***MARY AVINA*** Being Streamed Now***

Mary was definitely a character. She hasn't been on here lately spouting off and I agree it's time to let her be and get back to pool. One day she may be able to back up those claims and I hope she reaches the level she's trying to get to. IMO the commentary sounded catty and if I want to hear that I can just put my ex and new girlfriends in the same room.

Props to Tina for 'manning' up and also good shooting this weekend.
 
I actually called a couple of my friends after I had done commentary on that match. I didn't feel good about doing what I did when I was doing it. I talked to Melissa Herndon last night about it even before I knew this thread was in existence because I felt poorly about it. No matter what Mary said to us here in So California, or how she presents herself here on the forum, although annoying, is not something that I need to react to. She can have her own words and actions speak for herself, as most knew of them, I did not have to.

When I was on the stream the first match, someone sat down to commentate on my match which I knew didn't like me. I did not sit down at their match originally when asked my Melissa because I did not feel that I should. When someone makes it on to a stream table, they do so because they earned the right to, whether it is their known playing ability, or their tournament result that day. The focus should be on them in a positive way, and not what I provided. I would hope that when someone sits down to commentate for me and my opponent, that the commentary be focused at the game at hand, on how we have done in the tournament thus far, any other tournament history or stats and titles, or any equipment sponsors they would like to recognize, not by someone who focuses on themselves unless asked a direct question and it comes up in the chat, but someone professional and impartial.

When I did commentary for the regional tour championships at Hardtimes, I contacted each regional tour for information on the players they had sent to the event because I wanted to provide quality commentary not only about the match in front of the stream, but who these girls were and how they had gotten there - how long had they played on the tour, what rank on the tour, etc. I also asked them what their goals were when they were there and what they liked most about playing so when there was a lull in the action, I could keep talking about the player. This is professional commentary that I would like to continue to provide.

No matter how I felt about what Mary does, I should have either not sat down on her stream, or kept in professional like I have done in the past. These streams are a new introduction into the pool world, and each time I do one I learn from the last. One part of me thought this is a small sandbox, a free stream, so I can be "colorful" and have fun and banter in certain ways. I realized this weekend that this is not, for me anyway, and shouldn't be treated as such. Although talking to the chatters can be fun, those chatting make up about 15 of the almost one hundred people watching. I think streams and mine that I do in the future will of course still respond to the chatters, but the greater focus will be trying to bring it back to the game being played as much as possible, no matter if the person sitting next to me does so or not.

My apology goes out to Miss Avina for my commentary this weekend. I would like that for all I try to do in the pool world positively, that I'll be forgiven this slip up which I've learned from greatly. I have learned a great deal from this weekend which will make me better in the future.

I very much appreciated Tina's attitude in calling me last night to explain...and apologizing for it...especially when I wasn't even aware of it at the time. (My calls/texts came in this morning.)

My post was not intended to dress anyone down for anything...just to clarify how things were going to be done in the future.

Tina is awesome...I know her feelings and hopes for this tour mirror my own...and in her own words...she learned something from this situation that she will take with her going forward.

I have a great deal of love and respect for her...and for her commentary partner in this case....and I know that both of them want the tour to be successful and will put personal feelings aside in the future so that the tour can thrive and be the kind of tour that women look forward to joining.

Melissa
www.scl9t.com
 
Well said. I know from experience how easy it is to let a stream commentary get out of hand. You don't intend for it to go down that road, it just kind of gets there by itself.

Mike

I actually called a couple of my friends after I had done commentary on that match. I didn't feel good about doing what I did when I was doing it. I talked to Melissa Herndon last night about it even before I knew this thread was in existence because I felt poorly about it. No matter what Mary said to us here in So California, or how she presents herself here on the forum, although annoying, is not something that I need to react to. She can have her own words and actions speak for herself, as most knew of them, I did not have to.

When I was on the stream the first match, someone sat down to commentate on my match which I knew didn't like me. I did not sit down at their match originally when asked my Melissa because I did not feel that I should. When someone makes it on to a stream table, they do so because they earned the right to, whether it is their known playing ability, or their tournament result that day. The focus should be on them in a positive way, and not what I provided. I would hope that when someone sits down to commentate for me and my opponent, that the commentary be focused at the game at hand, on how we have done in the tournament thus far, any other tournament history or stats and titles, or any equipment sponsors they would like to recognize, not by someone who focuses on themselves unless asked a direct question and it comes up in the chat, but someone professional and impartial.

When I did commentary for the regional tour championships at Hardtimes, I contacted each regional tour for information on the players they had sent to the event because I wanted to provide quality commentary not only about the match in front of the stream, but who these girls were and how they had gotten there - how long had they played on the tour, what rank on the tour, etc. I also asked them what their goals were when they were there and what they liked most about playing so when there was a lull in the action, I could keep talking about the player. This is professional commentary that I would like to continue to provide.

No matter how I felt about what Mary does, I should have either not sat down on her stream, or kept in professional like I have done in the past. These streams are a new introduction into the pool world, and each time I do one I learn from the last. One part of me thought this is a small sandbox, a free stream, so I can be "colorful" and have fun and banter in certain ways. I realized this weekend that this is not, for me anyway, and shouldn't be treated as such. Although talking to the chatters can be fun, those chatting make up about 15 of the almost one hundred people watching. I think streams and mine that I do in the future will of course still respond to the chatters, but the greater focus will be trying to bring it back to the game being played as much as possible, no matter if the person sitting next to me does so or not.

My apology goes out to Miss Avina for my commentary this weekend. I would like that for all I try to do in the pool world positively, that I'll be forgiven this slip up which I've learned from greatly. I have learned a great deal from this weekend which will make me better in the future.
 
"We sell you the whole seat but you'll only need the EDGE!"

Tina
Great tournament and I had a very enjoyable time commentating on your awesome matches. You never let us down in the firepower department! Congratulations!

Melissa
Thank you for organizing the event and the tour! A lot of people have spoken about revitalizing the women's pool scene in Southern California but you are the first to take action in a decade.

Everyone Else
I ain't gonna lie -- I had a hell of a time in the booth this weekend! :grin: Thanks for putting up with me (those of you who did) and I shall take this opportunity to recuse myself from the honor of commentating Ms. Avina's matches in the future. :thumbup:

OMG "Yeah, That Was Me!" WTF
 
Well done Tina and Melissa. Those are the responses of people who take responsibility. Taking responsibility when questionable things happen is seemingly a difficult thing in the pool world. But here we see how it should be done. Good job.

I believe the chat has been one of the key factors holding live streaming back. Some of the commentators like going back and forth with the chat. Fun i suppose. But slowly the commentators are weaning themselves away from it on the more progressive streams. Moderators should deal with the chat and if something significant comes up then it can be addressed. As Tina points out the chat customers are always just a tiny fraction of the audience. The customers that need to be served for streaming to be successful are those not in the chat (they are the far bigger number). I believe the chat interaction because of its nature actually loses more customers than it gains.

One small critique on this tournament. There were four regional women's tournaments spread around the country. Why would they all be held on the same day. I believe the ones in Phoenix and LA at least would have benefited from not being held simultaneously.

The tournament groups need to work together to give women's pool the best chance for success.
 
I don't have a dog, or more accurately a cat, in this fight but I was watching the stream and I had to laugh when one of the commentators in the Avina match got sharked by an innocent comment from Helfert who was doing the live stream and donned an ipod.

I couldn't tell if Avina was wearing headphones but she plays bad enough on her own without any help.

I did enjoy the stream and it's good to see somebody putting money into the sport so people who play a little below pro speed can have a nice payday.
 
Maybe it's just me then. I've always been a big fan of "Schadenfreude".

It is not just you. I am the same way and I've got to give you props on the "Schadenfreude"! I have a "word of the day" on my dry erase and the word that has been up there for a very long time is "Schadenfreude". :thumbup:

People tend to be overtly sensitive (IMO) about things and commentary on live streams is one of them. It isn't ESPN and no one on ESPN is going to scout our streams and look for talent either in commentating or for pool stuff so no one start with the whole "its what keeps this game down" junk. I call BS, this game was down long before streams and only those of us in the pool world even know that things are streamed. I prefer a little color to the commentary because the ESPN crap commentary is boring.

I don't think anyone owes anyone an apology unless you want to start with Mary doing so and that isn't going to happen. Besides what I think doesn't matter anyway. ;)
 
One small critique on this tournament. There were four regional women's tournaments spread around the country. Why would they all be held on the same day. I believe the ones in Phoenix and LA at least would have benefited from not being held simultaneously.

The tournament groups need to work together to give women's pool the best chance for success.

I agree with this. I had scheduled this event and sent notice to the players about 2 months ago...at which time there was no official schedule for the AWBT. Unfortunately...I neglected to let the AWBT directors about my event...and so when they released their full schedule about 3 weeks ago...there was a conflict for this weekend.

It is unfortunate...because there were some AZ players who were considering coming to the SCL9T event. And so...to avoid this kind of conflict in the future...I contact the AWBT so that we can work together on scheduling. Same with the WCWRT.

These tours are for the players first and foremost...so I am glad that we will be working together to make sure that players can attend any and all events going forward...they won't have to choose one or the other!

Melissa
 
Time for a new post.....Ms. Melissa Herndon for WPBA President...:thumbup
And I'd vote early and often!!!
Young lady tell your parents they did a good job with you,,your a class act! Now if we could just see you on T.V. a little more!!!
 
Time for a new post.....Ms. Melissa Herndon for WPBA President...:thumbup
And I'd vote early and often!!!
Young lady tell your parents they did a good job with you,,your a class act! Now if we could just see you on T.V. a little more!!!

LOL...no thank you. My little tour is quite easy compared to the efforts that it takes to keep the WPBA up and running. I know this from 3 years board experience!!!

WPBA Prez is a thankless job...and despite what some may think...it is not one that I aspire to at this time.

But I appreciate the support and enthusiasm!! Hopefully I will be able just keep the SCL9T on track and growing :thumbup:

Melissa
www.scl9t.com
 
Time for a new post.....Ms. Melissa Herndon for WPBA President...:thumbup
And I'd vote early and often!!!
Young lady tell your parents they did a good job with you,,your a class act! Now if we could just see you on T.V. a little more!!!

Oh yes...and I will work on that TV thing. I'd like to see me there, too. :grin:

Melissa
 
I don't have a dog, or more accurately a cat, in this fight but I was watching the stream and I had to laugh when one of the commentators in the Avina match got sharked by an innocent comment from Helfert who was doing the live stream and donned an ipod.

I couldn't tell if Avina was wearing headphones but she plays bad enough on her own without any help.

I did enjoy the stream and it's good to see somebody putting money into the sport so people who play a little below pro speed can have a nice payday.

alstl,

It wasn't that I was upset at Jay! His voice is just one I hear readily. Where the commentators sit isn't far from where we play. It was the same thing when I played the US Bar Table Championships and he commentated a lot of my matches. I walked over to let him know I could hear him there as well. I'm not sure if it because I have known him 17 years or what it is, I just tune into to his voice. Each time he is around, I ask (almost beg!) for him to provide commentary, it has nothing to do with him personally that I put on my ipod.

I can tune out a lot of things, people walking by, general goings on around me, but I can't shut off my ears. When I saw that Lauren was playing with one, I put mine in not only to block out some very loud people elsewhere in the room, but because I enjoy playing with it in.

I'm sorry if you thought that any negativity was addressed to Jay. Please tell me how well you do if you were playing a match you cared about and you could hear a play by play of your match while you were down, it would bother you. Not because of the person commentating at all, just because you could hear.
 
alstl,

It wasn't that I was upset at Jay! His voice is just one I hear readily. Where the commentators sit isn't far from where we play. It was the same thing when I played the US Bar Table Championships and he commentated a lot of my matches. I walked over to let him know I could hear him there as well. I'm not sure if it because I have known him 17 years or what it is, I just tune into to his voice. Each time he is around, I ask (almost beg!) for him to provide commentary, it has nothing to do with him personally that I put on my ipod.

I can tune out a lot of things, people walking by, general goings on around me, but I can't shut off my ears. When I saw that Lauren was playing with one, I put mine in not only to block out some very loud people elsewhere in the room, but because I enjoy playing with it in.

I'm sorry if you thought that any negativity was addressed to Jay. Please tell me how well you do if you were playing a match you cared about and you could hear a play by play of your match while you were down, it would bother you. Not because of the person commentating at all, just because you could hear.

I know exactly what your saying. A friend of mine that would travel with me so we could both play in tournaments had to be silent when he viewed my matches. I knew his voice so well i could pick out of a crowd of people conversing. But to be in the gallery he would stand out even more ! lol

Nice victory Tina, congrats to you and to having a tour start in So.Cal. for all you girls !
 
Well it's a good damn thing I haven't ever done commentary.

I'd get fired within the first 5 minutes with all the stuff I'VE got to say.

Although, maybe i should do commentary on the OMGWTF/Borana match, since that's not representative of an actual tour, but instead, is just one match.

Hmmmm:D
 
Well it's a good damn thing I haven't ever done commentary.

I'd get fired within the first 5 minutes with all the stuff I'VE got to say.

Although, maybe i should do commentary on the OMGWTF/Borana match, since that's not representative of an actual tour, but instead, is just one match.

Hmmmm:D

Let me save you the trouble ;) You're fired before you can even sit down in front of a mike :eek: :D
 
Let me save you the trouble ;) You're fired before you can even sit down in front of a mike :eek: :D

Yes, that's probably the smart thing.
Much better then the players being commentated on, going on suicide watch after an onslaught of my choice words, or me getting punched in the face.:D
 
Last edited:
I actually called a couple of my friends after I had done commentary on that match. I didn't feel good about doing what I did when I was doing it. I talked to Melissa Herndon last night about it even before I knew this thread was in existence because I felt poorly about it. No matter what Mary said to us here in So California, or how she presents herself here on the forum, although annoying, is not something that I need to react to. She can have her own words and actions speak for herself, as most knew of them, I did not have to.

When I was on the stream the first match, someone sat down to commentate on my match which I knew didn't like me. I did not sit down at their match originally when asked my Melissa because I did not feel that I should. When someone makes it on to a stream table, they do so because they earned the right to, whether it is their known playing ability, or their tournament result that day. The focus should be on them in a positive way, and not what I provided. I would hope that when someone sits down to commentate for me and my opponent, that the commentary be focused at the game at hand, on how we have done in the tournament thus far, any other tournament history or stats and titles, or any equipment sponsors they would like to recognize, not by someone who focuses on themselves unless asked a direct question and it comes up in the chat, but someone professional and impartial.

When I did commentary for the regional tour championships at Hardtimes, I contacted each regional tour for information on the players they had sent to the event because I wanted to provide quality commentary not only about the match in front of the stream, but who these girls were and how they had gotten there - how long had they played on the tour, what rank on the tour, etc. I also asked them what their goals were when they were there and what they liked most about playing so when there was a lull in the action, I could keep talking about the player. This is professional commentary that I would like to continue to provide.

No matter how I felt about what Mary does, I should have either not sat down on her stream, or kept in professional like I have done in the past. These streams are a new introduction into the pool world, and each time I do one I learn from the last. One part of me thought this is a small sandbox, a free stream, so I can be "colorful" and have fun and banter in certain ways. I realized this weekend that this is not, for me anyway, and shouldn't be treated as such. Although talking to the chatters can be fun, those chatting make up about 15 of the almost one hundred people watching. I think streams and mine that I do in the future will of course still respond to the chatters, but the greater focus will be trying to bring it back to the game being played as much as possible, no matter if the person sitting next to me does so or not.

My apology goes out to Miss Avina for my commentary this weekend. I would like that for all I try to do in the pool world positively, that I'll be forgiven this slip up which I've learned from greatly. I have learned a great deal from this weekend which will make me better in the future.

Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is a proffesional.
 
Back
Top