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Phil Hellmuth upon winning his 11th WSOP bracelet

Some of my earliest memories are of my father taking me to the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore to watch guys like Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray play the game of baseball. When you grow up as an Orioles fan, it is simply rooted in your blood to absolutely despise the Yankees. As much as I like to complain about Steinbrenner and his team, the humbling truth is that the Yankees are indeed the most accomplished sports organization on the planet. As much as it pains me, I have to admit that they are the best.

Phil Hellmuth Jr. scored his 11th World Series of Poker bracelet in June. I expect that record to fall relatively soon. No, I am not implying it will go to Doyle Brunson or Johnny Chan. I expect that record to be 12, and maybe 13, within the next couple of years to the hands of Hellmuth himself. He has cashed at the World Series more than any other player in history and shows no signs of slowing down.

He is the hungriest and most driven player that I have ever met. I have had the fortune of talking with him several times during the past few years. He is passionate about life, family, and fully dedicated to poker. His main drive and focus is his legacy. He aims to be remembered as the greatest poker player to ever live. With that in mind, he simply lives for the World Series. I once asked him what the World Series meant to him. He took on a serious tone to flatly and boldly stated, “It means everything.” All of the other tournaments and games that he partakes in during the remainder of the year are simply viewed as a warm-up or tuneup for the Series.

I understand that Phil is a volatile character. His antics in front of the TV cameras have been well-documented, over-hyped, and over-played. With that in mind, I know that many fans of poker do not like the man. Well, folks, it is officially time to tip our collective hats. Put your feelings aside. He is simply the best in poker, especially if you talk specifically about the best no-limit hold’em players. All of his 11 bracelets were won in hold’em tournaments. He’s won countless major and minor titles in this genre of play, including the 2005 heads-up championship. He has shown consistently impressive, unprecedented results since the late 80’s.

You can go to your favorite poker website to debate on the message boards about his boorish behavior and etiquette faux pas in the card room. You might be able to yap about how he markets himself too much when he sells his goods online and in commercials. You can even bash on him about being planned as a cast member on next season’s Surreal Life on VH1. But you now have absolutely no room to question his ability at the table. Much like the Yankees, his record stands for itself. He will stand in the record books of poker history as the most accomplished and feared NLHE player to every play the game. Phil Hellmuth: Simply the Best.

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