A pair of eights was all it took to decide one of the biggest tournaments yet at Caesars World Series of Poker circuit event as that hand was enough for a $61,599 cash out of a $190,120 prize pool. Amateur player Paul Vogel, 42, of Merrick N.Y. won a $1,000 + $80 No Limit Hold’em tournament, Event 7 on the schedule, after nearly 100 hands of heads-up action with the No. 2 finisher, Keith Crowder, 39 of Philadelphia. Crowder took home $32,320.

Paul Vogel

Vogel entered the final table as the chip leader, but Crowder nearly drew even with him at one point. The final hand had Crowder drawing on and Ace, Queen after the flop with Vogel holding his pair. The eights held up and Vogel won the WSOP ring at stake.
Vogel plays mostly online, he told the WSOP blog, but has competed twice in the WSOP Main Event.
The tournament was the third largest buy-in of the event, but several of the event’s tournaments have approached $60,000 for the top cash. A $1,500 + $100 deep-stack tournament began Wednesday and the circuit event’s main tournament, a $4,900 + $250 event starts Friday (March 12). The winner of that tournament gets a $10,000 seat at the WSOP Main event in July at the Rio in Las Vegas. Go here to follow the circuit event and here for a schedule of tournaments.

Caesars Atlantic City apparently isn’t content to simply offer a major World Series of Poker circuit event this week, which includes a Friday main event with a likely $1 million plus prize pool. Nope, they’re spicing things up at their poker tables with a little lingerie action. Well, stockings anyway.

The first ever Caesars Stockings and Bonds Poker Tournament takes place Saturday (March 13^th) at 6:30pm in the Palladium Ballroom. The tournament carries a $500 buy-in with players starting with $8,000 in chips while receiving special treatment from models in “stockings.” (That’s Caesars’ quote marks by the way and we really don’t know how else to interpret the word “stockings,” but we are intrigued.)

According to the casino, “participants will be pampered with neck and shoulder massages while sipping on their favorite drinks during play and will receive VIP access to the official Stockings and Bonds After Party at Dusk nightclub. Contestants who make it through the tournament on Saturday will win a spot to the final table round on Sunday at 11am, where one lucky winner will receive the highest stake in the $30,000 guaranteed prize pool and a coveted seat at the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas.”

Coincidentally, the winner of Friday’s WSOP circuit event also gets a $10,000 seat at WSOP Main Event in July at The Rio in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, we have another winner at the circuit event with Rohan Long, a real estate broker from Windsor Conn. taking home $32,592 in Event 6 of the tournament. Long found himself all in eight times during the tournament, but sucked out and survived each time, eventually settling  with the runner-up for the win. You can follow the WSOP action here and check out Caesars tournament schedules here.

Jeff Bridges

During last night’s Oscar telecast, when I saw that The Hurt Locker beat Avatar head-to-head for sound editing and sound mixing, I knew I should have stuck to my guns. For most of the Oscar season I was prepared to call the best picture race for The Hurt Locker and Kathryn Bigelow for best director. However, in a move my late father and racetrack fanatic Harry Hoffman would appreciate, I played a hunch at the last minute. I suddenly decided that Avatar would win best picture.

Well that hunch ruined my perfect record in the main categories, as I otherwise nailed it with my selections of Jeff Bridges for best actor, Sandra Bullock for best actress, Mo’Nique for supporting actress, Christoph Waltz for best supporting actor and Bigelow for best director. A delighted Barbra Streisand handed the Oscar to Bigelow, who became the first woman to win the best director prize from the Academy.

Sandra Bullock

Bullock and Bridges might be the nicest actress-actor combo in the history of the awards; their humble and heartfelt speeches reflected their likability.

I’ve noted many times that I don’t really care about the show as television entertainment; I care about the awards. That said, I was a tad disappointed with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin as the hosts, because I had high expectations. As Simon Cowell might complain, nothing they did was particularly memorable, no great ad-libs, and the scripted remarks were pretty bland and generic.

And while I understand why the honorary Oscars were given out at a ceremony in November to shave time from last night’s broadcast, I wouldn’t have minded an ten extra minutes to see the speeches from Hollywood icons Roger Corman and Lauren Bacall.

Also, although it didn’t generate as much buzz as Bigelow’s win, Geoffrey Fletcher, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, was the first African American to earn a best screenplay Oscar

As an Oscar junkie who enjoyed veal Oscar as my pre-ceremony meal, I checked out the post-Oscar action backstage that was broadcast on the E Channel, including coverage of the parties and the press interviews. Mo’Nique ruled during her press conference. She ignored the woman in charge of picking out the members of the press to ask her questions and decided for herself whose questions she wanted to answer, which she did with passion and a sense of humor, sugar. It was unexpected and hilarious.

In conclusion, I was happy with the outcome last night.

On Saturday, March 6, at the Carnegie Library of the Richard Stockton College (located in Atlantic City at Martin Luther King Blvd. and Pacific Avenue), the 101 Women Plus, Inc. organization will present a program with a theme of “Positively Positive Women and their Visions for Success” from noon-3pm.

The honorees and speakers include:

ANGELA BURTON — LOCAL SONG STYLIST, ARTIST, AND INTERNATIONAL  ENTERTAINER

LAURIE CARTER — A.C.H.S. WOMEN’fS BASKETBALL COACH  AND GUIDANCE COUNSELOR

W. MAE KENT —  VINELAND RESIDENT, AUTHOR  OF “TITANIC: The Untold Story”

DR. ANNIE  PETTIT-NELSON — LOCAL GYNOCOLOGIST, WOMEN’S CHOICE CENTER

VERNICE  HARRIS TURNER — OCEAN CITY NATIVE, WOMAN GOLFER (POSTHUMOUSLY) (Represented by her daughter, Madelyn  Turner);

TURIYA S.  RAHEEM ~ LOCAL ATLANTIC CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL GRADUATE AND  AUTHOR

The event is free and open to the public. For more info, call 348-3654.

THE 101 WOMEN PLUS, INC. describes itself as “an organization of women and men dedicated to serving the Greater Atlantic City region by creating an awareness of issues and problems affecting the well-being of the community by disseminating information through forums, public meetings and the media.” Its chairperson is Barbara Gilliam.

Public Affairs person for the group, Cecil Callender Jr. tells us that this is the 22nd year of the program. The 101 Women Plus, Inc. group (”the ‘Plus’ is for us men,” says Callender) celebrated its 25th anniversary last year.

“This year’s program is going to spotlight six women from various fields,” says Callender. “It will be them explaining the different ways and obstcles they had to overcome to become sfccessful.”

The program, he says, is intended for all ages, especially area youth.

“Young people can get ideas about different people’s fields that they might not understand. And we have two authors this year. We try to bring in locals so that they can expose people in the area on how to [get into] to different fields that they may be succesful in too.”

The program usually brings out about 75-100 people. It’s been held at the Carnegie Library for the past four years. Before that at, it’s been held at the Atlantic City Free Public Library, the MLK Complex and the Uptown Complex in Atlantic City.

The program will be recorded and may be televised, says Callender.

Coming up, the group has a fundraiser in April at the Chelsea in Atlantic City — a luncheon where the group gives out its annual scholarships and honors community people.

As big a tradition as A.C. Restaurant Week seems to have started in its second year, is the tradition of participating restaurants getting such a strong response from the public that they extend the deals for another week.

The Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Authority announced Friday that at least 29 of the about 80 participating restaurants will continue to offer the special menus and deals until March 13 and possibly longer.

Restaurant Week, which technically ends Saturday March 6, features prix fixe lunch ($15.10) and dinner ($33.10) menus. For info on the prix fixe menus go here.

The restaurants extending the deals are:

- 6ix A Bistro-Atlantic City–340-1555
- Arturo’s-Atlantic City–340-6709
- Casa di Napoli-Atlantic City–343-4340
- Continental Restaurant-Atlantic City–674-8300
- East Bay Crab & Grille-Egg Harbor Township–272-7721
- Evo Restaurant-Atlantic City-(Extending until Wed.)–441-0400
- Gallagher’s NY Steakhouse at Resorts-Atlantic City–340-6555
- Johnny’s Cafe-Margate–822-1789
- Josephs @ Renault Winery-Egg Harbor City- 965-2111
- Knife & Fork Inn-Atlantic City-(Lunch menu) –344-1133
- LaFontana Bistro @ Carolines by the Bay-Somers Point–601-2191
- LaFontana Fine Italian Cuisine-Margate-(Dinner only)- 822-7460
- Laguna Grill Restaurant & Martini Bar-Brigantine–266-7731
- Los Amigos Restaurant-Atlantic City–344-2293
- Megan’s Good Grub & Pub-Atlantic City–289-8950
- Mia-Atlantic City–441-2345
- Nero’s Grill-Atlantic City–800-223-7277
- Polistinas Restaurant-Atlantic City–441-5100
- Red Pearl-Atlantic City–340-1100
- Reflections Cafe-Atlantic City–441-5100
- Rib & Chophouse-Atlantic City–343-4330
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House-Atlantic City–344-5833
- Sofia-Margate-(Until March 14th)- 822-9111
- The Foundation Room @ House of Blues-Atlantic City–343-5795
- The Inn at Sugar Hill-Mays Landing–625-2226
- The Melting Pot-Atlantic City–441-1100
- The Palm Atlantic City-Atlantic City–344-7256
- The Reserve-Atlantic City–340-2350
- Tre Figlio Restaurant-Galloway–965-3303

On Wednesday, investor Carl Icahn was approved to take over the Tropicana in Atlantic City; days earlier he was duking it out with fellow gazillionaire Donald Trump. Also this week, another rich dude, Steve Wynn, was in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, asking the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to allow him to build a $600 million dollar casino in South Philly. He was turned down, for now, according to reports. But that’s a lot of money and investing and focus on Atlantic City, gaming and the region’s economy in general over the past week. Something is happening here and you don’t know what it is, do you Mr. Jones?

As if the great food wasn’t enough, Atlantic City has come up with another reason to take advantage of Restaurant Week, Feb. 28 to March. 6 — free parking. The City is waiving parking meter fees on Atlantic Avenue between Mississippi and Virginia Avenues from 6-11pm for the week.

The second annual Atlantic City Restaurant Week features more than 80 fine restaurants in the Atlantic City area serving special fixed price, three-course menus for $15.10 per person for lunch and $33.10 per person for dinner throughout the week. Throw in a little meter-free parking and the value gets even better. Go here for more info about Restaurant Week.

A look at Donald Trump and rival in the Trump properties in Atlantic City, Carl Ichan briefly.

Also, the AMLaw Daly Web site has a good overview of what exactly is going on here, Mr. Jones.

(L to R): ESPN's Sal Paolantino, Jay Snowden, senior VP and GM of Harrah's Resort in Atlantic City, ESPN's Chris Fowler and Ron Jaworski, president of the Maxwell Club, at the annual Maxwell Awards held at Harrah's last Friday. (Photo by Donna Conner)

The 73rd Maxwell Awards will return to Atlantic City at Harrah’s Resort to honor top NFL and college talent, with the festivities culminating on March 5 with an awards dinner. As usual, Top NFL and college football stars, Hall of Famers, broadcasters and journalists will all be in Atlantic City “as the eyes of the football world turn to the Jersey shore for one night,” according to the Maxwell Football Club.

Tickets to the event are available and can be purchased here or by calling 215-643-3833.

Here are some of the honorees, straight from the press release:

“Coming off a storybook and record-setting season that saw New Orleans win its first ever Super Bowl, Drew Brees has been selected as the 2009 Bert Bell Professional Player of the Year. Last year, it was the Minnesota Vikings Adrian Peterson who held the hardware in his hands at Atlantic City.  Mardi Gras came early this year as Sean Payton, the head coach of the Saints, has been selected as the 2009 Greasy Neale Professional Coach of the Year.

“A two-time finalist for the Heisman Award, University of Texas quarterback and future NFL star Colt McCoy was announced as the winner of the 73rd Maxwell Award as the college player of the year, an award won by Tim Tebow last season. Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was named as the recipient of the 15th Chuck Bednarik Award  as the Collegiate Defensive Player of the Year.

“Continuing a fine tradition, Gary Patterson, the head football coach at the Texas Christian University has been selected as the winner of the 21st George Munger Award as College Coach of the Year.

“Perhaps the most physically dominant lineman of this year’s recruiting class, Philadelphia’s Sharrif Floyd was almost unstoppable for George Washington High School en route to being named a U.S. Army All-American. He is the winner of the National High School Player of the Year.

“Locally, Matthew Szczur, of Villanova University has been selected as the 2009 Tri-State Player of the Year and the Temple University Head Football Coach Al Golden has been named the Tri-State Coach of the Year.  Villanova University Head Football Coach Andy Talley will be presented with Club’s President’s Award in recognition of his accomplishments in leading the Wildcats to the 2009 NCAA National Championship.”

Want to be a star of the stage? Interested in being part of the productions of Oklahoma, Charlie Brown and Chicago (or A Chorus Line – rights pending)?

The Ocean City Theatre Company (OCTC) has set auditions for their 2010 season — with the Ocean City POPS — on Sunday, March 21  at the Ocean City Music Pier.

Auditions are by appointment only. The OCTC advises performers to prepare “two contrasting 32 bar selections and be ready to dance if asked.” No tapes or CDs will be accepted, but you must have sheet music “in the appropriate key with clear cuts,” says the OCTC.

For more information on the auditions email OCTheatreCo@yahoo.com.