WPBA Tournament of Champions

[Wedge]

I heard through the grapevine that the four players are:
Kelly Fisher (Returning Champion)
Ga Young Kim (ranked 1 on WPBA)
Alison Fisher (Ranked 2nd)
Jasmine Ouchan (Ranked 4th)

If this is true the WPBA should explain why they changed the selection process and snubbed the number 3 ranked player Karen Corr.

Makes no sense

Wedge

 

[FranCrimi]

I heard through the grapevine that the four players are:
Kelly Fisher (Returning Champion)
Ga Young Kim (ranked 1 on WPBA)
Alison Fisher (Ranked 2nd)
Jasmine Ouchan (Ranked 4th)

If this is true the WPBA should explain why they changed the selection process and snubbed the number 3 ranked player Karen Corr.

Makes no sense

Wedge

Do you know for a fact that the WPBA was the one making the selections? Is it called the WPBA Tournament of Champions or just the Tournament of Champions? I'm asking because I don't know and was just wondering.

 

[mikefeiman]

If this is true the WPBA should explain why they changed the selection process and snubbed the number 3 ranked player Karen Corr.

Makes no sense

Wedge

The ToC is a Billiards International event and as far as I know is a made for TV invitational. The only one who could answer this would likely be Gregg Hovey at Billiards International.

If memory serves, they select the players based on who's won certain events (hence the Tournament of Champions name), but as I said, Gregg Hovey would be the best person to answer this question.

 

[AtLarge]

I heard through the grapevine that the four players are:
Kelly Fisher (Returning Champion)
Ga Young Kim (ranked 1 on WPBA)
Alison Fisher (Ranked 2nd)
Jasmine Ouchan (Ranked 4th)

If this is true the WPBA should explain why they changed the selection process and snubbed the number 3 ranked player Karen Corr.

Makes no sense

Wedge

It's not a WPBA event (although it may be "sanctioned" by them, whatever that means in this case). It is the Tournament of Champions produced by Billiards International, which was run for many years by Matt Braun and his wife. They sold it to Gregg Hovey (former Olhausen president) about three years ago.

It's just an invitational, made-for-TV event, which now consists of just 3 matches -- two semifinal matches and the finals match. Billiards International chooses the 4 players. Typically, it has been winners of recent major events.

 

[Joe_Jaguar]

I heard through the grapevine that the four players are:
Kelly Fisher (Returning Champion)
Ga Young Kim (ranked 1 on WPBA)
Alison Fisher (Ranked 2nd)
Jasmine Ouchan (Ranked 4th)

If this is true the WPBA should explain why they changed the selection process and snubbed the number 3 ranked player Karen Corr.

Makes no sense

Wedge

Presumably you're going by these rankings?
http://wpba.com/player-info/current-player-rankings.html

They are a joke and that is the first problem. All they are are a summation of points over the last 6 events, 6 events that span three years! Not really indicative of "current" rankings. GYK and Ouschan have won the last two WPBA events, K Fisher as you say is the returning champ in this invitational, and that pretty much leaves just AF or Corr as the other regular WPBA vets to pick. Over the past year plus performances and competing I'd have to go with Corr as the last pick, although AF did have a high place in this year's China event.

WPBA isn't going to explain crap on here as they don't care and basically don't exist. As you can see, they haven't answered the simple question you posted on Facebook regarding venue, etc.

I guess the rankings do show the same trend among the same group of players. Guess they won't invite any international ladies as they probably wouldn't secure the (meaningless) WPBA sanctioning.

 

[westcoast]

I didn't know the WPBA even existed any more

 

[NYC cue dude]

Presumably you're going by these rankings?
http://wpba.com/player-info/current-player-rankings.html

They are a joke and that is the first problem. All they are are a summation of points over the last 6 events, 6 events that span three years! Not really indicative of "current" rankings. GYK and Ouschan have won the last two WPBA events, K Fisher as you say is the returning champ in this invitational, and that pretty much leaves just AF or Corr as the other regular WPBA vets to pick. Over the past year plus performances and competing I'd have to go with Corr as the last pick, although AF did have a high place in this year's China event.

WPBA isn't going to explain crap on here as they don't care and basically don't exist. As you can see, they haven't answered the simple question you posted on Facebook regarding venue, etc.


I guess the rankings do show the same trend among the same group of players. Guess they won't invite any international ladies as they probably wouldn't secure the (meaningless) WPBA sanctioning.

I'm not sure I understand your last sentence. 3 of 4 of the ladies aren't American and 2 of the 4 don't live here, either.

 

[Joe_Jaguar]

I'm not sure I understand your last sentence. 3 of 4 of the ladies aren't American and 2 of the 4 don't live here, either.

I mean the non regular WPBA vets. Some of the Asian ladies that have been tearing the scene up for the past few years that don't really play in the few WPBA events. I mean if it is a Challenge of Champions it really ought to include some of them. But then they label it as WPBA Challenge/Tournament of Champions....

 

[NYC cue dude]

I mean the non regular WPBA vets. Some of the Asian ladies that have been tearing the scene up for the past few years that don't really play in the few WPBA events. I mean if it is a Challenge of Champions it really ought to include some of them. But then they label it as WPBA Challenge/Tournament of Champions....

Well, it is limited to 4. With that in mind, they've got a very good representation. And, it is "winner takes all". Not sure how many people are willing to pay to cross the ocean, plus food and lodging, with 75%of the field guaranteed to lose THOUSANDS?

 

[boogeyman]

I heard through the grapevine that the four players are:
Kelly Fisher (Returning Champion)
Ga Young Kim (ranked 1 on WPBA)
Alison Fisher (Ranked 2nd)
Jasmine Ouchan (Ranked 4th)

If this is true the WPBA should explain why they changed the selection process and snubbed the number 3 ranked player Karen Corr.

Makes no sense

Wedge

I hear what you're saying, Wedge.
I would HOPE that it's not due to some other reasons.
I mean, I hear Corr is a great ambassador, but let's be real.
She's not the most photogenic. There. I. Said. It. Sorry for that.

 

[Johnnyt]

Corr is the regional champion. Won 6 or 7 in a row. Must be fun clubbing all those baby seals. Johnnyt

 

[FranCrimi]

Corr is the regional champion. Won 6 or 7 in a row. Must be fun clubbing all those baby seals. Johnnyt

Actually, Karen is playing some of the best pool I've ever seen her play. The NEWT tour has some outstanding players and Karen is just tearing up the field. It reminds me of the days when Jean Balukas played. Break and run, break and run, break and run.....

 

[2strong4u]

Corr is the regional champion. Won 6 or 7 in a row. Must be fun clubbing all those baby seals. Johnnyt

She took first place 7 out of 7 events winning 42 sets in a row. She's a terrific player, miles ahead of most female players on the tour.

 

[Johnnyt]

I know she's a great player and a great person, but she needs to step up to bigger tournaments. Johnnyt

 

[hang-the-9]

I know she's a great player and a great person, but she needs to step up to bigger tournaments. Johnnyt

She plays in quite a few Joss events and cashes, those entries are not push overs. Sossei, Dechaine to mention a few that play in those a lot, plus a ton of local top players. Now that Alison has more or less retired, Karen is one of the few women that play in the open events with the men, aside from those that do it for the publicity that don't really have a chance to cash.

 

[Nostroke]

Well, it is limited to 4. With that in mind, they've got a very good representation. And, it is "winner takes all". Not sure how many people are willing to pay to cross the ocean, plus food and lodging, with 75%of the field guaranteed to lose THOUSANDS?

They all get expenses, trust me. They need to have ladies who have name recognition in America though..

 

[hang-the-9]

They all get expenses, trust me. They need to have ladies who have name recognition in America though..

They don't advertise that the event is happening or where, I don't think it matters a bit who plays in it if no-one will be seeing it LOL.

 

[Nostroke]

They don't advertise that the event is happening or where, I don't think it matters a bit who plays in it if no-one will be seeing it LOL.

It hasnt been running 20-30 years because Matt Braun is a philanthropist or whoever took it over from him lately (if anyone) . It's made for TV -There is no charge to watch it live. He has a deal with ESPN-why or how when no one else can get one-I dont know.

 

[hang-the-9]

It hasnt been running 20-30 years because Matt Braun is a philanthropist or whoever took it over from him lately (if anyone) . It's made for TV -There is no charge to watch it live. He has a deal with ESPN-why or how when no one else can get one-I dont know.

It did go down from an 8 man 50k first prize to a 4? man (now woman also) with a 25k first prize. The women's event may be even less of a prize fund.

I went to two of them in CT, don't know if they even hold them there now or how the attendance and setup is. When I went they had waiting lists fro people and they rotated the audience match to match. So you'd watch a match, then everyone had to exit, the people waiting got in, and if you could go back in again you did, if not, you waited till that match was over and got back in when the other audience was cleared.

 

[spartan]

It did go down from an 8 man 50k first prize to a 4? man (now woman also) with a 25k first prize. The women's event may be even less of a prize fund.

I went to two of them in CT, don't know if they even hold them there now or how the attendance and setup is. When I went they had waiting lists fro people and they rotated the audience match to match. So you'd watch a match, then everyone had to exit, the people waiting got in, and if you could go back in again you did, if not, you waited till that match was over and got back in when the other audience was cleared.

That is sad
The ICC used to be one of toughest and most exciting
8 men down to 4 men and single elim some more making it pretty pointless, A shadow of its former self

One of best rack of 9 ball -Chao v Buste
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcv9KZVo40o