 Tiffany
Michelle vs. Poker
News "Slanderous
Accusations and
Inaccurate
Information"
The lone lady
standing at this
year's World Series
of Poker, Tiffany
Michelle, has lashed
out at the popular
poker news portal
website
Poker News,
which has accused
her of essentially
"selling out" and
failing to promote
the website she was
representing by
changing into new
garb the final (and
most publicized)
days of the event.
That new garb
featured
Gambling911.com
sponsor
UltimateBet.com
So what exactly
happened?
Sources close to the
situation are
claiming that she
approached Jeff
Lisandro before the
Main Event to get
staked. He got her
in touch with
Australian poker
player and part
owner of Poker News,
Tony G, who duly
obliged and staked
her for the event
along with 34
others. He was
hoping to raise the
profile of the brand
during the Main
Event and is
understandably
unhappy with the
conflict of interest
that arose. It is
alleged Poker News
staked her in a deal
that would see
Michelle receive 33%
of the winnings and
raising her public
profile for a
possible move to
Hollywood.
True, Ms. Michelle
did where the Poker
News logo on her
clothing the first
few days of the main
event.....when
nobody was paying
any attention to
her.
Tiffany Michelle
released a statement
via the
WickedChopsPoker.com
website Thursday,
addressing a
statement released
by Poker News this
week :
"It is with great
sadness that I've
had to see my
accomplishment of
finishing 17th in
the WSOP Main Event
clouded by
slanderous
accusations and
inaccurate
information. I have
been humbled by the
overwhelming support
from friends, fans
and the media and
for their sake as
well as mine I feel
as if I must respond
and bring clarity to
the situation.
"There is no denying
the positive press
and exposure I
brought Pokernews by
wearing their logo
and being their
representative
during the 2008
World Series of
Poker main event.
After such a
successful series, I
am greatly dismayed
by Pokernews'
subsequent actions.
No one has ever
questioned my
integrity before
this and I am so
distressed that
Pokernews is using
their powerful
public forum to spin
such a negative
recounting of the
facts of what
occurred during the
final two days of
the main event.
"As we all know, it
is standard practice
for players to wear
multiple logos
during the main
event. Pokernews was
aware of this,
having placed their
logos on a number of
players with
sponsorship deals
with other
companies.
Throughout the World
Series I saw several
players wear the
Pokernews logo
alongside the logos
of online card rooms
such as Pokerstars
and T6. This makes
it very clear that
Pokernews supported
this practice as a
rule and were not
against players
wearing their logo
in conjunction with
the logo of an
online card room.
Like many other
people, I wore
multiple logos but
in no way diminished
the presence of
Pokernews in doing
so."
PokerNews Ltd Vice
President, Mr.
Justin Huxley, had
this to say in
a statement
regarding the
Tiffany Michelle
alleged missteps.
 "It was later
confirmed that
without any
consultation with
PokerNews, Tiffany
went ahead and
signed a sponsorship
deal with Ultimate
Bet. While we
welcome such
sponsorship deals
between online
gaming operators and
players, as a
company we could see
no reason as to why
we were left out of
such negotiations,
especially
considering the
relationships that
PokerNews has with
all such entities.
Tiffany was bought
into the event by
PokerNews and had a
signed player
contract with
PokerNews Ltd. We
believe, that based
on advice from her
agent that the
contract may have
loopholes; she went
and made a deal with
an online gaming
operator that
completely
contradicted the
trust that we had
put in her, both as
an employee and as a
sponsored player. As
an organization we
felt completely
sabotaged by
Tiffany, her agent
and Ultimate Bet.
"In fact, PokerNews
was looking forward
to and expected a
large number of
sponsorship offers
from the world's
biggest poker rooms
– Tiffany's career
was about to explode
and we could not
have been more proud
for her. Therefore,
we are incredibly
disappointed with
Tiffany and her
agent's lack of
respect and
professionalism. We
are currently
seeking legal
council on this
entire situation and
potential damages to
PokerNews."
Some members of the
PokerNews forum
community were
slightly sympathetic
towards Ms.
Michelle's plight
while acknowledging
she may have acted
in a "less than
professional
manner".
"Tough situation for
a young person to be
in," wrote one
gentleman.
"Peer pressure's a
bitch at that age.
She really needed to
think about long
term and who got her
there."
Tiffany Michelle -
in addition to being
one of the most
storied players at
this year's World
Series of Poker - is
also an aspiring
singer, songwriter,
pianist, and guitar
player.
-----
Christopher
Costigan,
Gambling911.com
Publisher
CCostigan@CostiganMedia.com
Originally published
July 17, 2008 10:15
pm EST
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