Brooklyn still proud of Jean Balukas
- Thread starter Jude Rosenstock
- Start date
That part (the bolded part) can be seen here (2:09):
http://youtube.com/watch?v=M3TzCfXQ6XE#t=2m9s
-Sean
Last edited:
Jean was, IMO, the best woman player I have seen. And in the heat of competition people get mad when rolls aren't going their way, it happens. You would just think someone who almost never lost, would maybe be above that kind of behavior and comment. I guess it goes along with being an intense competitor. I can only say, about Robin filing the complaint, assuming she heard Jean's comment, is that she thought it affected the match and was a shark move.
So in your world you have 2 players both passing unsportsman like comments to each other, and you only Fine one of the two and you think this is fair>?>?>?>?>?
Just watched this part. IMO, Jean had the "No class' comment coming. She was acting very unsportsmanlike.
Its not a question if she had it comming or not. The fact is they both made unsportsman like comments yet only one person gets fined...........Thats the point. Either fine them both or neither of them
Hate to say this but it also seems Balukas was a little arrogant and was thinking she was suppose to not be losing against a lesser skilled player.
I have to agree with Fran, Balukas was looking for a way out and had a perfect opportunity when she refused to pay the fine.
They both violated the unsportsman conduct rule, they BOTH should have been fined case closed
I don't know about that. I play a lot of 14.1 and although I wouldn't consider myself to be a "14.1 player", many friends of mine are. Some of these guys view 9ball as a slop game with too much luck. They simply have no respect for it. When she made that comment, it could have been directed at the ref for poor racking OR just as a general comment about having to play 9ball.
In truth, I've met Jean a couple times. I've barely spoken to her beyond introductions so I can't say with any certainty what was behind the comment. I don't necessarily think it was "arrogant". It could have been an open complaint about a game many players (especially at that time) felt was inferior to 14.1.
Except Jean was instigating, and Robin said what she said very calmly and moved on, Jean was out of line, she very well could have negatively affected Robin's play with her behavior. I have to say a fine was not out of line for Jean, and I think Robin's comment was more than justified, I certainly wouldn't have fined her for it.
Seems like it still brings forth emotions 25 years later too. I believe Robin and Jean are both happy campers today. It's water under the bridge.
By golly, I think you have hit the nail on the head with this. It makes sense as to what was Jean's thoughts.
If you look at the second clip Sean posted, Jean's behavior is inexcusable, she comes up out of the chair complaining, WHILE ROBIN IS TRYING TO SHOOT. The second time I watched it I hear Robin say, "Don't ever do that again", before the "No class' comment. Robin was clearly pissed and rightly so. Case still open.
By golly, I think you have hit the nail on the head with this. It makes sense as to what was Jean's thoughts.
I don't mean to come off as a mind-reader of any sort. I'm just trying to show another side of this. Personally, I don't think the comment was directed at Bell but it was interpreted that way. This was 1988. We were recently transitioning to 9ball from 14.1 and I'm sure Jean acknowledged quickly that the luck-factor would increase.
I agree that could be an interpretation for the first comments Jean made. Looking at the first of this clip, I think she was just really pissed and reacting.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=M3TzCfXQ6XE#t=2m9s
I think you need to watch the video.........Jean got up from her chair when robin missed the shot in the corner, however the ball doubled the jaw and collided with 2 other balls and one of them went in the corner............Thats when Robin said dont do that again..........
Jude I agree. The comment was meant for the ref and the poor racking I covered this in post 7
She was angry about the luck factor, no doubt. However, when she made the 9 on the break three times against me she didn't utter a peep about luck in 9-Ball. I think it's fair to conclude that it bothered her more when the luck was against her rather than in her favor.
There's no doubt that she saw the probability of herself losing matches as much higher in 9-ball. For all those years she was practically impossible to beat in 14.1, and then she saw that all slowly starting to whither away, and all due, in her opinion, to the luck factor of 9-ball. For whatever reason, she put a lot of pressure on herself to try to maintain that reputation of being the best of the best, and I think she would rather have quit than relinquish her crown.
But Robin was a great 9-Ball player. She was confident in the game. They were playing 9-ball in California long before we were playing it on the east coast, and Robin was one of the best. I don't know how much Jean recognized that or only blamed the luck factor, but it was making her very nervous about staying on top.