IPT Ten Years After

Bottom line - he paid out more money than was coming in. No way to survive with that kind of business model.

Great tournaments for great players - but I saw KT coming from a mile away. 10 years later - I still feel as strongly about it as I did back then.
 
boogeyman said:
Yes, sad that the IPT didn't pan out.
Trudeau seemed to be possess great initiative.
His efforts were fine indeed.

I don't begrudge Trudeau, for he tried to lift pool.
Let the penal system take care of him--which it did.
He is paying his debt to society.
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He tried, he failed, not many have tried since.
 
I liked their rule set, if I'm recalling correctly. Scratch on the break and the incoming player shoots out of the kitchen, no mixed combos on an open table, scratch on 8 is loss of game, 8 on break is a win. Normal fouls ball get in hand.
 
Keith and I both had no problem with Keven Trudeau. In fact, he treated Keith with a lot of respect, and Keith got paid. I have a lot of IPT memorabilia. They gave all the players goody bags with their name embroidered on it, filled with things like a baseball cap with IPT on it, a polo shirt, DVDs, lapel pins, coffee thermos, and a few other items I can't remember.

Interestingly, if my memory is correct, they used the so-called "slow cloth" on the IPT tables, and there was a dress code of long-sleeved, collared shirts and jackets, leather shoes. I was listening to a YouTube video with Kim Davenport and Mike Sigel done a few days ago, and Mike said the players today would be no contest with players from his era shooting on the slow cloth. In fact, he said pocket size doesn't even matter. You have to have a good stroke on slow cloth. if you want to keep whitey on a string.

IPT%20tote%20bag[1][1].JPG


I used to think the IPT's "Starship Stage" was the best I had ever seen for pool. Of course, like everything else, technology has advanced. Today Matchroom is number one when it come to stage presence. Here's the IPT Starship Stage.

IPT-NA_Venetian_in_Vegas_129.jpg


Players came out of the woodwork to be on the IPT, young and old. Some of them are gone today, sad to say.

The late Jimmy Fusco, Danny DiLiberto, and the late Wade Crane.

Jimmy Danny and Wade at IPT KOTH.JPG


The late Scotty Townsend and Keith McCready. They were very close friends before, during, and after the IPT.

Scotty and Keith at IPT KOTH.JPG


Buddy Hall and Marlon Manolo. Marlon hasn't been heard from or seen since the IPT days of lore. I think he came in third place at the King of the Hill Shootout, subject to check.

Buddy Hall and Marlon Manalo at IPT KOTH (1).JPG


Keith and the late Ed Kelly.

Keith and Ed Kelly at IPT KOTH.JPG


Keith in action in the IPT Vegas event.

Keith iPT.jpg


Does anybody think Keith looks a little too happy in this photo with Ewa Mataya?

Ewa and Keith at IPT KOTH 2005.JPG


Keith cleaned up pretty good with the IPT dress code. Neither of us knew how to tie a tie. We always had to ask a male hotel employee if they could tie Keith's tie. That cue case is the same one that a young Shane Van Boening had at the 2003 U.S. Open. I loved it because I'm the one that ends up carrying it, and it was lightweight. We finally found one for sale and I snagged it. It was cheap, less than $100.

Keith at IPT.JPG
 

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One more favorite IPT photo, and I have many. Allison, Gerda, Kim Shaw, and Kelly Fisher at the King of the Hill Players meeting. We were sitting in front of them, and I asked for a photo, and Allison looked at the other three and said, "Let's give her a good photo." I never forgot that. She's a sweetie!

Lady Pros at IPT Players Meeting at KOTH Shootout[1].JPG
 
KT may have been a crook, but he didn't do anything wrong with the IPT "from a banger fan point of view". To the banger, they saw good pool on the big screen TV for the first time in a decade, playing the only game they are familiar with, 8 ball. It was broadcast internationally. I remember I was even in Germany during one of the events and saw it on TV in a bar there. The broadcasts were Broadcast Network Tv quality, not single camera streams like we mostly have now on youtube. The prize money was actually legit, and could make real careers for pool players.

I peronsally think he ran into the same thing every other promoter has. The general public doesn't care much for the game, so only die hard pool players like us watch it. That means less eyes on the screen, less advertising power, less purchasing power (of fans of advertised products), etc. It probably cost 10's of millions to do what he did, and there was just no payback. The prize money was probably the smallest expense he actually had. The production expense must have dwarfed it.

Outside of the banger, only a very tiny number of pool players (us) even knew he stiffed the players and staff on the last event. He did make the players whole eventually, but not the staff.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it:)
 
The one person that seemed to be the worst affected by the IPT and it's demise was Deno Andrews. He effectively disappeared from the pool and billiard world after it all ended.

I remember being at a 3 cushion tournament at Chris's after the IPT was over and we tried in vain to get him to come over just for a visit. I had his cell number and we spoke to him but try as we could he would not come over..

It was truly sad there were a lot of old friends that wanted to see him.. Life goes on and I hope he is happy, healthy and well..
 
Just a note - Kevin Trudeau was released from the prison this year on January 18th according to Federal Bureau of Prisons..
 
CanadianGuy said:
Elon or Jeff?

Seriously back to that mentality?

maybe the new King of England also?
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I forgot to add a /s
For sarcasm.

Seriously though, it needs a person or group with deep pockets and a deep understanding of pool to make it work.
That is a rare combination.
 
He was a KT disciple and deserves all the heat he got. For all those who look back on the IPT and KT with some sort of nostalgia should remember that despite what dollars were passed around to pool players the IPT contractors (big and small) got nothing. It broke many.

The man sold hope to those who had none. Sold cures to people who forgoed much need treatments including Cancer and Heart disease. He put real people in body bags. He's not just a conman but a killer. Not just some sort of snake oil salesman selling the fountain of youth. Let that sink in. Forget the Tuxedo's and promises of health care.

A simple google search will tell you everything you need to know. Serial killers have done less damage.
 
Nick B said:
He was a KT disciple and deserves all the heat he got. For all those who look back on the IPT and KT with some sort of nostalgia should remember that despite what dollars were passed around to pool players the IPT contractors (big and small) got nothing. It broke many.

The man sold hope to those who had none. Sold cures to people who forgoed much need treatments including Cancer and Heart disease. He put real people in body bags. He's not just a conman but a killer. Not just some sort of snake oil salesman selling the fountain of youth. Let that sink in. Forget the Tuxedo's and promises of health care.

A simple google search will tell you everything you need to know. Serial killers have done less damage.
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Not a fan of KT's by any stretch but blaming deaths on that book is kinda out there. If anyone based their health regimen on a book sold on tv they should have their heads examined. Comparing him to serial killers is laughable.
 
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