Pros in local tournaments

[Addicted2CuesRU]

Players who show up for the monthly tournamnet at Diamond billiards in Chattanooga have included - Shannon Daulton, Rob Saez, Troy Frank, Wade Crane, Sarah Rousey, Jonathan Hennesey, Jerry Slivka, Bobby Pickle. (The list goes on) Each month the competition is TOUGH, and any pro or road player is welcome.

I have played Bobby Pickle in a weekly small bar box 9-ball tourney at JOBs near Nashville... Surprised to play a pro... I think I coulda beat him if we werent at the worst table (he had a chair of course and so did all the spectators, but I had to stand the whole time and we were next to the league table so I had to constantly move around to get out of the way of shots)... I just could not concentrate.

 

[Addicted2CuesRU]

People who won't play a tournament because of great players in it are no heart loser nits. Period. I wish I could play a tournament with top notch players all the time. I have no shot, but so what. For a dirt cheap entry like 20 or 50 who cares? I understand not gambling with top players. Don't do it if you like money. But a tournament is to see who's best. If you win a tournament where players are excluded, you weren't the best. So there is no pride in winning. So many people are such losers.

As I have posted before, I wish people still respected amateurism. Even golf has gotten too soft. In pool there is no such thing as amateurism. IMO what tournaments should do is have amateur events and paying events. The best way to keep pros out is to offer a cheap tournament where first place is a trophy. Would a road player bother? But if you want to play in a tournament that pays cash, you are playing a professional event and should expect open and professional competition.

Or like $5 entry fee where winner gets a $100 cue or something... No pro would bother with this either... That being said I prefer to play against real good competition... I lose more to people I expect ot beat...

 

[Scott Lee]

You ban pros? No you don't...

The hall/bar that hires me to promote tournaments will not let any pro's or road players play in the events. I have to clear questionable players with upper management before I let them play.

Eydie...That's a B.S. statement! You allow pros in your tournaments all the time. Just because you choose not to classify some players (like Jesse Bowman...just one of several examples I can name) as professionals, does not mean they are not so. These players make all of their living gambling and playing tournament pool...both professional and amateur level tournaments too. When you start banning players that play in pro tournaments, you can make that statement. Until then...

Scott Lee

 

[Roll-Off]

Very good comments. Since there is very little money that's available to professional players, many rely on weekly tournaments to pay the bills. I guess banning a local pro is counter-productive when it comes to supporting the sport. I always enjoy beating a professional caliber player, and like many said, it's a cheap lesson. Also, if I get knocked out I can sit around and watch the pro play, which is like watching an accustats tape live for free.

 

[rc_collins]

People who won't play a tournament because of great players in it are no heart loser nits. Period.

The true nits are the pros who show up weekly only when they know they will be the only pro there. Or they show up when the B and C players have driven the break and run up. People stop showing and the tournament dies.

 

[dogginda9]

Eydie...That's a B.S. statement! You allow pros in your tournaments all the time. Just because you choose not to classify some players (like Jesse Bowman...just one of several examples I can name) as professionals, does not mean they are not so. These players make all of their living gambling and playing tournament pool...both professional and amateur level tournaments too. When you start banning players that play in pro tournaments, you can make that statement. Until then...

Scott Lee

Scott,
I believe Eydie is talking about the poolroom/bar (Q Billiards) where she has been running tournaments lately. The owner has decided not to let Jesse or other obviously professional caliber players participate. There is definitley a problem in the pool world defining the difference between professional and professional caliber. Very gray area. This is a subject that could be argued for days with no real conclusion.

 

[Timberly]

The true nits are the pros who show up weekly only when they know they will be the only pro there. Or they show up when the B and C players have driven the break and run up. People stop showing and the tournament dies.

I've noticed that most regional tours hold both amateur & open events. I see absolutely no problem with pro's showing up in an open regional event. How else are they going to make money? They have what, six pro tourney's a yr? Most places, you've got to place 6th or better to break even for the trip out to play...gas/airline ticket, hotel, food, entry fee. I also think that regional tours has helped pool clean up it's image a little. (I won't get into that because that's a totally different thread altogether).

It is difficult to classify players as pro, semi pro, etc. Instead of making a generalization across the board, the decision should be made by the room owner/manager. There are some weekly tournaments that see many pro's as in NYC where it's accepted & expected. Usually the bigger cities have a bigger group of A & B players... they enjoy the stiff competition. The smaller towns & tourneys where the playing field isn't as level or as strong as the bigger cities are the ones that should use discretion. Some places are going to find that the regular players in the tourney really enjoy the pro/semi pro player being in the tourney (getting to play a race to 7 w/a pro for $10 to $50 entry fee will/should be appreciated by anyone that really loves the game & aspires to play better IMHO) There are those that don't want them there & that's what the room owner/mgr needs to take into consideration.

Taking the pro's out of local/regional tourney's will only send a great deal of them backwards. There are guys out there right now struggling to support themselves on UPA tourneys & the local/regional tourneys. There's more players out there today that are known as "tournament players" than there are gamblers. Take away the local/regional stuff & you'll have 'em back in the pool room trying to hustle just feed themselves.