Because there is really no money to be made in professional fool for the majority of American players, it is not economically feasible to pursue professional pool as a career.
Some pool players, however, have such a deep passion for pool that their priorities in life do not center around financial security. It is sad to see, for instance, a well-known pro player not have the funds for a burial when they pass away, have no money for medical maladies as they grow old, have no home to hang their hat, buy their clothes from thrift stores because they can't afford new clothes, eat most of their meals at fast food restaurant because it's cheap, sleep on the floor or in a car to save money on hotel expenses. Welcome to the wonderful world of the American pool player.
I cannot blame the BCA for this result, but I do cast a good deal of blame on this so-called "governing body of North American pool" for not helping to remedy this sad state of affairs. They literally dropped the ball and decided to focus their efforts on helping their industry members turn a profit rather than professional pool. As such, in my opinion, they should not be the representative entity to the WPA, who seems to be only interested in who or what greases their WPA palms with sanctioning fees. Meanwhile, pool still ain't in the Olympics as a summer or winter game, and I don't think it ever will be at this juncture. Who needs the WPA?!
I have always had a great deal of passion for pool. I played on leagues, ran numerous tournaments, and worked graveyard shift at a neighborhood pool room. Even when I left the pool scene in my early '20s, I had a pool poster at my office cubicle -- "The Color of Money," of course. Everybody I worked with knew I loved pool.
Getting back into the professional tournament pro pool trail in the early 2000s, I was thrilled to be back in my pool saddle again, meeting all the great ones and experiencing the big tournaments as well as the regional ones. I loved it. I was passionate. Six figures later, I realized I had let my business go downhill because I was on the road attending two, three, and four tournaments a month. I was in debt, debt I did not have before, and my financial security was most definitely in jeopardy. Plus, sad to say, I was *not* enjoying pool anymore after I experienced the reality of American professional pool, seeing it up front and close, the favoritism, the behind-the-scenes rule changes to accommodate a chosen few, the misery of driving back home with no sleep, the broken heart I had when I left my beloved dog home while I was away, the emotional and physical abuse my body was enduring, the industry member(s) who thumbed their nose at me after I tried to help them succeed when they were a nobody, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
Well, I am fortunate that I did not quit my day job. I realized my security in life, to include having my roof over my head, was more important than sitting front row at the week-long U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, or the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour Season Finale, or the incredibly cool week-long Derby City Classic. I was lucky to build back up my business.
Pro pool players who devote their life to pool are not as lucky. Some male pros may never know the joy of fatherhood, sharing their heart with someone they love for a lifetime, and living in a happy home. Pool industry members, pool organization members, tournament directors, and tournament promoters have the biggest chance of turning a profit in pool in the United States. For sure, they earn more money at a pool tournament that the majority of the competitors at the pool tournament. The payouts suck in pool.
Unless you can win pool tournaments consecutively with a long streak, much like Shane Van Boening is today, or you can con a fat stakehorse to support your pool endeavors, you cannot make a profit in pool as a professional player. Earl Strickland's streak was much longer than Shane's is so far, and last time I spoke to Earl, which has been a long while, well, he wasn't really a happy person. It was hard for Earl to see Americans pulling for non-American players at international events for one thing, and I totally understand and get that. Buddy Hall's wife spoke to me at the 2002 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship and admired the happiness Keith and I had being together at this pool event. She then went on to share that pool has not been kind to Buddy Hall in the twilight of his life. Buddy Hall and Earl Strickland, two of the greatest pool icons in my lifetime, what has pool done for them? :sorry:
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Mama, don't let you babies grow up to be pool players unless they live in the Philippines. :grin-square:
