GPInterview: David Tuchman | Welcome to Parenthood

David Tuchman the voice of the WSOP Live Stream, we tune in to hear him weekly on Live at the Bike, he talks NFL Football in Europe and he hosts a podcast for Pro Football Focus … oh yeah and in his free time, he made a child! Just so happens that baby Phineas was born smack-dab in the middle of the World Series of Poker – his busiest time of year! We sat down with Tuchman to talk fatherhood, poker, american football, and sharing the stage with Buffy, Bailey, Screech and Dylan and Brenda …

GPInterview | David Tuchman

David, you have just completed yet another season as the commentator for the WSOP Live Stream but this year was a little different than others, you had to miss a few days work?

I did. I had the wonderful birth of my first child, a baby boy named Phineas born on June 11^th I spent four or five nights here and then I went back to work. It was a life-changing experience for sure.

Now for someone who works the WSOP every year, how did you plan this out to have the baby before or after the Series 🙂

Seriously, I don’t know what I was thinking :). I was over in Cannes doing WSOP Europe I started timing it out. I remember calling my fiancée saying listen when I come home, we should probably be a little careful for the next few months … little did I know that it was too late already!

Of all places where we found out actually … it’s funny, we always take one or two trips to Vegas that are not work-related. So we went with a couple of really good friends and we stayed at a nice hotel, we were going to see a show and a great Vegas time.

We were already seeing symptoms; I had Googled a few times when she wasn’t feeling well. So the next morning, her and a friend went to get a (pregnancy) test. I was actually in the Aria poker room and she came in and gave me a little package. I first thought there would be a cookie in it. It wasn’t a cookie but instead there was a little bottle of baby shampoo in there, I looked at her, I nodded my head, she nodded her head, we smiled, we hugged and we knew.

It was only about 30-40 minutes later where I actually timed this thing and I was like “man, it really looks like this is going to happen anywhere between May 15 and June 30^th.”

Fortunately, I work for some of the best people in the world; most understanding … it really is a loyal family there. We didn’t really tell anyone about it at first except I did tell Seth Palansky and Jessica Wellman and there were extremely accommodating.

Going back to the felt, is there a moment in particular that sticks out in your mind as a highlight from this year’s live stream coverage?

It’s hard to pinpoint one thing. I think the One Drop was pretty amazing; the turnout was great, I was proud of that. I liked the fact that this year was more of an open field.

Seeing Antonio make the final table once again and to see Bill Perkins bring his energy to that final table was pretty amazing.

Watching Dana Castaneda, a woman not named Vanessa Selbst win an open event, and then of course Lonie Harwood who won after we were gone. Lonie may have had the best performance at the WSOP by a woman ever.

From my perspective, it’s rarely one moment; it’s usually 55 moments that are quilted together that makes this beautiful canvas that makes the World Series.

For me personally, the relationships I forge each summer, you make a connection with new people every year.

After only a few days rest from the WSOP grind you’re already back in the booth for the very popular Live at the Bike? What makes it work?

I took a couple weeks of when I came back and I was back in the booth on Tuesday, July 23^rd.

It’s simple; I think that’s why it works. Once in while we’ll have the big time guys at the tables but many times we’ll have eight random guys sitting down with $1,500 and just play poker.

I like to think that we keep the show entertaining as well as educational. I’m good friends with Bart (co-host Bart Hanson) and I consider him one of the best cash game players around, certainly out here in L.A.

You also provide coverage for the NFL on SkySports, I need to ask you, what do you think is the biggest storyline heading into this season as training camps opened last week?

I think you have to look at the changing of the guard. The traditional powerhouses we’ve had are changing. You look at Seattle and you look at San Francisco, in fact, that whole division, they were the laughing stock of the NFL just a few years ago.

I’m curious to see how the New England Patriots react to no Wes Welker and no Aaron Hernandez. I’m curious to see if Aaron Rodgers can get a running game and a defense if they can make their second run to the Super Bowl.

Can Adrian Peterson recreate what he did last year … Peyton Manning, one more year removed from the surgeries so probably a lot more confident with what he can do on the field but also one year older.

How long will it take for Geno Smith to take over from Mark Sanchez and when will they move on from that debacle.

Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst announced to the world earlier this week that he feels Tim Tebow should be Jacksonville Jaguar … first off, be honest; did you know that Limp Bizkit was still around? And why do you think that Jacksonville, a team with such a lack of fan support, wouldn’t add Tebow (at the time that he was a free agent), a local player that could fill the seats?

I did not know that Limp Bizkit was still around.

At the end of the day, what’s going to bring fans in the seats is a winning team. If Tim Tebow could help them win, they would bring him on. If he’s not a viable option to play, should they then bring him in just to sell seats?

The problem is, and you saw this in New York, if you bring him, in Florida of all places, how does he not become a major distraction. In New England, you have Tom Brady in front of him. Even the biggest die-hard Tebow fans are never going to suggest that Tebow should start in front of Brady. But in Jacksonville, their QB position if far from solidified. Do you really want that distraction?

I think they’ve gone about it the right way. Yes you forgo selling a few extra tickets and a few extra jerseys now but for better, long-term prosperity. I don’t think Tim Tebow is a NFL quarterback, it doesn’t diminish his career in college and it doesn’t diminish his greatness as a person.

Your acting résumé includes appearances on Saved by the Bell: The New Class and Beverly Hills 90210 … how cool is it that you’ll be able to tell your children and one day grandchildren that you appeared in two of the biggest iconic shows in US TV history?

I don’t know, I’ve never really thought about it, you’re sort of forcing me to! I moved out here after college. My first acting job ever was 90210 and it was super cool at that time. I was on a lot of those shows: 90210, Saved by the Bell, Party of Five, Buffy the Vampier Slayer … when the alcohol is flowing usually those tapes will come out and we’ll all start laughing.

I think living it in L.A., it’s probably less of a big deal than anywhere else, in L.A. it seems like everybody has done something out here.

Hopefully when my son gets older I’ll still be covering the NFL and poker and he can watch me do that so he’ll think I’m cool for that!

Don’t forget to catch David covering the NFL on SkySports this fall, you can also download his NFL podcast on ProFootballFocus.com and be sure to tune into Live at Bike for live cash game poker Tuesday and Fridays starting at 7:30pm PT.