What's he gonna miss if he bails on the WPA? Their only game is Heyball and he doesn't play it. All the big stuff worth playing is MR/WNT events.
Joshua Filler withdrawn from the Mosconi Cup!
- Thread starter vjmehra
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I get Albin's predicament. Tough one. If he did refer to a Mosconi B team, though, that would be quite an insult to other players!
Another way this whole problem could get largely separated out is if Predator stops getting its events sanctioned. Then players could play in most major events without getting hurt much financially.
Be interesting to see if Predator does even more nonsanctioned events like the one in Puerto Rico.
I believe Albin has big sponsorships, Predator among them, and maybe national support like Filler
Predator has been working closely with WPA, if they do more non-sanctioned events, that means WPA itself is becoming more and more irrelevant
I don’t believe Predator is the reason Josh and Albin are going WPA. I think it’s their federation and/or their personal reasons.
For supporting evidence , go to Predator’s website on their sponsored pros tab. There are about 7 of their couple dozen that played in the Hanoi Open. INCLUDING Carlo Baido and Kaci!
I had posted this on FB a couple weeks ago and actually went through the entire list and posted all the names that played Hanoi. Sorry I can’t find the fb post now to duplicate it here.
It’s not Predator, imo. The pieces don’t add up to it being them.
For supporting evidence , go to Predator’s website on their sponsored pros tab. There are about 7 of their couple dozen that played in the Hanoi Open. INCLUDING Carlo Baido and Kaci!
I had posted this on FB a couple weeks ago and actually went through the entire list and posted all the names that played Hanoi. Sorry I can’t find the fb post now to duplicate it here.
It’s not Predator, imo. The pieces don’t add up to it being them.
Agree. Promised a wildcard spot sounds like bullshit to me too.
Albin suggested that some local event near his hometown that he was responsible for could be ended if he was banned.
that wouldn't make sense. a tour card is maintained if you earn enough points, that's how it should work. if filler is top 64 by the end of the year his tour card shouldn't be in jeopardy. loose spots should be the bottom 64 for this kind of system to have logic and integrity
He 100% had a hair transplant earlier this year. His "new" hairline is classic hair transplant.I think he's been having issue with that hair-weave he's facing.Seriously, this dude is about bald and is rocking the comb-over of comb-overs.
The shaved head he had from earlier was probably around they time they did it.
I am not entirely sure how this works. I just want to see him stay on the tour.
I actually answered that question about a month ago. My feeling then was that the WPA had many opportunities to do something for Pool and the pro players over a period of decades, and each time it failed them. The WPA failed to protect players in disputes over non pay and late payments by delinquent promoters. In fact, even sanctioning these same promoters again at later dates. Additionally the WPA pretty much handled scheduling of events with preference given to promoters sanctioning with them and paying the sanction fee. They would schedule an event on top of someone's else's dates if it meant getting more sanction money. It was all done in a haphazard fashion designed to get the maximum money in fees.
As for the legitimate promoters I cannot remember anything the WPA did on their behalf except put a date on their calendar. It was up to the promoter to do everything involved in promoting and producing the event. That included getting the necessary sponsorship money, securing the loctation, and staffing the event. The WPA did not supply referees or other officials to help run the event. They did send one representative, at the promoters expense, to be present at the awards ceremony and hand out a trophy (yes, bought by the promoter), plus make sure to have his picture taken with the winners, as if he had done something important in making this event happen. And of course this esteemed representative was there to pick up the check for the sanction money!
In the meantime I met Barry Hearn, the head of Matchroom, and a man devoted to making professional Pool into a real pro sport, not unlike what he had already accomplished with Snooker. I saw a man dedicated to this task! I did some business with Barry along the way, him giving me the rights to sell videotapes of the 1999 and 2000 WPC in North America, with me paying him a royalty fee. He was honorable in business and always kept his word, plus he remained dedicated to the task at hand, which was not an easy one, nor an inexpensive one. Barry worked hard to overcome roadblocks set up by the WPA and each time managed to pull off the staging of some great tournaments. Many times he was at great financial risk and proceeded none the less. And he never quit!!
To this day I have great admiration for Sir Barry Hearn and value his friendship. He has entrusted the leadership of the WNT to Emily Frazer and his son Eddie, and it is in very capable hands. I have not always agreed with some of their decisions (the changing of age old ball colors for no reason), but my support for them, MR and the WNT has only grown as I've seen the results of their efforts.
I hope this answers your question.
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His current 'do is post-weave???? Wow. I'd be looking for a refund.
great reason
also.... Albin just skipped Hanoi Open, which I am sure Kaci would have skipped if not been for Reyes Cup
well, let's hope they bump it up next year to a first prize above 50k. US open is 100k next year, and in my book hanoi has proven to be better than UK and european open, so it should be the third biggest major in money and prestige.
I dont see MR prize funds go anywhere but up... they are into their 3rd years of WNT, when they secure sponsorships, which they had for Hanoi Open, they can increase prize funds by tons
cant wait for their schedule in 2025 and prize funds announcement... I really look forward to the return of WCoP
Maybe Hanoi should be more money, but the event is only two years old. Vietnam has a lower valued currency and much smaller GDP per capita than the U.S. and Europe.
MR obviously has to be strategic in how they plan events. For instance, how many "majors" will there be? Tennis has four. Golf has four.
Matchroom could end up with six, I'd guess. Right now it's the U.S., UK, Euro and Hanoi Opens and the WPC. Got to figure another major in Asia in the near future.
MR also has to have room for the invitationals. Then it needs to have a stable roster of satellite tournaments around the world.
Tons of work to be done. Far from a finished product.
MR obviously has to be strategic in how they plan events. For instance, how many "majors" will there be? Tennis has four. Golf has four.
Matchroom could end up with six, I'd guess. Right now it's the U.S., UK, Euro and Hanoi Opens and the WPC. Got to figure another major in Asia in the near future.
MR also has to have room for the invitationals. Then it needs to have a stable roster of satellite tournaments around the world.
Tons of work to be done. Far from a finished product.
What about Mario He...? He falls under the same federation as Albin. Just happens not to be sponsored by Predator.
I believe it's personal choices being driven by professional gain. You either want to win one of the WPA sanctioned titles, OR believe you can reap greater financial reward by winning one of the WPA majors vs getting invited to MR invitationals and being handed default monies. I fail to see any other reasoning for the likes of Albin and Filler. We're not talking about bottom end pros here that might not earn enough on the WNT to offset federation support.
Right. Everyone keeps pointing the finger that Predator is forcing Filler's hands. I don't believe that is the case.
This just in from Albin on FleeceBunk....
Ouschan: “Don’t want to play in a dictatorship!”
Things are hotting up in the billiards scene! The conflict between the World Association (WPA) and the multi-million dollar organizer Matchroompool ...www.krone.at
Here is the Albin article, in English. Notice at the bottom it says "This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here."
So a lot of the wording could be way off. Plus, the english version does make it seem like a lot was missing, and the author probably wrote it leaving some context out.