Vote for the IPT Future -- IPT players only

[JAM]

Two days running, and only 17 votes, some of which were not IPT members or IPT qualfier players.

If you know an IPT member and/or IPT qualifier player who does not have e-mail access, please PM me.

If I can verify the IPT player's vote via the AzBilliards member, I can get their vote cast in this poll.

I am going to cast a vote for Billy Incardona using my AzBilliards' name of JAM. So, when you see my name, it represents Billy Incardona's vote!

JAM

 

[JAM]

I am going to cast a vote for Billy Incardona using my AzBilliards' name of JAM. So, when you see my name, it represents Billy Incardona's vote!

Well, this really sucks. Now that I have cast my vote for Billy Incardona, I cannot see the names on the poll anymore, only the numbers of votes for each of the selections.

JAM

 

[thebestpoolroom]

IPT Poll

scale down the payouts. ipt is good for pool. keep it going kt.

john

 

[MFB]

Well, this really sucks. Now that I have cast my vote for Billy Incardona, I cannot see the names on the poll anymore, only the numbers of votes for each of the selections.

JAM

I hope this helps

View Poll Results: Should the IPT continue?
This poll will close on 02-09-2007 at 05:15 AM

Yes. Keep it going and don't change a thing!
cuetique 1 5.00%

Yes. Scale down the tournament payouts and build a more feasible tour platform.
Buzzer, dabarbr, Danny Harriman, i210mfu, Island Drive, JAM, JimS, Keith McCready, Marvel, MissQ, Mr. J, nineballpaul, thebestpoolroom 13 65.00%

No. Not until the Reno payouts are paid in full.
billlaur, jay helfert, memikey, SILVER__WOMBAT, Tim-n-NM 5 25.00%

No. I do not want to participate in the IPT anymore.
travis trotter 1 5.00%

Voters: 20.

 

[tonyc]

Its been a long time since I visited this IPT discussion. I have totaly lost intrest in the IPT and just want to move on. I have voted no to the IPT ever starting up again epecially with the same people involved.
the trust factor has long gone. I think anyone that recieves any money from here in good luck because i think they will need it.
Tony Crosby

 

[returnofthemac]

The IPT should and hopefully will strive to succeed,but i beleive that the prize structure needs looking at,and obviously we shouldnt hit another ball until we are all payed in full,
This tour needs to suceed for all the committment the players have already given to the IPT Rob Mckenna

 

[JAM]

It's great to get a little dialogue going in this thread. I was hoping that opinions would come forth.

Thanks to all who responded!

JAM

 

[Roy Steffensen]

The IPT is dead. The funeral will be held in mid April.

However, I believe that the IPT was the start of something that WPA should work on with. With the right management it is possible to make a successful tour for the worlds professionals!!

Now we can only pray and hope that there will be some more checks coming to the players...

 

[JAM]

The IPT is dead. The funeral will be held in mid April.

Say it ain't so. I hate mid April. It's tax deadline in the States, April 15th, the worst time of year for me.

However, I believe that the IPT was the start of something that WPA should work on with. With the right management it is possible to make a successful tour for the worlds professionals!!

There is one school of thought that the WPA is another can of worms, at least for American pool players, but I do understand your thought that the WPA can try to improve on its platform.

Now we can only pray and hope that there will be some more checks coming to the players...

Roy, I'm not sure how quickly the checks are arriving to our brethren of players overseas, but here in the States, they have been arriving as stated in the IPT e-mails, whether from Kevin Trudeau, Jon Denny, or Deno Andrews.

I would like to mention that each check has a stub attached to it, and it details the amount of monies paid to date and the amount of monies still owed.

As of the time of this writing, two-thirds of the Reno tournament payouts are still owed, to those who received three checks thus far.

I think that collectively we all do agree on one thing, that the IPT players get paid.

God bless pool players around the world. I have a feeling that there are going to be tough times ahead. In the United States, there currently is no existing organization governing the men pro players. The UPA is taking a hiatus, the IPT is en banc, and the BCA, as an industry member organization, does not provide guidance to American professional men players.

We've got some GREAT regional tours here in the United States, but what the future holds for American male pro players is anybody's guess as this juncture!

JAM

 

[JAM]

I received another vote via e-mail from a representative for Earl Strickland.

Earl's choice is No. 3.

JAM

 

[Jimk]

I received another vote via e-mail from a representative for Earl Strickland.

Earl's choice is No. 3.

JAM

The response you have gotten to your poll speaks volumes about pool players and their culture. I can't remember the last time I ran into someone who didn't have access to a computer. When pool players give up their culture and join mainstream America, they will have a better chance of becoming a mainstream sport. KT was shocked to see how players lived. Anyone who has been around pool much knows what a dog eat dog world it is and that pool players get by on very little money. I am generalizing. I know there are some players who have done fairly well, but as a group they just get by. Pool players have got to learn to look beyond today and beyond their own selfish needs. I am a big fan of pool and pool players. It would be great to see a real tour and real tournaments without players making savers or dumping matches.

 

[JAM]

The response you have gotten to your poll speaks volumes about pool players and their culture. I can't remember the last time I ran into someone who didn't have access to a computer. When pool players give up their culture and join mainstream America, they will have a better chance of becoming a mainstream sport. KT was shocked to see how players lived. Anyone who has been around pool much knows what a dog eat dog world it is and that pool players get by on very little money. I am generalizing. I know there are some players who have done fairly well, but as a group they just get by. Pool players have got to learn to look beyond today and beyond their own selfish needs. I am a big fan of pool and pool players. It would be great to see a real tour and real tournaments without players making savers or dumping matches.

Your generalization is noted, though I disagree with it vehemently.

I know MANY, MANY, MANY people who do not use the Internet, and guess what, they aren't pool players.

Me personally, I think it would be difficult to know what it is like to be a pool player in America unless you walked in their shoes, faced the same circumstances, and lived the life they did.

Generalizations and stereotypes don't display the whole picture, IMHO.

However, it is very revealing on how the American pool culture feels about its American professional players. That is why the existing lot of so-called "professional players" is currently dwindling.

Don't worry, though, Jimk, because they are, indeed, a dying breed. Then the American pool culture will be finally content when those awful American "professional" pool players are extinct.

It's like feed the monkey and watch him sh*t!

JAM

 

[Scottster]

Hi Jen,

To view the names on the poll, click on any of the numeric vote totals an the right, and it will bring up the public listing.

Personally, I would like to see the players paid first, then continue with the tour at a compromisable prize fund.

 

[cueman]

I played several IPT prequalifier tournaments, so I hope I was supposed to vote. I voted #2 but actually would only want to see #2 done after #3. Trust would never be there if #3 is not done. The players have to be paid and then a scaled back tour would be great.

 

[JAM]

Hi Jen,

To view the names on the poll, click on any of the numeric vote totals an the right, and it will bring up the public listing.

Personally, I would like to see the players paid first, then continue with the tour at a compromisable prize fund.

WOW. Thank you! That's the ticket!

It was a bummer not to see who voted.

I'm waiting on an e-mail from a representative of Dee Adkins and Chris Bartrum and will post up their votes as soon as they are received!

JAM

 

[JAM]

I played several IPT prequalifier tournaments, so I hope I was supposed to vote. I voted #2 but actually would only want to see #2 done after #3. Trust would never be there if #3 is not done. The players have to be paid and then a scaled back tour would be great.

Yes, you most definitely should vote as you have invested monies into competing on the IPT.

Thanks for your vote!

JAM

 

[Jimk]

Your generalization is noted, though I disagree with it vehemently.

I know MANY, MANY, MANY people who do not use the Internet, and guess what, they aren't pool players.

Me personally, I think it would be difficult to know what it is like to be a pool player in America unless you walked in their shoes, faced the same circumstances, and lived the life they did.

Generalizations and stereotypes don't display the whole picture, IMHO.

However, it is very revealing on how the American pool culture feels about its American professional players. That is why the existing lot of so-called "professional players" is currently dwindling.

Don't worry, though, Jimk, because they are, indeed, a dying breed. Then the American pool culture will be finally content when those awful American "professional" pool players are extinct.

It's like feed the monkey and watch him sh*t!

JAM

Jam, you misunderstand me. I have nothing against professional pool players. I don't have to walk in their shoes to know they have a hard time getting by. My question is, why after so many years, is there still no professional men's tour? The blame has to fall on the men themselves. They are not victims.

 

[JAM]

Jam, you misunderstand me. I have nothing against professional pool players. I don't have to walk in their shoes to know they have a hard time getting by. My question is, why after so many years, is there still no professional men's tour?

Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians, IMHO!

The blame has to fall on the men themselves. They are not victims.

I see it from another angle.

Here in the United States, we open our tournaments to all foreign players. European players have emigrated to the U.S. because the tournament payouts in the States are higher than their homeland, in most instances, and then, believe it or not, we have an abundanace of competitive opportunities compared to Europe.

The Filipino Invasion occurred 20 years ago, with Jose Parica leading the way. When the Filipinos got a taste of playing 9-ball rotation in the States on pristine equipment, compared to 15-ball rotation in their homeland on inferior equipment, they came, they saw, and they conquered.

America has turned its back on American players. The BCA (Billiards Congress of AMERICA) in recent times granted a newly formed UPA the right to be the governing body of professional pool. Everybody has their own opinion about the success and/or failure of the UPA, but guess what, the UPA membership includes players from around the world.

Some American cue makers are making a killing selling their custom-made cues overseas. Here in the States, the majority of Americans would rather purchase production cues that are made overseas. The irony of it all.

When I'm watching the Olympics, I like pulling for the home team. Here in the States, there is no home team when it comes to pool. The existing lot of American pool players is dwindling. Soon they will be extinct, and when this happens, there will be no more pool in America. It will join the ranks of cricket.

I don't blame the American pro players. They remind me of the great American buffalo. When it comes to pool, there ain't no home for these American buffalo to roam.

JAM

 

[Stones]

I run a regional tour in Texas.

When a player joins the Tour, he/she fills out a membership form which includes a line for email addresses.

Approximately 38% of the male members and 78% of the female members list an email address with an overall average of 43% for the entire membership.

We saw a substantial jump in the male member email list with the advent of online poker sites becoming so popular over the last few years.

Email is our major contact with our membership with phone contact and snail mail following.

Just hought you might like some stats.

Stones

 

[ironman]

I run a regional tour in Texas.

When a player joins the Tour, he/she fills out a membership form which includes a line for email addresses.

Approximately 38% of the male members and 78% of the female members list an email address with an overall average of 43% for the entire membership.

We saw a substantial jump in the male member email list with the advent of online poker sites becoming so popular over the last few years.

Email is our major contact with our membership with phone contact and snail mail following.

Just hought you might like some stats.

Stones

IMO, the IPT chose the internet to promote the tour for many reasons, but obviously, #1 was the cost effectivness { and I know a little about that}.
It though, is not the reason for it's failure and far from it. Sure some didn't apply quickly enough, and that would have probably happened anyway.

We look for too many excuses. The image of the game??? I get sick of hearing this one. The IMAGE has never been better. Is it perfect? of course not and never will be. Dumping matches is more often than not speculation and overly active imaginations who wish they were in that position. Savers? What is the harm? That ain't dumping, it is self preservation.

The pro players of today have pride and intergrity and want to win. There just ain't much to win and after a while, it exhausts one. Having spent most of my life on the road and playing in every state in this big country, I know that most don't understand how much one has to love this game to survive it. You work and work at it and more often than not, the return really just ain't worth it. You live day in and day out convincing yourself that you have a talent and that what you do is okay no matter how much or haw many ridicule you and make jokes of you. Your heart is challenged each and every day and at the end of the day only you can answer, is it worth it.

To some, yes it is worth it and to most, no, you are an idiot.

Today it is more about the business than it was years ago and todays business world is tough and very complicated. One must excell and market himself to a group who have very little intrest in the sport/game.

The IPT did not fail because of Internet availabililty or computer literacy. It failed because it was a bad business plan from the start and one built on deciet. THE MONEY WAS NEVER THERE and THEREFORE IT NEVER HAD A CHANCE> So, what is there to continue with? What would make it better or worth exploring furtherly?

The IPT did not fail because of the players either!!! SOmeone should have been in Orlando to ask some simple business questions and repesent the players and i suspect that it was a costly lesson. Still, the players as a whole, did their part and what was asked of them. They are not the blame.

Pool needs to be revamped from the ground up. It is in the crapper. It needs bold initiative and and even bolder leadership. It will not come from within though. It must come from the outside. A solid pro tour would be the result of this initiative and leadership. Within any structure, there comes a point where someone has to stand up and declare,"stop the maddness"!

I agree with Jam, there ain't much land for this Buffalo to roam.

All hiways lead to where you are going.