JABSolstice said:

Just because you vacuum your floor, it doesn't mean that dirt isn't dirty.

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My point I suppose is that all chalk makes some sort of "dirt". That amount of dirt between chalks is negligible.

A great investment in the future would be introducing pool at the high school level. Every major HS has a room that could hold a few tables. Treat it like every other sport and it's minimal $$$ compared to others (speaking as a hockey player).

I've long puzzled over the barbox debate.

I have a 7-foot table at home. It's all I can fit until a reno of my basement. Which, if I am lucky, will allow me to upgrade to an 8-foot table. A 9 footer is out of the question unless I want to spend $125,000 plus to expand my basement.

I can practice every part of my game on a 7-footer. Which is great. When I play in a pool hall, I always play on a 9-footer.

Obviously it's a big adjustment, but the principles of ball movement and pattern play are the same. If I didn't have a 7-footer at all, though, I wouldn't be playing pool, period.

How come? Pool halls are too far away and too expensive for me - a big issue for young players - to have played there all the time to develop the skills I wanted to develop. A 7-foot table at home has allowed that.

From my perspective, barboxes get people into the game. The players who actually want to get better, though, will gravitate to 9 foot tables sooner or later. The problem is, there is not that many of these types of players.

As such, I don't think people who prefer to play mainly on barboxes would ever get serious enough to become a top amateur, never mind a pro.

Magically replacing all barboxes with 9 footers won't change that. Those same players now who want to play on barboxes never would have made a bigger commitment in the first place were they forced to play on 9 footers.

There's only two things that could result in more top-tier US pool players - a developmental organization like those that exist in other parts of the world such as Europe. Or a lot more money being on offer.

Neither is likely.

The best American players are likely to remain the ones whose parents like/play the game, put tables into their homes, encouraged their kids and supported them financially when young.

couldnthinkof01 said:

That just means the pool hall doesn't get kept clean. I never have that black/ blue mark on my hand at home or at a hall that vacuums and wipes down the tables daily. Only at places the don't take care of their equipment.
Not a chalk problem.

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Just because you vacuum your floor, it doesn't mean that dirt isn't dirty.

I like the sound of ball return tables.

Matt_24 said:

A manager at a pool room I hung out in while stationed in DC wanted to buy a Schon I had. If I described this man physically, I'm sure many people on here from NOVA would immediately know who I was referring to. This was...26 years ago.

He asked to pay for it on time payments. I had other cues, and really wasn't worried about it. He was super nice, and I had no reason not to trust him. He never even suggested making a single payment after he had it. And I waited, waited, and waited... and because I loved hanging out there, I never said anything. I also kind of felt sorry for him to be honest.

I haven't thought about that in a long time, until I read this.

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I would never feel sorry for someone who wanted to buy a schon and didn't start paying immediately. I would rather buy him a cheeseburger if I felt sorry for him.

Fvalstounge said:

This one hasn't been refinished, and would be least expensive. Truly, out of all the cues I've bought, this is the best shaft. No staining at all. I was planning white/green wrap to complement the emerald in the points.
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I have a Chris Hightower valued at $1500 I would trade even up. I just like green in a cue.

lfigueroa said:

Got these a few years ago — they are the nuts for playing pool.

IOL Reference - Intraocular Lens Database

Comprehensive database of intraocular lenses for ophthalmologists

iolreference.com

Went from 400 vision and needing contacts to 20/20 in my right and 20/25 in my left. I think they cost me $2K extra per eyeball but totally worth it.

BTW, it also matters who your surgeon is. From what has happened to friends, if you go to a mill, your results are a crap shoot.

Lou Figueroa

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Luckily - at 73 - I have uncorrected 20/20 and have not yet needed cataract surgery. As was said, I know several people who have huge vision problems after cataract surgery - some even after paying for the $3K lenses.

So doing the research on your eye surgeon is #1 requirement - some of my friends and my oldest brother just cannot play pool anymore after these botched cataract surgeries.