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Post by Jerry Milne on Jan 4, 2009 21:20:15 GMT -5
Now that the Mike Gould Classic is now having amateur classes, where is the line drawn that would make someone a pro or an amateur?
Is a Pro someone who has made money before? Supermatch winner? Is a Pro someone who has finished first in a tournament before? Nats? Provincials? Is a Pro someone who is in the top 5 of rankings?
Just curious.
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Post by Eric Roussin on Jan 4, 2009 22:05:04 GMT -5
This has been debated many times before, but the short answer is there is no perfect way to define "pro" and "amateur" currently in armwrestling. Mike will have the final say as to who can pull amateur at his event, but in my opinion pullers should let their conscience guide them when it comes to selecting either pro or amateur.
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Post by Mikel Gould on Jan 5, 2009 14:31:59 GMT -5
Thats a good awnser Eric. This has been an ongoing debate as you said. I hope the competitors will use there own discretion as will I. Amateur is for exactly that, not for the guy who cant finish in the top places but for the amateur that is in the early developement stages of the sport.
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Post by Rob Hancock on Jan 5, 2009 15:52:10 GMT -5
I have never placed in the top three at provincials, nationals or worlds in any weight class. I have armwrestled since 1994, but I've never gotten any better because I don't try to. Armwrestling is just a hobby for me, amateur is my level of competition. You can't say that I don't qualify to pull a class when all of the new guys are ranked ahead of me! I'm not even ranked in the top thirty in Ontario. This is Mikes' tournament so I will respect his opionion, even if I strongly disagree!
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Post by Mikel Gould on Jan 5, 2009 16:56:09 GMT -5
Oops!! sorry. Im not saying anybody cant, its just difficult to draw the line because everyone is different, thats all.
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Post by Pat Mastrangelo on Jan 7, 2009 23:04:12 GMT -5
What we used to do in the "Old Days" is that if there was an armwrestler that has pulled a long time and is on the border of being ranked or looked at as a pro, he could enter the amature class but at a higher weight class. This I think is the farest thing we could do. Now we have an armwrestler with some exprience going against someone heavier then them. It kind of evens things out a bit.
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Post by G Ronald on Jan 7, 2009 23:22:39 GMT -5
1 question remains what if the puller allready is a heavy weight hard to go up a class when there is no more classes to go to ?? just a curious question is all
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Post by Pat Mastrangelo on Jan 9, 2009 1:03:24 GMT -5
well, if memory serves me right... the heavy weights took a loss. This would make it fare again because of the experience that they would have over someone just starting out.
Then again there wasn't any amature divisions back then. There were many times when we would drive for hours and then lose two quick matches (and when I say quick i mean losses to Keven Kelly and Paul Inglel quick).
I do think amature classes are a good thing in some ways. They do give beginners a chance to try it out to see if they like the sport, but then again if you truly love the sport you would want to armwrestle the best and pulling pro is were you will learn the most, even if you lose.
So what I am trying to say is just pull pro, believe me it will be a more rewarding experience. Then you could say, hey it only took so and so 1 second insted of a half second the last time to beat me.
Hope this helps you out on deciding what to pull.
Pat
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Post by G Ronald on Jan 9, 2009 9:19:02 GMT -5
Good point Pat that was my theory anyway pull the best to become the best..... i think i will still pull amateur ...........and pro just to be able to lock up with the likes of any of the top name Heavy weights for the experience thanks again Pat for your input i used to watch you here in Listowel at the yearly event Paddyfest years ago (not to make us sound old) lol and you to are my list of armwrestling greats keep up the good work i always look forward to watching you pull
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Post by Grippler on Jan 9, 2009 10:53:20 GMT -5
I think you should pull anyone and everyone. Since day One I have competed at as many events as possible, I have pulled Pro pullers and amatures!!!!! every experience was a learning one win or lose! I will compete against pro's and will enter Pro events however I am reluctant to use the word Pro as that word in my vocabulary encompases much more than simply results on the table!!!!! I personally feel that their are too many holes in my game to much that i haven't learned yet no where near my physical potential to honestly call my self pro! That being said I will Challenge the Pro's and try to continue to stay competitive with them! And like I have said before when I am ready for the title "PRO" I won't need to tell people I am it will just be assumed i am!
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Post by Jeff Penney on Jan 9, 2009 11:24:45 GMT -5
Okay okay, just stop yelling, Grippler. Sheesh. I see your point; I don't know, maybe you should be a little more liberal in your use of the term "Pro". Pros in all sports have certain holes in their game. I figure if you've got a couple of years table time, and have amassed a decent record of wins, like yourself, it qualifies as "pro". Most of us will never reach our full potential, since we started late in life, especially compared to some European countries. I don't know, it's all pretty subjective stuff. It's not like we can actually be "pro" in the true sense of the term, with a nice fixed income.
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Post by Grippler on Jan 9, 2009 14:07:14 GMT -5
OK I'LL BREAK IT DOWN!
Devons a pro ya? Brzenk,Bath, Wislon,Ivankin? these guy's all earn big bucks annually and are true pro's!!!
since I can not put myself amongst those guy's i'll start a new catagory! SEMI-PRO as in I am a semi-professional armwrestlers and guy's who people deem less capable than me are ammatures and more capable pros!!
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Post by John Milne on Jan 9, 2009 14:43:09 GMT -5
YOU'RE A f**k**g PRO GRIPPLER!!!!!!!!
You are The Grippler for god sakes. You are the one we look to for inspiration, leadership and DOMINATION!!!!!
.... oh yeah
WAR GRIPPLER
... for those of you who feel I contribute next to nothing with my senseless posts.... you are absolutely right. The fact that I enjoy it makes it ok for me to do so.
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Post by Jeff Penney on Jan 9, 2009 14:48:56 GMT -5
Hah! Someone said that, John? Jeez...
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Post by Grippler on Jan 9, 2009 21:42:45 GMT -5
OK I'm a Pro!!! but I would then like to include John and Jerry Milne and the rest of the High Hookers!!
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