What is the Most Ill-Conceived Pool Product You Have Ever Come Across?

I was very disappointed with the Sardo rack. (Should have listened to the forum on that one.)

Screw-on tips.

Aluminum cues (but I applaud the continuing search for an engineered substance that won't warp).

Laser cues: a modern update to a good concept, but I haven't seen one where the laser beam is really in line with the cue axis, so fail.

Disco-blinking, out-of-balance pool balls.

However, I think pool gloves are great.
 
fan-tum said:
Joint protectors. I'm amused when players spend 2 minutes screwing and unscrewing those things, especially when their cue case is very solid.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree with this one. Joint protectors keep crap from getting in the female side and they prevent the screw from getting bent on the male side. Screws can still get bent rattling around in a case.
They also prevent moisture from getting into the end grain of the cue when broken down.

My vote goes to the elephant balls. :eek:
 
Jen_Cen said:
What?!?! Pool Shoes?? No way, you made that up!
Click to expand...

I remember those pool shoes and they were the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread. They were introduced in the 80's and were specially designed for the game. The concept seemed Ok but the neon colors they used turned everybody off. The only guy I saw wearing them was Keith McCready. I think someone gave them to him for free.
 
Ouch....

Blackjack said:
I was playing somewhere and some guy had this cue that had a little flashing/flickering red light in the butt cap. Despite being annoying, it made me stand there thinking.... why?
Click to expand...

Hey I have one of those! It's an action magnet- kinda like moths to the flame.;)

The flashing distracts from the OB1 on the other end. Also serves as a great tool when your opponent is down on the key shot- tap that baby just at the edge of his peripheral vision and -ta dah- you're shooting again.

I thought every real player had one as backup.:grin:
 
This is a true story...
Played a guy quite a few years ago that wore a white glove to break with, then changed to a black glove to shoot the game with. I only had to suffer seeing it a couple times, but GEEZ... (btw - he thought he was ALL that & then some)
 
Some of mine.

I KNOW I WILL TAKE A LOT OF HEAT FOR MY NOMINATIONS BUT HERE THEY ARE.

1. Measles cue ball. I understand the concept they are trying to achieve with using it on TV matches, but I just don't think enough amateurs or skilled players really desire to see how much the cueball is spinning.

2. Laminated shafts. I still think they are a gimmick item. I never heard that Gus Szamboti, George Balabushka or other highly desired cuemakers ever tried to create and use them on their cues.

3. Jump cues. This game was created to have the balls rolling around on the surface of the table. Learn to kick your way out of trouble like Efren and the other greats of the game have done.

I may add others as I think of them.

Kevin
 
Shaft said:
I was very disappointed with the Sardo rack. (Should have listened to the forum on that one.)

Screw-on tips.

Aluminum cues (but I applaud the continuing search for an engineered substance that won't warp).

Laser cues: a modern update to a good concept, but I haven't seen one where the laser beam is really in line with the cue axis, so fail.

Disco-blinking, out-of-balance pool balls.

However, I think pool gloves are great.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the sardo, I didn't like it one bit.
 
The Pole Table

A customization company, JM Billiard, is pimping pool tables. You can get them in a variety of shapes, colors, and thank goodness, now with stripper poles!

An absolute essential pool product, if they sent the stripper along. Otherwise, it's the most ill conceived pool product ever invented (imagine a 53 year old with a gut and no ass that can't dance a lick writhing up and down the pole in boxer shorts and pasties, yeah, that's going to happen :shakehead:...).
 

Attachments

  • Pole table.jpg
    Pole table.jpg
    13.8 KB · Views: 796
Runnin8 said:
Hey I have one of those! It's an action magnet- kinda like moths to the flame.;)

The flashing distracts from the OB1 on the other end. Also serves as a great tool when your opponent is down on the key shot- tap that baby just at the edge of his peripheral vision and -ta dah- you're shooting again.

I thought every real player had one as backup.:grin:
Click to expand...

LOL

Good for you! I had a friend that had a nice shaft made for one of those "Budweiser" cues. He carried it around in one of those black vinyl Kmart zipper cases... LOL

Moths to a flame!
 
Blackjack said:
LOL

Good for you! I had a friend that had a nice shaft made for one of those "Budweiser" cues. He carried it around in one of those black vinyl Kmart zipper cases... LOL

Moths to a flame!
Click to expand...

I have a Coors Light cue that a guy is fitting the shaft I sent with it. The shaft is an older McDermott shaft that is in new condition. He's gonna change the joint pin and retap it. Can't wait to get it back. Throw in my flourescent yellow case and hit the bar.
 
These are a must if you use a graphite/fiberglass cue.....Why anyone would I have no idea....Fiberglass cue that is. My league partner has a McDermott with the shaft meticulously burnished and smooth as a pice of glass covered in silk...yet he still uses a glove...WTF!
Click to expand...

the shaft is only half the equation - the other half is your skin! even with the most perfect shaft in the world, it'll be miles more smooth, slick, and consistent with a glove. Greatest pool invention ever! couldn't play without mine.

oh and the nine ball rack get's my vote. what a pile of turd.
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
I KNOW I WILL TAKE A LOT OF HEAT FOR MY NOMINATIONS BUT HERE THEY ARE.

1. Measles cue ball. I understand the concept they are trying to achieve with using it on TV matches, but I just don't think enough amateurs or skilled players really desire to see how much the cueball is spinning.

2. Laminated shafts. I still think they are a gimmick item. I never heard that Gus Szamboti, George Balabushka or other highly desired cuemakers ever tried to create and use them on their cues.

3. Jump cues. This game was created to have the balls rolling around on the surface of the table. Learn to kick your way out of trouble like Efren and the other greats of the game have done.

I may add others as I think of them.

Kevin
Click to expand...
Glad to see someone mention laminated shafts.
 
I have to disagree on the chalk holders... I love mine because it's part of my preshot routine. I reach back and grab my chalk from back pocket before every shot. I absolutely hate having to search around the table for chalk which half the time the other player has knocked on the floor.

My vote for worst product of all time is are those horrible clamp things for holding the tip down while the glue dries for doing tips at home... They never work well and like to scratch shafts (at least all the ones I've seen do...).

Next up are those 7-in-1 tables that have a horrid pool table as one of the options...

After that, any billiards product sold at walmart or made by sportcraft...

Last but not least, billiards cloth with logo's on them...

Brian
 
Hmmmm, I'm a little surprised to NOT see someone bring up those trick pool balls; "wobbly 8ball" and "unbalanced cue ball". Those look like they required the least amount of thought before being sold. I also agree with the Elephant balls, I sometimes wonder if they made them just so they could do a little Beavis and Butthead and laugh when they heard their names on the TV. Otherwise, I'd have to say

Pool Tables with MDF instead of slate.

I had 1 once, for a short time, because it's all that fit in my apartment and got it at the floor model price. I think my roommate and I played a dozen games in the course of 8 months on that thing...what a pile of crap. I had to keep about 150lbs in weights in the middle of the table when we weren't using it so we would get a SOMEWHAT level table.
 
I think laminated shafts play okay, about the same as a normal shaft. My barnhart PJ came with a laminated playing shaft, and after a couple days of adjusting it's pretty decent. It flexes a little more than regular shafts I've played with but I haven't really noticed any really big differences in my game.
 
Kevin Lindstrom said:
I KNOW I WILL TAKE A LOT OF HEAT FOR MY NOMINATIONS BUT HERE THEY ARE.

1. Measles cue ball. I understand the concept they are trying to achieve with using it on TV matches, but I just don't think enough amateurs or skilled players really desire to see how much the cueball is spinning.

2. Laminated shafts. I still think they are a gimmick item. I never heard that Gus Szamboti, George Balabushka or other highly desired cuemakers ever tried to create and use them on their cues.

3. Jump cues. This game was created to have the balls rolling around on the surface of the table. Learn to kick your way out of trouble like Efren and the other greats of the game have done.

I may add others as I think of them.

Kevin
Click to expand...

Greatest post I've read so far this year......

I thought I'd be the first with the laser, but someone beat me to it..... can't believe nobody mentioned this one:

t_16964.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top