Thanks for sharing the video. It opened my eyes to a lot more on a variety of recent pool happenings. There are three sides to a story, as it pertains to Darren Appleton, and though I am saddened that he has been suspended and fined, I have a better understanding on why. I have also learned that there have been other acts of aggression that I was unaware of in the past, but the past is the past, and we're now in the present. Personally, I like players who show emotion. Regardless of the punishment, I think drug testing a competitor in the middle of a tournament is wrong and should be done before the tournament begins or at the conclusion of the tournament.
It is my understanding that Ivica Putnick from Croatia, a well-known and popular pro player, was suspended for refusing to take the WPA drug test. I think the drug testing process needs to be visited and tweaked. It is important to remember that pool is not an Olympic sport and is not on the same level of major sports around the world. Lawn mower races and hot dog-eating contests get more coverage in USA than pool.
It is my hope that pool as a sport grows exponentially and that the payouts are commensurate with the talent. Matchroom is trying to effect a change for the better in pool. Though only the top 2 percent of pro players can earn an income due to how expensive it is to travel to these 4- and 5-day events and pay for lodging and other on-the-road expenses, Matchroom is on the right path. The IPT (International Pool Tour) failed because of a flawed business model, which included millions of dollars expended from the start. The Matchroom business model is more in line with where pool is today and seem sound.
I used to be a tournament director for a variety of pool events, to include the Maryland State Championship and organizing the Miller Lite Pool League in my region. One thing for sure, you will never, ever please everyone. It's impossible. One person won't like the rules, and another person won't like the equipment. Anybody who's been involved in running pool events, big and small (small in my case), has run into disgruntled pool fans complaining.
Emily Frazer is doing her best to keep the Matchroom Pool ship afloat. We can either jump off the ship and have a mutiny and watch pool continue to circle the drain, or we can watch the professionals do what they do best. And that's put on magnificent pool competitions where a pro player can feel like a professional and grow the sport.
The only caveat I'd add is get rid of that stupid DAZN. It's a cancer to seeing pool grow as a sport. People are getting fed up with it.
www.azbilliards.com
