After spending about 14 hours over two days in media row at the delayed final table of the World Series of Poker's main event, I offer the following observations.

As far as live events go, in this reporter's opinion, the delayed final table was the best idea in years. People were lined up for hours outside the Penn and Teller theatre at the Rio to watch this event. With some of the players-or their sponsors-bringing in hundreds of supporters, the final table seemed more like a soccer match at times then a WSOP final-and that was a good thing. The crowd going wild at the end of big hands gave constant reminders of what was at stake, and that energy in the room often translated on to the telecast.

Was all that prep time a good thing for the finalists? Although I did not get a strong sense either way, it seemed that overall the players felt the delay, in concept was a good thing, but that four months was way too long. The delay did allow those from faraway places to bring loved ones and friends in, and it also allowed some of the players to work on their game.

Bad beats = great TV. I'm not sure you could have asked for better drama than a one-outer on the river to eliminate one player, and a runner-runner straight to do in another. The poker gods were cooperating, and it made for fascinating viewing.

The hype did not translate in the mass media-but why? This was clear at the time. The US mainstream didn't really know about this event, and with a world changing election and a collapsing US economy taking the spotlight (as it should), the WSOP final was not on America's radar. Recently revealed revelations about November Nine finalists passing on Leno and Ellen DeGeneres appearances made some question the commitment players had to promoting the game, while on poker forums others asked, "what do the finalists owe the game?" Some responded that the finalists owed the game a lot, while others said they owed nothing. This issue is one that the poker world needs to work on if it is interested in further growth.

TV ratings were up. For the first time in a while, there was good news for poker when it came to TV ratings. With TV poker struggling to maintain its audience, the delayed "semi-live" final pulled a 1.9 market share, which was more than a 50 percent increase over the 2007 final table. Overall, the 2008 ratings for the entire WSOP broadcast series showed a 15 percent rise in viewership over 2007.

Overall, I really hope the final table is an organized event from this point forward. There was pomp, circumstance, emotions, and nerves the likes of which I have never seen at a WSOP final. Tons of celebrity poker players were in the stands, making it feel like more of an event. The live element worked really well, and everyone involved should be commended for the way the event itself came off. I look forward to a (hopefully) shorter delay next year, with more terrible beats, and more great drama. Oh, and a known pro making the final would be nice too.

John Caldwell is the Editor-In-Chief of PokerNews.com, a leading poker information portal. He spent 15 years in music artist management, working with Stone Temple Pilots, and Hootie and the Blowfish. Contact him at john@pokernews.com.