The result isn’t in yet, but we know the current favorite for this year’s WSOP Hall of Fame award won’t be getting a nod of respect from one nominee.
The normally light-hearted Norman Chad, along with his WSOP broadcast partner Lon McEachern, is a nominee for induction into the Poker Hall of Fame this year. Alongside eight others, his contributions to the game are being evaluated ahead of the final result being announced on December 30.
As a nominee, Chad doesn’t have a vote. Still, that hasn’t stopped him from saying why he believes PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg would be a terrible addition to the Poker Hall of Fame.
Chad Takes Aim at Poker Hall of Fame Favorite
Far from trying to advance his own position and eliminate the current favorite, Chad has hit out at a “businessman” who “cheated the system.”
But, sure, let’s enshrine a guy who lined his pockets with poker gold by knowingly circumventing U.S. law for many, many years. Granted, it was bad law, but that does not change the fact that Isai Scheinberg simply ignored it.
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 21, 2020
Chad believes it would be wrong to inducted Scheinberg due to his history with PokerStars.
For those that don’t know, Scheinberg is the man behind PokerStars. In addition to launching many lasting innovations, PokerStars is the site Chris Moneymaker used to qualify for the 2003 WSOP Main Event.
We would not give a poker cheater the game’s highest honor; we shouldn’t reward a businessman who cheated the system with the game’s highest honor.
— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 21, 2020
Between them, PokerStars and Moneymaker sparked the poker boom and the rest, as they say, is history. In this regard, many players agree that Scheinberg is a pivotal figure within the poker industry.
It should be Isai 100% hes been snubbed for so long also I disagree on the sliding to 1 as more young generation gets eligible should be more open with a way bigger base to induct https://t.co/XIfDVwExaG
— shaun deeb (@shaundeeb) December 1, 2020
It’s also true that Scheinberg was indicted by the Department of Justice in 2011. The charges related to PokerStars’ operations in the US post-UIGEA. He was eventually sentenced to a fine of $30,000 with no jail time in 2020.
US Actions Stain Scheinberg’s Reputation
It’s this fact Chad has a problem with. Although he acknowledges the impact of PokerStars and, therefore, Scheinberg, he believes the US saga is a “stain on the game.”
I no longer have a vote for the Poker Hall of Fame, but it appears to me that virtually everyone nominated this year – present company excepted – is Hall of Fame-worthy, with one notable anomaly:
PokerStars founder Isai Scheinberg.— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 21, 2020
Chad’s tweets haven’t gone down well with certain members of the poker community.
Glenn Webber was quick to point out that the WSOP wouldn’t be where it is today without Scheinberg. Thus, as an ESPN broadcaster covering the Series, Chad has benefitted from the interest PokerStars generated in the early noughties.
Eric E described Chad’s opinion as a “brutally horrible take” on the situation, while TalabiVic questioned why he didn’t call out Chris Ferguson’s nomination.
Not sure why you're dissing Isai, with good reasons, but leave Fergunson out of it? There's a reason he was out of the spotlight for so many years, as well as Lederer, Duke & Co.
— Talabi Vic (@TalabiVic) December 21, 2020
Chad reminded everyone that he’s only expressing his opinion. However, he took one last shot at his critics by describing poker players as living in an “alternate universe.”
Poker players live in an alternate universe, in which they determine what is right and wrong based solely on what is good for them.
I am simply expressing an opinion – which, obviously, may be incorrect – on Isai Scheinberg’s actions. As expected, I am called an idiot and worse.— Norman Chad (@NormanChad) December 22, 2020
Whether or not Chad’s opinion means squadoosh is a matter for debate. In fact, the Poker Hall of Fame is all about opinions.
That said, we’ll have to wait until Dec. 30 to find out who wins the popular vote between Scheinberg and Chad.
