Not ManyTop U.S players At 8 B WPM

To be fair, although SVB and Bergman weren't there, and Dechaine is on hiatus, many others were there: Billy Thorpe, Josh Roberts, Rodney Morris, Johnny Archer, Skyler Woodward, Corey Deuel, and probably others I'm missing. It's not like there are dozens of other top American players.
 
BRussell said:
To be fair, although SVB and Bergman weren't there, and Dechaine is on hiatus, many others were there: Billy Thorpe, Josh Roberts, Rodney Morris, Johnny Archer, Skyler Woodward, Corey Deuel, and probably others I'm missing. It's not like there are dozens of other top American players.
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SVB went Skydiving instead :eek:

I saw the pictures he posted, luckily his parachute opened correctly and he reached the ground safely and alive :smile:
 
terryhanna said:
SVB went Skydiving instead :eek:

I saw the pictures he posted, luckily his parachute opened correctly and he reached the ground safely and alive :smile:
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Well he does like to gamble and to me skydiving is a gamble!:eek: Sure is fun though:grin:
 
terryhanna said:
svb went skydiving instead :eek:

I saw the pictures he posted, luckily his parachute opened correctly and he reached the ground safely and alive :smile:
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dead money said:
well he does like to gamble and to me skydiving is a gamble!:eek: Sure is fun though:grin:
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Ain't life unfair ?
Woody Allen once said "80% of success is showing up". Sadly, that applies to gophers but not pool players.
Them gophers just have to show up and get big payday. Never liked golf -just such a boring slowwwww sport like cricket. Certainly debunks the theory oft bandied around that pool is boring so will not be big. If boring sports like golf and cricket can be big, why can't pool?
. :smile:
 
I could be wrong...again, but I think most of the Europe and Asian players are sponsored or staked for their trips to the states. Johnnyt
 
I think the whole US player discussion is a bit of a diversion. There are many great US pro players, some were there and some (for whatever reason) weren't there.The fact that this is happening in the USA is surely good for US pool. It would be great if all of the top players took part but it is a start - and needs the support of the whole pool community to, as they say in the USA, "grow the game".

The game is now global - snooker may well be dominatd by China in future but, as a European, you won't hear me complaing. Same with other sports - do you want all of the European players to leave the NHL, do we want all the non-UK players to leave the EPL? Surely we want the best players, whoever they are. Look at golf and tennis - fans are usualy supportive of those from their own country but many of them actually get behind their favourite player regardless of where he or she is from. In darts, many Brits support Michael Van Gerwen when he is playing against a Brit. Mosconi Cup, Ryder Cup, Davis Cup, etc - that's a different story, get behind your team.......

8 Ball is the most played game of pool worldwide. Darren is doing a fantastic job of trying to promote it and push it forwards. It was great to see Mick Hill playing in the WPS - these little things can hopefully help to push WPA rules "US" 8 ball to a wider market. Slowly, yes but again it's a start. If 10 people today in the UK start playing WPA style 8 ball rules on "9 ft" tables in the pool halls then that momentum needs to be embraced. Who knows - maybe there will be a WPS tour stop in Asia, Europe, Australia in a few years down the line? As for the rules - they are a little funky and a little experimental but they don't change the fundamental nature of the game too much. I don't like some of them but I'm a fan of the concept.
 
I do not quite understand why some always point out that European players have sponsors and American players don`t.
Then they should try to get someone to sponsor them. Nothing will happen on its own.
 
Oze147 said:
I do not quite understand why some always point out that European players have sponsors and American players don`t.
Then they should try to get someone to sponsor them. Nothing will happen on its own.
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We're not talking about why Americans don't have good sponsors. We're talking about why the WSP is NOT getting full fields. Johnnyt
 
Barry Hearn's answer to snooker and snooker player's whinging.

The WPS is styling the game in such a way that it is actually challenging. No bar-box packages. No gimmees.

The Chinese 8 ball tournament is reporting that next year's prize money will double. And I guarantee that they aren't going to widen their pockets for the west.

If I knew, absolutely knew, that I had no chance, I'd stay home too.
 
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Oze147 said:
I do not quite understand why some always point out that European players have sponsors and American players don`t.
Then they should try to get someone to sponsor them. Nothing will happen on its own.
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It's my understanding, and I may be wrong, but, as an example, The Netherlands government sponsors/sponsored Niels Feijen to play pool.

Sponsors like that do not exist in the States.

And let's not forget the fact that the governing body of pool in North America, the Billiards Congress of America, has abandoned professional pool and promotes industry members instead.
 
Tournament Format

Perhaps some of the players did not like the event format?
The high cost of airline transportation, hotels, cabs, yada yada yada

I would NOT stake a player in that event for the simple fact that when you get down to the Final 8 in the winners brackets and bring 8 consolation bracket players over and then make it single elimination.

What a crock of crap. Playing on this level, if you lose you should have to fight your way back. True double elimination. I was wondering if that fact played mentally on any of the great US players that made the Final 8 undefeated then had to play somebody that got a fresh start.

Did not see the payouts for 9th place? But you fight your way through $600 entry 3 days and you get edged out, possibly by someone that you beat and have to play them again and if they best you? You are done?

I think Corey's facebook post was a screen capture of what it would of cost him to fly out early after he was eliminated instead of sticking around and playing in the 2nd Challenge event.

Justin Bergman decided to hunt for Morrell mushrooms rather than fade those 4 inch pockets.
 
terryhanna said:
I think going to NY City might be kinda expensive for many USA players i saw a post Corey Deuel made on Facebook about plane tickets costing over $2300.

Travel costs and Hotel and all might just be to expensive you almost have to win the event to make any real money.

I saw Justin Bergman posting something about it too.
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Why not just drive? Do most of the pro's just fly where ever they need to go? NYC is not that far away, unless you live out west. I needed a ride back to Southern Illinois from Vegas, and I spit the gas money with a guy who was making that trip, and it only cost me $85 to split the gas money.

If some players were to car pool, and share hotel rooms, then I imagine the costs would not be too bad.
 
justinb386 said:
Why not just drive? Do most of the pro's just fly where ever they need to go? NYC is not that far away, unless you live out west. I needed a ride back to Southern Illinois from Vegas, and I spit the gas money with a guy who was making that trip, and it only cost me $85 to split the gas money.

If some players were to car pool, and share hotel rooms, then I imagine the costs would not be too bad.
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Corey, Archer and Morris played in Wyoming the event before NY that is one hell of a drive lol
 
terryhanna said:
Corey, Archer and Morris played in Wyoming the event before NY that is one hell of a drive lol
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Probably no entry fee and accommodations taken care of by Charlie. So their only expense is the travel to get there, and the field is not nearly as tough. Each of these guys can pick up a few thou for a few days work. Rodney's been pounding it out that way for years. He covers as much territory as any player out there, making one good payday after another (top 3 is common for him). But Rodney is one tough MF'er.

Here's the reality about pro pool in the USA for an up and coming player. You better be damn good by the time your 19 or 20, and ready to challenge the big boys. Then you will find out you're still not good enough and realize you need to practice another eight to ten hours a day and continue to improve. A couple of years of that and you are winning matches and contending. The payoff - maybe you can profit a thousand or two in a tournament and occasionally knock of a bigger score like 5k. It's been said many times before, it's a hard way to make an easy living!

Unless you're a freak like Billy Thorpe, you just aren't going to last in this game on a professional level. Look at how many have tried and failed. When a great player like John Morra gives it up, you begin to see the handwriting on the wall. Hat's off to Darren Appleton for what he's trying to do, but he may find it to be a thankless task. Professional Pool needs a wealthy Godfather like Barry Hearn to save it, and even he can only do so much.

I used to be optimistic that something good was just around the corner, but my optimism has waned over the years. We actually had bigger tournaments on a regular basis thirty years ago in this country, but that's all gone. You must be good enough to compete internationally (and win) to have a real chance at a decent living as a pro player, and how many can do that. Let's see, we had Earl Strickland, Mike Sigel, Nick Varner and Jim Rempe who did okay in the 80's and 90's, then there was Johnny Archer who came along in the 90's and finally Shane Van Boening in the last decade. The ranks are shrinking. Soon there may be no Americans out there competing. That's reality!
 
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