Phil Hellmuth Poker Brat Naked in ESPN The Magazine

Just call him the Naked Poker Brat.

Phil "Poker Brat" Hellmuth Jr. naked?

It's the poker world's worst nightmare, and it's come true.

The latest issue of the popular American sports magazine "ESPN the Magazine" features naked photographs of almost 80 different athletes, male and female, from a variety of sports.  Hellmuth is among them.

It's a special edition of the mag called the "Body Issue" and it makes one wonder which is the bigger mystery--why is poker considered a sport and who is the genius who thought a nude Hellmuth would sell magazines?

"We've always been committed to showing fans a different side of the sports and athletes they love," said the mag's editor, Gary Belsky.  "This issue, from the amazing photos to the innovative journalism, is just our latest effort to do that. We're very happy with the results."

In addition to Hellmuth, three other professional poker players appear nude in the issue--Jennifer Harman, Scotty Nguyen and Daniel "Kid Poker" Negreanu.

The four are pictured sitting around a poker table, clearly naked, though all the players' private areas are strategically hidden (the magazine, after all, is owned by the family-friendly Walt Disney company).

Other athletes appearing "tastefully" nude in the issue include basketball player Dwight Howard, hockey player Zdeno Chara, baseball players Ivan Rodriguez and Joba Chamberlain, golfer Christina Kim, football players Torry Holt and Adrian Peterson, race car drivers Mark Martin and Carl Edwards, jockey Alex Solis, boxer Manny Pacquiao, mixed martial arts fighter Randy Couture and tennis player Serena Williams.

Negreanu was skeptical about appearing au natural in the mag until he was told what other poker pros were appearing.

"I can fit in with this group," Negreanu said. "It's not like they were going to have Patrik Antonius or Gus Hansen in there. I worked out. I had a nice tan going. I sucked my belly in and I was good to go."

Harman said: "I got a phone call from one of my friends at ESPN. He said that it was going to be a good shoot and that it would be done with a lot of class."

So why is poker, for the sake of this issue, considered a sport?

It's likely got less to do with the amount of sweat spilled during a match and more to do with the fact that TV network ESPN televises the World Series of Poker and has motivation to publicize poker pros.

Why anyone would think an ugly and overweight Hellmuth--complete with unsightly "moobs" or man boobs--should be naked in a magazine, however, is a question that will likely long remain unanswered.

And should be unanswered.

Tom Somach, Gambling911.com (you can reach Tom at tomsomach@yahoo.com)