Following his victory in the 2009 World Series of Poker (WSOP) Main Event, which aired on ESPN on Tuesday night, Joe Cada received an overwhelming amount of praise from U.S. media outlets.
The Detroit Free Press, Cada’s hometown paper, reported on their hero’s run through the 2009 WSOP Main Event, which ended with a heads-up showdown against Darvin Moon. The newspaper cautioned against other Michigan natives looking to strike it rich in the world of poker: “Cada wants anyone thinking about making a living at playing cards to be warned: For every high, he has experienced the lowest of lows.” Cada told the media outlet, “It definitely can be a living, but it’s one of those things: You have to be very careful when you decide to make it a living. More people lose than win.” Cada became the youngest WSOP Main Event winner ever late Monday night and earned $8.5 million.
The Detroit News was also on-hand in Las Vegas to cover the local participant. The youngster told the paper, which noted that Cada was a severe underdog in chips at the final table, “It helped being down before and having no chips earlier at the final table. I thought about that and I continued to stay focused and tried not to make any mistakes. I just remained calm and it worked out well.” After doubling up CardPlayer Magazine Editor Jeff Shulman with A-J against A-K, Cada’s stack sank to 2.3 million, or less than five big blinds.
TIME Magazine candidly explained, “This time last year, Joseph Cada couldn’t legally order a cocktail. But today, the Shelby Township, Mich., native sits on top of the poker world as the champion of the World Series of Poker’s Main Event.” Playing online, as well as trips to Canada and Costa Rica, helped fund the underage Cada’s bankroll before he turned 21.
Even the Poker Players Alliance (PPA) chimed in on Cada’s win, noting that the PokerStars-sponsored player wore the lobbying organization’s patch throughout the Main Event final table. A press release distributed by the PPA on Tuesday featured Chairman Alfonse D’Amato praising the Michigan native: “On behalf of PPA members, I congratulate Joe on his historic WSOP win and thank him for being such a strong advocate for the game, especially online poker.” Cada added, “Poker is not gambling. There is decision-making, there’s logic, there’s math, and I think that taking away online poker takes away peoples’ rights. I am very supportive of the Poker Players Alliance.”
On the PocketFives.com online poker forum, poster “illinicubs23” weighed in on a debate as to whether Cada’s victory will improve or deride poker’s reputation as a skill game given his improbable run: “cada will at least continue to be seen around the tournament circuit – something moon wouldnt have done – and help promote pokerstars. hopefully he will inspire a lot more young 20 somethings to take up the game and help feed the poker economy for years.”
While online poker players salivated at the thought of new blood entering the game, the Michigan media continued to caution against those expecting the same success as Cada. Dennis Martell, Coordinator of Health Education at Michigan State University, told the Free Press, “What worries me more is that we’ve got a perfect storm going with this Michigan economy, and a point-and-click generation that wants instant gratification, that thinks they can get lucky and, in many cases, really needs the money.” In September, Michigan’s unemployment rate topped 15%, which the Free Press noted was the highest in the United States.
Prior to play beginning on Monday, Cada told Poker News Daily what it was like seeing his image plastered across Detroit newspapers: “It’s a lot different seeing the newspaper and actually seeing you in it. It’s been fun.”
ESPN.com Poker Editor Andrew Feldman, who spent a week in Las Vegas covering the finale of the 2009 WSOP Main Event, summed up his thoughts on the industry’s new face: “Last week, Cada was just another player from Michigan. On ESPN’s WSOP coverage, he said, ‘I’m just a kid with a dream.’ Now, he is ‘The Kid’ and a poker superstar. Congratulations on your run to WSOP gold, Joe. We’re looking forward to seeing what you have to offer as your poker career truly begins now.”
