I apologize for being late to the table for all of the discussion about The Players' League and its operation in regards to handicapping, payouts and overall value to  players.  It seems as though the points of question raised by Skillz Elite, have been sufficiently aired and responded to by those who decided to directly involve themselves in the debate.  Believing this to be true, I will take this opportunity to add some thoughts about the entire discussion. 

Firstly, I am surprised that more board members did not take the opportunity to address Skillz Elite on the "questions" he raised at the beginning of his discussion thread.  I view immediate addressing of questions and/or misconceptions raised by the pool playing public and especially players directly participating in the league a primary responsibility of board members.  I am not placing judgement on the actions taken by current board members to address the issues raised but merely reinforcing the idea that no response to critical issues can be interpreted in many ways...and sometimes as quiet acceptance of an idea or course of action.

 

When it comes down to "getting what you pay for", there are many aspects a pool player can consider when making a decision to join a particular league.  Often times one of the key deciding factors is "the purse".  How much money can a player or a team make if they have a successful season or what prizes can be won?  As we all know there is a wide range of spoils to be won depending upon the league.  I for one, have had my fill of plaques, trophies and pins.  When you really assess the cost of those items it does not translate into a larger overall payout to the players. 

 

What then is enticing about a league?  Is it the competition level, the format, opportunity to play, stability, general quality of persons playing, etc.? 

 

For me the deciding factors become how well the league is operated and supportive of the players.  In my humble opinion, there is not another league around to my knowledge that offers the quality of the Players' League.  This is evidenced on many levels. Perhaps slightly outdated, there is a league comparison chart that can be viewed to independently make this determination.  The chart compares all known aspects of local leagues.  I encourage Skillz Elite and any others curious about this to review the information and provide any information updates that are known. 

 

The reasons why the Players' League is my choice are as follows:

 

* The Players' League, per a cost to purse ratio, offers the most return for the money (highest available 1st place payout) - given what is known about the other leagues and their payout structures versus total player costs for participation. 

 

* The Players' League offers the most opportunity for a player to really "play some pool" on a league night - addressing one of the oldest player gripes, "league play is too slow and does not offer enough opportunity to play games". 

 

* Arguably the Players' League is the most well organized and transparent in its operations of any league evidenced by the fact that there are regular reports issued on league operations and a forum by which players can raise questions or offer suggestions.  As a matter of fact, taking advantage of the opportunity to raise questions, I raised one that resulted in a rule change and my eventual participation on the board.

 

* Standard equipment, in the form of red circle cue balls or their equivalent, and the opportunity to play on full size regulation tables is also an important aspect of the  league. I for one have grown tired of the limits of bar table pool.

 

* The last important feature of the Players' League that makes it my choice for pool is the character of the owner and operator Chuck.  He is without a doubt one of the most honest, Mayberry-like, good and well-intentioned human beings I have had the privilege to know on a personal level.  He truly believes in working to make his league better each year and promoting the past time of pool.

 

For the record, I stopped playing in the League because I had other responsibilities that became more demanding of my time.  Once things begin to slow for me I will resume playing in the Players' League. 

 

Thanks for the opportunity to share my thoughts.  May the balls roll well for all of you.

 

Sincerely,

 

Craig

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though Liu Bei was outnumbered by Cao Cao's troops in the Xinye battle， Liu defeated Cao thanks to the smart tactic he had resorted to. Cao soon commanded an army of 500，000 to take his revenge. When Liu Bei and his force of 3，000 got to Dangyang County， they were stopped by Cao's troops. A bitter fight lasted until dawn and the Liu army narrowly managed to eLüde the chasing enemy.
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　　As day broke，wedding dresses General Zhao Yun discovered that Liu Bei's wife and son were missing. Zhao gathered 30 troops and fought his way back onto the battlefield to look for Liu's wife， Madam Mi， and son， A Dou. With the help of a middle-aged woman， Zhao Yun found Madam Mi and A Dou by the side of a dry well behind a collapsed wall. Madam Mi said： “A Dou is safe now with you， General. I'd rather die than encumber you.” When Zhao Yun was not looking her way， Madam Mi threw herself into the well. Suddenly， Cao troops came charging toward Zhao Yun. With tears in his eyes， Zhao Yun pushed down what remained of the collapsed wall to cover the dry well.
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    At Cao Cao's instruction，maple story mesos Liu Bei was about to set off for a punitive expedition against Yuan Shu. Before he left， Liu Bei worried about the defence of Xuzhou City. When Zhang Fei volünteered to take the task， Liu said， “How can I feel assured， when you're so fond of drinking and after drinking you always flog your soldiers for no reason? And you're such a hot-tempered person and frequently you refuse to take advice.”
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