HELLO!! Did We All Forget? Still Over A MILLION IPT Dollars OWED To The Players

[ribdoner]

Unfortunately, this is true. I believe that he has been recommended to take Peg Ledman's place. I know for a fact that many of the players are livid over it. As a matter of a fact, I got a call from 2 of them yesterday regarding this. From what I have been told, there are a couple of high ranking female players who believe in Deno and don't believe what some people consider to be the gospel about Deno.. So, with that, who knows what will happen. IMO it would be a disaster to vote him on. But, it's not my tour or business, so amen to that.
Now, I have another question for you all.

Apparently, someone is paying to have this event promoted between Archer and Strickland. I can tell you from my experience that it is not cheep to put on this kind of show, so who?s flipping the bill and why are the players not being paid first? Personally, even if it?s free I feel it should be boycotted until he het?s his financial priorities in order first.

Comments please?.

What she said!!!!!!

 

[charlieb]

My understanding is that 77% of the money has been paid out. That is a heck of a lot more than the vast majority of people expected. No one has any choice but to let it play out. I'm sure that if prize money was "escrowed", even if the prize money were much smaller, a hell of a lot of the players would be right back on the bandwagon. KT is what he is but I think he had legitimate fun with the IPT and thought that he could actually sell it. By the way did anyone notice that his potential buyer, Mr. Ho of Macau, just paid $330,000.00 for a 3.3 lb white truffle found just outside of Pisa, Italy?

 

[9balllvr]

I can't believe that I am about to say this, but here goes: The fact that they have paid a pretty large percentage of what they owe would appear to demonstrate that, perhaps, they really are trying to make good on their debt and, also, that they may be, legitimately, planning on holding more tournaments in the future.

Does anyone know what is going on with people who spent thousands of dollars to play in qualifiers for canceled events? Actually, even for card qualifiers since people put up a lot of money trying to win a tour card for a non-existing tour. I do think the IPT has to do something for these people before I would consider everything that has transpired "water under the bridge" (and I don't think many people would ever really feel that way).

in reference to your top paragraph, i think the reason he is paying anything has to do with the fact that he did not want another lawsuit (or many) to deal with versus making good on a debt.

 

[9balllvr]

Unfortunately, this is true. I believe that he has been recommended to take Peg Ledman's place. I know for a fact that many of the players are livid over it. As a matter of a fact, I got a call from 2 of them yesterday regarding this. From what I have been told, there are a couple of high ranking female players who believe in Deno and don't believe what some people consider to be the gospel about Deno.. So, with that, who knows what will happen. IMO it would be a disaster to vote him on. But, it's not my tour or business, so amen to that.

Now, I have another question for you all.

Apparently, someone is paying to have this event promoted between Archer and Strickland. I can tell you from my experience that it is not cheep to put on this kind of show, so who?s flipping the bill and why are the players not being paid first? Personally, even if it?s free I feel it should be boycotted until he het?s his financial priorities in order first.

Comments please?.

i happen to agree with you that Deno would be terrible for the WPBA organization - the fact that he slithered away after the IPT mess and didn't even try to hold his ground (in my opinion) says a lot about his character. people have choices in life, this was a choice he made and it reflected badly on him. i, as a card paying member of the WPBA, think there should be a vote between the final few individuals - we as players have to deal with the person one-on-one, the regional tour coordinators have to deal with them one-on-one, they should choose someone we can have faith in.

secondly, the comment above about the IPT paying its players off before starting up - to me, that is common sense. the only reason i can see KT starting this way is to create more revenue of some sort.

 

[9balllvr]

Why does everybody make such a big deal about the players still getting paid?? At least they are still getting paid. I'm no big fan of K.T., but I just don't see where he has done anything that others haven't done. Barry Berhman (sp??) has done close to the same thing. Some players never will get paid from one of his events.

The way I see it, K.T. looks at it as a business. Which he should. And this kind of cheap moves happen a LOT in big business. It's not much different than all the job layoffs, IMHO.

Last year I had to take a paycut when we were waiting news on a raise. The shareholders took a hit due to the downturn in the building industry, and they wanted the same money they were getting when the industry was at it's peak. So the employees got stuck making up the difference.

To me, that is about the same thing.-Expecting one payday, and getting just the opposite. At least the pool players are still getting their money.

the players are WORKING - if you worked and then weren't paid for your services, would you think differently??? these guys lend their names (all that someone has in life) to an organization that promises exposure for their passion and they suffer in the end. i understand what Keith mentioned previously about feeling proud for the first time in a while, that is fantastic, but in the end, this guy (who is a known criminal type) came in and used the players to his benefit and then gave them hell about paying - it took pretty much the threat of lawsuits to make him start sending bits and pieces of money to the players.

 

[bagofpaper]

lol, 6 inches. I guess its just that my monitor is 50 inches. KT is lifesize and that big ass hamburger looks amazing.

LMAO ROFL!!!! Oh man you got me vette.. once again.. you got me. I love it.

 

[bagofpaper]

Oh and it's certified fact that KT is a thief.. not just any old thief.. the kind that preys on the elderly or the not so bright.

Pool players and fans should stay away from anything that guy sells like it's a cat carcass or something else just as stinky!

 

[wayne]

I can't believe that I am about to say this, but here goes: The fact that they have paid a pretty large percentage of what they owe would appear to demonstrate that, perhaps, they really are trying to make good on their debt and, also, that they may be, legitimately, planning on holding more tournaments in the future.

Does anyone know what is going on with people who spent thousands of dollars to play in qualifiers for canceled events? Actually, even for card qualifiers since people put up a lot of money trying to win a tour card for a non-existing tour. I do think the IPT has to do something for these people before I would consider everything that has transpired "water under the bridge" (and I don't think many people would ever really feel that way).

Two players you know who post on here wrote in an IPT thread that they had received a couple of qualifier payments in the last couple of months, Mexicanpoolplayer is Oscar Dominguez (Ernesto's son) and dabarb is Frank the Barber. So I guess the qualifiers are getting paid at the same time as the rest of the payments are going out.

 

[JAM]

i happen to agree with you that Deno would be terrible for the WPBA organization - the fact that he slithered away after the IPT mess and didn't even try to hold his ground (in my opinion) says a lot about his character....

9balllvr, Deno most definitely did not leave. In fact, he has kept in touch with the players via telephone calls and e-mails, at least with us, that he is working very hard to get every single player paid. He has called our home several times to give us updates on the status of payments forthcoming during the past year. Deno is concerned and doing everything he can to make things right, IMHO.

As a tournament director for the IPT, I thought he did a wonderful job. He handled the logistics, coordinated the matches, and was right there to answer any questions. He always was dressed to the nines and had a very professional demeanor.

Deno is a strong pool enthusiast and has participated in pool events previous to the IPT as a player of 3-cushion billiards (I think). He is an avid fan of pool and always has been. At the tournaments, there were black-and-white photos of players from yesteryear on full display. Many of them were Deno's that he placed in the venue to give it atmosphere. They were actually quite beautiful to see and really added a touch of class.

I think Deno is just as upset about what has happened as the players, but he has not abandoned the IPT. In fact, it is just the opposite. I just want to make this point because maybe some folks are not aware how hard Deno has been working behind the scenes to make things right.

As far as the WPBA goes, I am not familiar enough with the organization to know the ins and outs. There are many on this forum who despise the IPT and everything associated with it, but I felt compelled to at least put it out there that my interactions with Deno have been a positive experience. One does not have to like the IPT, Kevin Trudeau, or Deno Andrews, but I just want to give credit where credit is due. Deno Andrews has been instrumental on getting the player paid and is still working hard to get the players 100 percent paid in full.

JAM

 

[JAM]

I tried to find a photo of Deno's pictures at the IPT tournaments. Here's one I took the night of the players meeting when everybody was practicing. You can see the pictures in the background hanging on the wall. This was all Deno, a touch of class, IMHO!

JAM

 

[JAM]

At every single IPT event, the players were each given a goodie bag full of cool stuff. These goodie bags were individualized for each IPT competitor, thanks to Deno, and he made sure everyone got theirs.
In Reno, Keith brought home a computer-carrying bag full of goodies, with his name embroidered on it. Here's Keith's goodie bag from Vegas, and it was full of neat things, too, as depicted below.

I love those goodie bags!

JAM

 

[JAM]

Last but not least, it is difficult to imagine what went into one of those IPT events. There were Men in Black, staff on site, a TD, assistant TD and their staff, and then there was the Green Room where the players could relax between matches and get refreshed. They had free food and beverages for all IPT players in that Green Room. I wasn't allowed in, but I did sneak in there on a few occasions, just to check it out.

For those who haven 't seen my picture page of the IPT tourney in Vegas, just check it out. It was nothing but FIRST CLASS all the way: http://www.hometown.aol.com/jamalloy/IPTVenetian.html

Deno was instrumental in making each tournament be the best that it could be. Believe me, he was the best man for the job as the IPT tournament director, IMHO! His influence really did make a big difference. I have never been to a pool tournament like this in my life, and I think every single pool player who went was quite impressed with the venues.

JAM

 

[Jimmy M.]

in reference to your top paragraph, i think the reason he is paying anything has to do with the fact that he did not want another lawsuit (or many) to deal with versus making good on a debt.

I don't necessarily think that's the case. He could have dragged this out indefinitely and only paid a fraction of what he has paid so far (if anything at all). I was one of the biggest so-called "naysayers" when all of this began to unfold, so it isn't like I'm blind now. However, the I.P.T. continues to pay out owed money and I just don't see a reason why they would do that if they didn't have a plan to stay involved with professional pool. I really doubt that fear of lawsuits is the driving factor behind the players getting paid so far.

 

[Jimmy M.]

Two players you know who post on here wrote in an IPT thread that they had received a couple of qualifier payments in the last couple of months, Mexicanpoolplayer is Oscar Dominguez (Ernesto's son) and dabarb is Frank the Barber. So I guess the qualifiers are getting paid at the same time as the rest of the payments are going out.

I guess I missed that. I admit that I haven't kept up with the I.P.T. news in recent months. That's good news though. It's a definite step in the right direction.

 

[Jimmy M.]

I tried to find a photo of Deno's pictures at the IPT tournaments. Here's one I took the night of the players meeting when everybody was practicing. You can see the pictures in the background hanging on the wall. This was all Deno, a touch of class, IMHO!

JAM

I have to admit, I see all those pool players in suits and I can't stop my mind from wandering to Buddy Hall's "whipped cream on a hotdog" analogy!

 

[Johnnyt]

I have to admit, I see all those pool players in suits and I can't stop my mind from wandering to Buddy Hall's "whipped cream on a hotdog" analogy!

That was FAT'S that said that. Johnnyt

 

[JAM]

I don't necessarily think that's the case. He could have dragged this out indefinitely and only paid a fraction of what he has paid so far (if anything at all). I was one of the biggest so-called "naysayers" when all of this began to unfold, so it isn't like I'm blind now. However, the I.P.T. continues to pay out owed money and I just don't see a reason why they would do that if they didn't have a plan to stay involved with professional pool. I really doubt that fear of lawsuits is the driving factor behind the players getting paid so far.

I agree with you, Jimmy. I think we can all agree that the tour did not move forward as planned originally. The climate for pool in the States sucks. I would venture to guess that if Kevin Trudeau initiated the tour overseas, where pool and all of its players are celebrated, where pool is broadcast live, we might be looking at quite a different IPT right now.

Every single person associated with the IPT, the players, its employees, and, yes, even Kevin Trudeau himself, is stuck, financially speaking. Deno has invested a lot in the IPT, more than money, and I am sure he, too, is very disappointed at the current state of affairs, but he hasn't dropped the ball. The man is still working very hard to make things right.

If Deno is truly being considered for the WPBA position or if it is that he himself is considering going to the WPBA, it would be not be a good thing for the IPT. This would be tragic, IMHO.

I think that Gerda and Helena are friends of Deno's. Maybe that they mentioned this vacancy in the WPBA. If this is the case, I believe they know Deno's capabilities in this arena. He's strong. He really is strong in the area of logistics, running of tournaments, et cetera.

Deno, if you still come on AzBilliards and are reading this, please don't go. The WPBA's gain would be the IPT's very big loss.

JAM

 

[JAM]

I have to admit, I see all those pool players in suits and I can't stop my mind from wandering to Buddy Hall's "whipped cream on a hotdog" analogy!

LOL! Personally, I didn't like the long-sleeved shirt rule for the IPT competitors. For Keith, with his side-armed stroke, it really interfered with his game. We bought all kinds of turtle neck sweaters, which were also allowed -- long-sleeved, of course -- and the sleeves would roll down mid-shot. I then bought arm garders, trying to hold the sleeves up for Keith, but he said they hurt, like having a rubber band on his upper arm.

I understand why the IPT instituted the dress code, trying to give the sport an uplift in image, but pool players wearing suits makes about as much sense as bowlers wearing suits, IMHO. I believe they were uncomfortable for many of the players.

Keith lost a hill-hill match when his sleeve came down mid-shot on the break. He was pissed more at that happening than the loss of the match. We went downstairs in the Venetian and bought a turtle neck long-sleeved silk shirt. It was all we could find nearby in the premises. They don't sell very many dress long-sleeved items in Las Vegas, I guess because it's so hot.

His next match, he played John Schmidt on the TV table, wearing this $125 long-sleeved turtle neck silk shirt. After the match, we were informed that Keith could not wear that anymore because it looked like a long-sleeved T-shirt, even though he also was wearing his $200 vest, his $575 two-piece suit, and $225 Italian leather shoes.

Pool players in suits are like hot dogs with whipped cream.

Can you imagine a bowler wearing a suit? Meanwhile, the lady IPT competitors could wear just about anything they wanted, many with no sleeves and bare shoulders in fact.

JAM

 

[Jimmy M.]

That was FAT'S that said that. Johnnyt

Then Buddy must have just repeated it because I could have swore I either heard him say it on an accu-stats tape once, or I read a comment from him somewhere.

 

[JAM]

Then Buddy must have just repeated it because I could have swore I either heard him say it on an accu-stats tape once, or I read a comment from him somewhere.

Buddy says it all the time. I have heard him say that, too, in person.

JAM