Will the Poker Community Forget, Forgive or Forbid Howard Lederer from Ever Coming Back

Now that U.S. Full Tilt players are finally getting repaid after having their funds frozen on #BlackFriday, speculations have been surfacing about a possible poker comeback of @Howard Lederer. A hilarious new video by SrslySirius feeds on - and in turn refuels - these rumors:

As poker players we must, of course, understand that Lederer is probably hurting to come back. However, judging by the extreme reactions his name still elicits in the forums, it might as yet be unsafe and far too soon for the man vilified as 'public enemy number one' to return to the poker circuit.

While he was nowhere near welcoming Howard Lederer back as a friend just yet, in a rare recent interview, @Phil Ivey was cautiously forgiving and understanding: 

“I talked to Howard (Lederer) a month ago as a matter of fact. I expressed my disappointment with his (PokerNews) interview. I told him that I thought some of the things he said were not true. He thought everything he said was true. Howard’s a very stubborn person.

Do I consider Howard a friend? No, not anymore. We used to be friends, and you know, maybe one day we can be friends again. You know? I’m a very forgiving person. I just hope he gets in a better place. He’s had a real tough time. He took a lot of heat for a lot of things, and there were a lot of things that he took heat for that he may not have been responsible for.”

At the end of the day the players are getting back their money. What happened and what could have been a disaster ended up not being a disaster. I think if the guy wants to come and play poker, he should be allowed that right. He should be allowed to sit down and play poker and he shouldn’t be bothered. That’s just my personal opinion.”

It remains to be seen whether Lederer will indeed venture out in the live poker felt this summer and whether the poker community is ready to forgive, if not forget.

Watch the famous PokerNews Lederer Files - a seven-part series compiled from an exclusive interview conducted with Howard Lederer on Saturday Sept. 8, 2012: http://www.pokernews.com/lederer-files.htm

Phil Ivey Bluff Magazine interview: http://www.bluff.com/magazine/pulling-back-the-curtain-22118/