Where does the UPA fit into the Non-Payment for the Desert Shoot-Out in AZ ?

Has anyone seen the UPA's books? Aside from dues and sanctioning fees where would they get the money from? I have heard that they waive sanctioning fees left and right also. I dont think the UPA could pay if it wanted to.
 
UPA sould, at least, refund member fees since they did not provide the service their members paid for. if they have any slef respect, they will foot the whole bill. But they won't... they are pool players afterall /sigh How could you expect anything more from them... We/you have been hanging around with pool players all our lives. We know what to expect...


Pool, in the USA, is largely run by hustlers, users, people with prints on file, living off others, no future, no careers, owe people money, bad credit, etc... Exceptions to every rule, of course... But thats the group we deal with on every level... They only care about themselves...
 
Grady said:
If the tournament was sanctioned by the UPA they should pay and immediately at that. I paid every nickel of all my events. Lastly, if someone is gonna pay they're not offended at being asked to put up.
Perfectly said. If you are insulted to put up then there is a problem. Period.

Maybe the UPA hasn't made a motion to pay because they know that Chuck is doing everything within his power to come up with the added money plus the entry fee money that is missing & this will all be over with soon.:p

On a smaller scale, when I was recently involved in the Young Guns challenge with Justin & me & him were discussing the break down of the $10K, one of his pool buddies wanted a share. I told Justin that I had made a guarantee to JCIN for $10K and if this buddy of his didn't come up with his share, I would be forced to make it right. Guess what - Justin had his share, I had mine & the pool buddy did not. But, I had the forethought to see what might happen & make plans if it did. I didn't leave my house for KC with just my share in my pocket. I made sure that I had more than enough 'just in case'. Oh, and Justin won - I would call that Good Karma.
 
Last edited:
MikeJanis said:
WOW, I just saw the UPA Press Release with players asking to have their name removed from new point rankings list. I hope those players understand that by removing their names from the new points list will no longer allow them to be eligible to play/participate in many of the invitational events like the Mosconi Cup, the Challenge of Champions or the World Championships and such which I believe are by invitation only based on point standings. Additionally, the US Open and many other "PRO" events utilize the ranking system to seed players on the tournament chart. In effect these players are saying they no longer want to be considered Pro's.


I think that if the players do have their names removed from the list this would be the exact meaning of "shooting yourself in the foot".


See WPA Sports Calendar Here: http://wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=cal2005

Mj

notice the names are upa's reps.
 
MikeJanis said:
Thanks buddy:p

Were the heck is my case ???

Can I get it at the Trade Show ?

LOL - no - I am lazy slacker here! As of today I am officially one year behind on case deliveries. Well at least on the first case I promised to the raffle winner TwoForPool. As a result he AND his wife will be receiving matching cases shortly. Yours is a little ways off still :-(

I am learning from the UPA - make no guarantees!

Advertisement - you can however see TwoForPool's cases at www.jbcases.com/gallery if you know his name.

JB
 
MikeJanis said:
May I ask why you feel that way?


Sure you can, but you won't like the answer.

Actually you even eluded to it in your OP.

It is well known that you are uniting two seemingly very successful regional tours that are bordering on becoming a major (if not already) voice in the pool tournament world....and adding million dollar deals.

By you starting the thread it has an undertone of trying to stamp on the competition while they are down just to make sure their reputation is tarnished going forward...

The truth may be far different, but "perception" and "speculation" obviously is very prominent on this board.

I would hate to see that happen to you because of a stupid thread on a forum board..............By that I mean I hope that the Viking tour keeps growing and growing and "does" become a more dominant force.....(and hopefully has some events out west)

Basically all I was really trying to say is that it would have eliminated that possiblilty for many to go "hmmm I wonder what he is up to" had some other annonymous poster actually start the thread...

I am sure you only have good intentions, but I am also sure that there are others that like to "disect" intentions of various posts....

Had the post been made by Coco Boy.....the "disection" would have stopped at the point that they saw who started the thread...;)
 
BRKNRUN said:
Sure you can, but you won't like the answer.

Actually you even eluded to it in your OP.

It is well known that you are uniting two seemingly very successful regional tours that are bordering on becoming a major (if not already) voice in the pool tournament world....and adding million dollar deals.

By you starting the thread it has an undertone of trying to stamp on the competition while they are down just to make sure their reputation is tarnished going forward...

The truth may be far different, but "perception" and "speculation" obviously is very prominent on this board.

I would hate to see that happen to you because of a stupid thread on a forum board..............By that I mean I hope that the Viking tour keeps growing and growing and "does" become a more dominant force.....(and hopefully has some events out west)

Basically all I was really trying to say is that it would have eliminated that possiblilty for many to go "hmmm I wonder what he is up to" had some other annonymous poster actually start the thread...

I am sure you only have good intentions, but I am also sure that there are others that like to "disect" intentions of various posts....

Had the post been made by Coco Boy.....the "disection" would have stopped at the point that they saw who started the thread...;)

I do understand the full ramifications of starting this thread and no I am not trying to bash anyone as I mentioned earlier. However, at the same time this topic needed to be discussed. Especially because of all the tip toeing around it in other threads related to this subject.

This topic needed started and it needed to be correct. In all my opinions and statements I offered my full knowledge of what I understand to be the truth.

Now, If I am wrong I will correct any statement to reflect the truth and I will also publicly offer my apologies. However as noted from Jay there is no denying what that my statement are truthful. It's that simple.

Now the UPA is down and I am not trying to take advantage of that but this is the time for them to show their strength and pay the players from their funds and take up the collection efforts from Chuck the promoter on their own accord.

When they do that they will have fulfilled their promise to their player members and they will once again rise up and earn the respect that they fought so hard for over the past years.

Personally, I hope the powers that be at the UPA read this thread and take note to the advice and suggestions given then follow through with their commitment to the players and become a dominating force again in our sport.

As a note: I do not compete with the UPA. It is not my intention to compete with the UPA. The UPA is a players organization which is something I do not offer. There is no doubt in my mind that an entity such as the UPA is needed however that entity must have some meat for it to be viable.

Mj

Mj
 
Last edited:
thebestpoolroom said:
doing well. do an event with you or someone else?

What are you thinking, of course with me.

Right now you have the best non-smoking room in the region. We really need to do some events along with some bigger events for Junior players.

You are about the only room in the country that I would feel comfortable with doing the Viking Cue 9-Ball Tours Junior Nationals.
 
My interpretation of Ken's post is-

The internet is a very cruel place... No telling when the machine will turn on you...
 
CaptiveBred said:
My interpretation of Ken's post is-

The internet is a very cruel place... No telling when the machine will turn on you...

It's not a cruel place - it's a place where people get called out for the things they are accused of and a place where they get equal space and voice to defend themselves and acquit themselves if they can.

Time will tell if the internet will ever be a real force for positive change or whether it will simply become a place where millions jabber and no one takes action.

Nothing in the world is cheaper than a good idea with no action.

The UPA had a good idea. They however are either not capable or not willing to act on that idea.

Charlie Williams is a smart person. So is Frank Alvarez. I don't know what Charlie's official role is in the UPA right now but I assume he still has an active voice and some influence.

I don't even know what kind of organization the UPA has. Are they just a phone number? Do they have an office and a staff or is it just Frank?

I know from speaking with Ian Anderson, the president of the WPA, that their is mostly a volunteer organization with very little staff.

I have a lot of sympathy for anyone trying to better pool in this climate. You have many groups wanting to be "in control". You have a nebulous fan base. You have no clear path. You have a product that is constantly changed at the whims of the promoter/broadcaster. You have a product that is not considered a sport or even a worthwhile endeavor by 90%
of the world's population. Your product is also up against much more popular diversions like the National Spelling Bee.

What I don't however understand is WHY the people who want to make pool better only do it half-way? Why do they state such lofty goals and then fall so short of them. Why not state much less ambitious goals but ones which are attainable? Then attain them and move on to bigger things.

This is the time when everyone in the world is deluged with requests for their time and money. In order to stand out from the crowd one needs to be exceptional. The UPA will never get there if they approach these things halfway. If the professional player members of the UPA truly believe in their organization then they need to get out there and sell it and themselves in order to build the platform that they can depend on. And it cannot be done by 1 or 2 unpaid volunteers.

As much as I hate to use the IPT as an example I have to say that Trudeau was right about one thing - he did not receive the grassroots support of the IPT members in order to sell the world on the IPT. IF each IPT member had enlisted the circle of family and friends to get the word out then perhaps the IPT would have succeeded. However here is another situation where the UPA did not do that which they promised - premise number one, secure the money. One thing that they did do however was to insure that most of their innermost chosen membership became IPT chosen players. But that is another topic.

The point is that pool CAN make it. But not until the players do in fact stand up for themselves and withhold their talent in exchange for treatment that rewards the time they have spent attaining world class skill.

And for the record, being a pool professional is about a useless thing to be in the grand scheme of things. As is being a cue case maker. Try trading a pool lesson or a cue case for some bread. :-)

BUT is still something that is a clear display of man's mastery over the elements. Seeing someone control the spheres so skillfully is entertaining. Especially for fans like myself. It is something that I gladly pay for and in fact is appreciated more when I pay for it as opposed to getting it for free.

So as long as people want to earn their living by contesting in pool against other highly skilled players then they either need to organize or accept that they are at the mercy of fate.
 
MikeJanis said:
What are you thinking, of course with me.

Right now you have the best non-smoking room in the region. We really need to do some events along with some bigger events for Junior players.

You are about the only room in the country that I would feel comfortable with doing the Viking Cue 9-Ball Tours Junior Nationals.

thanks for the compliments. i'll call you when the time is right.
 
Back
Top