No Joke, huge amounts of players are trying to be the next "big thing" in poker, but here is a short list of four of the more noteworthy "great pros" of poker. Although "nice" is associated with their names when you are sitting accross the table from them it is "no more Mr. Nice guy" until they have put you out of the competition!
Daniel Negreanu
In 2004, his tourney payouts added up to in the region of four and a half million dollars and he came away with 2 highly respected awards in the World Series of Poker Player of the Year and Cardplayer Magazine’s Tourney Player of the Year. In Feb 2006 he was named Card Player’s Favourite Poker Player. He even still has the decency to speak to his admirers about how they can advance their own game.
Howard Lederer
Known as "The Professor" and brother of fellow poker pro Annie Duke. His success has allowed him to make an educational video named "Secrets of No Limit Hold’em" and co hosting a tournament poker show for Fox TV. As of Two Thousand and Five, his total life time winnings surpass $2.7 million.
Scotty Nguyen
Scotty is one of the busiest players in professional poker and from 2000 to Two Thousand and Four he ranked in the money in well over one hundred tournaments. He’s notorious for saying "yeah baby" throughout poker matches and also coined the term "that’s poker baby" when referring to a exceptionally bad beat. As of Two Thousand and Six, his life time earnings are almost six million dollars.
Chris Ferguson
Chris has captured five World Series of Poker titles with 2 of his successes coming in 2003. Has the nickname "Jesus" because of his trademark long hair and beard, and is able to toss playing cards quick enough to cut through pickles and bananas. As of Two Thousand and Five his total poker tourney winnings exceeded 5 million dollars.