WPBA Announces Presidential Resignation

It was a BOARD/MEMBER Meeting. Not a public meeting. I don't think he needs to justify to anyone else than the members - whose were there.

No other people had to explain to fans why they failed.... Although, it would be interesting.... "WTF were you thinking when you signed that contract? Oh, you didn't even read the contract? Never mind..."

He tried and didn't suceed - that's that.

S.
 
sunnyday said:
Here is the thing.

JR had prepared a power point slide about his plan, projects and changes he was going to bring to WPBA. He asked a certain board member to have a projector set up. Because from his years of business experience, he knows that people only hear what they want to hear and only retain 5% (at best) of what they hear.

When he showed up for the meeting to deliver his speech, no prep was done so he had to deliver the speech from memory and people heard what they wanted to hear.

It is sad, that he was not supported even for the simplest request of having projector for his speech.

S.
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On another note.
Did you really just bust out the "powerpoint sabotage" story?

Funny how you make reference to this being an issue of him having no support, yet fail to bring up the fact that he asked his assistant to get a projector for the meeting, and how the casino didn't have one available. (maybe you don't know this)

Anyway.
He could have read from it his copy to everyone.
Heck, he could have printed out the presentation and passed it out.
But no, he instead got up there to wing it and started insulting players.

Funny how this incident turned into an everyone against/sabotaging J.R. thing, when that is the furthest thing from the truth of what actually happened in regards to the powerpoint projector.

Sorry Sunny.
I really don't have anything against you so don't take this personally, but you really need to get better info.
 
SUPERSTAR said:
But here is some food for thought.
The elites wanted to change it so that it was a top 16 tour (do you even know about this?), and J.R. was on their side.
If you don't know about this, then your sources aren't telling you the whole story.
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Interesting info.
 
SUPERSTAR,

I don't care. I don't take your comments personally. It's obvious we don't have same resources and I could careless.

S.
 
SUPERSTAR said:
The elites wanted to change it so that it was a top 16 tour (do you even know about this?), and J.R. was on their side.
If you don't know about this, then your sources aren't telling you the whole story.

But i'd be willing to bet that if you did a survey of what went down, and then looked at the Ranking of each female responding, that you would instantly understand the rift that exists.
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If indeed there was a move afoot to create a Top 16 tour, then I can see why there was a mutiny of players and board members. What would be the benefit of having a Top 16 tour?

What were the board members thinking? Does having a Top 16 tour really solve the underlying problems that the WPBA faces?
 
If the players are really split with the top 16-20 for and the rest of the 40 somthing members against, then I see a big problem. IMO the tour is nothing but a hobby for most of them. If you take the sponsors away from the top 10 and they have to pay their own travel, hotel, food and other things per stop, they would (most of the top 10) make as much at Micky D's flipping burgers. I can see why the top 16 would want to keep on with ESPN. It's good for whatever else they are doing in pool, like lessons, products and such. For the bottom 30 it does nothing for them but cut into the purses IMO. It was a good long ride for a few of the top ones...but it's over. Johnnyt
 
PoolSharkAllen said:
If indeed there was a move afoot to create a Top 16 tour, then I can see why there was a mutiny of players and board members. What would be the benefit of having a Top 16 tour?

What were the board members thinking? Does having a Top 16 tour really solve the underlying problems that the WPBA faces?
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You must first ask yourself why this would happen.

Then ask yourself who stands to benefit.

It comes from the mindset that the only reason there is a tour and the only reason people might come to see a tournament, and the only reason it is on TV is because certain players feel that the tour is all about them, and that they are carrying everyone else on their back.

So why not eliminate the majority of the girls that don't play as good as they do.
Maybe guarantee themselves a higher payday in the process.

It's as simple as that.

Understand that there have been instances where board members are not impartial, but hold very strong ties/friendships to specific players.

In these circumstances, it's not always about what is in the WPBA's interest, but instead, becomes very specific to certain players and what would benefit them.

When the board member system becomes about who is friends with who, and how can we make life better for those specific elite players that they are friends with, while telling all the others to go to hell, it no longer is about the best interests of the WPBA, but instead, becomes about specific people WITHIN the WPBA that feel they are better then the rest, and the whole system becomes flawed.
That selfish attitude might be perfect for their individual business plans and how they market themselves (knock yourself out/more power to you), but it has really has no place in the WPBA.

Ask your local touring pro off the record.
You'd be surprised at what she might say.
Just keep in mind her ranking and ask yourself the following.

How many of the top 16 are really going to admit it in the first place if they want it. How many others are actually going to complain if they stand to benefit from it.

Then think of players close to the top 16 who are on the fence about it. (because they may or may not benefit from it depending on their next showing)
And then think about everyone else and take what answer they give you with all the above factors in mind.

As for the ladies who are angry at this topic.
They really should have thought about that before they started discriminating against the other women and acting like SNOBS.

If they had thought about the whole, instead of just themselves, a lot of stuff could have been avoided.
 
IMO - the WPBA was going nowhere. They should have been much further along in the dollars that were flowing through it over the last 10 years.

Better to reorganize I think. Try something else as it was not working anyway - that is in giving a WPBA Touring Pro a living (as a professional).

Only saw the president once, at the RTC in L.A., and the vibe I got from the ladies was one of no confidence - I made no effort to talk with him.

I really don't intend to demean the ladies in anyway whatsoever, as they work just as hard as the rest of us, but it's a Men's Tour that will take the sport to the next level in the mainstream anyway (the history of sports says so!). Again - IMO and not trying to be a chauvinist.
 
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WPBA is dead.

Their biggest star is probably out for who knows how long. The ESPN deal is a mess and is no longer a big enough carrot to sign new venues. They can't keep a full board for more than a few months if ever. The structure of the organization is so Byzantine that even if an outside entity wanted to buy it no one I have talked to knew how it could be done. They may eke out a few events in 2011 but after that IMO its a wrap.

The model like all pro pool tour models is unsustainable without some sweetheart somewhere putting up a bunch of money they will never get even on. It is a charity. Now that many regional casinos are struggling or broke you can write it off.

Until someone figures out how to run a tour and make a profit nothing will change. But it seems that a promoter making a profit is akin to a crime among some pro player's so I am not holding my breath on that one. It is going to get much worse before it gets better for anyone trying to make a living playing pool in the United States.

As far as JR I don't think he ever had much of a shot to do anything from the beginning. Too strong a personality dealing with many other strong personalities. His leadership style will not work in a group like WPBA. To his credit I know he gave it a legit shot and with good intentions. Now the anti-JR faction have their wish and he is out it won't change anything. Still doomed. It will just be a different captain on the bridge when the ship finally sinks.

Anyone who doesn't think the WPBA is a charity just wait till you see what the next big idea is.
 
JCIN said:
WPBA is dead.

Their biggest star is probably out for who knows how long. The ESPN deal is a mess and is no longer a big enough carrot to sign new venues. They can't keep a full board for more than a few months if ever. The structure of the organization is so Byzantine that even if an outside entity wanted to buy it no one I have talked to knew how it could be done. They may eke out a few events in 2011 but after that IMO its a wrap.

The model like all pro pool tour models is unsustainable without some sweetheart somewhere putting up a bunch of money they will never get even on. It is a charity. Now that many regional casinos are struggling or broke you can write it off.

Until someone figures out how to run a tour and make a profit nothing will change. But it seems that a promoter making a profit is akin to a crime among some pro player's so I am not holding my breath on that one. It is going to get much worse before it gets better for anyone trying to make a living playing pool in the United States.

As far as JR I don't think he ever had much of a shot to do anything from the beginning. Too strong a personality dealing with many other strong personalities. His leadership style will not work in a group like WPBA. To his credit I know he gave it a legit shot and with good intentions. Now the anti-JR faction have their wish and he is out it won't change anything. Still doomed. It will just be a different captain on the bridge when the ship finally sinks.

Anyone who doesn't think the WPBA is a charity just wait till you see what the next big idea is.
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A nice, honest, pessimistic, opinion.
No fluffiness.
No "lets keep hush about the bad and only talk about the good."

Very refreshing i must say.
 
SUPERSTAR said:
Yes it most certainly is now, isn't it.

And for any WPBA elites who are reading this thread.

I have 4 words for you.

Olympus Digital Voice Recorder.
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:shocked2::shocked2::shocked2::shocked2:

I am wom. Hear me raor.

Real-time reporters know no conflicts! ;)
 

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SUPERSTAR said:
On another note.
Did you really just bust out the "powerpoint sabotage" story?

Funny how you make reference to this being an issue of him having no support, yet fail to bring up the fact that he asked his assistant to get a projector for the meeting, and how the casino didn't have one available. (maybe you don't know this)

Funny how this incident turned into an everyone against/sabotaging J.R. thing, when that is the furthest thing from the truth of what actually happened in regards to the powerpoint projector."

Superstar is correct - the Casino did not have a projector available at the time it was asked for (it was asked for with very little notice by the way).. How do I know this?? Because I am very very well acquainted with the people at Viejas - I see many of them at least a few times a week. If a projector was needed so badly, then I'm sure Rousseau or his assistant could have easily gone and rented or even purchased one from the Office Depot off of the 8 West/67 North highway, located a mere 12 miles away from the host hotel. The whole sabotage theory is a bunch of bunko!

As for the rest of it, all I can say is he was the wrong person for that particular position. If you really want to help you don't need to be omnipotent to do so, just step up and help without fanfare, without the need to feel important (or as Robin Williams says "impoh-tent".)

If I had loads of $$, and loads of contacts, I'd be working very hard to make the most of those opportunities in order to benefit the WPBA. I wouldn't need a title to do so nor would I feel the need to lord over everyone else to do so or to treat people like crap and make them feel insignificant. Nope, I would go about it quietly, with dignity because I LOVE this sport!

Anyway, there's my .02 worth.
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FRom what I had heard many of the top 16 wanted it all for themselves and did not want to do anything to build the sport.
SO after the "old guard"made their money the tour would be done anyway.
It's really sad for the ladies that put so much into it.
MAybe the ladies can play speed pool too.
 
PeoriaPool said:
Brunswick sucks and Diamond is the BEST!

The END!!!
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Or vice versa...

Depends if you want to play on good tables or support the table manufacturer that supports the sport

I like GC for playing but respect Diamond for what they committ to the sport

Sooner or later, the gaff table might become the industry standard and everyone will say that GC's don't bank right :).
 
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