JAM...While I can't agree with you wholeheartedly, I do believe that the pro players could benefit from becoming "entertainers"...but I'll stop short of calling them 'dancing monkeys'. People have always paid to be entertained, and pool is no different. The market is there, the money is there...only to decision to apply themselves is lacking. So U.S. pro pool is lemons as far as making a living playing competitively...instead of complaining, go make lemonade! I've been doing it quite nicely for nearly 20 years. If I can do it, almost anybody can...given the right attitude.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I realize that there may be pool purists who have a completely different take on pool than I do, and I believe you fall into that camp, Scott. Nothing wrong with that. Different strokes for different folks.
The point of my post is this. I am not complaining; rather, I am providing an observation. After a pro player grows old, he gets little to no respect within the pool culture here in the United States. Ironically, it's not the pool purists, though, who ridicule them, rip 'em apart, call them "scum of the earth," and boast about their own college education and lucrative jobs when they thumb their nose at the pro player. It is the others, not the pool purists, who look at pro players as pariahs after they can't run a rack anymore.
You continue to share how much money you make in this industry, Scott, by teaching pool. Well, here's a flash alert for you. Just because somebody can play pool proficiently doesn't mean the pool pro can teach it. As well, just because somebody can teach pool doesn't mean the teacher can actually play pool proficiently. Two different animals.
As I stated earlier in the thread, there is no money in pool today. It is a rich man's high. The same payouts are existent in pool today as they were in 1970. Yet, it costs $75 to $150 for a hotel room compared to $25 to $50 in 1970. It costs $3.50 to $4.50 for a gallon of gas compared to $1.50 in 1970. IOW, a pro player must come in first, second, or third place to break even on expenses. Sadly, they are usually so stuck from attending two, three, and four pool tournaments a month that even pocketing $10,000 for third place in the U.S. Open doesn't help bring one back in the black. Heck, it costs a couple dimes to stay the entire week at the U.S. Open, unless you like sleeping in a car, eating fast food, or sharing a room and sleeping on the floor.
There are only a handful, if that, of American pro-caliber players today who can afford to travel to Qatar, China, or Philippines. They either have a BCA industry member paying their way, looking out for their interests, or they have a fat stakehorse with deep pockets.
I love Jeanette Lee and admire her ability to market herself, but a sexy lady dressed in black that can run racks is a much better sell than, say, Johnny Archer running racks. An agent would have more success booking Jeanette, IMO, than Johnny, speaking hypothetically, of course.
Some strong pro players have left competition after the realization of what playing pool professionally really is, like Allen Hopkins, Mike Sigel, and Nick Varner. They try to eke out a living selling product and being pool promoters. John Schmidt tried his hand as a pool room owner. Mike Massey is a trick shot artist today instead of a pro player. Eddie Kelly deals cards in Vegas. Sooner or later, the pro player can't exist anymore playing pool professionally without a sponsor or a fat stakehorse.
Back to my original thoughts, the only people making money in pool is the industry members, pool promoters, instructional authors, teachers, and pool organization members. Even the pool print media is suffering and tyring to stay afloat. They have to try to build up their online presence and attract sponsors to pay the bills. Most print media today is just not fast enough for the readers in this age of technology.
There is no market for professional pool in America. It's a dead fish in the water. Those who can't afford to compete professionally cannot do it full time and must get a job, or else they end up, yes, Scott, the dancing monkey for the profit and entertainment of others.
This is my story, and I am damn well sticking with it. People can thumb their nose up at today's pros and believe it's their fault that pool sucks in America, but it ain't. There's no market for pool in America. There's no money. There's no future. There's not hope for the pro-caliber player to have a decent future with the exception of very minute few, but when their streak ends, when they can't run a rack anymore, let's see how kind this forum is to them at that time. I already know the answer.
I'm not a defeatist; I am a realist. Been there, done that, spent six figures, and I know what promise professional pool holds for the pro player. As long as they dance like monkeys, they will be everybody's friend. There is not enough American pool pie for the pro players. They continue to scramble for crumbs while others enjoy a nice fat slice. And today the American pros must share their crumbs with our international bretheren, to include pool opportunities to compete in more lucrative events.
The existing lot of professional players in the United States is dwindling, and people wonder why.
I personally don't like to see him beat himself up because besides the 22 year spot, he's spotting his opponent his self destruction mode. Earl thrives on negativity though, and if you'll notice when he gets in negative mode he usually comes with something good playing wise. When he tried to change his temperment temporarily in the past he didn't play as well. There are things he does that make me cringe, but then I can't wait to see him match up next, go figure
