This year, we used new software at the DCC for giving the players scheduled match times. For the most part, it worked pretty well. We had a few problems with the hotels computer that fed information to the hotel room TVs. Also, we had numerous power failures that finally resulted in losing the lamp in the projector that was putting the match schedules on the wall in the tournament room.
So, we were lenient when it came to forfeits. This had nothing to do with Johnny Archer or any other name professional player. A couple of times throughout the tournament we rescinded a forfeit when we could clearly prove it was caused by the above computer problems. The rest of the time, we tried to give the players not at the table on time the benefit of the doubt.
Greg Sullivan paid the tournament staff to run the tournament for him. He had nothing to do with the operation of the event. It is his desire that everyone is treated the same. That is why he had the tournament software modified to permit us to have scheduled match times.
Now that we have one Derby City under our belt with the new software and we learned that it worked very well, we will be much more strict about forfeits, regardless of who it is. We are able to provide scheduled match times on a scrolling report on the wall in the main tournament room, outside in the concession area, on the TV in the hotel rooms, and on the Derby City website. So, there should be no reason for anyone to not know when they play.
Coming up with a master tournament schedule for the DCC was very complicated. We had to make some educated guesses about the number of players, the percentage of buybacks, and the time per match. From these assumptions, we created a master tournament schedule. Prior to the tournament we were not sure if we could give players scheduled match times and complete the tournaments on time.
I do not have the details of the situation between Johnny Archer and Adam Wheeler. If I accept Adam Wheeler's account of the situation, then Archer could have been rightfully forfeited from the tournament. However, as a player myself, if my opponent is on the clock I would probably go to the tournament desk and verify that my opponents time was up and that I had indeed won by forfeit. Maybe Adam did this, I am not sure of the entire story.
I apologize to Adam Wheeler if he thought he was treated unfairly. It was not our intention to give any player special treatment. So, the fact that he was supposed to play Johnny Archer had no bearing on the situation.
Sincerely,
Paul Smith
Diamond Billiard Products
Senior Tournament Director
Thank you Paul for this explanation.
Believe me, it is really appreciated.
But with that, please allow me to air my sentiment.
Some things need to be brought to light.
Your explanation doesn't stop the fact that this happens EVERY YEAR in one way, shape, or form.
It shouldn't have anything to do with the technology.
All technology has done is make people lazy and spoiled, and while i understand the the whole reason for the advancements in technology is to make it easier on the players, that does not mean that the players are absolved from their responsibilities.
All the technology has done is give them more potential excuses to justify why they might be late.
Bring back the ping pong balls and the lottery machine from years ago to do the draw and let everyone MAN UP and have to be there in the room to find out when they play.
Back then you had to be in the room at the beginning of the day as they did the draw on the spot to find out when their matches would be, otherwise, you were out of luck.
When they went to computers, and started broadcasting the draw on the venue's tv channel, that just made people lazy.
For someone to be lenient because the technology might not be working is just ridiculous.
It doesn't stop the fact that it's the players responsibility to find out or know when they play. If the technology has issues, they can always go to the tournament desk to find out, like everyone used to do, back in the day.
Years ago when it was at the EWH, i knew several people who stayed off site who had to get up at the crack of dawn to eat and get ready, drive to the venue to see the draw live, and be ready to play, should they have to play in the very first round of the day.
They had to sit there and wait like everyone else for the draw, and that STILL didn't stop a forfeit from not happening, when some "name" who was actually staying at the EWH, didn't show up on time, and everyone started a massive search and rescue operation to find them.
Stop making excuses and start holding people accountable.
It's a players job to find out and be at their match on time, period.
If they can't manage that, forfeit them regardless of who they are.
It will be better for everyone.
