Future plans, poker, miscellaneous

A lot has happened since I last blogged. Let’s see…I went to NE and interviewed at Madison and didn’t get it. It would have been a pretty sweet job for me where I would have probably earned an exceptional $38k or so my first year (including stipends) which is unreal for a first year teacher. They called me two days later and said it was a really tough choice (blah blah) and they chose one of the other three interviewees. I was in NE then for about two weeks where we put on our Concordia basketball camp during one of those weeks.

I knew that Concordia’s head coach, Coach Schmidt, wanted me to come back and serve as an assistant, so I decided that I was going to become a Graduate Assistant and start on my Master’s at Concordia. I love being an assistant coach there and the graduate assistant job has some good benefits (free Master’s classes, free apartment, and $4,000 for the year). That is not a bad deal at all, so I decided that I was going to do that. It took us a while to get the paperwork figured out so I hadn’t signed anything yet when I received an unexpected call on the Thursday during camp from the Athletic Director at Broken Bow (NE) high school wanting me to possibly be the head boy’s basketball coach for them. He said they have a full-time para job with it as well as assistant coaching jobs. He wasn’t sure how much they would pay me, but he said the principal would talk to me about that when I came out. I asked Coach Schmidt for permission to explore this as I had a verbal commitment to him. He, without hesitation, told me to check it out. So I scheduled an appointment on the next Tuesday where I would just stop there on my way home to MT.

Before leaving, my good friends Marcus Nathan and Jill Pfeiffer were married in none other than Madison, NE (where she grew up). So after never being in Madison, I was there twice within a few weeks. The wedding was a ton of fun and Leah was a gorgeous bridesmaid. Congrats Marcus and Jill!

Then next day, Sunday, I had to move out of my apartment because Brad had found a roommate for July and I wasn’t going to be back before then. I moved all my stuff to my friend and the head women’s basketball coach, Drew Olson’s, basement. I didn’t realize how much stuff I had. It took all afternoon to move a few blocks.

I spent Monday with Leah’s family in York before taking off Tuesday morning for MT with the stop in Broken Bow, NE. Broken Bow turned out to be more in the middle of nowhere than I thought but the town is about as nice as a town of 3500 people gets. I interviewed there and I was told that I would get $9.10 an hour as a para plus assistant coaching cross country and middle school track. In total, I would have made only 16K a year without benefits. They offered me the job and I told them I would deliberate, but there wasn’t much to deliberate. As cool as it would have been to be the head boy’s basketball coach at a decent sized high school, it just isn’t worth it to move to the middle of nowhere for 16K and coaching all year long. I declined it called coach Schmidt back and said that I would love to be his grad assistant. So it’s nice to have that finalized!

I made it back to MT Tuesday night just in time for my good friend from high school, Colin Gerstner’s bachelor party. We went to a Billings Mustangs (rookie league team for the Cincinnati Reds) game and then went to the bars in downtown Billings. It was a really good time where we spent a lot of the night singing karaoke. The best song of the night was probably when my friend Ryan pulled out “The Thong Song” for his karaoke. Classic… After words, the DJ gave us burned CDs of our performances.

The next three days, I had a bunch of wedding stuff to do for Colin and Jacki’s wedding as I was an usher. Leah and her sister Cammie (who is my sister’s age, sophomore in college) flew into MT the morning of the wedding. The wedding itself was fantastic! It was great to see all of my high school friends all together once again. What an awesome group!

Congrats Colin and Jacki! Thanks for the great time!

After the wedding, I tried to give Leah and Cammie as much of a Montana experience as I could. We went to Ryan’s house where he had a pool party for us all the next day where the music of choice was Ryan’s Thong Song Karaoke. Then I took them on the rims (the 200 ft. cliffs that span the north side of Billings):

I took them to a casino where I had $10 of free machine play that I had saved for them to use at one casino. They send me $5 at a time on Christmas and birthday’s as well as $20 free poker chips when I buy in for $50. They played on the machines for about 90 minutes while I played poker. I made $61 playing 3/6 limit and they made $2.25 after losing their initial $10 of free money. They were pumped to say the least:

I then took them to do one of my favorite free time activities…folfing.

They went and watched me and my church league softball team defeat the best team in the league after we had only one win on the season. This team was sick good as they had all 25-35 year olds who were muscular and athletic. In only my 2nd game that I have been here for, the other outfielders and I must have caught six balls at the fence and watched two go over the fence. We withstood the two homeruns and came back down two runs in the bottom of the last inning to win. It was sweet!

My dad works with a guy that offered to take us white water rafting the Stillwater River, so we did that on Tuesday. This was such a blast! The girls and my family loved doing this. We were able to stop at a spot on the river and cliff jump. That was a cool experience that I’m glad the Nebraska girls were able to do it.

Leah and Cammie then flew out yesterday morning and I decided to get in a good day of poker. I had a bunch of cashes including maybe the biggest collapse in poker in history as I was chipleader by 2 times second place with 10 to go in a 180 man $8 tourney on full tilt. I took 10th and didn’t make the final table…

The night then culminated with a 20th place finish in the daily double A on ftp for like $50 bucks and nice 4th place finish in the $10 8K guaranteed on stars with 1200 people in it for $870. Here are some hand history’s as I got deep in the tourney:

With 32 left, this hand gave me the chip lead:

PokerStars Game #30041544490: Tournament #175253444, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level XXV (2000/4000) - 2009/07/03 1:48:53 ET
Table '175253444 78' 9-max Seat #6 is the button
Seat 1: aless_84 (137133 in chips)
Seat 2: Budha95 (33767 in chips)
Seat 3: Conductor69 (128939 in chips)
Seat 4: PhigNootin (137078 in chips)
Seat 5: jpg1963 (8222 in chips)
Seat 6: missfroggy (99396 in chips)
Seat 7: jarekk (107434 in chips)
Seat 8: CU_bball (193345 in chips)
Seat 9: Mattazz (98208 in chips)
aless_84: posts the ante 500
Budha95: posts the ante 500
Conductor69: posts the ante 500
PhigNootin: posts the ante 500
jpg1963: posts the ante 500
missfroggy: posts the ante 500
jarekk: posts the ante 500
CU_bball: posts the ante 500
Mattazz: posts the ante 500
jarekk: posts small blind 2000
CU_bball: posts big blind 4000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CU_bball [7s 3s]
Mattazz: raises 8000 to 12000
aless_84: folds
Budha95: folds
Conductor69: folds
PhigNootin: folds
jpg1963: calls 7722 and is all-in
missfroggy: calls 12000
jarekk: folds
CU_bball: calls 8000
*** FLOP *** [8s 2h As]
CU_bball: checks
Mattazz: checks
missfroggy: bets 12000
CU_bball: calls 12000
Mattazz: folds
*** TURN *** [8s 2h As] [Jc]
CU_bball: checks
missfroggy: bets 16000
CU_bball: calls 16000
*** RIVER *** [8s 2h As Jc] [4s]
CU_bball: bets 152845 and is all-in
missfroggy: calls 58896 and is all-in
Uncalled bet (93949) returned to CU_bball
*** SHOW DOWN ***
CU_bball: shows [7s 3s] (a flush, Ace high)
missfroggy: shows [8c 8d] (three of a kind, Eights)
CU_bball collected 186626 from side pot
jpg1963: shows [Qh Qs] (a pair of Queens)
CU_bball collected 37388 from main pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 224014 Main pot 37388. Side pot 186626. Rake 0
Board [8s 2h As Jc 4s]
Seat 1: aless_84 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: Budha95 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Conductor69 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: PhigNootin folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: jpg1963 showed [Qh Qs] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 6: missfroggy (button) showed [8c 8d] and lost with three of a kind, Eights
Seat 7: jarekk (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: CU_bball (big blind) showed [7s 3s] and won (224014) with a flush, Ace high
Seat 9: Mattazz folded on the Flop

I was getting incredible odds the entire hand. 73 sooted is gold!

16 left

Table '175253444 78' 9-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 1: aless_84 (81508 in chips)
Seat 2: THENUTSSTL (168616 in chips)
Seat 3: Conductor69 (247771 in chips)
Seat 4: PhigNootin (263165 in chips)
Seat 5: FireRover (190868 in chips)
Seat 7: jarekk (87684 in chips)
Seat 8: CU_bball (410838 in chips)
Seat 9: JZ777 (335628 in chips)
aless_84: posts the ante 750
THENUTSSTL: posts the ante 750
Conductor69: posts the ante 750
PhigNootin: posts the ante 750
FireRover: posts the ante 750
jarekk: posts the ante 750
CU_bball: posts the ante 750
JZ777: posts the ante 750
jarekk: posts small blind 3000
CU_bball: posts big blind 6000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CU_bball [Ks 9s]
JZ777: folds
PhigNootin said, "gg"
aless_84: folds
THENUTSSTL: folds
Conductor69: folds
PhigNootin: raises 12000 to 18000
FireRover: folds
jarekk: folds
CU_bball: calls 12000
*** FLOP *** [9h 4d Ah]
CU_bball: checks
PhigNootin: bets 18000
CU_bball: calls 18000
*** TURN *** [9h 4d Ah] [8d]
CU_bball: checks
PhigNootin: checks
*** RIVER *** [9h 4d Ah 8d] [Qs]
CU_bball: bets 45000
PhigNootin: calls 45000
*** SHOW DOWN ***
CU_bball: shows [Ks 9s] (a pair of Nines)
PhigNootin: mucks hand
CU_bball collected 171000 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 171000 Rake 0
Board [9h 4d Ah 8d Qs]
Seat 1: aless_84 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 2: THENUTSSTL folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 3: Conductor69 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: PhigNootin mucked [Jh 9d]
Seat 5: FireRover (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 7: jarekk (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 8: CU_bball (big blind) showed [Ks 9s] and won (171000) with a pair of Nines
Seat 9: JZ777 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

12 left

PokerStars Game #30042126491: Tournament #175253444, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level XXIX (4000/8000) - 2009/07/03 2:25:57 ET
Table '175253444 78' 9-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: Conductor69 (426171 in chips)
Seat 4: PhigNootin (151415 in chips)
Seat 5: FireRover (192743 in chips)
Seat 7: jarekk (372783 in chips)
Seat 8: CU_bball (422588 in chips)
Seat 9: JZ777 (220378 in chips)
Conductor69: posts the ante 1000
PhigNootin: posts the ante 1000
FireRover: posts the ante 1000
jarekk: posts the ante 1000
CU_bball: posts the ante 1000
JZ777: posts the ante 1000
PhigNootin: posts small blind 4000
FireRover: posts big blind 8000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CU_bball [Ah Qc]
jarekk: raises 16000 to 24000
CU_bball: calls 24000
JZ777: folds
Conductor69: calls 24000
PhigNootin: folds
FireRover: calls 16000
*** FLOP *** [Kd Ac 5c]
FireRover: bets 32000
jarekk: folds
CU_bball: raises 48000 to 80000
Conductor69: folds
FireRover: raises 87743 to 167743 and is all-in
CU_bball: calls 87743
*** TURN *** [Kd Ac 5c] [Qs]
*** RIVER *** [Kd Ac 5c Qs] [9c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
FireRover: shows [Ad Jc] (a pair of Aces)
CU_bball: shows [Ah Qc] (two pair, Aces and Queens)
CU_bball collected 441486 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 441486 Rake 0
Board [Kd Ac 5c Qs 9c]
Seat 3: Conductor69 (button) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: PhigNootin (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: FireRover (big blind) showed [Ad Jc] and lost with a pair of Aces
Seat 7: jarekk folded on the Flop
Seat 8: CU_bball showed [Ah Qc] and won (441486) with two pair, Aces and Queens
Seat 9: JZ777 folded before Flop (didn't bet)

I made it to the active final table 2nd in chips. This hand came up with 8 left. I would have been chip leader had I won.

PokerStars Game #30042600264: Tournament #175253444, $10+$1 Hold'em No Limit - Level XXXII (7000/14000) - 2009/07/03 2:58:41 ET
Table '175253444 78' 9-max Seat #9 is the button
Seat 1: gvemeaset (937993 in chips)
Seat 2: zendoc9 (208728 in chips)
Seat 3: Conductor69 (384921 in chips)
Seat 4: PhigNootin (213415 in chips)
Seat 5: sgs shep (295522 in chips)
Seat 6: GAKler1983 (512495 in chips)
Seat 8: CU_bball (612831 in chips)
Seat 9: JZ777 (317095 in chips)
gvemeaset: posts the ante 1750
zendoc9: posts the ante 1750
Conductor69: posts the ante 1750
PhigNootin: posts the ante 1750
sgs shep: posts the ante 1750
GAKler1983: posts the ante 1750
CU_bball: posts the ante 1750
JZ777: posts the ante 1750
gvemeaset: posts small blind 7000
zendoc9: posts big blind 14000
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to CU_bball [Qs Qc]
Conductor69: folds
PhigNootin: folds
sgs shep: raises 28000 to 42000
GAKler1983: folds
CU_bball: raises 108000 to 150000
JZ777: folds
gvemeaset: folds
zendoc9: folds
sgs shep: raises 143772 to 293772 and is all-in
CU_bball: calls 143772
*** FLOP *** [As 5h 4c]
*** TURN *** [As 5h 4c] [Td]
*** RIVER *** [As 5h 4c Td] [6c]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
sgs shep: shows [Ac Kh] (a pair of Aces)
CU_bball: shows [Qs Qc] (a pair of Queens)
sgs shep collected 622544 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot 622544 Rake 0
Board [As 5h 4c Td 6c]
Seat 1: gvemeaset (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 2: zendoc9 (big blind) folded before Flop
Seat 3: Conductor69 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: PhigNootin folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 5: sgs shep showed [Ac Kh] and won (622544) with a pair of Aces
Seat 6: GAKler1983 folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 8: CU_bball showed [Qs Qc] and lost with a pair of Queens
Seat 9: JZ777 (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
I only played 5 hands at the final table because it was so active. There was rarely a steal that did not get resistance. I eventually pushed KQ as the short stack over a raiser and he had AK to eliminate me. I’ll take it though.

Future plans (I’ll try to make this quick)

This next week, lots of poker and softball post season tourney. I am going to Nebraska early next week where on the 15th I am going to help move the new weight room equipment into our new weight room at Concordia. Our new athletic facility is sick!

The 16th I will most likely move into my new apartment in Seward (I’m dreading moving my stuff again).

The 17th, we have a team camp to put on.

July 27-30, I am going to work the University of Nebraska basketball camp for the 2nd year in a row.

I will then probably leave the 31st for Cleveland where I will stay with my friend, David Jabs until the 2nd. I will then drive to Bethlehem, PA to see Dave Anderson and work the Lehigh University basketball camp that he is in charge of August 3-7.

On the 7th then, my friend Brandon flies into Atlantic City. Dave and I will meet him there for hopefully four successful days of rounding and having fun.

I will then return to NE and start school!

Happy 22nd birthday today to my awesome girlfriend Leah! Congrats to her for getting a K-5 PE teaching job in Grand Island, NE! We will be about an hour away for each other this year which will be tough but doable.