Review of the UPA
- Thread starter argonath
- Start date
:angry:
In your article you talk about pool leagues. The BCA should not be confused with the BCAPL, which is the pool league. These are 2 completely different entities.
Thanks for the catch... I probably made the mistake of inter-mixing associations and leagues (bca, bcapl).
Let me see what I can do to alleviate that. Digital media, unlike print media at least can be corrected when errors occur.
Argonath
UPA article
You really need to do better research!!!
Lots of errors, and it sounds like an ad for the UPA>
Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI - BCAPL - USAPL
markg@playcsipool.com
You really need to do better research!!!
Lots of errors, and it sounds like an ad for the UPA>
Mark Griffin, CEO
CSI - BCAPL - USAPL
markg@playcsipool.com
Frustrating.. there's so many things wrong with this.
Was it not the UPA who was the body sanctioned, a UPA tournament called the Desert Shootout? :banghead:
That event was held in the Valley of the Sun, 2 years ago where the Top Finishers got RUBBER CHECKS.
Jay Helfert know all too well about the UPA, as he is still trying to collect monies due! :scratchhead:
That event was held in the Valley of the Sun, 2 years ago where the Top Finishers got RUBBER CHECKS.
Jay Helfert know all too well about the UPA, as he is still trying to collect monies due! :scratchhead:
Im doing profiles of each of the associations that have a presence in Phoenix. Ive done the APA, the AHSPL, and now, the UPA. Have others like the ACS, the BCA, TAP, etc... to do as well.
I know this article looks a bit esoteric, but I wanted it to simply be informational, NOT promotional. As time goes on, I will probably be writing more on the UPA in a breaking news sense etc...
Outside of those who are deep into billiards, many readers havent heard of the UPA, and as such, sometime I need to write to their perspective versus just to those who are in the know (like on this board) about all that is going on in the billiards scene.
I appreciate the feedback though, in every regard.
Argonath
Not for nothing but I played in a UPA league just this past year here in the Phoenix area. It was absolutely terrible, talk of them looking to sponsor amateur players and blah blah blah, talk about the system they use and finding your weaknesses in your game and competition. I did it for 8 weeks with a solid team because I got talked into it by my friend/room owner who also played.
We played the 8 week warm up session as they called it and I spent twice as much as I got back and my team took first place, I lost like 1 or 2 games the whole session and I played every time. The payout thing did not bother me as I feel most leagues are about the league operators making some bucks and people just having a good time and competition. For me being just a solid B player it was a joke, no competition, just using people as punching bags, actually felt bad for the people I was playing.
I have heard many bad things about the UPA and being in the league just was laughable. I played both league operators from each side of the valley, east and west and they had 0 shot, and also beat the league director of the UPA. I am sorry but this league is not for serious players, its better for the bangers/drunks looking for a night out. The best thing that had me and my friend laughing was when they said I was playing at a tour level, so whenever my friend is around and I make a good shot he says "Tour Level!", lmao. :thumbup:
We played the 8 week warm up session as they called it and I spent twice as much as I got back and my team took first place, I lost like 1 or 2 games the whole session and I played every time. The payout thing did not bother me as I feel most leagues are about the league operators making some bucks and people just having a good time and competition. For me being just a solid B player it was a joke, no competition, just using people as punching bags, actually felt bad for the people I was playing.
I have heard many bad things about the UPA and being in the league just was laughable. I played both league operators from each side of the valley, east and west and they had 0 shot, and also beat the league director of the UPA. I am sorry but this league is not for serious players, its better for the bangers/drunks looking for a night out. The best thing that had me and my friend laughing was when they said I was playing at a tour level, so whenever my friend is around and I make a good shot he says "Tour Level!", lmao. :thumbup:
Great question Cowboy, and something I can look into.
I did the profile on the UPA because I also did an article today on the Arizona All-league championship. Since Chuck Webb is the coordinator for that, his ties with the UPA are well known, but alot of people who may read my article might not know of the UPA etc...
Will check out and see if I can find some info on how the event turned out, and what, if any, repurcussions came from the finish.
Argonath
Does the BCA have a league or is the BCAPL the only one, I hear people all the time saying they play the BCA league. I am curious because I might try to play in this league for Vegas, looked like a good time when I checked it out for the first time this year but when it comes to leagues I am clueless. Played the UPA as I mentioned above and it was terrible.
Thanks for the information Fast Lenny...
Seems like the UPA indeed (at least in Phoenix), doesnt have a reputation that opens itself to being a good place to take part in. That could be of course from the L.O.'s running the show (I did notice the West Valley UPA website has gone dormant when I was doing research, pretty much saying a great deal), or it sounds like as well the promises made werent kept by the promoters.
Anyway, thanks for the information... one can gleam ALOT listening to players regarding an organization.
Argonath
I will say, this is the first article Ive written in my column that Ive been ragged on quite soundly, and from the comments the UPA does not indeed appear to have a good reputation.
Either way, thank you for the comments... I take them all in regard to providing better information.
I am in the east valley and the UPA out here is dead to so if the west valley is bad then I have to say good riddance to the UPA in the Phoenix area.
That's the problem with authors that don't do their research... they write articles and the general little informed public doesn't know inaccuracies from the truth.
BTW, the LEAGUE is the BCAPL .. not BCA
I honestly think you time could be spent better doing more reviews, like the Lucky Cue on McDowell.
Jay Helfert has been working hard for two years to get the balance of the funds owed the Player, etc.
I just don't understand when the UPA did not make sure the Money Advertised, was there for those who won it. Plus when it was not, why the UPA, did not make it right!
Argonath,
I know you had good intention, but started with a wrong group (UPA) to give good publicity.
UPA as you quoted "to serve as the governing body for the sport of men's professional pool in the US" has done nothing of that since the blow out of 'Desert Shootout' 2 years ago. Although it was UPA sanctioned event when 12 top finisher's winning checks all BOUNCED, UPA's President did not step up to the plate trying to protect the players as what UPA was formed for. He even made a press release saying that was not his job to ensure players got paid... He was certainly a man without BALLS!
and integrity. Since then, UPA has hosted 1 Professional Tournament which it collected $150.00 per player for Annual Membership Dues and Administration fee which all went to UPA.
I'll stop here.
S.
CORRECTION!
MARK GRIFFIN got the players paid! He personally paid the players so things were clear.
Jay Helfert is owed around $300.00
S.