tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1869684927662694124.post3397196437828332991..comments2024-01-08T14:43:18.547+01:00Comments on Fredrik Paulsson: Tiffany Michelle and the WSOPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07901863272605053446noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1869684927662694124.post-78735185144081285772008-07-16T10:59:00.000+02:002008-07-16T10:59:00.000+02:00Okay, have to stir the pot. I believe that you're...Okay, have to stir the pot. I believe that you're right about the attention being mostly a result of her hawtness, but I don't agree with this Poker Grump person about it not being interesting or important.<BR/><BR/>When I was studying for a PhD in math we had a guest lecturer whose name I don't remember, but the emails that came out pointed out in several ways that he was the "first African-American mathematician to do this or that." One of our professors replied, irritated that this was considered important, and why does it matter what color the guy is? Does that make people more likely to go to his lecture?<BR/><BR/>I wrote him back and told him that yes, in fact, it <I>does</I> make some people more likely. In our class of 50 grad students, one was black -- I bet it made him more likely to attend. If it had been a female lecutrer, I'd have been more likely to attend. Why? Because we were definitely minorities in the context, and people like to have a role-model and see that "hey, he/she did it; I can do it, too."<BR/><BR/>In the context of poker, a black player isn't that interesting. Being black doesn't seem to be considered a detriment to one's poker abilities (although people <I>do</I> cock an eyebrow to see a black mathematics professor). And you've got Phil Ivy, so that is sort of old news. However, it is, as you say, a "boys' club," and you point out that a woman has never been at the final table. So the possibility of it happening for the first time is interesting both for male and female spectators.<BR/><BR/>If you still think the race or gender of a person should be uninteresting when we've agreed that neither suggest a diminished ability to do the job, take a moment to recall the current presidential race. ;)Tildyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09182066578207373411noreply@blogger.com