President steps down

Fast Lenny said:
Melissa, your on the inside, if your able to could you give us your insight on what the WPBA needs to do or is looking to do to breathe new life into the organization? I really do hope that you ladies continue on and grow stronger but there has to be a plan. I know ESPN attracts a good deal of sponsors for the WPBA but are the expenses of doing this worth what the sponsors are giving, I assume if the casino picks up the tab for ESPN then it is but I am assuming most as of late are not or will not hence less events.
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I'm not really an insider anymore. I resigned from the Board in March.

As for what we need to do...it's a question that I don't have an answer for. Pool needs to become more mainstream in order for the pros and the sport itself to thrive. How to achieve that? I have no idea. It is a problem that everyone has recognized for decades...but no one has been able to solve yet.

As for the WPBA...I believe that the someone in this thread had it right when they mentioned that we need to come together and regroup and move forward. The rift needs to be mended. I wasn't around in the beginning...but I am told that the WPBA started and was successful mostly because the players were a sisterhood that protected each other and worked together to achieve goals. Players were not looking to increase their benefits or gain some kind of advantage over other players. No one believed that they should profit if it meant taking something away from another player. In my opinion...there has been a shift away from this philosophy in the past 10 years...and I think that it causes some problems. Politics are involved now...players getting their friends involved as Board members. And while I appreciate having business people who are interested in helping...I believe that the Board should be made of people who have a vested interest in keeping the organization running. Use business people on an Advisory Panel...not as Board members. They don't know the history and they don't have full comprehension of the difficulties and intricacies of the WPBA.

These are my opinions though...and they might not be popular with the rest of the players. But I served 3 years on the Board...and these thoughts are what I came away with eventually.

Melissa
 
Melissa Herndon said:
I'm not really an insider anymore. I resigned from the Board in March.

As for what we need to do...it's a question that I don't have an answer for. Pool needs to become more mainstream in order for the pros and the sport itself to thrive. How to achieve that? I have no idea. It is a problem that everyone has recognized for decades...but no one has been able to solve yet.

As for the WPBA...I believe that the someone in this thread had it right when they mentioned that we need to come together and regroup and move forward. The rift needs to be mended. I wasn't around in the beginning...but I am told that the WPBA started and was successful mostly because the players were a sisterhood that protected each other and worked together to achieve goals. Players were not looking to increase their benefits or gain some kind of advantage over other players. No one believed that they should profit if it meant taking something away from another player. In my opinion...there has been a shift away from this philosophy in the past 10 years...and I think that it causes some problems. Politics are involved now...players getting their friends involved as Board members. And while I appreciate having business people who are interested in helping...I believe that the Board should be made of people who have a vested interest in keeping the organization running. Use business people on an Advisory Panel...not as Board members. They don't know the history and they don't have full comprehension of the difficulties and intricacies of the WPBA.

These are my opinions though...and they might not be popular with the rest of the players. But I served 3 years on the Board...and these thoughts are what I came away with eventually.

Melissa
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Thanks for your reply and it makes sense, hope things change for the sake of you ladies who love to play pool. :smile:
 
I was talking with one of the ladies several weeks ago, and was told, off the record, that there are two lines of thought among the players. Some wanted to make some changes and try to kick start the tour, and some didn't want to see anything change.

From a business standpoint, when circumstances (like the economy) change, you must be willing to change as well. If you aren't moving forward, you're moving backward.

It is a shame, in my opinion, that John didn't really get a chance to put together a new business plan, and get it in place. But, I suspect that trying to bring together a group of ladies who don't agree among themselves might be a lot like trying to herd cats! I don't think I would want that job!

I hope they get it together.

Steve
 
pooltchr said:
I was talking with one of the ladies several weeks ago, and was told, off the record, that there are two lines of thought among the players. Some wanted to make some changes and try to kick start the tour, and some didn't want to see anything change.

From a business standpoint, when circumstances (like the economy) change, you must be willing to change as well. If you aren't moving forward, you're moving backward.

It is a shame, in my opinion, that John didn't really get a chance to put together a new business plan, and get it in place. But, I suspect that trying to bring together a group of ladies who don't agree among themselves might be a lot like trying to herd cats! I don't think I would want that job!

I hope they get it together.

Steve
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I suppose that you would get different stories/opinions from different players, depending on which side of the rift they are on.

I believe everyone wants to see change/improvement. I just believe that there are those who want the changes to benefit them...and there are those who want changes that will benefit all. That is where the politics is coming in.

I happen to believe that what I believe is the right way to move forward. Others disagree. So...if you had spoken to me first, you might have heard a completely different take on the whole story. Just as if you spoke to a 3rd player...you'd get a whole 'nother side of it.

Melissa
 
Melissa Herndon said:
I suppose that you would get different stories/opinions from different players, depending on which side of the rift they are on.

I believe everyone wants to see change/improvement. I just believe that there are those who want the changes to benefit them...and there are those who want changes that will benefit all. That is where the politics is coming in.

I happen to believe that what I believe is the right way to move forward. Others disagree. So...if you had spoken to me first, you might have heard a completely different take on the whole story. Just as if you spoke to a 3rd player...you'd get a whole 'nother side of it.

Melissa
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No doubt about it. But looking at it as an interested spectator, I think that the best direction would be that which is best for the tour itself. Whether or not, that is best for one group of players or the other isn't really important. If the tour fails, nobody wins. So, while I can see both sides of the discussion (she actually did explain the views of both sides of the issue) I think that the focus needs to be on the tour itself.

Suppose what is "best for all the players" isn't what is needed to ensure the success of the tour. Is that really best in the long run?

I'm not picking sides either way. I just would like to see everyone put aside what they believe is best for themselves, and consider what path is most likely to put life back into the tour.

I believe that, more than anything else, the tour needs a well thought out business plan. Make the tour stronger, and everybody wins.

Steve
 
irock said:
Melissa, I like your game but not your politics.
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Fascinating...since I didn't state what my politics were. (Unless you are talking about the fact that I made a jab about the Palin comment.)

Read my posts again. I outlined how the different sides felt...and that I believe what I believe strongly and wholeheartedly. Just as Steve didn't say which side the girl he talked to was on.

Anyhow...thanks for the comment. The country is based on differences if opinion...and I appreciate you being respectful about it.

Melissa
 
I agree Melissa, the system is based on different positions, and without them it wouldn't work. And I do support Palin. I know she hunts, I bet she shoots pool to.
 
Melissa Herndon said:
As for what we need to do...it's a question that I don't have an answer for. Pool needs to become more mainstream in order for the pros and the sport itself to thrive. How to achieve that? I have no idea. It is a problem that everyone has recognized for decades...but no one has been able to solve yet.
Melissa
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The average American, Joe Blow, walks into a poolroom with his wife and teenage kids in tow for a night out of family fun. He quickly spots several players/sweators on a nearby table woofing/sharking each other and tossing $100 bills back and forth as the night progresses. He sees a few people who are obviously drunk being loud and boisterous at a table in the corner. He goes into the restroom to piss and sees some young "hustler" popping some pills or snorting powder. He comes back to his family only to find out that some drunk punk has tried to "hit" on his daughter. Now the place is getting louder, with seemingly more loudmouths and drunks gambling and drinking and whatever else they can do to make sure that the "average" American doesn't give a "fat rat's ass" about pool.

I know, I know, I'm laying it on a little too thick, but you get my point. Back in the 60's, Honda Motorcycle Company had a slogan: "You meet the nicest people on a Honda". Fifty years later, they are still selling the sh*t out of their motorcycles.

You aren't ever gonna hear this slogan (with any truth to it): "You meet the nicest people in a poolroom". We as pool players are representatives of our sport, and we fail to show our sport in a positive light for the most part, thus keeping mainstream America from supporting it. It will always (unless drastic changes are made) be a sport that is basically going to have to be supported by the players and what small percentage of average Americans are enthused by it. I have serious doubts that anyone is gonna fix/solve American pool anytime soon.

Remember, this is only an opinion.

Maniac
 
Johnnyt said:
I'd like to see Mark Griffin at the head of the WPBA (if he wants it). I believe he could get the WPBA back on solid ground. Might never be 8 tounaments a year with $14,000 going to the winner each time, but smaller purses, smaller entry fees, and 10 or more tournaments a year is a lot better than they have now. Johnnyt
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There's as much chance of this as there is of me winning America's Next Top Model as long as the APA has anything to say about it. And no Johnny, no matter how much you beg, i'm not fitting my phat ass into a mini-skirt.
 
I've been sitting on this long enough!

OK. I'll say it.

When it comes to the player rift...
Two words come to mind.
EGO, and GREED.

Part of the WPBA internal rift is coming from the fact that there are a number of elite top players in the WPBA, who want the WPBA Classic tour, to really become a TOP 16 TOUR.
Why you ask?

Because they feel that they are the reason that there is a tour in the first place, and that they reason that anyone wants to see women's pool.
To them, no one wants to come out and see the girls who play worse then they do, so why should any of them get paid.
They feel that they are the only ones on the classic tour who are important and have been trying to manipulate it so that they are the ones who would benefit from tossing out all the other girls.
Lock in their position, so they all get paid, and tough luck to the girls that didn't make it.

Naturally, you are going to have a lot of girls who aren't top 16 who are pissed off at this notion, and you probably have some girls who are right on the edge of being top 16, who might be on the fence about it, because with one good showing, they themselves might benefit from it if it were to actually happen.

Basically it's all about money and greed.


Ok, now that i've said it, let me go put on my flame proof suit.
 
Maniac said:
The average American, Joe Blow, walks into a poolroom with his wife and teenage kids in tow for a night out of family fun. He quickly spots several players/sweators on a nearby table woofing/sharking each other and tossing $100 bills back and forth as the night progresses. He sees a few people who are obviously drunk being loud and boisterous at a table in the corner. He goes into the restroom to piss and sees some young "hustler" popping some pills or snorting powder. He comes back to his family only to find out that some drunk punk has tried to "hit" on his daughter. Now the place is getting louder, with seemingly more loudmouths and drunks gambling and drinking and whatever else they can do to make sure that the "average" American doesn't give a "fat rat's ass" about pool.

I know, I know, I'm laying it on a little too thick, but you get my point. Back in the 60's, Honda Motorcycle Company had a slogan: "You meet the nicest people on a Honda". Fifty years later, they are still selling the sh*t out of their motorcycles.

You aren't ever gonna hear this slogan (with any truth to it): "You meet the nicest people in a poolroom". We as pool players are representatives of our sport, and we fail to show our sport in a positive light for the most part, thus keeping mainstream America from supporting it. It will always (unless drastic changes are made) be a sport that is basically going to have to be supported by the players and what small percentage of average Americans are enthused by it. I have serious doubts that anyone is gonna fix/solve American pool anytime soon.

Remember, this is only an opinion.

Maniac
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Starting with a late 60's 305 Scrambler, then a CBX (cool bike), a 600RR, a Goldwing and now a Valkyrie tourer, maybe you're onto something regarding Honda's motorcycle marketing intelligence. :thumbup:

And with regard to Mr. Joe Blow, I think he needs to consider going to the other pool room across town. :grin-square:

Best,
Brian kc
 
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Steve Tipton, with a little help from his friends and the support of the majority of contestants, was instrumental in building the WPBA which makes him a logical choice to resurrect it.:smile:
 
Maniac - that's a good point - and it's something everyone has discussed at great length. I remember seeing a few threads about this just last month. As it happened, it was also the topic of June's Pool Synergy.

Not everyone thinks pool should be mainstream - that's a shame, IMO.

Superstar - I can see your point, and while it might be ugly, I can see some truth to it - although I think people were hoping the WPBA was above that; since it's ideas like those which (apparently) keep ruining the mens tours.

As for the top 16... I dont think there should be a top 16 TOUR. Let the rest of the tour determine who's the top 16 to qualify then make the "tournament of champions" tour stop at the end of the season be the big one.
 
stljohnny said:
Superstar - I can see your point, and while it might be ugly, I can see some truth to it - although I think people were hoping the WPBA was above that; since it's ideas like those which (apparently) keep ruining the mens tours.

As for the top 16... I dont think there should be a top 16 TOUR. Let the rest of the tour determine who's the top 16 to qualify then make the "tournament of champions" tour stop at the end of the season be the big one.
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Well, if you have players getting their "friends" involved on the board, simply to reinforce their decisions or give them more clout, that's just corrupt.

So what happens when you have some elitist, clashing with someone else?
Especially when the elitist is wrong but nothing happens cause they have sympathizers on the board?:rolleyes:

Bad enough that you have ladies who believe they are upper class pool citizens and that everyone else are a bunch of peasants when compared to them.
I guess that whole image that people project that the WPBA girls aren't like the men is a load of crap.
They have their own egomaniacs who feel their poop doesn't stink JUST like the men do.
 
It's a group of humans - its inevitable to get some of those. I just hope they can be maintained. Overall though, I hope you would agree, it seems the women are far more agreeable with each other than the men seem to be. I remember watching one of the streams where one girl helped the other getting something out of her eye... even the commentators mentioned that you would never see that on the men's tour.

As for getting friends on the board... IF (and that's a big if), they are doing it for their own personal reasons, then it absolutely is corruption. But (equally as big), IF they are recommending their friends because they trust their ability to be objective, fair and a good leader, then I don't see a problem with it.

I guess it all depends on the situation -to which probably none of us (non wpba) are privvy.
 
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