Poker After Dark’s “Mission Impossible” – With a 0-8 record coming in, will Mike Matusow finally win a match?

NBC kicks off four consecutive weeks of original programming on Poker After Dark with a match that’s being called “Mission Impossible.” The reason is a lighthearted jab at one of poker’s best known personalities, Mike Matusow, who despite the tremendous success he has experienced in his lifetime, so far has come up empty on PAD and now sports the worst record of any player who has appeared on the show.

Mike’s record on Poker After Dark is a dismal 0-8, and if past performance is any indication of future success, his mission this week will be formidable indeed as he looks for his first victory against five pros who have already won a PAD match at least once. Looking to keep Mikey’s perfect record intact will be Phil Laak, Phil Hellmuth, David Williams, Clonie Gowen, and Gavin Smith. Each player will put up $20,000 and compete for the $120,000 winner-take-all first prize.

“The Unabomber” comes into this match with a PAD record of 1-3, winning Match 5. Hellmuth, who sported the worst record on PAD through the first two seasons, redeemed himself in Season 3 by winning two out of three matches, and with his victory in the Heads-Up Challenge in Week 33, now has a record of 3-7.

Williams is 1-1, having won “Jam-Up Week” in Match 27, as is Smith who won Match 22 before settling for 4th in Match 23. Gowen has been impressive on Poker After Dark, winning two of her four matches, and looks to join Johnny Chan and Hellmuth as PAD’s only three-time winners.

But all eyes with be on “The Mouth” to see if he can break his horrific losing streak on the show. When told what the theme would be, Matusow was very good-natured about it, but viewers will definitely be able to feel the heat that Mike is experiencing in trying to break into the winner’s column. Whether he will do so this week, or whether he will have to wait for another match is something viewers will definitely want to tune in for and find out.

Brief profiles of all six players follow. The match will begin airing on NBC late night Monday at 2:05 a.m., September 22, and will continue for five consecutive nights in the same time slot. A special program called the “Director’s Cut” will air late night Saturday, September 27, at 1:00 a.m., right after Saturday Night Live. This show will feature Leeann with a behind-the-scenes look at the week with highlights and insightful player interviews. Viewers can also watch the match at www.nbcsports/msnbc.com/poker.

None of the players this week are noted for being quiet at the table, so expect lots of interesting and entertaining banter in addition to some darned good poker. Clonie has a new look in this match which will probably catch the eye of more than one viewer, one player gets a little irritated, and the heads-up battle for the title is one of the most dominating performances in the show’s history.
Matusow, Mike: (Seat 1)

• Known as “The Mouth” for trash talking at the tables, and one of poker’s most recognizable players
• Winner of three WSOP bracelets, his latest in the prestigious 2008 $5000 no-limit 2-7 draw event w/rebuys
• Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $6.87 million, and ranks 19th on the all-time money list
• Won a $100,000 prop bet with Ted Forrest at the beginning of the 2008 WSOP by losing more than 50 pounds since the 2007 WSOP, weighing in at a svelte 179
• Self-proclaimed unluckiest player in the game when he’s running bad

Laak, Phil: (Seat 2)

• Nicknamed “The Unabomber” for the trademark hooded sweatshirt and sunglasses he usually wears
• Holder of one WPT invitational title
• Career tournament winnings in excess of $1.40 million
• Dates actress and poker player Jennifer Tilly
• Known for his unusual and often humorous antics and mannerisms at the table

Hellmuth, Phil: (Seat 3)

• Known as the “Poker Brat,” a name he now embraces, and was inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in July 2007
• 1989 World Champion, and won his 11th World Series bracelet in 2007, making him the first and only person in history to do so
• Career tournament winnings in excess of $10.67 million, and ranks 3rd on the all-time money list, despite never having a cash for more than $755,000
• Now has more World Series cashes (67) and has made more WSOP final tables (41) than any other player in history
• His fame has given him the opportunity to be involved in many businesses on the side, and he is highly acknowledged as the game’s best self-promoter

Williams, David: (Seat 4)

• Highly intelligent, he scored 1550 out of 1600 on his college SATs
• Winner of one WSOP bracelet, and was runner-up to Greg Raymer in the 2004 WSOP main event
• Lifetime tournament winnings in excess of $6.13 million, and ranks 25th on the all-time money list
• Known for wearing “just a touch” of bling at the tables
• Owns more than 300 pairs of Nike Air Force One sneakers

Gowen, Clonie: (Seat 5)

• • Real first name is Cycalona, a name inspired from being born during a powerful storm in Oklahoma
• • Won a $5000 no-limit hold’em event at the 2008 Bellagio Cup IV in July, 2008, her biggest cash ever which was good for nearly $438,000
• • Career tournament winnings in excess of $1.21 million
• • Is involved with chapters of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and United Cerebral Palsy
• • One of poker’s more attractive women players, she appeared on the cover of the July 2006 issue of Maxim magazine

Smith, Gavin: (Seat 6)

• Born in Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and attended the University of Guelph
• Holder of 1 WPT title, and was the WPT’s Player of the Year for season IV
• Career tournament winnings in excess of $3.97 million
• Talkative at the tables, and a self-proclaimed “wild card” due to his aggressive play
• Known to engage in unusual prop bets during the World Series of Poker, especially with good friend poker professional Joe Sebok

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