The Polo Report by Steve Crowder. U.S. Polo . . . what is it? Nobody knows! I am talking about teams to represent the United States at the FIP World Cup. I have been involved as coach of the U.S. team since 2001 when we qualified for the World Cup in Australia. Australia was the best World Cup I’ve witnessed due to the quality of horses and the teams being evenly matched. The crowds may not have been as big there, but the quality of polo was 10-goals better than those I have observed since 1998, which is only 3 World Cup Tournaments. I have heard other World Cup Tournaments were worse.
The U.S. now has a chance to go to a World Cup Polo Tournament on the North American continent in Mexico and we are feuding like the morons we are. The East Coast wants to run it and we say fine. We will challenge their picks with another team from the West Coast. A challenge match to select the team that goes to the World Cup would be great for the sport of Polo with an East vs. West game. The sad news is the East Coast does not like that idea. They do not want our West Coast players on the team they are selecting for the World Cup, but they will not play us in a challenge match either. Why? Well its just not fair. We have corporate sponsors and corporate sponsors want the best team. That is why they sponsor teams, right? No, its a simple deal. Our West Coast kids can pay for the team to go to the World Cup with their corporate sponsors. Does the East Coast group have sponsors lined up? Who is going to pay for the team to go
I think a challenge match is in order. The East Coast group, in charge of team selection for the U.S. has 4 people they think are the best. Many of us here on the West Coast, some who have played in the World Cup before, think that they do not have the best team selected. We have a sponsor playing on our West Coast Team. It is his money and its nothing off their back and they say no! If we do have a stronger team, why not? Why not have a challenge match and test the two teams selected by the East Coast and West Coast. Give all the players a chance and let the best team go. WHY NOT?
The East Coast people in charge do not want this. I think the players are paying their own way and the FIP of USA is not spending any money that I know of. They like it now and then what? When the U.S. Team does not even qualify for the World Cup (need to win the Zone play offs first) then what good will that do the U.S.? Lets let it roll and the best team wins goes. The polo supporters and FIP want to make polo an Olympic spor,t but they should watch the Olympics. How has our U.S.A. basketball team done? The players pay their own way and are they HUNGRY? Not lately. Hockey, baseball, Tennis are not as I have seen. Why should they go for a ball with a 20% chance? They have a breakfast with Bush in the morning. I have watched polo and been involved with it for 30 years and if you ever see a Sponsor go for a play that is risky and he knows it, send me a copy, that’s why they are sponsors they pay someone to do that and that’s the way it should be. We need to send the best players we have to the World Cup. Most of these players cannot afford to take the time off from their regular jobs to go to the Zone playoffs and the World Cup Tournament, thus paying their own way. We have some of the best players here on the West Coast. Many of them have already played in a World Cup and have the experience we need to have an edge. We also have a sponsor who is willing to pay for it all. So lets here your opinion on what should be done to select the best World Cup team. Do you think a challenge match is a fair option? We would love to get the message board going on this topic, so please post your opinions. Thanks.
See ya. Steve Crowder
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