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From the poker blog on ESPN.com, the complete article can be found at
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/inde...mp;lid=tab1pos1
A snippet:
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"There might be a story,'' Gold said, "if I dump at the end because I don't want to be famous.''
Excuse me? "Dump at the end''? Isn't it every player's dream to win this one event?
"I don't want to be famous,'' Gold said while sitting in the Bodog lounge before Day 6 of the event Monday. "I'm not sure if I want to win. And I'm in control of that.''
The stunning epiphany hit the 36-year-old Malibu, Calif., resident earlier that morning.
"I just thought about what would happen if I won,'' Gold said. "Out of the goodness of their heart, a lot of people would feel like they needed to talk to me, they'd want to know what I was doing, cameras would follow me around. I don't want my life on display. I don't have anything to hide. I'm just not that person. I've always been behind other people. I like making other people famous. I'm not comfortable being in the spotlight. I like my private life.
"I also don't want to be responsible for being the ambassador of poker or anything like that. What Greg Raymer does is amazing. Good for him. I'm not looking to quit my job. I like the job I do. I don't need the money. I'm not doing this for the money. I love the competition.''
The money, though. It's $12 million.
"The money will help my father,'' Gold said. "But $6 million will help him, too. I would rather come in second.''
Suddenly, this raises the question of the way he might play his hands. The integrity issue comes into play.
"I haven't decided what I'm doing,'' he said. "If it's inappropriate, I won't do it. I'm just telling you that if I had to plan it out, coming in second would be more satisfying to me.''
But the bracelet represents the greatest accomplishment that this competition offers, a place among the greats.
"I want to win,'' he said. "I don't want to be famous.''
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I can see where he's coming from, but to state this publicly ahead of time is pretty stupid IMO.