John Barton said:
I don't know where to begin. First, Allison didn't show up in Ameica until the mid 90's. Strickland didn't have to sign with Cuetec. He had a choice. Cuetec was indeed not a well-known name when they signed Earl. But they didn't entirely ride Earl's coat tails either. Along the way, they have sponsored numerous professional and amateur events, bought advertising at televised events, and continued to support Earl in the losing seasons as well.
John, out of all the people on this forum, you are the one I do not want to debate with because, quite frankly, I think you and I can write a dissertation about a variety of topics pertaining to pool.
Having said that, Cuetec wouldn't be where it is today if it was not for Earl Strickland.
Have they invested in American pool? You betcha. There is no doubt in my mind that Cuetec achieved the means to do so because of Earl Strickland.
John Barton said:
I do think Earl should have been quite well off financially with the Cuetec deal. I don't know the intimate details but it is reported to have been a decent chunk of change. If part of the deal was that Cuetec were to match his frist place monies dollar for dollars (which I doubt) then it was only Earl himself to blame for not making more money with more victories.
I think the only ones who actually know the contract details are Cuetec and Earl Strickland.
I have spoken with Earl in the past when we have run into him on the tournament trail, and I think that I can safely say that the monies Earl Strickland received from Cuetec helped him to continue his trek on the international tournament trail. We all know that pool is a rich man's high if you want to compete professionally.
I know myself, just traveling the American tournament trail, the expenses were in the $35,000 range for one year. I cannot imagine what the expenses are for a player of Earl Strickland's stature.
Earl Strickland is one of the lucky American players in that he was able to make ends meet, most likely, which kept him actively competing. The un-sponsored American players are suffering. They are continually ridiculed by the American pool culture as if they are outcasts. Forget about how good they play. The American culture seems to enjoy not only placing blame on them, but they continue to kick them when they are down in today's pool world.
John Barton said:
You are wrong about Rodney. He played with a Fury for two years. In the very first tournament he ever used a Fury in he came in second to Johnny Archer. Rodney does however prefer his Szamboti. He feels a very strong connection with it as it was a gift to him and is the cue he won the US Open with. So he tried Fury and although he had a number of successful tournaments using a Fury and soe using a Fury butt with Szamboti shafts, Rodney ultimately chose to go with the cue he felt most comfortable with over a sponsorship by one he didn't feel as comfortable with. Rodney and I have had discussions about this very subject. I respect him tremendously for being one of the few pros who is true to his self in that regard. I sincerely believe that if a cuemaker from any country were able to present Rodney a cue that he felt as comfortable with as his Szamboti then he would consider strongly a deal if the numbers were right.
Keith also played with a Fury cue that was given to him as a gift by Jose Parica who was sponsored by Fury at the time. The cue was a little light in weight, but at the time, Keith had manicured his Schon shaft down to a pencil, resulting in a poor-performing cue for his style of play. In fact, he welcomed Jose's kind gift of a brand-new Fury cue. He played with it, as did Rodney, for a period of time, and I know for a fact that Fury made some sales from Keith's use of the Fury cue at various regional events.
Since that time, Keith has tried to adapt to several cues, and I am proud to say that today he has finally found his weapon of mass destruction, an American-made Jack Madden cue.
John Barton said:
I know that you are currently on a crusade about how American players are not celebrated as they should be. I agree that the state of men's professional pool in the United States is in decline. I agree that other countries, especially the Philippines and Taiwan seem to hold their players in higher regard. Still this isn't a case of America being disrespected. It is a case of one man being dismissed by his sponsor. A sponsor who has been there through the best of times and through the worst of times with him.
And that is what sucks the most. Cuetec chewed Earl up and spit him out like he was nothing, when, in fact, Earl Strickland's good name is what promoted Cuetec from the get-go. How dare they disrespect him after 17 years. It was a cheap shot.
John Barton said:
I don't think America has turned its back on American pool players. Rooting for good players shouldn't be restricted to someone's nationality. Efren Reyes, for example, has made himself a hero to many in the pool world for a lot more than his actual skills.
And I will be the first one in line to state that I adore some of the players who hail from other countries.
What pisses me off is that the international countries do not seem to open their doors to American players the same way the United States has welcomed them to our soil. The international players flocked our shores when the potential to make American monies were a godsend to them, something they could not achieve in their own native lands, i.e., Korean female pros, English female and male pros, Filipinos, Germans, et cetera.
Then you see Americans not rooting for the home team. The critics of the American pool culture, of which there are many, continue to blame American pool players for the demise of pool here in the States. It is they who are driving pool away from our shores, not the American players.
The American players get to share the American apple pie with the whole world, and when the dust settles, the Americans get a little bone with not much meat on it. American prospective pros have already left the sport because it is not economically feasible to pursue their dreams. The ones who have stuck it out are continually being bashed by the so-called "critics" as the scum of the earth.
Soon there will be no more American pros, as the lot of them is dwindling. So the American pool culture may become very happy when there is nothing, not one American player, to root for.
God bless American pool players, I say. I am not a racist. I only want pool to thrive in America. Of course, I'll be pulling for Jose Parica at times because he's my buddy, but at the U.S. Open -- the UNITED STATES OPEN -- I want to see an American like John Schimdt in the winner's circle. Sorry, but that's just how I see the U.S. Open.
John Barton said:
As to why some cue companies sell well overseas, I can tell you for the two companies you mentioned, it is because there are a few individuals who push them rather than a greater demand for American cues. There are German cuemakers who are just as good as any American cuemaker and they woud have a problem moving their cues in the USA for the same reason that the USA makers do. People in general don't make enough money on average to support many cuemakers whose prices are very high. The $500 cue market is practically dead in comparison to the number of $50-$150 cues that are sold. Any dealer will tell you the same. It's not a lack of support, it's a lack of CASH. Also it's a lack of promotion. Why doesn't McDermott, Viking and other send a team on the road to showcase their cues and build grassroots support for American cues? Why doesn't the American Cuemaker's Association?
Because the lot of American pro players is dwindling, unlike overseas countries where there is a good market for American custom-made cues. Overseas, the lot of prospective pros is growing by leaps and bounds. There is where the American custom-made cues are selling because, in fact, American-made cues are BEST.
One might think that Filipino players are dominant in this pool world. I will safely say that American-made cues are dominant, as evidenced by their popularity everywhere except America.
John Barton said:
Lastly, just clarify. Imperial is a wholly owned United States company. They do not own Cuetec. The deal with Earl probably has nothing to do with them. However it may and there is no denying that any company would be wary of a connection with as volatile a rep as Earl Strickland. I would be afraid to see pool go mainstream and have my company connected with some kind of rascist remark that Earl is famous for.
Let's be honest here, John. They dropped Earl Strickland, just like Lucasi dropped Buddy Hall and Falcon dropped Nick Varner. Maybe Cuetec sales aren't doing quite as good as Fury today, and they had to make their move, but the way they have done it in this public display of disrespect is disgusting to me. Shame on them.
John Barton said:
Well, on this one we'll just have to disagree. I have seen the spark turning to rage in you on the topic of American Pro Pool for the better part of a year now. I don't think anything I say will make a difference, and I defer to the fact that you and yours are closer to the intimacies and agnonies of pro pool than I ever have been.
Not anymore, John. I've seen the light, and so too will Keith. There's no place like home, and I enjoy having a roof over my head. There is no money to be made in pool because the expenses far outweigh the payouts. Even if you win a tournament every now and then, you're stuck from previous events and/or have to re-invest it in future events.
When I go to pool tournaments, I look at them as a pool vacation and nothing more. The prospect of making money is a joke, even when you win, place or show.
I won't even get into the backstabbing I have witnessed by some unnamed individuals, but if pushed, I just may let it all hang out. I've got nothing to lose anymore, except my deep passion for pool, and what good is it anymore?!
JAM
The sooner he is finished with the sport the better chance pool has to get out of the stone ages.