Filler withdrawn from Reyes cup

[JPB2]

Pro Pool Players are not employees just like Pro Golfers are not employees of the PGA. They play on the PGA tour but are not employed by the PGA. Singles sport athletes/players only get paid when they finish high enough in tournaments to cash and whatever endorsement deals they get. Its not like a team sport like football where you get a contract and get paid no matter if the team wins or not. For this reason, it makes sense for the single player to play in as many events as they can/ choose to. If you made a couple big scores and can "coast" the rest of the year, then they don't have to play everything if they don't want to. But if you haven't had that, then you need to play in as many events as possible to keep the dream alive of using pool as your main source of income.

As a player, I won't fault a player trying to make money. It's what we all are trying to do. But with pool getting bigger, people have to be more cognizant of what they say and do because there are more eyes on it now, especially with social media. Pool players at that level won't be able to "get away with things" as much as they had in the past now that more eyes are on the sport.

Right, but a PGA Tour member can’t go play a DP World Tour or other conflicting event without a release. Can’t skip a PGA Tour event then play in something else. You can skip events and stay home. With exceptions etc…. Can’t even play a Korn Ferry event in your hometown if your status gets you into the tour event that week as I understand it.

Matchroom had some flexibility built in, and I don’t know the specifics of what they required in their contract. I do know that any tour will have rules on conflicting events

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

if filler wants he can make a statement.

Only through his lawyer

 

[JAM]

This is why I keep screaming Players Union or Players Association!

All professionals (especially young pros) need to be protected.

Best thing for this kid at the moment is to switch his phone off, chill and surround himself with those who love him

Best post in this thread. Thanks!

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

Not much sympathy for filler here, from initial unedited release it looks like the team/ players didn't want him there anymore, and I do not blame them after he flip flopped.
With it being a match room invitational event as opposed to an open event I'd think they are well within their rights to remove him.
Hopefully this stuff all gets sorted soon so the best players can all just be competing against each other.

Whilst I agree with you.

In still inclined to believe that education is the better route than hanging a young man out to dry.

Was he was stupid?
Maybe.

But weren't we all at that age.

Educate the toot.

Look for prevention not cure

 

[skogstokig]

Not much sympathy for filler here, from initial unedited release it looks like the team/ players didn't want him there anymore, and I do not blame them after he flip flopped.
With it being a match room invitational event as opposed to an open event I'd think they are well within their rights to remove him.
Hopefully this stuff all gets sorted soon so the best players can all just be competing against each other.

yea that wouldn't be right either. maybe if he was a wildcard, but he isn't.

but we still don't know the full story here.

 

[DaWizard]

I want to to see the best players at the Reyes Cup. Alcaide currently does not feel like he's playing his A game consistently.

 

[maha]

he is a free man and is doing what he thinks is best for himself. as all other players and sponsors of players do.

he personally owes no individual anything in making his decisions. other than what he agreed to before hand.

 

[crabbcatjohn]

This sport and players were a easy target for a modern corporation to take over. They aren’t done with just 9 ball.... They are experts at manipulating social media, influencers, players contracts etc. The WPA is like stealing from a old grandma. They don't even know how to form a proper press release much less know how social media works. Hopefully it works out good for the players.

 

[spartan]

So does MR get a pass for what is essentially a ban? Or are they to be seen in the same negativity as WPA?

MR slowly showing true colors reining in players after they signed WNT player contracts. Not surprising all other sports org in major sports do that too. Matchroom is not a saint, last I checked they are called Matchroom not St Matchroom
But this "suspension" of Filler is BS and too heavy handed they dropped the ball on this one. Filler qualified on points (he was not wildcard selection). And I doubt most of the mass Filipino audience at Reyes Cup know or freaking care about the Filler WPA WNT dispute

 

[sneakynito]

 

[spartan]

Is it possible that Filler is withdrawing at the request of the WPA? I didn’t see a statement from him.

Don't think so. If Filler has withdrawn, the statement would have read "Filler has withdrawn" instead of "Filler has been withdrawn".
Like saying Filler has been fired from Reyes Cup instead of he has resigned

Filler isn’t banned from anything. He’s uninvited. It sounds like he can play all the WNT Open events he wants. It makes sense to me given Team Asia has players like Doang Quoc Hoang who is actively banned by the ACBS from playing in WPA events just because he was born in Vietnam. Team Europe is captained by players like Jayson Shaw that will receive a ban after Hanoi. And Josh twice promised to stand in solidarity with the banned Asian players and twice went back on his word. Why would anyone expect his presence at the Reyes Cup would be a welcome addition to what is effectively a celebration of Asian pool.

Actually, more like he is suspended/ disqualified. cos even though RC is an invitational event, actually only last 2 wildcard spots are invited. The first 3 spots are earned thru ranking points. Whoever earn one of the 3 spots automatically get a bonus i.e. play in RC and guaranteed minimum prizemoney (not sure how much it is in RC, in MC is $20K , RC should be less than MC)

Not much sympathy for filler here, from initial unedited release it looks like the team/ players didn't want him there anymore, and I do not blame them after he flip flopped.
With it being a match room invitational event as opposed to an open event I'd think they are well within their rights to remove him.
Hopefully this stuff all gets sorted soon so the best players can all just be competing against each other.

Initial press release said "team integrity". That does not necessarily mean it is decision of players.
Highly unlikely the players didn't want him there.
If Team Europe players replace Filler with weaker player they will reduce their chances of winning Reyes Cup and their winnings $$ and why would they do that? Team Asia players also unlikely to want him out as it will not be good perception for them to play a weaker Europe team

 

[sjm]

The bottom line here is that Matchroom and WPA are now both taking actions that threaten to compromise the quality of the professional pool product. I'm used to this from WPA, but not from Matchroom, and this seems a sad day for pro pool. If this proves an isolated case of Matchroom disqualifying an elite player from a major event, it won't be too terrible, but if this is a harbinger of things to come, heaven help us all.

No, the Reyes Cup is not a celebration of Asian pool any more than the Mosconi Cup, conceived months after Willie Mosconi's death, is a celebration of American pool. It is a made-for-TV exhibition intended to bring the best players from each of two continents together. Sadly, this will not happen in the upcoming Reyes Cup, as Europe's best player has been disqualified from participation, and the fans are the losers. As Spartan has noted, I'd doubt any Filipino fans know of or care about the Filler/WNT/Matchroom/Predator tensions, and this is not a WPA/ACBS event anyway.

We have all grimaced as the organizing bodies, event producers and sponsors have conspired to make it impossible for pro players to maximize their incomes from the sport to which they have dedicated their lives. Now, sadly, the needs of pool fans, who want to see the best possible fields in pool's premier events, are being similarly compromised.

Speaking as a fan, I am suddenly far less interested in the Reyes Cup than before, as it can no longer be viewed as a referendum on whether Europe's best can beat Asia's best.

Nonetheless, the Hanoi Open should be a fine event, and I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Hungarian]

I'm happy for David Alcaide. He's actually a nice person who I've talked with a few times. Filler, not so much.

 

[penguin]

Matchroom is trying to become the sole organization that dictates how, where, and when players can make a living.

This is not good for professional pool.

 

[j2pac]

Whilst I agree with you.

In still inclined to believe that education is the better route than hanging a young man out to dry.

Was he was stupid?
Maybe.

But weren't we all at that age.

Educate the toot.

Look for prevention not cure

Regardless of any personal feelings towards Filler, these "tours" should come together and figure this thing out. This reminds me of what used to happen on a larger scale in boxing. You had rival promotions fighting over the $, and letting mega fights grow ripe on the vine...the real losers were the fans.
In any sport, you want to see the best of their respective eras get down to it. Filler, for all of his faults, is certainly one of those talents.
Just an observation from the cheap seats.

j2

 

[Poolmanis]

Post in thread 'Sky weighs in on WPA...' https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/sky-weighs-in-on-wpa.568548/post-7945062

I saw this coming...
I am not Happy about it but i think it is right that you face concequences of your actions.

 

[sjm]

Matchroom is trying to become the sole organization that dictates how, where, and when players can make a living.

This is not good for professional pool.

I think if they make the WNT pros employees with an assurance of at least a minimum income and full benefits, it could be good for the game, and perhaps that's where things are headed once Matchroom enjoys sufficient growth. Nobody has shown the commitment to growing the sport like Matchroom.

 

[Bella Don't Cry]

Regardless of any personal feelings towards Filler, these "tours" should come together and figure this thing out. This reminds me of what used to happen on a larger scale in boxing. You had rival promotions fighting over the $, and letting mega fights grow ripe on the vine...the real losers were the fans.
In any sport, you want to see the best of their respective eras get down to it. Filler, for all of his faults, is certainly one of those talents.
Just an observation from the cheap seats.

j2

Agree

Is it a coincidence that one of the parties also happens to be a boxing promoter?

Just sayin

 

[Poolmanis]

Also MR was kinda forced to take actions.
Make example.
Can he really shit on our plate and just get away?
If we let him do it we face same shit again..

 

[SBC]

Bawhaha

What a dope