Sarah Rousey comments on the Women's Worlds

[sputnik]

Once in a while we see new players who awe even their opponents until the finals. It happens. But I can understand the objection to merely filling in the tournament with players whose hearts are not even in the outer limits of ambition.

Up one level - from player to organizer. Let's look at DP as a player in a tournament among promoters. DP has a game strategy that is yet to get public approval. It is aggressive in its offense but terrible in its defense. It is capable of running out a table but it has yet to see itself to some quarterfinals. But it is now a known tournament participant, and to them, perhaps getting a foot in the door is not enough.

I hope that DP turns the arguments here constructively and learns to improve their style. Style is easy to change. As Efren once told Alcano, "among all locals, I have taught you most of my shots but I cannot teach you how to win".

Nobody can teach DP how to win and it will be their desire to learn that will tell on them.

If something good turns out right in the future with the entry of the 11 year old A player in Gillian Go, it will be good for pool. If Shannelle will improve on her game by joining tournaments, it will be good for pool. If the sensible critics here will be listened to, it will be good for pool. If DP will learn onto its journey, it will be good for pool.

 

[JB Cases]

So what have you done lately to promote and help put money in the girls pockets?


I know what I've done, nothing. So when I see someone actually trying to do something, even if it isn't done perfectly, I appreciate the effort.

Do you really want to know? Or are you just assuming that because I disagree with the way someone else does something then I am not actively doing something?

I'll tell you what, when the time comes to announce what things our company is doing I will start it off with a press release right here on AZ ok?

I appreciate the effort as well and since you don't bother to actually read what I write you wouldn't know that I have praised DP for putting on this event as well.

Don't you think that it's very sad though that the problems overshadow the event? Did you hear anyone complain about the Amway Cup? I think that the prize money was about the same, the venue was in a mall as well, why can their tournament go off like clockwork and no one complains and yet the inaugaral Women's World Ten Ball draws such ire.

These sorts of debates always end up with one side telling the other one to go and "do it better if they can". Why don't you tell the guy who is already doing it to just do it better? He is in the best position to do so.

I guarantee you that if I had the money then there wouldn't be any more shady promoters in pool. I'd own pro pool from top to bottom. And I'd probably be criticized and vilified for the decisions I make but I damn well know that I would do a better job than how this event went down.

 

[8ballEinstein]

World Championship?

I guess whoever wins this thing should be consided an imposter. Afterall, the field was made up of no-talent hot chicks. The races to 5 were a joke and only favor the weaker player. The tables were bad. The officiating was questionable. What other evidence do we need to conclude that the winner of this side show is likely to be someone who hasn't earned the right to be a World Champion.

I should just write off this event and not give it any more attention but just for the fun of it, I'll see who comes out on top. Whoever it is, I'm sure most of us (but not me) would be willing to give her the 7 in a head to head matchup.

 

[ribdoner]

I guess whoever wins this thing should be consided an imposter. Afterall, the field was made up of no-talent hot chicks. The races to 5 were a joke and only favor the weaker player. The tables were bad. The officiating was questionable. What other evidence do we need to conclude that the winner of this side show is likely to be someone who hasn't earned the right to be a World Champion.

I should just write off this event and not give it any more attention but just for the fun of it, I'll see who comes out on top. Whoever it is, I'm sure most of us (but not me) would be willing to give her the 7 in a head to head matchup.

i'd give several the 8 if i got the crack...





















as in KA PAU

 

[ShootingArts]

sure they will be world champion!

I guess whoever wins this thing should be consided an imposter. Afterall, the field was made up of no-talent hot chicks. The races to 5 were a joke and only favor the weaker player. The tables were bad. The officiating was questionable. What other evidence do we need to conclude that the winner of this side show is likely to be someone who hasn't earned the right to be a World Champion.

I should just write off this event and not give it any more attention but just for the fun of it, I'll see who comes out on top. Whoever it is, I'm sure most of us (but not me) would be willing to give her the 7 in a head to head matchup.

After all Mike Sigel was World Champion after beating Lori J Jones in one match. We all agree to that don't we?

Even if the winner is a world class player the crown will be tainted because of how it was conferred to them. That is terribly unfair to the winner. They didn't ask for this dog and pony show. However I can't imagine this title will carry much weight in the pool world.

Hu

 

[JB Cases]

At the end of the day this will look good on the winner's resume. It will be an official World Championship in the real record books in so far as the WPA has established itself as the official body which sanctions these events and keeps records. No one will know or care a year from now HOW the winner won.

That's the whole power of the "World Championship" designation right there.

But when the field is softer than an average WPBA tournament it definitely has an asterisk beside it. In the end the players who are in the finals are all world class and it's a tough match with all the pressure that would be there in any big finals.

The question lingers though what would the outcome be without the drama and with a full field of stone cold killers?

It would still be world class players in the finals. The difference is that there wouldn't be any asterisk and nothing to discuss except how the winner had to wade through the best of the best of the best to capture the title.

 

[Fast Lenny]

So what have you done lately to promote and help put money in the girls pockets?


I know what I've done, nothing. So when I see someone actually trying to do something, even if it isn't done perfectly, I appreciate the effort.

I think John has sponsored players by giving them cases and there is one female player I believe he gives cases to as part of a sponsorship to pay her entrees, sounds like he is a great asset to the sport.

 

[Johnnyt]

I think John has sponsored players by giving them cases and there is one female player I believe he gives cases to as part of a sponsorship to pay her entrees, sounds like he is a great asset to the sport.

There are a lot of members of AZ that help players, both male and female with travel and such. Just look at all the names on Sarah's blog that helped send her to these out of the country tournaments. There are just as many that help and don't want their names mentioned. Johnnyt

 

[jsp]

I guess whoever wins this thing should be consided an imposter. Afterall, the field was made up of no-talent hot chicks. The races to 5 were a joke and only favor the weaker player. The tables were bad. The officiating was questionable. What other evidence do we need to conclude that the winner of this side show is likely to be someone who hasn't earned the right to be a World Champion.

I should just write off this event and not give it any more attention but just for the fun of it, I'll see who comes out on top. Whoever it is, I'm sure most of us (but not me) would be willing to give her the 7 in a head to head matchup.

Why take it out on the winner? Do you have any complaints on who made the top two (Liu vs. Amit)? Or the top four? Or even the top 8? Are any of them "imposters" to you?

Be critical all you want, but take it out on the right people. NOT the players who performed well.

 

[JoeyA]

Why take it out on the winner? Do you have any complaints on who made the top two (Liu vs. Amit)? Or the top four? Or even the top 8? Are any of them "imposters" to you?

Be critical all you want, but take it out on the right people. NOT the players who performed well.

jsp, I think 8 Ball Einstein was using hyperbole.
JoeyA

 

[jsp]

jsp, I think 8 Ball Einstein was using hyperbole.
JoeyA

That may indeed be the case. I wasn't completely following the entire thread, that single post just popped out at me. If it was said out of sarcasm, I apologize. That's how emoticons could be so helpful. :sorry: :thumbup:

EDIT: Rereading the post again, it was obviously sarcasm. Hey, it was one of the first posts I read right after I woke up, so I was still a bit groggy.

 

[Bigtruck]

jsp, I think 8 Ball Einstein was using hyperbole.
JoeyA

I need a hyperbole chamber this morning! :shocked::grin-square:

Ray

 

[8ballEinstein]

jsp, I think 8 Ball Einstein was using hyperbole.
JoeyA

That's it JoeyA.

This event was a 48 person invitational. Those invited were 1) top players who have a track record of tournament victories, 2) Winners of qualifying events and 3) a few wild-card players (who happen to look hot). There could have been a better mix of players but as it is, I don't think there was any harm done. At the end of the day, the best of the field rose to the top. No creampuff C-level player snuck into the finals and robbed the world-class players of some big winnings. I just wish I could've been there!

 

[PoolPado-one]

Its all about the money and favoritism every where you go, no matter how many "good tournaments" are held.

 

[Tbeaux]

I don't think there was any harm done by having "eye candy" or last minute substitutions (good for the kid :thumbup. However this was a World Championship. Shame on the WPA for sanctioning something that wasn't better thought out. I hope there is another next year and that it is better handled.

I would like to ask one thing of those more familiar with "World Championships". Both this event and Amway had "sponsor entries". Is this an asian thing or is it common practice in "World Championships"?

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

I must be missing something here so can some one explain to me how an invitational can be considered a World Championship when there is no set criteria based on rankings or performance measures to determine the invitations?

It just seems like we are discussing a mute point because let's face it, this was not a world championship. It's like buying a domain name, since no one yet had the name, DP bought it for cash. It may have been titled as a "The World Championship", but it was not a world championship. It was just another women's pool tournament. They happened to play 10 Ball, whoop-de-doo!!! I'm just going to take it for what it was.

 

[TX Poolnut]

I don't think there was any harm done by having "eye candy" or last minute substitutions (good for the kid :thumbup. However this was a World Championship. Shame on the WPA for sanctioning something that wasn't better thought out. I hope there is another next year and that it is better handled.

I would like to ask one thing of those more familiar with "World Championships". Both this event and Amway had "sponsor entries". Is this an asian thing or is it common practice in "World Championships"?

As long as the money is right, the WPA will give their Ominus Dominus.

 

[Johnnyt]

As long as the money is right, the WPA will give their Ominus Dominus.

Amen. Johnnyt

 

[Luxury]

If this is the biggest 10 ball event with the most prize money played this year then it was most definitely a world championship. Don't take anything away from world champion Amit.

We all know that the Fishers were there, Corr, Lee, Ga young etc.

The conditions were tough with the glare and the rails so my hats off to Amit even more.

Congrats!

 

[JB Cases]

I must be missing something here so can some one explain to me how an invitational can be considered a World Championship when there is no set criteria based on rankings or performance measures to determine the invitations?

It just seems like we are discussing a mute point because let's face it, this was not a world championship. It's like buying a domain name, since no one yet had the name, DP bought it for cash. It may have been titled as a "The World Championship", but it was not a world championship. It was just another women's pool tournament. They happened to play 10 Ball, whoop-de-doo!!! I'm just going to take it for what it was.

Actually the "criteria" is that each member region around the world gets a certain number of spots allocated to them by the WPA. The WPA selects who in each region gets to nominate their players. In the USA this is normally the BCA (not BCAPL). The BCA usually will defer to the professional group who covers the tournament. In this case the WPBA.

I don't know "how" this was handled. I think that most of the participants were representing their respective countries and regions. However it's quite obvious that some players were "put in" on the promoter whim. Or more accurately at least one player, Shanelle Lorraine, was granted a spot although she was not nominated by any WPA member nor did she win a qualifier.

I suppose it doesn't make sense to me why open spots are not filled by the next lower ranked person in a region. I am sure that there are plenty of Japanese, Taiwanese, Philippine and Korean women who could have taken Shannele's spot.

Really the World Championship idea is flawed anyway. It should be an exclusive tournament where ONLY seasoned competitors are allowed in. There should be no possible way for someone to play in a "qualifier" and gain entry to a World Championship. It should be contested among those who have proven track records.

If someone is that good that they could come out of the woodwork and win a World Championship by gaining entry through a qualifier then let them come out of the wood work in other events and make a name for themselves that puts them high enough on the rankings to gain the nomination into the World Championships.

I just feel that a tournament that is designated as a World Championship should be held to the highest standards. If we allow it to be just another tournament subject to promoter's whims about who gets to play and what the equipment and environment is like then at the end of the day people will stop caring and brilliant performances like Rubilen Amit's will not be noticed.