Celtic is correct. There are a LOT of players that are being heavily underestimated. This isn't intentional. It is just that the IPT has done a fine job in bringing out so many good players that were never before compelled to really compete in the more visible events (probably due to lack of money).
Many players have other sources of income. Some very strong players never go down that route of trying to become a "touring" pro, because it just isn't worth it. Practice/training time, travel, lodging, then you have to beat dozens of champions to hopefully place in the top 15 so you can win at least $1,000? Sad.
As a result, many folks simply don't know most of the players unless the player in question is a local - then they all say 'this guy is going to be a threat' ...
To be honest, there are many, many names on that list that I have no clue who these people are. Most of the qualifiers, with the exception of 3-4 who I've personally met, I don't know who they are or how they play.
So the lists tend to reflect not the TOP 3 that are most likely to advance, but the top 3 most known players. I expect a lot of surprizes on people's faces after the tournament. I hope the IPT starts publishing the player-info for many of these guys because people will be like "who is that who beat _________"
Some of the hand-picked choices are not going to advance. I have to say that based on their performance in their role as "beat the pro" at qualifiers. When you get clobbered badly by guys who didn't even qualify...many of which got clobbered themselves by the guys who did qualify...makes you wonder. Beyond that, I have no other indication of how they play. I have to assume that they were trying, because each win was worth $1,000 for them. This is faulty logic - I know, but I'm curious to see what will happen.
***off topic thought..
At first, I thought that KT, Sigel and the IPT were nutz for picking some of the people to be IPT pros that they did. But there is a genius behind it. There's no doubt in my mind that they could have selected players that they thought were the highest skilled and that would be that. They'd be pretty darn close to the "final" 150 pro list, or that which is what the IPT will eventually evolve to become - the best 150. But if they did that, then who would want to qualify? Seems that qualifiers are a big source of attention at the local level, and they also bring in some money (according to my numbers, around $300,000 give or take $5,000 just for the Venetian tournament - assuming that the vast majority took the $1,000 option). Not trying to suggest KT is using the qualifiers to make money, that's absurd being that he's putting up the vast majority of the money. Still, when you have pros who didn't get selected, and then they see some of the names on the current list - no offense to the chosen ones, but you have to assume these guys are saying to themselves "HTF did they get in and I didn't?" ...and thus, a market is born of people who want in. Honestly, I've personally heard a couple IPT hopefuls actually express that thought.
Eventually, the A+ players and semi-pros will give up paying $1,000+ for qualifers all the time. I think a lot more people tried to qualify because they see, what they probably consider, a lot of weak players in the IPT who are very likely to lose their cards. This can only last so long, unless I'm completely wrong and there is a massive source of unknown potential world-beaters out there who haven't surfaced yet.
Would you travel, lodge, pay $1,500, compete with great players, all to try to win a card from the TRUE 150 best pool players on Earth? Would you do it with the current IPT field instead of the 150 best?
***
Goes back to my original thought, these guys are after that $100,000 salary more so than any prize money. 90th place might not look that great in prize money, but $100,000 is a prize in and of itself.
I don't think any of the 5 U.S. Opens that Strickland won had a 1st place prize more than $40,000. 5 U.S. Opens. 5 U.S. Opens jam packed with the best of the best, greatest of the greatest - all beating eachother to death for a 1st place prize that the IPT will hand out for 18th place.
That should put it in perspective. If KT wanted some good footage of emotion and theatrics - I think he might get it. Like a poker player getting beat on the river - some pool player is going to have a meltdown when they dog the 8-ball in a match they need, and they end up 101st missing the card and the $100k!!!! Oh the agony! Or, imagine a hill-hill for $500,000 at the World Open...and the game winning 8-ball gets rattled in a pocket. HAHA! The difference between 1st and 2nd is HUGE. That player is going to be thinking about that $350,000 8-ball for the rest their life...
Love KT and the IPT or hate KT and the IPT - you must admit that at least it has made things exciting and interesting in the world of pool, whatever the end result.
Many players have other sources of income. Some very strong players never go down that route of trying to become a "touring" pro, because it just isn't worth it. Practice/training time, travel, lodging, then you have to beat dozens of champions to hopefully place in the top 15 so you can win at least $1,000? Sad.
As a result, many folks simply don't know most of the players unless the player in question is a local - then they all say 'this guy is going to be a threat' ...
To be honest, there are many, many names on that list that I have no clue who these people are. Most of the qualifiers, with the exception of 3-4 who I've personally met, I don't know who they are or how they play.
So the lists tend to reflect not the TOP 3 that are most likely to advance, but the top 3 most known players. I expect a lot of surprizes on people's faces after the tournament. I hope the IPT starts publishing the player-info for many of these guys because people will be like "who is that who beat _________"
Some of the hand-picked choices are not going to advance. I have to say that based on their performance in their role as "beat the pro" at qualifiers. When you get clobbered badly by guys who didn't even qualify...many of which got clobbered themselves by the guys who did qualify...makes you wonder. Beyond that, I have no other indication of how they play. I have to assume that they were trying, because each win was worth $1,000 for them. This is faulty logic - I know, but I'm curious to see what will happen.
***off topic thought..
At first, I thought that KT, Sigel and the IPT were nutz for picking some of the people to be IPT pros that they did. But there is a genius behind it. There's no doubt in my mind that they could have selected players that they thought were the highest skilled and that would be that. They'd be pretty darn close to the "final" 150 pro list, or that which is what the IPT will eventually evolve to become - the best 150. But if they did that, then who would want to qualify? Seems that qualifiers are a big source of attention at the local level, and they also bring in some money (according to my numbers, around $300,000 give or take $5,000 just for the Venetian tournament - assuming that the vast majority took the $1,000 option). Not trying to suggest KT is using the qualifiers to make money, that's absurd being that he's putting up the vast majority of the money. Still, when you have pros who didn't get selected, and then they see some of the names on the current list - no offense to the chosen ones, but you have to assume these guys are saying to themselves "HTF did they get in and I didn't?" ...and thus, a market is born of people who want in. Honestly, I've personally heard a couple IPT hopefuls actually express that thought.
Eventually, the A+ players and semi-pros will give up paying $1,000+ for qualifers all the time. I think a lot more people tried to qualify because they see, what they probably consider, a lot of weak players in the IPT who are very likely to lose their cards. This can only last so long, unless I'm completely wrong and there is a massive source of unknown potential world-beaters out there who haven't surfaced yet.
Would you travel, lodge, pay $1,500, compete with great players, all to try to win a card from the TRUE 150 best pool players on Earth? Would you do it with the current IPT field instead of the 150 best?
***
Goes back to my original thought, these guys are after that $100,000 salary more so than any prize money. 90th place might not look that great in prize money, but $100,000 is a prize in and of itself.
I don't think any of the 5 U.S. Opens that Strickland won had a 1st place prize more than $40,000. 5 U.S. Opens. 5 U.S. Opens jam packed with the best of the best, greatest of the greatest - all beating eachother to death for a 1st place prize that the IPT will hand out for 18th place.
That should put it in perspective. If KT wanted some good footage of emotion and theatrics - I think he might get it. Like a poker player getting beat on the river - some pool player is going to have a meltdown when they dog the 8-ball in a match they need, and they end up 101st missing the card and the $100k!!!! Oh the agony! Or, imagine a hill-hill for $500,000 at the World Open...and the game winning 8-ball gets rattled in a pocket. HAHA! The difference between 1st and 2nd is HUGE. That player is going to be thinking about that $350,000 8-ball for the rest their life...
Love KT and the IPT or hate KT and the IPT - you must admit that at least it has made things exciting and interesting in the world of pool, whatever the end result.
