2+2 is the most popular poker forum in the world. There aren’t many high-profile poker celebrities that post regularly in that forum, but Daniel Negreanu has been posting there regularly for some time now.
Recently, Daniel was banned from 2+2 for spamming activity. It was only a 24-hour ban but has somehow become a news story.
But like most news stories, the biggest point is being missed by most people. Daniel is complaining about the ban, but it was for only 24 hours, which essentially means nothing. Second, information in the thread states that Daniel posted a link TWICE after being warned that it was in violation of the rules. Then, Mason Malmuth gave a direct order to bring down the ban hammer on Negreanu.
One of the things being missed is the hypocrisy of Daniel. It is rather obvious how hypocritical he is. A ban without a warning first would be the cause of a legitimate complaint. But violating a spamming rule after being warned and then complaining about the ban is just asking for special treatment.
It also seems that Daniel’s getting on his soap box over moral and ethical issues in poker is very selective.
Daniel is known for being one of the best ambassadors for poker when it comes to moral and ethical issues. He is pretty much the only high-profile poker player that comes out against injustice. Increasingly, though, it is apparent that this righteous stance is more about publicity than anything else.
It is great that Daniel speaks out against scumbags like Howard Lederer and Annie Duke, but has anyone noticed how selective these complaints are? He strikes out at people when he thinks the public will be behind him. But unless he thinks he will have public support, he is much more likely to stay mum.
Where was Daniel to warn of impending doom when people were having trouble cashing out of Full Tilt Poker in the months BEFORE Black Friday? Where was Daniel to raise the red flag when players were playing on FTP with funds that were never received by the site? That was a sign of complete disaster.
No, Daniel is no hero, and don’t wait for him to have an opinion to protect yourself from the vultures of the poker world. Use your own common sense when deciding where to put your money or who or what organizations to support in the poker world. Don’t wait around for Daniel Negreanu to decide what is right and wrong. It may be too late.