R.I.P. - U.S. Open

[Ruthless]

Atleast there were 29yrs of a true U.S. "Open" in which all players had an equal chance in the event.

With the involvement of the U.P.A. and the "seeding of players" the event is now only a commercial farce.

Half of the former winners of this event would not have a title now in their portfolio if it had allways been run under this "make sure the top players get in the $$" format.

This is not what the "former" U.S. Open meant to any unranked players wanting a fair chance to compete in an "equal opportunity" event on all levels, including the important fair draw.

Very Sad for an event that has allways been known as the crown jewel until now.

 

[cueman]

Atleast there were 29yrs of a true U.S. "Open" in which all players had an equal chance in the event.

With the involvement of the U.P.A. and the "seeding of players" the event is now only a commercial farce.

Half of the former winners of this event would not have a title now in their portfolio if it had allways been run under this "make sure the top players get in the $$" format.

This is not what the "former" U.S. Open meant to any unranked players wanting a fair chance to compete in an "equal opportunity" event on all levels, including the important fair draw.

Very Sad for an event that has allways been known as the crown jewel until now.

I prefer the regular draw on all tournaments, but I don't have to make my living at it either. Seeding is very commmon place in many tournament style sports , so it is probably something we will just have to live with in pool also.

 

[vapoolplayer]

Atleast there were 29yrs of a true U.S. "Open" in which all players had an equal chance in the event.

With the involvement of the U.P.A. and the "seeding of players" the event is now only a commercial farce.

Half of the former winners of this event would not have a title now in their portfolio if it had allways been run under this "make sure the top players get in the $$" format.

This is not what the "former" U.S. Open meant to any unranked players wanting a fair chance to compete in an "equal opportunity" event on all levels, including the important fair draw.

Very Sad for an event that has allways been known as the crown jewel until now.

it should only be open to qualified players anyway...........what other sport can any old hack pay the entry fee in and get to play?

i hope eventually it will ONLY be open to players who have won qualifiers or have enough points to enter.

if barry berhman thought that doing this would put a damper on his jewel, he wouldn't allow it i'm sure.
VAP

 

[DoomCue]

Atleast there were 29yrs of a true U.S. "Open" in which all players had an equal chance in the event.

With the involvement of the U.P.A. and the "seeding of players" the event is now only a commercial farce.

Half of the former winners of this event would not have a title now in their portfolio if it had allways been run under this "make sure the top players get in the $$" format.

This is not what the "former" U.S. Open meant to any unranked players wanting a fair chance to compete in an "equal opportunity" event on all levels, including the important fair draw.

Very Sad for an event that has allways been known as the crown jewel until now.

Hate to burst your bubble, but seeding was done at the US Open long before the UPA came into being. It is still open to all players, as long as you have $500 to put up.

Almost every sport does seeding, from baseball, to tennis, to football, to basketball, to hockey, to NASCAR, to chess, to Scrabble (yeah, I watched it on ESPN, I admit it ). Why should pool be any different?

Every US Open champ has been a world-beater, with the only "surprises" being Tommy Kennedy, Gabe Owen, and possibly Spanish Mike. I don't see that changing just because the UPA has sanctioned the event.

-djb

 

[landshark77]

what other sport can any old hack pay the entry fee in and get to play?

Umm, can't they still do that...it just cost an extra $100 bucks because they will have to join the UPA first. As a matter of fact, couldn't I, a female, now play in this event?? I am guessing that the only criteria to play in the Open now are to be an UPA member and pay your entry fee. I was talking with someone at a recent tourney, and as far as we were concerned ANYONE who pays their $100 was able to join the UPA...sex was not an issue.

If all of my theories hold true, then with the UPA sanctioning the Open...it really is an "Open".

 

[Cardinal_Syn]

so if a female would happen to win the event does that mean they qualify to compete in WPC.

 

[Timberly]

If you go to the US Open website and pull up the page detailing the qualifiers for this yrs event, this is what it states....

Host a Qualifier for 2005, Sign Your Event Up!
The U.S.Open 9-Ball Championships is open to all Men. You do NOT have to qualify to play. Qualifiers are oppurtunities for room owners to have events in which players dont have to pay the $500.00 entry fee. Ask your local pool room to get involved in the 30th Annual U.S.Open and Host a qualifier.

 

[DoomCue]

Umm, can't they still do that...it just cost an extra $100 bucks because they will have to join the UPA first. As a matter of fact, couldn't I, a female, now play in this event?? I am guessing that the only criteria to play in the Open now are to be an UPA member and pay your entry fee. I was talking with someone at a recent tourney, and as far as we were concerned ANYONE who pays their $100 was able to join the UPA...sex was not an issue.

If all of my theories hold true, then with the UPA sanctioning the Open...it really is an "Open".

I think the way it works is that if you want to earn points and be a "Touring Pro", that's $100. If you just want to play in the tourney, it's $25. Either way, you become a member of the UPA (except for a few special circumstances).

-djb

 

[Coop1701]

Almost every sport does seeding, from baseball, to tennis, to football, to basketball, to hockey, to NASCAR, to chess, to Scrabble (yeah, I watched it on ESPN, I admit it ). Why should pool be any different?

-djb

Seeding in Nascar.... I'm aware of seeding in most sports. But not Nascar.

 

[landshark77]

If you go to the US Open website and pull up the page detailing the qualifiers for this yrs event, this is what it states....

Host a Qualifier for 2005, Sign Your Event Up!
The U.S.Open 9-Ball Championships is open to all Men. You do NOT have to qualify to play. Qualifiers are oppurtunities for room owners to have events in which players dont have to pay the $500.00 entry fee. Ask your local pool room to get involved in the 30th Annual U.S.Open and Host a qualifier.

Yes, BUT...if I am a female and paid my $100 to the UPA and became a UPA member, would the UPA then not allow one of their members to play in a UPA sanctioned event??? Wouldn't be like the DP tourney in FL...open to ALL members of the FL Pro Tour and ALL UPA members??? If the UPA were sanctioning ANY event, wouldn't that event have to be open to ALL UPA members? And if I was in the list of the players (by ranks) who where able to play in an invitational, would I not be invited because I am female?

 

[landshark77]

I think the way it works is that if you want to earn points and be a "Touring Pro", that's $100. If you just want to play in the tourney, it's $25. Either way, you become a member of the UPA (except for a few special circumstances).

-djb

Yeah, I just looked that up....looking even better, LMAO!

 

[wahcheck]

UPA membership prerequisite?

I think the way it works is that if you want to earn points and be a "Touring Pro", that's $100. If you just want to play in the tourney, it's $25. Either way, you become a member of the UPA (except for a few special circumstances).

-djb

Are you saying that anyone intending to play in the US Open from now on, MUST become a UPA member?

 

[Ruthless]

From playing out of the same room, playing 75+ tournaments with, and being around Williams for years, there isn't any new info you could tell me about the UPA.

Up until now the UPA & Berhman were not friends for this very reason and the UPA wanting their fingers in the cookie jar. Berhman has allowed this for financial reasons only, no matter what he wants to say or what you want to hear - That's the truth of the matter.

There are a lot of top players that are not UPA fans.

Hopefully a deal will go through soon with the Seminole Tribe to put on the America's Open in the OLD U.S. Open spirit.

I wish you well and won't see you there, I'll give the $2k trip money to a charity.

 

[JustPlay]

it should only be open to qualified players anyway...........what other sport can any old hack pay the entry fee in and get to play?

i hope eventually it will ONLY be open to players who have won qualifiers or have enough points to enter.

if barry berhman thought that doing this would put a damper on his jewel, he wouldn't allow it i'm sure.
VAP

Well, when the us open only lets "qualified" players in the tournament, the top prize will be $5000 (at best) not the current $30000 for first place. Please make a list of the "hack's" that played in last years US Open (other than yourself) so we know who the players are and make a list to exclude them from the 2005 and beyond events......

 

[Ruthless]

wahcheck - The UPA will be in your pocket or you won't play, and you play by their rules no matter how unfavorable they are to any player.


*****Also if the rules were voted on in a players meeting like most tours do, the seeding would be out in 2 seconds.

 

[DoomCue]

Seeding in Nascar.... I'm aware of seeding in most sports. But not Nascar.

Grid position based on qualifying is a form of seeding. Also, the new end of season points system uses seeding based on points accumulated.

-djb

 

[Jimmy M.]

I really wanted to go play this year. I have been planning on it. Now I don't know. I'm not sure what to expect now. I can't help but think this will change the event in some ways. Whether it is "good for the game" or not is something for the debate club members of this forum to determine. I'm just thinking in terms of how it will affect my personal enjoyment of playing in the US Open. And since the choice that I'm facing is whether or not to go play in the tournament (and spend quite a bit of money to do so), that's all that really matters to me in making a decision.

 

[JustPlay]

Hate to burst your bubble, but seeding was done at the US Open long before the UPA came into being. It is still open to all players, as long as you have $500 to put up.

Almost every sport does seeding, from baseball, to tennis, to football, to basketball, to hockey, to NASCAR, to chess, to Scrabble (yeah, I watched it on ESPN, I admit it ). Why should pool be any different?

Every US Open champ has been a world-beater, with the only "surprises" being Tommy Kennedy, Gabe Owen, and possibly Spanish Mike. I don't see that changing just because the UPA has sanctioned the event.

-djb

Seeding past champions is good for the US Open and I like it. Seeding players because they are on a UPA list of players is not right. It may be the way it is going to be, but, will the other "non-upa" players stand for it? we will just have to wait and see......This is an Open event and all players should be treated equally with the exception of the past champions. This is what makes this Tournament so special! The US Open is the most prestigus tournament in the world or well it use to be! If it becomes a UPA event invitational event like the one in Vegas with only limited to 64 players who "qualify" then the who point of being an "open" event is lost for good and aspiring players most likley wouldn't even bother to play in it.

The prize money would scale down so low, that nobody would be interested in sponsoring or participating in it for the most part. I think the sponsoring or participation of the UPA is good. It just think that the seeding of players who are not past champions of the event are wrong...

 

[Jimmy M.]

I thought you were in Vegas???? Didn't you get roped into a Masters Team???

Hah! I won't be there until tomorrow. I'd love to say that "I can't wait", but I'd be lying. I only played because Mike, being a friend of mine, said he thought they would be short a player in Vegas. Some damn friend he is, huh?

Actually, there is one good thing about being in Vegas. Everyone will be off doing "Vegas things" so the theater won't be so packed when I go to see Episode III.

 

[Ruthless]

The seeding of players in any sport was created for financial gain of the people putting on the "$how". It is an insurance policy of sort to make sure there are big crowds whom spend $$ by making sure there are several big name players left to draw them at the end of the "$how".

The seeding of past champions is a well earned position of respect that is/was part of the U.S. Open tradition. But UPA seeding takes the chances of another Owen or Kennedy winning down to about nothing.

It's like losing the lag and getting ten bad rolls in a row before you even pack your cues.

Of course this will make the U.S. Open better for everyone........except the players.