Darren Appleton Video: "Banned! My Story"

[bbb]

He was representing MR. The only fault I find here is that they should have had the penalty spelled out before the event, if they didn't.

Maybe some people saw the tantrum and decided they don't want to witness that. I, personally don't want to see that. I am more apt to support future events knowing they don't tolerate that.

Maybe his tantrum caused other competitors stress. If so, they were injured by reducing their performance.

According to darren everything was out of the way of most in attendance

 

[u12armresl]

Appleton lost hilll hill to Filler, had to take a drug test, threw a fit and cursed at everyone but passed the drug test, got a $1500 fine and 10 week ban.

WOW. The drug test thing seems pretty weird, and the fine is not appropriate to the level of money to be made.

 

[Fatboy]

Do you really think the younger generations are using more recreational drugs than previous generations? I don't.

Hell yeah they are. And the drugs are better these days. Micro dosing shrooms and acid. Super strong weed, wax, dabs. And stuff I never heard of (I heard of it I can’t remember what the names are). Opiates……

I’ve never been a drug user, but I’m not blind. I know loads of kids 18-25 that use rec drugs, I don’t-I like my brain. But to think people are using less is naive.

I’m not promoting drugs, but the war in drugs Nixon started failed lol.

 

[Fatboy]

WOW. The drug test thing seems pretty weird, and the fine is not appropriate to the level of money to be made.

1000% right

 

[DeeDeeCues]

According to darren everything was out of the way of most in attendance

So are you suggesting a threshold of some sort? Twelve people is okay, but thirteen isn't, maybe?

 

[Dimeball]

I am very impressed with this video. What we have here is a professional who committed, by his own account, several acts of extreme unprofessionalism, but has the pedigree as both a professional and as a man to make all of these statements, which I've paraphrased: 1) I admit to the allegations made against me, I own it, and I'll take it on the chin, 2) I need to learn from these mistakes, so I don't repeat them, and 3) I apologize to my sponsors, and I will understand if they drop me, but I don't think they will. These are the words of a classy guy, one I'm proud to count as a close friend.

Darren's only beef here is that he feels he has been over-penalized. I'm not going to suggest that I know how penalties have been handled in the past by either WPA or Matchroom, so I'm in no position to agree or disagree with Darren, and it's not my place to do so anyway.

The only point on which I disagree with Darren is that I don't feel that whether or not he was aggressive in his manner is a potentially mitigating circumstance. He was, by his own account, unprofessional, combative, profane and disrespectful. That makes this a serious matter, even if he didn't threaten or strike anybody.

Darren's a good guy and a great player, and this temporary derailment of his heartwarming comeback to super-elite status won't slow him down. Darren's got a lot of great pool left in him.

I haven't read the posts in this thread yet, but it's AZB, so the apologists will surely come out in droves. if they haven't already. They will feel that these acts of unprofessionalism are no big deal and don't warrant more than a slap on the wrist, and they'll be mistaken, for code of conduct violations are a very serious matter.

Props to Darren for his video which evidenced regret and genuine contrition.

PS I was glad that Darren explained a) that he favors drug testing in pool, and b) how random drug testing in pro pool works. Only those finishing in the top 16 in an event are subject to possible testing and I must admit that I never knew that. That easily explains how he came to be tested in both March and April, since he had several high finishes.

My only issue is testing during a tourney. Should be done prior to start or completely after it’s finished. Pool is a very mental and emotional game that takes devotion and commitment, wee testing is a dis traction that is uncalled for during play.

 

[sjm]

My only issue is testing during a tourney. Should be done prior to start or completely after it’s finished. Pool is a very mental and emotional game that takes devotion and commitment, wee testing is a dis traction that is uncalled for during play.

Yes, this is a controversial matter, but WADA can't test before the onset of the tourney because only the last sixteen in an event are subject to being singled out for random testing. Hence, it has to be done once the field has been pared down to sixteen. After that, as players are eliminated, they often disappear form the venue. Testing the players after the event is finished, in practice, is not really an option. Would you ask a player that lost in the round of sixteen to stick around for an extra day just to be tested?

I would prefer it if they found a way to give some schedule protection to those singled out for testing, such as backing up the start time of their next match by an hour so that their preparations can be as extensive as if they hadn't been selected for testing. The negative, however, is that this can make a tournament fall behind schedule.

Of course, you are 100% right about this, but it's not the simplest matter. Nonetheless, if Matchroom coordinates with WADA and the players, I think the size of the problem can be greatly reduced.

 

[justnum]

Did Darren apply for a TUE theraputic use exemption?

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)

As an athlete, you may have an illness or medical condition

www.wada-ama.org

 

[westcoast]

ADHD drugs are known to increase focus. I know people who use them for weekly tourneys and their performance is enhanced.

those are typically stimulants and perhaps they do help, but you can certainly overdo it and become jittery. Some of it may be the placebo effect as well

 

[ribdoner]

Hell yeah they are. And the drugs are better these days. Micro dosing shrooms and acid. Super strong weed, wax, dabs. And stuff I never heard of (I heard of it I can’t remember what the names are). Opiates……

I’ve never been a drug user, but I’m not blind. I know loads of kids 18-25 that use rec drugs, I don’t-I like my brain. But to think people are using less is naive.

I’m not promoting drugs, but the war in drugs Nixon started failed lol.

how else can they sit in front of their computers playing games for hours, and hours, and hours, and, etc., etc., etc.

 

[Ed13]

Would his behaviour be acceptable at anybody's place of business. Just because he apologized and others accepted his apology does not mean that the other people involved might have felt frightened by his actions. Throwing a cup, yelling in front of fans and throwing his cue case against a wall is not how rational people act. For all we know the people around him might have accepted his apology in order to de-escalate the situation so they could get away from him.

I had an employee about 10 years ago who frightened some of his coworkers. It was my responsibility to make sure the employees felt safe in their workplace. I fired him immediately. In my opinion Darren was lucky with the suspension he received. I believe he will learn from his mistakes.

 

[straightline]

Would his behaviour be acceptable at anybody's place of business. Just because he apologized and others accepted his apology does not mean that the other people involved might have felt frightened by his actions. Throwing a cup, yelling in front of fans and throwing his cue case against a wall is not how rational people act. For all we know the people around him might have accepted his apology in order to de-escalate the situation so they could get away from him.

I had an employee about 10 years ago who frightened some of his coworkers. It was my responsibility to make sure the employees felt safe in their workplace. I fired him immediately. In my opinion Darren was lucky with the suspension he received. I believe he will learn from his mistakes.

Most businesses only place legal restrictions on their employees. Ever been singled out for a urine test at McDzzz? I don't think even Customs will drug test individuals unless they have cause.

 

[straightline]

Oh and as far as learning your lesson, Ok, done BFD...

 

[SLO-ROLL]

Wow, bunch of “do gooders” on here. The dude cursed a little??? You “guys” should go spend your summer vacation working construction.

 

[Ed13]

Straightline,

I do not understand why you quoted me since your argument has nothing to do with my post. My understanding from earlier posts meant that WPA and WADA have the right to test players. All the players know this and if they do not want to take a drug test they do not have to participate but there will be repercussions.

The real issue is the way he acted when he was upset by the loss, the drug test or anything else that may have been bothering him. It does not change the fact he acted in an irrational manner.

I am assuming that the people posting that somehow Darren is the victim have never been in an employers shoes. If they have I feel sorry for the employees.

 

[DeeDeeCues]

Wow, bunch of “do gooders” on here. The dude cursed a little??? You “guys” should go spend your summer vacation working construction.

Worked plenty of construction. Worked on mines, too. Worked with mechanics, welders, machinists, plumbers, fitters, electricians, etc.. you don't know what you are talking about. Guys on crews get canned if they act out in front of customers. If two of them have a problem, they handle it like adults, or they do it off site. I saw a guy throw his hard hat at another worker. The manager of the site saw it also. That guy was escorted out and blacklisted from all sites owned by that company. That company accounted for seventy percent of our work at the time. Nobody was injured in the slightest, but the tantrum cost the guy his job. Fifteen hundred dollars isn't a tough lesson. Twenty-six years old and losing an $80k job and all profit sharing? That's a lesson.

 

[SLO-ROLL]

Worked plenty of construction. Worked on mines, too. Worked with mechanics, welders, machinists, plumbers, fitters, electricians, etc.. you don't know what you are talking about. Guys on crews get canned if they act out in front of customers. If two of them have a problem, they handle it like adults, or they do it off site. I saw a guy throw his hard hat at another worker. The manager of the site saw it also. That guy was escorted out and blacklisted from all sites owned by that company. That company accounted for seventy percent of our work at the time. Nobody was injured in the slightest, but the tantrum cost the guy his job. Fifteen hundred dollars isn't a tough lesson. Twenty-six years old and losing an $80k job and all profit sharing? That's a lesson.

You win Boss

 

[newcuer]

So does like Adderall help one's game? Kind of curious...

 

[straightline]

Straightline,

I do not understand why you quoted me since your argument has nothing to do with my post. My understanding from earlier posts meant that WPA and WADA have the right to test players. All the players know this and if they do not want to take a drug test they do not have to participate but there will be repercussions.

The real issue is the way he acted when he was upset by the loss, the drug test or anything else that may have been bothering him. It does not change the fact he acted in an irrational manner.

I am assuming that the people posting that somehow Darren is the victim have never been in an employers shoes. If they have I feel sorry for the employees.

You asked if this would be acceptable at any body's place of business. Drug testing only happens to employees. Sports events might be a grey area where if they don't evolve away from the dog shows, the audience will gravitate towards candy crush.

FWIW, I think even weed poses a threat to society but I'll be long gone before the permissiveness causes any grief.

 

[Mowem down]

Pathetic.....
Matchroom needs to get Tampax as there main sponsor...