Kinda Like Elementary School

[ozone480]

Dear Zab & the PokerOwned family members,

I just wanted to share my own personal experience as a new member of the site,so that maybe in the future,things might improve in similar situations,thus adding to the greatness of PokerOwned's potential. I really do believe that PO could be such a jewel-if certain elements were more positive. When I first signed up I was having a blast and felt nothing but optimism and enthusiasm for my new favorite club. I know I am pretty clueless about poker, but learning by playing the PO freerolls at Carbon was the best thing since sliced bread as far as any cool freerollin opps i've ever had the honor of being a part of...I was super enthused!!!
I think the promotions and contests here at PO are some of the most creative and fun i have ever known a poker forum to have, especially to those of us who might have a missing poker-intelligence chromosome;which retards a player's aptitude for learning and improvement in poker skills, regardless of how much they practice or apply themselves to learning the game. Yes, i totally just made that up just now,but i may be afflicted with the deficiency i just described. haha,.... Because of the cute contests here involving donkeys, I felt better about playing like a jackass and was very comfortable in my blissful poker ignorance,and was not fazed by the ridicule evoked each time i played a tournament. I was quite sure that all of the clownin was all in good fun,since i'm not a malicious person and I am genuinely poker-dumb. I figured it was a phase every poker player goes thru til they get better. So when i was made into the village idiot at every game i played thru PO, i even participated with some of the commenters,cause I know i play horribly,and I'm sure I must anger many players, but i never maliciously intend to ruin anyone's time/day/night by bumbling it up thru my play-and so i felt badly about doing that but was glad that there are so many PO freeroll opps ongoing.
Not soon after a few handfuls of PO tourney play at Carbon, I found myself feeling differently about the way I -and players just like myself, I suppose-are treated at the freerolls...I was affected by a comment made to me during a game, and slowly but surely began to develop a feeling of negative sorts about how I view my time spent here at PokerOwned. I honestly wish I could uninstall programs in my brain so that i would never be affected emotionally by the words of ANY other player no matter WHAT they say-because it sucks that members can be the reason Zab loses affiliate spiffs by acting like jerks and bitter old hens with poor sportsmanship etiquette at the tables and here at PO. Although so many of you may feel as if your status earns you the right to behave in a certain way at any poker table and perhaps especially at your most frequented forums,can you honestly say that you can see a real benefit resulting from saying sh*tty things and putting down players who are clearly beginners in all ways,unlike you and lacking the skill to ever come close to catching up with your skill level?? Is that how you best learned any subject while growing up: by the teachers insulting your naivete as kids in higher grades were clucking catty insults on the side although they knew they would never really be affected and it wasn't ever really their concern?? I don't know anyone at PO personally nor do I knowanything about their personal values. I can only share what mine convey: As a team people are able to accomplish infinite challenges,and i believe in applying that to life in all aspects. So i have always tried to be a good teammate to a newbie, just as i would a brother or sister. Now, I know that when competing for a prize its all about the prize and we can act as rivals til its over...but the EXTRA heaps of bitter,hen-pecked, poor sportsmanship comments are really not going to benefit anyone,in my opinion. I've really decreased my time here at the forum because I don't think ppl should remain somewhere that makes them feel sad or not positive,etc. I have mixed feelings about that fact as well, because i truly admire Zab's brainchild (the forum) and believe that greatness deserves rewards. Unfortunately,some things cannot be avoided, and though member dedication,loyalty,and contribution thru play and all other activities may not always be something he can control, I feel that my issue is one which CAN be improved in the future for other members, and I wish for the forum to have that quality on their list of award-winning features. Really,Zab, I do hope for the best for PokerOwned. You have extraordinary ideas here.

I don't mean ANY disrespect by posting this letter; I just wanted to share my feelings about my experience here,because maybe ppl don't even realize how mean their chat comments are or how hurtful they can be. Surely no one is deliberately trying to make the place less appealing ON PURPOSE, but I think that if it was my forum I would see any negative affectation to be a concern. As a person, I might or might not feel the need to have my faults pointed out by a flunkie,,,on second thought,YES i would. Anyone who wants to be an unkind person and thinks other ppl's feelings are not worth a rat's ass must be a true Gargamel past the point of return so I salute you guys as well. I like integrity, though, and I aim to never stop adding to mine. To those of you who are dignified and valiant, I appreciated it so much; u should not stop being the bomb! *chippy... -something sorry I can't remember ur forum name - I noticed that u r an excellent demonstrator of good sportsmanship etiquette,BTW.

Ok i'm done crying my RIVER. haha play on poker terminology word. Thanks for reading.

[StephyMarieC]

I'm sorry your experience has been bad in the freerolls. People should always treat newcomers with respect. Let the moderators and Zab know when there's an issue.

[azreal1]

"So when i was made into the village idiot at every game i played thru PO, i even participated with some of the commenters,cause I know i play horribly,and I'm sure I must anger many players, but i never maliciously intend to ruin anyone's time/day/night"
this bit really stuck out, the only reason u are getting ridiculed is because u admit to playing badly improve your play and the torments will stop, the issue is that from the sounds of it on the tables u started to chat back and from the sounds of it almost insited some of the ridicule...there are many passionate poker players on the site who get donked in big as well as the small tourneys here and its frustrating poker is not a hard game to grasp it really isnt
i too am sorry to hear that you have had a bad time here but im sorry it sounds like u have brought it upon yourself play more, get better and turn your chat off on the tables ull soon see ure game and your experience improves