Pool has a "FATAL FLAW"

[Miya Butreaks]

Why is the author quoting himself? You're not coining a new term here, just say "The fatal flaw of pool is..." You don't have to repeatedly type "FATAL FLAW".

About the tenth time I read "FATAL FLAW" I decided no matter the content of the thread the torture was not worth it.

That was the "BIGGEST PROBLEM" with this thread. This "BIGGEST PROBLEM" cannot be helped unless people are dissuaded from repeatedly using quotes or I decide to not be a jackass by ceasing to judge the proverbial book by its cover.

I'm mostly joking by the way. But seriously... Stop.


Edit - Looks like someone beat me to it.

 

[Paul Schofield]

Could you stop typing "fatal flaw" in uppercase? It seems like you're trying to promote a t-shirt or bumper sticker or something.

Are you hinting that it could make a good pool player tee shirt?

Sure...I will back off of it it helps. Alright, now, tell us what you think.

 

[Island Drive]

Whats up guys i just joined and there seems to be alot of threads talking about how pool is dying and pool is flawed, yall should just quit if you dont like it i think pool is fine the way it is....

Besides phenolic tips and jump cues they gotta go, im only 21 and i feel like the only one that doesnt use them.

No,
Because without discussions like this new ideas are not brought to light. I'd much rather have feedback from ten people than one or none. We all live our own cranium world and its impossible to process and see matters like others do, some call it evolution, of species or product. NFL has flaws and the keep trying new things some work, others NOT. I'm sure there are people that would say VSU had no chance in the NCAA BB tourney, and that American Idol would never work. .

 

[Maniac]

15-ball rotation would be THE game to play professionally imo. Sure you'd get a B&R occasionally, but not often enough to ruin the ability of BOTH players getting PLENTY of trips to the table. Even a winner breaks format (which many folks favor) would probably see both players shooting in most single games.

Maniac

26 posts since this one and NOBODY thinks 15-ball rotation is a viable option?

Maniac

 

[Salty]

I might be wrong about this, but I think until recently snooker has been mostly an elitist sport in England-played largely by the pros and higher income folks and no so much by the 'general public'. It has been very popular among spectators, though that may be waning a bit now. Since the 40s or 50s, pool has not enjoyed the status of a big time sport in this country. Will it ever again? I don't know, but I CAN tell you that it is no closer now than it was when I started in the pool hall business in 1990-it's probably farther away. Pool has enjoyed two popularity booms, once following 'The Hustler', and then again following 'The Color of Money'. Neither time were we able to convert the short term popularity into a long term professional sport akin to golf, tennis, or, crap, even beach volleyball! There's probably several reasons. It's a very difficult game, taking years of dedication to become proficient and that's not good for the 'want it now' generation. The games we play may not be interesting enough for the general population. The image is still dark after all these years, and although we always thought the gambling was a huge negative, the recent poker boom kind of shoots that down doesn't it? All of those things, in my opinion, do not detract from the greatness of pool. Chess, for non or casual players, is hard to understand, difficult to learn, boring to watch, will absolutely never enjoy widespread popularity as a spectator sport-and is one of the GREAT games ever created by mankind. Widespread popularity is rarely the measure of greatness. 'McDonalds' and 'American Idol' are good examples of that. It would be nice if pool could achieve a level in this country where our pro players could make the living they deserve as the best in a sport as widely played as ours. I'm not sure if I will ever see that. As for me? I spent the first 20 years in the pool hall business trying to convince the crowd who didn't want to play pool why they SHOULD want to play. I'm through with that. I hope to spend the next 20 creating an environment and opportunities for those who DO want to play this great sport.

It's not realy like that. It wasn't an elitist sport like you said. They do have a strict dresscode and you won't see any serious misbehaviour (sharking) from players. Even in the lower leagues they take this verry serious. In the mid 1980's we got BBC television on the cable in continental Europe and snooker became instantly popular here on the mainland. People of all ages were sitting in front of the tv to watch guy's like Steve davis, Jimmy White, Tony Drago. Snooker has a strong global structure and a solid foundation unlike in pool with different organisations. I think that's what pool needs to atract serious sponsors who can offer serious monney for our profesional players. And I know some people here will jump on me but really... some pro's who allways complain about not getting what they deserve should first act like a profesional. But that's only my opinion.

 

[Paul Schofield]

12squared

Dave - Thanks for the comments. As I posted earlier, I think pool has evolved much like billiards. How did billiards get from straight rail to three cushion? Paul

 

[Runnintable]

Flawed

How bout every time you scratch you lose a finger!

 

[Zbotiman]

pool requires a lot

I've read all of this and have yet to hear the possible solution. The prevailing impression, infers, that the solution to the dreaded, FATAL FLAW, won't be a simple thing to incorporate into the sport of pocket billiards.

Have you ever thought about how many different complex problems, there are, to learning all the many different mental and physical challenges that are presented in learning pocket billiards? First, you gotta learn, "stroke," that alone takes years and you still refine it! Any of the games are complex to master and that's mostly in the mentally challenging aspects of learning them. Then you've got to play enough to be able to execute what you think up. Just those things alone mean this sport is way, too, difficult, for the public to EVER grasp!

Seen in it's proper light, the fight aspect to the sport of poo,l is the most useful, and interesting element for garnering mass appeal. You can forget the general populous, "EVER," getting the refined aspects of this sports many different games! You can pretty much forget about the amateurs understanding the refined aspects of a possessing a great stroke, can't see it, can't do it! If the ball bangers don't even get it, WTF???

Poll is what it is, a great challenge, that goes on till ya-quit!

Good luck with describing the fatal flaw and all, can't wait to hear about the miracle cure!

 

[MikeM]

No,
Because without discussions like this new ideas are not brought to light. I'd much rather have feedback from ten people than one or none. We all live our own cranium world and its impossible to process and see matters like others do, some call it evolution, of species or product. NFL has flaws and the keep trying new things some work, others NOT. I'm sure there are people that would say VSU had no chance in the NCAA BB tourney, and that American Idol would never work. .

V ESS U? seriously?!? My alma mater makes it to the Final Four and STILL gets no respect!!:angry:

THAT is why pool is dying!!! :embarrassed2:

 

[Island Drive]

Public's perception of our game in the US is the FLAW you speak of. If it was truly flawed the Philippine people would not of embraced Efren as their Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods. Efren in his country is more famous than Manny Pacquiao. Yep these issues you brought up are good ones, but until we can lead em to water and make em drink the beauty of our game, its samo/samo, I feel your disgust with the current situation (I was a room owner). Hopefully sometime this year one of my contacts will ''see'' what the WBT can do for the game world wide. I've found the way too create that thirst.
BiL

 

[12squared]

Dave - Thanks for the comments. As I posted earlier, I think pool has evolved much like billiards. How did billiards get from straight rail to three cushion? Paul

I'm not a historian on 3-cushion, I just used to play. But I do know that balkline was invented because it was too boring to watch 1,000s run in straight rail being nursed around the rails. Yes, they changed the rules. But this is not the case in pool/rotation pool. It is great to watch a player string racks together.

My point was that it seems like you feel you have a solution but for some reason you are not sharing it with us, is that accurate?

Dave

 

[12squared]

Public's perception of our game in the US is the FLAW you speak of. If it was truly flawed the Philippine people would not of embraced Efren as their Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods. Efren in his country is more famous than Manny Pacquiao. Yep these issues you brought up are good ones, but until we can lead em to water and make em drink the beauty of our game, its samo/samo, I feel your disgust with the current situation (I was a room owner). Hopefully sometime this year one of my contacts will ''see'' what the WBT can do for the game world wide. I've found the way too create that thirst.
BiL

tap, tap, Bill! rep to you.

Dave

 

[Klopek]

Speed pool

0000000000

 

[Paul Schofield]

I have a hundred stories like this but I will only tell the most recent.

A few weeks ago the Valley League had their state tournament in my town and about 2000 players participated. At any one time, somewhere between 20 and 80 players from the tournament would be in my place. I decided I would run the Accu-Stats PPV all weekend of the Ten-Ball Tournament from Virginia. They all knew it was on. Many asked what was going on. Not one player watched it for more than a minute. It was like having a chess tournament on TV in a room full of checkers players. I could certainly use some help from the pros and in turn I would like to do for them. This program they have going with rotation games does not work in the grand scheme of things.

My point here is that pool (rotation games) has evolved itself into irrelevance. We have got to do better than this.

I want to add here that the video quality and the commentating was superb and my regulars did enjoy the PPV.

 

[Roger Long]

My solution is... let's change the game to SHARKING ALLOWED.

Opponents can talk up a storm while their opponent shoots, thereby potentially affecting the outcome of the game. They would have to stay in their seat and be reasonably still, like today... but they could talk non-stop if they wanted to.

The skill of sharking would be explored and developed to its full extent... sharking would become an art form.

The best shooter combined with the one with highly developed sharking skills would emerge as the top pro in the world.

And guess what?... just maybe, the game could become VERY interesting to the general public that currently does not follow the game at all.

You just might have a point there, Dave. It has been working well in every bar in the nation for years. :thumbup:

 

[SlickRick_PCS]

Here's the thing. I'm not the one whining and crying about what's wrong with pool or what the fatal flaw of pool is. As such I don't believe it's up to me to find a solution to something I don't see as a problem.

I say things the way I see them, if that loses your respect, then so be it, I make no apologies.

I feel that if there's a market for professional pool someone will exploit it, if not then I guess it wasn't such a good idea. Will the loss of a professional tour hurt the game? NO!

Most people that play the game are barely aware of such a thing as a professional pool player. Ask a league player in your area to name five professional pool players that are currently active. Chances are they won't be able to name two.

Pool is just fine as a sport, people will continue to play it and have fun doing so.

If you want to make a living with pool, cheers and good on ya, but I suggest you don't do it by playing the game. There's only a small pot of money and already too many people in line to get thier piece.

This post is a FAIL: You don't know me and should be left as is.

Yea, I like the fact that you "like things the way they are". I have always been told that if you are not really careful, the "Good Enoughs" can become the enemy of "The Best". You, sir, just want things to be good enough. You just thrive on seeing things to be half-assed. I can only assume that your life leads the way you comment. Good luck with that, because I believe there needs to be a change for the better (or THE BEST, as I should say ).

 

[UGETTHE6]

My Rant.

It’s all MONEY... Someone said to me the other day if the top player was making 20 Million a year in pool, then all the current players would be sleeping on the street. I think its true. Because it is a sport, and the real athletes play golf, baseball or other major sports so they get PAID. If they played pool, the REAL athletes would dominate, not the fat asses, gamblers, hustlers, and drug addicts.

If pool had a huge payout, then the real athletes would pick up cues and figure it out. It’s all simple, shoot, make ball, and shoot again. Endurance is key, so we play races to 35 in tournaments, have 16 entrants, and 5 million top prizes.

But to EARN a spot you have to play qualifiers.

If pool did this, and had money, it would work. But it doesn’t everything is ran by f**cking amateurs, even Allen Hopkins event, VERY AMATEURISH, the US Open, Berry's event, EXTREAMLY AMATEURISH. All things pool is ran by idiots, with no education, who have "played" pool their whole life.

Seminole Tribe is running some CLASSY events, with some heart, and business MIND. No one else in this country is. NO ONE!

And I have never played in a Seminole event....

Look the whole IDIOT pool world allowed KT and the IPT come to town, and guess what he screwed them all over too! Because they were too dumb to realize what the hell was going on. He ran professional shi*. He wasn't dumb, but just a crook! If the pool world was SMARTER this would have never happend.

This game needs someone outside the GAME to run shit, these amateurs running stuff is just stupid anymore. All of they do is keep the same amount of money in pool, and they all keep matching each other’s money back! It’s a redundant cycle, and it will never end, because these POOLIDIOTS continue to let amateurs run the show. AND ALL OF YOU LIKE IT, AND SUPPORT IT, AND THINK ITS GREAT. Talk about the US Open, and THE SBE like its GRAND. ITS A SHIT SHOW, where 1 person get's rich, and a few other people make MY months salary; working a REAL job.

Problem is people in the pool world are LAZY and want a quick fix, and an easy pay day, bunch of lock artists. You get people who are promoting today, because they CANT compete anymore, and they found a way to make money off the PLAYERS. No matter how much they "cry" they are for the players they are full of shit, they are for making MONEY.

THAT’S THE FATAL FLAW!

NOW, If you DON'T agree with my comments, then GO back and READ IT AGAIN, beucase you definately missed something.

 

[bradsh98]

Here is the “FATAL FLAW”: A player is entitled to play on offence and score without limit while an opponent sits idly without influence.

So why don't we make up a new rule that states: If a player feels that his opponent has been at the table for too long a period of time, that player may punch his opponent in the face, and begin his turn at the table.


Everyone has these crazy ideas of what is wrong with pool.

You know what's really wrong with pool?? Technology! The more technology advances, the lazier people get. Video games, cell phones, 70" televisions, computers, internet... It all contributes to the demise of our existence. Many people would like to believe that we are making great advancements, though I believe we are taking steps in the wrong direction. How many people do you know that DON'T have a cell phone?
Technology affects everything, even how people raise their children. Many people are inconvenienced by taking the time necessary to raise their own children, because they are too preoccupied with things like phone apps and facebook. Sounds silly doesn't it? Welcome to the 21st century.

Though, if you'd really like to insist that there is something wrong with pool, consider this: There have been many changes in recent history that have led to the demise of pool. Think about where many people begin playing the game: in bars.

The legal age to drink in the US was changed from 18 to 21. This delays a large group of people from getting exposure to the game. A lot can happen in a person's life in those 3 years, and by the time they gain exposure to pool, they may not have the same interest that they would have had 3 years prior...

DWI laws have changed all over the country. Many people don't even go out to bars anymore from fear of getting pulled over on the way home. I've heard stories from years ago, people getting pulled over and the cop offering them a ride home. Nowadays, you don't get that kind of slack.

Ball in hand rules have totally changed the way the game is played. I know many former league players that quit playing in leagues when ball in hand rules were introduced, calling it 'shit pool'. Now, I believe these people are incredibly naive to think that, though everyone is entitled to his own opinion, and if that is all it took to drive these people away from the game, then so be it...

 

[justnum]

The Fatal Flaw is there aren't enough groupies, spongers, dealers or all around hangers on in the pool community. The players and the people in attendance are far too responsible.

What pool needs are some drug scandals, sex scandals, corruption scandals, refs giving bad calls for bribes, refs giving out bad racks, organizers giving out special tournament match-ups for friends, organizers hiring fans to "help friends out" and some good ole fashion discrimination whether it be for race, gender, sexual orientation or even hair color. Anything to make people think twice about joining the pool community, that is a flaw it is too much:

"I just want to play pool."

"I just want to promote and help you make money."

"I am trying to make a difference and spend my own money to "get the word out there" because I love the sport so so much."

Pool needs people that are just "I am doing this to make money and I don't care who has to suffer for me to do that because in the long run I will be around and you can be replaced."

 

[Zbotiman]

Much Thanks!

I have a hundred stories like this but I will only tell the most recent.

A few weeks ago the Valley League had their state tournament in my town and about 2000 players participated. At any one time, somewhere between 20 and 80 players from the tournament would be in my place. I decided I would run the Accu-Stats PPV all weekend of the Ten-Ball Tournament from Virginia. They all knew it was on. Many asked what was going on. Not one player watched it for more than a minute. It was like having a chess tournament on TV in a room full of checkers players. I could certainly use some help from the pros and in turn I would like to do for them. This program they have going with rotation games does not work in the grand scheme of things.

My point here is that pool (rotation games) has evolved itself into irrelevance. We have got to do better than this.

I want to add here that the video quality and the commentating was superb and my regulars did enjoy the PPV.

Much Thanks, from "All the Accu-Stats Team!"
Believe me when I say, "Your support is greatly appreciated!" And more than the public can know, especially with the Masters 10-ball event, it was constant expense, work, and effort.
The new equipment will be even better in the coming months, also, there's much to come, from the new look and programming of Accu-Stats.
All that can be done to present the sincere face of Pro-Pool as it really is, well, it's there for posterity to evaluate. Everyone that contributes to a PPV has helped to preserve and better, the sport of Pool, in some small way!
Thanks, for your part in that!