Oh dear God in Heaven! Why on earth would I want to talk about that sorry arse IPT?!?!?! Well, unfortunately, taking hot showers causes one to do some deep thinking every now and then. 
Now please, leave the flame wars out OK? This is something that I'm trying to have a really honest conversation about. I know we had our legs pulled out from under us with this tour, but I really, really wish it would continue, even if someone bought it from KT, here's why.
I remember looking at all the matches on TV and on the internet and relized something about us in the US, as a pool competitor, compared to the rest of the world...we suck! Please let me explain. The IPT, as far as I know, was the most greuling type of tournament there has ever been, I guess next to really big multiple day action anyway.
I thought about it and realized, we talk about the Phillipians, dominating the way that they do, but damn, some guys from England, Russia, and hell other places were crushing our US players, and I'm like, what the hell is this?!?!?
For that matter, who the hell is this.
I knew it would bring guys out of the wood work, but damn! Plus, I never herard of Manalo and Orcolo until the IPT. Yeah, I'm slow in keeping up with the pros, but there were sooo many folks there I've never heard of, and I heard I wasn't the only one is this boat.
The main reason I wanted to see the IPT thrive, was to see our US players just flat out crush everybody!
When this didn't happen, I'm like WTF! I mean, yes, Efren Reyes is the best player on the planet, but man, with his age and all, especially with this type of format, he was still able to win!
The only US player, other than Rodney Morris, to make it to the last table (if I remember correctly...) was Nick Varner, HOF and not a young cat either! No, Gabe, no Archer, No Daulton..no one else for the US. @#(*$&@(#$!!!!!
So I'm like, are we that bad in the world of pocket billiards? I mean, the guys that play this game are NOT pushovers people, yet they were fallin' left and right to the world. I didn't want the IPT to fall, because I felt that is was the best test to see how we stacked up against everyone else. The whole bit about the new cloth and 8-ball, was too damn cool. It would've meant that 9-ball wouldn't have been the only game to learn competitively!
Hell, I even heard that the qualifiers (even though expensive as hell...), were almsot as dog-eat-dog, as the main event's themselves! Hell, I don't know. I'll probably get flammed for this thread and all, but I had to get this off my chest. I like what Allen Hopkins is trying to do, but I don't think, that the conditions are as tough...mabey there not meant to be.
Would'a-Could'a-Should'a...damn.
Now please, leave the flame wars out OK? This is something that I'm trying to have a really honest conversation about. I know we had our legs pulled out from under us with this tour, but I really, really wish it would continue, even if someone bought it from KT, here's why.I remember looking at all the matches on TV and on the internet and relized something about us in the US, as a pool competitor, compared to the rest of the world...we suck! Please let me explain. The IPT, as far as I know, was the most greuling type of tournament there has ever been, I guess next to really big multiple day action anyway.
I thought about it and realized, we talk about the Phillipians, dominating the way that they do, but damn, some guys from England, Russia, and hell other places were crushing our US players, and I'm like, what the hell is this?!?!?
For that matter, who the hell is this. I knew it would bring guys out of the wood work, but damn! Plus, I never herard of Manalo and Orcolo until the IPT. Yeah, I'm slow in keeping up with the pros, but there were sooo many folks there I've never heard of, and I heard I wasn't the only one is this boat.
The main reason I wanted to see the IPT thrive, was to see our US players just flat out crush everybody!
When this didn't happen, I'm like WTF! I mean, yes, Efren Reyes is the best player on the planet, but man, with his age and all, especially with this type of format, he was still able to win! The only US player, other than Rodney Morris, to make it to the last table (if I remember correctly...) was Nick Varner, HOF and not a young cat either! No, Gabe, no Archer, No Daulton..no one else for the US. @#(*$&@(#$!!!!!
So I'm like, are we that bad in the world of pocket billiards? I mean, the guys that play this game are NOT pushovers people, yet they were fallin' left and right to the world. I didn't want the IPT to fall, because I felt that is was the best test to see how we stacked up against everyone else. The whole bit about the new cloth and 8-ball, was too damn cool. It would've meant that 9-ball wouldn't have been the only game to learn competitively!
Hell, I even heard that the qualifiers (even though expensive as hell...), were almsot as dog-eat-dog, as the main event's themselves! Hell, I don't know. I'll probably get flammed for this thread and all, but I had to get this off my chest. I like what Allen Hopkins is trying to do, but I don't think, that the conditions are as tough...mabey there not meant to be.
Would'a-Could'a-Should'a...damn.
