Tunica Turnout

[bankoutallday]

No question that the Southern Classic was adversely impacted by the unfortunate scheduling conflict created by Bonus Ball. I had to scale back the Bigfoot Challenge to 16 players from the planned 32, due to all the withdrawals. It was still a very successful event with some great competition. Congratulations to Karl Boyes for his victory over Shane in the finals. The sixteen grand made his decision to stay after the Ultimate Ten Ball a good one. The other Southern Classic events were similarly affected by all the defections after the Ultimate Ten Ball ended.

I did speak with many of the players (including Darren) while they were here for the Ultimate Ten Ball and fully understand their decision to play BB. I'm hopeful for their sake that all the promised monies will be paid, including the season ending bonuses.

On a brighter note, the level of play in the final matches has been spectacular. Alex played a super Bank Pool match, narrowly defeating 20 year old Skyler Woodward in the finals. And 25 year old Justin Bergman also played great in the One Pocket finals, taking down none other than Francisco Bustamante. Stellar play by both men! It's still very exciting for me to see great pool being played at games that I understand and enjoy watching. I love Bank Pool and One Pocket and appreciate the skill required to play these games well.

I'm seriously considering creating funding to send players like Skyler and Justin to worldwide tournaments. Justin can compete with anyone right now, he's that good. And Skyler is not far behind.

Jay, I don't know Justin's game, but Skyler has unlimited potential.

The last 10 years have been tough on pool. It's only going to get tougher in some ways, pool will remain a fringe sport with a smaller pool of players and less places to play. Given that there are opportunities for DCC/SBC type events to succeed. When players see new, young faces doing well in these events it can inspire more to compete. If there ever is an event like these in the northeast it would be a hit. Out west maybe, a Vegas setting.

For the top pro game to be healthy there needs to be proving grounds and opportunity for up and coming players too. Bonus ball succeeding is a definite long shot, I don't foresee advanced amateurs picking up the game. There are enough great games already, just not enough open field events for players.

 

[Roger Long]

I heard around 20 something Bonus Ball players attended the Ultimate Ten Ball so I am unsure how Bonus Ball really affected the pro turnout. Were there more or less pro player entries besides the Big Foot Challenge? Is it possible the venue was the problem, Billy Incardona posted recently he did not return this year because he got bit up by bugs and some other things were going on too. I think the event being in its only second year is the biggest factor along with many choosing to do DCC instead of Tunica if they have to pick one for the year.

I did also hear that some players did not attend because of the cost from last year and were not going back and even some who went this year talked about how costly it is and tough to make any money. This was what Corey Deuel posted on Facebook. "Been in tunica for 10 days...need to win one pocket to get even for trip...looking forward to vegas and back to bonus ball! Watch miami cruise on the 29th we are due !!!"

By my count, Lenny, there were 22 Bonus Ball players in UTB, which represented a little over 25% of the field. Only a few BB players could not go due to BB scheduling, and apparently a few others decided to not go for personal reasons.

There were no attendance stats put up for the Southern Classic, but it has been reported that the numbers were low.

In either case, I fail to see how Bonus Ball's scheduling had the slightest negative impact on the events in Tunica.

Roger

 

[Nostroke]

I heard around 20 something Bonus Ball players attended the Ultimate Ten Ball so I am unsure how Bonus Ball really affected the pro turnout. Were there more or less pro player entries besides the Big Foot Challenge? Is it possible the venue was the problem, Billy Incardona posted recently he did not return this year because he got bit up by bugs and some other things were going on too. I think the event being in its only second year is the biggest factor along with many choosing to do DCC instead of Tunica if they have to pick one for the year.

I did also hear that some players did not attend because of the cost from last year and were not going back and even some who went this year talked about how costly it is and tough to make any money. This was what Corey Deuel posted on Facebook. "Been in tunica for 10 days...need to win one pocket to get even for trip...looking forward to vegas and back to bonus ball! Watch miami cruise on the 29th we are due !!!"

On the overcast mornings (2) when the mosquitoes could come out without being crispy fried by the sun- i was getting bit up to 15 times going from the car to the Hotel. All of them may not have been mosquitoes as i was actually getting bit UNDER my hat as well. Was forced to buy the $12.90 cent Hotel 'OFF"

 

[Hungarian]

No Lou, you're a dick and everyone knows it. It's easy to read between the lines with you.

Rereading my post, and yours, there was nothing more snide about mine ;-)

They were just questions, right?

I was just asking because of all the speculation about Bonus Ball and how being in competition with The Strip would harm it and spectator attendance might be low.I am not there and do not know the numbers.

Unlike others I want to see all events succeed.

Oh, and Nathan, thanks for the red and accompanying comment : "Quit being an ass. Lennys has nothing but positive intentions." Good to see you continue your fabulous PR work on behalf of BB.

Lou Figueroa

 

[BeiberLvr]

Well, I know one player who will never forget Tunica. He's proud as punch of his Tunica experience and posted this on his FB page. :wink:

Looks a bit like Thorsten.

 

[Nostroke]

Looks a bit like Thorsten.

id guess Skylar.

 

[lfigueroa]

Whatever you think Lou but instead of answering my question in a decent manner you chose to bring up Bonus Ball and questions. You could have started a thread about it as someone else did.

I used to want to see all events succeed too but my opinion has changed after speaking with most of the players and there are some like the US Open 9 Ball that I could care less if they ever happen again. We need to put aside our sentimental things to do with some events because we have enjoyed watching the top players play in them and realize they are not all gravy for the players whose talent we admire.

Right, Lenny. You were just asking questions.

Totally innocent.

Just like me ;-)

Lou Figueroa

 

[watchez]

Whatever you think Lou but instead of answering my question in a decent manner you chose to bring up Bonus Ball and questions. You could have started a thread about it as someone else did.

I used to want to see all events succeed too but my opinion has changed after speaking with most of the players and there are some like the US Open 9 Ball that I could care less if they ever happen again. We need to put aside our sentimental things to do with some events because we have enjoyed watching the top players play in them and realize they are not all gravy for the players whose talent we admire.

By far, Nathan has had the rudest comments and replies over anyone when it comes to Bonus Ball. Again, you guys (meaning representatives of Bonus Ball) live your life with blinders on and then love to claim woah is me.

Hilarious that he gave Lou red rep.

 

[Fast Lenny]

Right, Lenny. You were just asking questions.

Totally innocent.

Just like me ;-)

Lou Figueroa

I actually was because I wanted to hear the numbers were better or similar to last year. I feel pretty good about being right (since we all want to be right on here it seems) that Bonus Ball would not detrimentally affect upcoming events because Tunica has shown simply that it is more the event itself since the 2/3 of BB players attended it but it will still be twisted to be the fault of the WPBL. If you also look at the US Open events coming up in Vegas they are getting close to full with 3 weeks left.

So I am still trying to figure out what all the complaining was about with scheduling and that it would hurt attendance, no one willing to say they were wrong about all the speculation. Sometimes you just have to wait and see how things will turn out instead of assuming. I do not always agree with everyone on here who are on the other side of the fence and even at times those of my friends and even Bonus Ball itself, I like having a mind of my own and speaking it.

 

[Fast Lenny]

By far, Nathan has had the rudest comments and replies over anyone when it comes to Bonus Ball. Again, you guys (meaning representatives of Bonus Ball) live your life with blinders on and then love to claim woah is me.

Hilarious that he gave Lou red rep.

I would say the people who have blinders on are the ones more concerned with their events then the benefit of the players. I really do hope Bonus Ball works out for the fact that it might be their only shot for sometime to come. A good deal of people say it has no chance or little chance to succeed but for the players to get behind it when it has a so called small percentage chance of working says a great deal of how bad it is in the pro pool world. Maybe these promoters can get in a room with all the players and figure things out one day and really get it all out there because the feelings of the players are not heard and changes need to be made.

 

[CBuck]

id guess Skylar.

Looks a bit like Thorsten.

it's Karl Boyes

 

[BeiberLvr]

it's Karl Boyes

I know. I was just saying in the picture, he looks like Thorsten

 

[CBuck]

I know. I was just saying in the picture, he looks like Thorsten

oh ok i see it now, the trying to look like a tough guy stance that thorsten does.

 

[Nostroke]

it's Karl Boyes

Oh i never saw the picture-just the quote-Here is a pic of him in Tunica-it was 93 degrees every day

 

[JAM]

Oh i never saw the picture-just the quote-Here is a pic of him in Tunica-it was 93 degrees every day

That guy on the left, he used to be with Joey Korsiak all the time. Do you know what his name is? I remember he did have a British accent.

 

[JAM]

I would say the people who have blinders on are the ones more concerned with their events then the benefit of the players. I really do hope Bonus Ball works out for the fact that it might be their only shot for sometime to come. A good deal of people say it has no chance or little chance to succeed but for the players to get behind it when it has a so called small percentage chance of working says a great deal of how bad it is in the pro pool world. Maybe these promoters can get in a room with all the players and figure things out one day and really get it all out there because the feelings of the players are not heard and changes need to be made.

Well, pool grapevine says that they had to cut the 32-man field of the Bigfoot Challenge to a 16-man field. This was the event that they wanted to grow, making a 4-city tour down the road with Bigfoot Challenge as the headline feature event, but because of the ignorance of the non-experienced Bonus Ball staffperson who changed the schedule at the last minute, some of the players who were committed, paid their entry fee, to play, well, they withdrew at the last minute and asked for their entry fee back. That's number one how BB affected Southern Classic.

Oh, and their entry fee was immediately refunded, unlike other events which would have kept the monies until after the event had concluded. This is worthy to mention.

Number two, some of the pool players who were playing in the banks, one-pocket, and rotation tournament found out that the buy-back entry fee monies were going to be used for the Bigfoot Challenge instead of putting the buy-back entry fees back into the banks, one-pocket, and rotation tournament payouts. We heard this from more than one player, so I'm not sure if this is a Southern Classic rumor that went around or if it was indeed a result of low turnout and having enough funds to pay out all events fairly.

After all, I'm sure nobody wants to be told a la U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship that they will get their money later, after the fact, "the check's in the mail" scenario, right?

You can't please everybody at tournaments. There will always be someone who voices discontent. On a good note, everybody was paid that was supposed to be paid.

Thanks, Bonus Ball, again for the scheduling snafu that caused a fractured American pool industry to suffer the consequences of the non-experienced staff running the Bonus Ball ship.

 

[JAM]

I know you feel like you are the right side of things but you have a former pro pool player living with you who knows what the players have went through. If all these players are voicing out like Scott Frost, Corey Deuel, Darren Appleton, Rodney Morris and many others then what does that tell you about the current events and state of professional pool?

Regardless whether Bonus Ball works or fails, IMO at least something new was tried which the tournaments of today have proven to be failures at being able to support the pro players and give them a living. If people want to know how the players feel then just listen to them period if you get a chance to talk with them instead of misinformation on the forums by people connected to those events. I think some events are very good for some players but the majority are losing propositions for most players.

I used to be you when the IPT was around, Lenny, and the IPT poured in hell of a lot more money -- SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS -- and had a much better venue than BB. :wink:

I might add that the dress code at the IPT was something that fans enjoyed seeing. Much better than the hockey shirts as far as the visual of it all. :embarrassed2:

I took the heat along with all the other IPT supporters, just like you are.

I'll talk to you next year this time and see how you feel. For your sake, I hope I have to eat crow. Nobody is a winner if BB fails. :frown:

 

[Johnnyt]

Anyone know the names of the players that pulled out of the BigFoot 10 ball? Were they all ABP members? I think BB will find out down the road that frigging up Bigfoot was a big mistake. Johnnyt

 

[Fast Lenny]

Anyone know the names of the players that pulled out of the BigFoot 10 ball? Were they all ABP members? I think BB will find out down the road that frigging up Bigfoot was a big mistake. Johnnyt

I would be interested in hearing these names also who paid, pulled out and refunded. As far as I know Darren was the only one but if there are more then please let us know. Personally I think the BigFoot challenge works at DCC where the numbers are 3-4 times larger with player participation so I would blame that a bit more.

Some players I am sure pulled out or could not afford to play it who are not even a part of Bonus Ball so can we really say Bonus Ball is to blame? Was this the first year it happening at Tunica? I liked how people thought Bonus Ball would ruin the Ultimate 10 Ball but 22 Bonus Ball players played in it so why did that tournament not have a larger turnout then expected?

 

[JAM]

I would be interested in hearing these names also who paid, pulled out and refunded. As far as I know Darren was the only one but if there are more then please let us know. Personally I think the BigFoot challenge works at DCC where the numbers are 3-4 times larger with player participation so I would blame that a bit more.

Some players I am sure pulled out or could not afford to play it who are not even a part of Bonus Ball so can we really say Bonus Ball is to blame? Was this the first year it happening at Tunica? I liked how people thought Bonus Ball would ruin the Ultimate 10 Ball but 22 Bonus Ball players played in it so why did that tournament not have a larger turnout then expected?

Because the inexperienced BB staffmember who adjusted the BB schedule at the last minute did indeed accommodate Ultimate. He did not accommodate Southern Classic. Come on, Lenny, we've been down this road before. :grin-square: