USBTC Professional or not?

Regardless of how it's handled it's gotta be a real chore to try and keep everyone happy AND try and make this profitable

It's damn near impossible, That is why so many have stopped trying and will continue to do so if to much crap like this continues to happen.
 
Unless I just won at the slot machine, carrying a stack of coins and loading a machine are two responsibilities I'd pay to avoid.

Not only are you out of touch with the conditions of players at your event, you don't even know what paying tournament customers enjoy.

I also agree with this quote although I can see now from his further responses that the OP isn't really interested in getting constructive feedback. He just wants to trash Stevie and have people tell him he's right.
 
the way i see it is, people need to decide in what direction they want the state of pool to go. If you want it to become big time? then sacrifices have to made in the lower ranks and i think this is really the bottom line that stevie is mad at. You cant suck and blow at the same time.


when i played hockey i had to buy all my equipment and at the higher levels, the same organization supplying it.
 
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he just called him dumb or his stance on the situation dumb, he didn't harpoon him with his cue.

It wasn't just what he said to Shane, It's for acting like a child who wants his toy back if front of everyone and on live stream. If you have a problem talk about it don't throw a tantrum.

Many people have been put on their ass for much less. Do I agree with that sort of action, most of the time NO.

I personally like Stevie and still do. But, a spade is a spade and he was wrong.
 
im sure he realized after, his timing was off, but hey it happens to all of us one time or another, we get pissed and don't care who is around...shit happens
 
seriously? This is basically stevies job and he thinks he was wronged. Now when i think im getting stiffed at work when it comes to money, i pipe up and say something and the amount has nothing to do with it. This is all he did but i guess his timing was bad! loosen up and stevie will come out of this fine, if not better for speaking up :)

Champster:

Yes, seriously. Let's put our aiming systems bias aside, and look at the big picture. There were others at the same tourney, competed in it, side-by-side with other people, and not one of them complained about having to pump quarters in the table. Stevie was the only one. Again, the basic point -- that you're conveniently missing -- is "penny-wise, dollar-foolish." Like it or not, the whole "Attica! Attica!" scene is going to be remembered for a long time, especially when he tried to rope someone else into it (Shane), and then rudely admonished him when he (Shane) refused.

Timing issue? Sure. There's never a time for this.

-Sean
 
the way i see it is, people need to decide in what direction they want the state of pool to go. If you want it to become big time? then sacrifices have to made in the lower ranks and i think this is really the bottom line that stevie is mad at. You cant suck and blow at the same time.


when i played hockey i had to buy all my equipment and at the higher levels, the same organization supplying it.

See that's the thing. In pool there really is no difference between a lower level and a pro level. I can call my self a pro and go play in the U.S. OPEN . Can I go play the U.S. Open in tennis or golf without at least qualifying first. NO.
Alot of pros act like they are entitled to something. It me me me me me. That additude is why Stevie was in Reno putting coins in a bar box and not on television making real money.
 
Champster:

Yes, seriously. Let's put our aiming systems bias aside, and look at the big picture. There were others at the same tourney, competed in it, side-by-side with other people, and not one of them complained about having to pump quarters in the table. Stevie was the only one. Again, the basic point -- that you're conveniently missing -- is "penny-wise, dollar-foolish." Like it or not, the whole "Attica! Attica!" scene is going to be remembered for a long time, especially when he tried to rope someone else into it (Shane), and then rudely admonished him when he (Shane) refused.

Timing issue? Sure. There's never a time for this.

-Sean

This is why Shane is where he is and Stevie is not. He has the right way of thinking. Shane told him well they have to make money too. Hello, if the promoter doesn't make money there is no more tournament. As the Seminoles
 
Here is what happened from my point of view. Far as I know I was the only guy who was actually there for everything from beginning to end as far as the whole Dollar-Gate issue is concerned. (Henceforth what this drama fest will be referred as....least by me)

Before the tournament started I went to Mark Griffin and asked that the streaming table be opened up. I did this for two reasons:

A. I think it is simply a nice gesture for the guys who are good enough to play on that table.

2. IMO its looks bad having guys stick tokens in a table on a stream.

I didn't go over these reasons with Mark I just ask it be opened up and he said "OK." First streaming match of the event was Stevie Moore vs I Don't Remember (not the players real name...I dont actually remember his name. Sorry) They come down and start happily banging away on the open table frolicking like children in a candy store with the owner away.

Maybe twenty minutes into the stream Mark came up and said he had discussed the issue with staff and they decided to close the table. The main reason being to treat everyone equally. One pays they all pay. Thats a tough point to argue against and I see things both ways but more on that later we got drama to get to.

Flash forward to the hot seat match....Stevie comes down and figures out the tables locked and goes into full on diva mode. I tried to talk to him off to the side and explain what had happened but he already had a full head of indignant steam. You see here was a another case of the Man (I assume this is CSI, TAR and everyone who cant beat him at pool) keeping him (the honest, hard working, and forthright pro pool player) down.

I tried to explain to Stevie that I understood where he was coming from. I hate the Man too you see. I tried to tell him why the table had been closed but he would have none of it he was too busy telling me about all the money I was making off of him by keeping him down. It seems Stevie thinks I am part of the Man. Which while offensive is still so ludicrously hilarious that I wasn't even pissed at him yet for acting like a girl who got felt up at the drive in over the situation. (Points for knowing the reference) Honestly I was waiting for him to start chanting "ATTICA....ATTICA....ATTICA" at any minute. It was all very dramatic.

So Stevie storms out talking boycott....only to return after deciding having the courage of his convictions would mean losing some money. Who would actually ever do that ? Instead of doing what he so dramatically threatened to do..which is basically quit...he goes over to Shane and tries to talk him into boycotting as well. Like the UAW in the bad old days and the Russian revolution and the Civil Rights movement it was time for the down trodden to stand up to the man....except Shane told him "These guys have to make money too" and Stevie replied "You are as fvcking dumb as they are."

As I hope you can tell I tried to be funny up to this point. The reason for that is that I was so pissed off for a couple days after this event I was about ready to start kicking one of the thousands of dogs being walked around the hotel. I'm over it all now.

There is a discussion to be had about streaming and greens fees or putting dollars in tables. There is also a time and manner to have that discussion. Stevie's first instinct was not to talk about the situation...it was to boycott. That a French word that means "I quit instead of wanting to work out the issue at hand" It seems to be the go to strategy for a certain segment of pro pool players.

If Stevie would of had the courage of his convictions and actually went through with it I would still respect him. But he didnt. He went and tried to get someone else to take the heat for his decision with him and when that didnt work out he insulted the guy who seconds before he was approaching as a brother in arms who could understand his plight. Thats when I lost all respect for him. I'm sure that matters as much to him as what he is probably saying about TAR concerns me. I have officially given my last shit for people who would rather stomp their feet and threaten to take their ball and go home than act like an adult and resolve a problem.

I'm done trying to please people who do not understand the basic way the world works. Someone who pays you for doing a job has to receive equal or more value from having that job performed or they will no longer have a motivation or opportunity to pay you to do anything. And just for anyone who isnt following along at home.....people who hold events and add money to them pay professional pool players salaries. If you dont believe it just wait after a few more years of the current BS going on and see what it looks like when no one even wants to fool with the nonsense.

My ending thought is this: If you want to be treated like a professional you have to act like one.

Thanks for the first hand account.

Now I will share that after seeing an interview video of Stevie, reading some other interviews of him, and watching him play, I like Stevie and I am a fan of Stevie.

My opinion that having to feed the tables is a bad way to go has nothing to do with me personally liking Stevie Moore. I agree that if one pays all should pay though. No one should have to pay by the game though. It should be obvious by now that the majority agree that there are better ways to collect that revenue.

Finally, I'm disappointed Stevie lost his cool and did and said the things I am reading here. It sucks and I'm sorry you had to deal with it.
 
Champster:

Yes, seriously. Let's put our aiming systems bias aside, and look at the big picture. There were others at the same tourney, competed in it, side-by-side with other people, and not one of them complained about having to pump quarters in the table. Stevie was the only one. Again, the basic point -- that you're conveniently missing -- is "penny-wise, dollar-foolish." Like it or not, the whole "Attica! Attica!" scene is going to be remembered for a long time, especially when he tried to rope someone else into it (Shane), and then rudely admonished him when he (Shane) refused.

Timing issue? Sure. There's never a time for this.

-Sean

sean, i agree the timing of stevies outburst was off, he had a lapse in judgement i guess, we all do once in a while, some are bigger than others, we are only human.
 
By your way of thinking all American Idol guests should be paid because theyre making a profit off of the contestants. Or perhaps people such as Kelly Clarkson were happy just to have a televised event to showcase their talent in hopes of sponsors/ record deal?

In response to your local tournament that has a sliding green fee: you know what's alot easier than assigning handicaps to hundreds of people in an open national tournament?? Dropping quarters! You go deep.. You pay more. You go 2 and out... You pay less. Crazy huh??

Damn! Somebody already took my response.

I wanted to be the first to point out how it would look if each American Idol contestant had to pump money into the Karaoke machine before every performance.
 
Tournaments like the USBTC should go to a green fee and open the tables. The events in Vegas have moved towards doing that and it is better. Instead of charging $1 a game charge a $25 green fee and open the tables.

AGREED

Putting that type of image out there and into the public eye makes this sport look cheap, it hurts it's image and the image of a "professional" pool player, and that hurts the growth of this sport. It simply looks terrible for this sport when Shane Van Boeing is kneeling down in between games to plug a token into a table to get the balls out, it looks cheap and tacky and that is the last thing pool needs to put out there as its image.

I don't agree, this was an amateur event. Charging per game most likely went towards bringing the tables in in the first place. It's part of the business model. Everyone in the event should be treated the same regardless of what table they play on.

...it should have been "are you serious, you are going to make me and SVB plug the table in a streamed semi final? That looks tacky, here is $20 cash, now do this sport a favor and open up the table so you don't make the pros in this sport look like chumps."

Tacky? Chumps? Really? do you feel like a chump every time you plug a table? I don't, it never even crossed my mind.
 
In the corporate world when an incident occurs that is viewed as a negative event the first actions taken are to determine exactly what happened, why it happened, and, most importantly, what to do to reduce the probability that a similar incident will occur in the future.

What Happened
A player overacts negatively when he finds out that he must use tokens on the streaming table. He did not do so when playing on any of the tables that were not streamed.

Why It Happened
In prior years the streaming table was open.
The only other time during this tourney said player was on the streaming table it was open.
At the beginning of the tourney Management decided the streaming table should be open.
Later, after the tourney had begun Management decided the streaming table should not be open.
This change after the tourney had started was not clearly announced by Management to all the players.

Actions Needed to Reduce the Probability of a Future Repeat on the Incident

Management needs to strive to avoid making changes in the rules/procedures after the tourney begin.
Management needs to make sure that all rules/regulations/procedures are explained in detail to the players both in written form and during the players meetings with special emphasis on any changes from prior years or any that may be controversial.
Should such changes still need to be made Management must assure that all players have been informed of such changes as soon as possible.

This in no way excuses said player for his actions. However, it does show that management actions/decisions certainly contributed to the incident.
 
This is a complex issue, requiring thinking beyond typical knee-jerk reaction. Which I suppose is why some people here are not getting it.

It it about the coins being put in the tables ? No

Is it about a TD calling out a player publicly ? No

But thanks for trying to obfuscate the issue in order to excuse yet another prima-donna that the game would surely not miss.

Is it about one person going full diva mode ? Yes

Is it about one person telling the TAR folks to "f*ck off" ? Yes

Is it about one person thinking if someone is making money then he is losing money ? Yes

And most importantly, is it about one person thinking he's more important than the game ? Yes
 
sometimes yes and sometimes no! here is the entry fee to a tour around my area.

Skill Level Entry Fee
10-11′s —– $90 These are the people who will tell you they don't mind paying the extra because they will be cashing in
8-9′s ——- $70DEAD MONEY %80 of the time(yes I made the stat up)
6-7′s ——- $50DEAD MONEY
4-5′s ——- $30DEAD MONEY

John mora plays in this and he is rated a 12 and usually wins when he up here.

Handicapped entry fees are nothing new, once paid all players should be treated the same.
 
the way i see it is, people need to decide in what direction they want the state of pool to go. If you want it to become big time? then sacrifices have to made in the lower ranks and i think this is really the bottom line that stevie is mad at. You cant suck and blow at the same time.


when i played hockey i had to buy all my equipment and at the higher levels, the same organization supplying it.

Apples and hand grenades. Their are no pro pool events in the US except for the Challenge of Champions. Every other one now running is an OPEN event. Which means bangers and the best in the world compete evenly. The positives of this are that the banger gets to play against top players and the top players get access to dead money.

Don't want to play by open event rules ? Go make a pro tour. Evidently lots of people are making tons of money off "pro" players backs so why dont the pro's just put on events and take all the money for themselves ? I know one guy who put his money where his mouth is and that is Corey Deuel when he did his tournament a few years ago. I think it only cost him about $30K or so.

I see people compare pool to other things and leave out the most basic things. It makes me wonder if they know how things work in the real world.
 
Hmm, a pro who expects the world and wants it for free...this is a new concept. This is exactly why pool has been in the toilet for years, Stevie needs to be thankful that someone puts on events of this magnitude and allows him to do what he loves to earn a living.

Until the time comes that players realize that sponsors need more than someone with a pulse and a bad attitude to represent them, pool will continue to die a slow death. Every time I see horrible behavior, forfeits, on camera tirades and players insulting the people/companies who are willing to put up their hard earned cash to run these events I quietly hope that the well dries up and these self-righteous pool losers are forced to look for a real job.
 
Totally agree. I thought it was tacky seeing these pros put coins in the table while being in a tournament. Raise the entry fee to cover expenses.

Bingo...charge a greens fee if you must, but feeding coins is unprofessional in it's own right. I mean, a top tournament isn't saturday night at the local suds bucket.
 
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