We reap what we sow John Lewis.

[CaptiveBred]

btw who are you and what have you done?

I am nobody and just an observer who has no business telling KT how to run any of his businesses... That makes two of us... All I have done for pool is dump thousands in local pool halls over the years. And thousands in equiptment. More than most people. Ask my wife Of course my opinion means something. Thats why you check your threads and posts. To see the feedback. thats why we all participate in forums. Otherwise we would just open up notepad to pen our thoughts

Unless you have discussed this issue with me personally you really don't have a clue how I feel and your opinion means virtually nothing.

My clues are just that.. clues... Clues from your posts that your finger tips delivered to the forums. My opinion of you is based on how you represent yourself on the IPT issue. Read some of your own posts and see how you come off. Unreasonable and stubborn about the whole issue. Thats just how I, and several others, read you.

I have not read all your posts so you may have answered this already. I'll ask anyways.

Why can't KT run his business the way he wants to? Is there something wrong with that? Why does he have to care about his competitors? I want to know why KT has to.

Don't you think its unfair of you to require KT to group up with the WPA? That should be his choice since its his money. I can respect that. Why can't you?

Why don't you blame the players? They are the ones who will ruin the other tours... Not KT. Agree?

The players can play where they are invited to play. That may be the IPT or a WPA sanctioned event. Its their choice... Not KT's. Agree?

You seem to put the blame on KT but its the players who will decide not to show up for the smaller tours. Won't they be responsible for the collapse of non IPT events? What if they all got nine to fives? Would their employers be responsible for the US Open?


Obviously, you do not respect KT as a person but you should respect, and accept, his freedom of choice. He owes you, and pool nothing. If the IPT folded today, he has already left the players for the better.

I really would like to read sincere answers to the questions. It could help determine if your position is mental/emotional or that of a realistic position on the subject.


I like the IPT and the excitement it has brought pool. I think its great. Too bad this era in pool will be dark for you. The rest of us are going to remember it as good times and a real nice change for our sport/game. You should try to enjoy it. Afterall, your enjoyment of the game and all its goingson is all you have controll over. Be positive BJ. Its all about your enjoyment. Its a game, not brain surgery

 

[Blackjack]

I will answer all of your questions, but I love the fact that you have twisted all of my views on the situation. I have never BLAMED KT fot anything nor do I ever remember "requiring" Kevin to do anything.

I have not read all your posts so you may have answered this already. I'll ask anyways.

The fact that you have not read any of my posts should turn a light in that says that your opinion of my position may be flawed. Don't you think?

Why can't KT run his business the way he wants to? Is there something wrong with that? Why does he have to care about his competitors? I want to know why KT has to.

Who is telling him to run his business any other way than what he wants? Nobody. He was invited into the world organization and the sanctioning fees are commensurate with the prize fund. Bigger prize fund, bigger sanctioning fees. You keep skipping around the facts that Kevin was unhappy with that and he decided that he did not want to be part of the organization. The WPA statement by Ian Anderson outlines the position of the WPA. If the message seems harsh, well so is business. The WPA has every right to protect their own interests. Nobody has ever told him to how to run his tour, mainly because he isolated the IPT from the outset.

On the flip end of your question, a separate body set up to protect the players would be non IPT funded and non IPT regulated. It would be set up to protect the interests of the players in the event that the IPT folded. It would protect them from being out of a job and without a tour to play on. I'm sure Kevin has something set up to protect him, why can't the players have something where they are not left out in the cold like they were in 1998? No player that I have spoken with has said that this is a bad idea. Those players range from unknowns to hall of famers. This would not be set up to tell KT how to run his business at all. This would assist the players in legal matters and arbitration. This way the players have some say so in what goes on with their future. They will be treated like people instead of circus animals. Why is it that you think this is a bad thing?

Don't you think its unfair of you to require KT to group up with the WPA? That should be his choice since its his money. I can respect that. Why can't you?

Listen, it was his choice to break off communications. This is from his own admission. He can do whatever likes, but then again the same can be said for the WPA. If he doesn't want to be part of the established world body, that's his own business, but when he says they have done absolutely nothing for pool - he is dead wrong and I have every right to point that out, and so does John Lewis, Jorgen Sandman, and Ian Anderson. Personally I could care less what he does with his money.

Why don't you blame the players? They are the ones who will ruin the other tours... Not KT. Agree?

Wow... in a desperate attempt to sound intelligent you try to create a wedge between the players and I. How clever.

The players will go where the money is, plain and simple. Its about survival. Ask any player I have spoken to about the IPT - I have encouraged every one of them to do their best and to take advantage of this situation, however, I have told them to be extremely careful. I have also told them not to burn bridges with the smaller tours. The players are in the position where they must choose. That is because of the IPT, not anybody else. The WPA will go on with or without the IPT, and likewise, the IPT will go on without the WPA.

The players can play where they are invited to play. That may be the IPT or a WPA sanctioned event. Its their choice... Not KT's. Agree?

Not if they are signed to an exclusivity contract with the IPT. That would be the player's decision, but what you are asking has been experienced before with the Camel Pro Tour. The players decided, other tours were shut out in the cold and they eventually folded, and in the end the players were left with nothing and everybody sat there pointing fingers at each other. I would much rather see the IPT succeed, grow, and flourish than to see that happen again. That is why I hope KT will re-open the lines of comunication with the world body. Nobody there is after his money or trying to control what he has established.

You seem to put the blame on KT but its the players who will decide not to show up for the smaller tours. Won't they be responsible for the collapse of non IPT events? What if they all got nine to fives? Would their employers be responsible for the US Open?

Who is blaming KT for anything? KT is being given misinformation from people that have virtually no knowledge of the WPA/WCBS, or by those that have a grudge to settle with the WPA/WCBS. By this I am saying that he is been given poor advisement in his dealings with the World Organizaions, and that isn't fair to Kevin and its definitely not fair to the players.

Your US Open question has nothing to do with this conversation.

Obviously, you do not respect KT as a person

THESE ARE YOUR WORDS, NOT MINE. FTR, NICE TRY AT PUTTING WORDS INTO MY MOUTH.

but you should respect, and accept, his freedom of choice. He owes you, and pool nothing. If the IPT folded today, he has already left the players for the better.

In what way? lol. Perhaps the 150 players on the list have made some cash,but that does include everybody? Tell that to CJ Wiley or Reed Pierce or Jeannette Lee. If it folded today they would have gotten nothing out of it, and that's a shame.

I really would like to read sincere answers to the questions. It could help determine if your position is mental/emotional or that of a realistic position on the subject.


I like the IPT and the excitement it has brought pool. I think its great. Too bad this era in pool will be dark for you. The rest of us are going to remember it as good times and a real nice change for our sport/game. You should try to enjoy it. Afterall, your enjoyment of the game and all its goingson is all you have controll over. Be positive BJ. Its all about your enjoyment. Its a game, not brain surgery

First of all, I love the way you address this situation in the terms that you should have all along. Take that whatever way you want to. This is not a dark era for pool. I have said all along that the IPT is a great thing for the players - monetarily. However, it is not representative of what many want for pool. 8 Ball may get you excited (or is it the money - be honest). The IPT is good for the money, but is it good for pool in the long term or the short term? Have they committed themselves to supporting the sport in all areas, including player development at the lowest level? Probably not. 25 years ago you did not have the international group of players that you do today. A large reason that the best players are coming from Europe in Asia is because of the programs set in place by work done behind the scenes by people that you have never heard of. It was fitting that an EPBF bred player won the last event. Thorsten is a product of how much the game of pocket billiards has grown in Germany and Europe. I was over there when all of that work started. Were you?

You alluded to the fact that I am upset that I am either not a part of the IPT or that I am upset because I am not playing. I don't need the money and I am not desperately wishing and hoping that the IPT succeeds. Whether or not it succeeds is not going to effect my life very much personally or financially. There are players that need this to succeed like they need air to breathe. I realize that. Does the IPT? I hope that they do and that they take measures to fine tune their organization for the sake of the players. I say that because I don't think they'll have anywhere to go if the IPT fails - UNLESS

somebody realizes the weaknesses in the IPT structure and takes advantage of those weaknesses. Then the players could be faced with another decision, or at least they would have a choice. It all comes down to whether or not you have a vision and your working towards something. The IPT is trying to give the players the illusion that they have arrived at some great vision, but is it really what they wanted or are they just settling for the cash? I believe that there is a market out there for 9 ball,10 ball, banks, one pocket, and straight pool. There is also a market to display our game in its truest form to the public.

Pool has failed miserably because we keep trying to present it as something its not. Present it as what it is and it will reap the rewards that it deserves. Present the action at the table, on the rail, and behind the scenes. Present it honestly and accurately and the public will be enthralled with it just like you and I were when we were drawn to the game. Just a thought.

 

[JAM]

It's hard to fathom that 2 weeks from today, a pool player will be pocketing $500,000. Never in my lifetime did I ever expect to see pool players competing for this kind of dough.

It was about 5 years ago when I first ventured off into the wild blue younder on the American tournament trail with a renewed enthusiasm for pool. I met some of the name-brand players I had only read about as a young'n, was introduced to some new ones I had never heard of before, and it was a thrill for me to see pool up front and close.

As hard as I tried to attend every single event within my reach, the American tournament trail I experienced was riddled with political potholes and stop signs. I didn't let it stop me and mine, though, from continuing on to as many events as were financially feasible and within our reach, and I intend to keep on traveling the American tournament trail. Some of my fondest memories are from the U.S. Open, the Skins Billiards Championship, the action table at the Super Billiards Expo, the independently run events as well as so many excellent stops along the regional tournament trail.

There is a buzz going on around the world today within pool circles. Road agents, bar-box mechanics, gamblers, Hall of Famers, retired pros, and aspiring players are now honing their skills to become the best that they can be because of a new horizon that awaits them. From here on in, the only requirement is to bring your best game to the table. Gone are the days of hand-picked favorites to participate in high-profile events. There now exists a LEVEL PLAYING FIELD with real rules and money, open to men and women of any nationality, religion, creed or color. And guess what, the pool players are going to earn a decent living for a change instead of the six-figured employees of some organizations who seem to forget that pool players like to eat too.

I tire of reading the thoughts of others who keep downgrading and ripping apart every single move made by the IPT as they go forward, just as much as I'm sure they tire of reading my thoughts on the positives about the organization as a whole and what it means to every single pool player I know.

But this is my post, and as such, I will state that it is my belief that the IPT is truly the change agent that pool has needed. A pool player earning $500,000 in a tournament, who'd have thunk it! Two weeks from today, some player's life will be changed forever. He or she will be afforded opportunities never before dreamed of. Not since "The Color of Money" has there been so much electricity generated.

We all are going to be a part of it, whether as a railbird, a forum reader, a fan, an industry member, or a pool player. Pool as we have known it will never be the same. I am very happy for the players I know who are competing in the World Open and can't wait to see who comes out on top in Reno, only 2 short weeks away.

Hey, I got an idea. Let's have a fillibuster thread on the IPT. Now, doesn't that sound like fun?!

JAM

 

[!Smorgass Bored]

JAM suggests:
Hey, I got an idea. Let's have a fillibuster thread on the IPT. Now, doesn't that sound like fun?!


LOL, that's a good idea. I think that I'll sit here and read it by the light of the burning bridges.

Doug

 

[eg8r]

I will answer all of your questions, but I love the fact that you have twisted all of my views on the situation. I have never BLAMED KT fot anything nor do I ever remember "requiring" Kevin to do anything.

I have not read all your posts so you may have answered this already. I'll ask anyways.

The fact that you have not read any of my posts should turn a light in that says that your opinion of my position may be flawed. Don't you think?

So Blackjack, you will answer the questions but you thought he was twisting your views, and by mentioning this you let him know you don't like it. Fair enough. Why then, do you begin twisting his words IN THE VERY FIRST ANSWER?. He said he had not read "all" of you posts. This does not mean he has not read "any" of your posts (is it not apparent to you that he must have at least read some). Why do you chastise him for acting a certain way, and then the first chance you have, you do the very same thing?

eg8r

 

[Dr. Dissent]

You have it all wrong....

Right from the start the WPA attempted to take control of the IPT. When that failed you attempted to discredit it and destroy it before it could get started. And now it is a smashing success despite the WPA.

The WPA started the bad blood. It was in your abilities to welcome the IPT and attempt to work with Kevin in a respectful manner. Instead you decided to be hard asses and now you are on the loosing end of playing that card. Tough shit for you and all your events that hold your sanction. This is what you get for running the whole of professional pool like a bunch of thugs trying to maintain a monopoly over the sport that kept you comfortable in a slackass job that gave you lots of travel and entertainment expenses while the pool players struggled to make a living.

Dont sit there now acting all innocent and pretending that the IPT is picking on you without reason. Hell alot of us were pretty pissed off about the BCA being torn apart JOHN, that was NOT for the players, it was for YOUR ego and nothing more. You were all a bunch of idiots, you are all STILL a bunch of idiots, and now you are paying for it.

You have it all wrong....

The WPA did not attempt to take control of the IPT, it was the other way around. The harm done by the IPT is unmeasurable. We no longer see enthusiasm for the established events; the IPT changed the rules, playing conditions, etc., that players were already accustomed to. They (IPT) sought out to destroy everything that was already accomplished and was fitting/falling into place.

The IPT could have adopted the existing playing conditions (specially fast cloth). The transition from 9 ball to 8 ball would have been easier for the players and pool room owners. The IPT has created a huge mess, and at the end they will definitely fail.

Your attack on John Lewis is ludicrous. It only denotes you do not know what you are talking about. At the end, everyone will have to realize that the WPA was correct in not supporting the IPT. The most troubling thought about all this is that the players will once again lose at the end.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

You have it all wrong....

The WPA did not attempt to take control of the IPT, it was the other way around. The harm done by the IPT is unmeasurable. We no longer see enthusiasm for the established events; the IPT changed the rules, playing conditions, etc., that players were already accustomed to. They (IPT) sought out to destroy everything that was already accomplished and was fitting/falling into place.

The IPT could have adopted the existing playing conditions (specially fast cloth). The transition from 9 ball to 8 ball would have been easier for the players and pool room owners. The IPT has created a huge mess, and at the end they will definitely fail.

LOL "accomplished and was fitting/falling into place" ------WTF?! It's been the same for years!! Pool players battling thru fields of the world's best players, and if all the rolls go their way, they get to earn 10 grand for first place....is that what you call accomplishment? At the same time the people who organize these events are making a killing!! Wake the hell up! It's a given that you are either a member or close friend to one of the organizations, so don't bother to argue that. But your statements are beyond pathetic! Do you really believe in what you are saying? Holy cow man you are slow.

 

[pooltchr]

You have it all wrong....

The WPA did not attempt to take control of the IPT, it was the other way around. The harm done by the IPT is unmeasurable. We no longer see enthusiasm for the established events; the IPT changed the rules, playing conditions, etc., that players were already accustomed to. They (IPT) sought out to destroy everything that was already accomplished and was fitting/falling into place.

.

I guess that's why so many players are entering qualifiers to try and get into the IPT events. Other organizations have been around for years, and done virtually nothing for the players. Look at all the threads complaining about the sad state of professional pool over the past years. Now comes the IPT paying out millions in just a few short months. Players from all over the world are doing everything they can to be a part of the IPT.

The IPT is attempting (and it would seem, succeeding) to do what no other organization has been able to do...give professional players an opportunity to actually make a living playing pool. That was not the case before the IPT came along. Open your eyes!!!
Steve

 

[tedkaufman]

Dr. Dissent: You have it all wrong....

Really ...? Let's see ...

You have it all wrong....

Really ...? Let's see ...

The WPA did not attempt to take control of the IPT, it was the other way around.
The fact is, the WPA attempted to extort sanctioning fees from the IPT. And given that the WPA standard is to extort a percentage for sanctioning, the super high prize money paid out by the IPT would have meant a substantial amount of money. And for what? What the hell does the IPT need with the WPA? Nothing! The IPT in no way attempted to "take control of the WPA," as you stated. If you have some substantiation of this claim, please offer it. What the IPT did do is disregard the WPA, and rightfully so.

The harm done by the IPT is unmeasurable.
What harm, much less "unmeasurable harm" (sic)?

We no longer see enthusiasm for the established events;
What events? Any that are worthwhile are supported at least as well as ever.

the IPT changed the rules, playing conditions, etc., that players were already accustomed to.
The IPT did not change anything. The IPT ESTABLISHED its own conditions and rules, which it had ever right to do. And the players had every right to boycott the IPT events if they didn't like the conditions. Moreover, no rules or conditions established by the IPT should have any effect whatsoever on whatever conditions the WPA wants for its events. As should be perfectly clear to you, the IPT is in no way part of the WPA.

They (IPT) sought out to destroy everything that was already accomplished and was fitting/falling into place.
A hysterical and absurd claim. Provide an example if you wish statements like this to be taken seriously.

The IPT could have adopted the existing playing conditions (specially fast cloth).
The IPT chose what it chose for its agenda--to identify the best players in the world using slow cloth and tight pockets. All one has to do is look at the prize money list to see how well they have accomplished that end.

The transition from 9 ball to 8 ball would have been easier for the players and pool room owners.
I know about half a dozen players who've participated in the IPT events. To an individual--no exceptions--they have been emphatically supportive of the IPT, its events, choice of game and conditions.

The IPT has created a huge mess, and at the end they will definitely fail.
Another insipid, hysterical statement with no basis in fact.

Your attack on John Lewis is ludicrous. It only denotes you do not know what you are talking about. At the end, everyone will have to realize that the WPA was correct in not supporting the IPT. The most troubling thought about all this is that the players will once again lose at the end.
Yeah, you can just look down the money list to see how much the players have lost. Open your eyes, pal. You are ignoring a wealth of fact while lost in your state of delirium

 

[djkx1]

My opinion fwiw is that the IPT may or may not be great for the top pro's. If all goes as planned, it will be very profitable for the elite. However I have not seen evidence that they have anything but ther own interests in mind. That may also be said of other organizations, however the lower level players such as myself find those others very important. Without some of these there would be very little in the way of competition and advancement. Unless the IPT shows interest in helping the developement of lower level and new players, there will always be a need for the "others". Hopefully the IPT doesn't jeopardize these. If one considers the entire pool population, I think it woud be fair to say we could do without the IPT better than we could do without the rest. If its possible, I would like to see all parties do well.

 

[pooltchr]

I don't think you will see any change in the regional tours because of the IPT. If anything, there should be more interest in them, particularly as the non-IPT players use them to develop their skills to the higher level required to play on the IPT. I wouldn't be surprised to see a couple of new 8-ball tours start up...sort of a "minor league" venue for players who have their eye on the IPT.
Steve

 

[ScottR]

<snipped>

David, answer this question for me, please. Why is it that every red-blooded player I know is anxious to hop aboard the IPT train right now? There is more renewed enthusiasm for the game in my neck of the woods since the IPT came to the fore. This is a good thing for pool as a professional sport.

<snipped>
JAM

Jen,
I'm not David, but want to take a shot at answering your question. They are jumping on board the IPT because large amounts of money are being thrown their way. The same reason (my guess) that some players signed contracts with Trainer (money in hand vs potential future $$).

I have a question back to you. And, it is not because I am picking a fight or starting a flame-fest, but because you have talked to the players. Are they practicing and gaining enthusiam because they want to build pool as a professional sport for the future or because they have a chance to win up to $500k in one week? Honestly.

 

[onepocketchump]

Jen,
I'm not David, but want to take a shot at answering your question. They are jumping on board the IPT because large amounts of money are being thrown their way. The same reason (my guess) that some players signed contracts with Trainer (money in hand vs potential future $$).

I have a question back to you. And, it is not because I am picking a fight or starting a flame-fest, but because you have talked to the players. Are they practicing and gaining enthusiam because they want to build pool as a professional sport for the future or because they have a chance to win up to $500k in one week? Honestly.

I know the question was asked of Jennie but I'll throw my 2cts in. The players are practicing hard for the money and for their future. This is the first time in history that there is a viable tour that has some substance to it. Since the inception of professional pool in this country players have been on the fringe as professional athletes. The reward has never been commensurate with the expense. Now, there is something worth training for. Much better than going into a tournament knowing you have to win it to break even on the nut.

I am sure that the players are looking towards the future as well but I bet most of them are practicing hard to retain their spots on this tour.

John

 

[rackmsuckr]

I know the question was asked of Jennie but I'll throw my 2cts in. The players are practicing hard for the money and for their future. This is the first time in history that there is a viable tour that has some substance to it. Since the inception of professional pool in this country players have been on the fringe as professional athletes. The reward has never been commensurate with the expense. Now, there is something worth training for. Much better than going into a tournament knowing you have to win it to break even on the nut.

I am sure that the players are looking towards the future as well but I bet most of them are practicing hard to retain their spots on this tour.

John

Hi OPC, I have been meaning to ask what Kelly is doing to practice up. What did she take away from the last tournament and what will she change during the WO? Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

[JAM]

Jen,
I'm not David, but want to take a shot at answering your question. They are jumping on board the IPT because large amounts of money are being thrown their way. The same reason (my guess) that some players signed contracts with Trainer (money in hand vs potential future $$).

I have a question back to you. And, it is not because I am picking a fight or starting a flame-fest, but because you have talked to the players. Are they practicing and gaining enthusiam because they want to build pool as a professional sport for the future or because they have a chance to win up to $500k in one week? Honestly.

I think the answer to your inquiry is multi-faceted. I think all of today's competitors desire a future for pool, wanting it to be recognized as a professional sport. Yes, the money is important, and I think this holds true whether it's a tournament soldier, a roadster, or an aspiring player.

If you were to talk to the older players, you'd hear many of them state that they wish that the IPT would have come 20 or 30 years ago when they were in their prime.

To be given an opportunity to compete with real rules on a level playing field is refreshing to some of today's players. The history of pool in the States, as it pertains to organizations, has been plagued with greed, favoritism, and a behind-the-scenes ranking system that has placed some under-ranked American players in high-profile international events and ignoring others who were deserving by their ranking order. There is no transparency in some governmental bodies of professional pool. That is a fact!

Five years ago, I asked Ronnie Allen why he didn't have any enthusiasm for pool anymore, and at that time, I was surprised by his answer. He said he had been beaten up by the sport. I didn't understand what he meant then, but I sure do today.

There is one school of thought that it is the players themselves who are the reason why pool as a sport has not advanced, at least here in America, which truly is the only pool world I have any familiarity with. I vehemently disagree with this, especially after seeing the new breed of players on the current IPT tournament trail.

When I see players like Liljon, Dave Matlock, Rafael Martinez, John Chuchara (sp) of Iowa, Shane Van Boeing, James Walden, Dee Adkins, Shannon Daulton, Ronnie Wiseman, just to name a few, walk into the players meeting dressed in suits and ties, I think it speaks volumes about what these players are hoping for. It's a future.

Many IPT members have bought Diamond tables and had them shipped to their homes, practicing and wanting to be the best that they can be. The IPT has given them a platform, and IMHO, the players are doing everything within their power to shine on the IPT tournament trail.

So, in sum, yes, these players want to see pool have a future, but I'd be lying if I said that the money wasn't an important ingredient in the mix.

JAM

 

[onepocketchump]

Hi OPC, I have been meaning to ask what Kelly is doing to practice up. What did she take away from the last tournament and what will she change during the WO? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Kelly has been working on her break and her banking. I am not sure what she took away from the last tournament other than the importance of the break. As far as practice, she puts in around four hours a day in solid practice if I am not mistaken. She also puts in a lot of time on a nearby IPT Spec table. At home she has a scary tight Brunswick.

I believe that she will be looking to change to the IPT cloth at home.

John

 

[Island Drive]

See Inserts In Caps

I still would like to know WHO or WHAT gave the UPA the authority to be the governing body of men's professional pool when it was a brand-new entity at its inception with absolutely no track record.

I heard that Lewis left a nice six-figure-salaried job at the BCA "WRONG" THE ONLY PERSON AT THE BCA WITH SIX FIGURE INCOME WAS DUCOFF, poor fellow. It looks as if he has found a new place to practice his talents. The rich get richer, and the pool players are left out to dry; that is, until the IPT came to the fore. What a pity it is for Lewis that he can't now get fat off the IPT. JOHNS A WORKHORSE HE'LL GET THERE.

I, for one, am glad to see somebody create a vision for pool and pool players, THANK SIGEL FOR GETTING IT GOING take a stand, and go forward with it. The BCA Open for years paid 10- and $15,000 as its first-place payout while some ONLY DUCOFF of its BCA employees were/are earning six figures, with benefits and year-round employment. Something just doesn't seem quite right there to me.

The selection process for American pool players to compete in the BCA Open and other world-class competitions is something that should be looked into. Selections are made in secret by the American governing body of men's professional pool, and they are unfair and, IMO, discriminatory. Eventually, Mathroom Sports had to come up with a new qualification criteria for the World Pool Championships, to include players like Earl Strickland and Jose Parica, because the American governing body of men's professional pool selection criteria seemed flawed, UNORGANIZED for lack of a better word. American players who were ranked in the 40th percentile were given a pass by the UPA to compete in the World Pool Championships in days gone by, when there were MANY players ranked higher that should have gone to this high-profile event. UNORGANIZED, RUN BY POOL PLAYERS WITH PERSONAL AGENDAS

The International Pool Tour puts money in the pockets of pool players, REAL POOL, REAL RULES, AND REAL MONEY. I'd rather see monies going in pool players' pockets than a lone letter-writer.

What has the WPA done for American pool? We open our doors and welcome players from every creed and color, even in our beloved U.S. Open. Yet, there are some so-called pool organizations who continue to segregate by nationality. Maybe the WPA's time would be better spent elsewhere. As far as I am concerned, I like what the IPT has done thus far, and I am looking forward to a great year up ahead, with or without the WPA and Mr. Lewis. JMHO, FWIW!

JAM

IN OTHER SPORTS THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT BODIES AND SATELLITE EVENTS, THEY ARE ALL GOOD FOR PROMOTING THE SPORT, I WOULD MUCH RATHER HEAR JORGEN SANDEMANS TAKE ON THIS WHOLE MATTER THAN IANS, " SEE ABOVE FOR MY INSERTED COMMENTS IN CAPITAL LETTERS.

 

[Island Drive]

I was under the impression that john quit?

No he did not, the players side of the BCA was phased out due to the agendas of the BCA board of directors, at that time he was let go.

 

[Island Drive]

Reply to Jam

Jam said,
"Maybe the worldwide projects are, by and large, unnoticed because the WPA has ignored the United States and put American pool players on the back burner."

I think this is true, only because the rest of the world is 'organizing' the sport in their area, now the US, business as usual, or should I say, business of the pool players.

 

[Eydie Romano]

No he did not, the players side of the BCA was phased out due to the agendas of the BCA board of directors, at that time he was let go.

Hey Island Drive,

I am not trying to make waves on this thread, not my intent.

I do remember having a conversation with John Lewis where he stated that HE did not want to be involved with the "new" BCA because of it now being for profit. This is why HE said that he resigned. That is where the whole ACS Non-for Profit came about.

It was also my impression that in the beginning John was offered a nice amount to stay with BCA, but then John elected to go his own way...

I guess we will never really know what went on behind closed doors!