US Open Past Champs not present
- Thread starter Nostroke
- Start date
The entry fee this year is 600 bucks, and that is definitely a big chunk of cheese to turn away if you're given a free shot because of being a previous U.S. Open champ, but staying there, the entire week, could cost well over 2 dimes. 
I have to return a call to Diana Hoppe. She did not make it this year, but I know her heart, like mine, is there, wondering what's happening. :smiling-heart:
It is hard to attend week-long pool tournaments, even when you do have a great deal of passion for pool. :frown:
If you have a 9-to-5 job or a business to run, it is difficult to make that decision whether you should go or not. :shrug:
Reed Pierce has a very successful restaurant, I hear, and he probably needs to be there. I hear they have a really great steak dinner. I'm going to meet Hemicudas there someday. YUMMIE!
Buddy Hall in recent times has not been making as many appearances at events as he used to. I know he likes being with his family, and he is fortunate to have a loving family to boot. Not all pool players are that lucky and usually end up alone in the autumn of their life. :sorry:
Alex and Efren got nothing to prove, may not want to go if they've got to give a percentage of their winnings to their sponsor. They both have numerous titles, been there, done that, et cetera.
Allen Hopkins, I read on this forum, is tending to business with ESPN.
Mike Sigel's whereabouts, that's anybody's guess.
David Howard, haven't seen him in ions.
I am pleased, though, to see that the Open did get 216 this year. I think that's pretty cool!
I have to return a call to Diana Hoppe. She did not make it this year, but I know her heart, like mine, is there, wondering what's happening. :smiling-heart:
It is hard to attend week-long pool tournaments, even when you do have a great deal of passion for pool. :frown:
If you have a 9-to-5 job or a business to run, it is difficult to make that decision whether you should go or not. :shrug:
Reed Pierce has a very successful restaurant, I hear, and he probably needs to be there. I hear they have a really great steak dinner. I'm going to meet Hemicudas there someday. YUMMIE!
Buddy Hall in recent times has not been making as many appearances at events as he used to. I know he likes being with his family, and he is fortunate to have a loving family to boot. Not all pool players are that lucky and usually end up alone in the autumn of their life. :sorry:
Alex and Efren got nothing to prove, may not want to go if they've got to give a percentage of their winnings to their sponsor. They both have numerous titles, been there, done that, et cetera.
Allen Hopkins, I read on this forum, is tending to business with ESPN.
Mike Sigel's whereabouts, that's anybody's guess.
David Howard, haven't seen him in ions.
I am pleased, though, to see that the Open did get 216 this year. I think that's pretty cool!
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Forgive Buddy Hall
All -
It is my understanding that Buddy is under the weather, therefore unavailable.
While I understand your intentions, it is great that you missed these champions but understand for various reasons there may be things out of their control.
Lets just say we missed them and hope to see them all playing soon. :wink:
Ken
All -
It is my understanding that Buddy is under the weather, therefore unavailable.
While I understand your intentions, it is great that you missed these champions but understand for various reasons there may be things out of their control.
Lets just say we missed them and hope to see them all playing soon. :wink:
Ken
Allen Hopkins is, as mentioned, busy with ESPN work that unfortunately cannot be re-scheduled. In addition, there are also some family issues that need to be tended to.
I know that he feels bad about not being there, as it is an event he looks forward to every year. I'm sure he will be there next year, schedule permitting.
Due to his recent divorce from Dawn, it has now become even more difficult to travel due to his responsibilities at home with their teenage son. Being a single parent with custody makes travelling to pool tournaments a bit more difficult...
I know that he feels bad about not being there, as it is an event he looks forward to every year. I'm sure he will be there next year, schedule permitting.
Due to his recent divorce from Dawn, it has now become even more difficult to travel due to his responsibilities at home with their teenage son. Being a single parent with custody makes travelling to pool tournaments a bit more difficult...
The entry fee this year is 600 bucks, and that is definitely a big chunk of cheese to turn away if you're given a free shot because of being a previous U.S. Open champ, but staying there, the entire week, could cost well over 2 dimes.
$2k? Are they stayin the Ritz?
Im staying in a decent hotel at $48/night for two beds and is walking distance to the venue. But even at the redroof, its only $68/night.
Meals... well, that depends on the person but its not like they wouldn't be eating that week anyway, right? You should be able to eat for $30/50 a day or so and thats not fast food.
I mean, Im sure you CAN spend $2k to stay for a week, but you can do its for a lot less too.
Mike Sigel
It can be,Mike Sigel is in germany at the moment.
He played a Tourny a few weeks ago with exhibition after or before.
And they wanted them a second time.
It can be,Mike Sigel is in germany at the moment.
He played a Tourny a few weeks ago with exhibition after or before.
And they wanted them a second time.
That's true
We always stayed at the "host" hotel, trying to support the event. At that time, it was the Holiday Inn, at a C-note per night plus tax. Unlike the Europeans, we had to be there always for the so-called "mandatory" players meeting, requiring 8 days of lodging.
When you stay at the "host" hotel, it is better for the tournament promoter, not to mention how much more convenient it is. When you are competing in the U.S. Open, every little advantage helps, like comfortable lodging facilities, a good bed, no bugs, clean sheets, showers that work with hot water. I can't take fleabag hotels -- been there, done that, and won't ever do it again. :grin-square:
Two people eating, if you are accompanied with your wife or girlfriend, can add up on a daily basis, especially if you don't like McDonalds or fast food-type fare. If you go to restaurants, you have to tip. Eight days of eating out at restaurants can put a bite on the budget.
Then there's the entry fee, which this year was 600 bucks. In past years, that was 500 bucks.
Of course, there's AlWAYS -- never fails -- something that you need to buy that maybe you left at home or forgot. I call these miscellaneous expenses. Like maybe the shampoo at the host hotel sucks and turns your hair to straw. Well, in this instance, you need to buy shamboo at the local drug store. Maybe you have a bad stomach or a headache. Well, these are other expenses, like Advil or Tums, that will crop up, to include snacks to take back to your room, just to have something to munch on. I don't care what tournament you go to, you're going to have these kinds of expenses.
Travel for us isn't too bad because we drive everywhere, but for those who have to pay airline fares, that can really add up to the total cost of attending a week-long tournament. Gas is expenses, to include tolls along the interstate highways, but I do enjoy the driving. In fact, the best part of the whole trip for me is the drive home.
I used to be what I'd consider a professional tournament preparer. I don't travel first class all the time, but I also don't sacrifice my quality of living to be able to afford going to a pool tournament. I'd much rather be at home, with my Sammy dog, a refrigerator full of food, my comfortable bed and clean linen, my shower with hot water, my local Starbucks, and all of the other amenities that being at home can offer.
Living out of a suitcase gets old, but, if you want to be a pool player, you better like living out of a suitcase. That's the lifestyle for a professional pool player.
I hope this helps elaborate, Cleary, on my estimates for attending the U.S. Open and any other pool tournament for that matter. :grin:
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Just time off from work is from 1k - 2k for week-events like this...
For some "regular" tournament goers, the expenditures of $40,000 per year in tournament expenses and losing another -- AT LEAST -- $40,000 a year in work income, you're talking about an $80,000 swing per annum. I talk from personal experience. :wink:
We always stayed at the "host" hotel, trying to support the event. At that time, it was the Holiday Inn, at a C-note per night plus tax. Unlike the Europeans, we had to be there always for the so-called "mandatory" players meeting, requiring 8 days of lodging.
When you stay at the "host" hotel, it is better for the tournament promoter, not to mention how much more convenient it is. When you are competing in the U.S. Open, every little advantage helps, like comfortable lodging facilities, a good bed, no bugs, clean sheets, showers that work with hot water. I can't take fleabag hotels -- been there, done that, and won't ever do it again. :grin-square:
Two people eating, if you are accompanied with your wife or girlfriend, can add up on a daily basis, especially if you don't like McDonalds or fast food-type fare. If you go to restaurants, you have to tip. Eight days of eating out at restaurants can put a bite on the budget.
Then there's the entry fee, which this year was 600 bucks. In past years, that was 500 bucks.
Of course, there's AlWAYS -- never fails -- something that you need to buy that maybe you left at home or forgot. I call these miscellaneous expenses. Like maybe the shampoo at the host hotel sucks and turns your hair to straw. Well, in this instance, you need to buy shamboo at the local drug store. Maybe you have a bad stomach or a headache. Well, these are other expenses, like Advil or Tums, that will crop up, to include snacks to take back to your room, just to have something to munch on. I don't care what tournament you go to, you're going to have these kinds of expenses.
Travel for us isn't too bad because we drive everywhere, but for those who have to pay airline fares, that can really add up to the total cost of attending a week-long tournament. Gas is expenses, to include tolls along the interstate highways, but I do enjoy the driving. In fact, the best part of the whole trip for me is the drive home.
I used to be what I'd consider a professional tournament preparer. I don't travel first class all the time, but I also don't sacrifice my quality of living to be able to afford going to a pool tournament. I'd much rather be at home, with my Sammy dog, a refrigerator full of food, my comfortable bed and clean linen, my shower with hot water, my local Starbucks, and all of the other amenities that being at home can offer.
Living out of a suitcase gets old, but, if you want to be a pool player, you better like living out of a suitcase. That's the lifestyle for a professional pool player.
I hope this helps elaborate, Cleary, on my estimates for attending the U.S. Open and any other pool tournament for that matter. :grin:
My point was, you can do it for WAY under $2k if money is a problem as long as your not flying internationally.
Of course, as I said, you cannot stay at the Ritz and eat lobster for breakfast if you are trying to save a dime.
,
Do it two, three, and four times every single month for 7 years. Then come back and reply to me. LOL! :grin-square:
Hotel for 48 bucks? Add on the tax in some States. Take NYC, for example. What a sick joke that place is for taxes. :sorry:
Maybe YOU can do it for less than 2 dimes, but I cannot stay anywhere for a week-long pool tournament for under 2 dimes. Not possible. I like a clean room, hot water in the shower, no bugs in my bed, and good food. I don't stay at the Ritz, but I don't eat fast food either. :wink:
LOL!:grin::grin::grin::grin:
OK, maybe you forgot the topic of conversation. We are are talking about past champions not coming to VA. So taxes in NYC have nothing to do with this. Im not staying in the roach motel or the murder inn... Its not first class, but its not a dump. I can take pictures if you like. Plus, there are two beds. Thats $24/night IM paying. Hot water and no bugs, believe it or not.
And I said nothing of fast food. $30-50/day is not fast food. You can get the catered food at the open for that. And its good.
My whole point was if a past champion wanted to come, they dont have to spend 2 grand unless they are flying internationally. IM guessing the people who didnt come (in driving distance) had other reasons for not showing. Being cheap is different from being economical. It may not be worth it for Efren or Alex if they dont feel they will place high for whatever reason. But it seems Nick Varner thought it was worth it.
But whatever, Im not going to argue with you about your traveling lifestyle. What works for YOU, works for YOU.
This is the first I've heard about this and I'm really saddened to hear it. They have both been two of my favorite people for a long, long time.
Jenny...Amen to that. TRY to even GET a hotel room in NYC for double that ($100/night). Very doubtful...especially in Manhatten, where the average is $150-$200 BEFORE taxes.
BTW...You've more likely not seen or heard from David Howard in EONS...ions are something completely different! :grin::grin:
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
BTW...You've more likely not seen or heard from David Howard in EONS...ions are something completely different! :grin::grin:
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com