"this Makes Me Sick"!

[OldHasBeen]

I JUST COPIED & PASTED THESE FINAL RESULTS FROM THE ONE POCKET TOURNEY IN VEGAS –

RESULTS:
1) Scott Frost $4,000
2) Gabe Owen $2,400
3) Ike Runnels $1,470
4) James Walden $860 - $8,730, top 4 total payout.

Now look at the talent, skill, years of trials and tribulations that it took each & every one of these fine players to reach this level of play.

THIS IS REDICULUS!

And I'm not complaining about the promoters & or tournament. I don't even know who they were. It sounds like they did a great job and had a great tourney.
But for this large amount of talent to be paid this little is a disgrace. Hell, the average payout for these 4 is about $2,200 and they spent a week in Vegas AND these are the TOP 4. What about ALL the others?

Some players & supporters of pool try to say that "Gambling" is what’s wrong with the game. It gives off the wrong image. Who can or should care about image if your trying to make a living and or (God forbid, have a family to support).

"I'll tell 'ya folks - We Got Trouble" and that starts with a "T" and it rhymes with "P", and that stands for POOL".

I'M TOO OLD & TOO OPINIONATED TO DO MUCH TO HELP - BUT - I SURE HOPE SOMEONE WITH THE BRAINS & MONEY DOES SOMETHING "RIGHT" & SOON!

TY & GL

 

[OldHasBeen]

I only hope your right!

these are the two issues the ipt is trying to address. upping both the profile through television and the payouts to the top professionals. i think it's better to look at it as help is on the way!

As it stands - the glass has an equal amount of water from the top & bottom. I hope the IPT can give an optimistic viewpoint & outlook.
Hell, someone has to do something - Even if it's wrong.
If enough smart entrepreneurs keep throwing enough money at ANY problem & opportunity - IT CAN BE DONE!

TY & GL

 

[JAM]

You got three kind of players: tournament soldiers, action players who gamble, and then those who swing both ways.

There is one school of thought that it is economically advantageous for a player to have expertise in both worlds.

I have yet seen a player to live high off the hog off his/her earnings playing competitively, tournament-wise.

Most champions leave the game/sport at the height of their pool-shooting career because they, sooner or later, recognize the income potential is not desirable for their chosen lifestyle.

Of course, there will always be those who chose pool as a profession solely for the almighty money, others whose greatest ambition is obtaining shiny tin cups, and then a few kindred souls who continue to play because of their deep passion. Unsung heroes, all of them, in their own strange sort of way.

JAM

 

[st_michael]

THIS IS REDICULUS!
TY & GL

I agree... however, the problem is not the game... The problem is getting people willing to watch the game and put their hard earned money into the game.

You can have all the talent, but if the masses do not care about the talent the money will not be their... the trick is to get people to care about the talent...

Thanks,

Michael
Boise, Idaho

 

[wayne]

I JUST COPIED & PASTED THESE FINAL RESULTS FROM THE ONE POCKET TOURNEY IN VEGAS –

RESULTS:
1) Scott Frost $4,000
2) Gabe Owen $2,400
3) Ike Runnels $1,470
4) James Walden $860 - $8,730, top 4 total payout.

Now look at the talent, skill, years of trials and tribulations that it took each & every one of these fine players to reach this level of play.

THIS IS REDICULUS!

And I'm not complaining about the promoters & or tournament. I don't even know who they were. It sounds like they did a great job and had a great tourney.
But for this large amount of talent to be paid this little is a disgrace. Hell, the average payout for these 4 is about $2,200 and they spent a week in Vegas AND these are the TOP 4. What about ALL the others?

Some players & supporters of pool try to say that "Gambling" is what’s wrong with the game. It gives off the wrong image. Who can or should care about image if your trying to make a living and or (God forbid, have a family to support).

"I'll tell 'ya folks - We Got Trouble" and that starts with a "T" and it rhymes with "P", and that stands for POOL".

I'M TOO OLD & TOO OPINIONATED TO DO MUCH TO HELP - BUT - I SURE HOPE SOMEONE WITH THE BRAINS & MONEY DOES SOMETHING "RIGHT" & SOON!

TY & GL

With the small amount of added money ($5000) I think it is designed to be mainly a local event. A handful of really good players who love one-pocket make a long trip to play but there isn't enough money in it to entice even 1 of the strong one-pocket players from Northern California to make the trip. There were a number of local Vegas players, maybe about 8-10 of us from Southern Cal and then a number more from other nearby areas.

If they can get it up to even as little as $10,000 added I am sure they will fill the field and the payouts will be a lot better and the field will be even stronger.

Wayne

 

[Black-Balled]

Weren't there only like 30 players? That is also rediculous.

 

[wayne]

Weren't there only like 30 players? That is also rediculous.

There were 52.

Wayne

 

[JustPlay]

With the small amount of added money ($5000) I think it is designed to be mainly a local event. A handful of really good players who love one-pocket make a long trip to play but there isn't enough money in it to entice even 1 of the strong one-pocket players from Northern California to make the trip. There were a number of local Vegas players, maybe about 8-10 of us from Southern Cal and then a number more from other nearby areas.

If they can get it up to even as little as $10,000 added I am sure they will fill the field and the payouts will be a lot better and the field will be even stronger.

Wayne

Wayne,

Just to add to your statements, this US Open One-pocket is not the same as the US Open 9-ball event. This tournament has few distinct issues that (at least at this time) hold it back from being a major event like the US Open 9-ball in VA. Its location is too far west. There are more professional players here in the mid-west and east coast. The Joss Tour, Viking tour and the Florida tours have scores of players that would most likely attend the event if it were more centrally located. The US Open One pocket event conflicts with other tournaments each year. Its reputation for being a major tournament is not any significant level. Sponsorship for the event is non-existant (at least for now). Also alot of top players did not attend the event for various reasons.

I really don't see a one pocket event as a stand alone event for which big prize money to be paid to the players. The Southern Classic and the DCC have multi-events which are successful because of its varity of events. Just because the event has "US OPEN" stamped on doesn't automatically make it a big event, it has to build up a reputation, just like the US Open 9-ball event did over the years and has to longivity.

 

[wayne]

Wayne,

Just to add to your statements, this US Open One-pocket is not the same as the US Open 9-ball event. This tournament has few distinct issues that (at least at this time) hold it back from being a major event like the US Open 9-ball in VA. Its location is too far west. There are more professional players here in the mid-west and east coast. The Joss Tour, Viking tour and the Florida tours have scores of players that would most likely attend the event if it were more centrally located. The US Open One pocket event conflicts with other tournaments each year. Its reputation for being a major tournament is not any significant level. Sponsorship for the event is non-existant (at least for now). Also alot of top players did not attend the event for various reasons.

I really don't see a one pocket event as a stand alone event for which big prize money to be paid to the players. The Southern Classic and the DCC have multi-events which are successful because of its varity of events. Just because the event has "US OPEN" stamped on doesn't automatically make it a big event, it has to build up a reputation, just like the US Open 9-ball event did over the years and has to longivity.

Yes I think the "Las Vegas Open One-pocket" would be a better description. . They also have a Bank Pool Event on the 9 footers that is taking place now.

I might not agree with the fact there are more professional players back east if you are referring to one-pocket. West coast players took 2nd and 3rd at DCC last year. I think Parica, Chohan, Billy Palmer, Scott Frost would hold up pretty well with any 4 players from the East Coast. Heck, I beat Tres from Arizona right after he eliminated Shannon Daulton from the US Open and I am way down the pecking order here on the West Coast.

Wayne

 

[bruin70]

As it stands - the glass has an equal amount of water from the top & bottom. I hope the IPT can give an optimistic viewpoint & outlook.
Hell, someone has to do something - Even if it's wrong.
If enough smart entrepreneurs keep throwing enough money at ANY problem & opportunity - IT CAN BE DONE!

TY & GL

you're too close to the game to see it in its proper perspective, ohb.

if i had the money to put into pool, i wouldn't put it into one pocket. if pool is unwatchable, one pocket is even worse.

 

[JustPlay]

Yes I think the "Las Vegas Open One-pocket" would be a better description. I know if I had won I wouldn't have felt like a US Open champion, I would have felt great but probably would consider myself the Las Vegas one-pocket champ. They have a lot of events going on but most are on the bar tables. They also have a Bank Pool Event on the 9 footers that is taking place now.

I might not agree with the fact there are more professional players back east if you are referring to one-pocket. West coast players took 2nd and 3rd at DCC last year. I think Parica, Chohan, Billy Palmer, Scott Frost would hold up pretty well with any 4 players from the East Coast. Heck, I beat Tres from Arizona right after he eliminated Shannon Daulton from the US Open and I am way down the pecking order here on the West Coast.

Wayne

I am not just referring to just one-pocket players only, but just as a whole altogether.

 

[Black-Balled]

There were 52.

Wayne

Thank you for making the correction publically.
My thought is still the same- should'a been more than that. LOTS MORE.

 

[Travis Bickle]

I think if you're going to call your tournament the U.S. Open you've GOT to find more money than that. Or just call it the Vegas Open, like some have said. Looks like the game's not quite ready for a major 1-pocket event right now ... might as well just put the name U.S. Open on the shelf till it is.

 

[wayne]

I think if you're going to call your tournament the U.S. Open you've GOT to find more money than that. Or just call it the Vegas Open, like some have said. Looks like the game's not quite ready for a major 1-pocket event right now ... might as well just put the name U.S. Open on the shelf till it is.

There is a major one-pocket event at Derby City, it draws over 300 players.

The Las Vegas event is a good one but like you said they would have to up the added money in order to turn it in to a major event, hopefully, this will happen.

Wayne

 

[Solartje]

mmm i see people complain but on the other hand i can only dream of tournaments like that.

in my country:

http://www.poolbilliard-belgium.be/img/LeuvensOpen2005.jpg

1/ this is the highest payed tournament of the year. 4days of qualifying. hundreds of players... compate the price money...

2/ ive never EVER seen any pool game shown on my tv. the only game i could see was snooker on bbc, and thats why i started to play snooker. i cant watch epsn and learn from the many matches, we dont got any coatches, pool schools or anything like that. we have to learn it by ourself.

i wish id live in the US to have what u have... Good thing do, is that every pool player here, even top3 of my country does it for the fun, and not the money. there arent even much hustlers here. (i honestly have never played one or seen one, but i guess there must be..)

to me its like rich people in developed country's crying that there water isnt at the exact temperature they want, where others are dying from having no water at all.

(ps im not here to flame or so, and i DO think too, that money is important to have good high level players. that tv promotion IS important for people to get hooked in this game, but dont cry if its not yet exactly how it should be. it could be worse....

ps: just my 2cents might be not what most think, but its how i think

 

[Travis Bickle]

Er, I guess I should've given a nod to that, though I doesn't need it from me. OK, I really meant one except DCC ... guess that's the unofficial world title right now. And good luck there, Wayne. You playing the other divisions as well?

One of these years I'll have to check it out.