The Rules of Being a Man

[Bartleby]

In such a game, the important thing is the maximum raise--that's what you'll be using.

 

[Rambuchan]

Poker played for money is totally different to poker played with coppers. It's like the difference between having a war with real bullets and having one with blanks.

Also, "I'm all in".

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

There was a maximum raise of 50p, but if someone was feeling really brave they'd chuck a quid in there.

"All Ins" were regular since the whole pot was probably about £4.68 and the only 'loss' you would suffer was having to save up all your pennies to play next time.

 

[JoeM]

Well going back to someone else comments about money, regarding paying for dinner, the monetary amount in gambling should also be irrelevant (for anyone seriously gambling). It's the winning that is important, or for the serious gambler, winning over time. But back on track - no monetary amount in the rules.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

Well going back to someone else comments about money, regarding paying for dinner, the monetary amount in gambling should also be irrelevant (for anyone seriously gambling). It's the winning that is important, or for the serious gambler, winning over time. But back on track - no monetary amount in the rules.

So provided he is "up" on his opponents at the end of the game a person can consider themselves to be a 'real man'? Sounds fair.

 

[Brighteye]

Not only women, but cheapskates like you and Brighteye too. But real men don't care. It goes with the territory. We shell out unnecessarily (and not just for meals but also for girlie bars, sauna parlours and other decadence) not because we like it, but because it's 1) expected of us, 2) part of showing off, 3) a strategic investment (for purposes of cultivating guanxi).

Have you heard of the concept of "With Nobility comes Responsibility?" Well this is something like that. Sure we'll occasionally get screwed for a meal by cheap bastards (women don't count) but real men don't care. That's just peanuts. We can easily afford the loss. Don't expect to do business with us though.

No, we never shell out unnecessarily. The reason? It's unnecessary. Real men stick to their principles no matter how much they can afford not to, and my principles say that I am not a burden on anyone. I pay for my costs, but I don't expect anyone to be a burden on me. I'm not here to provide for you, I'm here for me. It's a more individual approach. As Ace so rightly points out, being cheap is expecting the woman to pay for everything.
If a woman can't take care of herself, I don't want her. I'm looking for an independent person, not a chain around my neck.

 

[Dann]

Forget about the woman. What about your guy friends? Or a business lunch? Do you bring out the calculator too?

 

[JoeM]

Forget about the woman. What about your guy friends? Or a business lunch? Do you bring out the calculator too?

No way.

Slightly different rules apply here, cos it's not a courtship. . .well not on my part anyway.
With client, I pay.
With colleague either I or he pays is irrelevant.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

I'd split the Bill with colleagues. Part of being a Real Man is allowing others their moment to shine too without feeling threatened.

 

[Dann]

No way.

Slightly different rules apply here, cos it's not a courtship. . .well not on my part anyway.
With client, I pay.

Ah but it has similarities with courtship. Basically you're subliminally telling your prospective client: "I'm good. I'm doing very well. I got lots of business. I'm not desperate for your business." in the hopes that he will indeed give you his business.

With colleague either I or he pays is irrelevant.

I'd split the Bill with colleagues. Part of being a Real Man is allowing others their moment to shine too without feeling threatened.

Exactly. And so we here have developed a roundabout way of achieving the same financial result but with more "face" awarded to all concerned. We treat each other alternatively. No calculators needed ever.

 

[Whomp]

Pah. It's a business decision regardless of whether it's out with friends, a woman or colleagues. If it's a woman you're not interested in then you should've had drinks not dinner anyhow. Quick escapes are ok.

I will go on record and say there's no worse man than a man with "alligator arms". They are marked men.

Case in point.....last night a friend bought us dinner. Granted, it was his restaurant however he paid for it before we knew what hit us. It was our 19th year of our football draft. By doing this he has carte blanche to make demands for next year's draft. The whole crew must go to Vegas for the 20th draft because he said so. If you argue the point you will be ostersized and likely banned for life. Buying him drinks the rest of last night and stepping up next year will give us redemption.

On playing poker. It's relative to one's net worth. If you're in college playing small stakes it's the same as betting big when you have the means.

Thanks to PrinceofLeigh for recognizing football is football. Sir Ram please make the appropriate adjustments.

 

[Rambuchan]

Sir Ram please make the appropriate adjustments.

Not on your Nelly!

Shoulder pads are for female stars of 80s soap operas.

 

[GinandTonic]

Real men make a heap of all thier winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, lose, and start again at thier beginnings and never breathe a word about thier loss.

On the paying for dinner issue. A real man is generous, but this isnt limited to money. If a person is needs money, be generous with it. If a person needs time, be generous with it. If a person needs support, help, a shoulder to cry on, whatever - be generous. Insisting on paying for all of dinner when the other person (of whatever gender) is loaded and you are broke isnt generosity but foolish egocentric pride.

The other side of this is (proposed rule?) A Real Man Always Stands His Round.

 

[mrtn]

@Ram: Agreed. Or ManOWar lovers.

 

[Dann]

Pah. It's a business decision regardless of whether it's out with friends, a woman or colleagues. If it's a woman you're not interested in then you should've had drinks not dinner anyhow. Quick escapes are ok.

Before I got this noose around my neck some of my friends used to set me up with their other friends. My strategy was to set the meeting place at a coffee shop - good atmosphere, but you'll never rack up a huge bill. If things go well you can move on to someplace else. Otherwise you just give some rather believable excuse like you're still needed at the jobsite for concrete pouring. Total bill = 2 cups of coffee.

 

[Whomp]

Not on your Nelly!

Shoulder pads are for female stars of 80s soap operas.

I don't get it. Are you saying because someone wears equipment they're not real men? Even though the player has destroyed a man's will to do a 10 yard crossing route for fear of having his head lopped off?

Instead you'll allow the melodrama of a get carried off on a stretcher, red card pulled because of a pseudo head butt dive play?

That's simply bad football etiquette on a global scale.

 

[Dann]

Insisting on paying for all of dinner when the other person (of whatever gender) is loaded and you are broke isnt generosity but foolish egocentric pride.

Agreed. But this scenario is impossible because you'll never agree to go to any social gathering in the first place when you're broke.

 

[GinandTonic]

Thanks to PrinceofLeigh for recognizing football is football. Sir Ram please make the appropriate adjustments.

Not on your Nelly!

Shoulder pads are for female stars of 80s soap operas.

So its ok if they dont wear pads? We could reack some sort of compromise here?

 

[JoeM]

I will go on record and say there's no worse man than a man with "alligator arms". They are marked men.

I'll back that one up, I've dogmatically paid for the first round for years and doubt that I've lived down that sordid past yet. Not even sure how I got the rep. Especially after shelling out £120 on drinks in one particular night out with just one friend.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

So its ok if they dont wear pads? We could reack some sort of compromise here?

I think a Real Man would play US Football with Pads or not. I don't think we can claim a Real Man would play Football and then complain that the Americans wear pads in their version.

That said, if US Footballers want more recognition of Real Man status than Soccer players, they need to lose the pads and play like us Rugby Lads. Super Real Men