Jerry Yang and poker - a good fit?

Jerry Yang is the new face of poker after winning the 2007 WSOP Main Event.

What Jerry Yang may not have realized as he put down his $10,000 buy-in for the World Series of Poker Main Event is that winning comes with a lot more than just a bracelet and money. It also means taking on the responsibility of being the face of poker for the next year.

The poker world will be watching to see how he does in other tournaments and if he really has what it takes. The whole world will also be looking to him as the primary example of what a champion poker player is like.

So is this a good or bad move for the future of poker? Lets take a look at the pros and cons of Yang representing the game.

Pro: Because he is an older, stable, family man, Yang comes across as trustworthy. He'll give poker a good image once again and hopefully erase some of the damage done by Jamie Gold's behavior.

Gold took a lot of credibility away from the profession after going back on his word in a deal to split his Main Event winnings. Professional players and bettors rely on the credibility of their word, and Gold gave the world the impression that poker players aren't trustworthy.

Con: Like Gold at the 2006 WSOP, Yang's actions at the table were off-putting to some people. Gold came across as a bit arrogant and obnoxious.

Yang came across as obnoxious in a different way with his talk of destiny and God wanting him to win. Some spectators found him a bit annoying.

Pro: He pledged a percentage of his winnings to charity. More and more poker players are looking to give back through their winnings - Barry Greenstein, Phil Gordon and more - and Yang continues a trend that helps give poker players a good image.

Con: While his image is that of a stable, honorable person, Yang isn't the kind of guy who potential young players are going to look up to and want to emulate. Most men in their early 20s aren't going to think a religious man with six children has a glamorous lifestyle they want to emulate.

From an online poker room perspective, Hevad Khan would have been the ideal person from the final table to win. Young, energetic and definitely a strong personality at the poker table, he would have been a great ambassador for the sport for them.

He's also already got a strong presence online after proving that he can multi-table more than 20 tables at a time. That's a person that will be easy to market to the young public looking for some fun and cash all in one.

Pro: He has the rags to riches story that will capture the world's attention. From his humble beginnings in Laos, to his trek to America and his eventual success in business and poker, Yang has the type of story that news outlets clamor for. He'll bring a lot of attention to poker for that reason.

Poker can definitely use the positive press, especially with online poker under attack as part of the banned online gambling in the United States.

If you're only looking short term from a business perspective, Yang may not have the cool suave image needed to get more young players into the game. But in the long run, he's exactly what poker needs to continue to move away from the old, negative gambling image it used to have.

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• Jerry Yang is WSOP Champion
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