I'll tell you what's wrong with Charlie Williams!!!

G

Grady

Pro Player
Any 14.1 tournament, to be called a World Championship, has to be pretty much open, not 64 hand picked cronies.
I'll lay a big price that Charlie is in this. Has anybody ever heard of him even having a top ten finish in a major Straight Pool tournament? The last BCA tournament in NYC had a player who had never even played a single game of 14.1.
My 14.1 events are always open. All I ask is that a player have enough ability to please a paying audience. It's disgraceful for men with backgrounds like mine to have to sit home. I called and asked to be able to play and what I got was a very ambiguous answer, that amounted to: "Fat chance."
Charlie is also in almost every 3 to 8 man affair that pays good money, some here and some abroad. Again, more hand picked cronies.When Williams began the UPA, he started to abuse his new position horribly. He started by asking every promoter who wanted to sanction their event(s) with UPA to give him a free room and expense money. Then all exhibitions, overseas invitationals, etc. were filled by Charlie and friends.
I'm just tired of this behavior from someone who ought to know better.By the way, a founder of a men's org. has zero business doing even one tournament. It is a big conflict of interest.
 
Personally I never cared for 9-ball pocket billiards and would like to see more 14.1 and even one pocket coming to town - all with new faces instead of the same ol' ones time after time.
 
Grady said:
Any 14.1 tournament, to be called a World Championship, has to be pretty much open, not 64 hand picked cronies.
I'll lay a big price that Charlie is in this. Has anybody ever heard of him even having a top ten finish in a major Straight Pool tournament? The last BCA tournament in NYC had a player who had never even played a single game of 14.1.
My 14.1 events are always open. All I ask is that a player have enough ability to please a paying audience. It's disgraceful for men with backgrounds like mine to have to sit home. I called and asked to be able to play and what I got was a very ambiguous answer, that amounted to: "Fat chance."
Charlie is also in almost every 3 to 8 man affair that pays good money, some here and some abroad. Again, more hand picked cronies.When Williams began the UPA, he started to abuse his new position horribly. He started by asking every promoter who wanted to sanction their event(s) with UPA to give him a free room and expense money. Then all exhibitions, overseas invitationals, etc. were filled by Charlie and friends.
I'm just tired of this behavior from someone who ought to know better.By the way, a founder of a men's org. has zero business doing even one tournament. It is a big conflict of interest.
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It has been exactly as you say from day one Grady and seems to be getting worse. He seems to be blind to the obvious conflict of interest. Your Productions have always been top notch. For that you have my gratitude.
 
It sounds like the 14.1 tourney should be called the UPA 14.1 Invitational, not the world championships. Charlie Williams and Rodney Morris play 14.1 enough to be in the tourney while others need to qualify; is this correct?

**Hey Grady, I just happened to have watched you against Dallas West at 14.1 and I have to say it was one of the best pool performances I've ever seen on tape. A 48, then 102 and out in the next inning. I hope CW reconsiders and gives some of the old time legends a chance without them having to spend a bunch of time and money on trying to qualify. Even if some these young guys run a bunch of balls, it might be due to shotmaking rather than playing the game the right way. I'd rather see some of the old guys in there playing the game the way it should be taught than a whole field of shotmakers winging it.
 
bud green said:
It sounds like the 14.1 tourney should be called the UPA 14.1 Invitational, not the world championships.
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Absolutely correct on this one. One up it to make it even less controversial and call it the Dragon Promotions 14.1 invitational. That's what it really is anyway.

Even all the IPT supporters laughed at the "world 8 ball championship". It's got tp be plausible to be credible. The only way this 14.1 tourney is going to be credible will be for it to either be an open event or to be called the Dragon Promotions 14.1 Invitational.
 
Don't like it, then boycott it then!!!!!!!!!!!

I totally agree with everything you just said Grady. I sent the promoters of this event an email asking if they were going to invite Mike Zuglan and the response i got was quite simple. There are 100 players of Mike's caliber in this country that want to play and are in the same situation as Mike. I took that to mean on the outside looking in. And we all know why they are not letting Mike play. Because Mike refuses to let the UPA sanction his big tournaments at Turning Stone Casino. I myself will boycott this 14.1 (as much as i love the game) if they refuse to let a former World Champion in. And that is what Mike is. A former World Champion. I don't remember where they held it but i remember him beating Oliver Ortmann in the finals.............................mike
 
Men's UPA

Grady said:
Any 14.1 tournament, to be called a World Championship, has to be pretty much open, not 64 hand picked cronies.
I'll lay a big price that Charlie is in this. Has anybody ever heard of him even having a top ten finish in a major Straight Pool tournament? The last BCA tournament in NYC had a player who had never even played a single game of 14.1.
My 14.1 events are always open. All I ask is that a player have enough ability to please a paying audience. It's disgraceful for men with backgrounds like mine to have to sit home. I called and asked to be able to play and what I got was a very ambiguous answer, that amounted to: "Fat chance."
Charlie is also in almost every 3 to 8 man affair that pays good money, some here and some abroad. Again, more hand picked cronies.When Williams began the UPA, he started to abuse his new position horribly. He started by asking every promoter who wanted to sanction their event(s) with UPA to give him a free room and expense money. Then all exhibitions, overseas invitationals, etc. were filled by Charlie and friends.
I'm just tired of this behavior from someone who ought to know better.By the way, a founder of a men's org. has zero business doing even one tournament. It is a big conflict of interest.
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Its just ONE MORE aspect as to why the men's UPA organization by wagging their tail, keep chasing it. We all "know where their nose goes when the doors are closed".
 
Here's the spit from the BD forum:

koreandragon
newbie
Reged: 01/01/03
Posts: 43

The World Straight Pool Championship
10/07/05 10:05 PM (67.8.141.151) Edit Reply Quote

The World Straight Pool Championship

Dragon Promotions is pleased to announce the revival of the World Straight Pool Championship. The event will take place in the New York City vicinity of the US on April 5-9, 2006.

There is already a buzz among some top players anticipating the event including committments from Legends of Straight Pool Champion John "Mr.400" Schmidt, European Straight Pool Champion Thorsten Hohmann, NYC legend Tony Robles, and former World Champion Bobby Hunter. "Straight pool is one of the most purest games ever, and the very first game that I learned. It's definitely one of my best games and I've dreamed of the day where I could compete with the world's best for the World Title ," says Schmidt. BCA Open Champion Hohmann says, "I am very excited about The World Straight Pool Championship! I feel straight pool is not only my favorite game, but my best game...and I finally can show the world my skills in it. Straight pool is finally back where it belongs."

The event has been in planning for several months now, but the primary reason of the event being brought to NYC has been the influence and support of one of straight pool's biggest philanthropist, Randy Goldwater NYC. Goldwater has been a consistent supporting icon of pool in New York City for years befriending such notables as George "Ginky" SanSouci and Tony "Silent Assasin" Robles. "When I heard that Dragon Promotions was planning the revival of the World 14.1 Championship, I knew right away that this event had to be in the New York City area. It's been too long since the last big one, and with the global diversity of players in the field that's being invited and going to attend, this may be the toughest and greatest straight pool event ever in history. I'm happy to be a part of the event and plan on supporting this for years to come."

The World Straight Pool Championship will be an elite field of 64 players including 10 qualifiers held throughout the US, Latin America, and Canada. Invitations are being sent now to players around the world and will also play host to former straight pool title holders and Hall of Famers.

For more information, please email worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com
 
Grady said:
Any 14.1 tournament, to be called a World Championship, has to be pretty much open, not 64 hand picked cronies.
I'll lay a big price that Charlie is in this. Has anybody ever heard of him even having a top ten finish in a major Straight Pool tournament? The last BCA tournament in NYC had a player who had never even played a single game of 14.1.
My 14.1 events are always open. All I ask is that a player have enough ability to please a paying audience. It's disgraceful for men with backgrounds like mine to have to sit home. I called and asked to be able to play and what I got was a very ambiguous answer, that amounted to: "Fat chance."
Charlie is also in almost every 3 to 8 man affair that pays good money, some here and some abroad. Again, more hand picked cronies.When Williams began the UPA, he started to abuse his new position horribly. He started by asking every promoter who wanted to sanction their event(s) with UPA to give him a free room and expense money. Then all exhibitions, overseas invitationals, etc. were filled by Charlie and friends.
I'm just tired of this behavior from someone who ought to know better.By the way, a founder of a men's org. has zero business doing even one tournament. It is a big conflict of interest.
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Grady,
I'll be the first to admit that I do not always agree with what you have to say, BUT, I always respect your opinion! In this situation I have to say you're dead on! I know that you have a history with Charlie, if you'll remember back in the mid 90's when the Camel Tour IIRC, had their final tournament in Columbus Ohio, I was sort of your "second" in your match against Charlie. I approached when your match was just ready to start and you asked me to help you out. You said that watching Charlie play was a shark to you, that it messed with your concentration. You turned your chair away from the pool table and had me tell you when it was your turn at the table. Some people thought it was silly, but I understood completely! That was the last match of Charlie's that I intentionally watched, unless he was playing someone I wanted to root for and watch them "open a can of whoop ass" on him! I've known a lot of pool players over the years, but he's the only one I have this kind of distain for! I feel he's done a lot of harm to the "pro tour". He's taken spots in team events where there were clearly more deserving players out there, and seldom held up his end! When he was openly running the organization, he acted like a "Little Napolean" throwing his weight around! He barred Earl from the tour because he'd lost in a tournament and wanted to get paid what he had coming, so he could leave and not have to pay for another day in the hotel. Charlie wanted him to wait til the tournament was over and get paid! Sure Earl told him exactly how he felt about the matter, and probably wasn't too polite about it, but he had a valid point! And to bar Earl from anything pool related is ludicrous! Whether you like him and his antics or not, he belongs there!


just more hot air!


Sherm
 
Grady,i agree with you after hearing your points,i was unaware of this from our other post in the The World Straight Pool Champion thread.I think it should be open,but if they are inviting 64 and only 64 and not having it open then it should be an invite based on 14.1 perfomance and not based on your status in an organization.I guess i wont bother going to this event but i heard Jimmy Mataya was going to be playing and wanted to see if he still has it after all those years not competing,your surely more active Grady then Mataya so you should have been invited also,i would have liked to have seen Keith there too but some say he isnt a good image for tv,hes a pool player not a model.:rolleyes:
 
Fast Lenny said:
i would have liked to have seen Keith there too but some say he isnt a good image for tv,hes a pool player not a model.:rolleyes:
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Keith & his personality at the table is exacly what pool needs on tv in order to make it work. ;)
 
Fast Lenny said:
i would have liked to have seen Keith there too but some say he isnt a good image for tv,hes a pool player not a model.:rolleyes:
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Keith may not be a model BUT he is a "character" and just like Fats was a character that goes over BIG on TV!;)

Grady, You're absolutley right about your thoughts about how this was organized badly. Not to put down the players invited, it's just they should rename the event in it's current form to "invitational",even if only to avoid confusion and mis-representation.

Terry
 
I agree totally with both of you but there are people in the pool world who look at someone who has lived the pool life and gambling life for nearly his whole life and has saw all sides of the game and would rather have some asthetic looking person as the poster boy,his character surpasses all that.:D One example when i was at the Skins in AC a few months back and saw something funny,me and my girlfriend had decent seats close to Mcready and JAM and a heavyset gentlemen was told by JAM to come and sit with her but when he did one of the seating people told him no after Dawn Hopkins said something,then the lady asked me and my girlfriend if we wanted to sit there and i replied no as it was the wrong thing after seeing that gentlemen upset,they then had another young couple sit there whom JAM and Keith didnt even know,Dawn Hopkins was the one who made that decision because the table was behind the pool table and would be shown on tv,what a joke.:mad:
 
Fast Lenny said:
...i would have liked to have seen Keith there too but some say he isnt a good image for tv,hes a pool player not a model.:rolleyes:
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The times that I have been on TV, I have never had any problems or complaints. I don't know what you mean by a good image for TV, but every time the TV shows up, they call my name.

I would have loved to have gone to Louisville, but things happened which prevented me from going and being able to compete in all events.

It is my goal that in the near future with the IPT, you'll be seeing a lot more of me and a lot less of the others.

I usually don't like watching pool unless I'm in the middle of it myself or being entertained, but I am sure glad to see my old buddy Jimmy Mataya get the invite. Good for him!
 
What's sad is this aint' no World Championship

Under no circumstances can this be a World Championship!!! I call on others to help me in this matter. It's a disgrace to have Charlie Williams playing instead of men like me and Mike Zuglan.
If, say, John Schmidt wins this thing, he's not the world champ.I was told by the UPA president, that they had no interest in 14.1 and certainly wouldn't stage any tournaments, this after all I asked for to sanction my straight pool with them was to have Bank Pool, One Pocket and 14.1 receive equal rankings points.
People like Charlie have no business in any position of authority in our great sport.
 
Keith McCready said:
The times that I have been on TV, I have never had any problems or complaints. I don't know what you mean by a good image for TV, but every time the TV shows up, they call my name.
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Keith,i think your image is good,you have character and thats more then alot of the guys have,but the pool scene now is trying to appeal to the young crowd (new money/market) with guys like Corey,"MR. GQ",and Danny,thats fine by me but dont leave guys like you out because your not a spring chicken anymore. :p I think the IPT will be great for pool as long as it last and isnt fly by night,Trudeau knows what hes doing,so maybe he can turn this sport into primetime and live tv events.I am glad to see you on here,its been awhile since ive seen you post,take care Keith.

Lenny
 
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Grady said:
Under no circumstances can this be a World Championship!!! I call on others to help me in this matter. It's a disgrace to have Charlie Williams playing instead of men like me and Mike Zuglan.
If, say, John Schmidt wins this thing, he's not the world champ.I was told by the UPA president, that they had no interest in 14.1 and certainly wouldn't stage any tournaments, this after all I asked for to sanction my straight pool with them was to have Bank Pool, One Pocket and 14.1 receive equal rankings points.
People like Charlie have no business in any position of authority in our great sport.
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Your right Grady,its not a World Championship,its really a shame,it should be labeled invitational,if it was you as the director of the tournament then how would you run it Grady?,Im sure it would be open of course,but would there be a limit to entries?
 
Grady, I admire you for what you accomplished in pool and thank you for everything you’ve meant and still mean to the game, but on this occasion, we’re not on the same page.

You made this same argument during the 2004 WPC, claiming it was unfair that you couldn’t just show up and play, despite the fact that if you had opted to play the UPA tour that year, you’d have likely qualified. You knew all along that the UPA was the qualifying tour for the WPC, chose not to participate, and then ripped the system that had excluded you from participation in the 2004 WPC as if you’d never had an opportunity to be part of that great event.

You have a beef with Charlie Williams, the man behind what has been the most prestigious tour in America for three years now, and it clearly irks you that Charlie has become one of pool‘s powerbrokers. So be it ---- but you have never been excluded from being a UPA player member. Your non-participation was always by your own choice, and whether or not you were trying to make a statement, your decision, to a large extent, took you out of the mainstream of top-level American professional pool.

Perhaps the future will be brighter for you, Grady, as you are now a member of the IPT, which will surely be the most prestigious pool tour in America in 2006. If you are still among the elite, you’ll have ample opportunity to demonstrate it, and if you succeed, you’ll be the guy that promoters of independent events will seek out to fill their fields. Welcome back to the mainstream of top-level competitive pool, and good luck!

The truth is that, as a fan, I want to see the strongest possible fields when I attend an event. I feel strongly that Charlie Williams and Randy Goldwater, who has, admirably, financed the straight pool event, are doing everything in their power to deliver a field worthy of a world championship.

Forgive me, but I’ll choose to celebrate, rather than pan, their efforts. As a fan, I can’t wait for this great event, and my gratitude to Charlie Williams and Randy Goldwater for its conception is without bound. The fans want to see great straight pool, and that’s what these guys are in the process of delivering.

If you can put together a better straight pool event, then do so. Until then, why not salute all those doing their part to keep straight pool alive? This event will most likely have a field every bit as strong as that of the 2000 US Open Straight Pool Event in NYC and probably quite a bit stronger than that of the 1993 US Open Straight Pool event that had been the last US Open Straight Pool event contested before that.

In the end, it doesn't matter a hoot whether this is called a world championship or not. It's a great straight pool event that will have a premier field. That's good enough for me.
 
I never limit entries. If I have to start matches at nine in the morning, that's all right. I had really hoped that this century we'd see the end of discrimination and horrible assns. in pool but I guess that's a pipe dream.
 
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