Maybe This Won't Work Today

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I believe a good "A" that plays with his own money getting into good match-ups and never playing for more than 30% of his bankroll will make more at the end of his career than 95% or more of the top pro gamblers that play for big money, and most of the time are all in with their bankroll. A lot on here think that's heart, I know it's stupid.

I was at best a "B"+ player on a 9' and a good "A" player on the box. I hardly ever played for more than $20 a game. I had a dream at 16 years old to make enough playing pool to buy a top race horse. At 25 myself and 7 others claimed a horse at Belmont call Disco Count for 100K. We kept it about a year and let it get claimed for 100k. We made some money with him but we all just didn't get along.

When I moved to Florida in 80 I bought my first Greyhound. By 2001 I had almost 200 racers and pups racing at some 20 tracks around the nation. I sold my business in 2002 for a very nice profit and kept one stud dog (Dodgem By Design) who became the #1 stud dog in the nation demanding $1000 a pop @ breeding.

Not one penny of my paycheck ever did not go to the wife and kids. Every penny I put into the horse and dogs came from pool winnings, buying and flipping things with the winnings, and saving it all. I had to quit school in 8th grade to help my Dad on his ice and fuel routes. At 50 years old I got a GED, went to nursing school and retired after 12 years of it. Anyone can do it if I did it...if they are not lazy. Johnnyt
 
You've so far led a wildly interesting life Johnny. I can't freaking believe you're still married. ;)

I agree, I don't believe the times today can as easily "financially provide" in pool in the same fashion as it served you. If Rhea hasn't bought a horse, dog or car yet - who can? ;)

Hey, can you again post a link to the - what was it - short story? - that you wrote a while ago? It's a good read worth re-reading.
 
Anyone can do it if I did it...if they are not lazy.
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Sure can Johnny, but it takes a bit more than rolling up a big spliff and then sitting on the couch and dreaming about what you would do if you had money.

I started working at 12. No more summer holidays for me. My dream was to own a taxi plate. Even at a younger age, I did the math and saw value in it. My friends Dad, when growing up, owned a plate and I saw what they had. Much more than the average
working stiffs in the neighborhood that I grew up in.

At 18, plates were going for 12K. Yeah, a brand new Vette was 13.5K too so not much chance of an 18 yr old walking into a bank and getting a loan for the amount.

I finally snagged one for 70 K. Took a few years. Now its worth 300K. A nice little retirement fund. It should be pushing a bit more in 10 yrs.


I got a friend that turned his back yard mechanicing into a garage, a taxi plate and also buying and selling houses.

This guy wasn't afraid of working around the clock or getting his hands dirty. Hes worth a pile now and deserves every penny that he scrounged, because he is also a scrounger. Hahaha. If you were to say to him, I need this or that done.

His answer back will be. "I can do that".
 
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I dunno, it seems to me any money you made that actually paid bills and helped your family,
came from pursuing something you were good at and passionate about (racing).
And later from going to school and doing good solid work for over a decade.

Pool doesn't seem like a good route to making money whether you're a tournament pro,
a smart gambler, or a dumb gambler.

Pool might have indirectly helped you get started doing what you love, but maybe you'd
have been better off buying more racers instead of playing more sets.

These days if you can play pool and simply not lose money I'd say that's great.
Free entertainment.
 
Johnny, yours is a good story and it seems you had a knack for investing. Yes, your pursuits in dog and horse racing were investments that provided for you and proved sustainable over a long period of time.

Nonetheless, there are many who invest their money in what they believe will be a money making venture. Hard work alone is not always enough to preserve or grow such investments --- it wasn't when you were growing up and it isn't today.

As you say, betting on pool is not a very sustainable source of income, but for the most part, the game of overseeing one's finances hasn't changed. Manage your time, manage your money, manage your risk, and put something away every year for your retirement. Make informed decisions and live with the consequences.
 
Blue Hog,

I saw an economist yesterday on CNBC talking about the future of automation in the workforce. He was asked if any industries were in danger of losing out entirely to machines. He said: "Sure, Taxi Drivers. Driver-less cars are now legal in three states and will soon be legal everywhere. They are safer and more reliable than cars with drivers. They run 24 hours a day. And they do not have wrecks. So taxi companies would be stupid not to adopt them."

He sees driver-less cabs in NYC within 12 years and sees the future when humans will not be allowed to drive because of the number of fatalities caused each year by human error.

Of course, many may disagree with him, his is only one opinion.
 
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sjm said:
Yes, but how will one hail a cab?
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By the Google microchip implanted in your brain that they totally won't (will) use to beam ads directly into your brain based on what you're thinking about which, for the average man, means one thing...

"I see you're thinking about that again. There's a brothel 2.3 miles from your current location. I have already hailed a cab for you and it will arrive in 34 seconds."
 
sjm said:
Johnny, yours is a good story and it seems you had a knack for investing. Yes, your pursuits in dog and horse racing were investments that provided for you and proved sustainable over a long period of time.

Nonetheless, there are many who invest their money in what they believe will be a money making venture. Hard work alone is not always enough to preserve or grow such investments --- it wasn't when you were growing up and it isn't today.

As you say, betting on pool is not a very sustainable source of income, but for the most part, the game of overseeing one's finances hasn't changed. Manage your time, manage your money, manage your risk, and put something away every year for your retirement. Make informed decisions and live with the consequences.
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I guess I should add I had a lot of luck along the way. I was a backyard mechanic from 14 on. In those days hot rod buyers wanted motor swaps. 1932 -1940 Fords and Mercs with big Caddy, Buick, Hemi's, and other big block motors in them. I was lucky I had a friend that owned a late model wrecking yard and got motors and cars for next to nothing.

With the dogs my 2nd pup tuned out to be a champion stakes dog, so he helped to finance a lot of dogs to get me way ahead in the game. I also hooked up with Charter Kennel's, the leading buyer of big money pups at the NGA National Greyhound Ass. I went in with him on probably 50 dogs anywhere from 8k to 35k. Two years in a row we wound up with champions. So I had a lot of luck along the way, but I did do my homework before I bought my first dog. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I believe a good "A" that plays with his own money getting into good match-ups and never playing for more than 30% of his bankroll will make more at the end of his career than 95% or more of the top pro gamblers that play for big money, and most of the time are all in with their bankroll. A lot on here think that's heart, I know it's stupid.

I was at best a "B"+ player on a 9' and a good "A" player on the box. I hardly ever played for more than $20 a game. I had a dream at 16 years old to make enough playing pool to buy a top race horse. At 25 myself and 7 others claimed a horse at Belmont call Disco Count for 100K. We kept it about a year and let it get claimed for 100k. We made some money with him but we all just didn't get along.

When I moved to Florida in 80 I bought my first Greyhound. By 2001 I had almost 200 racers and pups racing at some 20 tracks around the nation. I sold my business in 2002 for a very nice profit and kept one stud dog (Dodgem By Design) who became the #1 stud dog in the nation demanding $1000 a pop @ breeding.

Not one penny of my paycheck ever did not go to the wife and kids. Every penny I put into the horse and dogs came from pool winnings, buying and flipping things with the winnings, and saving it all. I had to quit school in 8th grade to help my Dad on his ice and fuel routes. At 50 years old I got a GED, went to nursing school and retired after 12 years of it. Anyone can do it if I did it...if they are not lazy. Johnnyt
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Great story, except for the gambling part. Maybe I didn't understand what you were saying. I've always been an "all or nothing" type of guy. I love gambling and been pretty good at it. I never worked a job and brought money to the table. Now I have worked, many jobs, labor jobs. I've worked a lot, but never worked and gambled. So please don't think I never worked. I always knew I was a winner because MOST the time I always had money in my pocket. I made enough money on pool, early 80's, to NOT carry around all the money. Aprox. 15 grand, all from pool. I gambled with heart but I'm a smart gambler, knowning enough not to chase my own money, bet with people you can win money from. Giving people the nuts and over coming them. I love a gambler with heart. I know a gambler with heart can bust you fast but can also make you a ton of money. Just my opinion though. Again great story, expect for the gambling part.
 
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They are safer and more reliable than cars with drivers. They run 24 hours a day. And they do not have wrecks. So taxi companies would be stupid not to adopt them."
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I agree, and anyone will that has driven with an East Indian Taxi driver.

I said that I had a dream of owning a taxi plate, not driving a taxi. I endured just long enuff to pay the plate off, then I was out.

The Taxi Companies will still, have to use a Medallion, as in the case in New York, or what others call a plate, in order to run a taxi.

In smaller centers, where I am, we won't have to worry about the expense of running driverless taxis for quite some time.

That will put drivers out of business but not the actual Plate or Medallion owners.

The guy is blowing smoke. The cost of the computerized driverless dispatch system would make this not feasible.

If it were possible, it would take the hassle of owners looking after drivers etc. The owner will still run the plate and instead of him sharing the profit, he will run the driverless car 24/7 by himself. It would leave the plate owner to pursue other interests, maybe, if the driverless car can refuel by itself.

I work in a Hospital, you wouldn't get me to put a Taxi wheel in my hands if my life depended on it ever again.
 
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