sjm said:
Yes, it has often been noted on the forum that it should really be called something else. It usually offers the best international field from top to bottom of any event on the American pool calendar, but its a fixed 64 player event and is, therefore, not an open.
SJM, I agree with your previous posts in this thread, and yes, indeed, the United States of America is the land of opportunity.
Even the BCA Open a/k/a Billiard Congress of AMERICA Open restricts half of its field and reserves 32 out of 64 slots to our foreign comrades; the other half, the highest-ranked UPA players. It is my understanding that the BCA has four qualifiers every year held in the United States. Last year, Frankie Hernandez, who was NOT a UPA member and did NOT win a qualifier, did compete in the BCA Open. When I called up the BCA, I was told that they do not handle the selection for this tournament, that this is subcontracted out to a tournament organizer.
I think it stinks big time that the UPA uses this tournament, one out of six on the UPA tour, for the 32 UPA competitors to receiving ranking points, when the rest of its membership is not afforded the SAME opportunity to compete and, thus, receive ranking points, the same ranking points which are currently used as qualification criteria for high-profile events.
The UPA allows players of all caliber and from all nationalities to become a member by paying a mere $100 in yearly dues. However, UPA Touring Pro Jose Parica, who pays taxes in the United States, cannot receive benefit from being ranked high on the UPA ranking system when it comes to lucrative tournaments such as the WPC, but foreign-born players who marry an American do receive benefit from the UPA's ranking system. It's kind of a Catch 22 if you're a foreign UPA touring pro like Jose.
The United States Open held in September every year opens it doors to pool players around the world. It is definitely an OPEN tournament, but there are no restrictions on citizenship or country of origin.
Thorsten Hohmann recently moved from Germany to Florida. The Europeans are also left out of the loop when it comes to the restricted Asian tours, but here in the land of opportunity, an aspiring foreign-born player can compete and there are more events available for them.
Everybody celebrated Ga Young Kim's recent big win on the WPBA as she defeated Karen Corr. The opportunities for WOMEN players in general are the BEST in the world here in the United States, and whether you're an Irish player or Korean, we welcome topnotch competition.
Several years ago, the Philippino players attended many events here in the States, but now with the restricted Asian tours, I do not see them here very often anymore, sad to say. Efren, Bustie, Luat, Ronnie Alcano, and quite a few Philippino players won the hearts of a lot of pool fans on this side of the pond. They are sorely missed.
The tournament that CebuanoNiNoy mentioned in his post, February 21-27, 2005, is occurring on the same dates as the second stop of the $20,000-added Hilton-sponsored NAOT in Pittsburgh (February 19th through 24th).
The U.S. Open seems to be one tournament that NOBODY wants to miss. Players come from around the world. At the last Open, I was chatting with Francisco Bustamante, and he was showing me a pair of new name-brand leather running shoes that he purchased at a discount warehouse nearby, stating how cheap and comfortable they were. He bought two pairs of them. He said he had a hard time finding good bargains on name-brand clothing in the Philippines. However, at the U.S. Open last year, he went on a little shopping spree nearby and bought a Ralph Lauren Polo shirt in Virginia for less than 20 bucks on sale. He was laughing when he showed me the tag inside the collar which stated this designer shirt was: "Made in Philippines."
Picture of Bustie and Alex taken last year at the United States Open in Chesapeake Beach.
JAM
. And he plays a lot of money games,
