I posted this in the original thread but I want it out in the open and easy to find as I know many people bow out of those long threads without finishing them.
I havent read the last few hours worth of posts I have been on the phone talking with Kimberly from Str8 Shots. There has been a lot of crossed wires in this situation obviously. Here are some things that should help clear it up:
1. Str8 Shots is not doing a Danny/John match now or in the future. Off the table.
2. Kimberly is unfamiliar with AZ and forums in general. This is a big reason the OP that started this brushfire read the way it did. I am as guilty of getting riled up over it as anyone. After speaking with her I believe 100% that her and husband want nothing but good things for pool and the people who play and watch it.
3. Str8 Shots focus has been Juniors and local events in the past. They are not as intimately familiar with all pro players and the history of the pro game as many here are. This has caused some miscommunications and mixed signals to happen.
4. There has been a large element of the "Telephone Game" effect in action throughout this entire situation. Sometimes what is said and what is meant become two different things when filtered through multiple lines of communication.
5. After two long conversations with Kimberly I find we agree on many things relating to pool and what it will take to improve the state of it in this country. Str8 Shots has been doing many good things no one has heard of. I consider myself wired in pretty good and I was unaware of most of them. They put time money and effort into things they believe in. That is desperately needed in this game.
6. After all that has went on in this thread I feel Str8 Shots has taken a whipping they really do not deserve. Most of that is due to the simple fact that things written on a forum by someone unfamiliar with the landscape can easily be taken out of context. I will be the first to admit I was guilty of this in this thread. My personal opinion based on knowing many people in this thread in person and most through my time here is that the great majority were just standing up for their opinions based on the facts as they understood them.
Unfortunately many of those facts for various reasons were not correct leading to good people making statements that are not warranted based on what REALLY has happened. Its confusing as hell and in all my time here I have never seen a similar situation spin out control so fast.
7. The Str8 Shots crew are good people not out to screw anyone over or micro manage the players they sponsor. They expect people they associate with to conduct themselves as professionals when representing them. That is something I think almost everyone here will agree is a good thing.
I feel really bad for having gotten twisted up in this mess and want to apologize to Kimberly and her husband for the part I played in this thing getting out of control. I believe in my heart they want nothing but good things and simply walked into a situation they had no knowledge off and got caught in a trap. In the future I will support Str8 Shots and do anything I can to help them.
I have always been vocal when I think someone is trying to pull a move on the pool world. History has proved me right on almost all occasions. On this one I was wrong. These are good people doing good things. I hope everyone will calm down and maybe take my word that there is no malice here on anyone's part. Its just a misunderstanding that got rapidly out of hand.
I havent read the last few hours worth of posts I have been on the phone talking with Kimberly from Str8 Shots. There has been a lot of crossed wires in this situation obviously. Here are some things that should help clear it up:
1. Str8 Shots is not doing a Danny/John match now or in the future. Off the table.
2. Kimberly is unfamiliar with AZ and forums in general. This is a big reason the OP that started this brushfire read the way it did. I am as guilty of getting riled up over it as anyone. After speaking with her I believe 100% that her and husband want nothing but good things for pool and the people who play and watch it.
3. Str8 Shots focus has been Juniors and local events in the past. They are not as intimately familiar with all pro players and the history of the pro game as many here are. This has caused some miscommunications and mixed signals to happen.
4. There has been a large element of the "Telephone Game" effect in action throughout this entire situation. Sometimes what is said and what is meant become two different things when filtered through multiple lines of communication.
5. After two long conversations with Kimberly I find we agree on many things relating to pool and what it will take to improve the state of it in this country. Str8 Shots has been doing many good things no one has heard of. I consider myself wired in pretty good and I was unaware of most of them. They put time money and effort into things they believe in. That is desperately needed in this game.
6. After all that has went on in this thread I feel Str8 Shots has taken a whipping they really do not deserve. Most of that is due to the simple fact that things written on a forum by someone unfamiliar with the landscape can easily be taken out of context. I will be the first to admit I was guilty of this in this thread. My personal opinion based on knowing many people in this thread in person and most through my time here is that the great majority were just standing up for their opinions based on the facts as they understood them.
Unfortunately many of those facts for various reasons were not correct leading to good people making statements that are not warranted based on what REALLY has happened. Its confusing as hell and in all my time here I have never seen a similar situation spin out control so fast.
7. The Str8 Shots crew are good people not out to screw anyone over or micro manage the players they sponsor. They expect people they associate with to conduct themselves as professionals when representing them. That is something I think almost everyone here will agree is a good thing.
I feel really bad for having gotten twisted up in this mess and want to apologize to Kimberly and her husband for the part I played in this thing getting out of control. I believe in my heart they want nothing but good things and simply walked into a situation they had no knowledge off and got caught in a trap. In the future I will support Str8 Shots and do anything I can to help them.
I have always been vocal when I think someone is trying to pull a move on the pool world. History has proved me right on almost all occasions. On this one I was wrong. These are good people doing good things. I hope everyone will calm down and maybe take my word that there is no malice here on anyone's part. Its just a misunderstanding that got rapidly out of hand.
