The Men And Women Of The Bca 9-ball Tournament

[Jimmy M.]

So what you are saying is that....since you selfishly want to watch someone different play in the TV matches we should make it unfair so Karen, Allison and a few others can't win.

How could you make any WPBA field unfair so that Karen and Allisan can't win? They play better than the rest of them. They could still win no matter if the draw were random or seeded. They just might have tougher matches out of the gate, that's all. There is really nothing you could do to a WPBA tournament, other than to start handicapping it, to make it "unfair" for Karen and Allison.

 

[frankncali]

sjm,

Which fans does seeding serve? Does it serve the sponsors and there cronies! Are the fans on Sunday seeing the best players? That's a matter of openion? Seeing the tournament in person and then watching a one hour edited version on TV has no comparison.

Also with the lack of sponsorship in pool the quality of play suffers. Every women who plays pool I know works for a living to support themselves in the sport they don't just sit around or give lessons or do exibitions of pool. Thanks for your comments and I will be patient.

PS The fans like me who buy 2 four day VIP seats at the tournaments deserve to see the best not just the fair weather fans who show up on Sunday for three final matches.

Cheers,

Gremlin

Grem
I think with your 4 day pass you would be getting a chance to see the
best each day. That is what the seeding is for. If it just happened that the best 4 had to play each other in the first few matches and they knocked themselves out then what do you see with your remaining days. The
tour is just not that deep. I wish the women well and think they have a good tour but most of them are just not that good.
I have been to several tournaments because a friend of mine once played a few years on the tour and got to watch countless matches of bad shooting and slow slow play. I know what you are talking about also with the
players going home early. My friend would schedule her flight out on saturday
to help with expenses. She said she used to stay and watch but now she
would just head home. Several did the same thing. She made the TV
rounds once and there is no comparison in watching her play or one of the big three.
If the other girls are good enough all they have to do is knock off one of the big three early and then they become the seeded player. The difference is that even when that happens they are not good enough to stay on the winners side and the big three are good enough to come back through
the losers side.
I think the women have a good tour. The men cant even get anything
going thats close to good. In a sport that participation is dominated
by men its great that the women that do play and play well have an outlet to
play at all. Everything needs a shakeup on occassion but I think the shakeup
that the womens tour needs is a few more "Allisons" to step up and start
beating the top players regularly. That would spark interest and drama.
IMO right now Allison, Jeanette and Karen are just that much better than the rest of the field.
BTW My favorite lady to watch is not a big three member. Its Vivian. She is exciting to watch and when she is on she runs more balls and racks than
anyone on the womens tour.
Are you coming to the BCA? Maybe I will see you there. We could grab a
beer and watch a match. Maybe Sarah. I have not been able to watch her play yet.
later green man

frankncali

 

[sjm]

Correct Only to a Point

Why is the BCA succumbing to ESPN requirements of a 7 game format for the finals. This is a terrible way to determine who a real champion is of a top tournament. ESPN often cuts away from the game for a break and bring us back to a different inning anyway. We never get to see the match in its entirety. So why not play the whole eleven. Guys like Mika, Bustamante, Soquet, etc. can put a 6 pack on somebody at any time. The long match is the fairest and the BCA along with the WPBA are coping out and leaving the real pool fans shortchanged. I already have stopped watching any womens finals as I find them irrelevant.

Yobagua, your correct, but only to a point.

Your point that the race to seven is too short for the top men is reasonable, though alternate break alleviates the problem of racks being strung, and alternate break will be in the BCA Open two weeks from now. Unfortunately, alternate break is not in use in all men's events, but it should be.

As for women's pool, alternate break is in use in all WPBA events, so the stringing of racks by the top women players is not an issue. I'd also argue that, in the case of the women, no harm is done by having races to seven in the TV rounds of WPBA events. For years, I've heard the argument that these short races should make it much easier for the underdogs to win the TV matches, but the results say otherwise. Upsets of the big Fisher and Corr in the TV rounds are very rare indeed. I think you should reconsider things and start watching again.

 

[sarahrousey]

I think everyone has valid points. CueHunter and SJM I don't disagree with you at all that the "big 3" are ahead of the rest. They have put in the time and effort and it has paid off more than it has for the rest of us. Will it change? Eventually things always change.

As for the seeding. I didn't like it when I first came on tour. The only reason I didn't like it was because it gave the top 16 two byes and the 17-32 one bye. Now I am seeded and it isn't all that bad. Soon I will get the 16th seed (Possibly Peoria) and I will get to see what it is like to play later in the day without playing one of the top players. I think it is a nice reward for earning your spot since it does take alot of hard work. Don't get me wrong though, a blind draw tournament would be great. Who knows what kind of pressure is put on players if Karen and Allison play first round. Yes, someone may squeak through. I also see how it is good for the people to see at home. The better players make things look easy.

As for the fans, I always suggest for people to come on thursday or friday to the tournaments. That way you get to see all 64 players in the tournament. That way you can see how others play and see what kind of person they are. You can pick up a new favorite player. I think alot of people are shocked to realize that other people even play in the tournaments.

The race to 7 format is truly hated. Like SJM pointed out it is supposed to give the underdog a chance. It hasn't really happened but it is supposed to. I think the men definitely need to play longer sets. A race to 7 for the men could get done very quickly. Plus you want a chance to see both players play. If it was winner breaks, the men could end it very quickly with the other player not seeing the table.

sarah

 

[azhousepro]

Well, I spoke to Earl yesterday and he is not playing in this one. I guess the BCA event is just not one of his favorite events.

As for the ladies, if they are using a Sardo rack you have to count Karen as a favorite.

Mike

 

[gwvavases]

Going to the BCA Tournament

I'm going to Vegas to watch the BCA tournament later this month. It will be the first tournament I've ever attended (other than the local tournaments in which I participate once in a while). Anybody got any advice about how to best enjoy the experience? What can I expect to see? Do they publish a list of all of the participants? Which of the big-name players will be there? Will there be a lot of retailers there with booths? I'll be there for the whole week, but I will be taking some time to do other Vegas things with my wife while I'm there. She's only gonna be there a couple days (toward the end), and I'm trying to put some kind of agenda together. Are there any opportunities for attendees to play pool at the tournament site? Should I take my stick? (not looking for action - I'll have enuf of that at the blackjack tables!)

Thanks.

 

[Jimmy M.]

Well, I spoke to Earl yesterday and he is not playing in this one. I guess the BCA event is just not one of his favorite events.

As for the ladies, if they are using a Sardo rack you have to count Karen as a favorite.

Mike

Yo, Miguel! Wouldn't you have to count Karen as a favorite if they were racking with their hands? Seriously, I don't really follow women's pool, but I never see anyone but Karen and Allison win. Although, I know that Jeanette has popped in there a few times lately.

 

[yobagua]

to sjm

Sometimes it takes more than a few games to determine wether a player is in full stroke. But what my contention is that the sports organization is succumbing to network needs so easily. This should be contested. A longer game makes the match more interesting and decisive. Imagine if the mens US 9 ball open was whittled down to 7 games. It would lose all relevancy or a 14.1 tournament was skinned down to a 75 point match. Lets fight for whats right.

 

[satman]

Longer races.

Sometimes it takes more than a few games to determine wether a player is in full stroke. But what my contention is that the sports organization is succumbing to network needs so easily. This should be contested. A longer game makes the match more interesting and decisive. Imagine if the mens US 9 ball open was whittled down to 7 games. It would lose all relevancy or a 14.1 tournament was skinned down to a 75 point match. Lets fight for whats right.

For a pro event to whittle it down to a race to 7 is ridiculous. As is the alternating break. A pro event should be at least a race to 11 and preferably 13 or 15 and winner break. A guy being able to string 6 together is what makes it exciting. Imagine a match with Efren and Archer with 3 or 4 six packs in it. Would you buy that tape? I would. I can watch guys run 1 rack at a time at the local C tournaments.

As for the guy going to the tournament in Vegas. Take your cue as there is the BCA amateur tournament going on too. Cue dealers and such. If you like pool you'll have a great time. Don't forget to romance your wife or you'll be in big trouble. {it's easy to lose track of time there}. Sam

 

[satman]

I have another great idea, just came to me. Let's make the U.S. Open a race to 1 or 2 and drop the entry fee to $5, have 5000 players and ESPN can air the final 2 matches with 52 minutes of commercials. OOPS sorry, I forgot our friends the Behrmans will never let that happen. {Thank God } And thank you Billiard Club Network. Sam

 

[Williebetmore]

I forgot our friends the Behrmans will never let that happen. {Thank God } Sam

I don't know about that, someone let them change it from straight pool to 9-Ball. Not that 9-Ball involves any luck, but the short races are ridiculous - the matches look like an exhibition not a competition. Perhaps you are right though about the races to 1 or 2, that would solve the problem of the perceived short attention span of the viewing public. I think 9 balls are too many, they should change the game to 2 ball, or 3 ball (did you see that old post about the galactic 1 ball tournament?).