Patriotism? Or Money-motivated?

[Whodat?]

All these Mosconi Cup nominees are lobbying for our votes and citing their patriotism as a reason that we should vote them for them. Everyone talks about what an honor it would be to represent the US, and how that is the reason they want to be voted on the team.

But no one is talking about the significant payday that comes with being a Mosconi Cup participant – and I suspect that MONEY is the real reason they are all trying so hard for our votes. From the 2008 Mosconi Cup website, “EVERY player that competes in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Mosconi Cup will receive a $10,000 appearance fee but there is a huge incentive to be on the winning side. The five members of the victorious team will double their money to each take home $20,000.”

I don’t begrudge anyone their payday. We all got to make our papers somehow. But I have received emails and FB messages asking for my vote. And then of course, there are all the threads on this forum where each player is trying to first come across as humble and patriotic, and then just laying out their accomplishments in a sad game of one-upsmanship.

But personally, I would be more willing to vote for someone who is honest about their motivation. And if any player out whose true motivation is patriotism and not money, then I challenge you to pledge at least ½ of your appearance fee to charity. (I think the BEF would appreciate a nice $5K check from a pro player. And you would definitely have my vote.) And I’m just talking about the appearance fee. If the US wins, then the bonus is theirs to keep

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

A bit of a cynical first post, although well written. John Schmidt had long ago pledged 10% of his prize $ to charity.

I don't think I'd go as far as you - making blanket statements @ it being the main motivator. I trust the passion for pool at the level they all play still runs deep. The Mosconi Cup is larger than money IMO.

Welcome to the forum posting party. GL.

 

[real bartram]

All these Mosconi Cup nominees are lobbying for our votes and citing their patriotism as a reason that we should vote them for them. Everyone talks about what an honor it would be to represent the US, and how that is the reason they want to be voted on the team.

But no one is talking about the significant payday that comes with being a Mosconi Cup participant – and I suspect that MONEY is the real reason they are all trying so hard for our votes. From the 2008 Mosconi Cup website, “EVERY player that competes in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Mosconi Cup will receive a $10,000 appearance fee but there is a huge incentive to be on the winning side. The five members of the victorious team will double their money to each take home $20,000.”

I don’t begrudge anyone their payday. We all got to make our papers somehow. But I have received emails and FB messages asking for my vote. And then of course, there are all the threads on this forum where each player is trying to first come across as humble and patriotic, and then just laying out their accomplishments in a sad game of one-upsmanship.

But personally, I would be more willing to vote for someone who is honest about their motivation. And if any player out whose true motivation is patriotism and not money, then I challenge you to pledge at least ½ of your appearance fee to charity. (I think the BEF would appreciate a nice $5K check from a pro player. And you would definitely have my vote.) And I’m just talking about the appearance fee. If the US wins, then the bonus is theirs to keep

you are right the money means a lot.
it sucks the money that is in pool.
in golf they dont do it for the money cause they have plenty.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

But I have received emails and FB messages asking for my vote

Ahh, so you took on an alias to make this controversial post?
Whats your name you usually post under?

Who wouldn't want to play on Team USA in such a prestigious event?
I'm sure theres a few pros that could use extra money, who can't these days. After all, thats what these guys do, play for money.
When it comes down to it, I doubt money is the prime motivator.

 

[Drawman623]

I don't know what each player's motives are, but I have known Shawn Putnam for years and found him to be a fine person. He has shown me trust, he has sold me cues for short money when I was low on cash and he has always taken the time to talk to me as a fan and cue collector. He plays with heart and never gives up. Of the pro players today, his is one of the best attitudes in my opinion. He will never give in to defeat; he is always dangerous.

John Schmidt is another Mosconi Cup hopeful who is a fine individual. I have experienced courtesy and respect from John when he had nothing to gain from spending time with me. We had lunch together the year before he won the US Open just before his match with Efren on the TV table. He was as personable as can be...and after becoming American National Champion a year later, he remained humble and respectful to me. I bought a cue from John as well.

Both of these players are fine people and would not care about the cash in my opinion and experience. They love the sport, respect the fans and would bring honor to America in competition with Europe.

Not too many players can afford to pass up a payday...but my money is on Shawn and John's integrity. I've seen it first hand.

Gian Calise

 

[Roy Steffensen]

I know that the top European players are fighting like mad people all the year with one goal, and that is to represent Europe in the Mosconi Cup.

When half the year is done, the players are looking at rankings, studying results and talking about possible outcomes if that player do well at the coming event etc. It sure means a lot to them, and I've got the impression that it is the competition that REALLY means something to them.

I am 100 % sure that the same goes for the Americans.

 

[JoeyA]

The Mosconi Cup should a bigger attraction than it already is. I think it is one of the greatest pool events of the world. It can be bigger and better. The Mosconi Cup will evolve and MatchRoom Sports will tweak it each and every year to make it bigger and better.

You can't help but admire the lineup that the Europeans have. They have a solid team who show a lot of class wherever they go.

It would be great to be involved with the USA Mosconi Cup Team either as a commentator or as a Team Captain. If I were a non-playing member of the USA team I can guarantee I would do some unusual and special things to help them win. I would spend my time and my resources to help them win. The little money that I would be paid would probably get spent on helping them win. I wouldn't give the money to charity and I probably wouldn't spend it all on the USA team but I damn sure would make a Herculean effort to get them the help they need. There, I've said more than I planned to say but I'm not going to edit my post.

I want the USA Team to win in the worst sort of way. I really don't like guys like ROY, Da Fish, prancing around like a feisty little lobster, pinching America's tail every time you turn around. But more importantly, I love America and would love to see the Mosconi Cup brought HOME.
I actually have a plan. Well, its kind of a plan in the making. This kind of stuff takes TIME and right now the USA Team is out of time and they have to play the cards they are dealt with.

I even have some ideas for MatchRoom Sports that could help them make this event bigger and better. I am sure that at least some of my ideas will work for them and the USA team.

USA USA USA

JoeyA

 

[Whodat?]

The Mosconi Cup should a bigger attraction than it already is. I think it is one of the greatest pool events of the world. It can be bigger and better. The Mosconi Cup will evolve and MatchRoom Sports will tweak it each and every year to make it bigger and better.

You can't help but admire the lineup that the Europeans have. They have a solid team who show a lot of class wherever they go.

It would be great to be involved with the USA Mosconi Cup Team either as a commentator or as a Team Captain. If I were a non-playing member of the USA team I can guarantee I would do some unusual and special things to help them win. I would spend my time and my resources to help them win. The little money that I would be paid would probably get spent on helping them win. I wouldn't give the money to charity and I probably wouldn't spend it all on the USA team but I damn sure would make a Herculean effort to get them the help they need. There, I've said more than I planned to say but I'm not going to edit my post.

I want the USA Team to win in the worst sort of way. I really don't like guys like ROY, Da Fish, prancing around like a feisty little lobster, pinching America's tail every time you turn around. But more importantly, I love America and would love to see the Mosconi Cup brought HOME.
I actually have a plan. Well, its kind of a plan in the making. This kind of stuff takes TIME and right now the USA Team is out of time and they have to play the cards they are dealt with.

I even have some ideas for MatchRoom Sports that could help them make this event bigger and better. I am sure that at least some of my ideas will work for them and the USA team.

USA USA USA

JoeyA

You sir, seem like you have the RIGHT attitude toward the Mosconi Cup and repping your country. My hat's off to you.

 

[SUPERSTAR]

It's all about the moollah.
I'd like to see how many players would come out if there wasn't a dime of prize money involved.
With that, It would be more patriotic if all the team players got was travel expenses taken care of and no prize money.

THEN if would all be about the patriotism.

Until that happens, you are always going to have players squawking to be on the roster, simply to get a paycheck.

 

[mattiefingaz]

you are right the money means a lot.
it sucks the money that is in pool.
in golf they dont do it for the money cause they have plenty.

Mr. Bartram perhaps you can actually settle this question for the clandestine OP...

Honest as you can be....if asked to represent your country in the Mosconi Cup for expenses alone...not reaping any sort of monetary benefit, on a scale of 1-10 how thrilled would you be for the opportunity?

I 1000% agree the money in professional pool sucks...but the question was/is "Patriotism? Or Money-motivated?"

No matter your response it can't definitively say that your statement speaks for the gentlemen in the voting....but it has a HELL of a lot more weight than 99% of the folks that are going to read and/or respond to this thread.

BTW...Spoke to Ray and I'm looking forward to T-Town.

 

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

I can not speak for all the nominees but I can speak for my husband. He supports our family off of the money he wins in tournaments only. He does not gamble and has no monetary sponsors at the time so, yes the fact that it guarantees money is good.

But you need to read further into some of the messages these guys are sending out. The one's sent out on Charlie's behalf were written by my hand based on the endless hours we have spent discussing his dreams and goals that he feared he would never reach.

Mosconi Cup has been a goal of his since before he went pro. Charlie is a true southerner and patriotic American. He truly strives to be on the team for the same reason we scape money together for him to go to the World 10Ball Championships (which is not a points tournament)... to represent the country he loves.

I hope with all my heart that no one else out there is infected by your skew sense of perception and that they vote for their favorite player and who they think best represents this country.

 

[mattiefingaz]

I can not speak for all the nominees but I can speak for my husband. He supports our family off of the money he wins in tournaments only. He does not gamble and has no monetary sponsors at the time so, yes the fact that it guarantees money is good.

But you need to read further into some of the messages these guys are sending out. The one's sent out on Charlie's behalf were written by my hand based on the endless hours we have spent discussing his dreams and goals that he feared he would never reach.

Mosconi Cup has been a goal of his since before he went pro. Charlie is a true southerner and patriotic American. He truly strives to be on the team for the same reason we scape money together for him to go to the World 10Ball Championships (which is not a points tournament)... to represent the country he loves.

I hope with all my heart that no one else out there is infected by your skew sense of perception and that they vote for their favorite player and who they think best represents this country.

Well said Mrs. Bryant....

 

[trendkill]

All these Mosconi Cup nominees are lobbying for our votes and citing their patriotism as a reason that we should vote them for them. Everyone talks about what an honor it would be to represent the US, and how that is the reason they want to be voted on the team.

But no one is talking about the significant payday that comes with being a Mosconi Cup participant – and I suspect that MONEY is the real reason they are all trying so hard for our votes. From the 2008 Mosconi Cup website, “EVERY player that competes in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Mosconi Cup will receive a $10,000 appearance fee but there is a huge incentive to be on the winning side. The five members of the victorious team will double their money to each take home $20,000.”

I don’t begrudge anyone their payday. We all got to make our papers somehow. But I have received emails and FB messages asking for my vote. And then of course, there are all the threads on this forum where each player is trying to first come across as humble and patriotic, and then just laying out their accomplishments in a sad game of one-upsmanship.

But personally, I would be more willing to vote for someone who is honest about their motivation. And if any player out whose true motivation is patriotism and not money, then I challenge you to pledge at least ½ of your appearance fee to charity. (I think the BEF would appreciate a nice $5K check from a pro player. And you would definitely have my vote.) And I’m just talking about the appearance fee. If the US wins, then the bonus is theirs to keep

Let me ask you this, and everybody else who shares this opinion. Would you go to work everyday for free?! There's no benefits, no 401k, no retirement plan...

I didn't think you would...

Now, for those who want to be a smartass and say they would work for free...how about you donate your wages to charity (and no the IRS does not count).

 

[spanky79]

the truth is both, pool players need all the recognition they can get, for more possible sponsors, appearances, ect. but of course the need the money too.

 

[Whodat?]

Let me ask you this, and everybody else who shares this opinion. Would you go to work everyday for free?! There's no benefits, no 401k, no retirement plan...

I didn't think you would...

Now, for those who want to be a smartass and say they would work for free...how about you donate your wages to charity (and no the IRS does not count).

Tournaments - where you have to pay your own expenses - are work. Gambling is work. This is basically a large exhibition with a big payoff.

And I don't think expect them to give away their paycheck. Again - I have no problem with the money. I have a problem being bombarded with emails, FB messages, and forum threads about how patriotic they are, how badly they want to play for the US, etc. Especially when I am quite aware that it is more about the money.

BTW - I donate a nice percentage of my wages to charity. I also volunteer for a couple of organizations. And I have helped to organize care packages for US military troops overseas.

Basically I am saying that it IS an honor for US players to be chosen for the Mosconi Cup, and it is just my opinion that the players should give something back to the sport. Especially since they are using patriotism as their main motivation. Trust me when I say that we would not see all this campaigning if the players only received travel expenses.

 

[Ironman317]

ofcourse the money motivates them...they are human! but, take a player like oscar dominguez or donny mills (although donny has a full time career), this could be a chance for them to show the world what they have and maybe pick up a sponsor or two... which may help their pool career. and, without a doubt, they will feel the patriotism once they step into the arena.

 

[ironman]

All these Mosconi Cup nominees are lobbying for our votes and citing their patriotism as a reason that we should vote them for them. Everyone talks about what an honor it would be to represent the US, and how that is the reason they want to be voted on the team.

But no one is talking about the significant payday that comes with being a Mosconi Cup participant – and I suspect that MONEY is the real reason they are all trying so hard for our votes. From the 2008 Mosconi Cup website, “EVERY player that competes in the 2008 PartyPoker.com Mosconi Cup will receive a $10,000 appearance fee but there is a huge incentive to be on the winning side. The five members of the victorious team will double their money to each take home $20,000.”

I don’t begrudge anyone their payday. We all got to make our papers somehow. But I have received emails and FB messages asking for my vote. And then of course, there are all the threads on this forum where each player is trying to first come across as humble and patriotic, and then just laying out their accomplishments in a sad game of one-upsmanship.

But personally, I would be more willing to vote for someone who is honest about their motivation. And if any player out whose true motivation is patriotism and not money, then I challenge you to pledge at least ½ of your appearance fee to charity. (I think the BEF would appreciate a nice $5K check from a pro player. And you would definitely have my vote.) And I’m just talking about the appearance fee. If the US wins, then the bonus is theirs to keep

Why not?? Why the hell not??? They play well, so why trust anything they say?? One does not have to be a B or C no playing nit to love or enjoy this game. So why trust any of them!!

Does the money matter?? Of course it matters, just as it does to a 25 year Air Force Colenel. how often do they get a shot at something like this??

When presented their medals, I assure you they are more rattled than at anytime during the competition though!!

Hardly a match has happened in the past 8 years that someone doesn't mention Trap, hustle, saver, or dump!! Why? Most wouldn't recognize one if it jumped up and bit them!!

just because you have talent for the game doesn[t automaticly make someone a slime ball!!

I often wonder, if the game became part of the Olympics, who would we get to participate without getting slaughtered?? We surely can't send anyone with talent for the game!!

 

[LC3]

This reminds me of when I was a few days into Air Force Basic Training. We were in line at attention when a military training instructor came up to one of us and barked, "why did you join the Air Force?" The airman answered, "to serve my country, sir." The instructor yelled, "b***s***!" He turned to the next airman in line and asked again, "why did you join the Air Force?" The airman answered, "to get my college education paid for, sir." The instructor announced to the group, "now here's an honest man!"

I assume for many of the hopefuls there's a mix of financial opportunity and patriotic duty. Not everybody is bubbling over with patriotism, and that's their prerogative. I'd rather, though, that less patriotic hopefuls confine their pitches to their ability to contribute to the team's victory, instead of resorting to insincere tears of national pride. If I'm choosing somebody to succeed at a task, I'm more interested in performance qualifications than in sentimental appeal. If they're professional enough to represent the team well (and, by extension, the country) and are more likely than the other hopefuls to contribute to victory, I'm fine with them being on the team.

 

[trendkill]

Tournaments - where you have to pay your own expenses - are work. Gambling is work. This is basically a large exhibition with a big payoff.

And I don't think expect them to give away their paycheck. Again - I have no problem with the money. I have a problem being bombarded with emails, FB messages, and forum threads about how patriotic they are, how badly they want to play for the US, etc. Especially when I am quite aware that it is more about the money.

BTW - I donate a nice percentage of my wages to charity. I also volunteer for a couple of organizations. And I have helped to organize care packages for US military troops overseas.

Basically I am saying that it IS an honor for US players to be chosen for the Mosconi Cup, and it is just my opinion that the players should give something back to the sport. Especially since they are using patriotism as their main motivation. Trust me when I say that we would not see all this campaigning if the players only received travel expenses.

Well, first things first. It's still a tournament, between teams. Sure, they get a "sign on bonus"...but if they win, they make more money. My point is, this is what these guys do to support their families...it is their "job". You going to insult the people on the Olympic teams too?! Same concept.

Second, if you're going to complain about getting e-mails and FB messages, why'd you give out your e-mail address? Why are you friends with these players on FB? You had to have known something like this would eventually happen. Don't insult these players due to the career they have and doing everything they can to succeed.

I'm glad to hear that you give back to the community, but not all of us are as fortunate with how much we make, or how much time we can give. The rest of us struggle to get by as it is...especially when you're a pool player.

I'll end it with this. Who are you to say that these players are not patriotic? How many players on that list do you think have served their country?! I know, for a fact, that at least 1 of them has! Charlie Bryant.

 

[trendkill]

a wise woman once told me.... "Don't be quick to assume what you don't know."