Ack.....Why can't people do things right??

I'm a bit frustrated, currently.  Why you ask?  I'll tell you.  Poor organization.  I put together my 1,850pt. Space Wolves and got them painted in time for a local RTT this weekend. It turns out, the organizer, a gamer at my LGS decided that he would have the locals call in to the store to sign up for the tourney.  He then connected with some folks in Austin, about 3 hours away and got a group of them to sign up through him.  So, this weekend (of which I was out of town), he showed up with a list of 15 names and filled the list.  I come in on Sunday to sign up and pay and they are full.

Begin rant:

#1- I asked to be put on the list weeks ago and no one added me.  Craptastic.
#2- Don't ask players to call the store and then take names on your own as well.  All signup and payment should be done through the store.  It's just good practice and policy.  Piss poor management.
#3- Some of these guys haven't paid.  I was there a week in advance with money, ready to pay.  I should trump them, especially since I asked to be added to the list weeks ago. 

Some of you are probably saying, Well you should have shown up and paid earlier.  Your fault.  You might get by with that if the event were actually organized correctly.  Remember, the store owner and the staff are your friend.  Run things.  Be a nazi about it, but do so through them.  All signups and payment should be done through the store front.  That way, there is a record of who has just been added to the list and who has actually paid.  Organization is terrible so far in this case.  Kind of makes me wonder if I even want to show up on Saturday and vie for a space to play.  If they can't organize signups correctly, can they throw a coherent tournament?  We'll see.  What do you think about tournament organization?  Am I in the wrong for not paying until the week of, or did the organizers commit an egregious offense?  You be the judge.