hmmm
Ol Captain Hook had another league a few years back, anybody know what happened to that?
Ol Captain Hook had another league a few years back, anybody know what happened to that?
UBL: Why So Little Discussion?
- Thread starter Kickin' Chicken
- Start date
The prior iteration of Sigel's BIH-handicapping league (with a planned $250,000 first prize) was called the Global Pool Players Association (GPPA), announced back in 2013: https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=338485
Here are a couple of posts by Scott Lee, in 2017 from that same thread, as to what became of the league.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTJY5l872GA
If that video doesnt help people understand the snake oil salesman aspect of Sigel, maybe this one will. :thumbup:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqOnOQTuVRQ
I deposited my check yesterday. The BIHs are there to facilitate run outs. The idea of the league it to turn anyone into a run out player. It’s different and I felt pretty silly taking BIHs at first. Then I got over it and decided I would master it, but as you might have seen it didn’t help my break
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I deposited my check yesterday. The BIHs are there to facilitate run outs. The idea of the league it to turn anyone into a run out player. It’s different and I felt pretty silly taking BIHs at first. Then I got over it and decided I would master it, but as you might have seen it didn’t help my break.
Congratulations on the big money regardless of how your break went lol. That's a lot of money each no matter how you won.
I deposited my check yesterday. The BIHs are there to facilitate run outs. The idea of the league it to turn anyone into a run out player. It’s different and I felt pretty silly taking BIHs at first. Then I got over it and decided I would master it, but as you might have seen it didn’t help my break
Well done! Congratulations.
After playing the first session of UBL, I'm a big fan of it. I'll try to address all of the questions of this thread in one post since I have experienced it first hand. A lot of people have their opinions about it, but most of those have never played it or won't even give it a chance. How can you tell someone what a Coca Cola tastes like if you've never tried it yourself?
I had 14 teams out of my bar play UBL for this past session. Five teams made the playoffs & two made it to Chattanooga. I was lucky enough to be on both of those teams. And each of those two teams were totally different skill wise. One had five 0s & a 5. The other had one 0 & and assortment from a 1-4.
Starting the session off was a little frustrating. But after a couple weeks, everybody caught on on how to use the app & how to play. After that it was fun, exciting & went very smooth. The best part was the playoffs, in my opinion.
Where the money comes from is not top secret. There are investors involved. They will take a loss for the beginning, just like in any other business. NO business starts off in the positive. The investors understand that. They will continue on for a few years regardless of what happens. And I don't understand why this is such a big deal to people. Everybody got paid. ALL checks cleared. There were NO issues with the money. I came out with over $13k. That's between my monthly commission for hosting it in my bar, being on two teams that came out 3rd & 4th in nationals & the bar prize money for the teams that cashed. That's not bad for a 16 week session.
As far as APA's resistance, read this thread on what they tried to do to me. Keep in mind, at one point I had close to 60 APA teams playing out of my room. https://www.facebook.com/bubba.bourque/posts/10214817662368396
I had 14 teams out of my bar play UBL for this past session. Five teams made the playoffs & two made it to Chattanooga. I was lucky enough to be on both of those teams. And each of those two teams were totally different skill wise. One had five 0s & a 5. The other had one 0 & and assortment from a 1-4.
Starting the session off was a little frustrating. But after a couple weeks, everybody caught on on how to use the app & how to play. After that it was fun, exciting & went very smooth. The best part was the playoffs, in my opinion.
Where the money comes from is not top secret. There are investors involved. They will take a loss for the beginning, just like in any other business. NO business starts off in the positive. The investors understand that. They will continue on for a few years regardless of what happens. And I don't understand why this is such a big deal to people. Everybody got paid. ALL checks cleared. There were NO issues with the money. I came out with over $13k. That's between my monthly commission for hosting it in my bar, being on two teams that came out 3rd & 4th in nationals & the bar prize money for the teams that cashed. That's not bad for a 16 week session.
As far as APA's resistance, read this thread on what they tried to do to me. Keep in mind, at one point I had close to 60 APA teams playing out of my room. https://www.facebook.com/bubba.bourque/posts/10214817662368396
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Once you play it, I would be very surprised if you don't like it. It grows on you very quickly & there's more safety play & strategy than in other leagues.
I am going to give it a try. Starts at sandcastle in two weeks. In the last session two of the top players in this area dropped out after two weeks. An a player and an open level. They couldn't play safe because of ball in hand. If I played an open player I would get 3 or 4 ball in hand. He would zero. You cannot get ball in hand for the eight. But you can for the key ball
Your team gets $5000 for making to nationals. This covers expenses like air and hotel. This alone would make me happy. After that you can start making a profit or at least get weekly fees back.
The thing I find interesting is that the computer matches up the players. This prevents two players from facing off multiple times.
Your team gets $5000 for making to nationals. This covers expenses like air and hotel. This alone would make me happy. After that you can start making a profit or at least get weekly fees back.
The thing I find interesting is that the computer matches up the players. This prevents two players from facing off multiple times.
One of the big problems with APA pool and all the rest of the handicap leagues is sloooowwwww play.
Maybe BIH will speed up the games.
Maybe BIH will speed up the games.
southernfried
Registered
I posted this on another forum about a week ago. I'm reposting it here since this discussion seems to be more active on the subject. I'll add a comment on slow play. I watched an 8-ball finals match on you tube where the pros were playing for about a $2500 difference in first and second. Super slow play. The UBL final was playing for a $60,000 difference for six person team. That's 10 grand a player. 'Nuff said.
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OK, I read all the UBL posts on this forum and I'm going to do something I seldom do. Post on AZBilliards. Not that I have anything against the site. I just research more than I post. I post about once a year as I recall. Feel free to respond or comment whether you agree or not. Just don't look for a timely reply. I'm lucky to be on here more than once a month or so.
About me. I played the game a lot prior to the advent of leagues from about 1959 -1964 and 1967-1970. Then a 29 year break to take care of some minor issues; earning a living, and raising a family. Started back when I retired in 2009 and I've been playing APA 8-Ball since then. I like it. I have a reasonable game but make no pretense of being ready to play with the "big boys." Might make it to Vegas, might not. Still a cheap night out once a week either way.
Now to the United Billiard Leagues.
1. Like all leagues in all sports, "there is no one size fits all." Especially where handicapping is in place. Some people will like the format, some won't.
2. If you haven't tried it, either in the UBL league or by subjectively handicapping your playing buddies and trying out the format, you're still entitled to an opinion but not to knock those that want to find out for themselves if they like the format. You can find the rules at www.unitedbilliardleagues.com.
3. The handicapping via ball-in-hand may surprise you. I joined a team in a new (to UBL) venue. To begin with some of the better 8-ball players (APA 6 and 7s) were having fits trying to beat APA 3, 4 and 5s when both they and the lower players each had 3 BIH before enough weeks were played for handicaps to adjust. Probably because they didn't take the lower level players seriously and suddenly found they missed when their opponent had three BIH left and only three balls plus the eight left on the table.
4. The weekly fee is reasonable and even if you never make a dollar in playoff money, you still had a night out for a few bucks and got to play pool to boot. Oh, look, that's the same as the APA league. I don't play BCA or any other leagues so I can't make a judgment there since I don't know how it works.
5. There's a lot of talk in this forum and elsewhere about weaker players never improving in this format. And, that's true if the elitist abandon them to struggle on their own. Oh, look, that's also true in other league formats.
6. Stronger players should always be doing all they can to help weaker players become better if you're playing for sport, not money. Here's a simple rule, the better a player is the more fun he/she has and the more likely they'll continue with the game.
7. I saw some talk about pool rooms only wanting to make money. No kidding. Why put up with all us folks of the pool player mentality otherwise. The more money they make, the more likely they will stay in the business, the more rooms that stay in business, the more places we have to enjoy the game. I don't see a down side there. The UBL division I'm in has attracted some players that didn't play in other leagues. So, new players mean more money to the venue...
8. Slow play in the UBL finals. No argument there but you did have rank amateurs playing for $100,000 first prize. And, if you watch some pro tournaments, for a lot less money and without a shot clock, on YouTube the play is much slower for some players than I saw on the UBL final (and I watched every minute of it).
9. Bottom Line. I like the UBL format. I hope it succeeds and remains as an option for us. Give it a one season try and then make up your mind based on experience, not unsupported opinion. I still play on my APA team and added a night of play for the UBL. So far I like it and I'll definitely finish out the season before making a final decision either way.
Cheers y'all, Southern Fried.
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OK, I read all the UBL posts on this forum and I'm going to do something I seldom do. Post on AZBilliards. Not that I have anything against the site. I just research more than I post. I post about once a year as I recall. Feel free to respond or comment whether you agree or not. Just don't look for a timely reply. I'm lucky to be on here more than once a month or so.
About me. I played the game a lot prior to the advent of leagues from about 1959 -1964 and 1967-1970. Then a 29 year break to take care of some minor issues; earning a living, and raising a family. Started back when I retired in 2009 and I've been playing APA 8-Ball since then. I like it. I have a reasonable game but make no pretense of being ready to play with the "big boys." Might make it to Vegas, might not. Still a cheap night out once a week either way.
Now to the United Billiard Leagues.
1. Like all leagues in all sports, "there is no one size fits all." Especially where handicapping is in place. Some people will like the format, some won't.
2. If you haven't tried it, either in the UBL league or by subjectively handicapping your playing buddies and trying out the format, you're still entitled to an opinion but not to knock those that want to find out for themselves if they like the format. You can find the rules at www.unitedbilliardleagues.com.
3. The handicapping via ball-in-hand may surprise you. I joined a team in a new (to UBL) venue. To begin with some of the better 8-ball players (APA 6 and 7s) were having fits trying to beat APA 3, 4 and 5s when both they and the lower players each had 3 BIH before enough weeks were played for handicaps to adjust. Probably because they didn't take the lower level players seriously and suddenly found they missed when their opponent had three BIH left and only three balls plus the eight left on the table.
4. The weekly fee is reasonable and even if you never make a dollar in playoff money, you still had a night out for a few bucks and got to play pool to boot. Oh, look, that's the same as the APA league. I don't play BCA or any other leagues so I can't make a judgment there since I don't know how it works.
5. There's a lot of talk in this forum and elsewhere about weaker players never improving in this format. And, that's true if the elitist abandon them to struggle on their own. Oh, look, that's also true in other league formats.
6. Stronger players should always be doing all they can to help weaker players become better if you're playing for sport, not money. Here's a simple rule, the better a player is the more fun he/she has and the more likely they'll continue with the game.
7. I saw some talk about pool rooms only wanting to make money. No kidding. Why put up with all us folks of the pool player mentality otherwise. The more money they make, the more likely they will stay in the business, the more rooms that stay in business, the more places we have to enjoy the game. I don't see a down side there. The UBL division I'm in has attracted some players that didn't play in other leagues. So, new players mean more money to the venue...
8. Slow play in the UBL finals. No argument there but you did have rank amateurs playing for $100,000 first prize. And, if you watch some pro tournaments, for a lot less money and without a shot clock, on YouTube the play is much slower for some players than I saw on the UBL final (and I watched every minute of it).
9. Bottom Line. I like the UBL format. I hope it succeeds and remains as an option for us. Give it a one season try and then make up your mind based on experience, not unsupported opinion. I still play on my APA team and added a night of play for the UBL. So far I like it and I'll definitely finish out the season before making a final decision either way.
Cheers y'all, Southern Fried.