PokerStars has recently singed actor Jason Alexander to represent the site as a celebrity spokesman. His job will be to promote PokerStars at various tournaments around the world, including the 2009 World Series of Poker.

About the signing, Alexander said, “PokerStars has very graciously asked me to sign on as one of their official players. I am very flattered and happy to be playing for a real quality site and with the kind of professionals that remind me every day how truly mediocre I am at this game. But I’m learning. And now I can learn from some of the best.”

Alexander is not the only celebrity to play for PokerStars. Former L.A. Dodger Orel Hershiser, NHL Star Mats Sundin, and former tennis star Boris Becker are all members of what has been touted PokerStars’ team of “international celebrity ambassadors.”

J. Alexander will be the moniker to look for on the website. Alexander is probably most well known to fans of televised poker via his many appearances on the now defunct Celebrity Poker Showdown.

John Phan has had a monster year. First, he won two bracelets at the World Series of Poker. Then he made two WPT final tables in little over a month, including winning his first WPT title at the Legends of Poker. Now he is the Bluff Magazine 2008 Player of the Year.

Phan edged out Michael Binger for the award, which is the first for Phan. He started the year off with a 6th place finish at the Bay 101 WPT event. He then went on a historic run at the World Series of Poker that netted him two championship bracelets. The first of his bracelets came in the $3,000 No Limit Holdem event. This event saw an epic heads-up match between Phan and Johnny Neckar. After several hours of play and a private chopping of the prize money, the two decided that they would go all-in blind for three straight hands. This provided some of the best entertainment of the WSOP, with Neckar taking two out of the three hands. In the end, Phan came out on top for the top prize and his first bracelet.

He then made the final table of the 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball event. Both Michael Mizrachi and David Sklansky made the table with Phan. In the end, Phan emerged from this table victorious as well to claim his 2nd WSOP bracelet. Phan was the only multi-bracelet winner of the WSOP.

Next, Phan made the final table of the Bellagio Cup IV, where he finished in 5th place. He then a little over a month later made the final table of the Legends of Poker event in Los Angeles. This time, Phan was able to take down the event, the WPT championship bracelet, and the $1.1 Million top prize.

For the year, Phan earned over $2.1 Million.