Pool Cue News and Review

Well that didn’t take long.  BCA Expo co-chair Ivan Lee said the following about the 2009 BCA Expo: “I was excited to see how well the show turned out and I am very pleased with all of the positive comments that I have received from both exhibitors and buyers”.

Now lets get to the real information.  Show attendance increased from 1,111 to 1,120.  That’s right, an increase of 9 people.  The number of exhibitors dropped from 178 last year to 116 this year.  The number of booths dropped from 628 to 412.  Spin it however you want, but these numbers have found a way to simultaniously suck and blow.

Here’s the reality of the situation.  The industry has spoken and what they’ve said is that the BCA Expo in its current form is no longer relevant.  Two years ago, there were 1,003 booths and 2,156 buyers at the Expo.  This year, half of that.

So how do you turn it around?

1. Stop blowing smoke up our collective asses.  Come on BCA, you’re better than that. When a show has flat attendance, that is not a success, especially when you pay out the ass to have the show in Vegas. If you find a way to shine a turd, all you’ve done is create a shiny turd.

2. Stop being such snobs. You want people in the industry to get excited about the show and the industry? Stop making it so damn exclusive. For at least one day, open it up to the public. Let the people who actually use the equipment see the new stuff. Its called word of mouth. Get the end users excited about your product and they’ll talk about it. They’ll tell their friends about it. When the time comes, they’ll throw down cash and BUY it.

3. Give buyers a reason to attend. This one’s on you, billiards manufacturing industry. When was the last time there was something revolutionary (or even evolutionary) at the show? Stop counting on Predator to come up with the next big thing and do it yourselves. Copycating isn’t good enough.

4. Know your role and have some fun already. We’re not selling fashion, glitz and glamour. Our industry is about shooting pool, drinking beer, listening to tunes and hanging out with friends. With the exception of a couple of booths (you know who you are, you irreverent rowdies!), the BCA Expo floor is stiff, boring and completely unrepresentative of the industry we work in. It may as well be a show selling medical devices. Pump some music (not Muzak) in, get the booze flowing (come on manufacturers, nothing gets people to your booth like a cold keg of free beer) and have some freaking fun already!

Ok, that rant went on quite a bit longer than planned.  Naturally, the BCA won’t take any of this advice and next year will be exactly the same as this year.  Dwindling booths, flat attendance and a proclimation from the chair of the expo committe that the show was a success.  By the way, shouldn’t the CEO of the BCA be making these absurd proclimations instead of the head of the board?  Is there still a CEO of the BCA?

Bah, who am I kidding.  Everyone stopped reading 300 words ago.

By the way, gold star if you know where the title came from (without looking it up in Google).  I’ll give you a hint.  The song was in a movie with Brad Pitt, Jason Statham and Benicio Del Toro.

PCN BCA BCA, BCA Expo

I gotta say, I’m impressed.  It’s not often that someone makes a mistake and then owns up to it, but that’s exactly what Anne Craig at the WPBA did.  As you know, I made a big bruhaha about the fact that Yu Ram was ranked 18th after the Great Lakes Classic instead of #6.  Well, I was browsing the AZB threads this weekend and what did I find but a response to this issue from Ms. Craig:

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Hi there If you go back to the homepage and click the “Ranking Summary 2009″ link again, you’ll see that I’ve posted a corrected ranking summary Yu Ram is listed at #6. Just an honest boo-boo on my part! My profuse apologies.

Thanks!
Anne - WPBA

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I’ve got all sorts of respect for Anne Craig now.  She biffed, she owned it, corrected it and she didn’t make any excuses.  In this day and age, that is rare.

PCN WPBA Anne Craig, WPBA, WPBA Rankings, Yu Ram Cha

There are some things I just don’t get.  I don’t understand why people cut me off on the freeway and then give me the finger when they slide in front of me.  I don’t get why deep frying a Twinkie makes it taste better (next time you’re in Vegas, head over to Mermaids in the Fremont Ghetto and you’ll see what I mean).  But what I really don’t get is why a company would intentionally devalue their brand.

McDermott used to be a very respected brand that developed attractive, high quality production domestic cues.  Over the past couple of years, the McDermott name has become a bit, well lets just say confused.  First they roll out the Star Cues line.  These cues retail for 100 to 180 bucks and are by all reported accounts, made over in China.  This immediately made people question the value and integrity of the McDermott line.  Then they rolled out the Lucky line of cues, priced at 60 to 100 bucks.  Now they’ve taken it a step further: Nitro cues. The latest line from McDermott retails for under 50 bucks and seems to have been made to compete for shelf space at places like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Big 5, Sports Authority, Wal-Mart, etc.

I’m curious McDermott pool cue owner.  Next time you go and play leagues and have a conversation that goes something like this, how will it make you feel:

Nitro Guy: Dude, that cue is really nice. What is it?
McDermott Guy: Its a McDermott.
Nitro Guy: Seriously? That’s awesome! I play with a McDermott too! (Nitro guy pulls out his Nitro cue)
McDermott Guy: That’s a McDermott? I don’t think it is.
Nitro Guy: Sure it is. I just got it over at Dick’s. It was tough deciding between this one and a Minnesota Fats, but I think I made the right choice. I didn’t see your McDermott there though. Are you sure yours is a McDermott?
McDermott Guy: They don’t sell McDermott cues at Dick’s, man.
Nitro Guy: The guy at the store said it was a McDermott. Got a great price on it too. I only paid $39.95! How much was yours?
McDermott Guy: There’s no such thing as a new McDermott cue that sells for 40 bucks.
Nitro Guy: No, the guy at Dick’s said these were brand new. You should head over there and check it out.

The way I see it, pool cues are like strippers and hookers (yes, I just compared pool cues to hookers… just deal with it and go with me here).  You’ve got your Ashley Dupre quality where you’re paying a ton of dough, but you’re getting a one of a kind, customized experience.  Then you’ve got places like the Spearmint Rhino.  You know you’re getting something that other people are getting too, but you’re paying a little premium because the quality is still pretty damn fine. What McDermott has done with Star, Lucky and now Nitro is they’ve tried to be that awful club that tries to be everything to everyone.  We’ve all been there, with the combination of hot girls, average girls and the over the hill stripper with the raspy voice that should’ve hung up her g-string about 10 years ago.  You know, this one:

Now don’t get me wrong.  I like McDermott cues.  I really do, the real (domestic) ones anyway.  The designs are beautiful, the workmanship is quality and they stand behind their products.  I just don’t get why they would choose to turn their brand into the industry’s whores of Babylon.

PCN McDermott Pool Cues Lucky Cues, McDermott Cues, Nitro Cues, Star Cues

Its here! Its here!  Its the show that should be important, but by looking at the cratering attendance and booth numbers, clearly isn’t.  That’s right boys and girls, its time once again for the BCA Expo.  Here are my 7 bold predictions for the BCA Expo:

1. There will be a bunch of new cues made with pride in China.
2. At least 3 companies will bitch with varying degrees of volume that their designs have been ripped off by one of their competitors.
3. Everyone in the Predator Booth will be wearing fancy suits with black wingtips shined so bright that CEO Karim Belhaj will be able to see the reflection of his pearly whites whenever he sees fit. If he comes across an employee who doesn’t pass the reflection test, they will be immediately sent to their room without supper.
4. Shanelle Loraine will be hanging out at the Predator booth wearing something turquoise blue and shiny that shows off her boobies. She will then get offended when horny old men stand there staring at her with their hands in their pockets and drool buckets attached to their jowels.
5. Someone will call the show a rousing success regardless of the declining attendance and booths.
6. At least two billiards publications will print a picture of an expo floor that will immediately call bullshit on anyone saying the show was a rousing success.
7. A company will roll out a new buzzworthy gimmick that will then be mercilessly copied within six to nine months (see Outlaw which begat Desperado, which begat Wildfire, which begat the new Urban Cowboy).

In all seriousness, I do love going to the Expo. Attendance may suck and the products might not be terribly innovative, but its always a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and people who you wouldn’t get to see otherwise.

PCN BCA BCA, BCA Expo, Desperado Cues, Karim Belhaj, Outlaw Cues, Predator Cues, Wildfire Cues

Sorry, I’m in a bit of an alliteration kind of mood, but the title seems appropriate, no?  So here’s the deal.  The mega-sexy lady in the picture below rolled into the Tri-State Tour, sized up the competition and steamrolled ‘em.  Borana went through the entire event without losing a match, torching anyone who made the mistake of thinking a lady this fine can’t play pool.

Photo Props to NYC Grind

Not only did Ms. Andoni take home a cool five hundo, but she also got some good tournament style practice in for the upcoming WPBA satellite event of which I hear she’s taking part in.  See guys, this is why you don’t just assume if someone is foxy they can’t play pool.

Congrats to Borana Andoni on the win!

PCN Pool Hotties Billiards Hotties, Borana Andoni, Pool Hotties, Tri-State Tour