Yes, I’m alive… And yes, I still play poker

What a crazy time it’s been over the last two months!

As if covering the Vikings for KFAN hasn’t been exciting enough during the Favre Era, I’ve also been working like a madman with Bryan Mileski to launch the Minnesota State Poker Tour — something we began working on in early June.

Not to mention, we also spent nearly every night from September 23 through October 23 at either Running Aces or Canterbury for the Midwest Poker Classic and Fall Poker Classic.

Of course, I didn’t play AT ALL because my schedule simply won’t allow it.

Even though the nightly tournament coverage has come to an end, our work is only beginning. Launching the Minnesota State Poker Tour is a full-time job in itself, and it’s given me a new appreciation for anybody who attempts to start something business-related from complete scratch.

So far, so good. We’re spreading the word about the “Tour Launch” event at Canterbury Park, December 9-14, 2009. I can’t emphasize this enough… You will not find a better tournament structure in Minnesota.

I can’t explain how torturous it’s been to sit and watch poker tournaments over the last two months — as well as plan for a poker tour — without being able to actually play. I knew my free time would be non-existent after September, and it will continue to be that way until the Vikings are finished (hopefully in February!).

But it’s interesting how almost everyone I’ve met at casinos and cardrooms probably assumes I don’t play poker. They’ve never seen me play. I want to show what I can do on the live felt, but it’ll almost certainly have to wait until 2010 at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs Minnesota State Poker Tour event.

My time will come

Phil Mackey is a sports radio personality at 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. He's also the editor and publisher of Minnesota Poker Magazine, and the co-founder of the Minnesota State Poker Tour. Contact Phil at phil@mnpokermag.com