Friday, 29th March 2024 04:49
Home / Uncategorized / WSOP 2015: Who’s your Daddy? Negreanu considers personal donation

 

Daniel Negreanu_WSOP_d2c.jpg
When you’re an internationally famous poker player you have to expect a few things from out of the blue. More so when your name is Daniel Negreanu.

Only this week the Team PokerStars Pro played a crucial role in the public betrothal of two people during the lunch break of the Main Event. Today, he was asked to focus on another aspect of the relationship arc, and help with, well, conception.

I went to check up on Negreanu’s progress on Day 2C of the Main Event. If asked I’d say that progress was now “advanced”.

For one thing Negreanu was not in his seat. His chips, along with his phone and glasses case were there, just not him. Instead he was a few feet away on the rope line, where a pretty blond girl in a tight vest and red lipstick was talking to him from amid a large crowd of middle aged men and women, who were trying not to pry.

It’s not unusual for Negreanu to get his kind of attention. Folk flock to him for pictures or signatures on anything from caps, t-shirts or body parts. His popularity is based on his willingness to engage. But then this was a different kind of engagement.

The girl leaned in close and whispered in his ear. Negreanu, paused, and then grinned. “I’ve never been asked that before,” he said. “But not in a jar, I prefer the old fashioned way.”

I suppose there could have been a few people of sheltered and wholesome upbringing who were oblivious to what he’d been asked. So Negreanu removed any doubt as he re-took his seat.

“She asked me to be a sperm donor,” he said, and laughed again. So we all laughed, because as men we didn’t know what else to do.

“Ah, the World Series of Poker…” sighed Negreanu, before turning back to his new friend on the rail. “You didn’t mean today, did you? I’m busy.”

Again, the folk in polo shirts and comfortable shoes, here to watch Negreanu and Phil Ivey – at the adjacent table – shuffled their feet. Sure, they were here to watch Negreanu do his stuff, just not that kind of stuff.

“You guys dating already?” asked Armen Hejinan in the seat next to Negreanu.

“Apparently,” laughed Negreanu, who had just had his photo taken with the girl as she planted an enormous kiss on his left cheek. It had left a comic book mark in red lipstick, the same colour as his wristwatch.

“She seems such a wholesome girl,” said Hejinan.

A little while later the girl waved goodbye and headed off, leaving Negreanu to get his head back in the game, which is difficult without a cold shower. Hejinan pointed at his cheek, taking a photo to show Negreanu the evidence.

“Holy s***” said Negreanu. “You’re not kidding.”

Back at the start of play Negreanu had tweeted his intention for the day. Needless to say this was not in it. But to recap, Negreanu has this week been asked to assist with a proposal, and conception.

Next up: delivery.

Stephen Bartley is a staff writer for the PokerStars Blog.

Study Poker with Pokerstars Learn, practice with the PokerStars app