The Checks

[Eydie Romano]

I know that many have questions, my phone and emails are full!

Here is what I have to say on this subject.

Kevin has a lot of money, it just depends on if he want's to spend it on the IPT or not. Hopefully, he will pay the players the entire amount or he has no other choice without investors then to fold. Kevin is not known for folding, he is a fighter. Regardless, this is what we have been fighting for you to begin with, the payments have begun, let's hope they continue.

As I said in the "Here it is" thread, He didn't foresee not being able to find sponsorship/investors. That seems to have been easily done for him in the past, but life in certain cases catch up with you, and people/companies become gun shy. He has the right formulation for the IPT but being able to hold on to it, could be a different subject.

He made many promises to the players and the staff. Some has come true more has not. Yes, I do think he had some good intentions with the people concerned, but the way the IPT was set up is questionable. But keep in mind, that humans are creatures of habit, and they resort to what they know best in a pinch.

From what I have heard, he was very miffed with a lot of the players in general. It is difficult for him to understand the doings of a road player who lives day to day or even a modest income family.

When you have disposable money such as he has, hundreds turn into singles and you loose the concept of the monthly electric bill. This of course, does not apply to people with "old money" in which he has no clue. Old money get's you into the exclusive places, where new money, an especially new money with a record is snubbed.

Regarding the checks, I cannot give you legal advice. I suggest that you make a copy of everything which was sent to you, even hold on to the fedEX envelope.

Regarding the letter, it on the other hand, has loop holes for him to get out. Honestly, he would be stupid not to have loop holes. He has invested money, how much of it was his is questionable.

So what next? Here's something to think about.

Form a union.
Hello folks, it's that easy. If you form a union, (and you all know who to contact if you plan to participate) things like this happening will be obsolete. This way, the money will have to be locked down before the event, and there will be none of this BS ever again.

 

[NYC cue dude]

thanks for the post eydie.

everyone involved in the pool comunity owes eydie a great big thank you.

She and I have worked very hard with the attorneys trying to get answers and formulate a game plan.

eydie has a family that has taken a backseat to many hours on the phone and spent in meetings regarding this.

we were informed yesterday that as long as kt and the ipt is actually paying, and continues paying, then the status quo is in effect.

For the time being, there are no more questions to be asked, and no more answers to research.

I have always wanted, for the benifit of the players, for the ipt to suceed.

I dont know there will be a 2007 season, I have my own opinions, which for now i wont state, but eydies advice with regards to forming a union is prudent. I dont think that this union should/will be restricted to only ipt players either. I think it should include all pro players, worldwide.

As far as the checks are concerned, the attorneys acknowledge that loopholes exist in the accompanying letter. The ipt only defines a payment schedule through december. Payment in full is expected to be paid before the next event. And if there is no event? What if the event is scheduled for 2050? It is openended.

Seek your own legal advice, if you are so inclined. At this point, the money is starting to come in. You have nothing to lose by accepting it, because if the payments stop, or no events are scheduled, then we will be back to where we were 48 hours ago, and once again the wheels of justice will begin to roll again.

Not much more to say about kt or the ipt. I hope they pay. I hope a 2007 season materializes.

We will see.

rg

 

[Timberly]

The ipt only defines a payment schedule through december. Payment in full is expected to be paid before the next event. And if there is no event? What if the event is scheduled for 2050? It is openended.

Being at work, I don't have time to go back and double check, but aren't the payments between now and Dec a total of a third of what's owed, the original plan that he offered? If that's the case, that's all the players are going to get.

If he drags this out (as we know he will), I wonder if the union can take him to court and try to force a payment plan? Have either KT or the courts make out an acceptable payment plan to get the players paid in full? Is this something that could happen once he starts dragging his feet and becoming non-communicative like they did the first 30+ days after Reno? I'm not familiar with the legal world so I don't know what kind of possibilities there are out there.

Thanks!

 

[av84fun]

<<because if the payments stop, or no events are scheduled, then we will be back to where we were 48 hours ago, and once again the wheels of justice will begin to roll again.>>

Have the wheels of justice stopped at this time I wonder?

 

[jimmyg]

<<because if the payments stop, or no events are scheduled, then we will be back to where we were 48 hours ago, and once again the wheels of justice will begin to roll again.>>

Have the wheels of justice stopped at this time I wonder?

It appears so, Jim.

KT's two month old, 11% checks ground them to a halt.

People are even "hoping" for another round in 2007.

Jim

 

[NYC cue dude]

at this point we don't know if the third is all they will get, at this point in time. The letter says different. But it says it will all be paid beofre the next event takes place. There may never be another event, but at this point, there is nothing actionable.

As far as what a union can do, at this point they would be powerless to what kt is doing.

If he is attempting to make payments, as demonstrated yesterday, the union wouldnt be in any position to force the ipt into doing anything. The union cant even attempt to hold them "hostage", because if kt folds up shop, after making several payments, the courts may be sympathetic to them.

It's all very strange. the only constant here though, is the players are still at the ipt's mercy.

rg

 

[ironman]

Eydie and Nyc Cue Dude

Thanks for the updates, the help, and your advice and opinions.

If I read it right, this is going to take some time and patience.

I hope the players Unity does not lose momentum. I hope the fire burns hotter and hotter. This is the oppritunity for the Players to come together and make a statement of their own. "Never again". In god we trust, all others must POST.

It is a sad comentary and a terribly negative attitude, but this is what happens when outsiders try take shortcuts. The IPT started at the top and had but one direction to go. Now, it seems it has hit or very near the bottom and has to claw it's way back. Could it have been avoided? Who knows, but there was available more than 100 years of experience to fall on. They will obviously ask, "then why hadn't they made it work"? The answer, is that they never had that kind of money available. Pool has always had to rely within the industry and that has never been what anyone wished for. Mistakes have been made in the past and will happen again, that is the very nature of business. But, the IPT made one monumental mistake. YOU LET YOUR BIG MOUTHS WRITE A BIG CHECK THAT YOUR HUMMING BIRD ASSES COULDN"T CASH.

In doing so, you tampered with too many lives and families. In case the IPT hasn't fugured this out yet, being a POOL PLAYER is about HEART and Survival. You learn at a very early age, to fade the HEAT, or find something else to do.

Being a Pool Player over the past year has been all about extreme HIGHS and extreme LOWS. A healthy society lives somewhere in between those levels.
As wise and witty as the IPT pretneds to be, they had better find a way to live in this middle ground. Too much drama. All because you did not do what you said you would do.

To Eydie and NYC Cue Dude, thank you for all your help. It is appreciated and I suspect you are right, we don't know all you have gone through. Thanks!!

 

[rackmsuckr]

I agree, thanks to all your efforts on behalf of the players, Randy and Eydie.

I also want to thank all the members of the player's task force who also feel their mission is done for now. Their goal was to unify the players and get them paid the full amount. If KT reneges on the full payment which is stated in the letter, then I am sure they will be back on it.

We will just have to wait and see what happens. Will the tour continue next year? Will there be another event? (As in, we will be paid the full amount by the next event?) I do know that the IPT female employee that called me last week has personally been to several venues firming up locations for the said event. If so, that looks promising.

Will all future events be scaled back from their previous grandiose plans? And will there be a future tour? I don't know and at this point, almost don't care. I can still smell the carrot, but it has a lot of dirt on it right now. For my husband and all the players who had potential to be tour members for 2007, I hope there is something waiting for them out there...scaled back, maybe with different management, or at the very least, with guarantees that mean something.

 

[Timberly]

I also want to thank all the members of the player's task force who also feel their mission is done for now. Their goal was to unify the players and get them paid the full amount. If KT reneges on the full payment which is stated in the letter, then I am sure they will be back on it.

We will just have to wait and see what happens. Will the tour continue next year? Will there be another event? (As in, we will be paid the full amount by the next event?) I do know that the IPT female employee that called me last week has personally been to several venues firming up locations for the said event. If so, that looks promising.

Will all future events be scaled back from their previous grandiose plans? And will there be a future tour? I don't know and at this point, almost don't care. I can still smell the carrot, but it has a lot of dirt on it right now. For my husband and all the players who had potential to be tour members for 2007, I hope there is something waiting for them out there...scaled back, maybe with different management, or at the very least, with guarantees that mean something.

Linda, just get a job with the IPT and be done with it.

 

[Timberly]

I also want to thank all the members of the player's task force who also feel their mission is done for now. Their goal was to unify the players and get them paid the full amount. If KT reneges on the full payment which is stated in the letter, then I am sure they will be back on it.

Who are you speaking for here, yourself? As of yesterday, there was no "backing down" or "laying off". Plans of the task force to unite were still a go. With KT making an effort and sending out payments, there's not much for them to need to do legally, but you can rest assured that it's still forming and will be ready if and WHEN the IPT decides to screw you guys over again.

 

[Nostroke]

Who are you speaking for here, yourself? As of yesterday, there was no "backing down" or "laying off". Plans of the task force to unite were still a go. With KT making an effort and sending out payments, there's not much for them to need to do legally, but you can rest assured that it's still forming and will be ready if and WHEN the IPT decides to screw you guys over again.

i think you are being a little rough Tim- You both are saying the same thing-maybe a millimeter difference.

 

[av84fun]

jimmyg...<<It appears so, Jim. KT's two month old, 11% checks ground them to a halt.>>

Of course Randy and his close advisers are the only ones who know what he is or isn't doing so anyone else's comments are pure speculation but I can say without fear of contradiction that there is absolutely nothing about the partial payment matter that would in any way damge or prevent any legal action to collect the balance.

Possibly...and again, I am just speaking from past experience, assuming that the story about free, full scale legal representation was not correct...then possibly the reality of the matter has come to the surface...the reality being that pursuing and enormously experienced DEFENDANT for a multi-million dollar debt would be far more costly and time consuming than some posters here seem to think.

This would be a multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars case that would extend over AT LEAST two years...barring early settlement and there are FEW highly skilled lawyers who would take on such a case without charge.

Even on a contingency fee basis...the lawyers normally require out-of-pocket COSTS to be funded by their clients (except in HUGE cases where tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake).

The COST component of a case such as this could EASILY equal $50k...the question becoming, which players are going to pony up that sum?

I'm sure all will be revealed and possibly suit will be filed tomorrow...it certainly has been suggested to be just around the corner...a matter of days.

Regards,
Jim

 

[justnum]

Scared already,

The government, consumer advocates and angry customers make KT a high profile target.

If some lawyer wants to make their bones against KT, I can find you more than three that be willing to help.

Whoever fights that case is going to get their firm some attention, national coverage attention. 20/20 already made KT infamous. The lawyer to prove it and the interviews following.

Think Johnny Cochran only for the working man, the hustler.

EDIT: the application process for review of a case takes a while, with whoevers doing what someone will be ready to speed up the examination process, sounds like its already in the works.

 

[av84fun]

NYC Dude...<<There may never be another event, but at this point, there is nothing actionable.>>

That is utterly untrue. What kind of lawyers would suggest that there is NO contract between the players and the IPT and that because of some minor partial payment...there is "nothing actionable." That is silly.

What ISN'T silly is the sum of money any reputable lawyer would WARN his client to be prepared to spend. Sure, there may be SOME highly skilled lawyer who would agree to take such a case for free but I certainly don't know one and I doubt you do either. (Note: I said I DOUBT it not that I KNOW it.)

Of course, the issue for any lawyer is that he/she has to have a client and getting a client willing to pay the tab is not easy.

<<As far as what a union can do, at this point they would be powerless to what kt is doing.>>

I don't know how "at this point" is defined. It COULD mean that there is no Union, lawfully constituted at this point, in which case a non-entity certainly would be powerless.

But another inference is that even IF a Union is now fully established...it would STILL be "powerless to what KT is doing" is nonsense.

Rackmsuckr wrote...<<I also want to thank all the members of the player's task force who also feel their mission is done for now.>>

I don't know if Linda is speaking for herself or X% of the players...but re-read my above statement. To sue, you have to have a plaintiff and if the group of potential plaintiffs wants to accept partial payments and hope for the best...that is entirely their decision and should not be criticized by anyone...certainly I am not being critical.

What I AM being critical about is the notion that legal action at this time...regardless or because of...the partial payments is VOID of legal merit.

The ONLY legal merit would be
A) No one wants to sue or
B) No one is willing to pay the price.

Regards,
Jim

 

[av84fun]

Timberly...<<there's not much for them to need to do legally, but you can rest assured that it's still forming and will be ready if and WHEN the IPT decides to screw you guys over again.>>

I won't repeat my prior comments but from a legal MERIT point of view (not including any financial/costs considerations) there is EVERY BIT the legal merit in this matter as there ever has been.

The issue isn't "WHEN the IPT decides to screw you guys over again."

They are STILL being screwed over...just to a SLIGHTLY lesser degree.

Regards,
Jim

 

[av84fun]

justnum...<<If some lawyer wants to make their bones against KT, I can find you more than three that be willing to help.>>

For free? Including a full bore litigation...not just some helpful advice?"

Let Timberly know who they are!!! (-:

Regards,
Jim

 

[Timberly]

justnum...<<If some lawyer wants to make their bones against KT, I can find you more than three that be willing to help.>>

For free? Including a full bore litigation...not just some helpful advice?"

Let Timberly know who they are!!! (-:

Regards,
Jim

Not exactly a "fair jab" since I've already clarified that's the information I was given by one of the players involved in getting the union together.

 

[rackmsuckr]

Linda, just get a job with the IPT and be done with it.

I would but they wouldn't have me. I tell the truth too often, lol. Hell, I am way too truthful and people use that for their own agendas.

If you are for the players, then you should know that holding another event is in their best interests in getting paid. That gives them a firm timeline of getting paid.

Like I said, after this year...???? A tour continuing on with guaranteed payments, different management, etc. Is that too much to wish for our player friends without being labeled firmly in the IPT camp?

Let me reiterate, I was one of the biggest supporters of the IPT, but got no respect for my loyalty from either side, so here is my stance....I will play in the rest of the season - which means the players will have been paid. To my knowledge, so will the rest of the task force. As of yesterday, the task force felt their task was accomplished and are waiting to see if the IPT comes through or not. I have been accused of being a mole from both sides, and that has been hard to take and for Mike to watch me go through it.

If KT wants to continue the IPT in some form or another, like I said earlier...even scaled back or with different management, I will support my husband playing on it IF there are guarantees that are backed by an outside source for payment. I certainly will take every positive spin with a grain of salt in the future.

If there is no tour, well, there WILL be repercussions for the IPT.

 

[Timberly]

i think you are being a little rough Tim- You both are saying the same thing-maybe a millimeter difference.

Sorry Nostroke but she said she was speaking on behalf of the players and she's not.

 

[Timberly]

As of yesterday, the task force felt their task was accomplished and are waiting to see if the IPT comes through or not.

Last time I checked (2 days ago) you weren't the "spokesperson" for the task force. I think it's misleading for all involved if you're on here presenting yourself as such.