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INSIDE FOOS Newsletter
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE PRO FOOSBALL TOUR NO. 17 January 2005
Published By Inside Foos Productions Huntington Beach, California http://www.insidefoos.com
DO NOT REPLY: PLEASE SEND ALL EMAIL RESPONSES TO: newsletter@insidefoos.com
CONTENTS:
>From The Editor
Inside the Pro Tour
World Championship DVD Listings
Toro's Corner
Tom's Tips
Inside Foos Special Offers
Upcoming Events
Foosball Sites
USTSA Announces International Championship Enhancements
United States Table Soccer Association Tour Director
Bill Maloney has announced that there will be several notable
additions to the USTSA foosball tour and the upcoming USTSA International
Championships in Las Vegas. Included among these enhancements will be the
implementation of a new and more accurate ratings system, and the creation of an
all new "Package DYP" to be held simultaneous to the Open Mixed
Doubles event on Thursday evening in Las Vegas. This brand new event will be
included in everyone's Package Deal as an option for non-mixed players and will
feature $2200 in prize money. The Amateur and Semi Pro Singles events have also
been given added value, with the winners of each singles flight now earning free
World Championship Package Deals for their efforts. Also, the winners of the
Amateur, Semi Pro, Pro, and Women's Singles and Doubles events will now
qualify (and earn free entry) for the big-money Championship bracket at the 2005
World Championships. These new additions to the tournament format and the professional tour are part of a constantly evolving process which the USTSA hopes will help take the tour and the sport of foosball to increasingly higher levels. "Our goal is to do whatever it takes to create the ultimate playing environment for the tournament fooser", states Maloney. "We have a clear vision of where we would like the sport of foosball to be in the coming years and we will do whatever we can to make that vision a reality. We are listening to all of the constructive input we have received and will take the best of it and make it part of our plan."
Maloney's goals also include growing the player base through VIFA league play, a national network of foosball promoters, more media exposure, and by doing everything possible to get younger players involved in the great sport of foosball. Bill also hopes to "spice-up" the major tournaments by offering increased prize money, showcasing the winner's of all divisions, and holding several different types of mini tournaments, among other things.
Maloney and company also released the dates of both the National Championships in July (at a location TBA) and the World Championships, which will again be held at the DFW Hyatt Hotel in Texas over Labor Day weekend (August 31-September 5). Look for more information on both of these events to be released shortly.
The changes and additions to the 2005 pro tour and the Las Vegas International Championships are as follows:
$2200 HI-LO DRAW-YOUR-PARTNER FOR PACKAGE BUYERS IN LAS VEGAS. This newly-added event will feature a $1000 first place prize and be open to all package purchasers who do not play in Open Mixed Doubles. The high-low format will allow the top-rated player to be drawn with the lowest, and on down the line. You cannot be in any other USTSA event to compete in this exciting new DYP. VIFA league players still in events will be allowed to play. Walk-up entry fee for this event will be $75.
THE NEW POINTS SYSTEM. Among the highlights of the newly configured USTSA ratings system will be a more accurate accounting of a player's points and a more realistic "weighting" of state and regional events. Also, players will maintain their rating throughout the season. You can only go up or down a ratings class after the season has been completed. In other words, players who begin the 2005 season rated as an Amateur will be able to play as an Amateur at this year's World Championships. There will also be lists of the top seasonal performers in each ratings division published in Table Talk, with Player of the Year Awards in each category handed out at season's end. The first tournament to utilize the new ratings system will be the upcoming International Championships. There will be a more definitive explanation of the new system published at a later date.
FREE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PACKAGES TO THE WINNERS OF EACH OF THE SINGLES FLIGHTS. This new enhancement to the Amateur and Semi Pro flights adds more value to the events by offering a free World Championship package to the winners of both Amateur and Semi Pro singles flights. Of course the winners of the individual flights will also go into an 8-person playoff with a $1000 check handed out to the lucky winners in each category.
WINNERS OF AMATEUR, SEMI PRO, PRO, AND WOMEN'S SINGLES/DOUBLES WILL QUALIFY AND EARN FREE ENTRY TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. Win one of the main Singles or Doubles events in Las Vegas and you will qualify to play in the big money Championship event at this year's World Championships. The winner's of Amateur, Semi Pro, Pro, and Women's Singles & Doubles in Las Vegas will qualify to play against the big boys in Dallas at this year's worlds. Their Championship Event entry fee will be covered as well, and they will also be allowed to play events in their regular ratings category.
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE HELD AT THE DFW HYATT ON LABOR DAY WEEKEND. The DFW Hyatt Regency at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport will be the host of the Worlds for the 10th time in the last eleven years. This year's big event will be held August 31-September 5 and will feature several new and original events and an all-new ballroom set-up.
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS WILL BE HELD JULY 1-4 IN A LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED. The National Championships, featuring the always-exciting Masters Singles competition, will again be held over July 4th weekend in a city to be announced. After some speculation as to whether this event would be held at all, we can assure everyone that it will go off as planned this July 1-4.
ATTENTION PRO MASTER PLAYERS: There will be a mandatory meeting for all Pro Master players held at 1:00pm on Friday March 4th at the International Championships to discuss, among other things, your roles in the sport's future.
ATTENTION REGIONAL PROMOTERS: As part of a plan to build a national network and create a more unified front, the USTSA is putting together a brand new promotional package for promoters and operators that will also provide the directors of sanctioned state and regional tournaments with brand new Tornado tables to use for their event. You can learn more about this unique new program in Las Vegas or by emailing bmaloney@new.rr.com
Thanks and we'll seeya foosin'...
Jim Stevens
Inside Foos Productions
http://www.insidefoos.com
INSIDE THE PRO TOUR...
Don't forget, you must pre-register by February 18 in order to purchase a 2005 International Championship Package Deal. Go to http://www.vifa.com for more info and registration forms...
The deadline for room reservations is February 8. Call the Riviera at 800-634-6753...
Mary Moore's Superbowl of Foosball in Lexington, Kentucky, one of the sport's great regional events, is just weeks away...
January 27-30 are the dates for this well-run and competitive $25,000 regional championship...
I'm leaning towards Tony Spredeman and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
Brad Anderson and his Table Sports Radio will return for a second season of Internet "broadcasts" beginning the evening of January 11th...
This year Brad will be hosting bi-monthly foosball shows every other Tuesday night which will also featue co-host Phil "Goot" Gootee and will originate from his local tournament venue, "Bogart's" in Apple Valley, Minnesota...
Of course BA will serve up nightly tournament reports, which will include interviews and results, from the major events on the 2005 pro tour as well...
Go to http://www.tablesportsradio.com for more information and to access these informative and entertaining radio shows...
TRIVIA TIME: Who was Fredric Collignon's partner when he reached his first American final back in 1998 at the Hall of Fame Classic?
2005 Full Season DVD Packages are now available at http://www.insidefoos,com...
You'll save $70 off regular single event pricing by ordering the entire 2005 USTSA season on DVD while staying up-to-date on all the exciting action of the new pro tour...
You can also now order the 10-hour, 5 disc 2004 World Championship DVD set for the special price of $60...
See below ("Special Offers") for ordering details...
As usual, there will be a Hall of Fame ceremony at this year's season-opener, held Saturday night at the Vegas event...
Since first reviving the Hall of Fame back in 1996 there have been 12 new members added to this elite club of foosball contributors...
Included among those dozen new inductees are names like Furry, Wiswell, Murray, Simon, Lott and Kaiser...
TRIVIA ANSWER: European foosball legend Ismael Saban who first competed in the United States on the 1970s Tournament Soccer tour was Frederico's partner at the '98 Vegas event...
Trivia Follow-Up: After losing early in the event, Frederico and Ismael came all the way back to face eventual winners Tommy Adkisson and Chuck Pistole in the Open Doubles final...
Bring your Kids! There will be exciting 17 and Under events held in Las Vegas which will include cool foosball merchandise, provided by foosball.com and Inside Foos, and Pro Master "coaches" for the participants...
2005 should be a tremendous season on the pro tour....
We'll see ya in Vegas...
AVAILABLE NOW AT http://www.insidefoos.com
2004 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 6-Hour Version (3 DVDs) ... $50 10-Hour (5 DVDs) ... $60
2004 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS $50
2004 TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS $35
2004 HALL OF FAME CLASSIC $50
2004 FULL SEASON PACKAGE (HoFC, TX State, Nats, 10 hour World Championships) $150 (SAVE $55)
2005 FULL SEASON PACKAGE $150
2005 INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (Pre-Order) $50
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TORO'S CORNER by mark torres
Goodbye Status Quo-
There are all kinds of new things happening this year eh? The Tour has got new leadership, format changes, $9 Nachos at the movies?!?! Democrats and Republicans living together, 'Catwoman' TANKED, the Boston Red Sox WON, the US Olympic Basketball team got SMOKED, a revised value menu at Taco Bell? TOTAL FREAKING ANARCHY.
But really is it really? The new foosball format changes mean that people can't play all the events they used to. They pay a little more money. They can win a little more money. Or is it they can win a little less money? Wait a minute, no one used to win any money anyway. They can't play Masters anymore. Wait, what is a Master anyway? What is a Pro? What exactly is the color taupe? Hmmm...Wait another minute, I have won two or three tables on Tour, a few events here and there, a bunch of fair finishes in Expert/Novice/Semi-Pro and Open, and overall and it hasn't made a dent in my pocketbook. We are all still playing because we love the game right?? So what do these changes mean?
Remember a few things about who this is coming from. I write these Inside Foos articles because I love the game . I AM NOT a promoter. I own zero foosball tables; I am a fan with the priviledge of commentating in the Inside Foos booth. I simply love the game. I want the sport to succeed. It is a childhood pastime that I have brought with me into adulthood. That's my hope for the sport. I want to remember it well.
Now then, back to these changes, what is the worse that can happen? Less people play this year than last year? That was already happening. People are unhappy with the changes? People have been trudging along with the status quo forever. The end of foosball?!!? THE DEATH OF THE TOUR!?!??! *gasp*
Nah. We will always have plastic men and a ball that goes into a goal. I guess this column is really about us.
We must remember that what we have is a fragile simple thing. We ARE NOT some massively prosperous and profitable sports community with leverage and resources to move mountains of policy from our manufacturer. Take a look at Hockey! HA!We are a clan of a few thousand friends and acquaintances who congregate in a competitive environment to have laughs and hack around together. That's the simple truth of it.
WE should support what we have. I don't mean blindly, I mean we participate, share a voice, be critical minds during the process, make suggestions in the form of constructive criticism, and act like a tribe that is trying to cross an ocean together. If the current changes have a tough time working, they will change. I hope the leadership we continue to have people who love the game running it. We can do so by participating and being voices for improvement.
This is no time to take this OPPORTUNITY for positive change for granted. I don't see any reason why I won't be having fun in Vegas this year. If my friends, local rookies and semi-pros like John Biundo, Mitch McCoy, Mo Uddin, Glen Carter, Lou York, Dave Rosenthal, Karen Quebec and many others don't find the value in these changes I am certain we can speak up, and we will be heard. So goodbye status-quo, hello New Year and with that, hello new horizons!
TOM'S TIPS by tom yore
It's All About the Options
One of the most important things a foosball player can do to improve his game is to perfect the execution of various passes and shots. This is obviously done through countless hours on the table executing a large number of passes and shots to perfection. The shooting or passing series that you develop is solely up to your own discretion.
With whichever passing or shooting options you choose, it is imperative that you are able to read the defense. This involves seeing or anticipating where the opponents men are, or are going to be, and then having the quickness to execute the pass or shot through the proper hole. The series that you choose should make strategic sense. This means that if you see your opponents' men in a certain position, it should automatically correspond with a particular option.
Dave Gummesson, when passing for example, works the ball back and forth on the near wall checking to see if the opponent is covering the lane or the wall. He has developed the speed and accuracy to execute either option automatically without having to think about the execution. He knows that if the opponent is covering or reacting to the lane, he goes wall and if the wall is covered, he goes lane. A simple and straightforward passing series but because of Dave's speed and accuracy, he has developed a highly effective method.
Similarly, Terry Moore uses a lane and wall passing series but instead of using stick passes with a power wall pass, he uses a very consistent brush to the lane and a firm brush to the wall. The strategy is the same and both players have mastered the execution of their respective options without having to think about the mechanics involved.
The point I am trying to make is that whatever series you choose, one pass or shot option should complement another. If you choose, for example, the middle man stick pass and a brush up as your two main passes, your opponent can predominantly cover the middle man and effectively block both of your options at once. Therefore, no matter how well you have mastered these two options, your passing percentages will be very low against the more astute opponents that you will encounter.
Conversely, if you use a middle man pass countered by a fast wall pass, your opponent will have to be in one place or the other to make a block. This is why the lane/wall series is so effective. The opponent must be either on the wall or in the lane to make the block and does not get the added benefit of covering two of your passes in one position.
When it comes to shooting from the three row, the strategy for reading the defense is similar to passing but with the added complexity of more men to time and shoot through. You still need to develop shot options that complement one another but at the same time you need to "see" various defensive positions and be prepared to automatically shoot the right option.
In other words, for a pull shooter, a standard race defense may mean a fast spray to the long hole. For another, it may mean an off-speed tap straight. For the rollover shooter, the reverse defense may automatically mean a hitch to the near side with a fast spray to the deep push side. Either way, you should be looking for specific positions and patterns that translate into specific shots. If the option you are looking at does not seem to be available, you should have at least one "check-down" option, if not two, ready to shoot as automatic alternatives. In order for any of this to be effective, you must first develop, through much time on the table, the speed, accuracy and consistency required to hit the hole you want, when you want.
INSIDE FOOS SPECIAL OFFERS...
Inside Foos has been the official video production company of the Tornado Professional Foosball Tour for more than 10 years. Our videos and DVDs are digitally recorded using a multi-camera set-up and feature the play-by-play of "The World's Only Fooscaster" Jim Stevens, with expert commentary from pro-fooser Mark Torres and four-time tour champion Tom Yore.
SAVE $55 ---> Pre-order your 200 5 DVD Package, Receive a Free Texas State DVD Set, and Pay Only $5.00 for Shipping. Stay up-to-date on all the pro tour happenings by ordering the full 2005 USTSA season on DVD. You'll receive the 6-hour Hall of Fame Classsic, National Championships, and Texas State DVDs all for one low sale price. And you'll also pay only $5 shipping for an entire season's worth of DVDs. By ordering the full season package you'll save $70 off regular single event pricing and shipping. DVDs will be shipped 4-6 weeks after each event. TO ORDER: go to http://www.insidefoos.com and scroll down the homepage to the 2005 Packages pay point. We ship in the order received so place your order now!
SAVE $10 ---> Order the 2004 World Championship DVDs and Save $10. You can order the exciting 10-hour, 5-Disc set of 2003 Worlds DVDs at a $10 savings by going to http://www.insidefoos.com and ordering the 8-Hour version for $60. You will automatically be upgraded to the full 10-hour version. These exciting DVD sets include performances from Frederic Collignon, Tony Spredeman, Tommy Adkisson, Rob Mares, Billy Pappas, Terry Moore, Bob Diaz, Moya Tielens,
SAVE $20 ---> An Inside Foos Classic: The 10-Hour 2001 World Championships. Only $50 at insidefoos.com. This 5 DVD set features one of the greatest matches of recent years as Trevor Park and Louis Cartwright faced-off against Frederic Collignon and Todd Loffredo in a two set final that went right down to the last ball. Johnny Horton's World Singles victory is also featured on this exciting 10 hour DVD set. To order go to http://www.insidefoos.com and scroll down the homepage to the 2001 World Championship pay point.
UPCOMING EVENTS...
JANUARY 14-16$5000 Eagle's Club Classic
Eagles Club
Waterloo, IA
Dan Doubler
info@ultimatetablesports.com
920-988-9891
JANUARY 14-16
$4000 I-29 Championships
Staurolite Inn
Brookings, SD
Loyd Mandel
lmandell@hur.midco.net
605-352-5827
JANUARY 14-16
$4000 Bonzini Florida State Table Soccer Championships
Players Grille and Sports Bar
Orange Park, FL
Alan Cribbs
acribbs@naxs.net
336-325-3183
JANUARY 16
$2500 Rookie/Semi Pro Open
Big City
Boston, MA
Dean Champion
BostonFoosball@aol.com
617- 879-1891
JANUARY 21-22
$3500 West Texas Classic
Speed's
Lubbock, TX
gjksn@cox.net
Greg Jackson
JANUARY 27-30
$25,000 Superbowl of Foosball
Holiday Inn North
Lexington, KY
Mary Moore
Ifpfoos@aol.com
859-286-8502
FEBRUARY 4-6
$7500 Houston City Championships
SRO Sports Bar
Houston, TX
Mike Simons
281-820-9033
FEBRUARY 4-6
$2500 SuperFoosBowl
West Valley Billiards
West Valley City, UT
Lee McClure
leemcclure337@yahoo.com
FEBRUARY 11-13
$3000 Vegas Warm-up
Puglsey's Library
Dallas, TX
Rex Bennett
rexbennett@tulsafoosball.com
918-261-0101
FEBRUARY 18-20
$4000 Huron City Championships
Shenanigan's
Huron, SD
Loyd Mandel
lmandell@hur.midco.net
605-352-5827
FEBRUARY 18-20
$3000 Maryland State Championships
Three Nines Tavern
Jessup, MD
Tony Brannum
tony@foosball.com
301-806-7050
MARCH 2-6, 2005
$100,000 USTSA International Championships & VIFA League Championships
Riviera Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas, NV
Reservations (by Feb. 8): 800-634-6753
USTSA / VIFA
800-544-1346
*An Inside Foos Event*
For Pre-Registration forms and Tournament Flyer
go to http://www.vifa.com
For Tournament Questions and Info email
info@insidefoos.com or call 877-833-3603
Foosball Sites...
http://www.vifa.com For info on the major pro tour and VIFA leagues. The Official Site of the U.S.T.S.A., V.I.F.A. and Table Talk Magazine.
http://www.natsa.org For complete schedules, results, and Table Sports Radio.
http://www.foosball.com For anything and everything pertaining to foosball.
http://ocfoosball.com Orange County, California foosball site.
http://foosballworld.com/ifp.html Independent Foosball Promotions.
http://foosworld.com/site/default.aspx FoosWorld.com events, results, interviews
http://home.swbell.net/dradack Dallas/Fort Worth foosball
http://www.dfwfoosball.com More Dallas/Fort Worth foos
http://pub86.ezboard.com/bfoosball6358 Foosball EZ Board newsgroup.
http://www.sdfoos.com San Diego, California Foosball site.
http://www.nwfoosball.com Northwest Foosball site.
http://www.ottawafoos.com Ottawa, Canada site.
http://www.britfoos.com U.K. foosball site
http://www.atlantafoosball.com
http://www.tulsafoosball.com
http://www.foosballohio.com
http://members.shaw.ca/vancouverfoosball
http://www.newenglandfoosball.com
http://www.tischfussball.at Austrian Fussball site
http://NYMetroFoosball.i8.com New York City foos
http://www.csfoosball.com Colorado Springs foos site
http://www.cnyfoosball.com Central New York site
http://www.FoosBars.com global, online foosball locations directory
http://www.FoosManchu.com Foosball site featuring a foosball animation short titled "The Adventures of FoosManchu"
http://www.bonziniusa.com Bonzini Table Soccer U.S.A
http://www.warriortablesoccer.com
http://www.MinnesotaFoosball.com
http://www.torontofoos.ca
http://www.ontariotablesoccer.com
http://www.canadafoos.com
http://www.tafelvoetbal.nl Awesome Netherlands foos site
http://www.foozen.com Iowa's Foosball website
http://www.flatheadfoos.com Montana Foosball site
http://www.foosballhk.com Hong Kong Foosball site
http://www.swfoosball.com Southwest U.S. Foosball: Serving Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and neighboring states
http://www.vafoosball.com Northern Virginia Foosball events, players, playing locations and more.
http://www.geocities.com/jabberwockarms84 Toronto Area Fabi site
-----> To have your site listed, send an email to newsletter@insidefoos.com
INSIDE FOOS PRODUCTIONS
http://www.insidefoos.com
Jim Stevens
Christina Fuchs
LaVonne Stevens
Production Crew:
Jim Stevens
Christina Fuchs
Ezekiel "Iceman" Moore
Richard Hall
Pete Burnham
Serge Aragones
Commentators
Jim Stevens
Mark Torres
Tom Yore
Brian Harrington
Brandon Moreland
INSIDE FOOS PRODUCTIONS
Toll Free in the U.S.A. 877-833-3603or 714-842-9161
in the subject window to newsletter@insidefoos.com
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