USBA is Crap

billiardshot

billiardshot

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Why Haven't the Board of Director [I won't Name] of USBA done more on AZ Billiards Forum to promote 3 Cushion Billiard.

Bob Watson [Once a member, now a non member--- but will alway support the ladies or junior 3 Cushion billiard] No Respect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ZZZZZZ

Btw I will support what Dieckman or Paul Frankel would!!!!!!!!! If ask!!!
 
billiardshot said:
Why Haven't the Board of Director [I won't Name] of USBA done more on AZ Billiards Forum to promote 3 Cushion Billiard.

Bob Watson [Once a member, now a non member--- but will alway support the ladies or junior 3 Cushion billiard] No Respect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ZZZZZZ

Btw I will support what Dieckman or Paul Frankel would!!!!!!!!! If ask!!!
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There's just not much interest on AZ Billiards. Out of 202 members and visitors actively on line at this moment, exactly 1 is viewing the carom billiard forum (and that must be me). I was the one who first lobbied for the carom forum.

I think the USBA is doing its best to promote the game, but it's a real uphill battle when whole states don't have any carom tables.

Perhaps more can be done on AZB to promote the game, or at least tried. But it's hard to generate interest when so few young players have ever even seen the game being played.
 
Rich93 said:
I was the one who first lobbied for the carom forum.

QUOTE]

Rich93, I also lobbied for the carom forum. Are you a USBA Board Director? I would say NOT!!!!!!!!!!! Just search the Carom Billiard Section and add up who post the most there you answer. Quess who the four are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Read my signature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I must be the second person who watches this site.Three cushion is not popular here because the game requires too much thought.
 
illusivetrout said:
I must be the second person who watches this site.Three cushion is not popular here because the game requires too much thought.
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illusivetrout, Are you a Board Director? Answer Probably NOT. Raiford I respect and enjoy his post [one day I hope he write a book].
 
The carom forum was begun with this thread:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=59214

Before that there was a forum called "Deno Andrews on Carom Billiards" or something like that, but Deno wasn't participating any longer so the forum was misnamed and I thought underutilized.

Anyway, I guess your point is that USBA board members don't participate enough in the AZB carom forum. Maybe that's because the USBA has its own forum for members on the USBA site and they would prefer to promote that. I don't know.

I'm actually a pool player and not much of a carom player, though I deeply respect the game and would like to play more of it.
 
Hi billiardshot,

Having watched the USBA for sometime and also being a member, I can appreciate your frustration.

We seem to be a little insularly.

I don't want to get into a pissing contest about how often you post on Az Billiards and who instigated the Carom Section on the forum. I thank you and Rich and anyone else for their contributions.

Do keep in mind the board members of the USBA are strickly volunteer and spend alot of their personal time and make contributions themselves.

You are welcome to trash the USBA all you want. But it is the only organization that supports caroms in the US thru it's membership.

Saying the organization sucks doesn't get us far.

What constructive ideas do you have to change what you perceive to be a poorly run organization.

Perhaps I may suggest you run for a position on the board.

Respectfully,

Steve Andersen
www.trafficcontrolcaroms.com
 
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Hi billiardshot,

Having watched the USBA for sometime and also being a member, I can appreciate your frustration.

We seem to be a little insulary.

I don't want to get into a pissing contest about how often you post on Az Billiards and who instigated the Carom Section on the forum. I thank you and Rich and anyone else for their contributions.

Do keep in mind the board members of the USBA are strickly volunteer and spend alot of their personal time and make contributions themselves.

You are welcome to trash the USBA all you want. But it is the only organization that supports caroms in the US thru it's membership.

Saying the organization sucks doesn't get us far.

What constructive ideas do you have to change what you perceive to be a poorly run organization.

Perhaps I may suggest you run for a position on the board.

Respectfully,

Steve Andersen
www.trafficcontrolcaroms.com
 
I'm sorry to hear that you find both my posts here and my efforts in general to help 3-cushion billiards worthless crap.

If you don't like the way an organization is run, I think the best way to proceed is to help run it differently. The USBA will be having an election very soon, and Secretary Jim Shovak is asking for nominations to both the Board and the two offices, President and Secretary/Treasurer. His email is jimshovak@usba.net

Bob Jewett
President, USBA
 
A quick search I just did shows that Bob Jewett has made 148 posts on this forum (not including his reply to this thread), Jim Shovak has made 42, and I have made 20, all on a wide range of various carom billiard topics. Since all of us are USBA Board members, I am not sure why you provocatively put your question as you do.

I would also point out that posting on the AZ Billiards forum is not the only way to promote the game. In the last couple of years, among other things, the USBA (1) has launched and expanded its own website (www.USBA.net) which provides much needed information about rooms around the country, running tournaments, etc., and now has its own forum, which I encourage you to visit and post, (2) developed and conducted its USBA Tour of tournaments around the country, in which I encourage you to continue to participate (I think you already have), and (3) developed a national ranking system, which is updated regularly on the USBA website. Obviously, there is a lot more to do, but the USBA is taking good steps in the right direction.

If you or anyone else has any specific thoughts about expanding the carom player base in this country or otherwise promoting the game, the USBA Board would be glad to hear from you through a post here or on the USBA website, or by e-mail. Constructive ideas/suggestions are always welcome.
 
Rich93 said:
There's just not much interest on AZ Billiards. Out of 202 members and visitors actively on line at this moment, exactly 1 is viewing the carom billiard forum (and that must be me). I was the one who first lobbied for the carom forum.

I think the USBA is doing its best to promote the game, but it's a real uphill battle when whole states don't have any carom tables.

Perhaps more can be done on AZB to promote the game, or at least tried. But it's hard to generate interest when so few young players have ever even seen the game being played.
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I've been fortunate in that I learned the game in my teens. I first approached billiards as a tool to improve my pool skills...Then fell in love with the game. I've also mostly lived in places that offered an opportunity to play... And I'm not talking major metropolitan areas. I learned the game in Oklahoma City and one of my early instructors was Buddy Hall. He said, "Keep this a secret. These are the keys to the kingdom. You learn billiards and you'll destroy people." Fortunately, I became addicted to the game and quit playing pool. Could have never beaten the likes of Hitchcock, Lane or Hall, anyways. :wink:

IMO, one of the keys in promoting 3 cushion is to recruit dedicated pool players who would benefit from the game. You probably won't convert most of them. There ain't no money in it. But you gotta crawl before you walk. Also, carom players need to personally promote the game. Over the years, I've turned dozens on to billiards and they, in turn, have done the same.

We all need to become Johnny Appleseeds.
 
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The Frustrations Among the USBA

Speaking as a young 24 year old former billiard player, I have temporarily given up on billiards altogether to focus on my education. I do recall the times being here when Hernan would always post for advice -and give our little Mexican chatter- and eze123 would give me pungent comments about my small game. Yes, I miss those times but I have to come to my senses that this isn't my life as I assumed it would be. I used to be a frequent poster here in the carom section, but after realizing the priorities that I had in a platter, I realized that enough is enough and the real world is... well... real; it stings and it hits you hard. Will I ever consider giving up on carom billiards? Probably not, but it is not anything that will ever get me into professional level. I know that there are those that work SO incredibly hard to promote such an elite and elegant form of billiards only to know that in reality the money plays such a factor as well as how it's reputation among its uglier cousin (pocket billiards) gave shade to what this is. I thank those that try to promote such a beauty of a sport as it is; but in this country, it is already set as stone as what it is: complicated, foregin, and unique. I don't post here as much -if not at all, but I will be reading this forum from the other side of the fence. See you later, Carom enthusiasts & AZers. :cool:

Sincerely,
Rick S. --- Texas
 
Pool players are certainly a natural "market" in which to promote carom billiards, and this has not been lost on the USBA Board. With that in mind, the USBA held the 2008 National 3-Cushion Championship Tournament in the same venue and at the same time as the Derby City Classic in Louisville. Unfortunately the tournament was held in the hotel across the street from the main DCC site, but we did get several pool players to come over and watch. Not only that, but we also started a Women's National Championship Tournament which we held concurrently at that same venue (participants included Monica Webb, Janette Lee, Belinda Campos Calhoun, Helena Thornfeldt, and Melissa Little)--it was won by Mercedes Gonzales of Florida. And at the same time, we (mainly Dieckman) recruited pool players to participate in a nightly carom tournament to which (if I remember correctly) the USBA added a few dollars to the entry fees to make it more interesting--and there was good participation in this from some very good pool players.

For 2009 we were unable to replicate the DCC experience because, as I am sure you know, the main hotel was torn down. So the 2009 National Championship 3-Cushion Tournament was held at Carom Cafe in Queens. However, in another effort to gain pool player exposure, the USBA is helping to support a USBA Regional Qualifier tournament to take place next month at the same venue and the same time as the World Classic (I believe even the same room) at Moody's in Galveston, TX. Also at that time in the same location Mazin Shooni is to be putting on a demonstration/challenge 3-cushion event. Of course the idea is to generate more interest among pool players.
 
Billiardshot, I'm going to stick my neck out.

Here's my credentials: I'm just one of the mushroom members of the USBA and have only posted 89 times in this section.

I'm not going to take offense at the word CRAP. I maybe don't have the guts to say it. Or maybe I don't entirely believe it. I think things are better thanks to Jim over the past 4 years but certainly no where near where anybody wants the Organization or the Game. Tons of work needs to be done if we want the game to be even where it was in the 70's and 80's much less prior like the 30's 40's and 50's.

Here in the Midwest where I live, we used to be a strong player in the tournament circuit. The Midwest has produced National Champions such as George Ashby, and depending on how you want to look at it Allen Gilbert and Harry Sims not to mention some of the old timers of the 20's & 30's. Johnny Layton comes to mind for instance. Maybe he never won I haven't checked.

Now we have a sorry state of affairs.
In the entire State Iowa there are 7 tables with only one being public and I won't waste my time playing on that one. Neither should you.

Missouri we have 6 tables. Missouri is lucky 3 of the 6 are public.

Kansas has 6 public tables. Not aware of any private tables.

Nebraska has 2 tables one public one private. + one 4 footer for the grandkids.

Central and Southern IL there's 4 public tables. Rumor has it there's a private table in Bloomington and maybe a couple at the Universities in Normal and Campaign. Most likely Gold Crowns if they exist. SIU Carbondale used to have a Gold Crown at the Student Center not sure if it's still there. Doubt it.

Back in the day not so long ago you were required to earn your way into the National Championships. It wasn't easy but there was plenty of opportunity with tournaments held in St. Louis, Lawranceville, Chicago, Kansas City, Des Moines, Omaha, Peoria, Decatur, Jacksonville....... Now in order to compete for the National Championship , players simply fork up the cash and play for the Title. It's such a sorry state that's the only way to post a field of players and call it a National Championship Tournament.

Here's what we have for qualifying tournaments that I can realistically reach. One in Marshalltown, IA and a couple in Chicago, maybe if we're lucky, and one in Minneapolis.

Am I supposed to have to live in LA, NY, Miami or Chicago to raise my game? I have only one player at home that can give me a game. And two others in 3 other states. Does that make me a great player or is the game in the dumper? I'll give you 2 guesses and the first one doesn't count.
 
Hey guys We support 3-Cushion Billirds here in Tulsa, OK. that we're openning a Pool Hall (we should be in businness in about 2 weeks)
with 6 Carom Tables (European Convertion Artemis Rubber,Heating System and Simonis 300 Rapide) along with 10 Pool Tables and 1 Snooker Table.
We have about 25 3-Cushion Players (Known) but we hope many more will come when they find out about us.
We're going to have local tournaments, out of state players will be welcome to come too.
I'm going to get my USBA membership pretty quick and I hope I can get most of the players I know become members too.:thumbup:
 
Hey; A few years ago I spent some time in Tulsa, enjoyed it very much. The only place I got to play billiards, was at Magoo's II, an old brunswick, not bad for an old style table, there is a player who is about an 650 to 750 average, Jim witsett, I believe, nice guy. Tell him, if you see him, you heard from Bill Smith. good luck with the room.
 
billiardshot said:
Why Haven't the Board of Director [I won't Name] of USBA done more on AZ Billiards Forum to promote 3 Cushion Billiard.

Bob Watson [Once a member, now a non member--- but will alway support the ladies or junior 3 Cushion billiard] No Respect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!ZZZZZZ

Btw I will support what Dieckman or Paul Frankel would!!!!!!!!! If ask!!!
Click to expand...

I don't know how three cushion is faring in other areas, but here in Virginia Beach, billiard interest is at a all time high. Players wanting to learn, buying tapes and books, etc. Q-Masters is expanding and in the process of seeking a second Gabriel Vision.

Some of that interest is in the efforts of the USBA. Your remarks seem to be a bit harsh. Not with the respect of the typical billiard player that helped gravitate me to three cushion in the first place.
 
billiard dave 7 said:
I don't know how three cushion is faring in other areas, but here in Virginia Beach, billiard interest is at a all time high. Players wanting to learn, buying tapes and books, etc. Q-Masters is expanding and in the process of seeking a second Gabriel Vision.

Some of that interest is in the efforts of the USBA. Your remarks seem to be a bit harsh. Not with the respect of the typical billiard player that helped gravitate me to three cushion in the first place.
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Billiard Dave

Consider yourself lucky. Yes there are pockets where 3-C is played. New York, Chicago, LA, Detroit, Tacoma, Denver and a few others. The problem is the game is dead or dieing in most of the rest of the country. I've been traveling throughout the Midwest for 25 years. Early in my career I would take the phone book out in my hotel room and call to see if the pool halls in town had a table. About 99% of the time the person on the phone didn't even know what I was talking about. Even the owners of the business. Oh you mean snooker? or You mean Bumper Pool? Some of these places had 15 or 20 pool tables and the owner had no clue. That's the problem. Not only are there no tables, there's very few people in the business that even know of this game exists. Take a town like St. Louis and you'll find a half dozen regulars out of a population of a million+ and 3 are in their late 70's.

There was some effort to get some of he young blood into the game with the Junior Nationals and the winner going to Europe for the World title. Not sure if this is still going on or not. Dennis Dieckman put a ton of effort into this and is maybe discouraged. Not sure. Also not sure about the Woman's Nationals either.

From my perspective the USBA spends their bankroll where the game already is prospering which has some merit but if you look at my short list of where this game is played it's tough for players to travel to all those destinations to regularly compete particularly since the expense is all out of pocket.

I believe that some attention should be placed in areas where the game used to be strong but has died off. The seeds are still there they just need to be watered and fertilized. Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Central and Southern IL as an example.

Bottom line I see no effort to revitalize the game. What's happening is support only where the game is still vibrant. Just hang on to what we have position. Sorry about the rest of you guys. If you other guys want a sanctioned tournament we'll throw you a deal on cloth and balls. Good Luck.

And that brings up another point. Things are better than ever with this thanks to Jim's efforts, but really the only reason to join the USBA is to be able to play in a sanctioned tournament. That's it. If you've read this far we have to face up to the chicken and egg story. Be the chicken, and start placing tables around the country. That takes money. How do you get money? One way is to dramatically increase membership. How do you do that? Make it attractive to the masses. There's many other ways to raise money but I'm tired of typing. And you're tired of reading.
 
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