hi

[Donovan]

First of all John asked anyone interested to pm him if they want to back him. Don't you people think that he probably got at least 12 pm's from people wanting to put up the money. Especially Purdman who already won a ton last time. I do not understand why John (maybe he did) just didn't contact him. This talk and recruting `10 people is way premature without John's approval first. Why deal with 10 people. I know it is a great getsture and fun to put it out there but way nuts. IMHO.

WHAT? I think your nuts for questioning it. One person is going to give the money to John and he will be able to return whatever half his winnings are to that one person. It is the same if you ponied up the grand yourself. Who cares how the one guy got the grand? PLUS, why do you care how we do it? John has less than a week to get his reservations and fees in and we are making sure if he needs us we are there for him on a moments notice. If not, nobody lost anything except a few posts.

He can for sure get those reservations and entry fee in, because at least he knows for sure he is going right now. We are just making sure we take care of our own. Geesh!

I don't blast on people very often, but maybe you are being premature in your judging others for just trying to do something for someone else. I'm glad you can voice your opinion on here; we all love that freedom. But Man! Good luck with that judging others.

I apologize to anyone that this may have offended, right up front!

 

[mthornto]

I just spoke with John on the phone, he is in.

I spoke with John for about 10 minutes. Every time I speak with him I am overwhelmed with what a class act he is. He is very grateful that we are willing to support him. As I told John, I think we need to add "The people's champion" to his nickname.

I think a group of people coming together to support a pro player speaks volumes about the player and the fans of tis sport. In a game that gets so much bad press and has gone through so much heart break in the last year, I think something like this really shows how we can come together and elevate the game to where it belongs. I am damn proud to be part of this.


So here is the deal, these are the first 10 to commit to sending the money. I will PM each person my paypal account, home address, and phone number. I will not be able to do this until tonight (I have to get to get back to work!) I prefer paypal, but I will take money orders (personal checks if you must). I would like for everybody to get the money to me right away. If I have not received your share by Monday, you lose your spot and your share is offered to the other people that have posted willing to send the money.

Here are the first 10, as compiled by BillYards:

BillYards
Kevin S
DelaWho??
Joe T.
Johnny T.
8-ball Rat
Mechanic/player
mthornto
Donovan
Ryan A.

 

[nfty9er]

You just dont get it

WHAT? I think your nuts for questioning it. One person is going to give the money to John and he will be able to return whatever half his winnings are to that one person. It is the same if you ponied up the grand yourself. Who cares how the one guy got the grand? PLUS, why do you care how we do it? John has less than a week to get his reservations and fees in and we are making sure if he needs us we are there for him on a moments notice. If not, nobody lost anything except a few posts.

He can for sure get those reservations and entry fee in, because at least he knows for sure he is going right now. We are just making sure we take care of our own. Geesh!

I don't blast on people very often, but maybe you are being premature in your judging others for just trying to do something for someone else. I'm glad you can voice your opinion on here; we all love that freedom. But Man! Good luck with that judging others.

I apologize to anyone that this may have offended, right up front!

The point is, John posted many, many hours ago. Since he has not responded to any of these one can assume someone already PM'd him offering the money. He wanted people to PM him. Did anyone do that and ask if he would accept 10 partners? Or at least find out if he already got someone which he probably has. I have no problem with the idea of people ponying up, but why get everyone excited. You are putting the carriage before the horse. God Donovan where do you get I was judging others. Maybe you cannot comprehend. Calling something premature is not judging others. You must have got up on the wrong side of the bed.

 

[Donovan]

The point is, John posted many, many hours ago. Since he has not responded to any of these one can assume someone already PM'd him offering the money. He wanted people to PM him. Did anyone do that and ask if he would accept 10 partners? Or at least find out if he already got someone which he probably has. I have no problem with the idea of people ponying up, but why get everyone excited. You are putting the carriage before the horse. God Donovan where do you get I was judging others. Maybe you cannot comprehend. Calling something premature is not judging others. You must have got up on the wrong side of the bed.

Well, maybe I did.

 

[john schmidt]

ok

now i sure would hate to see people getting mad at each other over helping me.it was kind of my fault because i did not look at my computer for a while.i did call my friend michael thornton and tell him if he could handle getting the money together that would be awesome.so i just want to say thank you to all you guys, im humbled and flattered that you guys jumped in so fast to help me.ill do my best in valley forge and thats also a great place for me to land a sponsor deal with a cue company or something like that.it is a little embarrassing asking for money to go to a tourney but hopefully i land a deal up there and that way i can be out there representing the usa instead of being on here asking for money.thanks again everybody john schmidt

 

[Donovan]

now i sure would hate to see people getting mad at each other over helping me.it was kind of my fault because i did not look at my computer for a while.i did call my friend michael thornton and tell him if he could handle getting the money together that would be awesome.so i just want to say thank you to all you guys, im humbled and flattered that you guys jumped in so fast to help me.ill do my best in valley forge and thats also a great place for me to land a sponsor deal with a cue company or something like that.it is a little embarrassing asking for money to go to a tourney but hopefully i land a deal up there and that way i can be out there representing the usa instead of being on here asking for money.thanks again everybody john schmidt

Bah it's all good. We're your peeps and we got you back! Don't ever feel like you can't ask us!

 

[watchez]

Seems that by mthornto post of just talking to John on the phone that Donovan & 98% of the board got it. Nfty9er, once again you fall into the group that DOESNT GET IT. And if you want to sit there from your computer chair & analyze---don't you think that JS would have called purdman and any other previous backer he used in the past before posting that he needed backing help just 10 days before a tournament started.

Donovan, don't feel bad. You are 100% right in speaking up for yourself and everyone else. I had a discussion recently with a very prominent poster here. Most of the pool world is so comprehension shorted that is very difficult for a thread to have any discussion. Just in this thread alone, one person didn't understand the clear money breakdown. One person thought that John wouldn't accept MONEY. unreal.

 

[jhendri2]

Add my name to the waiting list. I'd love to help John.

Jim

 

[BillYards]

Bah it's all good. We're your peeps and we got you back! Don't ever feel like you can't ask us!

Yeah! That's right!

Oh, John.... I will be sending you the official "AZ Billiards Forum" Polo shirt so you can proudly wear it during your matches! Haha! Just kidding!

Break a leg!

 

[8-ball Rat]

Happy to be one of "The 10" (as it will now be called)

John, I wish you the best of luck in the tourney...and hope you sign with a sponsor that will treat you right.

Like I said before....the entertainment value alone is worth the price of admission....and this is a first for me, too...so I'm thrilled about it, regardless of how it pans out.

My best to ya, and have a good one. Money will be forthcoming as soon as I get the PM from our spokesman!!!

Rat

 

[BillYards]

Seems that by mthornto post of just talking to John on the phone that Donovan & 98% of the board got it. Nfty9er, once again you fall into the group that DOESNT GET IT. And if you want to sit there from your computer chair & analyze---don't you think that JS would have called purdman and any other previous backer he used in the past before posting that he needed backing help just 10 days before a tournament started.

Donovan, don't feel bad. You are 100% right in speaking up for yourself and everyone else. I had a discussion recently with a very prominent poster here. Most of the pool world is so comprehension shorted that is very difficult for a thread to have any discussion. Just in this thread alone, one person didn't understand the clear money breakdown. One person thought that John wouldn't accept MONEY. unreal.

To be fair... you have to have opposing sides for discussions to hold value. Nfty had some valid points... that later turned out to be unsubstantiated (per the JS e-mail and phone call).

No biggie. We gotta have discussions. We gotta respect one another. Jezzuz! Am I sounding like a '60's flower girl or what??

 

[ginsu]

To be fair... you have to have opposing sides for discussions to hold value. Nfty had some valid points... that later turned out to be unsubstantiated (per the JS e-mail and phone call).

No biggie. We gotta have discussions. We gotta respect one another. Jezzuz! Am I sounding like a '60's flower girl or what??

Nothing wrong with 60's flower girls (they were cool). I think it is great that a player like John can get help from all of you, it's also way cool. If you have not met John, let me tell you he is one of pools class acts as well as a great player. He asked me to back him once but I was already committed to the other player. John beat him to death on a 7ftr giving him the 6 and was a perfect gentleman to all. The shame is that he doesn't already have a sponsor. This is just the kind of guy the American pool industry needs to showcase. Best of luck John.

 

[mthornto]

PMs sent to the 10.


In some ways, I think it is better for John having a group back him. He still gets the backing and only has to deal with one person representing the group. The extra benefit he gets is that this shows a potential sponsor just how popular he is.

I have thought about doing something like this for a while now. There are more than enough people on the various internet forums that we could easily get together and sponsor a pro player. Assuming we get through this without any major difficulties, I think we should make this a regular thing.

Soon as Valley Forge is over I will put together a proposal and lets see what we can do.

 

[ScottW]

I have thought about doing something like this for a while now. There are more than enough people on the various internet forums that we could easily get together and sponsor a pro player. Assuming we get through this without any major difficulties, I think we should make this a regular thing.

Heh, reading this thread and someone mentioning sending JS an AZB shirt made me think of the same thing. It'd be neat if there could be a collective sponsorship pool that AZB folks could contribute to, in varying amounts, and help out someone who needs it, like JS.

Maybe try and turn into something like "sponsorship training wheels" - work it with the intent of the player moving onto real sponsorship, and then pick up another player and do the same with him/her, etc.

Edit: What would be neat is if the fund could become somewhat self-sustaining. Instead of the people putting in money for the sponsorship fund getting back all of what they could get back, assuming the player wins some cash - say they get back what they put in, plus some but not as much as they could - and the balance stays in the fund for future use, for JS or another player to tap into when needed, with the same if-they-win-money-the-fund-gets-X-percent-back deal. Percentages would have to be worked out and agreed upon, naturally.

 

[MOJOE]

John, Good luck to you.

To all who stepped up, hats off to you all. Best to each of you.

J.B.K.

 

[JoeyA]

Gang Of Ten

PMs sent to the 10.


In some ways, I think it is better for John having a group back him. He still gets the backing and only has to deal with one person representing the group. The extra benefit he gets is that this shows a potential sponsor just how popular he is.

I have thought about doing something like this for a while now. There are more than enough people on the various internet forums that we could easily get together and sponsor a pro player. Assuming we get through this without any major difficulties, I think we should make this a regular thing.

Soon as Valley Forge is over I will put together a proposal and lets see what we can do.

----------------------------------------------------------------
Michael, if one of the GANG OF TEN doesn't belly up the money, let me know and I would love to put in my 100 bucks. I just read this thread and realized that multiple people might be involved in staking John. Not trying to horn in on any one but if you are short I wouldn't mind INVESTING.

Just PM me.
Thanks,
JoeyA

 

[JoeyA]

I got a C note for 10% of half your winnings....

McCue banger McCue

McCue you get REP for coming up with the idea first.
Joey come lately.

 

[JoeyA]

I could take a piece of that action, but can't do the whole thing. The wife would beat me until there was nothin left to bury but bloody toenails.

Maybe we should get 10 AZ members to put in $100 each...

REP for completing McCue's suggestion. What a great idea!
JoeyA (waiting in line to be part of the GANG OF TEN.)

 

[dannyb78]

stake horse

Hey John, we have never met. I am not into tournaments... But if you find a game u like at Valley Forge, i can give you some stake for several thousand...I love to gamble..

 

[shinobi]

Seems that by mthornto post of just talking to John on the phone that Donovan & 98% of the board got it. Nfty9er, once again you fall into the group that DOESNT GET IT.

Totally agreed.

John Schmidt, I think it's an interesting and fun opportunity you present AZers. Good luck in the tournament