first report from Galveston

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Silver Member
JoeyA just gave me a call from Moody Gardens. He said it is very big and very nice, I think the word he used was "spectacular". He said he has already wore himself out walking, . . . . and that was from the bedroom to the bathroom!

The Filipinos are there in force Efren and Busty traveling together and a handful more. Joey ran down a list of players that sounded like a who's who of the action scene. Billy Incardona is in action tonight partnering with Artie B. Gene Albrecht has already found action for tonight too.

Everything sounds fantastic except a couple of hitches. Buddy Hall was going to be in the booth a good bit. The report is that his brother had both a heart attack and stroke so Buddy may miss the event completely. Thoughts, prayers, well wishes for his brother and Buddy certainly couldn't hurt. The other bad news is minor, I think it was Ronnie Alcano that is delayed in Chicago but they are working to get that straightened out.

Just early indications but from what JoeyA was saying this is going to be one of the must attend events from the very first time. Things are heating up fast in Galveston!

Hu
 
JoeyA just gave me a call from Moody Gardens. He said it is very big and very nice, I think the word he used was "spectacular". He said he has already wore himself out walking, . . . . and that was from the bedroom to the bathroom!

The Filipinos are there in force Efren and Busty traveling together and a handful more. Joey ran down a list of players that sounded like a who's who of the action scene. Billy Incardona is in action tonight partnering with Artie B. Gene Albrecht has already found action for tonight too.

Everything sounds fantastic except a couple of hitches. Buddy Hall was going to be in the booth a good bit. The report is that his brother had both a heart attack and stroke so Buddy may miss the event completely. Thoughts, prayers, well wishes for his brother and Buddy certainly couldn't hurt. The other bad news is minor, I think it was Ronnie Alcano that is delayed in Chicago but they are working to get that straightened out.

Just early indications but from what JoeyA was saying this is going to be one of the must attend events from the very first time. Things are heating up fast in Galveston!

Hu


How many players do they have signed up in the various events?

Lou Figueroa
 
I don't know

How many players do they have signed up in the various events?

Lou Figueroa


Lou,

Joey had just got there when he called me. I'm purely judging by the names he was mentioning that he bumped into while getting settled in that the road players and shortstops are showing up. This was a question in my mind because they are the biggest part of a pro field. No surprise that the big guns are showing up but without the bread and butter players to fill out the fields the events wouldn't amount to much.

Joey was rattling off names but I think I heard Hennesee and Runnels and a handful more I recognized at the time. He mentioned about half a dozen of the Filipinos too, seems like the weakest showing will be by the Europeans, just a couple expected to show that can do what they want to do. I don't think Joey had talked to anyone official at the event yet. He is in the One Pocket I believe so hopefully he will have a number for that field if not all of them. I've got a player in the ten and eight ball but I'm not even sure I will make it there to watch a couple days now, things got a little crazy around here.

Purely a guess here but I think they'll have at least sixty or seventy players in the pro fields. The 128 plus they are hoping for, maybe, but I don't know. I was wondering how the action was going to be, early indications are that it is going to be good.

Hu
 
There's only one small problem. There aren't any tables set up yet!! The local lighting guys screwed up and didn't get the lighting grids ready in time. So as I type they're trying to get the lights hung. Then they can install and level the tables. They may have some ready by late tonight, but otherwise it'll be tomorrow before everything is set!

There are lots of pros. Shannon D. said he may go up to Bogie's in N. Houston to hit some balls. Said Gabe, Ochoa and others were already matched up.

The venue will be fantastic when it's ready to go.

Doc
 
Lou,

Joey had just got there when he called me. I'm purely judging by the names he was mentioning that he bumped into while getting settled in that the road players and shortstops are showing up. This was a question in my mind because they are the biggest part of a pro field. No surprise that the big guns are showing up but without the bread and butter players to fill out the fields the events wouldn't amount to much.

Joey was rattling off names but I think I heard Hennesee and Runnels and a handful more I recognized at the time. He mentioned about half a dozen of the Filipinos too, seems like the weakest showing will be by the Europeans, just a couple expected to show that can do what they want to do. I don't think Joey had talked to anyone official at the event yet. He is in the One Pocket I believe so hopefully he will have a number for that field if not all of them. I've got a player in the ten and eight ball but I'm not even sure I will make it there to watch a couple days now, things got a little crazy around here.

Purely a guess here but I think they'll have at least sixty or seventy players in the pro fields. The 128 plus they are hoping for, maybe, but I don't know. I was wondering how the action was going to be, early indications are that it is going to be good.

Hu


That's very cool. I hope they get a big influx of players, especially at the last minute.

And you're right -- it's the bread and butter, or ham and eggers, that really make an event like this. You know the pros are going to be there for a hearty feeding, but it is the amateurs that actually fill out a field for a "big" event, like at the DCC.

Given the choice between getting into a tournament with 63 killers vs 127 half killers - half Walter Mitty's, I prefer the latter. At least then I can justify, in my own mind, going to an event like this and just maybe winning one or two on the loser's side. Otherwise, it's a massacre for the 3 Spartans :-)

Lou Figueroa
 
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There's only one small problem. There aren't any tables set up yet!! The local lighting guys screwed up and didn't get the lighting grids ready in time. So as I type they're trying to get the lights hung. Then they can install and level the tables. They may have some ready by late tonight, but otherwise it'll be tomorrow before everything is set!

There are lots of pros. Shannon D. said he may go up to Bogie's in N. Houston to hit some balls. Said Gabe, Ochoa and others were already matched up.

The venue will be fantastic when it's ready to go.

Doc


Doc, are these the 9footers, or the bar tables (or both), that they haven't set up yet?

Lou Figueroa
 
I'm here in Galveston. Moody Gardens is a fabulous place and the Convention Center is huge. There will be 40 Diamond 9' tables on the pro side and I don't know how many 7' tables on the amateur side (a lot!). They are spending quite a bit of money to put this event on. That is evident. There is bleacher seating going up for close to a thousand people. And a separate venue for the television table.

Haven't seen many players yet and I heard it will be late getting underway tomorrow. They will have to work all night to get everything set up. I'm guessing that substantial money will be lost this first year. To make this thing go (and grow) they have to be in it for the long haul. Greg Sullivan once told me he lost money the first three years at DCC.

The promoters are trying hard to do things right. I got in about 4 PM at the Houston Airport. In less than 15 minutes a van was here to take me to Galveston. It's a 45 minute drive. One thing for sure. We need another big event on American soil. Maybe this will be it - in time. The first year of any new event is always the toughest. I'm here to support it by playing, staking someone and spending a few bucks.
 
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I'm here in Galveston. Moody Gardens is a fabulous place and the Convention Center is huge. There will be 40 Diamond 9' tables on the pro side and I don't know how many 7' tables on the amateur side (a lot!). They are spending quite a bit of money to put this event on. That is evident. There is bleacher seating going up for close to a thousand people. And a separate venue for the television table.

Haven't seen many players yet and I heard it will be late getting underway tomorrow. They will have to work all night to get everything set up. I'm guessing that substantial money will be lost this first year. To make this thing go (and grow) they have to be in it for the long haul. Greg Sullivan once told me he lost money the first three years at DCC.

The promoters are trying hard to do things right. I got in about 4 PM at the Houston Airport. In less than 15 minutes a van was here to take me to Galveston. It's a 45 minute drive. One thing for sure. We need another big event on American soil. Maybe this will be it - in time. The first year of any new event is always the toughest. I'm here to support it by playing, staking someone and spending a few bucks.

Jay, is Mark Tad there?
 
I am headed down on Wednesday to see some people and just sweat the matches. I do know that Hot Ticket, the streaming and TV provider they had lined up is no longer in the picture and will not be there doing production. They were told last week that their services would not be needed. I talked with Dustin of Hot Ticket and he was a bit peeved to say the least.

So....I am wondering who if anyone is doing the filming for this thing and if it is being streamed where can we watch it? I know they are having issues with the table set up but does anyone there see any TV or filming gear being set up? They are going to have some great players there in the pro events and exhibition matches and I would like to be able to see it before I actually get on site.
 
Just got word that they have ten 9 footers down now. First Amateur event is supposed to start tomorrow at 1 PM local. Ed Hagan and crew are gonna be humping tonight.
 
I am headed down on Wednesday to see some people and just sweat the matches. I do know that Hot Ticket, the streaming and TV provider they had lined up is no longer in the picture and will not be there doing production. They were told last week that their services would not be needed. I talked with Dustin of Hot Ticket and he was a bit peeved to say the least.

So....I am wondering who if anyone is doing the filming for this thing and if it is being streamed where can we watch it? I know they are having issues with the table set up but does anyone there see any TV or filming gear being set up? They are going to have some great players there in the pro events and exhibition matches and I would like to be able to see it before I actually get on site.

Are they still going to stream the tournament and challenge matches on the galveston website? I hope so!!! I was really looking forward to all of the challenge matches!! I wish I could go, but being a poor graduate student I could not swing the cash!
 
wow

Hey Justin , If you know or see Wes Burden tell him Matt said
howdy . Pretty sure he said he was part of the table crew .Keep
us posted as to who is streaming this ?? Thanks

Just got word that they have ten 9 footers down now. First Amateur event is supposed to start tomorrow at 1 PM local. Ed Hagan and crew are gonna be humping tonight.
 
I am headed down on Wednesday to see some people and just sweat the matches. I do know that Hot Ticket, the streaming and TV provider they had lined up is no longer in the picture and will not be there doing production. They were told last week that their services would not be needed. I talked with Dustin of Hot Ticket and he was a bit peeved to say the least.

So....I am wondering who if anyone is doing the filming for this thing and if it is being streamed where can we watch it? I know they are having issues with the table set up but does anyone there see any TV or filming gear being set up? They are going to have some great players there in the pro events and exhibition matches and I would like to be able to see it before I actually get on site.

He Justin I will be flying in wednesday myself so I'm sure I will run into you. I also thinking maybe you should pack some video equipment when you head to Galveston.
 
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JoeyA just gave me a call from Moody Gardens. He said it is very big and very nice, I think the word he used was "spectacular". He said he has already wore himself out walking, . . . . and that was from the bedroom to the bathroom!

The Filipinos are there in force Efren and Busty traveling together and a handful more. Joey ran down a list of players that sounded like a who's who of the action scene. Billy Incardona is in action tonight partnering with Artie B. Gene Albrecht has already found action for tonight too.

Everything sounds fantastic except a couple of hitches. Buddy Hall was going to be in the booth a good bit. The report is that his brother had both a heart attack and stroke so Buddy may miss the event completely. Thoughts, prayers, well wishes for his brother and Buddy certainly couldn't hurt. The other bad news is minor, I think it was Ronnie Alcano that is delayed in Chicago but they are working to get that straightened out.

Just early indications but from what JoeyA was saying this is going to be one of the must attend events from the very first time. Things are heating up fast in Galveston!

Hu

Thanks for the great write-up. Very much appreciated for the inquiring minds back home.

I agree with Jay in that we should all support this new event on American soil. Of course, there will be hurdles to jump the first time out of the gate. I wish the promoters all the success in the world.

Personally, I think they're better off without the livestreaming. In recent times, though I have enjoyed seeing the livestreamed matches, especially when Jerry Forsyth is in the booth, they're usually too long to sit there 6, 7, and 8 hours. :o
 
Jay, is Mark Tad there?

Did not see Mark last night, but very few players were there. I guess we'll find out today how many showed up for the One Pocket. I've heard the frield will be fairly large. That would be nice.

As far as the live TV production, there is an area with one table cordoned off, but no equipment in there as yet. I did run into Jim Wyche who said he had been hired to do commentary. We'll just have to see what happens in this regard. My sense is the promoters have their hands full with this baby right now. I've got my fingers crossed that it all works out okay.
 
Did not see Mark last night, but very few players were there. I guess we'll find out today how many showed up for the One Pocket. I've heard the frield will be fairly large. That would be nice.

As far as the live TV production, there is an area with one table cordoned off, but no equipment in there as yet. I did run into Jim Wyche who said he had been hired to do commentary. We'll just have to see what happens in this regard. My sense is the promoters have their hands full with this baby right now. I've got my fingers crossed that it all works out okay.

The numbers I heard are around 60 for the one pocket and and 8 Ball and 40 for the 10 Ball. I would guess those will swell up before kick off as many guys sign up last minute. I think these are going to be some very talented fields. They will be full of monsters. It will be fun to watch for sure.

There are some guys still in Portugal that are going to be there when that ends.
 
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