Latest News from Deno re:Qualifiers

[Timberly]

I received one too.

Did you sign up with them to receive info? It is right there on their home page.

Jake

No I didn't sign up to get them. Up until a couple of months ago I was helping one of the IPT players that didn't have a computer and I was checking their email for them. The players get "special" emails with certain info announcements that go to them only. The emails that you get that you signed up for, the players also get. There was no reason for me to sign up since I was technically getting those emails. I no longer check that persons email for them so I don't get them.

I get enough email that I really don't want to get on another mailing list. Anything that goes on with the IPT ends up here on the forum anyway.

 

[Banker Burt]

My bottom line

IPT Qualification Tournaments

The 2006 International Pool Tour Season is about to start! The first two events of the season are “open” tournaments where players can qualify to participate through the qualification system. There are going to be 150 qualification tournaments played in 2006 (breakdown below) and even non-IPT players can qualify to win their share of well over $8 million in prize money and accrue ranking points making it very possible to qualify for a 2007 Tour Card, which guarantees each IPT player in 2007 a minimum of $100,000 in earnings!

The IPT has hosted five very successful qualification tournaments already in 2006. Four of these events were held in the U.S. and one in The Netherlands. Each of these events drew strong crowds of fans, the best players, and received great coverage in the local media. These tournaments were very high profile and the level of play was said, by many players, to have been stronger than many world championships! Room owners welcomed the crowds, who in turn were delighted to see so many top players competing. In locations where we hosted events, there is still a strong buzz about the IPT events. If you did not follow along on line, you may still view pictures, stories, and results from these events at www.internationalpooltour.com.

If you own or manage a venue in North America, U.K., Mainland Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, or elsewhere and would like to be one of the select rooms in the world to be chosen to host an event (or more), now is the time to contact the IPT. If you know of a room that would like to host an event, please have them contact the IPT immediately. Here is a breakdown of the events to be held in 2006:

The North American Open (July 2006) will host the full 150 IPT player roster plus 50 players who will qualify from 25 qualification tournaments throughout the world. These qualification tournaments will be held between late April-June. Keep in mind, only 25 rooms in the world will be chosen to host qualification tournaments for this round.

The World Open (September 2006) will also host the full 150 IPT player roster plus 50 players who will qualify from 25 qualification tournaments throughout the world. These qualification tournaments will be held between late June-July. Again, only 25 rooms will host this round of qualification tournaments with each continent having only a small number of tournaments.

The 2007 IPT Tour Card Qualification Tournament (December 2006) will include the bottom 50 IPT players who are eliminated from the tour plus 200 players who will qualify from 100 qualification tournaments throughout the world. These events will be taking place between September-early December 2006. One hundred of the best venues around the world will host this final round of qualification events.

This is your chance to be a part of history. If you would like to host one or more events throughout the year, you need to contact the IPT Event Planning Department as soon as possible by emailing Kimberly Spies at:

kspies@internationalpooltour.com

Please include your name, room name, location, all telephone numbers an email addresses at which you can be reached. The IPT will contact you shortly thereafter to discuss the details of the events. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to be considered as a host location for these events.

I look forward to seeing your name on the list of host rooms.

Deno

Facts -
1) We all know a huge number of great players are NOT on the IPT.
2) We all know that at this point it is a pricy gig to try and make it.
3) We all know the IPT has every intention to make money
4) We all know the IPT is great for the chosen ONES.

Questions - to each of the above facts
1) How did this happen?
2) From our previously dead financial sport, how can you blame players for any reason to not be upset?
3) Where is a real show of passion for the sport?
4) Who actually did the selecting of players?

I have heard so much about how great the IPT is for the sport. As well, it is KT's money and he can do what he wants. Also how the IPT is throwing large money at our sport.

Here is one question I have - If this is good for our sport (and ovbviously KT has the cash) then why wasn't some money thrown towards a staff to thoroughly review all resumes and/or take the time (and cash) to round out a so called Internatonal Pool Tour with realistic qualifiers and entry fees for the players beyond the Hall of Famers and recognized world champions?

 

[pro9dg]

Fact is, in the WPC, he probably played the best of his life and had a good run, and in the world 8 ball, it was a soft field because of location of the event.

==============================================
Reyes, Bustamante,Pagulyan, Immonen, Hohmann, Souquet, Chamat, Feijen, van den Berg, Lely, Takenaka, Petroni, Massey, Hundal, Peach - is that a soft field?

 

[jjinfla]

Quote Banker Burt:

I have heard so much about how great the IPT is for the sport. As well, it is KT's money and he can do what he wants. Also how the IPT is throwing large money at our sport.

Here is one question I have - If this is good for our sport (and ovbviously KT has the cash) then why wasn't some money thrown towards a staff to thoroughly review all resumes and/or take the time (and cash) to round out a so called Internatonal Pool Tour with realistic qualifiers and entry fees for the players beyond the Hall of Famers and recognized world champions?[/QUOTE]

----------------------------------
And what makes you think KT didn't do exactly what you said he should do in making the selection? That is, seek advice from some highly professional people. I would find it hard to believe that at one time or another that he didn't toss the idea around with Mike Sigel, Nick Varner, Jim Rempe to name a few. And also with his staff in his company. But, in the end, as with all CEO's the final decision was his.

I believe, and I may be completely wrong, that there are 150 pool players right now who think that KT did it exactly right.

What is the difference in his selection process and the selection process used in selecting players for the Mosconi Cup, the Patriot Cup, the Skins game, the challenge of Champions, etc. I never heard anyone *****ing about how they were selected.

I think it is time to get over the selection process. That is ancient history now.

Jake

 

[TheOne]

I think it is time to get over the selection process. That is ancient history now.

Jake

Sadly Jakeits very much the present and the future, as the press release states another 200 Qualifiers to go!!! Yippee!

I just hope all the 150 selected arestill alive and kicking by the time the first tournament kicks off - and to think some of them booked flights last January lol

 

[Timberly]

And what makes you think KT didn't do exactly what you said he should do in making the selection? That is, seek advice from some highly professional people. I would find it hard to believe that at one time or another that he didn't toss the idea around with Mike Sigel, Nick Varner, Jim Rempe to name a few. And also with his staff in his company. But, in the end, as with all CEO's the final decision was his.

I believe, and I may be completely wrong, that there are 150 pool players right now who think that KT did it exactly right.

What is the difference in his selection process and the selection process used in selecting players for the Mosconi Cup, the Patriot Cup, the Skins game, the challenge of Champions, etc. I never heard anyone *****ing about how they were selected.

I think it is time to get over the selection process. That is ancient history now.

Jake

Nick Varner, Jim Rempe, and the others were not involved. IIRC KT said that he alone made the choices but occasionally asked for input from MS.

There is a selection process in place for the Mosconi Cup and it is based on performance. The winner of the US Open gets a spot, the year to date points leader in the UPA gets a spot, and there are a couple of other variables that I've since forgotten. There has also been controversy because a certain person has been accused by another player of making a slight bend in the rules for the selection process. While the question was raised, it was never proven for sure so I won't get into names & the actual accusations.

Some people just spent $10,000 on entry fees (this total doesn't include all the travel expenses) to try to get on this tour. These folks are far better players than some of the 150 that were picked. While the selection process might be old news to you, it is still very new & raw to the guys that just spent all this money trying to get in.

 

[Rude Dog]

Yes, it is unfortunate that there so many top-notch players that aren't on the current I.P.T. roster while there are players that were selected by K.T. that are probably not even the 150th best player in their state. But so what! That's what happened, deal with it, move on. There's probably 20,000 players out there that play better than me so I had a better shot at getting in with the way the selection process went than if it was the top 150 players in the world. A lot better chance! But, I didn't. So what! Now, I can sit back and hope that the tour has success for the players that did get in and maybe, just maybe, I'll get a shot at it in the future.

Why would anyone in their right mind want this to fail? Even if you never get a shot at playing in a tournament, at least there are players out there with a chance to make a lot of money. That's what this is all about, right? THE PLAYERS! Wake up HATERS, this tour is going to happen whether you like it or not. And, if it fails, it won't be because of anything you did or didn't do. So why go against the grain? Support it, for the players, the fans, and the sport.
Peace, John.

 

[Timberly]

Wake up HATERS, this tour is going to happen whether you like it or not. And, if it fails, it won't be because of anything you did or didn't do. So why go against the grain? Support it, for the players, the fans, and the sport.
Peace, John.

Speaking only for myself, I'm not a hater and I've said all along that I sincerely hope this tour makes it. That doesn't mean that I have to agree with everything that they do.

This is why I'm horrible with politics. There's a certain party in politics that I relate to better than others. However, I don't follow that party blindly and just accept everything that they stand for. There's quite a bit that I disagree with. The same holds true in my opinion of the IPT. I believe in it, and hope that it succeeds. I just don't agree with everything.

 

[TheOne]

Hey Mike, can you close this DISCUSSION FORUM down, its no longer needed as we are not allowed to discuss the IPT. Also apparently there are IPT haters around here somewhere too, never met any myself, people like TImberley, Jimmy (and countless others who prefer to avoid being labelled by people who only see the world in black and white) just dont see it as a perfect pumpkin pie. I'm yet to see anyone say they want it to fail?

Anyway, please close it down or rename it the IPT Mutal Appreciation Society Kissfest Room

PS
Timberly, Jay, its nice to see somepeople can read between the lines and see what we are all really saying.

 

[Timberly]

Also apparently there are IPT haters around here somewhere too, never met any myself, people like TImberley, Jimmy (and countless others who prefer to avoid being labelled by people who only see the world in black and white) just dont see it as a perfect pumpkin pie. I'm yet to see anyone say they want it to fail?

LOL, funny post Craig.

I'm going to come to Rude Dude's defense here becuase he & I have discussed this since we both made our posts.

He wasn't actually calling US in this thread haters. It was more of a generalized statement. There are a few on here that are anti-IPT. They've been fairly quiet as of late but when they were vocal, they pushed some peoples buttons.

Those people who got their buttons pushed are a little more jumpy in their conclusions than they would normally be. I can understand that... once someone gets under my skin, I'm more apt to jump at something faster than I should. I think Rude Dude was trying to cut them off before they got started. He saw some people disagreeing with something and expected the naysayers of the past to start jumping in any moment.

I do the same thing on here... I can see where a thread is starting to lead somewhere & I try to head it off at the pass. Sometimes it works, sometimes it backfires.

Rude Dude knows we're not haters but that we just don't agree with every little thing and now you guys know that he doesn't think you're haters.

We all want the same thing in the end. We just have different views on how it should be gone about.

 

[Timberly]

Anyway, please close it down or rename it the IPT Mutal Appreciation Society Kissfest Room

Or he can take the politically correct route and simply name it "Jake's Forum"

 

[Rude Dog]

Hey Mike, can you close this DISCUSSION FORUM down, its no longer needed as we are not allowed to discuss the IPT. Also apparently there are IPT haters around here somewhere too, never met any myself, people like TImberley, Jimmy (and countless others who prefer to avoid being labelled by people who only see the world in black and white) just dont see it as a perfect pumpkin pie. I'm yet to see anyone say they want it to fail?

Anyway, please close it down or rename it the IPT Mutal Appreciation Society Kissfest Room

PS
Timberly, Jay, its nice to see somepeople can read between the lines and see what we are all really saying.

Ease up there Super Craig, if I was talking about you then you would have known it because I would have started it off by saying, "Hey Shortstop".
Carry on at your leisure. Peace, John.

 

[TheOne]

Ease up there Super Craig, if I was talking about you then you would have known it because I would have started it off by saying, "Hey Shortstop".
Carry on at your leisure. Peace, John.

How Rude you Dog!

PS
I'm coming around to the short stop label, kinda like being the tallest dwarf in the world! - oops sorry shorty

PPS
Has anyone ever seen Jake and KY in the same room at the same time?

PPPPPPPPPPPPPS
How many Jakes did it take to make KT a millionaire?

 

[sniper]

Fact is, in the WPC, he probably played the best of his life and had a good run, and in the world 8 ball, it was a soft field because of location of the event.

==============================================
Reyes, Bustamante,Pagulyan, Immonen, Hohmann, Souquet, Chamat, Feijen, van den Berg, Lely, Takenaka, Petroni, Massey, Hundal, Peach - is that a soft field?

That field is anything but soft, just because the top Americans (Archer, Morris, etc.) didn't play in the eight ball WPC doesn't mean it wasn't a tough field. There are only a few other tournaments on the pool calendar that combine such a tough international field, US Open, BCA Open, WPC, and DCC.

Furthermore, I can't believe someone would state that Wu doesn't belong on the IPT because he failed to qualify in the two qualifiers that he did play. I think that once Wu makes the IPT, which will happen at some point in time, it will be the key to the IPT entering into the Asian market where the IPT will have a chance to truly become mainstream.

 

[jjinfla]

Actually Timberly and The One are right. It is all one big con game. There never will be a tournament in July, or Sep, Oct and Dec, either. All you will see is a long steady stream of qualifiers where KT keeps paying money to MS and other players at the qualifiers. After the qualifiers are done KT and MS will board KT's 40 million dollar plane and fly to his 80 million dollar ship and sail away in the sunset with the take from the qualifiers.

This will go down as the greatest con in history. This will be a con's con. Since all pool players are by their very nature con men; and everyone says KT is a con man; This will be one con man pulling the wool over another con man. Sorta like the Sting. I am sure that is what you think and that is the reason you did not try to get on the tour. You are just too smart to be tricked by this con. I commend you.

Look at the money he will save by cancelling those tour stops.

He would have to be a fool to actually hold those stops and give away all that money since so many people think he is nuts to do so. And besides, why give it to soooo many people that really don't deserve it because they are not the best players. So he might as well just cancel them and agree with all the nay sayers. And go play on his ship.

I am sure that you all have convinced him that his fantasy is not going to work. That there will not be an audiance for all the thousands of hours of tape that he has recorded of the matches at the KOTH. So he should just cut his losses and go sailing.

As far as WU not belonging on the Tour. Yep, that is right. He snoozed when it came time to apply. You snooze - you lose. Now he has to qualify. If he can't qualify then he does not deserve to be on the Tour.

Rules were set forth. Now rules are to be obeyed.

Actually it is no skin off my nose one way or the other. If the tour folds tomorrow it will not affect me in the slightest. And besides, KT is not going to take me for a ride on his plane or his ship anyway. And all that pure organic food would most likely kill me.

Oh I forgot, KT will probably ride over to his plane in his $300,000 car, wearing his $10,000 clothes, and making sure he is on time by checking his $40,000 watch.

I can't even imagine what his ring is worth.

But seriously, I am beginning to think that KT is not all that intelligent if he actually thinks that pool players will thank him for helping them. All they will do is dis him, take his money and run.

Jake

 

[Timberly]

Actually Timberly and The One are right. It is all one big con game. There never will be a tournament in July, or Sep, Oct and Dec, either. All you will see is a long steady stream of qualifiers where KT keeps paying money to MS and other players at the qualifiers. The "other players" at the qualifiers didn't get anything. There were the two that got the tour cards and a few that got a bonus for 8 on the break, and 6 break & runs. No 3rd, 4th, or any other spots were paid money.
After the qualifiers are done KT and MS will board KT's 40 million dollar plane and fly to his 80 million dollar ship and sail away in the sunset with the take from the qualifiers.

As far as WU not belonging on the Tour. Yep, that is right. He snoozed when it came time to apply. You snooze - you lose. Now he has to qualify. If he can't qualify then he does not deserve to be on the Tour.

Jake, you obviously missed the following post I made earlier...

Speaking only for myself, I'm not a hater and I've said all along that I sincerely hope this tour makes it. That doesn't mean that I have to agree with everything that they do.

This is why I'm horrible with politics. There's a certain party in politics that I relate to better than others. However, I don't follow that party blindly and just accept everything that they stand for. There's quite a bit that I disagree with. The same holds true in my opinion of the IPT. I believe in it, and hope that it succeeds. I just don't agree with everything.

As far as Wu snoozing & not deserving to be on the tour... that's a whole new can of worms Jake. Pool players are a different breed and the majority of pro players & pro calibur road players do not have computers.

There was a slew of players at the US Open that were just finding out about all this and by KT's own admission, they had already picked the players at that point even though it was prior to the deadline. IMO the worst possible way to pick a pool player was to wait for them to send you an application online. Half of them have never been on a computer. Another 1/4 of them have seen them and had family members show them things like this forum and the other 1/4 might have a computer of their own or at least access to one.

Just because I don't blindly follow & believe in every decision KT makes, like you do, doesn't mean that I don't support this tour and hope that it succeeds.

 

[Rude Dog]

How Rude you Dog!

PS
I'm coming around to the short stop label, kinda like being the tallest dwarf in the world! - oops sorry shorty

Woof..........woof....woof.

 

[jay helfert]

I will have something to say about all this in the near future. I'm glad to see it being discussed on here.

There are valid and legitimate reasons to question any new entity, certainly until it has a proven track record.

 

[Banker Burt]

I will have something to say about all this in the near future. I'm glad to see it being discussed on here.

There are valid and legitimate reasons to question any new entity, certainly until it has a proven track record.

I cannot wait to hear what you have to say, but I think you may have just said it all.

Track Record! To date, 100's of thousands of dollars has been spent by players who believe the IPT is a sure deal. With all the questions about player selection, changes in qualifying formats and the quite unreasonable costs to players, it seems there are just too many question marks to not be a little skeptical.

I am not a hater of the IPT, nor am I jealous or envious of the "Chosen Ones". Many of my friends were selected, but in this same light I am very saddened to know a bunch of my other friends will probably never get a realistic chance to become true professionals, whether it be on the great IPT or what is left in the aftermath of what is not yet known of the future outcome.

Let us not forget that we are now for the first time talking big money and that many thousands of players and hundreds of promoters who have supported our sport for lifetimes have been left out in the cold. In some ways, through KT's business sense, it has been taken away from us.

Pool players have never gotten respect for their efforts financially; this is a fact. By and large they have played on pure passion and IMO opinion set them apart from ALL other pro athletes because of their NOBLE effort to just simply be the best.

Whatever happens will happen, but one day the history book will be written on this chapter of our sport. I have done my share of writing and know that every book starts with a plot and the author should have a good idea of what or how the final chapter should read.

It also takes years of research to put together a best selling novel. It does not take a bunch of money to sell the book, it is either good or not good.

 

[jjinfla]

I will have something to say about all this in the near future. I'm glad to see it being discussed on here.

There are valid and legitimate reasons to question any new entity, certainly until it has a proven track record.

Well now, that sure is taking the safe side, isn't it.

Usually hindsight is pretty accurate. But then there are people who want to rewrite history.

I went to the KOTH (as a spectator) and was trully amazed at what it must have cost to produce the show. However, most of the other spectators were other pros from the 150 and their family, and people in the trade with items for sale. Cues, Cases, tables, etc. The general public was not there. And that is the problem, the general public does not care about watching pool.

It appears that the IPT has put out a lot of money so far. I wonder how deep in the red they are? And what is their plan to get in the black? Are they depending on TV contracts? Or is KT just someone with too much money that he want to throw away?

Two guys had an idea that they could become millionaires if they could get chumps to send them a $20 membership fee and $7 a week for life. They offered a free trip to Vegas as the reward and the money started rolling in. And still does. It is called the APA. And no one complains about that. People love it and keep sending them the money. No one is forced to join the APA. They join because they want to. They want to go to Vegas.

It is the same thing with the IPT. No one is forced to try and qualify. So why are people lining up with $2,000 to qualify? Could it be that at first they listened to all the skeptics and didn't bother to send in their application and now they realize that the IPT might be a pretty good deal after all?

And I really don't buy the reason people didn't apply is because they didn't know about it. Pool players know everything. Just ask them.

I noticed that Charlie Williams was right there to sign up. But I wonder what he was telling his members in the UPA at the time.

I look at the IPT website and it is a class act. Then I look at the KBP website and it is two months behind. And I can't even get my membership card from them. Yet, they had no problem taking my money back in January.

I am not financially set like Jay is. I am down to my last half million. Almost destitute. So when gas gets to $3.00 a gallon I will stop traveling to play or watch pool.

Jake