Jeanette Lee contacted me yesterday evening when she heard there was some controversy regarding her decision to withdraw from the tournament last weekend; and asked me to present the details (which are significantly different than presented in the other threads) and to explain her motives (which are VERY different than those proposed and speculated upon in the other threads).
She was quite reluctant to do this, as it is not a flattering story regarding the person who bought her in the Calcutta; but felt forced to respond to clarify things for her fans, who might be confused by the large amount of misinformation and speculation on the forum (unfortunately par for the course here on AZB?we LOVE to speculate and pontificate).
#1. She did NOT enter the tournament to ?take off? a ?C tournament? as has been proposed elsewhere. She has tremendous respect for Brian Gregg (and his partner Jack Taylor), considers him a good friend, and wants to support his ventures in any way possible. She also enjoys the competition (which is QUITE strong ? open to local players such as Brian Gregg, Steve Oaks, Jeff Beckley, Everett Snow, Tony Blankenship, Brian Groce, George Breedlove, Dan Walden?.Efren does NOT have to win this thing if he enters). She takes time away from family and business to play in these events in hopes of helping to promote the local pool scene. The money involved is small, insignificant, and played NO part in her decisions. She was ASKED by the promoters to participate as often as she can to help the tournament.
#2. She felt forced to withdraw and forfeit because of the extreme rudeness and poor behavior of person who bought her in the Calcutta, NOT through any petulant desire to make a few bucks at the last minute ? the money had NOTHING to do with it. Also, it was NOT THE LAST MATCH OF THE TOURNAMENT when she withdrew, just near the end of the winner?s bracket (the person to whom she forfeited had 2 or 3 more matches to play afterward). Here is the sequence of events:
Jeanette did not buy herself in the Calcutta; and in fact almost never bids on herself (it just drives up the price, and someone always bids on her). As most local players know, she almost always offers to split with the person that does buy her. Unfortunately, when the person who bought her came up to her and offered her half, she stated she would PROBABLY buy half, but wanted to wait a few minutes and check things out. This was definitely a mistake on her part, because though she decided nearly immediately that she wanted to buy half, she then had to get back on the phone and computer, and started with her matches; totally forgetting about the Calcutta. During their initial conversation the buyer seemed understanding and polite.
As the first match began, she did remember the Calcutta, but could NOT initially remember what the buyer looked like (she is approached by a LOT of people at every pool event she attends). She then asked Brian Gregg to find the buyer and let him know that she would take half of herself. Brian told her that he DID find the buyer, and that the buyer WAS in agreement. A few matches later, the buyer had not approached her for the money, and she had been too busy to find him; so she again asked Brian Gregg to remind the buyer that she was in for half. Brian did so, and told Jeanette that the buyer had responded ?That?s fine.? Nesli O?Hare was with Brian at this time, and confirms that this is what the buyer said in agreement. Jeanette felt that an agreement was in place, but did want to pay him at the first opportunity. The buyer never approached her for payment.
Near the end of the winner?s bracket (NOT the finals of the tournament, NOT the finals of the winner?s bracket), Jeanette had the buyer paged to the desk; wanting to pay him her share. Evidently at this point the buyer changed his mind and now wished to renege on his verbal agreement to buy half, and that he should have been paid the cash ahead of time. He let loose with an extremely rude and accusatory tone; flatly implying that there was no agreement since he had not been paid, and that she was lying about her intentions (despite his conversations with Brian Gregg); declaring, ?Well, you had time to get on the microphone and talk about your school, talk to your friends, and you couldn?t come up with $70.? Jeanette states that, ?he talked to me like I was garbage, he was a complete and utter jerk; and was flat out rude.? His contention was that she was just going to wait until the end of the tournament, and if she did well try to get half; and evidently not pay him if she didn?t do well (despite his statement to Brian Gregg that it was ?no problem? for her to buy half). He even said, ?you can?t just wait until the finals to decide? (even though he should have known this was obviously NOT the finals or even close). After protesting his assertions, assuring him (as Brian had told him at the beginning of the tournament) that she wanted to buy half all along; Jeanette specifically asked if the buyer really believed that she was just waiting to pay him so she could weasel out if she didn?t do well, he smugly replied, ?absolutely?, seeming to derive great enjoyment from this fiction.
Jeanette felt so very offended and disturbed by the buyers now antagonistic and disturbing behavior that she withdrew immediately; wanting nothing further to do with him. If physical payment of the money was so important to him, he should have said so to Brian, and he should not have agreed early on to a split. He could have approached her at any time during the tournament for the cash if it was important to him. The paltry amount of money involved had nothing whatsoever to do with her decision. She apologized to Brian Gregg and Jack Taylor for withdrawing, and explained that she could have nothing further to do with this very offensive person, and told him she would be ill if she did anything to make money for this person.
#3. Jeanette (as someone who loves pool more than almost anyone, and as someone who aspires to the highest standards of sportsmanship) totally agrees that it was the buyers right to sell or not. She feels badly that she didn?t just ?hunt him down? right away ? she is in total agreement that such deals are OBVIOUSLY better to be made BEFORE the tournament starts. She would not have had ANY ill feelings toward him if he had politely declined her offer before, during, or after matches had started ? it is totally his right to make the call, HOWEVER HE SHOULD NOT HAVE AGREED TO BRIAN IF THE MONEY COLLECTION WAS A PROBLEM FOR HIM. She would NOT just ask someone at the end of a tournament to sell half, just because she did well; and is offended by the buyers allegations (and very rude insistence) that she did. She is confident that Brian Gregg, Jack Taylor, and Nesli O?Hare can confirm that she did intend throughout the tournament to buy her half; and confirm that the buyer did know of this intention before the end of the tournament.
#4. All the buyer had to do was politely decline (or even semi-politely; it was his right), and Jeanette would have continued to play her heart out in the remaining matches (again, this did NOT occur before the ?final match? as asserted elsewhere) ? she loves to play, and hates to lose. The issue of buying/selling was NO BIG DEAL, BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED AN AGREEMENT WAS IN PLACE. Unfortunately the buyer behaved unbelievably rudely and boorishly; and she felt that she needed to completely dissociate herself from the situation. She wanted no part of any association with this buyer, and wanted no part of helping to reward him after his extreme discourtesy. When such unpleasantness exists; it is often best for the high-profile athlete to just walk away. She did.
#5. Jeanette does not want to get into any dialogue over such a thing; she only wanted to correct the misapprehensions of many posting here, and to clarify for her fans. Posters are free to believe whomever they want; Nesli O?Hare, Brian Gregg, and Jack Taylor can confirm the true version of events.
P.S. - She specifically wanted me to tell satman that yes she forgot her cue (has done so on multiple occasions; her life is HECTIC), but was still able to be back before the start of the Calcutta and the tournament.
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