So the dominoes keep falling in the online poker world… Neteller is now free from the noxious world of gambling, and free to enter the world of stress-free bankruptcy. I pulled my last few hundred dollars from their coffers earlier today. After all, I was only using them as financial conduit to the poker sites. Once that particular circuit is broken, I have no further need for them. I suspect hundreds, maybe thousands, will use the same reasoning and strip Neteller of their available cash.

Oddly, all this comes at a time when Mrs. Commish is actively encouraging me to play in poker tournaments. She’s seen the benefits of a positive poker cash flow, and now she’s almost planning on it. The trouble is that the variance pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction, I can hardly see it. Last night, I lost in a HORSE multi with three pairs (aces up) against pocket kings that rivered his two-outer. Earlier in a SnG, my AK was rivered by AT that spiked his ten.

One thing that I have done very well in my online poker experience is ride out the bad swings in variance without busting. I’ve been able to scale my activity back to the $5-10 SnGs until statistical probability regains its foothold. One thing I haven’t done well in my online poker experience is ride the positive wave up to the bigger rewards. I’ve topped out at the $30 range for the most part, content to build my bankroll at the more modest levels. If and when the math actually starts working, I’m planning to move up in buy-ins more aggressively.

Anyway, in other non-poker stuff…

- American Idol has become a retard-fest. While the Minnesota show was merely pathetic and devoid of talent, the Seattle show was inexplicably filled with freaks and sub-humans. It was almost like Howard Stern sent his Wack Pack to the tryouts just to fuck with Simon Cowell. They gave more camera time to a pair of mongoloid double-digit IQ’s than they did to the legitimately talented singers.

- It seems that the Grease tryouts had more talented people than Idol. Of course, it was still filled with delusional ex-high-school-thespians (“But I played Danny Zucko in the school play!”) and the occasional midlife crisis victims (“This might be my chance to make it to Broadway”). Some went so far as to suggest physical similarities to John Travolta, ignoring the fact that he’s now over 50 years old and 50 lbs heavier than his Grease days. Anyway, this is the talent equivalent of “The Bachelor” compared to the Idol equivalent of “Flavor of Love”.

- Great trade by the Warriors, even if it means picking up a legitimate psychopath in Stephen Jackson. They unloaded two contracts totaling $80M for the next four years, meaning that they will have cap space to sign Biedrins and Monta Ellis to long-term deals. All they need to do now is get Adonal Foyle to retire (possibly by buying out his contract and setting up a foundation for his charitable work), and they’ll be able to actually build a team.

- The NFL is almost entirely off my radar now. But I feel compelled to speak out against Marty Shitforbrainsheimer and his complete lack of coaching prowess during the playoff game against New England. He committed four key blunders to cost them the game.

- (1) When it’s 4th and long for the other team, a good COACH tells his players to “knock it down”. Don’t leave it up to the players. Tell them. That’s why you’re there.

- (2) When the other team is driving for a go-ahead field goal, you don’t waste a timeout on a pointless challenge that wasn’t even close to being overturned. That extra timeout would’ve come in handy during that last drive. Asshole.

- (3) When you have 9 seconds left, and you’re on the ragged edge of field goal range for your kicker, you run a 10-15 out pattern on the sideline to try and get him closer. It’s a timing pass, so it won’t take more than 6 seconds, especially when you’re at home. There’s a big difference between a 54-yard figgie and a 44-yard figgie.

- (4) Oh, and when you have the best running back in the galaxy, you give him the frickin’ ball more than 23 times! They ran two screen passes and averaged 30+ yards, so the logical thing to do is stop running them, right? Dumbass.

- I can’t stand either of the NFC teams and I’m sick of both of the AFC teams. If Chicago wins, Rex Grossman will be the worst Super Bowl quarterback since David Woodley (yes, I think Trent Dilfer, Stan Humphries, and Kerry Collins were better). If New Orleans wins, we’ll be subjected to two weeks of Katrina-this and recovery-that. Blah blah blah. You’re kidding yourself if you don’t think the NFL is rooting for New Orleans. Expect Chicagoans to start complaining about the refereeing before the national anthem is over.

- This will be Peyton’s chance. New England isn’t that good. No more Ty Law or Rodney Harrison. If not Sunday, then we’re gonna hafta think that it will be never.

- Colts 27, Pats 24. Saints 21, Bears 17. Peyton vs. Payton in the Super Bowl.