Doug Polk had a bad weekend.
The ex-pro has been finding his return to poker a little tougher than he initially expected. He’s putting on a good face and trading schoolyard taunts with Negreanu and the rest. But he has been taking a pasting in his practice games.
After having to swallow a huge downswing initially, he had just crawled back up to near even when he moved up to $100/$200 and was hit by another downswing. On Friday he tweeted: “First -100k day in a long time. It’s good to be back.”
First -100k day in a long time. It's good to be back.
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 16, 2020
Adversity sometimes breeds humility, but not today.
Polk followed his loss tweet with another the next day, saying he was taking “the twitter trash talk down a notch.”
We have lost a couple hundred k over the last couple days, so at this point there is no option but to have a little common decency and take the twitter trash talk down a notch.
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
This served as an intro to an epic run of trash talk.
Twain, Mencken, Polk?
Naturally first up in this rogue’s gallery of roasting was Daniel Negreanu. “It’s one thing to talk about f***ing the pros, its another to follow through.”
I actually have a lot of respect for @RealKidPoker. He's a man of his word.
Its one thing to talk about fucking the pros, its another to follow through 👍
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
Given Polk’s recent run-in with Christian Soto, it made sense that Soto would be up next in the pro’s sights.
“[Soto] may not have the talent, or the bankroll, or the heart, or good comebacks, or… But he’s still out here every day […]”
Polk clearly takes the view that repetition is a form of comedy…
Christian Soto never gives up. He may not have the talent, or the bankroll, or the heart, or good comebacks, or…
But he's still out here every day, trying his best. And that's something.
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
… repetition is a form of comedy.
Most of these slaggings follow the same format:
“Matt Berkey is a class act. There’s a lot of […] people trying to profit from quality products […] Instead he made @SolveForWhyTV”
“Luke Schwartz is an inspiration […] He keeps getting back up, stepping in the ring, and losing some more.”
Etc…
Matt Berkey is a class act. There's a lot of training sites these days, with people trying to profit from quality products that make the games tougher.
Instead he made @SolveForWhyTV
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
Luke Schwartz is an inspiration.
Most losing players would throw in the towel. But not Luke. He keeps getting back up, stepping in the ring, and losing some more. That's determination. pic.twitter.com/Jz9h9lnBoe
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
Hit ’em where it hurts
Some of the blows land a little harder — as with his swing at Mike Postle, who used (allegedly) his phone to cheat in live-streamed games:
“Mike Postle taught me If you put your head down and work hard, you can achieve anything you set your mind too. Especially if your phone is in your lap.”
Mike Postle taught me If you put your head down and work hard, you can achieve anything you set your mind too. Especially if your phone is in your lap. pic.twitter.com/uAD9SzxQ4z
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
Meanwhile, other jibes feel like a stretch: “You can’t go about life without purpose, you have to have an angle. I learned that from Alec Torelli”
Here he is referring to a two-year-old, probably accidental, chip stacking angle-shoot on Torelli’s part.
You can't go about life without purpose, you have to have an angle. I learned that from Alec Torelli pic.twitter.com/JmX2l2HaME
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
Polk kicks down at lower stakes players, too: “Johnnie Vibes[…], he’s been winning at $2/$5 for 12 years.”
And kicks up at those in the big league like Antonio Esfandiari. He captions a picture of Esfandiari at Burning man with, “[E]ven if you didnt go to burning man, you are not going to be able to avoid hearing about it.”
A true sign of poker greatness is standing the test of time. Johnnie Vibes is the king of that throne, he's been winning at $2/$5 for 12 years. pic.twitter.com/VxxTr4COKG
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
The high stakes poker community taught me a valuable lesson, that even if you didnt go to burning man, you are not going to be able to avoid hearing about it. pic.twitter.com/IN1eUI7Jx7
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
But at least Polk ends on a positive note with his shout out to Phil Galfond.
“Phil Galfond is a really nice guy. What? Were you expecting something more?”
Phil Galfond is a really nice guy.
What? Were you expecting something more? pic.twitter.com/HrJedTQ3Hz
— Doug "Truck Driver" Polk (@DougPolkVids) October 17, 2020
Featured image source: Flickr