Sigel & Trudeau: Separated at Birth

NaClBandit

NaClBandit

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So it's official according to the AZB homepage...

42 players will compete for a spot in the finals against, you guessed it, Mike Sigel ($200k purse!). Wow does this guy have Trudeau wrapped around his finger.

The logic is that he is the current "King of the Hill", so it's like a title bout. Who did he knock off the hill? An out-of-practice Loree Jon Jones. Time will tell if Sigel is over the hill when he faces Archer/Bustamante/Reyes/ANY REAL TOURING PRO in the finals.

Trudeau has already gifted $150k to his buddy Sigel, and it appears he's prepared another monster payday for him, be it first or second place money. I don't know if Sigel gave him a hot stock tip or introduced him to his lawyer, but these two are definitely scratching each other's backs to say the least.

Thoughts...?
 
It is ridiculous, but at the end of the day the guy is pumping big money into pool so I doubt many of the players are worried.
 
it does seem ...

at times like it was a grand way to just get Sigel some money.
What, was he too proud for a gift or a loan?

Jeesh, He already made the easiet 150k, and now he is
guaranteed 2nd place at least in the next one. He definitely
has things wired for himself.
 
NaClBandit said:
...Thoughts...?
Click to expand...

I'm happy as a clam that the IPT "King of the Hill" Shootout is right arount the corner, November 30-December 4, 2005. That's my first thought! :D

Since I have been on this earth, I have NEVER seen pool players being given the opportunity to play for this kind of dough. Suddenly, there's a new front on the horizon, one which provides HOPE to lifelong players still in this racket and others who are just getting their feet wet.

I think everybody should be giving Mike Sigel a High Five for directing Kevin Trudeau to the game/sport. Looks to me like he is wanting to help existing players who may be struggling, Hall of Famers and veterans who receive very little in the way of recognition and/or financial gain, and as well, those aspiring Newbies, our NEW generation of pool players.

Until the players meeting, I'm not sure what the format, payouts, and rules are going to be. Instead of guessing and/or speculating, I want to hear it from the horse's mouth.

Bring it on, and let's get ready to RUMBLE!

JMHO, FWIW! :p

JAM

P.S. Mike Sigel was away from competing for quite sometime while he was making custom cue sticks. When he decided to jump back into the fray, it was at Steve Mizerak's Senior's Tournament in Florida. As I recall, he won the event in the finals, against Buddy Hall.
 
Buckster_uk said:
It is ridiculous, but at the end of the day the guy is pumping big money into pool so I doubt many of the players are worried.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's a case of players not being worried so much as there's just nothing they can do about it. I'm sure that no one wants to say what a joke it is for fear of screwing it up for themselves. If this guy wants to put a bunch of money into pool, the players are just going to have to put up with Sigel getting hand outs if they want to have a shot at getting their share. Sigel retired and he was no longer the "king of the hill" when he did so. It's great that players will be playing for real money for a change, but I don't know if this can ever be a legitimate, professional tour if KT continues to show an obvious bias toward a particular player or a few particular players.
 
As far as I'm concerned, it's Trudeau's money and he can do whatever he wants with it. While he's spending it, I believe he's helping this beleaguered sport out. Instead of throwing insults at him, I think we should laud him for his benevolence.
 
IPT Q and A

Jimmy M. said:
It's great that players will be playing for real money for a change, but I don't know if this can ever be a legitimate, professional tour if KT continues to show an obvious bias toward a particular player or a few particular players.
Click to expand...


If you read the question and answer section it is very obvious that every effort was made to stack the deck in favor of who Kevin considers to be the old time greats. I doubt it works for even the first match and it surely won't work for long.

My prediction: Put some real money down and the modern era players will adapt very fast!

Hu
 
NaClBandit said:
So it's official according to the AZB homepage...

42 players will compete for a spot in the finals against, you guessed it, Mike Sigel ($200k purse!). Wow does this guy have Trudeau wrapped around his finger.

The logic is that he is the current "King of the Hill", so it's like a title bout. Who did he knock off the hill? An out-of-practice Loree Jon Jones. Time will tell if Sigel is over the hill when he faces Archer/Bustamante/Reyes/ANY REAL TOURING PRO in the finals.

Trudeau has already gifted $150k to his buddy Sigel, and it appears he's prepared another monster payday for him, be it first or second place money. I don't know if Sigel gave him a hot stock tip or introduced him to his lawyer, but these two are definitely scratching each other's backs to say the least.

Thoughts...?
Click to expand...

Does it really matter if Sigel is getting extra money? For decades pool players have been complaining that there was no money in pool. Now, Trudeau comes along and pumps a shit load of money into it and people are still complaining. :rolleyes:

The way I see it, the Jones-Sigel event and the "King of the Hill" event are nothing more than exhibition events to gain attention for the real tour that starts next year. I think it's a smart move on Trudeau's part. Hold a couple of smaller events to test the waters and if things work out hold the bigger events next year. So far I think Trudeau is doing a great job.
 
I don't think any of the pro players care that Mike Sigel won an easy 150k, and that he's guaranteed at least 2nd place prize money for the next tournament. Why would they? I'm sure they're just grateful that this tour is even in existence. If in creating the IPT Sigel pockets some easy cash, so be it. Heck, i'm pretty sure the pro players think that Sigel deserves all that money for helping create a tour that creates more money for themselves.
 
Well, the players list is well stacked against Mike Sigel to knock him off. Mike Sigel will play well since he is already in the money with at least second placed locked up, really no pressure at all.

It is really great that Trudeau is putting all of the "..if only there were money in pool..." persons to the test and to see how long this could last and see how and what this all developes into. This is definitly a life line pool needs and I hope it succeeds. It will be interesting to see a non-pool person (corporation) run this tour.....
 
JustPlay said:
It will be interesting to see a non-pool person (corporation) run this tour.....
Click to expand...

BINGO! Hit the nail right on the head, JustPlay!

JAM
 
Sweet Marissa said:
You can bet that when Charlie Williams founded the UPA, if he would have had certain players who were friends of his guaranteed spots in the finals, hell would have been raised.
Click to expand...

Not if Charlie was pumping millions of dollars into the tournaments. Besides, it's not like Trudeau is saying that only Mike can win. Sure, he's giving Mike preferential treatment, but all the other players also have a chance to win first place. Like I said earlier, I think this event is just an attention grabber. I'm sure when the real tour starts Mike will not get the same treatment.
 
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