Chicago 14.1 Qualifier??

Steve Lipsky

Steve Lipsky

On quest for perfect 14.1
Silver Member
Just read on Seyberts.com that Jimmy Mataya played in the Chicago qualifier, even though he was invited to the actual tournament. He did it for a "workout".

I find this to be a horribly selfish thing to do, not to mention that it should never have been allowed in the first place.

I guess that Jimmy didn't come in one of the top two places anyway, but if he had, would he have gotten the qualifier spot? In other words, would he have gotten his $500 spot for the $85 qualifier entry fee? Or would the qualifying places just have moved down to 2-3 or 1-3?

I know the Chicago field is super-strong, but if he WAS eligible for the prize, that's crazy. They'd be advertising a tournament with two qualifying spots that in effect might only be one. He would go off the invite list, take the qualifier spot, and the extra invite would be given back to Dragon - and most probably not to a Chicago-area player as was advertised.

If he's NOT eligible for the spot, he's just messing up the draw. How would you like to be knocked out of a qualifying tournament by someone who already has a spot?? The write-up also mentioned that he played a five hour race to 125, fouling for more than 100 points. While this might sound like "old-school 14.1" as the story mentioned, how would you like to be the guy waiting all night for the winner of this match - a match that should never have been played in the first place because one of the competitors is already in the world tournament??

I am really very disappointed this was allowed to happen.

- Steve
 
Steve,

Whether Jimmy was eligible to win the Q is up to the organization hosting the event.

With the women I have two players that are "invited" to play in the 2006 WPBA events as they were the highest finishing Semi-Pro players in two tours in 2005. But they still can play in my Amateur/Semi-Pro only events because they can try and take off the tours again for the invited spots for next year. But they are not eligible to win the Qs I host.

So it's really up to the room and the UPA. This should have been discussed at the Player's Meeting.

Barbara
 
Steve Lipsky said:
Just read on Seyberts.com that Jimmy Mataya played in the Chicago qualifier, even though he was invited to the actual tournament. He did it for a "workout".

I find this to be a horribly selfish thing to do, not to mention that it should never have been allowed in the first place.

I guess that Jimmy didn't come in one of the top two places anyway, but if he had, would he have gotten the qualifier spot? In other words, would he have gotten his $500 spot for the $85 qualifier entry fee? Or would the qualifying places just have moved down to 2-3 or 1-3?

I know the Chicago field is super-strong, but if he WAS eligible for the prize, that's crazy. They'd be advertising a tournament with two qualifying spots that in effect might only be one. He would go off the invite list, take the qualifier spot, and the extra invite would be given back to Dragon - and most probably not to a Chicago-area player as was advertised.

If he's NOT eligible for the spot, he's just messing up the draw. How would you like to be knocked out of a qualifying tournament by someone who already has a spot?? The write-up also mentioned that he played a five hour race to 125, fouling for more than 100 points. While this might sound like "old-school 14.1" as the story mentioned, how would you like to be the guy waiting all night for the winner of this match - a match that should never have been played in the first place because one of the competitors is already in the world tournament??

I am really very disappointed this was allowed to happen.

- Steve
Click to expand...

I know 4 of the guys that played in the event and an instructor of mine watched and said it looked terrible. Said Mataya ran a 19 and then started playing bad with his buddy Schwartz. Not a whole lot of promotion for the event. I think they were able to field 16 in a city the size of Chicago. The tables had no counters. pen and paper was the way they kept score. people almolst bumping into the tournament players on the way to the can.
 
dmg,

Wow... that leaves an even worse taste. And I've heard good things about Chicago straight pool, so that's such a shame the field was so small.

Barbara,

Well, you know my feelings on pros being allowed to play in qualifiers, even if they can't win the spot. It just, in my opinion, turns everything into the luck of the draw (literally :)).

But I've seen you run your tournaments and have a great deal of respect for you... so let's do the ol' agree to disagree thing ;).

- Steve
 
Jimmy Mataya is my most favorite player that ever played pool.No telling what he has in his sleeve when he played in the qualifiers.
I like to see Jimmy Mataya playing Keith Meccreedy and that will be the most entertaing match that ever happened in pool in the last 50 years.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone know what the high runs were?......I'm always curious.

The write-up also mentioned that he played a five hour race to 125, fouling for more than 100 points. While this might sound like "old-school 14.1" as the story mentioned, how would you like to be the guy waiting all night for the winner of this match - a match that should never have been played in the first place because one of the competitors is already in the world tournament??

The above, quoted from Steve Lipsky is the reason why I like the DCC format for bringing 14.1 back, strictly from a PR point of view. Granted, I like the safety play of the game, but I don't think the public likes it AT ALL.....People like to see long runs, and get more into it as the run goes on. Bunting safeties, and taking scratches bores me to death, even as I"m taking the scratches!:D

Gerry
 
Just FYI for everyone:

Pro players already in the World 14.1 were allowed to play in the qualifiers because they asked if they could to "warm-up".

They were informed that they could not win any free spots in the event and that it would be passed onto the next highest finisher.

Basically, they were paying an entry to win nothing but just get practice in.
 
koreandragon said:
Basically, they were paying an entry to win nothing but just get practice in.
Click to expand...

So, Charlie...going along with what Steve said...how'd you like to be the guy that gets knocked out by somebody who is "playing to warm up for the pro event"? It still sucks... :rolleyes: JMO

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge
 
Scott Lee said:
So, Charlie...going along with what Steve said...how'd you like to be the guy that gets knocked out by somebody who is "playing to warm up for the pro event"? It still sucks... :rolleyes: JMO

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge
Click to expand...

I feell it a bull if CW has something to do with it there something real fishy going on somewere ..upa .the wal mart of pool..
 
Scott Lee said:
So, Charlie...going along with what Steve said...how'd you like to be the guy that gets knocked out by somebody who is "playing to warm up for the pro event"? It still sucks... :rolleyes: JMO
Click to expand...
Scott, we all know that Charlie is only interested in getting extra entry fees. He couldn't care less about a good player, who is knocked out by a pro who already has a guaranteed spot.
 
In fairness, for whatever reason, this policy of sticking pros into qualifiers is not unique to the UPA. I don't know if it's fair to blame any one person in particular for a system that has been in place for some time across many different organizations, at least to some degree.

I guess I wrote the original post because I thought some continued discussion on this policy would be a good thing. But I just want to emphasize that it was not my intent to bash any organization or organizer; it was more to bash the policy which, again, has been around for a long, long time in our game.

I was once knocked out in 3rd place of a qualifier for the Camel Pro Tour by Ginky, who of course already had a spot. I know how it feels, and it really sucks.

- Steve
 
If all those players with guaranteed spots showed up for the tourney......tell them to go play on a few back tables, so as not to disrupt the outcome of a qualifier!

I also had this thought. What if the players with a spot felt like coming to a particular qualifier with the intent to knock out players that might give them trouble in the "World Tourney"?!! They can come and have a free shot at a strong player and maybe make the field a little lighter in the big one?.....just a thought...

Gerry
 
Any possiblity that Jimmy M. was doing a friend a favor here? Meaning, was he in the tourney to maybe try to eliminate some of the tough competion and then lose on purpose if he played his friend? Just a thought.
 
dogginda9 said:
Any possiblity that Jimmy M. was doing a friend a favor here? Meaning, was he in the tourney to maybe try to eliminate some of the tough competion and then lose on purpose if he played his friend? Just a thought.
Click to expand...

That thought crossed some minds. He came with Schwartz who got second. I played in league tonight with one of the guys that got beat by Mataya. I heard that Schwartz beat Mataya.
 
Steve Lipsky said:
I know the Chicago field is super-strong



- Steve
Click to expand...


Steve, Uhhh, no....The Chicago 'field' is not super-strong - nor is it even strong - mediocre is more like it, and that's probably being too generous......If Vegas ( or Billy Incardona ) were to make an over and under line for high run for a Chicago players straight pool tournament, the number would probably be about 60 ^_^ .......

.......For a tournament out east in your neck of the woods, with guys like Robles, Ginky, Barouti, etc. I would imagine Vegas would make the over-under high run number about 105 - is that number about right would you say ? Ghost
 
1 Pocket Ghost said:
Steve, Uhhh, no....The Chicago 'field' is not super-strong - nor is it even strong - mediocre is more like it, and that's probably being too generous......If Vegas ( or Billy Incardona ) were to make an over and under line for high run for a Chicago players straight pool tournament, the number would probably be about 60 ^_^ .......

.......For a tournament out east in your neck of the woods, with guys like Robles, Ginky, Barouti, etc. I would imagine Vegas would make the over-under high run number about 105 - is that number about right would you say ? Ghost
Click to expand...


Speaking of Ginky-Why did he turn down the invite to this tournament? (according to another thread)
 
Nostroke said:
Speaking of Ginky-Why did he turn down the invite to this tournament? (according to another thread)
Click to expand...
I was wondering the same thing.
Ginky is an excellent straight pool player. Why would he pass up a straight pool tournament in his own back yard? :confused:
 
1 Pocket Ghost said:
Steve, Uhhh, no....The Chicago 'field' is not super-strong - nor is it even strong - mediocre is more like it, and that's probably being too generous......If Vegas ( or Billy Incardona ) were to make an over and under line for high run for a Chicago players straight pool tournament, the number would probably be about 60 ^_^ .......

.......For a tournament out east in your neck of the woods, with guys like Robles, Ginky, Barouti, etc. I would imagine Vegas would make the over-under high run number about 105 - is that number about right would you say ? Ghost
Click to expand...

You are probably right. I think the high run at the qualifier was in the 30s. 3 of the guys I know that played probably have high runs in their life in the 50-75 area. A young kid came down from Wisconsin with Sailor. I saw him run a 73 and a 47 up at a 14.1 tournament in Wisconsin several months ago.

In Red Shoes league, there are at least 4 guys reputed to have run 100s before, but the high run I've seen there in the last few years is only in the 40s.

There might be some good 14.1 players lurking in the Chicago area, but I don't know who they are. Karabotsos comes to mind, Dallas West in Rockford, Jeff Carter in Wisconsin.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top