Darren Appleton Video: "Banned! My Story"

That's what every other pro sport does and maybe the sort of thing Darren was thinking about when he helped start that players group a few months ago (PPA?).
It sounds like the players don't know what procedure is being used. Matchroom needs to clean that up. 25 minute break in a match so a player can pee in a cup - that's asinine.

Maybe just test a few players prior to each tournament and then not disrupt the tournament.
 
I think we have to differentiate the two levels of Darren's penalty.

Someone will have to look it up, but I think WPA can penalize a player with up to 5000$ (or 20.000.$ in case of match fixing). So a 1500$ fine is kind of reasonable, especially if they treat it as Darren's second failure.
25% of his prize money sounds a bit strange, but since it is within the limit of 5000$ it doesn't really matter.
People can say what they want about WPA, but at least their rules are public and everyone can look up what they sign up for.

The MR penalty is different.
First, their rules and contracts are not public, so we can't really tell what Darren has signed, before he entered the event.

This is pure speculation, but I have the feeling that MR wanted to set an example for future incidents and since Darren dicided to put out a public statement, I have a slight feeling, that this story isn't over yet. At least it will be interesting to see, if MR reacts to his video.
 
If they are making up rules as they go along that's is not good either. I have employed a lot of people over the years. I was a bad boss. I never really let people know what I expected of them. I would let things go till I blew up, then overact. This stuff has to be in stone and inforced fairly.
Gotta love and totally respect this level of self-reflection and honesty (in MON's post). It's inexorable in our navigation of the Bard's "vale of tears" that our bodies will mature. How admirable when one's mind also does. (Albeit --selectively.)

Arnaldo
 
It's not available online any longer, but the player contract for the U.S. Open was able to be downloaded and read when entries were open. I can't remember the exact wording, but there is a clause where it says the promoter reserves the right to make changes at their discretion. So I'm sure this is what they will lean on, rightly or wrongly, that Darren signed this contract knowing something like this could happen if he got out of line.
 
Those fines make the risk/reward ration just a bit biased towards not competing at all.

Pool does it again. It just gets goin' then shoots itself in side pocket.


Jeff Livingston
 
It takes strength and moral fortitude to control oneself. DA didn't control himself.

It does not take strength to throw a tantrum.
 
It’s a sad day in pool when a competitor can’t show emotion after a loss.
To add to your comment:

IMO, the better the player..... the more emotional they are.

For example, Mike Sigal, Earl Strickland, Mike Dechaine, Jason Shaw, John Schmidt etc...

Heck, Willie Mosconi was one of the most emotional pool players to ever pick a cue up.

If we take all the emotional players out, pool would be poop. Then again, if the WPA, Matchroom and others keep going down the PC road people like myself won't watch for free much less spend money.

We shouldn't be surprised though. I mean look at the NFL, NBA, Boxing and other sports. Pool is just following suit.

Yep, we just thought pool was in trouble a few years ago.

Bad times are headed for pool like a runaway freight train and there is nothing we can do but sit back and watch like it's a bad car wreck.
 
To add to your comment:

IMO, the better the player..... the more emotional they are.

For example, Mike Sigal, Earl Strickland, Mike Dechaine, Jason Shaw, John Schmidt etc...

Heck, Willie Mosconi was one of the most emotional pool players to ever pick a cue up.

If we take all the emotional players out, pool would be poop. Then again, if the WPA, Matchroom and others keep going down the PC road people like myself won't watch for free much less spend money.

We shouldn't be surprised though. I mean look at the NFL, NBA, Boxing and other sports. Pool is just following suit.

Yep, we just thought pool was in trouble a few years ago.

Bad times are headed for pool like a runaway freight train and there is nothing we can do but sit back and watch like it's a bad car wreck.
It’s a cultural shift we are witnessing.
 
It’s a cultural shift we are witnessing.
One thing is for sure. None of these younger cultures that pool desperately needs to reach gives two craps about drug testing in pool. They’re buying recreational weed and enjoying the occasional bump while microdosing shrooms for Sunday’s bbq.

What a waste of time and resources drug testing.

Maybe you could argue the benefits of Ritalin but these guys aren’t racing down a football field.

Can’t wait for those cornhole drug tests to come back. Fat Mike smoked a joint before tossing that beanbag in a hole. Clear performance advantage 🙄
 
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