Luongo the Latest Professional Athlete to Take His Skills to the Felt

Mickey Doft

The World Series of Poker Main Event has attracted its fair share of superstar athletes in recent years.

Boxing great and former light-heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver took to the poker felt in 2007 and 2009. Mixed martial artist and former UFC great Chuck Liddell played in 2008. Paralympic athlete and gold medalist Marlon Shirley played in 2009. NFL Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith gave it a go in 2010. Legendary Major League Baseball pitcher Orel Hershiser took part in the Main Event festivites from 2008-2010. NBA All-Star Paul Pierce took a shot in last year's Main Event and is rumored to do it again this year.

In the field today is National Hockey League goaltender Roberto Luongo. One of the NHL's premeir goaltenders, Luongo is no stranger to playing on a big stage. He was the starting goalie for the Gold-Medal-winning Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics and is the 17th winningest goalie in NHL history. This isn't Luongo's first time at the WSOP, having played in the NHL charity shootout in 2009. However, it is his first time playing in the Main Event.

An avid poker fan, Luongo is sponsored by an online poker site in Canada. He is having a solid Day 1a so far, sitting on a stack of about 70,000.