What happened to Mike Sigel in Paris?

[Bamacues]

A shame if Mike Sigel won't play more on the Eurotour because of this...

I wanted to go to the Eurotour in Germany, and one of the reasons was because Mike Sigel was supposed to play all Eurotours this year...

My point precisely. If it had not have been for what Mike Sigel meant to the game in the 80s, pool might already be dead. Certainly, his influence on the sport and his technical expertise in "The Color of Money" helped revitalize the game then.

Mike gets rebuked in public for getting the audience involved before a match had begun...what a crime!! The TD probably can't make 3 balls in a row.

Does Mike do a lot of talking??? Certainly. But he has been in a few tournament situations before, having won over 100 titles, and being a multi-time World Champion in many different games. He knows how to conduct himself when it matters.

The Eurotour will be worse off because he is not a part of it. Mike would have drawn many spectators to the venues in Europe just hoping to get to meet a living legend.

JMO,
Joe

 

[cardiac kid]

Mike gets rebuked in public for getting the audience involved before a match had begun...what a crime!! The TD probably can't make 3 balls in a row.

Joe,

What does that have to do with the fact Mike may have been asked by the TD to quiet down? Regardless of his intentions, Mike is a "guest" of the EuroTour. When asked to stop, he should have stopped. He could have suggested to the audience to wait until the matches were over and then he'll give his "class". I find his actions no different than those of Earl when he goes off.

Does Mike do a lot of talking??? Certainly. But he has been in a few tournament situations before, having won over 100 titles, and being a multi-time World Champion in many different games. He knows how to conduct himself when it matters.

You are talking about yesterdays. Mike The Mouth is a different person than the Captain Hook we know and respect. When in Rochester, I see and hear Mike and how he conducts himself. We all want him to be the World Champion he was. Times are different now.

The Eurotour will be worse off because he is not a part of it. Mike would have drawn many spectators to the venues in Europe just hoping to get to meet a living legend.

Mike is one player. How will the EuroTour be worse off without him? Yes, some will come to see him play. Some will come to see if he goes off. No different than Earl or a hockey fan waiting for the blood to spill.

I'm very sad for Mike. A lot of things have gone wrong for him in the last couple of years. He needs some positive things happening in is life. I for one hope this happens. In or out of the pool world.

Lyn

 

[SUPERSTAR]

Screw mike Sigel.
The world doesn't revolve around him, and the more the world lets him know this, the better off he AND pool will be.

If he is incapable of leaving his ego and the mouth that defends it, on the shelf before he goes out, then he doesn't deserve to represent our sport. Simple as that.

 

[pt109]

Sigel - good for the game

I've often said "If you listen to Mike Sigel complain and explain
his way through a match,you'll learn every thing you need to
know about playing pool,"
Was there a sign posted - NO EXTROVERTS ALLOWED - ?
They must have Tony Drago and the Lion thinking about
not playing on their tour.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

I'm no Mike Sigel, but if some smart-ass TD lipped to me in front of an audience (like that guy did to Mike)--- I'd unscrew as well and then make an exiting scene worthy of whatever my entrance fee was. I'd never get smart-assed-to like that either. The TD wasn't professional, nice or tactful in his behavior.

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

sounds like elementary school.

 

[jay helfert]

I've got a great idea. Mike could talk to his friend Kevin, who claims to be a billionaire and have him start his own pool tour. Better yet, set it up so that Mike plays in the finals every week. What??? Ohh??? He already did that! Never mind.

 

[cardiac kid]

I'm no Mike Sigel, but if some smart-ass TD lipped to me in front of an audience (like that guy did to Mike)--- I'd unscrew as well and then make an exiting scene worthy of whatever my entrance fee was. I'd never get smart-assed-to like that either. The TD wasn't professional, nice or tactful in his behavior.

Spidy,

I'm no Mike Sigel either. I do play on several different tours. Primarily the Joss and CNY. From those experiences, I can tell you that mouthing off to Mike Zuglan will get you banned from the Joss Tour. He has asked some of the best players in the US not to return to his events. I've played in events with Joe Kerr, Scott Smith and several other top line TD's. None will accept backtalk from the players. If you don't like what the TD says, play elsewhere or start your own tour!

Also, neither of us were in attendence at the event. A couple of other AZ posters were. I'd defer to them for accuracy. Mike may or may not be worthy of your defense.

Lyn

 

[cardiac kid]

I've got a great idea. Mike could talk to his friend Kevin, who claims to be a billionaire and have him start his own pool tour. Better yet, set it up so that Mike plays in the finals every week. What??? Ohh??? He already did that! Never mind.

:rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:

Lyn

 

[XxMerlinxX]

Sorry guys but that´s sh.i.t.
I was not there, but a good friend of mine, and he told me something different.
He told me Mike was doing his talking thing the whole time and that he was disqualified because he didn´t stop.
And it was during matches, too, and it was directly going at his opponents and that´s it !!

No "strange" europeans, but "strange" americans which believe they are the greatest and can do what they want !!

Erich

Seems like your friend doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. And like someone else already mentioned, stereotyping Americans on an American billiards forum probably isn't the smartest play either. But it's alright, while we may be the greatest and do whatever we want, we're pretty friendly also. I mean hell, you're from Vienna, so how bad can you be? You guys make those little sausage wieners, so at least you have one redeeming quality.

 

[alstl]

I've often said "If you listen to Mike Sigel complain and explain
his way through a match,you'll learn every thing you need to
know about playing pool,"
Was there a sign posted - NO EXTROVERTS ALLOWED - ?
They must have Tony Drago and the Lion thinking about
not playing on their tour.

Good point, Drago talks as much or more than Sigel. Sounds to me like a case of some anti-American stuff combined with an official on an ego trip.

 

[Roger Long]

John McEnroe was an arrogant, obnoxious, spoiled jerk. But was he good for tennis? I think so.

Mike Sigel is an arrogant, obnoxious, spoiled jerk. But is he good for pool? I think so.

Roger

 

[RunOutPlayer]

Screw mike Sigel.
The world doesn't revolve around him, and the more the world lets him know this, the better off he AND pool will be.

If he is incapable of leaving his ego and the mouth that defends it, on the shelf before he goes out, then he doesn't deserve to represent our sport. Simple as that.

I'm going to have to agree from what I saw of Mike Sigel a few years back at the IPT qualifer over at Hardtimes (Bellflower). He was very loud and talking non-stop as the other pros are playing their games. It was mindblowing to me that this kind of behavior would be tolerated while other people are playing their games.

Finally Oliver Ortman went over to Kevin Trudeau and said something. Alot of good that did.

I lost a great deal of respect for Mike Sigel that day. I was a big fan of his until that day.

His commentary on the television broadcasts of the IPT were very respectful and he was giving alot of compliments to many of the pro players which seemed kind of odd to me. As a player competing he was a complete jackass but as a pool commentator he was very respectful.

 

[Luxury]

Mike is one player. How will the EuroTour be worse off without him? Yes, some will come to see him play. Some will come to see if he goes off. No different than Earl or a hockey fan waiting for the blood to spill.

I think you answered your own question here.

I too believe that the tournament director was out of line and Mike has made him pay for it. I'm sure the Eurotour is not to happy with the tournament director right now. That is if they care about ticket sales or if they believe a living legend will help sell them.

 

[mair23]

Seems like your friend doesn't know what the hell he's talking about. And like someone else already mentioned, stereotyping Americans on an American billiards forum probably isn't the smartest play either. But it's alright, while we may be the greatest and do whatever we want, we're pretty friendly also. I mean hell, you're from Vienna, so how bad can you be? You guys make those little sausage wieners, so at least you have one redeeming quality.

Come on Merlin, i already said sorry for using the wrong words.
I tried to use the QUOTE thing with the word "strange" and got i wrong.
I appoligized for that 5 minutes later, so don´t get me wrong - o.k. !?

I love the mentality of all americans and you can believe me that,
because if not why would i be on this forum and be in the US for
at least one or two times per year without loving all of you :grin-square:

All i said was that Mike was doing a little bit to much TRASH TALKING, and yes in the matches before too.
Maybe that was the reason why the TD got of like this, you know !?
And like most of you i realy like Mike and his style of game, but there are some negatives too, and that´s it :thumbup:

US LOVER - Erich (mair23)

 

[Nostroke]

Good point, Drago talks as much or more than Sigel. Sounds to me like a case of some anti-American stuff combined with an official on an ego trip.

You're going too far there Al IMO. Drago doesnt even approach Mike's loquaciousness around the table. Not from what i've seen.

 

[Bamacues]

Joe,

What does that have to do with the fact Mike may have been asked by the TD to quiet down? Regardless of his intentions, Mike is a "guest" of the EuroTour. When asked to stop, he should have stopped. He could have suggested to the audience to wait until the matches were over and then he'll give his "class". I find his actions no different than those of Earl when he goes off.

From what was said, Mike was interacting with the audience 15 minutes before the match began. That is what both he and his opponent said. I was not there, but that does not sound like "mouthing off" to me. I have seen Earl go off....don't remember him being banned or tossed...remember the Mosconi cup a couple years ago?

You are talking about yesterdays. Mike The Mouth is a different person than the Captain Hook we know and respect. When in Rochester, I see and hear Mike and how he conducts himself. We all want him to be the World Champion he was. Times are different now.

I have been playing pool since 1963...I have seen Mike play long ago. If you have truly seen him in action, what he does now is very, very low-key compared to "the was he was". He has ALWAYS been Mike the Mouth. The only difference is that when he was World Champion and top-draw for the promoters, they tolerated it.

Mike is one player. How will the EuroTour be worse off without him? Yes, some will come to see him play. Some will come to see if he goes off. No different than Earl or a hockey fan waiting for the blood to spill.

There is always some who want the spectacle, blood, etc. That is what makes news. Bad boys are popular. Eurotour will be worse off because of the lack of a legendary player not being in attendance.

I'm very sad for Mike. A lot of things have gone wrong for him in the last couple of years. He needs some positive things happening in is life. I for one hope this happens. In or out of the pool world.

I agree with you 100% on this. We ALL could use some positive experiences, and Mike is no different. I wish him nothing but the best.

Since I was not present, I can not speak to what actually went on. I do know from experience at a high level in the corporate world, that you never "dress down" a person in public. If the TD had an issue with Mike interacting with the crowd, a public confrontation was not proper or professional.

I am reading a lot of folks saying things about Mike's actions, one way or the other, as though they were actually in attendance. I would like for those who were truly there to voice their opinions, not opinions of someone whose grandma's daughter heard from her cousin that a friend told her someone said they knew the brother of a girl who was at the tourney......"OK, one time, at band camp....."

Joe...............

 

[JimS]

I've got a great idea. Mike could talk to his friend Kevin, who claims to be a billionaire and have him start his own pool tour. Better yet, set it up so that Mike plays in the finals every week. What??? Ohh??? He already did that! Never mind.

:groucho: :groucho: :groucho:

 

[JimS]

He got his feelings hurt and he quit. Seems pretty spoiled, childish and arrogant to me. But, that's the word on him anyway so where's the surprise here?

Maybe the TD was a bit rough with him, maybe not. Bottom line is still the same. He took his toys and walked away.

 

[alstl]

You're going too far there Al IMO. Drago doesnt even approach Mike's loquaciousness around the table. Not from what i've seen.

I don't know, The only time I saw Drago I remember him playing Bustamante in the finals of a tournament and Drago not only talked non-stop but went over to Bustamante and grabbed him and started shaking him during the match. Talking is one thing but putting your hands on your opponent seems a little over the line. I thought it was a shark but everybody said that's just how Drago acts.