First off, can I make a motion that we strike the word 'blog' from the world's collective memory? Just wipe it out like in that movie starring Will Smith. Was that Bad Indepence Boys(in Black) I, or II? No matter. I'd like that, though, I really would. Who's with me? Because if you're not with me, you're against me. And you don't want to be against me.

Last night was another installment in the Riverush Poker series, being hosted by one of my favorite brewpubs in Minneapolis: Rock Bottom Brewery. I know it's a chain brewpub, but goddamn it, sometimes this guy just needs to throw a wrench in his beer-drinking spokes. I can't survive on Miller Lite alone.

After 5 weeks and 11 tournaments, I find myself tied for 3rd with my roommate. 1st place is currently being held down by another buddy, with 2nd locked securely be a guy that is actually a decent, solid player. Strange for a freeroll, I know. As far as rankings go, well, they really don't mean shit. Almost everyone that plays will get into the finals, and points are pretty much just for bragging rights. But it's nice to say "I'm #3! I'm #3!", even if it's while sucking my thumb in the fetal position, hunkered down in the corner of a soiled bathroom stall, all because I'm not #1.

So, back to the freeroll. I'm sitting in what would be the 5s. Since there's no real dealer spot, I could very well be in the 1s or 9s, but this is my story, so I'm sticking with the 5s. My buddy, Antony had just been moved to my table and settled in the 8s. True to form, he starts telling jokes, and in no time has made new best friends out of everyone else at the table.

"So, how did hear about Riverush?" he asked of the guy sitting immediately to his left.

"I was looking for something else and stumbled across someone's write up in a random poker blog." the guy said.

This is the point in the conversation I should've stood up and went to the bathroom. Across the street, in the next county, wherever. The last place I wanted to be was sitting at the table listening to my buddy talk, because I knew where this going. And I didn't like it.

Did I get up? Of course not.

"Oh? Which blog? My buddy has a poker blog." Anthony divulged while pointing in my direction. I used the "who me?" defense, where you look behind you expecting that someone is standing directly behind you, and hopefully they're talking about them. When you turn back around, you point to yourself and say "who? ME?"

I still don't know how Anythony knew I have a site solely devoted to poker, because I never told him. And though I realize that people actually read this drivel periodically, I still haven't come to terms that friends come here and read this, even if I don't tell them about it. It makes me wonder who else is out there lurking, not telling me that they're reading.

Mom? Just to be on the safe side, I'm going to go ahead and publicly apologize for being an embarrassment to the entire family.

"What's the name of your blog, Chad? Pokeramarama? Blogspot, right?" Anthony asked, rendering the who me? defense useless because he used my name.

"Yeah, yeah. That's where I heard about Riverush!" the other guy interrupted before I could answer.

Again, a little weirded out that he hit my site's adress right on the nose. And even more weirded out that some random guy from Minneapolis had read my blog. But this time I couldn't act like I didn't hear them and confirmed that I am, indeed, the infamous 'Ramarama'.

"You bettah recognize, bitches"

That's what I wanted to say. But I didn't. I tried to change the subject tout de suite, but it didn't work. The guy sitting on Anthony's other side even asked him to repeat my site address because he wanted to check it out, too. Oy. How am I supposed to berate everyone when they all read this? You can see my dilemma.

So, hello to the guy that got knocked out because you thought you had the straight(you didn't), and to the guy that outlasted me by one spot, only because you had more chips than I did going into the hand. Honestly, how can I expect my 10's to get run down by quad 3's? QUAD FUCKING 3's!

Goddamn, I suck at poker.