Who You Like To See Run IT?

[Johnnyt]

I vote for... Johnnyt!

Thank you for the vote Jason but let me take myself out right now. I'll be the first to say I would have no patients with some of the pro players and I'm way too old to do the time for what I might do to one of them. Johnnyt

Please let's not turn this into an Earl thread.

 

[Koop]

Because if you knew Earl Strickland well, you would understand that he desires with all his being for pool to be successful in America, more so than me, and that's saying a lot!

While I'm rummaging through my picture file, check out this shot of Earl Strickland breaking the balls. Pretty cool!

JAM

So who took this picture.

Knows it wasn't Jennie

 

[JAM]

So who took this picture.

Knows it wasn't Jennie

I'm busted, and I cannot tell a lie.

Actually, that's a Hoppe original!

JAM

 

[Southpaw]

I agree that Allen would be a great choice if he has the time, but Jay Helfert would also be an excellent choice if he was interested. If not, my third choice would be Scott Smith. I would also vote for Mike Janis to run the second tour mentioned. JMO.

Southpaw

 

[Terry Ardeno]

There is nobody more qualified than Mr. Jay Helfert.

The Dream Team would be:

Jay Helfert
Mark Griffin
Allen Hopkins
Mike Zuglan
Mike Janis
Myself
Fatboy (Eric Peterson)
bfdlad (Mark)
Grady Matthews

Imagine all of us combining our knowledge, insight, and passion while working towards one common goal for the good of the sport.

Pipe dream? Not at all. As long as I'm still breathing I remain positive and hopeful that this team can get together and our dreams can be realized.

I'm in...

WOW! Talk about a "murderer's row"!!
If somehow that could come to fruition, pool would have evry chance of eventually becoming as big in America as it is in the Phillipines or Taipei!

Remember, more people play pool than play football. So really, there's no reason why pool can't be as big as the NFL someday. At least that's how I would like to see it become.
We do have the greatest sport. Other people just don't know it yet.

 

[Terry Ardeno]

I agree that Allen would be a great choice if he has the time, but Jay Helfert would also be an excellent choice if he was interested. If not, my third choice would be Scott Smith. I would also vote for Mike Janis to run the second tour mentioned. JMO.

Southpaw

How in the world could we have forgotten about Scott Smith???
Great call southpaw!

The "Shot" would HAVE to have a promanant place in our dream orginization. Too much talent and ability to waste.

Again, great choice.

This thread is showing all the very talented people we have in pool. The trick will be how to get them all on the same page....

 

[Blackjack]

WOW! Talk about a "murderer's row"!!
If somehow that could come to fruition, pool would have evry chance of eventually becoming as big in America as it is in the Phillipines or Taipei!

Remember, more people play pool than play football. So really, there's no reason why pool can't be as big as the NFL someday. At least that's how I would like to see it become.
We do have the greatest sport. Other people just don't know it yet.

Terry, my brother - I agree with you entirely...

Anybody else in, or am I alone here?

 

[satman]

Thats funny

Interestingly, if it were not for a telephone intervention by Grady Mathews, I would not be with Keith McCready today. I don't know whether I should kiss him or smack him!

JAM <---[Joking!]

Lets see, kiss him or smack him?????? Look out Grady, either way you could be in trouble. LOL!!!!!! Kind of a toss up. Most relationships are though.
Seriously, I think you and Keith probably make a pretty good couple. Your love for pool is obvious. And he's a living legend in the pool world. Couldn't be a more obvious matchup. Hope all is well for you guys.

As for running the tour, Grady, Allen, and Earl are all good choices. JMO

 

[beav99_4life]

I think its about time to start looking at this situation in a different light. I completely agree with having an ex-player or someone who is very distinguished in the billiards community to help run the tour, but in the modern economy, I think its absolutely necessary to have someone else that is completely business oriented to actually create and implement policy and procedure. Keep in mind, as the heart and soul of it, a tour is a business. For too long alot of the tours have been entrusted to players and those already engrained within the community, and little success as come from it (outside of the Viking and a few others). A healthy balance of business and passion for the sport must be found. I know some will say "Just look at the IPT to see what happens when you put a business man in charge!", and trust me when i say no one despises the IPT more than me. I'm talking about recruiting and experienced, successful, moral and ethical MBA with a focus in marketing and change management. Nothing in the tour's over all these years has really changed, and of course the definition to insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Just my two cents.

 

[JAM]

I think its about time to start looking at this situation in a different light. I completely agree with having an ex-player or someone who is very distinguished in the billiards community to help run the tour, but in the modern economy, I think its absolutely necessary to have someone else that is completely business oriented to actually create and implement policy and procedure. Keep in mind, as the heart and soul of it, a tour is a business. For too long alot of the tours have been entrusted to players and those already engrained within the community, and little success as come from it (outside of the Viking and a few others). A healthy balance of business and passion for the sport must be found. I know some will say "Just look at the IPT to see what happens when you put a business man in charge!", and trust me when i say no one despises the IPT more than me. I'm talking about recruiting and experienced, successful, moral and ethical MBA with a focus in marketing and change management. Nothing in the tour's over all these years has really changed, and of course the definition to insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Just my two cents.

Makes a lot of sense to me. The bottom line, though, is MONEY. Money talks and BS walks, as they say.

Aside from the political problems that the UPA may have endured from its inception, the main hurdle that it faced was lack of sponsorship. Many of the tour's events were independently promoted, and the UPA demands of the independent promoters were not very well received.

The organization and/or tour must be TRANSPARENT. The rules must be set in stone and adhered to, not changed willy nilly at each event. The ranking system should be the determining factor when it comes to sending American players to high-profile invitational events, like the BCA's "Open."

Though some of the names forthcoming are worthy of consideration, there seem to be a lot of Chiefs and not enough Indians, and the Indians are the players themselves.

In case you haven't noticed, more and more pool tournaments are being held overseas. I would like to see more lucrative events held on American soil. An American professional tour is needed to ensure more young players of professional caliber. Without it, the existing lot of American players will continue to dwindle, and there will be no need for a tour. JMHO, FWIW!

JAM

 

[catscradle]

I think its about time to start looking at this situation in a different light. I completely agree with having an ex-player or someone who is very distinguished in the billiards community to help run the tour, but in the modern economy, I think its absolutely necessary to have someone else that is completely business oriented to actually create and implement policy and procedure. Keep in mind, as the heart and soul of it, a tour is a business. For too long alot of the tours have been entrusted to players and those already engrained within the community, and little success as come from it (outside of the Viking and a few others). A healthy balance of business and passion for the sport must be found. I know some will say "Just look at the IPT to see what happens when you put a business man in charge!", and trust me when i say no one despises the IPT more than me. I'm talking about recruiting and experienced, successful, moral and ethical MBA with a focus in marketing and change management. Nothing in the tour's over all these years has really changed, and of course the definition to insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Just my two cents.

I think Allen Hopkins has more than demostrated his business orientation. When it comes to Allen Hopkins Enterprises he is a business man first, pool player second; I think he would bring the same attitude to this hypothetical organization and if it could work, he would make it work. Furthermore, I think his position should be like any ceo, a czar, absolute ruler. I also think he has successfully worked with ESPN in the past and appears to have good relationships with them, this is also essential. I honestly done think a pure business man could make this work, you need somebody who understands the "pool player mentality.
Unfortunately, as JAM has pointed out, he already has too many irons in the fire and I don't see him risking them by syphoning off a lot of his time to a project like this.

 

[Zims Rack]

I've got to chime in on this one...

Excellent concept JAM! Even though ALL of the names mentioned have done their share of great things for the sport! What if a relatively new face, not unfamiliar, but new at this broad of a level of promoting is put at the top.

Personally, I think Mark Wilson has the most desire for the success of the sport, from personal experiences with him. He has class, player experience, instructor experience, promotional experience, comentator experience, great role model for the next generation, ambition, well known by a lot of people and a wife that is everything he is "off" of the table!

Just my opinion!
Zim

 

[ironman]

Makes a lot of sense to me. The bottom line, though, is MONEY. Money talks and BS walks, as they say.

Aside from the political problems that the UPA may have endured from its inception, the main hurdle that it faced was lack of sponsorship. Many of the tour's events were independently promoted, and the UPA demands of the independent promoters were not very well received.

The organization and/or tour must be TRANSPARENT. The rules must be set in stone and adhered to, not changed willy nilly at each event. The ranking system should be the determining factor when it comes to sending American players to high-profile invitational events, like the BCA's "Open."

Though some of the names forthcoming are worthy of consideration, there seem to be a lot of Chiefs and not enough Indians, and the Indians are the players themselves.

In case you haven't noticed, more and more pool tournaments are being held overseas. I would like to see more lucrative events held on American soil. An American professional tour is needed to ensure more young players of professional caliber. Without it, the existing lot of American players will continue to dwindle, and there will be no need for a tour. JMHO, FWIW!

JAM

You hit the nail square on the head. MONEY.

There are more than a few capable of running the tour. Myself, I think that would be the easy part. The tough part is someone who can consistently and creatively bring in sponsors who will pony up for an extended period of time. That IMO is the only thing holding this back.

 

[Johnnyt]

You hit the nail square on the head. MONEY.

There are more than a few capable of running the tour. Myself, I think that would be the easy part. The tough part is someone who can consistently and creatively bring in sponsors who will pony up for an extended period of time. That IMO is the only thing holding this back.

You have to have a tour in place before any sponsers will even talk to you. In the begining entry fees and MS fees would have to be used for set-up and purses. Johnnyt

 

[ironman]

You have to have a tour in place before any sponsers will even talk to you. In the begining entry fees and MS fees would have to be used for set-up and purses. Johnnyt

I agree with you that you would need a good business plan, but it has been proven over and over again that without substantial added money, the pros aren't going to participate.

 

[Zims Rack]

I agree with you that you would need a good business plan, but it has been proven over and over again that without substantial added money, the pros aren't going to participate.

Just a thought, could be way off here...
since the pros (men) haven't been able to get their act together over the years and the market is supposidly falling apart, why not turn the focus to the amateur level. After all, they are the next pros, the future of our sport and industy as a whole!!

 

[JAM]

I agree with you that you would need a good business plan, but it has been proven over and over again that without substantial added money, the pros aren't going to participate.

Not only that, where would a start-up organization forming a brand-new tour for professional players get the money to attract the so-called prospective sponsors for their events?

The problem now is there ain't no money forthcoming. MAJOR pool industry members have withdrawn their funds to sponsor pro players in the past few years.

So-called "pool promoters" are taking their show on the road overseas, as the prospective sponsors overseas are plentiful.

If American players want to continue the professional tournament trail, they better get themselves a Frequent Flyer card.

JAM

 

[ironman]

Just a thought, could be way off here...
since the pros (men) haven't been able to get their act together over the years and the market is supposidly falling apart, why not turn the focus to the amateur level. After all, they are the next pros, the future of our sport and industy as a whole!!

Not to sound sarcastic, but that is where the majority of the attenention in US pool goes.

Promoters love promoting amatuer and bartable events because they profit so well from them. $1.25 per game, big team entries, and no money added or concerns about it. They make out like bandits. That is the name of that game.

A Pro Tour needs to be on 9ft tables as the bar tables are really a joke. A monkey can be taught to play on one.

The BC event in Vegas will be here long after I'm gone as they are making out like bandits on this event and offering the players mere crumbs.

 

[Johnnyt]

I guess I am whipping a dead horse again. What was I thinking? Johnnyt

 

[JAM]

I guess I am whipping a dead horse again. What was I thinking? Johnnyt

Don't feel bad, Johnnyt. It happens a lot on this forum!

JAM