The Kid said:
Deno,
Did you have an input into player selection?
Could you tell me why the IPT player selection included some really low level players.
Frank Alvarez, Bernie Friend etc.
What open level tournaments have these guys won, or even finished in the top 1/3 rd of the field?
Out of over 2,000 entries the IPT couldn't find any better players?
Also some of the women are questionable selections, Linda Carter, Mary Kenniston etc.
Hi Kid,
Good question. I know I am incredibly lucky to have been selected. I do know around the world, there are so many better players, but over the years, I have done a lot for the sport and I have been somewhat visible. My female selections would have included Jean Balukas, Ga Young Kim, and Hsin Mei Liu who I believe with Karen and Allison are the top female players in the world. I posted this reply elsewhere and hope it clears up a little, sorry it's so long - it was a very early morning with lots of caffeine:
Thanks for the good luck wishes. For all those interested on how I got in, I actually applied for my husband, Mike Zimmerman. We were going to put him in for the $899. For anyone not knowing who he is, you will. He has beaten everyone on the west coast - from Canada to S. CA except 1 person. Two weeks ago, he beat Horsfall and Stan T. to win an 8 ball tournament with over $1000 added. Mike Vidas was in the tourney too. He beat Kim Davenport when he was world champion. This tour is for people like him that has struggled - gambling, going on the road, playing for 30 years with no significant payouts.
As a result of something one of my friends told Mike Sigel, that news apparently got back to Kevin, and the fees were lowered. So we in the NW knew right away that it was only $1. I was told to enter, because they didn't have enough women applying, since the WPBA was preventing their women from entering at that point. (I'm not sure if they only let the top women out of their contracts or what). The idea of having IPT sanction the WPBA is funny, it ought to be the other way around!
Anyway, I digress. I did enter, all the while pitching for my husband. To those that only have seen me play on the WPBA, (top finish 13th, beating LJJ) let me remind all that I did it while holding a high level FT career (I am an Area Sales Manager for a medical company and work 50-70 hrs/week), with 2 children, raising them as a single parent. I also was the founder of the ACW, the 1st NW regional WPBA tour and put on monthly tournaments, wrote the articles, standings, got the room owners, sponsors, etc.. And I was the house pro for Jillian's, so I would need to do corporate parties/exhibitions/lessons. I think they admired the fact that even though I did not get many hours in at the table, I was still able to compete at somewhat of a high level. I think I was the only one of the top 64 women who were juggling that much. There were only 14 mothers on the WPBA at the time I played and only 4 or 5 had a 'job' with kids and most of those jobs were in poolrooms, and they all had husbands to care for their kids when they wanted to practice and/or support them. I have never NOT worked and have been the sole supporter of my kids since 1990. My kids are finally out of the house since just last month and I have gone back to night school 2x/week to get my Master's degree in Health Care Administration. I also have an online art business and an online T-shirt business. I play 1-2 nights a week in weekly tournaments with my husband and then show up at a weekend tournament. I am usually not warmed up and in stroke until the tournament is over!! lol Unfortunately, that is the period most people see. When I do get in stroke...I can play.
Have you looked at what the top pros have made? I make well over 6 figures working, so there wasn't really any incentive to work on my game (i.e. quit my job and spend all day in the poolroom) when winning a WPBA pro stop would only win $6000. I do agree that the women are going to have a really hard time staying in the top 100. But don't sit back and judge too harshly. I realize I probably won't be there next year, so I am just having fun, enjoying the ride, while making history. I think they wanted 15 women to have 1 go into each group of 10 players to do round robins.
Just in our area, John Horsfall, Glenn Atwell, Dan Louie, Barry Emerson (originally from here) and Rich Geiler were excluded and I feel so badly for them. I wish it were open to all who had the desire to play in it. Have all 4000 show up and start weeding from there.
Just so you know, I am not helpless with a stick. I do have a few creds. I have won many tournaments, both men's and women's. Last weekend, I got 9th in the Pecheuer stop and was the only woman. I was 2nd in VNEA Nationals (should have won!), and have won a bunch of qualifiers for the WPBA, and 2 were in CA on each of their tours. I broke and ran 6 consecutive racks of 8-ball (on an 8 footer) and have been playing 30+ years. I think he wanted an 8-ball background. Viking and Talisman Billiards have supported me by providing my playing equipment. If you're interested, my bio is on Talisman's website. I qualified to play on the WPBA tour, but left when my sponsor decided to go into NASCAR instead. I have been on tv for playing pool several times and had my picture in BD. So I suppose I am marketable. I also beat Loree Jon in a pro tourney and asked where my $150,000 was (I think they liked my humor) and was 7-7 with Sarah Ellerby and running out when I miscued on the 7 and then it was over, I never shot again. In my application, I was humble and thanked KT for starting the tour and OFFERED TO HELP in any way I can. I wonder how many others did that?
I have always felt that in any other sport, people like my husband would be millionaires, and I have nothing to say about Kevin except kudos and plaudits for taking the risk and making it happen. Over the years, I have been involved in plans to make something huge and exciting happen for the world of pool and give back something to the sport that I have had some fair to middling success in. But Kevin did it first and he did it better.
So yes, there are probably 2,000 players better than I am. But I did apply and feel that I can add something to this inaugural tour. Like I said in my application, I don't look too bad for an old broad, I am respected for my skills here in the NW, and I can be dangerous. I can bank and kick good for a 'girl' - 3 railers are my specialty. In fact, I showed Bill Cress (Jimmy Mataya's buddy) my system. So I think it was the whole package that got me in. That and they didn't have any other women at the time to pick from. lol
Anyhoo, gotta get rolling and visit one of my hospitals in my territory (AK, W. WA, OR, MT). I wish I could be hitting 'em!
Linda "Wonder Woman" Carter
Oh yeah, I also had a built-in nickname!
