurisdiction is found to be proper, then the appellate court will consider whether the lower court misapplied Kentucky's specific "gambling devices" law in ordering the seizures and whether Kentucky's actions violate the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.
In a separate procedural ruling, the appellate panel agreed to combine iMEGA's petition with a separate one filed against the forfeiture order by the IGC, an international online gambling trade group. Their petition echoes some of the arguments in the iMEGA petition, attacking the lower court's jurisdiction over the domain names on the grounds that they are not located in Kentucky and are not "gambling devices."
Two amicus briefs have been filed in support of the petitions to overturn the seizure order. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a one-million-plus-member poker advocacy group, filed a brief, focused primarily on the issue of the lower court's failure to address, analyze and rule on the issue of poker being a game of skill that should be exempt from Kentucky's antigambling legislation.
The PPA argued that the trial court judge had the responsibility to engage in fact finding on the issue of whether it was skill or chance that predominates in poker. Had he done so, they claim, the judge would have properly ruled that poker is not a game of chance and therefore should not be banned under Kentucky's antigambling statute.
Free speech, civil liberties advocates chime in
The Commonwealth's attempt to seize Internet domain names also drew the attention, and support, of various free speech organizations. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU) have joined in filing an amicus brief in support of IGC's petition for an order vacating the seizure order.
In their amicus brief EFF, CDT and the ACLU argue that the lower court's actions ordering seizure of the domain names violated the First Amendment, the Commerce Clause and the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution.
The brief also argues that the lower court exceeded its jurisdiction in ordering seizure of domain names for registrars located outside of the state.
While the brief does not address the substantive issue of whether online gambling is legal in Kentucky, it focuses on the broader question of whether a state court judge can order Web site operators around the world to block access to their sites based on local law and then reach beyond the state's borders to seize noncomplying Web sites.
"The court's theory - that a state court can order the seizure of Internet domain names regardless of where the site was registered - is not only wrong but dangerous," said EFF Senior Staff Attorney Matt Zimmerman.
"If the mere ability to access a website gives every court on the planet the authority to seize a domain name if a site's content is in some way inconsistent with local law, the laws of the most world's most repressive regimes will effectively control cyberspace."
Attorney General distancing himself?
In another development, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has asked to have his name removed from the domain name case. This confirms earlier speculation that the attorney Ggeneral, who had failed to comment on the domain name case, was distancing himself from the case.
The original seizure action was brought not by the attorney general, but by Secretary of Justice and Public Safety J. Michael Brown.
The issue of whether Secretary Brown, as opposed to the Attorney General, had standing to bring the original action was argued at the lower court, but Judge Wingate allowed the case to go forward as presented.
The case, while brought on behalf of Secretary Brown, is actually being handled by outside counsel working on a contingency fee basis.
In its writ petition to the Court of Appeals, iMEGA had added Attorney General Conway as a real party in interest as, according to Kentucky law, the attorney general must appear on behalf of Kentucky in all cases in the Court of Appeals in which the Commonwealth is involved.
There is cautious optimism following the issuance of the stay as the petitioners now look forward to having their day in court.
"Now, we hope to have a fair hearing regarding our petition, because we're confident that Kentucky law is on our side, and that the lower court erred in ordering these seizures," said iMEGA's Brennan.
"The bottom line is that this move by Kentucky cannot be allowed to stand, because if it did, it would hand an 'ultimate weapon' to governments here and abroad to stifle Internet content that does not meet their approval."
A Kentucky appeals court Friday granted a stay of the forfeiture order that would have affected 141 Internet domain names belonging to various gambling sites. The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association (iMEGA) and the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC) had requested the stay.
The move curtails a forfeiture hearing scheduled for Dec. 3, giving the appeals court time to consider the issues raised in iMEGA's petition seeking the overturn of the original order.
"We're glad that the Appeals Court recognized the need to prevent the immediate forfeiture of those domain names," said Joe Brennan, Jr., chairman of iMEGA.
"The Commonwealth's attorneys have tried from the very beginning to push this seizure action through at a breakneck pace, so that by the time any of the domain owners realized what was happening, they would have lost their rights to their domains," added Brennan, referring to the fact the original complaint was filed under seal and the affected domain names were unaware that there had even been a seizure motion and hearing.
Panel of judges to assess petitions
The hearing on iMEGA's petition is scheduled for Dec. 12 in front of the same three-judge appellate panel that granted the stay. At that hearing, the panel will first consider whether the lower court lacked jurisdiction to order the domain seizures and whether Secretary Brown lacked the authority to initiate the seizure action in the first place.
If jurisdiction was lacking, then the other issues become moot. However, if the lower court's exercise of jurisdiction is found to be proper, then the appellate court will consider whether the lower court misapplied Kentucky's specific "gambling devices" law in ordering the seizures and whether Kentucky's actions violate the Commerce Clause of the United States Constitution.
In a separate procedural ruling, the appellate panel agreed to combine iMEGA's petition with a separate one filed against the forfeiture order by the IGC, an international online gambling trade group. Their petition echoes some of the arguments in the iMEGA petition, attacking the lower court's jurisdiction over the domain names on the grounds that they are not located in Kentucky and are not "gambling devices."
Two amicus briefs have been filed in support of the petitions to overturn the seizure order. The Poker Players Alliance (PPA), a one-million-plus-member poker advocacy group, filed a brief, focused primarily on the issue of the lower court's failure to address, analyze and rule on the issue of poker being a game of skill that should be exempt from Kentucky's antigambling legislation.
The PPA argued that the trial court judge had the responsibility to engage in fact finding on the issue of whether it was skill or chance that predominates in poker. Had he done so, they claim, the judge would have properly ruled that poker is not a game of chance and therefore should not be banned under Kentucky's antigambling statute.
Free speech, civil liberties advocates chime in
The Commonwealth's attempt to seize Internet domain names also drew the attention, and support, of various free speech organizations. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) and the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU) have joined in filing an amicus brief in support of IGC's petition for an order vacating the seizure order.
In their amicus brief EFF, CDT and the ACLU argue that the lower court's actions ordering seizure of the domain names violated the First Amendment, the Commerce Clause and the Due Process Clause of the United States Constitution.
The brief also argues that the lower court exceeded its jurisdiction in ordering seizure of domain names for registrars located outside of the state.
While the brief does not address the substantive issue of whether online gambling is legal in Kentucky, it focuses on the broader question of whether a state court judge can order Web site operators around the world to block access to their sites based on local law and then reach beyond the state's borders to seize noncomplying Web sites.
"The court's theory - that a state court can order the seizure of Internet domain names regardless of where the site was registered - is not only wrong but dangerous," said EFF Senior Staff Attorney Matt Zimmerman.
"If the mere ability to access a website gives every court on the planet the authority to seize a domain name if a site's content is in some way inconsistent with local law, the laws of the most world's most repressive regimes will effectively control cyberspace."
Attorney General distancing himself?
In another development, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has asked to have his name removed from the domain name case. This confirms earlier speculation that the attorney Ggeneral, who had failed to comment on the domain name case, was distancing himself from the case.
The original seizure action was brought not by the attorney general, but by Secretary of Justice and Public Safety J. Michael Brown.
The issue of whether Secretary Brown, as opposed to the Attorney General, had standing to bring the original action was argued at the lower court, but Judge Wingate allowed the case to go forward as presented.
The case, while brought on behalf of Secretary Brown, is actually being handled by outside counsel working on a contingency fee basis.
In its writ petition to the Court of Appeals, iMEGA had added Attorney General Conway as a real party in interest as, according to Kentucky law, the attorney general must appear on behalf of Kentucky in all cases in the Court of Appeals in which the Commonwealth is involved.
There is cautious optimism following the issuance of the stay as the petitioners now look forward to having their day in court.
"Now, we hope to have a fair hearing regarding our petition, because we're confident that Kentucky law is on our side, and that the lower court erred in ordering these seizures," said iMEGA's Brennan.
"The bottom line is that this move by Kentucky cannot be allowed to stand, because if it did, it would hand an 'ultimate weapon' to governments here and abroad to stifle Internet content that does not meet their approval."
Michael Binger wins WSOPC Tahoe
It turns out Lake Tahoe may be a lucky place for the poker pros to play. Chris "Jesus" Ferguson took down the World Series of Poker Circuit main event there last year, and this time around Michael Binger picked up the win.
Chris Ferguson did make a good return to the Lake Tahoe event. He ended up out in 11th place, leaving Michael Binger, Allen Kessler and Scott Clements to represent the pros at the final table.
Binger looked to be the clear favorite when the action got under way. He went in as the chip leader, but it was Ty Stewart who took control and soon looked to be the man to beat.
Stewart's first casualty was Clements. The two clashed early on in the final table and Clements couldn't muscle his way to a winning hand. Binger worked to keep up, taking out Bill Bostick when he sucked out an ace on the turn.
But for the most part it was "The Ty Stewart Show," as Martin Derbyshire so aptly put it in his recap of the final table.
Stewart is a relatively unknown cash-game player who was playing in his first major tournament. The only other cash he has on his Hendon Mob record is an eighth-place finish in a small tournament in San Pablo back in 1999.
The deck was very kind to him at the final table in Lake Tahoe, and Stewart seemed on the fast track to victory. Binger hung in and managed to make it to heads-up against Stewart.
Stewart was looking at a chip advantage when heads-up began. His $1.1 million in chips was hedging out Binger's $825,000.
According to the PokerListings Live Updates for the event, Stewart went to work fast, using his advantage to push Binger around. It got to the point where Stewart was sitting with about $1.7 million in chips in front of him to Binger's $200,000.
Binger kept his cool despite the huge disadvantage and started clawing his way back into contention. He started shoving in with an ever-growing stack of chips and soon he was taking the chip lead.
On the final hand, Stewart raised $40,000 pre-flop, and Binger called. They saw a flop of 984, and Stewart bet out again to make it $60,000 to go.
Binger popped it up $180,000 and got an all-in from Stewart. Binger nearly insta-called and turned up Q9 for a lead over Stewart's A8.
The rest of the board came TQ to give Binger the win, a $181,379 top prize and a $10,000 seat in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event.
The final-table results were:
Place Name Prize
1st Michael Binger $181,379
2nd Ty Stewart $112,675
3rd Jake Solis $77,464
4th Michael McClain $53,777
5th Tay Nguyen $40,653
6th Allen Kessler $31,370
7th Travis Erdman $24,968
8th Bill Bostick $18,566
9th Scott Clements $13,444
Chris Ferguson did make a good return to the Lake Tahoe event. He ended up out in 11th place, leaving Michael Binger, Allen Kessler and Scott Clements to represent the pros at the final table.
Binger looked to be the clear favorite when the action got under way. He went in as the chip leader, but it was Ty Stewart who took control and soon looked to be the man to beat.
Stewart's first casualty was Clements. The two clashed early on in the final table and Clements couldn't muscle his way to a winning hand. Binger worked to keep up, taking out Bill Bostick when he sucked out an ace on the turn.
But for the most part it was "The Ty Stewart Show," as Martin Derbyshire so aptly put it in his recap of the final table.
Stewart is a relatively unknown cash-game player who was playing in his first major tournament. The only other cash he has on his Hendon Mob record is an eighth-place finish in a small tournament in San Pablo back in 1999.
The deck was very kind to him at the final table in Lake Tahoe, and Stewart seemed on the fast track to victory. Binger hung in and managed to make it to heads-up against Stewart.
Stewart was looking at a chip advantage when heads-up began. His $1.1 million in chips was hedging out Binger's $825,000.
According to the PokerListings Live Updates for the event, Stewart went to work fast, using his advantage to push Binger around. It got to the point where Stewart was sitting with about $1.7 million in chips in front of him to Binger's $200,000.
Binger kept his cool despite the huge disadvantage and started clawing his way back into contention. He started shoving in with an ever-growing stack of chips and soon he was taking the chip lead.
On the final hand, Stewart raised $40,000 pre-flop, and Binger called. They saw a flop of 984, and Stewart bet out again to make it $60,000 to go.
Binger popped it up $180,000 and got an all-in from Stewart. Binger nearly insta-called and turned up Q9 for a lead over Stewart's A8.
The rest of the board came TQ to give Binger the win, a $181,379 top prize and a $10,000 seat in the 2009 World Series of Poker Main Event.
The final-table results were:
Place Name Prize
1st Michael Binger $181,379
2nd Ty Stewart $112,675
3rd Jake Solis $77,464
4th Michael McClain $53,777
5th Tay Nguyen $40,653
6th Allen Kessler $31,370
7th Travis Erdman $24,968
8th Bill Bostick $18,566
9th Scott Clements $13,444
UFC UPDATE
Report: Anderson Silva could headline UFC 95, against Chuck Liddell
When the UFC returns to London, England, for a show at The 02, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (23-4 MMA, 8-0 UFC) could headline the event -- possibly in a non-title fight at 205 pounds against Chuck Liddell (21-6 MMA, 16-5 UFC).
The Sun, a reputable newspaper from the U.K., reported the possibility of the UFC 95 main event overnight.
However, neither fighter has been officially booked for the Feb. 21 event, and the Silva-Liddell fight is only being discussed a possiblity.
When the UFC returns to London, England, for a show at The 02, UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (23-4 MMA, 8-0 UFC) could headline the event -- possibly in a non-title fight at 205 pounds against Chuck Liddell (21-6 MMA, 16-5 UFC).
The Sun, a reputable newspaper from the U.K., reported the possibility of the UFC 95 main event overnight.
However, neither fighter has been officially booked for the Feb. 21 event, and the Silva-Liddell fight is only being discussed a possiblity.
UFC 91 SALARIES
UFC 91 salaries: Brock Lesnar ($450k), Randy Couture ($250k) top earners
Headliners Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture were, as expected, the top-paid competitors from the Nov. 15 UFC 91 fight card, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
MMAjunkie.com today requested and received the official disclosed fight purses from the NSAC.
The total payroll for the event, which took place in front of 14,272 spectators at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, was $1,118,000. Nearly two-thirds of it, 63 percent, was paid to Lesnar and Couture.
Headliners Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture were, as expected, the top-paid competitors from the Nov. 15 UFC 91 fight card, according to the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
MMAjunkie.com today requested and received the official disclosed fight purses from the NSAC.
The total payroll for the event, which took place in front of 14,272 spectators at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, was $1,118,000. Nearly two-thirds of it, 63 percent, was paid to Lesnar and Couture.
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