You just had to find the worst about someone to darken an otherwise great human interest story. So Mr. Moon has debt? Unlike the other 99.9% of the population? And, I didn't notice any background checks on the other 8 players at the final table. Given Mr. Moon's reluctance to sign any sponsorship deals proves he is not a greedy money hungry professional like others who play the game. I'm sure Mr. Moon will make good on any and all bad debt as soon as he can ... now that he has the means. I certainly hope you are planning on doing a follow up to this slanderous piece to make sure the truth is known.

Posted 11.9.2009 6:58 PM

So, Mr. Van Smith, you have never been in trouble with the law and have never known anybody who has, you've never gotten a traffic ticket, and you've never owed anybody money. Oh - you have!?! Well, then quit writing this crap. Shame on you for this article, and shame on your gutter-scanning editors for printing this junk.

Posted 11.9.2009 11:56 PM

I am guessing that the major poker sites have a vetting process for potential sponsorship that included questions like: "Have you ever pled guilty to or been convicted of any financial impropriety or wrongdoing?"

It sounds nice to say you don't want the millions available through sponsorship. Especially if it wasn't offered to you in the first place.

Posted 11.10.2009 3:31 AM

I have been a neighbor of Darvin Moon for almost 30 yrs. And you wouldn't find a nicer man.. Who would you find in the world today that doesn't have some kind of debt. Take a look at our dignitaries and there debt. And if there wasn't all this debt our deficit wouldn't be 7 trillion dollars in the negative. For the record the poeple here in Western Maryland have to work for a living...!!

Posted 11.10.2009 7:33 AM

Ladies and Gentlemen, armpit journalism at its finest. When I read nonsense like this, it makes me wish the DC Sniper would have taken just one more shot.

Posted 11.10.2009 8:35 AM

Why are you sure about that, Lori? And mdegio -- you're an asshole.

Posted 11.10.2009 9:06 AM

I have been a neighbor of Darvin Moon for almost 30 yrs. And you wouldn't find a nicer man.. Who would you find in the world today that doesn't have some kind of debt. Take a look at our dignitaries and their debts. And if it wasn't for all this debt our deficit wouldn't be 7 trillion dollars in the negative. For the record the people here in Western Maryland have to work for a living...!! And if you want to know anything about Darv, all you need to do is ask him.. He will tell you whatever you want to know. Unlike one of our presidents that did not inhale.. ! Way to go Darv Moon...

Posted 11.10.2009 9:17 AM

I've been called worse by better, however I've never been accused of trying to bury a perfect stranger in the name of public interest. It would be different if Mr. Moon was trying to sell himself as the humble hometown hero and capitalize on the image that he didn't ask for, but the media has forced on him. You didn't give 2 shits about the man when he was a logger from Western Maryland. Now that he's a logger from Western Maryland with a big bank account, you feel it's your responsibility, not to congratulate him on a game well played, but rather to persecute him in a public forum....yeah, I'm the asshole.

Posted 11.10.2009 10:46 AM

Who the hell do you think you are? When did it become your responsiblity to inform the world of MY families past? Yea that's right you pompous ignorant asshole, you are trashing MY family!!! Something I don't take lightly. Your article is pointless. What does Darv's financial past, which is nobody's business, have to do with anything? To me it shows that he is just as normal as the rest of us. The thing that really pisses me off is the fact that you had to go and drag other family members in to your pathetic article. What does Mike and Albert have to do with this? Do you know either one of them in any way? Are they connected to Darv's ability to play cards? Didn't think so. Did you dig up the dirt that when my family was in an emergency Darv offered everything that he could to help my brother, husband and I out. Did you dig up how many times he has donated to the local charities in our communities? Didn't you find how much he has supported the American Cancer Socities Relay For Life? OR how many thousands of dollars he has spent on any fundraiser that benefits kids, a sick family, or a family that couldn't afford the funeral bill to bury a loved one? Yea, I didn't think you did. Because you suck as a journalist. YOu went to the internet to try and find out who he is not the pepole around him. Futhermore if this is how you write all of your articles I think that you should re-consider your current career, simply because you really suck at it.

Posted 11.10.2009 11:25 AM

So, Mr. Van Smith I'm guessing the only job you could get was digging up dirt on someone that is doing better in life now than you are. I can visualize you as being some little spinely puss-cake of a man, that has no friends,and very little if any social life. First of all our life in Western Md.is much different than city life. We work hard, we hunt, we fish, we grow and can our own food, we help our neighbors and the only ones that get any government help is the worthless well to do people that sit on their asses and do nothing. So what if he had a bad check, so what if he owes some money. Hell half of the auto companies owes the government a shit pot of money. Why didn't you write in your article about Darv paving the church parking lot, or any of the other good things he's done around here.......because you are a cancer that eats at the flesh of good-hearted,hard working, people that have finally gotten a break in these poor econiomical time.Why don't you write about that, no because some of the big wigs would have your meaningless job in a heart beat. Stop and think about it Van Smith, country people are the ones that keep America rolling, we grow the crop so everyone can eat, we mine the coal so everyone can have heat and many other products, we raise the beef,pigs,and chickens, so everyone can have meat, we supply the truck drivers that carry all of these products to the city.........for puss-cakes like you, that wouldn't know a hard days work if it hit you in the face. It sounds to me like you may be just a tab bit jealous...... sorry about your bad luck puss-cake. So you might want to stop and think, if it weren't for timber workers like Darv and his family....you wouldn't have paper to print your bullshit on. Why don't ya come to Western Md sometime and let us introduce you to our way of life.

Posted 11.10.2009 12:46 PM

I'm sure Van Smith doesn't have any traffic violations he probably rides a moped to work, and most likely has no debt because he still lives with his mommy and daddy and they pay his bills, and I'm positive he's never bailed anyone out of jail, because in his pathetic line of work, I'm damn sure he doesn't have any friends. So it must be a lovely life to lead when you only have negative things to print about people that you don't even know. Oh an Mr. Smith has had several cases against him for writing things that aren't true, but of course the corrupt judges rule in his favor(at least on the one), but you always have to look over your shoulder when someone goes to prison; you know they always have friends on the outside. You just never know who's lurking in the shadows, especially in Baltimore!

Posted 11.10.2009 4:11 PM

Who cares about his past and debts.

This is a great story.

Hope he uses his money well

God Bless him

Posted 11.10.2009 4:40 PM

fist yourself you petty joke of a "journalist"

Posted 11.11.2009 8:30 AM

Yeah, haven't you ever been convicted of forgery and writing bad checks? Shore, evuhbuddy duz it. Jes leeve us regla fokes alone. Hey, jes cuz me n ma sister got divorced don meen we still aint frens.

Posted 11.11.2009 11:22 AM

WORSE ARTICLE EVER. You talk little to nothing about his trip to vegas and card playing but on topics that nobody in their right mind should care about because it's none of their business. MEDIA- YOU WONDER WHY YOUR GOING BANKRUPT. Thinking I was going to read a nice story you soil a good man's name who may have made mistakes in the past but who hasnt? I will stay away from your journalism like dogs stay away from Mike Vick.

Posted 11.11.2009 12:42 PM

Van Smith, your a piece of shit and I dont even know who you are.

Posted 11.11.2009 2:06 PM

"So, Mr. Van Smith I'm guessing the only job you could get was digging up dirt on someone"

That's all he ever does, which is easy to do.

Posted 11.11.2009 2:34 PM

So he owes money and has had a hard life trying to run his business, so what, being a logger is much tougher job than being a shitbag journalist - thats for sure. Shame on you - of all the stories you could write you had to go bottom feeding, asshole.

Posted 11.11.2009 2:43 PM

Investigative journalism at it's finest. lol. I like how this is lable under "crime". The only crime is that not only did the reporter think that this was news but also an editor. Absolutely amazing. I wonder how long it took you to create this great piece of investigative journalism? I'm guessing about 15 clicks of a mouse and typing his name 3 or 4 times?

Maybe I'm being to harsh. Before I become presumptuous, did you actually drive out to Western Maryland and talk to any of these folks to try and get a real story? Maybe you did but it certainly doesn't seem like it. In your first two paragraphs you "blog" about what the Washington Post had already reported. Ok, that's relevant to your "story". In the next 3 you throw together a couple of quick paragraphs from public records. In the last two paragraphs or sentences you state you didn't get a return phone call. Intriguing. Ok.....Why is this news? I understand it's not entirely your fault because this is what a certain segment of readers want, but this is an absolute joke. As someone who is in their early thirties and I guess would be on the cusp of actually caring about newspapers or not, this lack of journalistic credibility just pushes a lot of readers away.

I understand papers don't really have that big of budgets anymore, but seriously, this is what you guys are producing? With the same 15 clicks of the mouse you couldn't find actual "criminals" to report about in your crime blog. I find it hard to believe that there is nothing to uncover in the City of Baltimore. Nobody in politics there is corrupt? There are no more informants to feed you guys leads? I really hope that the next piece of journalism you put together is a lot better than this. If it is not your fault and this is what you are required to do then I apologize.

Maybe this was just supposed to be a filler piece. As many posters above have said, it is really a shame how you've tried to discredit this man. If they are in the court records then it is indeed true, but behind those records is a story. And I'm sure once you found out the story......you would have seen it's really not a story. Just judging from how this man conducted himself in interviews and refusing to take sponsorship, and how he wants to go back to his job he seems to be a lot better of a man than these few public records would indicate. He goes to "work" everyday and all in all seems to take pride in his work. I'm not saying that he is a better man than you because he does manual labor, but it seems as if you could learn something from the level of effort he puts into his job compared to what you did with this piece. You probably won't believe it but this actually saddened me in numerous ways.

Again good luck to you and I hope your next article is better.

Posted 11.11.2009 3:40 PM

joke of an article

Posted 11.11.2009 3:40 PM

Did you actually get payed to write this crap? The only way this nonsense is anywhere close to a real story is if Darvin still left his debts unpayed after becoming a millionaire. What a piece of work you are. GIVE THE MAN A CHANCE TO PAY, THEN MAYBE WRITE ABOUT IT. I bet you couldn't get a real job until the internet came out you fking scumbag.

Posted 11.11.2009 4:11 PM

Talk about a moron. LOL van smith DIAGF and choke on a chode you horrendous journalist.

Posted 11.11.2009 7:09 PM

FU retard

Posted 11.11.2009 8:20 PM

You're a pathetic journalist and I hope you lose your job.

Posted 11.12.2009 1:09 PM

you fail

Posted 11.12.2009 1:10 PM

While I agree that getting tickets is not a big deal, not showing up in court might be if it shows a pattern. Posting bail for others is not bad, but it does show the kind of people that you associate with (birds of a feather). So those things are not improtant if they do not show a pattern. Forgery? Theft? that means you are a bad guy. The year following that you have multiple bad check accouts show you are stupid and do not care about fitting into society. (I have to wonder how you can continually get busted for these things and not go to jail for a while.) You add that it sounded like he had the option to take $10,000 cash or play a poker game. He has leins against him and he plays a ten thousand dollar poker game?

Clearly Moon is a selfish person, a crimal who does not care about following laws. Why does it matter? Why should everyone know? Because the way the he was portrayed on ESPN was that he was a nice everyday kind of guy. Now if this famous guy makes money from his fame and luck in poker, it should not be in conjunciton with people thinking he is a nice guy, because he clearly is not (theft, forgery restitution). Now that it is know that Moon is a habitual criminal it is less likely that he can make money from his celebrity, which is the way it should be.

To close - I have read most of the comments on here about people defending him and ripping the guy who wrote the article. THEFT! FORGERY! AND AFTER THAT CONTINUED STEALING FROM BAD CHECKS! what is wrong with you people? he is a terrible citizen, worthy of no respect or admiration.

Posted 11.13.2009 8:40 AM

Thankfully this journalist did his job properly, and provided the public with the FULL picture of who kind of person this Darvin Moon is. Do you see why?

As Mr Moon verified, he is not the wholesome, decent man he was portrayed as. He exposed this himself, by flat out lying to his wife on national TV. For those who did not see the ESPN broadcast, Mr Moon made yet another of his patented awful, donkey plays, and raised KQo to 15 million, then folded for just 6 million more, getting better then 7 to 1 odds on his money. He cluelessly folded, then went to his wife, while mic'd, and told her "I folded Queen/Queen."

There is no place in poker for people like this. Who for some inexplicable reason, bluff their own wife. Do you see why?

Posted 11.16.2009 4:48 AM

Your a fucking low life scumball Van,

Posted 11.16.2009 6:45 AM