Two-time World Sequence of Poker Circuit (WSOPC) ring winner Joe Rice went viral on Friday for his shirtless celebration after successful free beer for a 12 months in a basketball contest.
The competition came about at a university basketball sport between Siena and Saint Peters in New York’s MVP Enviornment. To win a 30-pack of Miller Lite each month for a 12 months, Rice wanted to make a lay-up, free throw, and two three-pointers in below 30 seconds. He did it in 11 seconds.
An excited Rice, who has $428,101in Hendon Mob earnings and received the 2022 WSOP Circuit Turning Stone Essential Occasion for $238,870, ripped off his shirt and smacked his chest in a clip that ESPN SportsCenter picked up for commentator Scott Van Pelt’s “Finest Video Obtainable” section.
“I simply form of blacked out,” Rice advised PokerNews in an interview.
“The Beer Was a Bonus”
The daddy of three was on the MVP Enviornment for his son JJ’s church ball league sport. Afterward, he was watching Siena and Saint Peters heat up when a promoter approached him.
“I used to be sitting on my own watching the blokes heat up, and hey was like ‘Hey, do you wish to be in a contest within the second half?’ “And I stated ‘positive, I will do it.”
Rice texted his associates and joked that he can be on ESPN. “And I used to be simply kidding round, clearly, at that time.” He then known as his spouse, who advised him he “higher do good and present the boys how good you’ll be able to truly be.”
Rice, who “performed basketball once I was youthful,” did simply that regardless of not having shot a ball in over a 12 months. He first made the lay-up with ease earlier than deliberately banking within the free throw shot. He made the primary three and felt no stress as he banked the ultimate three forward of his viral celebration.
“I feel the truth that I went 4 for 4 I feel is why I form of blacked out and celebrated and took my shirt off and form of went loopy for a second,” he stated. “Whenever you go 4 for 4, it simply form of places you excessive. The beer was a bonus.”
Shedding His Marriage ceremony Ring
Rice is a daily in New York poker circles and is pleasant with prime New York crushers like Shaun Deeb and Jesse Lonis.
“I play regionally as a result of I’ve three children; I’ve a ten, 8-year-old and a 2-year-old proper now,” he stated. “Something (at) Turning Stone or Rivers I play, mainly.”
Rice is a two-time Circuit ring winner each of which he received on the 2022 WSOPC Turning Stone cease. He first received Occasion #1: $400 NLH for $27,372 earlier than his six-figure Essential Occasion rating, an occasion that his buddy Deeb would go on to win the subsequent 12 months.
Rice misplaced a distinct form of ring throughout his celebration. He observed someday afterward that his marriage ceremony ring was lacking. Fortunately, a cleaner on the enviornment discovered it. “So I’ve obtained to go choose that up on Monday,” Rice stated.
*Lead picture courtesy ESPN Sportscenter through Siena Saints
Connor Richards
Editor & Reside Reporter U.S.
