jimmyg said:
How about temporarily on life support with KT at the controls?
With all respect due those who are hard at work fighting, at their own expense, to try and bring some justice and unity to the players. Unfortunalely, my honest feelings are that it has been mostly done in vain.
The history of pool and the nature of it's professional players make attempts at their unity of will and purpose almost impossible.
I believe that KT is a disease in the body of pool and has to be surgically removed in order for pool to have any chance for respectability. I also believe that he has singlehandily set back any possibility of that happening for a least another decade.
KT was on the ropes, he could have been terminated and pool freed from his parasitic influence had the players the strength and will to make the very difficult choices necessary to accomplish this end. That would have meant having the strenght to file suit against him. He would have been forced into either paying them in full, or having to file for bankruptsy and defending himself criminally and civilly. I believe that had the players taken a hardball stand either 1) they would have forced a much better financial deal for themselves, or, 2) they would have beaten him in court and, ultimately had won even more in court.
The catch was that they would have had to refuse any payments that KT offered and totally refused to play on any future tournaments that he claimed were to be held. Severing ties with KT is the key.
Instead, the players have showed KT that they are willing, not only to accept 11% payments and promises, but also a willingness to support and participate on any future tour this snake decides to hold. Basically they immediately dropped their pants for 11%. And don't think KT doesn't thank them for it.
Look, I understand that I, am not in the player's shoes and that makes it very easy for me to take this verbal position, but that still does not invalidate it either.
So, is the IPT dead? It is whatever KT decides it is. KT has all the options, he will gauge the income from qualifiers, possible sales, will restructure player and vendor debt, and decide whether or not to hold future tournaments. They players will be there if he calls, and he knows it.
In my opinion, this is the unfortunate reality.
Jim
Hardly have truer words been spoken on thisforum regarding the ipt.
The current situation is EXACTLY as jimmyg states it.
Out of the 150 current ipt players, i will guestimate that 50% just want thier money and want nothing more to do with the ipt. I have also found that there is no correlation to the players abilities. This sentiment can be found covering the entire spectrum of all pro's.
What surprised me is that there is a contingency of US players, mainly, that feel that the ipt is a once in a lifetime chance. At this point, they are not optomistic, feel that they probably wont be paid in full, but that they shouldn't be "forcing" kt into bankruptcy, because doing that extinguishes ANY hope.
I was dissapointed to hear this, because ultimately, without a larger percentage of players on board, it doesnt seem fair to act "against" these players wishes.
As an example.
It only takes 3 or 4 players to file suit. Can we do that TODAY, yes. Somewhere down the line, as more aggrieved players step forward, or file thier own suits individually, the court would be asked to transform the suit into class action status, folding all current litigation and aggrieved parites into one all encompassing suit.
If this was done today, everything stops. As long as there are players, that are well respected amongst their peers, and billiard community as a whole, that want to extend EVERY opportunity to the ipt, we will honor their wishes, even ove the wishes of those that would like to see action taken now.
Pool players have a sad and long history of not being able to carry the same flag. In the end blackjack dave sapolis was COMPLETELY right.
The ball is in the ipt's court right now. Hopefully they will honor their promises. They will atleast get the opportunity to do so.
rg
