NA Professor Cup eligibility requirements changed

[PokePop]

some of us have forgotten how hard it is to start a league? I have the luxury of running a lot of tourneys? Yeah, that's not work...

M45

I thought that might get a rise out of Vince. :lol:

Yep. He's just lucky that tons of players materialized in his area so that he could pop in from nowhere and scoop up points.

It's funny that the more prof points he earned, the more players appeared in his area.
What a coincidence!


On another note:
If there are a few profs in South Jersey that are interested in running a league, I could get one set up.
My problem is that I can't dedicate the time to actual run it week in and week out.
So, I can do the set up, location, and probably draw a number of players, but I need people that would be able to run it week in and week out.
Contact me if you're interested.
But I'm not looking for anyone who says "I can do it once in a while."

 

[Lawman]

I applaud POP for making this change. It should be as a reward to the Profs. who are out there busting their rears, running leagues, judging events, promoting the game.

I agree with Vince's suggestion though, put the winner on Staff for Worlds, not an invite to play in Worlds. They still get the free trip/hotel and they work the event, like they do all year long. Betcha that would "kill" any 1 timer wannabes looking for 1 last chance for a trip to Worlds. JMHO

Keith

 

[M_Liesik]

Mike,
I got a question,
Lets Say, I was a professor for the beginning part of 05-06, Earned 25 or More Points. Then My Professorship Expire for a few months, and then re-became a professor. Will the points I earn in the noted time frame, even tho I wasnt a Professor for a few months in that time frame, Would I still be able to play in the Event at Origins.
Thx,
Drew

You must have earned 25 points between 9/1/05 and 6/26/06. It doesn't matter if they were spent, have expired, etc. Have you earned at least 25 points this tournament season?

I'm sorry, was this not clear? Did you earn points between 9/1/05 and 6/26/06? If the answer to that is yes. Then they are valid for the Professor Cup. Of course, you still have to be a Professor to play.

 

[TheDarkTwins]

I'm sorry, was this not clear? Did you earn points between 9/1/05 and 6/26/06? If the answer to that is yes. Then they are valid for the Professor Cup. Of course, you still have to be a Professor to play.

Yeh, I thought so Mike... Heh, My Friend Who Didnt have internet access wanted to know... so I asked for him... and the fact is that I thought it was that way anyway....

Thanks...
Drew

 

[beatlerat]

There are many of us Professors that run a league, run tournaments from time to time, always help out when a CC or Pre-release is held at our "home" turf, always volunteer for City, State, Gym Challenges and Regionals...Where ever we are needed. We are unselfish with our time, and the reason we have leagues is to help the younger children get the right start in Pokemon, buying the right cards, building the right deck, and helping them with strategies and playing their own deck. I think that is what being a Professor is all about.
I have over 300 points, and although I am on OK player, I have no desire to travel to the Challenge. My work is more important and I really would rather spend my Saturday at league.
If it is that important to you to get points, find your local TO and explain the situatiuon and see if he/she can run a tourney after league and let you judge. It is that easy.
I still think for many of you that if you do not have 25 points, then you wasted your time taking the Professor test. There is more to being a Professor than just a title.

Thanks Mike and Dave. I approve!!!!

 

[ShadowCard]

Hey, I run 3 leagues, and do my best to keep them running...with a real job to tend to...

I see your "real" job and raise you one part-time job and, starting this fall, a sophomore semester of college :lol: . And I still find time to visit the OP forums . Yeah, I have 2 leagues though, which I run by myself - no assistant LLs. I'd tack on a third if I had the time and if there was another place to have one a bit farther out :/ . I don't think I'd be able to keep sane though. Gotta have a life outside a hobby. When what forfills your self-actualization is used for something else, you lose your self-actualization and it is no longer fun.

But I've heard PokeMon's story and it sounds really interesting. Definitely something I'd consider reading if she wrote up an article of her maintaining her league.

I still think for many of you that if you do not have 25 points, then you wasted your time taking the Professor test. There is more to being a Professor than just a title.

wrong-o. You hold onto the title until the opportunity to use it comes up. You don't wait for the opportunity to come only to not be prepared for it.
Lots of things in life are just titles.

Yep. He's just lucky that tons of players materialized in his area so that he could pop in from nowhere and scoop up points.

Fortune, she is a fickle mistress.
I feel bad for any professors in Alaska and Hawaii :/

Personally, I would have like to see the trip winner be put on staff as opposed to playing in the main event...it would more effectively reflect the position and stature of the "Professor Champion"

*nods* I can see that.
Why is this tournament a way to get an invite to play at Worlds?

I've gotten IM'd myself from 'new' professors asking how one could get their 10 points to qualify ASAP; they were clearly trying to work the system, get one more opportunity...

Now they'll be PMing you asking how to get their 25 points to qualify ASAP :lol:

This is not an event that should have you scrambling around at the last minute for points!

Which is why I find it ironic that this gets changed within the last 4 weeks before the tournament, leaving those who thought they had enough points scrambling for more.
Really, some of us have lives outside this game . They are dedicated to but they cannot get away from school or work - not everyone takes his/her car to college. It seems anti-SotG, in the realms of fairness, that we brush aside dedicated players who don't have a lot of time on their hands just to relieve POP's paranoia. Their distrust in their player base is shocking. Not to mention that the rule affects all professors and not the recent sign-ups who this was supposed to detour. That's not fair at all.

Remember, this was NEVER meant to be an open event!

I might say that too if I had 3 leagues :nonono: . But then I'd remember the hardship of actually obtaining just one league.

I don't know why I'm complaining. This means less people in the tournament (which is generally bad) but that means less people to crush me in the tournament. I'm just not a fan of the stick before the carrot.

Is there a way to find out how many professors are in each state?

 

[CHARIZARD MASTERTRAINER]

Oh yea....I remember Pokemom, but the last convention I demo'ed for the Chicagoland Children's Expo, I did receive points for. Also I believe that the Wizard World convention last year was also an opportunity for profs. to earn points for demoing. I know recently that volunteering at conventions or major events have not been chances to gain points but they have done so in the past. Again, I think it depends on Mike and co., where the points are issued, but in this case you are right SD, although there were exceptions in the past.

CMT​

 

[TheDarkTwins]

While, I agree with all the Prof. on this, that the point total should be higher... I do have a big problem...

I understand that PUI/POP decided to rasie the bar to enter, However I feel that deciding to change it so close to the deadline is a really unfair and cheap move... I am not saying that PUI/POP have the right to do so, cuz they do... I just feel it is unfair to have prof. who have insanely hard times finding a play to earn points - Which Isnt really about what it is about... But, Then Tell them after they think there are playing, and the fact that maybe prof. who were only gonna go for nats, but earned enought points to play in the Prof. Cup, to suddenly say they dont have enought points, and they are out a bunch of money, Like around 150-350$ for all the added expenses, + taking a day off work... I think changing it was good, less than 4 weeks to the event is a bad one... :nonono:
JMO...
Drew

 

[NoPoke]

a cheap move by POP or an attempt by POP to counter a cheap move by some players?

Don't be surprised if POP goes for a much much higher requirement of their professors in future. 100, 150, 200? Well 200 is probably a bit high but POP can easily look at their database and see how many professors meet a certain level. Not everyone will be elligable. A few deserving cases may miss out and a few less deserving may get in. Thats just life.

I wonder if Dave will lend me some of his 'TooBads'.

 

[SD PokeMom]

CMT: you said it yourself..."recently".

Demo'ing may have been a way to get points IN THE PAST, especially when only premier events 'earned' points at the start of the POP Professor program...but AFAIK are NO LONGER a way to earn points; NONE of the events coming up...Origins, GenCon, SDCC...will award points for demo'ing.

*agrees with NoPoke* Why is it considered 'cheap' for POP to counter attempts to 'rush' the event by 'in name only' professors?

Would you RATHER the Professor Cup be easy enough to qualify for that 'professors' who were players FIRST for 10+ months out of the year get in and perhaps win? Isn't the event supposed to be a reward for the professors who have worked to promote the game over the past year, instead of an 'easy win' for so-called 'top players' who take the test at the last minute?

I like the idea of the prize being a staff position/trip rather than an invite to the main event...though I can see pros and cons for both. I agree that a staff invite would certainly be less attractive to carpetbagger 'professors' though...:lol:

'mom

 

[ShadowCard]

I feel that deciding to change it so close to the deadline is a really unfair and cheap move... I am not saying that PUI/POP have the right to do so, cuz they do... I just feel it is unfair to have prof. who have insanely hard times finding a play to earn points - Which Isnt really about what it is about... But, Then Tell them after they think there are playing, and the fact that maybe prof. who were only gonna go for nats, but earned enought points to play in the Prof. Cup, to suddenly say they dont have enought points, ... I think changing it was good, less than 4 weeks to the event is a bad one...

I'll agree to that.

This is comparable to Retail's illegal "bait and switch" tactics. Anyone here like being told by a sales person that an item you want is $10, but when you go to the register it is actually $25? The register person says that the item used to be $10 but was changed recently. Dirty trick :nonono: .

Would you RATHER the Professor Cup be easy enough to qualify for that 'professors' who were players FIRST for 10+ months out of the year get in and perhaps win? Isn't the event supposed to be a reward for the professors who have worked to promote the game over the past year, instead of an 'easy win' for so-called 'top players' who take the test at the last minute?

I had a teacher who's policy was to only catch those she was absolutely sure were cheating. Even if it meant that some cheaters would get away, never accuse an innocent person of cheating.
This is the thing: even if it means some "carpetbagger" professors are going to get into the Prof Cup, never prevent actual hardworking professors (who may not be as active as having 3 leagues but still manage to be dedicated) from getting in.

I like the idea of the prize being a staff position/trip rather than an invite to the main event...though I can see pros and cons for both. I agree that a staff invite would certainly be less attractive to carpetbagger 'professors' though...:lol:

You use "carpetbagger" in a negative connotation but we are taught that a carpetbagger was a good person.

We won't be surprised if POP raises the requirements in the future because we trust them to give fair notice of the change, not wait until a month before the tournament. If they do that, make it affect only those who signed up within the last couple of months, not all professors. Or, even put a reuqirement on the Prof Cup that you must have been a registered Professor for atleast a certain amount of months in order to play.

Does anyone in this thread not have a league but gained their points through tournaments or article solicitations? What do they think?
Like I said above, anyone with a league (or three) would probably say that this event isn't meant for everyone, even if it means turning away hardworking professors, since a league gives you a pretty good amount of points that those who have them feel safe that their opinion won't apply to them. But the opportunity to judge is not as common as having a league and article solicitations are kind of an unreliable source of points because of their irregularity.

 

[PokePop]

I'm not going to touch on whether I think changing the requirements at this time is good or bad, but I do want to touch on a phrase you used, ShadowCard:
"actual hardworking professors" who don't have 25 points.
I'm sorry, but if you're a hardworking professor, don't you have to have at least 25 points?
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I certainly could be!), but don't profs who help out at league get listed on the league report and therefore get points from that?
I know that those that judge at any sanctioned event get points.
And if any run a tourney, they get points.

Now, most of the "game promotion" things that I do don't generate points.
No points for running the PokeGym.
No points for working on the rules team every week.

But even so, just doing a few other things through the year and 25 points should be no issue at all to a "hardworking professor".

I'm not saying that there aren't profs with "no opportunity". That's a different issue. But if they have no opportunity to do things, then they're not hardworking, are they? They just have potential that hasn't been seen yet.

Now, you say you run two leagues with no assitants. That gives you enough points in one month right there. If you're running two leagues, why don't you have points? I'm confused.

 

[ShadowCard]

I'm not going to touch on whether I think changing the requirements at this time is good or bad, but I do want to touch on a phrase you used, ShadowCard:
"actual hardworking professors" who don't have 25 points.
I'm sorry, but if you're a hardworking professor, don't you have to have at least 25 points?
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I certainly could be!), but don't profs who help out at league get listed on the league report and therefore get points from that?
I know that those that judge at any sanctioned event get points.
And if any run a tourney, they get points.

Leagues are not the only way to get points. Hardworking professors can get points through the articles (5 pts) and judging (how many points do you get for judging, 5 or 10?).
Maybe I'm using the word "hardworking" incorrectly. I mean to say "active," one doesn't have have 2 leagues and volunteering for every tourney around to be considered active. In some areas, like VA, we never have any extra tourneys. It's just the premier events. You have to volunteer two events before the event to get a judging spot in some cases. And yes, you do get points for being an assistant LL. Does that mean the LL should assign assistant LLs when theya re not needed, or just to give those Professors points?
You said that there being no opportunities is a seperate issue; I am weaving them together, especially now that those who thought they were fine have 3 weeks to find another thing to get them extra points.

Now, you say you run two leagues with no assitants. That gives you enough points in one month right there. If you're running two leagues, why don't you have points? I'm confused.

I never said I don't have any points. I said that those with leagues are the most likely to say that they want the requirement to be raised so much and within so close to the tournament since it will not affect them. They are not being considerate to those who cannot get a league going because of a lack of game stores (or places that want leagues), lack of local interest, lack of time to devote every week + the time to organize league materials.

League leaders around here (and on the OP forums) act like they're all high and mighty with the way they speak, boasting of their accomplishments as if they were handed them. I know those leagues were not handed to them (like I said, PokeMon's story is especially interesting to me) but they fail to realize (by the way they write) that they aren't the only ones to struggle to get a league started. Maybe its because those who got their leagues have forgotten how hard the struggle is, and they look at those who cannot get a league started (for the same reasons they couldn't) as not trying hard enough. They don't seem to remember (or don't like to remember) that there was a lot of timing involved in getting the store owners to agree to a league. It took me a year before I got one league started, and another year of searching before I got the second one. LLs here seem to think that becoming a Professor means you can get a league within the first few months and build great attendance. Even the great attendance part requires good timing.

I guess its cause those memories are still fresh in my mind that I take offense to the attitudes of the LLs around here. I looked a very long time to get my leagues, especially when many just gave up, and I would never disrespect that quest by saying "need points? start a league" as if it was as easy as opening a book.

The professors who get points by judging and articles, what do they think? I would like to know that. LLs rest comfortably knowing they've gotten their 25 points without any problems, what about those who have to have to compete to get a judging spot or those who have to compete to get their article approved?

Is there a way to find out how many professors are in each state?

 

[Lawman]

I'll agree to that.

This is comparable to Retail's illegal "bait and switch" tactics. Anyone here like being told by a sales person that an item you want is $10, but when you go to the register it is actually $25? The register person says that the item used to be $10 but was changed recently. Dirty trick :nonono: .

I had a teacher who's policy was to only catch those she was absolutely sure were cheating. Even if it meant that some cheaters would get away, never accuse an innocent person of cheating.
This is the thing: even if it means some "carpetbagger" professors are going to get into the Prof Cup, never prevent actual hardworking professors (who may not be as active as having 3 leagues but still manage to be dedicated) from getting in.




You use "carpetbagger" in a negative connotation but we are taught that a carpetbagger was a good person.

We won't be surprised if POP raises the requirements in the future because we trust them to give fair notice of the change, not wait until a month before the tournament. If they do that, make it affect only those who signed up within the last couple of months, not all professors. Or, even put a reuqirement on the Prof Cup that you must have been a registered Professor for atleast a certain amount of months in order to play.

Does anyone in this thread not have a league but gained their points through tournaments or article solicitations? What do they think?
Like I said above, anyone with a league (or three) would probably say that this event isn't meant for everyone, even if it means turning away hardworking professors, since a league gives you a pretty good amount of points that those who have them feel safe that their opinion won't apply to them. But the opportunity to judge is not as common as having a league and article solicitations are kind of an unreliable source of points because of their irregularity.

I'll comment since I am not the LL at our league, that is a mother of a player. She doesn't know all the ins and outs of playing, but dedicated her time to running the league bc she has the time to do so. I am second in command @ league, am a Prof. and judge for the tourneys and also larger events for a couple of PTOs in the area. I dont have a ton of points, but have had plenty of opportunity to gather those points and be eligible. (Now, actually going to Nats may be a different matter LOL) You can enough points by judging 1 CC, 1 State and 1 local tourney. Is that too much to ask of a "hard working professor"??

On a side note: I wonder how many of these "newer profs" would have even signed up to be a prof. if there wasnt an invite on the line at the Prof. Cup at Nats??? I still like the idea of being placed on staff for Worlds (and if already on Staff, add a nice bonus like an extra day to trip) Lab coat w/ Prof. Cup Champ 2006 on it, trophy, etc. JMHO

Keith

Keith

 

[Benlugia]

On a side note: I wonder how many of these "newer profs" would have even signed up to be a prof. if there wasnt an invite on the line at the Prof. Cup at Nats??? I still like the idea of being placed on staff for Worlds (and if already on Staff, add a nice bonus like an extra day to trip) Lab coat w/ Prof. Cup Champ 2006 on it, trophy, etc. JMHO

Keith

Keith

well, me. but, i don't think you can really consider me as a "new professor," considering i was a professor since nintendo started the program back in november 2004. but then, it expired last november, and i had to turn 18 in may to be a professor again. when i was first a professor, my league owner had no interest in running things the way POP intended and was really just being mean while not attracting any players to the league, so i had to get involved with contacting POP and stuff to get things sorted out. why did i keep going to that league? in short, the kids needed me. i was the only 15+ player there who showed up on a regular basis, despite the fact that my parents had to drive me every sunday 45 minutes each way. i found a new league (still very far...) and made the trek to both on a regular basis.

then, the professor cup was announced. i was thrilled alone that there was something to honor us professors (correct me if i am wrong, but...wasn't the trip to worlds last year a suprise until the end of the tournament?), and that i'd be able to play. i went, did horribly, but had fun. my professorship expired in november, i had back surgery in december, but still made the trip to league and help out, despite the fact that i knew i would recieve no compensation. i turned 18 on may 11th, re-took the test, and am all set to play in the cup for this year because of my league leader duties done in september's league (where i earned 50 professor points, plus 10 from judging a tournament on may 13th). so, i'm all set for the cup. would i play if there wasn't a trip to be won? absolutely. there wasn't a trip announced last year, and i still played. the professor cup is fun and well-organized--definately worth making the trip to ohio.

 

[Lawman]

See Ben, you aren't technically a newer prof. then, just one who got caught in the age crossover, had earned pts the proper way and requalified in time for the Prof. Cup 2006! Congrats and wb to the Prof. status.

So, any other real "new" prof's want to weigh in?? Anyone?? Bueller??
Keith

 

[PokePop]

Yeah Ben. You definately do not fall into the category of "in it for the trip".

 

[ShadowCard]

You can enough points by judging 1 CC, 1 State and 1 local tourney. Is that too much to ask of a "hard working professor"??

Judging is 10 points? I thought it was 5 :lol: *faints*.

 

[Lawman]

Yup, judging gets you 10 points, whether it is an 8 person local tourney or being @ Regionals or Nats!

Keith

 

[butterfly719]

I was always under the assumption that you would actually have to be an active Professor to play. Otherwise it would be a field day for anyone who simply decided to take the test just to have another shot at Worlds. 25 points isn't a high requirement in a 12 month span and I think PUI is right is not allowing inactive Professors to play. They are supplying free product and amazing prizes to reward those professors who have helped with events during the course of the year. I believe there is or was a point requirement on remaining a Professor anyway, as there should be. The title shouldn't come without the work to back it up.