If you really want to know how Shanelle Lorain plays

mia said:
Its got nothing to do with being jealous of her success. But when streaming events for pool players to watch (Note: NOT just the teenage kid who played pool two or three times last year), people want to see GOOD pool. Not just one decent player matched up with someone who is a pretty face. If you wanna stick her face on product posters and catalogs all day long, so be it! But just make her a spokesmodel. Don't enter her in tournaments under the guide that she's a "pro player".

It would be the same as having Venus or Serena Williams play round one of ANY major tournament against Kate Upton. Because Kate would look great in a miniskirt.

You want to have Kate endorse Wimbeldon??? GREAT! You'd get a LOT more viewers. But putting her on the court doesn't make her a good representation of the game or the pros who work hard to play at that level.
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If Kate Upton played in Wimbledon, you can bet your ass it would be a televised match and most wouldn't care if she scored one point. If you don't like who's playing in a match,don't watch it. I equally enjoy watching highly skilled professionals as well as amateurs play. In fact sometimes watching someone who can run every rack without even trying can get a bit boring.
 
spanky79 said:
She won 2 games in 3 sets at the Amway Cup. Enough said
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Not nice Spanky. Until you see her game up close and personally...it's not fair to make these kind of judgments.

There have been plenty of players who get shot full of holes in matches...it does not necessarily reflect the true nature of their game.

Allison once played a match on ESPN versus Jeanette. She kicked once in the first or second game and scratched. She kicked again in the last or second to last rack...and she again gave up BIH to Jeanette. That's it. Does that mean she sucks? Of course not.

I've gone 2 and out in plenty of tournaments. I've been handed a goose egg by the best and the not-so-great alike. Does that mean I should go lie down and die somewhere...while the rest of pool world trash talks me on the internet?

I've never met Shanelle...but I have posted in her defense before and I will continue to do so. She certainly does not deserve the venom she gets here. She may not be a world beater...but there are plenty of women playing in pro events that are not at the same level as Allison, Jeanette, Ga-Young, etc. That's OK. They're doing their best...and should be applauded for their efforts...not publicly ridiculed.

If you don't like the marketing effort surrounding Shanelle...take it up with CW. But we shouldn't hate on her for making a living in the industry she loves.

Just my opinion.

Melissa
 
Shanelle should be THE spokes person and representative for the game of pool. Any people, (especially women) who question this are odviously only jealous becasuse they want to play as good as her and be in matches based on how attractive they are.
When I think pool, I think Shanelle. When I think pool, I think of dresses and heels. When I think pool, I dont think about running racks because who cares as long as you look really good.
 
mia said:
I DO realize that. But you do realize that this kind of contradicts your original point. Right? She's NOT a great representative of professional pool. She's just a pretty face being marketed to the masses. See how that works??
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Mia I dont know where you have been but pools about fashion and looks now. Come on, get with it.
 
Melissa Herndon said:
Not nice Spanky. Until you see her game up close and personally...it's not fair to make these kind of judgments.

There have been plenty of players who get shot full of holes in matches...it does not necessarily reflect the true nature of their game.

Allison once played a match on ESPN versus Jeanette. She kicked once in the first or second game and scratched. She kicked again in the last or second to last rack...and she again gave up BIH to Jeanette. That's it. Does that mean she sucks? Of course not.

I've gone 2 and out in plenty of tournaments. I've been handed a goose egg by the best and the not-so-great alike. Does that mean I should go lie down and die somewhere...while the rest of pool world trash talks me on the internet?

I've never met Shanelle...but I have posted in her defense before and I will continue to do so. She certainly does not deserve the venom she gets here. She may not be a world beater...but there are plenty of women playing in pro events that are not at the same level as Allison, Jeanette, Ga-Young, etc. That's OK. They're doing their best...and should be applauded for their efforts...not publicly ridiculed.

If you don't like the marketing effort surrounding Shanelle...take it up with CW. But we shouldn't hate on her for making a living in the industry she loves.

Just my opinion.

Melissa
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Melissa I get your point, I agree about the CW thing. I have seen her play a couple times, none in person. She could not win a match in your ladies tourney's. Do i hate her for making money at what she wants to do no.

I do find it sad that she is labeled as a "pro" on her fb page.

Looking back on it, I should not have made the post.
 
dorabelle said:
Mia I dont know where you have been but pools about fashion and looks now. Come on, get with it.
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Wow....

I'm surprised at your responses here. (Based on posting history. I've often agreed with you, silently back here behind my monitor, nodding...)

I think most of the people "defending" Shannelle here (and I use that term loosely, as I am merely defending treating her with more respect than she has been given here recently...) are only trying to point out that she is making the best of the situation, in a game she purportedly really loves.

Sure, some people here are overly fixated on her looks (for better and for worse), which of course have given her a path in this industry. But at least she isn't copping an attitude, playing the diva, or acting "entitled". By all accounts, she is polite, friendly and respectful, to everyone. That's a lot more than we can say about many "real" pro's.... That is why I'm trying to get people to cut her a little slack.

I just got done listening to the TAR podcast from last week. Justin said (and I chuckled, because I said something similar in this thread earlier today.... sorry, Justin, i wasn't plagiarizing you, I hadn't heard the podcast yet!) that if more of the "real" pro's acted like Shannelle does in terms of being respectful and polite and such, and I'm paraphrasing here, that pool as a whole would be in a much better place than it is now. Coming from me, I get people laughing and claiming I'm simply defending her because she's "hot"... This is coming from an industry professional, one of the good guys who make things happen. Mark Griffin was in agreement with the thought.

(Do listen to the podcast, people. It was great! Covered a whole bevy of things going on in pool recently, from guys who know. Thanks, Justin and Mark, for the podcast and for everything you're doing in pool.)

I guess I'm tired of all the negativity we see here, on a daily basis. And this issue is just one part of it. I hope we find another hot-button topic to get onto soon, so I can go back to agreeing with what you post, Dorabelle.
 
mia said:
Believe me. I get what you're saying. But she's not a great representative for pool-related business because (wait for it) she's NOT a great pool player! She's not even a good pool player. The fact that she endorses Poison makes me think that maybe, just maybe... Poison ain't so great. If they put their money behind a D player, maybe Poison isn't the stuff of champions.

You see what I'm saying?? A great representative for a pool-related business should be someone who has a presence in pool, be it a player, a cuemaker, a case maker, a promoter, etc. REGARDLESS of what he or she looks like. Just sponsoring a pretty face with no game kind of takes away from the game.
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Agree 100%
 
mia said:
Believe me. I get what you're saying. But she's not a great representative for pool-related business because (wait for it) she's NOT a great pool player! She's not even a good pool player. The fact that she endorses Poison makes me think that maybe, just maybe... Poison ain't so great. If they put their money behind a D player, maybe Poison isn't the stuff of champions.

You see what I'm saying?? A great representative for a pool-related business should be someone who has a presence in pool, be it a player, a cuemaker, a case maker, a promoter, etc. REGARDLESS of what he or she looks like. Just sponsoring a pretty face with no game kind of takes away from the game.
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Here's the thing, though, Mia. If you check out the demographics of AzBilliards pool forum, it is 95 percent male readers. What does that say about Poison choosing her as their representative? ;)
 
I wonder if Shanelle is conflicted about all this. Someone offers her media exposure and a check eventhough her current skill level would present a difficult time enduring a simple handicapped amateur event, let alone a pro event. Knowing that in this day and age where women are constantly trying to break barriers with gender stereotype, she indulges what many women would disagree with.
 
JAM said:
Here's the thing, though, Mia. If you check out the demographics of AzBilliards pool forum, it is 95 percent male readers. What does that say about Poison choosing her as their representative? ;)
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That they know jack sh*t about pool and are choosing someone based solely on her cup size and style of dress?
 
JAM said:
It's more like sex sells, Mia. Sad but true! :embarrassed2:
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I'm not arguing that sex sells. I'm saying "If that's her purpose, put her in a bikini or even a low cut shirt. Have her hold a cue, then snap a few pics for posters and catalogs and ad space. But put her in a tournament??? Please. Stream money matches with her participating??? Clearly that hasn't worked out so well as there are several threads filled with actual pool players, most of which asking what the hell she's doing there. Save that spot for people who can get out of a 3 ball rack with ball in hand.
 
mia said:
I'm not arguing that sex sells. I'm saying "If that's her purpose, put her in a bikini or even a low cut shirt. Have her hold a cue, then snap a few pics for posters and catalogs and ad space. But put her in a tournament??? Please. Stream money matches with her participating??? Clearly that hasn't worked out so well as there are several threads filled with actual pool players, most of which asking what the hell she's doing there. Save that spot for people who can get out of a 3 ball rack with ball in hand.
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Hey, I'm on your side. This "billiard babe" mentality in pool is not my cup of tea.

At this juncture, though, anything that can promote pool up the totem pole, whether it's negativity, sex, or Alex Pagulayan busting Earl Strickland's kneecap with a pool cue a la Tanya Harding, it will help put pool on the map.

The thing is, I believe she does have a passion for pool. If she can be an ambassador of sorts, then that's a good thing, whether she can run three balls in a row or not. :smile:
 
JAM said:
At this juncture, though, anything that can promote pool up the totem pole, whether it's negativity, sex, or Alex Pagulayan busting Earl Strickland's kneecap with a pool cue a la Tanya Harding, it will help put pool on the map.
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But here's my take. She's NOT helping to put pool on the map. She's being marketed as a pool player... to a bunch of pool players. And it seems pretty clear from ALL of these threads that most players know she's terrible. She's all looks. So its not really helping pool in any way. Its just hurting pool. Because its showcasing how ONE player (Charlie Williams) is taking POOL out of the equation and focusing on the sex aspect. That doesn't help the game at all.

You want to promote pool to the masses in an effort to raise awareness?? Don't sell sex over talent to people who already play the game. Sell sex to the guy/girl who DOESN'T play the game.... ie~ NOT the average AZ poster. NOT the guy/girl who's going to pay to watch a stream. Slap her on a poster and hang it in your local pool hall and let it end there.
 
mia said:
But here's my take. She's NOT helping to put pool on the map. She's being marketed as a pool player... to a bunch of pool players. And it seems pretty clear from ALL of these threads that most players know she's terrible. She's all looks. So its not really helping pool in any way. Its just hurting pool. Because its showcasing how ONE player (Charlie Williams) is taking POOL out of the equation and focusing on the sex aspect. That doesn't help the game at all.

You want to promote pool to the masses in an effort to raise awareness?? Don't sell sex over talent to people who already play the game. Sell sex to the guy/girl who DOESN'T play the game.... ie~ NOT the average AZ poster. NOT the guy/girl who's going to pay to watch a stream. Slap her on a poster and hang it in your local pool hall and let it end there.
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I actually found it offensive when the ladies would walk around with the signs after each game at the U.S. Open, like they do in boxing. It was as if this activity was to invite cat calls and whistles. I did not think it belonged in one of America's most heralded events.

Here's the thing. Industry members aren't as tuned into what's right and what's wrong when it comes to advertising. They're shooting for the best bang for their buck, and if it means bringing in a pretty lady with side D cups, then they're going to do it, whether she can play pool or not.

In all fairness, I do believe she plays pool okay, and because of her looks, she gets a lot of attention, both good and bad. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. I hope she's got self-confidence and can move forward. At least she is capitalizing on her looks and applying it to her passion, which is pool.

FWIW, industry doesn't give a damn what we think. They don't like professional pool players as evidenced by the BCA membership's disdain for these so-called "pro players." They're going to go with who makes the most money for them.
 
Don't know about the pool, but on my phone the asian girl looks beautiful and sexy!! :D

Sent from my BlackBerry 9780 using Tapatalk
 
Still waiting for confirmation that everyone who has entered the US Open was pro caliber, and none of them out of there league. After all, who wants to see that?
 
they talked about her on a magazine here. Obviously the didn't talk about her pool game ( also because here nobody gives a ... about pool ).
 
justadub said:
Still waiting for confirmation that everyone who has entered the US Open was pro caliber, and none of them out of there league. After all, who wants to see that?
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Ah, I see your sarcasm and I will raise you...

Of those people that entered the US Open and were way over their head, can you name them? How many of them had a paid trip and entry fee from a sponsor who is marketing them as a pool player?

And exactly... who wants to see that? Thats why the busiest days at the USOpen are later in the week.
 
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