I just wondered if Mike S has made any public reply. Maybe I have missed it and tell me to be quiet if this is old news. But they were good friends, KT essentially gave Mike S $250,000 in the eight ball fiasco with Ms. Jones, and allowed him to sell his DVD's under the IPT's advertising banner. Has Mike defended KT or criticized him?
Has Segel Said Anything Yet?
- Thread starter Mike Haines
- Start date
Mike Haines said:
Was he really paid? It is not unusual to announce a large payout to get media attention but not really pay it out as long as everybody involved is in on it.. Years ago they had a tournament that advertised a huge prize fund and last place prize money was half the entry fee. In other words the prize fund was false everybody got back at least half their money. Another was advertised as a , if I remember right $25,000 first prize, a lot of money at the time. All the players were in on it and knew the actuate prize fund was not even determined they would mostly be cutting up the gate. I did it myself once. I advertised a $10,000 winner take all challenge match. Actually I paid both players a guarantee $1000, plus expenses with the winner getting $2500. The place was packed.
Very few. When the magician says to the person from the audience, "Now we have never met before, right?" I hope you don't always believe him. When it comes to the IPT, you can't believe much of what they say. Their reporting or the MS LJ match was that of the match of the century and so on. Lets be honest, if MS and LJ were promised and paid even half of the reported amount to play along and keep their mouths shut they would. It was a show, not a tournament, everything is suspect.Marvel said:
The main thing the IPT did was they told people what they knew they wanted to hear and made them followers. Just listen to the speeches given by KT in the beginning. It was what you hear at any get rich quick, or buy real estate with no money and no credit seminar. People still want to believe, for some it is all they have.
I remember running into players and having them tell me how they were going to buy houses, cars, boats with all their yet to be made wealth. The way it ended was sad for the players, it was a rug pulled right out from under them. One day tournaments, the next nothing with no warning. Then the cruel promises and lies that are still being spun. I wish he would just say it is over and he will do the best he can to pay them, instead of continuing this cruel farce.
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Mike Haines said:
He was last heard to say, "Hey Kev baby, let's go fishing".
I ran into him about a month ago and he stated that he hadn't talked to KT in a few months (if you believe him).
I'm sure he will show up at the poolroom soon (only place he plays anyway) and have some tales to tell........all about himself no doubt (his favorite over rated subject).
His pool champ days are long over with and never will return ... Sigel lives in the past and the newer breed of players don't even know who he is. That's the big reason he is scared to death of the Florida Pro Tour.
Don't get me wrong. I do respect what he was in the past.
But the the biggest 9-Ball legend ever has to be Buddy Hall's 3+ decades of constant tournament play. He is a true Champion in every way (Sigel should bow to him).
I'm sure he will show up at the poolroom soon (only place he plays anyway) and have some tales to tell........all about himself no doubt (his favorite over rated subject).
His pool champ days are long over with and never will return ... Sigel lives in the past and the newer breed of players don't even know who he is. That's the big reason he is scared to death of the Florida Pro Tour.
Don't get me wrong. I do respect what he was in the past.
But the the biggest 9-Ball legend ever has to be Buddy Hall's 3+ decades of constant tournament play. He is a true Champion in every way (Sigel should bow to him).
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Ruthless said:
Great post. I'm not sure if Mike really knows what to say. Mike is a lot of things, but he is not an evil crap-hole like Kevin Trudeau. Mike genuinely has a good heart. I honestly believe that Mike thought he was doing something great for the game of pool by bringing in Kevin and his money. I am sure that the current status of the IPT makes Mike sick to his somach every time he has to look at it or answer questions about it.
Mike does talk a lot of crap. Mike does seem to live in the glorious accomplishments of his past, but who wouldn't? He WAS "pool's winningest professional". There's an old saying - "It's not bragging if you can back it up" and Mike can back it up with over 100 pro tour championship victories that were accomplished in the era of Strickland, Varner, Parica, Reyes, Hopkins, Davenport, and Hall. I don't think anybody is close to breaking Mike's record of tournament victories. FWIW, Mike was still winning titles when young Johnny Archer started his dominant reign in the 90's. Personally, I know what its like to sit in the chair and watch Mike break and runout on me more times than I care to remember -
-. My respect for his game and his tremendous accomplishments far outweigh my feelings about Mike's involvement with Kevin Trudeau and the IPT. Mike trusted Kevin. Somewhere along the line things went sour for the tour, their finances, and Kevin found himself in a situation that he couldn't get out of, not Mike Sigel. Mike Sigel believed he was doing something great for pool, and in fact he did. Mike Sigel brought Kevin to the table, and Kevin's money did change the lives of the people that played on the IPT - albeit for a very short time. Mike should be commended for that, especially for the way the Hall of Famer's were treated by the IPT. Some of them really needed that help - and I hear Robin has a nice new kitchen. Good for her! I hope Mike was paid every penny that he won on the IPT in much the same way that I hope that all of the players get paid what they are due. Mike Sigel has nothing to be ashamed of, Kevin Trudeau does.
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Purdman
Banned
Blackjack said:Great post. I'm not sure if Mike really knows what to say. Mike is a lot of things, but he is not an evil crap-hole like Kevin Trudeau. Mike genuinely has a good heart. I honestly believe that Mike thought he was doing something great for the game of pool by bringing in Kevin and his money. I am sure that the current status of the IPT makes Mike sick to his stomach every time he has to look at it or answer questions about it.
Mike does talk a lot of crap. Mike does seem to live in the glorious accomplishments of his past, but who wouldn't? He WAS "pool's winning est professional". There's an old saying - "It's not bragging if you can back it up" and Mike can back it up with over 100 pro tour championship victories that were accomplished in the era of Strickland, Varner, Parica, Reyes, Hopkins, Davenport, and Hall. I don't think anybody is close to breaking Mike's record of tournament victories. FWIW, Mike was still winning titles when young Johnny Archer started his dominant reign in the 90's. Personally, I know what its like to sit in the chair and watch Mike break and run-out on me more times than I care to remember -
Mike trusted Kevin. Somewhere along the line things went sour for the tour, their finances, and Kevin found himself in a situation that he couldn't get out of, not Mike Sigel. Mike Sigel believed he was doing something great for pool, and in fact he did. Mike Sigel brought Kevin to the table, and Kevin's money did change the lives of the people that played on the IPT - albeit for a very short time. Mike should be commended for that, especially for the way the Hall of Famer's were treated by the IPT. Some of them really needed that help - and I hear Robin has a nice new kitchen. Good for her! I hope Mike was paid every penny that he won on the IPT in much the same way that I hope that all of the players get paid what they are due. Mike Sigel has nothing to be ashamed of, Kevin Trudeau does.
What have you been smoking man? Can you spell narcissism with a capitol N. Playing a great game of pool does not make one a decent human being. I personally think Mike owes the billiard industry more than the industry owes him. He is one ungrateful human being in MHO. All he seems to care about is money Jack. Just like KT, that's why they get along so well.
Purdman
tap, tap, tap, Blackjack
I think Mike is a little more about the money than the game. I few years ago a friend of mine was in Vegas at the BCA Nationals. I was talking to a cuemaker about potentially buying a cue when Sigel walks over with a big smile. He interrupts my friend to tell the cuemaker that he just sold a guy a cue for $1400 and only gave him one shaft. He was ecstatic because he felt like he got one over on his own customer! That lost a lot of respect from me. Great player or not, being a decent person comes first in my book.
Dave
Dave
DiamondDave said:
C'mon... you know that cue would have been $1650 with two shafts, Sigel was simply ecstatic because he made a sale! Air fare from Florida to Vegas is probably available at a decent rate, but a guy's gotta make a living.
I'm intrigued by your opening statement though. Pool players all over the the world are encouraged to gamble, and are even revered for their gambling prowess. Professional sports figures (playing for their Regional Sports Corporations) are making huge money, while pro pool players are barely scraping by. It's no wonder that they are on the hustle. Meanwhile, here in AZB-Land, collector's cues are being flipped like burgers at a McDonald's. I think the game itself is a lot more about money than we like to think.
Ken
I don't have a problem with somebody who is just trying to make a living. The problem is Mike wants to act like everyone should bow to him because he is so great. I agree with Purdman that Mike owes the industry and not the other way around. If it weren't for pool he'd be nobody.
Dave
Dave
Forgeting all of the who did what and when bs.
As someone who does see Sigel currently play prob as much or more than anyone else. I will say that in my honest opinion I believe that he was just blinded by the $$ KT was offering just like every other IPT Player (I thank God I turned the invite down when it first started).
The only reason Sigel has been bashed is because of his past. Older players lost a lot of respect for him when he quit playing so suddenly and they still hold a grudge of sorts against him for that.
I believe he would have ran the other way as quick as he could if he would have even had a hint of what the IPT would really turn out to be in the end.
Look at things from his angle a little. He is a not well off fallen star and here comes a smooth talking shyster with a pocket full of cash offering to give him a chance to revive his name to the pool world. I think this has happened to other types of past big named stars 100's of times and it usually turns out the same way (RE: turn on your TV and watch them all after 2 am selling anything for a buck).
I'm not trying to defend or convict anyone for being human. But the guilty party in all of this is the one that loaded the gun = KT.
my .02
As someone who does see Sigel currently play prob as much or more than anyone else. I will say that in my honest opinion I believe that he was just blinded by the $$ KT was offering just like every other IPT Player (I thank God I turned the invite down when it first started).
The only reason Sigel has been bashed is because of his past. Older players lost a lot of respect for him when he quit playing so suddenly and they still hold a grudge of sorts against him for that.
I believe he would have ran the other way as quick as he could if he would have even had a hint of what the IPT would really turn out to be in the end.
Look at things from his angle a little. He is a not well off fallen star and here comes a smooth talking shyster with a pocket full of cash offering to give him a chance to revive his name to the pool world. I think this has happened to other types of past big named stars 100's of times and it usually turns out the same way (RE: turn on your TV and watch them all after 2 am selling anything for a buck).
I'm not trying to defend or convict anyone for being human. But the guilty party in all of this is the one that loaded the gun = KT.
my .02
kT & ms
i THINK THAT BOTH WANTED THE ipt TO MAKE IT.If it sucedes they have a lot more to gain then if it fails.I was at the Orlando open and there were the top players from all over the world.I could not believe that the place was empty of spectators.Its was like going to a game seven of a world series and only 1000 fans showing up.If the pool community dosn't show up for an event like this then I cant see it ever catching on as a major sport.
i THINK THAT BOTH WANTED THE ipt TO MAKE IT.If it sucedes they have a lot more to gain then if it fails.I was at the Orlando open and there were the top players from all over the world.I could not believe that the place was empty of spectators.Its was like going to a game seven of a world series and only 1000 fans showing up.If the pool community dosn't show up for an event like this then I cant see it ever catching on as a major sport.
bobroberts said:
Bob,
First of all, I hope all is well with you. FWIW, the IPT will not succeed from this point on. Kevin has burned his bridges, it is no more - no matter what anybody wants to say. Interest in the sport is not the problem with pool, nor is attendance at the events. The IPT events and most pool tournaments are week-long events. Not many fans can take a week off to attend all of the events. Most of us need to pick and choose, and more times than not responsibility comes before passion. I know that all too wel as a player that has responsibilities. Pool won't take care of all of my financial responsibilities, so I have to supplement my income with another profession. I have to pick and choose tourneys that I can attend and pass on the ones that demand more than a Saturday and Sunday. Fans are faced with the same dilemma. We cannot take 30 weeks off per year to dedicate to pool (with the exception of the top echalon of players and players that have sponsorship).
Just so you know, I was down your way last week, I am sorry that I didn't get a chance to stop by and say hello.