World 14.1 Player List

ducatirider

Registered
Just my 2 cents, but nobody will ever "fix" pool, imho. Pool has always been and will always be an underground sport in the U.S., and that's a good thing. Only the very best players make a living at it (elite pros and "pros," or pool celebrities who look much better than they actually play that have managed to hustle a few decent sponsorships), and with travel expenses and entry fees to consider, not a great one at that. The mystery and romance of the game is what makes it great, and corruption and inconsistency in major tournaments will always be prevalent. Let's enjoy the game for what it is and not spend so much time trying to "change the face of pool."
 

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just my 2 cents, but nobody will ever "fix" pool, imho. Pool has always been and will always be an underground sport in the U.S., and that's a good thing. Only the very best players make a living at it (elite pros and "pros," or pool celebrities who look much better than they actually play that have managed to hustle a few decent sponsorships), and with travel expenses and entry fees to consider, not a great one at that. The mystery and romance of the game is what makes it great, and corruption and inconsistency in major tournaments will always be prevalent. Let's enjoy the game for what it is and not spend so much time trying to "change the face of pool."

Wow, I could not disagree with you more. On the contrary, there are plenty of sports that receive recognition in one form or another that pool can definitely pursue and could really benefit from. Look no further than the Olympics and you'll see that people will watch ANYTHING put in front of them. The fact that the audience might actually be able to make a connection to pool as opposed to something like synchronized swimming or skeet shooting only makes me believe that things can be much better. No, it will never be on par with Golf (no pun intended) but there's a lot of room inbetween.
 

ducatirider

Registered
Wow, I could not disagree with you more. On the contrary, there are plenty of sports that receive recognition in one form or another that pool can definitely pursue and could really benefit from. Look no further than the Olympics and you'll see that people will watch ANYTHING put in front of them. The fact that the audience might actually be able to make a connection to pool as opposed to something like synchronized swimming or skeet shooting only makes me believe that things can be much better. No, it will never be on par with Golf (no pun intended) but there's a lot of room inbetween.

Well, Jude. Just one more point that we disagree on 100%.

Jesse
 

maxeberle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Incredible!

Amazing huh?

My question is:

If Charlie was so fast and loose in calling his tournament a "World Championship" then why did the WPA jump on board in 2006? And with so little money in the purse?

Did Charlie pull a fast one on them? Hypnotize them? haha! If so, It's too late WPA, you already jumped on board with Charlie and the small prize money and the hearts and minds of the entire pool world globaly! A hotel vs. a pool room, while different, is still not that big of a change for a low prize money World Championship. This is obviously for the love of the game 14.1, and you, the WPA, already signed up! So stick to your guns! Everybody wants you to be a part of The World Straight Pool Championships 2009 at Comet Billiards in Parsippany, NJ.

The concensus reality among the pool players and fans of the world is that this is a TRUE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP! And you even somehow, thankfully, have agreed for the last THREE years straight! Why all the fuss now?

I think the WPA should re-sanction this event today and allow Neils a chance to come back and defend his title, and all the other players a chance at this title too.

How about a public explanation from the WPA. An official press release. Or just a re-instatement of the sanctioning, and then, after the tournament, an official press release revealing any newer, stricter guidelines for sanctioning of the World 14.1 Championship. And then if Dragon Promotions does not make that happen, maybe someone else will, or someone will help Dragon Promotions make that happen.

If not, maybe the players should just show up anyway, including Niels, Ralf, Jasmin and all others, and we will have the World Concensus Reality World Straight Pool Championships 2009! And the sponsors of the world will recognize that winner and shower upon them MILLIONS in endorements! :thumbup:

After all, reality is what we say it is. (Com'on WPA, you were right there with us :wink:)

Thank you,

Max Eberle

By the way, over the last two days, many people have jumped on board with me to sponsor me into this years World Straight Pool Championships hosted by Dragon Promotions. Today, with the help of many friends and people I have never met, the $2,700 I was asking has been reached! I thank all of you an incredible amount! If you guys are still in, I'm still going to play! Thank you my friends! I hope all the players who dropped out change their mind and we have a legitimate World Straight Pool Championship 2009! ...with or without WPA points. Comon guys (and Jasmine :wink:), there is a World 14.1 Championship trophy that needs a name inscribed upon it!
 

sfleinen

14.1 & One Pocket Addict
Gold Member
Silver Member
The Portuguese place is literally right next door to Comet. You don't even have to leave the parking lot. It's the best thing that's happened to that shopping center since Comet itself.

Nice variety of entrees, huge portions, real silverware, but not too fancy and not too pricey.

- Steve

Steve:

That Portuguese place; is it true Portuguese cuisine, with generous choices of meats- and seafood-based main courses? If so, YUM! Color me "there"!

Thanks for the tip,
-Sean
 

maxeberle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Really?

Wow, I just saw in Charlie's great post that there are not even points awarded!

Comon WPA, this clearly has the support of the pool world.

If a bunch of generous friends and fans have raised $2,700 for me just to play in this, clearly the pool would could raise the extra $5,000 to get WPA sanctioning for the event to be sanctioned.

Bob Jewett just said he would have put in $10.000 (albiet with stricter guidelines).

It's just not right to just pull the plug at the last minute like this, especially in an "honorary" sanctioned event!

One more chance at romance WPA? Ian Anderson? :thumbup:
 

Steve Lipsky

On quest for perfect 14.1
Silver Member
Steve:

That Portuguese place; is it true Portuguese cuisine, with generous choices of meats- and seafood-based main courses? If so, YUM! Color me "there"!

Thanks for the tip,
-Sean

Well, as far as cuisine goes, I'm kind of a moron. I was in Paris for the first time last December, and all I could think about was getting back to NYC and eating at my favorite dinky chinese joint ("Yummy House").

But to my untrained eye, I think it's true portuguese. ;)

- Steve
 

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Steve:

That Portuguese place; is it true Portuguese cuisine, with generous choices of meats- and seafood-based main courses? If so, YUM! Color me "there"!

Thanks for the tip,
-Sean

This is a quaint little place. It's a couple of guys who serve as both cook and waiter. Very pleasant. VERY cheap. The portions are huge and everyone I ate dinner with there was pleased. The choices were a broad range from seafood, chicken, to pastas. You can look over that menu all day. The dishes that I thought were Italian, they told me this was Portuguese, too!
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That's a shame. Perhaps it is time for an organization in the United States to start up and compete with the WPA with American players refusing to compete in events which don't meet our standards.
 

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That's a shame. Perhaps it is time for an organization in the United States to start up and compete with the WPA with American players refusing to compete in events which don't meet our standards.

It's not that the Europeans are "refusing" to play. They're choosing not to. WPA sanctioning requirements are meant to uphold the integrity of their player-standings. If they sanction any event, their players are going to feel obligated to travel to events that have low pay-outs. By having these standards, their participants will know that a minimal requirement is met. Charlie Williams is arguing that the very nature of straight pool in this day and age make these requirements terribly difficult and that an exception should be made. Both sides have valid points and I hope that Charlie is successful in convincing them to make an exception.
 

Mark Griffin

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
WPA and 14.1

Max,

I seemed to have confused you (and maybe others).

When I was talking about 'fast and loose', I was NOT talking about the 14.1 World Championship. This has been a WPA sanctioned event for the last 3 years.

I was referring to the various 'world' titles that DP has had without WPA sanctionings. Although I don't really follow it very closely, DP had several 'world' junior events, at least one 'world' 10-ball event (won by SVB) and those type of things.

Calling events a 'world' championship does NOT make it one.

I think if I was the WPA, I would not like others to call their events 'world' when the sanctioning requirements have not been me. All that does is to confuse the pool playing population.

Even if you don't like the WPA, I hope everyone sees the need for some kind of governing body to keep some kind of consistency and standard in the sport.

Mark Griffin
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's not that the Europeans are "refusing" to play. They're choosing not to. WPA sanctioning requirements are meant to uphold the integrity of their player-standings. If they sanction any event, their players are going to feel obligated to travel to events that have low pay-outs. By having these standards, their participants will know that a minimal requirement is met. Charlie Williams is arguing that the very nature of straight pool in this day and age make these requirements terribly difficult and that an exception should be made. Both sides have valid points and I hope that Charlie is successful in convincing them to make an exception.

Understood, and we need an equivalent organization to play hard ball with the Europeans. If their organization refuses to sanction this event then their members need not show up for the U S Open or Derby City or any other lucrative event in this country, including the wpba events. Watch how fast they change their tune when they have a long line of players outside their door complaining about being prevented from playing in American events.

It won't happen but it would bring this kind of stuff to a screeching halt.
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Max,

I seemed to have confused you (and maybe others).

When I was talking about 'fast and loose', I was NOT talking about the 14.1 World Championship. This has been a WPA sanctioned event for the last 3 years.

I was referring to the various 'world' titles that DP has had without WPA sanctionings. Although I don't really follow it very closely, DP had several 'world' junior events, at least one 'world' 10-ball event (won by SVB) and those type of things.

Calling events a 'world' championship does NOT make it one.

I think if I was the WPA, I would not like others to call their events 'world' when the sanctioning requirements have not been me. All that does is to confuse the pool playing population.

Even if you don't like the WPA, I hope everyone sees the need for some kind of governing body to keep some kind of consistency and standard in the sport.

Mark Griffin

You know more about it than I do, but it seems to me if the WPA refuses to sanction this event then they should be obligated to pony up the money to hold a 14.1 world championship. If the WPA can't put together a better event then they should get out of the way and sanction Charlie's tournament. The alternative is to have no world championship we've been there.

It's not like there are 50 other people out there dying to put up $25,000 to hold a 14.1 world championship.
 

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Understood, and we need an equivalent organization to play hard ball with the Europeans. If their organization refuses to sanction this event then their members need not show up for the U S Open or Derby City or any other lucrative event in this country, including the wpba events. Watch how fast they change their tune when they have a long line of players outside their door complaining about being prevented from playing in American events.

It won't happen but it would bring this kind of stuff to a screeching halt.

But I mean, this is less about politics and more about money. The WPA is trying to make sure the prize fund is high enough to make it worth the trip. I have limited knowledge of both parties but it appears to me that they're both acting in pool's best interests. They just so happen to be in conflict on this one situation.
 

Jude Rosenstock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You know more about it than I do, but it seems to me if the WPA refuses to sanction this event then they should be obligated to pony up the money to hold a 14.1 world championship. If the WPA can't put together a better event then they should get out of the way and sanction Charlie's tournament. The alternative is to have no world championship we've been there.

It's not like there are 50 other people out there dying to put up $25,000 to hold a 14.1 world championship.

Well, it's the difference between de facto and de jure. I don't think anyone would disagree that it's important to have WPA sanctioning. Pool needs to be united in order to accomplish anything. However, you are right. If this is the largest 14.1 event of the year, sanctioning or not, this will be 2009's champion.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, it's the difference between de facto and de jure. I don't think anyone would disagree that it's important to have WPA sanctioning. Pool needs to be united in order to accomplish anything. However, you are right. If this is the largest 14.1 event of the year, sanctioning or not, this will be 2009's champion.


Unfortunately without sanctioning, in just a few years, the winner will be forgotten and his name wont appear in the record books. Sux.
 
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