Stu, before I ever met Keith, he traveled the tournament trail religiously. Back then, tournaments weren’t just about trophies. They were gathering places for after-hours action. For players like Keith and his circle, the real games often began when the bleachers emptied.
You’re a pool purist, and you’ve always seen the game a little differently than folks like me, and that's is perfectly okay. You appreciate the quiet geometry, the chess match of patterns, the elegance of a perfect stroke under pressure. Today’s pool, disciplined tournament soldiers playing mum pool, is what brings a pool purist that greatest joy as a pool enthusiast, and I do understand why.
As for personalities, the game still has a few. Alex Pagulayan continues to bring energy and levity wherever he plays. Oi is another colorful character, and Jayson Shaw certainly has personality both on and off the table. But they are exceptions now, not the rule.
Those of us lucky enough to have lived through pool’s golden years saw something different, entertainers as much as champions, people like, well, Keith McCready, Ronnie Allen, Larry Lisciotti, Cornbread Red, Strawberry, Minnesota Fats, Jimmy Mataya, Earl Strickland, Shannon Daulton, Louie Roberts, Dennis Hatch, Jimmy Reid, Grady Mathews, CJ Wiley, Popcorn, Kid Delicious, Allen Hopkins, Ginky, Steve Mizerak. And that’s just off the top of my head. Given more time, I could name a couple dozen more with personality-plus.
The era of what I call "pool's golden years" had something modern pool often lacks: danger, personality, and mythology. What made them different was not only their talent, but their toughness, stamina for 12-hour sessions, emotional control under financial pain, and a killer instinct when blood was in the water. Back then, reputations were earned in cash, not trophies.
So, Stu, you’re in luck. Today pool is exactly where you want it to be in caliber of play, venues, and professionalism. The best tournament players are no longer the most feared money players. It’s a different era, and I hope you enjoy your front-row seat as the game evolves into its next frontier. Modern pool, your cup of tea, is technically superior, thanks to advances in equipment and training. Classic pool, my cup of tea, was culturally superior. Different eras produced different animals, and both deserve respect.
