Sports talk with … Howard Lederer

World Poker Tour star, FOX Sports Net analyst, "The Professor"

Q: You're from New England. When's the last time you won a million-dollar Hold 'Em pot, snuck over to the sports book and let it ride on the Celtics?

A: I certainly would not do that. But I have had a really good year--as a sports fan. Not that the Celtics have had anything to do with it.

Q: It's NCAA Tournament time. If Illinois is pocket aces, what's Winthrop?

A: Winthrop would have to be the 7-2 off suit.

Q: There's Chris "Jesus" Ferguson, Greg "Fossil Man" Raymer, Phil "The Unabomber" Laak--why don't you have a gaudy nickname like those players?

A: I would say it's kind of by accident. Someone threw "The Professor" on me, and it just stuck. Did you know Fossil Man's nickname refers to the 200 million-year-old fossils that he uses as card protectors?

Q: No, but I'll bet that even though you're one of poker's biggest stars, there are some newbie fans who know you as the brother of that player who's friends with Ben Affleck.

A: Right. You know, for years I used to refer to myself as the brother of Annie Duke. In fact, my online poker screen name was BOAD, kind of an inside joke. I still get a lot of that. People walk up and say, "Aren't you Annie Duke's brother?" A lot of people know she's friends with Ben Affleck, but she's a great player, too.

Q: I once dated Jennifer Garner. Do you think I'm bluffing?

A: I call.

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