Grand Prix 2014

[NigelS]

Qualifiers for the Grand Prix below, if people can please confirm whether or not they are going to attend, I will update the list as I get answers. Please let me know ASAP as there are only 2 weeks to confirm. Grand Prix is on Sun 23rd Nov.

1 Dave Ingram 51 - confirmed
2 Kevin Tunstall 50 - confirmed
Richard Wooton 34
3 Curt Driver 31 - confirmed
4 Mark Brewster 30 - confirmed
5 Mark Trafford 29 - confirmed
6 Gerry Fitzjohn 26 - confirmed
Ian Lelliott 26
7 Mike Daw 20 - confirmed
    Bob Chapple 16
    Barry Radford 11
8 Nigel Senior 10 - confirmed
9 Martin Cole 10 - confirmed
Mark James 10
     Bob King 10
10 Colin Southouse 9 - confirmed
Paul Sainsbury 9

11 Kevin Hall 8 - confirmed
12 Martin Smith 8 - confirmed
Pete Sainsbury 7
Matt Ogier 7
Keith Sheard 7
Chris Saville 6
13 Phil Collins 6 - confirmed
Ian Champion 6
14 Geoff Mace 6 - confirmed
Robert Hall 6
Andy Burns 6
15 Phil Osborne 5 - confirmed
Geoff Jukes 4
Ian Moss 4
16 Tony Martin 4

[curtd]

Me, Mark Brewster and Fitz will be there

[NigelS]

Thanks Curt, all now confirmed

[BB Warrior]

I will be there.

[gandalf the untidy]

Colin Southouse will be there

[milhouse]

I will be attending

[nipper]

I'll be there, can't believe I made it in :o

[therealmc]

I can make it if you need to drop that low down the list

[BB Warrior]

Bob King sends his apologies but will not be able to attend.

[Chunky Monkey]

I will be available if required.

[mikedaw1985]

I'm in. I will have to buy a waist coat now.

[The Bullet]

Hi,
Unfortunately I won't be able to make it.

[Chris]

Barry Radford is not able to make it

Thanks
Chris

[NigelS]

13 confirmed

With withdrawals waiting answers from

Richard Wooton
Milko
Sav

Please reply ASAP as need to let people know further down list

Thanks

[milko]

For me the novelty of wearing a waistcoat to play Bar Billiards has now worn off. I don't think anyone that has qualified and wants to enter should be forced to wear something other than their own choice, after all it's only a pub game and some say it's not even a sport!(Don't they Dave ). Also, if you walked in an hour after the start you'd probably find that hardly anyone has still got their "dickie" on and some will also have their waistcoats off, so what's the point of it ? except wanting to look like a "ponce" for a meaningless photograph!

Anyway the answer is NO, as I said after the Bucks that I wouldn't play again this year and not until the Oxford Open but that's changed now because of the date change , so it will now be Bournemouth next for me (hopefully).

Milko

[gandalf the untidy]

Nov 18, 2014 13:31:52 GMT milko said:

For me the novelty of wearing a waistcoat to play Bar Billiards has now worn off. I don't think anyone that has qualified and wants to enter should be forced to wear something other than their own choice, after all it's only a pub game and some say it's not even a sport!(Don't they Dave ). Also, if you walked in an hour after the start you'd probably find that hardly anyone has still got their "dickie" on and some will also have their waistcoats off, so what's the point of it ? except wanting to look like a "ponce" for a meaningless photograph!

Anyway the answer is NO, as I said after the Bucks that I wouldn't play again this year and not until the Oxford Open but that's changed now because of the date change , so it will now be Bournemouth next for me (hopefully).

Milko

Quite like the idea of dressing up like a ponce for a change in the grand prix, it'll be the 2nd time this year that I've "dressed up" for a bar billiard do.
Luckily there are no photos floating around of my first effort.... I hope!!!

Don't really see why such a big deal is made of this every year.. I think its much more important to be in the event, probably my first and last opportunity so I'm looking forward to making the most of it while I can!

Nov 18, 2014 16:49:35 GMT gandalf the untidy said:

Luckily there are no photos floating around of my first effort.... I hope!!!

This one ??


Agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment though........it's all right for Milko, he qualifies every year and familiarity breeds contempt.

For the likes of us though it provides a rare opportunity to line up amongst currently the best 15 players in the country - a moment to cherish.

As for 'dressing up to look like a ponce', I'd take that as a compliment.....here's how the urban dictionary defines the term:

In Spanish it means "prince" and could have either been referring to the fancy, over-the-top clothing and jewelry popular with pimps, or because he was surrounded by a harem of women, involved in the underworld, but usually not the actual "king" of the area (he had to pay tribute to use the block or neighborhood).
Now it is generally used to refer to someone (usually a male) who dresses in nicer clothing and acts in a polished fashion

Go, Gandalf !

[lewisstrat26]

In my eyes it must be a great honour and a unique feeling to play in this event. Can't understand why people moan about the dressing up. It's a thing I would love to be a part of one day. But I guess if your in it every year you get bored and loose a kind of respect for the centre stage tournament along with the WC

[Chris_Sav]

Did not expect this many drop-outs, so am surprised to find myself in the mix.

Unfortunately Dragging a penguin suit around on a pushbike is not the easiest of things to cycle around with so must respectfully decline.

Good luck to all.

Sav.

[gandalf the untidy]

Thanks tommo, forgot about this one, it was at a charity fund raiser dinner in aid of dragonflies, a charity helping youngsters cope with death in the family.

However there was another BB charity event somewhere in Surrey......

[NigelS]

People with 4 points added to the reserves......

If someone can let me have Geoff Mace's contact details that would help or even ask him if he wants to play.

I have messaged Champs but doubt he can come over at short notice.

If any of the reserves are willing to play please post here as it saves me time chasing you if you move to the top 16.

[gandalf the untidy]

Nov 18, 2014 17:46:58 GMT tommo III said:

Nov 18, 2014 16:49:35 GMT gandalf the untidy said:

Luckily there are no photos floating around of my first effort.... I hope!!!

This one ??
View Attachment

Agree wholeheartedly with your sentiment though........it's all right for Milko, he qualifies every year and familiarity breeds contempt.

For the likes of us though it provides a rare opportunity to line up amongst currently the best 15 players in the country - a moment to cherish.

As for 'dressing up to look like a ponce', I'd take that as a compliment.....here's how the urban dictionary defines the term:

In Spanish it means "prince" and could have either been referring to the fancy, over-the-top clothing and jewelry popular with pimps, or because he was surrounded by a harem of women, involved in the underworld, but usually not the actual "king" of the area (he had to pay tribute to use the block or neighborhood).
Now it is generally used to refer to someone (usually a male) who dresses in nicer clothing and acts in a polished fashion

Go, Gandalf !

What a hunk, who is he...

[Sir Chancelot]

With so many surprise and disappointing withdrawals for the Grand Prix by 'big name players' - a competition that many of us minnows can only dream of participating in, isn't it about time they introduced a 'wildcard' player into the last/top 16.
For example anyone who has entered an Open and not got to the Quarter Finals, all names to go into the hat, the winner to be named as 1st reserve.

Nah, sorry, you've lost the plot there, Stormin' !

[milhouse]

In my personal opinion, i enjoy dressing up for this event! I know it is only a "pub game" but if we want to raise the profile of the game, surely something like this would help?

[BB Warrior]

Nov 19, 2014 9:42:04 GMT milhouse said:

In my personal opinion, i enjoy dressing up for this event! I know it is only a "pub game" but if we want to raise the profile of the game, surely something like this would help?

I agree.... but only if we can get some publicity for the event which does not happen at the moment.

There was a very good article in the Jersey Evening Post last Tuesday after the World Championships and we do need to somehow find a way to raise the profile of events held over here so more people can find out about our game.

I think that it is really good that York & Sheffield are getting articles into their local paper and on television as well.... we need to follow their example.

[milhouse]

Nov 19, 2014 10:35:43 GMT BB Warrior said:

Nov 19, 2014 9:42:04 GMT milhouse said:

In my personal opinion, i enjoy dressing up for this event! I know it is only a "pub game" but if we want to raise the profile of the game, surely something like this would help?

I agree.... but only if we can get some publicity for the event which does not happen at the moment.

There was a very good article in the Jersey Evening Post last Tuesday after the World Championships and we do need to somehow find a way to raise the profile of events held over here so more people can find out about our game.

I think that it is really good that York & Sheffield are getting articles into their local paper and on television as well.... we need to follow their example.

The Oxford League which is played on a Thursday has a write-up in the local paper each Thursday (Written up by Pete Ewins), so there is a bit of publicity here.

[milko]

I don't know about being the best 16 players in the country as that makes 13 (Pos14) out of the top 29 players that have pulled out of the Grand Prix so far, so something must be wrong somewhere!

If we go much lower with the points (currently 4) for qualification Nigel will be asking for anyone with (0) points (Free for all) or anyone that is willing to dress up like a penguin, or anyone that has made the plate 1st rd, or anyone that has never been in it before, or anyone who is willing to drive others to the venue, or anyone that would like to mark games, or anyone that has a birthday in the calendar year, or any male or female (Human being) that I haven't included in the above.................

Milko

[gandalf the untidy]

Nov 19, 2014 13:30:28 GMT milko said:

I don't know about being the best 16 players in the country as that makes 13 (Pos14) out of the top 29 players that have pulled out of the Grand Prix so far, so something must be wrong somewhere!

If we go much lower with the points (currently 4) for qualification Nigel will be asking for anyone with (0) points (Free for all) or anyone that is willing to dress up like a penguin, or anyone that has made the plate 1st rd, or anyone that has never been in it before, or anyone who is willing to drive others to the venue, or anyone that would like to mark games, or anyone that has a birthday in the calendar year, or any male or female (Human being) that I haven't included in the above.................

Milko

I guess we should chastise those who have pulled out then milko
or call it the best 16 available players who could be arsed to go to the county opens

Let's keep this great competition, which fittingly draws the curtain on another year, in the spirit it was intended.

The answer's simple: if you get a year when you are struggling for a 16 line-up, and are having to go too far down the list to make the numbers up, close it off at 12 players for that one year.

Relaxing the dress code will hardly make a difference, but bringing back an element of 'exclusiveness' probably would.