On Tuesday night, the first installment of the 2008 World Series of Poker Main Event aired on ESPN. It marked Day 1A of the second largest tournament in WSOP history and seated at the featured table was none other than Scotty Nguyen. When the episode was filmed, Nguyen was just a few days removed from his antics at the final table of the $50,000 HORSE event. On Tuesday, he was once again seated at ESPN’s featured table, which commentator Norman Chad dubbed “the scene of the crime.” Nguyen attempted to explain his actions in front of a national television audience.
One of ESPN’s features during the Day 1A telecast was an interview with Scotty Nguyen about his degrading of other players and Harrah’s staff during the HORSE Championship a few days earlier. Nguyen was abrasive, slanderous, and used an abundance of foul language. The poker icon told ESPN staff, “When I lost a couple of pots, I acted like a madman. I acted like I was going crazy. I come off really nice all of the time and then get run over by the players. I’m not going to put up with no s*** from no one. I hold it in because of the fans. I try to give it my all. I make sure everyone enjoys it when they see Scotty, so what’s the big deal if I let it out sometimes?”
He claimed that, despite his demeanor and potential inebriation, he was always aware of what was going on: “I was on top of the game at all times – all times. The HORSE event just proved to people that I am the best there is, baby.” Immediately after that comment was given, Chad stated, “I don’t accept Scotty’s explanation for his behavior and even though he won one of poker’s most prestigious titles, I think a lot of people lost respect for him in the process.”
Nguyen bought rounds of alcohol for the crowd throughout the televised featured table of the Main Event. Towards the end of play, he was seen drinking a bottle at the table, causing Chad to remark, “If I were Scotty, seriously, I would not want to return to the scene of a crime with a beer.”
Despite his antics, Nguyen remains one of the most heralded poker players in the history of the game. He is the owner of five WSOP bracelets. His first came in 1997 by virtue of winning a $2,000 buy-in Limit Omaha Hi/Lo tournament. He won the Main Event in 1998 for $1 million and, three years later, took down a $2,500 buy-in Pot Limit Omaha tournament. He captured his fourth bracelet after winning another tournament in 2001, this time in Limit Omaha Hi/Lo. For his HORSE win, he pocketed $1.9 million and his fifth World Series of Poker bracelet. Nguyen has banked over $4.7 million in WSOP earnings.
During the fourth season of the World Poker Tour, Nguyen won the World Poker Open for $969,421. He finished fourth in the same tournament the year before. Most recently, Nguyen finished sixth at the Bicycle Casino Legends of Poker during Season V. He’s taken home over $1.8 million from WPT tournaments.
Still, it remains to be seen if his reputation and marketability will be tarnished by his crude behavior at the $50,000 HORSE event during the 2008 WSOP.