Answer for Lorri regarding my opinions on WPBA

Lorri asked the following:

Krusty, if you could share your opinion with Barbara on her current WPBA dilemma I'd
be interested in hearing what you have to say.


Krusty replied

Here is my opinion on the current WPBA Board and also of the situation that Barbara presented, there is an old saying that goes something like this.

"Normally, when a horse is this lame, we shoot it."

That pretty much sums it up. A few years ago I thought that the WPBA was the greatest thing that ever happened to pool. The image they were trying to promote was what I felt should be promoted. But now after seeing under the layers of the management of the WPBA it is clear that they are no different than the egos and greed that killed the men's tour just a short time ago. Same deal, people at the top using their position to help themselves and their friends, make themselves money even if it hurts the other members and using Gestapo like tactics to stay in control. It is this shortsighted thinking that will be the death of the WPBA. I think it is kind of sad too, that the people at the top now are killing a creation that took a lot of hard working individuals 20+ years to build up too.

In my mind Barbara is %100 correct in everything she has brought up. If she doesn't want to run the NEWT anymore I don't think anyone would hold that against her. Without regional tours the WPBA becomes stagnated with the same players all the time. Don't you love it when a WPBA board plan comes together?

I understand that some would like to see a second promotion started to challenge the WPBA. I'm not sure if this is the solution, if you remember the splitting up of the men's tour was one of the last nails in their coffin. But, if this is the solution, it is going to have to be started by the younger players. The older players built their tour up, only to have it destroyed, now it is the new guards turn.

My own personal feeling is that the WPBA can be brought back from the brink if the leadership is there. It's the same as in any company; competent leadership will have a trickle down effect on the rest of the organization. You don't need to tear it down to fix it, but you certainly need to gut it. There are a few problems I foresee though A) How do you choose a leader that has no ties to the current heads of state, not biased one way or another. B) How do you get rid of the current heads of state? I'll deal with that one in a different post. /ccboard/images/icons/smile.gif

Krusty

A question for those who know the WPBA better than me. How far does the dissention run. Do the top players not agree with the direction that the tour is going in? How many members have problems with the current leadership? Would those players be willing to put the tour at jeopardy to get rid of the current leadership?

[Ralph S.]

I am not Lorri, but that is a well stated and thought provoking response. Well put Krusty, I am looking forward to reading more from you and the other key posters involved about this thread.
Ralph S.

Krusty,
Thanks for your thoughts, and for not giving a flip answer. I agree with the idea of professional management, in fact, I've been saying that all along. The only way to get unbiased leadership though, is to take the majority rule away from the players. This is actually a good thing, but the players themselves won't see it that way. And it would definately be presented to the membership as a threat of epic proportions.
As far as the membership being willing to risk their tour to initiate change, I think you only need look as far as the players meeting at Valley Forge. Although the majority claimed to be outraged at the ouster of Dr. D, not a single soul stood up and said "this is wrong", or "I want an explanation". What these ladies fail to realize is that they are already risking everything. They are not growing, they're shrinking. Their TV hours have been cut, their tournament schedule has been halved, they're alienating long-time supporters and potential hosts, but all the while, the organization just keeps demanding more money. If I were a touring pro right now, I think I'd have to be wondering just what kind of value I was getting for my dollar. I mean, I've been to Valley Forge. I've walked around with my cue slung over my shoulder and an entourage following me, I've been stopped for autographs and photos, and people didn't even know who I was! Yes, it's very exciting and it's very flattering, but it's not worth the price these women are paying. ( by the way, I'm not a pro, and I couldn't give you a single reason why these things happen to me)
As for another tour cropping up, I hear what you are saying, and I agree with the history of your argument. But the thing that the men did was try to start another tour because they didn't like the leadership of the old one. They basically did the same thing that the other tour was doing. From what I understand of the current efforts of some folks, they hate the whole thing, and think they've got a better format that can actually be profitable. I say, if they do, run with it! If even some of the ideas that have been kicking around come to pass, you wouldn't even NEED the current "names" in the WPBA. Besides, lots of people get on the job training. Why should Liz and Jen and Gail be any different? Plus, if you could actually come up with a format friendly enough to Jane and John Public that they would attend an event whose rules and history they knew nothing about, how long do you think it would take for some top flight talent to jump ranks? I disagree with the folks who think our sport can't be presented to the general public and embraced on a large scale level. I believe all that's needed is a LOT of thinking OUTSIDE conventional wisdom. Hee Hee, yeah, that's ALL we need. I'm giggling because I've just made an enormous concept seem so small and simple. It's not simple, we all know that. None of the possible answers are. But I believe that it IS necessary. Not because I say it should be so, or you, or anyone else, but because it's fair. The women who are currently out there, trying their hearts out while trying to maintain a seperate career, and family and relationship and all the million other things we all juggle deserve this. The fans who have waited so long, and with so much hope deserve this. Even the guys, who blew their first two shots, deserve this. Pool IS a beautiful, elegant game. And I believe that even those who don't play can appreciate that. I also believe that there are profits to be made in the presentation of the game. But it's going to take more than we've currently got, and that's where the question mark lies.
So thanks, Krusty. It appears that we are of the same mind on this one, though I'm not sure it'll get us anywhere. Still, each day brings fresh hope, no?