Why does pool attract so many broken, crazy, Degenerate, mental type people.

trinacria

trinacria

in efren we trust
Silver Member
Maybe it's just me, but I see a disproportionate amount of weird in the pool world, more than poker, golf, ping pong, darts, cars etc etc... I mean there's nothing wrong with it and it makes it for an interesting culture, I'm not knocking anyone bc we all go through shit in this disaster called life, but pool seems to be a magnate for it. What's the draw to the game. Is it the acceptance of anyone interested in this game called obsession, or what? Any thoughts? I knew the rocket. An old vet who drank himself stupid and popped pills and smoked weed from morning tonight at the table everyday till close, until he inevitably lost it and got send home. I'm sure the man saw some shit in life and I was sympathetic. I knew one that didn't work and lived on people's couches for the last ten years just to play pool. Doesn't talk, doesn't get mad, just plays pool. All day, everyday. He needs enough money to play and gamble, has gone day without a meal but played pool all day. All skin and bones. If you offered him half your sandwich he'd take it, but he wouldn't spend money on food bc he needed it for pool. The generate gambler we all know, the druggie who stays sober enough to play some of the best pool you'll ever see, the tattooed jailbird who can play some, the divorced father of three who's a feadbeat but he's got the cash to play all day. Just some wonderful characters even though you wouldn't invite them in your home.


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Icon of Sin

Icon of Sin

I can't fold, I need gold. I re-up and reload...
Silver Member
1. It's a way to potentially make money without having to "work"

2. There is a pool table in damn near every shit-hole bar in the US.
 
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book collector

book collector

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
trinacria said:
Maybe it's just me, but I see a disproportionate amount of weird in the pool world, more than poker, golf, ping pong, darts, cars etc etc... I mean there's nothing wrong with it and it makes it for an interesting culture, I'm not knocking anyone bc we all go through shit in this disaster called life, but pool seems to be a magnate for it. What's the draw to the game. Is it the acceptance of anyone interested in this game called obsession, or what? Any thoughts? I knew the rocket. An old vet who drank himself stupid and popped pills and smoked weed from morning tonight at the table everyday till close, until he inevitably lost it and got send home. I'm sure the man saw some shit in life and I was sympathetic. I knew one that didn't work and lived on people's couches for the last ten years just to play pool. Doesn't talk, doesn't get mad, just plays pool. All day, everyday. He needs enough money to play and gamble, has gone day without a meal but played pool all day. All skin and bones. If you offered him half your sandwich he'd take it, but he wouldn't spend money on food bc he needed it for pool. The generate gambler we all know, the druggie who stays sober enough to play some of the best pool you'll ever see, the tattooed jailbird who can play some, the divorced father of three who's a feadbeat but he's got the cash to play all day. Just some wonderful characters even though you wouldn't invite them in your home.


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According to Don Imus, politicians just ride around in limosines and snort coke and monkey around with prostitutes all day.
See, now pool players, just seem like regular suckers.
 
chefjeff

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
JAM said:
The stereotype image of the thread title doesn't seem to fly in some circles, thank goodness. :eek:

The recent Iowa event is evidence that pool attracts women, men, boys, girls, senior citizens. Check out this video: http://www.kwwl.com/story/34726391/2017/03/10/statewide-pool-tournament-comes-to-waterloo
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They announced there that they had a record number of players this year. This, in spite of (because of?) another similar event coming up next month in Des Moines.

League pool does grow the game, fwiw.

My teammate, also an azb member, got second in the 8-ball Open that had 644 players entered. Not bad.


Jeff Livingston
 
M.G.

M.G.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
beneath_the_sur said:
X2

incidentally one of the best things about carom billiards, IS the players,
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Abso-freakin-lutely.
I've never met so many positive and relaxed, nice and friendly people. They'll also not laugh when you miss, and they always cheer with you when you hit.

It's far more "a together" than with pool.

Pool, well. If you think about it it's rather primitive, too. You dont need to have a lot of brains or finesse or even try very hard. With banging balls and just spending time with playing you actually can be successful.
As for the story - this guy clearly has substitued his self worth with his pool playing. Not healthy at all.


Cheers,
M
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
trinacria said:
Maybe it's just me, but I see a disproportionate amount of weird in the pool world, more than poker, golf, ping pong, darts, cars etc etc... I mean there's nothing wrong with it and it makes it for an interesting culture, I'm not knocking anyone bc we all go through shit in this disaster called life, but pool seems to be a magnate for it. What's the draw to the game. Is it the acceptance of anyone interested in this game called obsession, or what? Any thoughts? I knew the rocket. An old vet who drank himself stupid and popped pills and smoked weed from morning tonight at the table everyday till close, until he inevitably lost it and got send home. I'm sure the man saw some shit in life and I was sympathetic. I knew one that didn't work and lived on people's couches for the last ten years just to play pool. Doesn't talk, doesn't get mad, just plays pool. All day, everyday. He needs enough money to play and gamble, has gone day without a meal but played pool all day. All skin and bones. If you offered him half your sandwich he'd take it, but he wouldn't spend money on food bc he needed it for pool. The generate gambler we all know, the druggie who stays sober enough to play some of the best pool you'll ever see, the tattooed jailbird who can play some, the divorced father of three who's a feadbeat but he's got the cash to play all day. Just some wonderful characters even though you wouldn't invite them in your home.


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The word is "colorful". Pool's rep.(in U.S. anyway) of a smoky room full of gamblers and hangers-on still lives on to some degree. Its NOTHING like it used to be with more tournaments and less action.
 
Agent 99

Agent 99

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
trinacria said:
Maybe it's just me, but I see a disproportionate amount of weird in the pool world, more than poker, golf, ping pong, darts, cars etc etc... I mean there's nothing wrong with it and it makes it for an interesting culture, I'm not knocking anyone bc we all go through shit in this disaster called life, but pool seems to be a magnate for it. What's the draw to the game. Is it the acceptance of anyone interested in this game called obsession, or what? Any thoughts? I knew the rocket. An old vet who drank himself stupid and popped pills and smoked weed from morning tonight at the table everyday till close, until he inevitably lost it and got send home. I'm sure the man saw some shit in life and I was sympathetic. I knew one that didn't work and lived on people's couches for the last ten years just to play pool. Doesn't talk, doesn't get mad, just plays pool. All day, everyday. He needs enough money to play and gamble, has gone day without a meal but played pool all day. All skin and bones. If you offered him half your sandwich he'd take it, but he wouldn't spend money on food bc he needed it for pool. The generate gambler we all know, the druggie who stays sober enough to play some of the best pool you'll ever see, the tattooed jailbird who can play some, the divorced father of three who's a feadbeat but he's got the cash to play all day. Just some wonderful characters even though you wouldn't invite them in your home.


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I have often wondered the same thing about Las Vegas ... It seems like people get out of jail and they go straight to Las Vegas.

I have wondered what the hell is with that. I mean, Las Vegas has the best, by far, private security in the world. Virtually everywhere you go anywhere on the strip you are being reordered and watched by security.

But they keep coming, although they do not stay for long as they are soon arrested for another crime.

So there is something to this. Something psychological.

If an individual works themselves into a position where they are unemployable, become broke and homeless, what must they think about their future?

Pool, as well as Vegas may appear as a solution for these people.

1) Most Pool Rooms, like Vegas are open 24/7 ... housing solved.

2) Pool, like Vegas offers the opportunity to make money, perhaps a lot of money, although for the segment of folks we are talking about this is nothing more than a pipe dream .. What other options do they have? Well, like I said before, Las Vegas seems to be many of these individuals last stop before their first or next prison term.

I suppose when you have nothing, you have nothing to lose.

Good rolls.
 
Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
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trinacria said:
Maybe it's just me, but I see a disproportionate amount of weird in the pool world, more than poker, golf, ping pong, darts, cars etc etc... I mean there's nothing wrong with it and it makes it for an interesting culture, I'm not knocking anyone bc we all go through shit in this disaster called life, but pool seems to be a magnate for it. What's the draw to the game. Is it the acceptance of anyone interested in this game called obsession, or what? Any thoughts?

(Snip)
Just some wonderful characters even though you wouldn't invite them in your home.
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Poker has its share of colorful characters.

But I think one reason other than what's already been mentioned is that pool generally isn't a team sport, and one can become proficient without social interaction. At the same time, pool can be a circus side show, and the entertainers come out.
 
Kickin' Chicken

Kickin' Chicken

Kick Shot Aficionado
Silver Member
Call me MadCap, I like the 'characters' aspect of pool. Not all, but most.

Interaction or observing them can prepare you well for a lot of what you'll run into in life.

imo

best,
brian kc
 
brandoncook26

brandoncook26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have met some of the worst people I know playing pool. I have also met many of the best people I know.
 
F

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There aren't too many indoor places where a person can go and hang out for hours without spending money. Over the years, pool rooms were the perfect places for dysfunctional people who didn't like to work.

The biggest enemy to these people is the upscale pool room where they stick out like sore thumbs. But there are still plenty of the other type of rooms left where they can gravitate to.
 
E

Ekojasiloop

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think that's a crock. If you superimposed the same conditions pool has onto golf the golfers would be just like the pool players are perceived. To me, same people but just different circumstances. People with money are always perceived better, but it is a superficially based perception.
 
jokrswylde

jokrswylde

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I once asked my paw paw how he got so good at pool. He told me that when he was in his teens (late '30's) , he got a job at the local rock quarry for a penny and a half an hour. He found that he could go to the local pool hall and win a weeks salary in a single afternoon. Maybe, to some degree, that is where the "colorful" characters of pool of today evolved... folks who see a chance to make more money knocking around balls than working a dead end or low wage job.

Later, during WWII, he said he played, along with most sailors, whenever possible because it helped take their mind off of getting blown out of the water by a torpedo. Again, maybe pool is a cheap form of distraction or therapy for people having a rough time of it.
 
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Superiorduper

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's one of the few sports that you can play without losing your ice cubes, isn't dependent on the time of day nor the weather, and is easy to gamble on. It doesn't require any particular physical attributes either. Everyone can play, there for it entices and appeals to many walks of life.
 
M

mia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Icon of Sin said:
1. It's a way to potentially make money without having to "work"

2. There is a pool table in damn near every shit-hole bar in the US.
Click to expand...

^^^BINGO^^^

Heath hit the nail right on the head. Especially about the bars.
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

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Superiorduper said:
It's one of the few sports that you can play without losing your ice cubes, isn't dependent on the time of day nor the weather, and is easy to gamble on. It doesn't require any particular physical attributes either. Everyone can play, there for it entices and appeals to many walks of life.
Click to expand...

True that:
The game aint hard and nobodys barred. Well, until the fuk up anyways..
 
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