that kid is always in action, unless he's sleeping.
how do you guys feel about hustles and hustlers?
- Thread starter smashmouth
- Start date
that kid is always in action, unless he's sleeping.
Other than Shane, I doubt that many in the hallway there could find two brain cells together. And scooter apparently financed this forray at least partially from stolen money from ripping off car washes. In fact, he was incarcerated for just that not 30 miles from where I sit presently. Pathetic and deplorable. While comical in a "Dumb and Dumber" kind of way, this behavior does not inspire any faith in humanity and serves as a reminder to watch one's back at all times.
if a poolhall gambling degenerate is where you look for faith in humanity, you got bigger problems pal. and who cares, at least he's good for a laugh, and if he's willing to get arrested for stupid shit, that's his problem, and our enjoyment:thumbup:
You might have a gambling problem if you know the Blue Book value of your car.
Excellent woofage!
Loved the Cheshire cat look on Shane's face.
Johnny, I do see your viewpoint, but I kind of disagree, mainly based on my personal experience.
When you were on the road looking for action back in the day before the Internet, you didn't know who you're going to run into, just like they don't know who you are. If you're not familiar with the top players in the country, which was the case before the days of Internet, you could be walking into a pool room or bar with the best players in the country at that time and not realize it.
I had it happen to me, believe it or not, in Knoxville. The bar called in Vern Elliott to play me. I imagine when Vern caught my action, he was secretly licking his chops. There was not competition whatsoever between him and me. I was playing for small potatoes, though, dropped a C-note or two, and that was it. My road partner was back the motel resting. Big mistake on my part, trying to go out and get played, thinking I could outrun the nuts. :embarrassed2:
In this respect, the road player truly never knew what caliber of player he was up against. Of course, they were hoping to catch a couple lobsters or shortstops and make a quick buck, but it didn't always end up that way.
Geese, my road player friend, and I were somewhere down South and ran into this skinny kid. Geese got steered to this place by a backer, but when we arrived, our mark was in the back room already engaged in action. So this skinny kid says he'd play Geese $100 a game and shoot every shot behind his back. Geese, who is an excellent one-handed player and knew all gaffe games, said, "You're on." I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this kid break balls and run racks behind his back. It was unbelievable.
We lost 4- or 500 to this kid, and Geese was furious. 
Anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is back then, the road agent, yes, was hoping to walk into a joint and get some easy action, but it was not always a sure thing that they'd walk out with the money.
What Tate said and what Renfro said.
We enjoy the fascination with a life most of us couldn't lead even of we wanted to. A true hustler is a thief. He works a con allowing people to believe they have a sporting chance to win when in fact they have lost before hitting the first ball.
While we condemn this thievery we also admire the men who have the cunning to pull it off.
And make no mistake if you play pool for money you have probably been hustled a time or two no matter how good you are or how street wise you think you are. None of us likes to be hustled but its part of the game of pool and life.
Go beyond pool and you find hustling portrayed through American cinema, literature and business. We admire the brave and virtuous and we admire the tricksters as well although we are conflicted about how much we enjoy the entertainment they provide.
Pool hustling is an art and some are great and some are hacks. It isn't a noble art but it is a fascinating one. A real study in psychology. Hustlers do prey on suckers. Suckers win in the end though for the most part because they are the ones who go back to happy stable lives while the shark has to keep swimming or die.
We enjoy the fascination with a life most of us couldn't lead even of we wanted to. A true hustler is a thief. He works a con allowing people to believe they have a sporting chance to win when in fact they have lost before hitting the first ball.
While we condemn this thievery we also admire the men who have the cunning to pull it off.
And make no mistake if you play pool for money you have probably been hustled a time or two no matter how good you are or how street wise you think you are. None of us likes to be hustled but its part of the game of pool and life.
Go beyond pool and you find hustling portrayed through American cinema, literature and business. We admire the brave and virtuous and we admire the tricksters as well although we are conflicted about how much we enjoy the entertainment they provide.
Pool hustling is an art and some are great and some are hacks. It isn't a noble art but it is a fascinating one. A real study in psychology. Hustlers do prey on suckers. Suckers win in the end though for the most part because they are the ones who go back to happy stable lives while the shark has to keep swimming or die.
I think hustling has turned more into headhunting. With this technological age it's hard to be a secretive player because a quick search on the Internet will pull up any road player nowadays.
Most of the money pool I see today is open challenge pool. Two guys know each others relative speed and they duke it out for the cash.
The two or three times I've had someone try to hustle me they were super obvious and I took their $$.
Just my two cents: hustling has turned more into headhunting.
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Most of the money pool I see today is open challenge pool. Two guys know each others relative speed and they duke it out for the cash.
The two or three times I've had someone try to hustle me they were super obvious and I took their $$.
Just my two cents: hustling has turned more into headhunting.
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I started this because a few days ago some old dude tried to hustle me with some very old and pathetic amateur type scam moves, makes sense I guess as he was pretty old and pathetic himself
I felt insulted and in my less mature days things would not have turned out well for this character, as mentioned, he was old and pathetic imo and I politely declined his "offers", walked away and left early which sucked because my play time is very limited these days but I really had to get away from this dude
I've come across guys like this over the years and it's really sad
I do miss the guys who just wanna play and throw down, pick a game, pick a bet, and play, win, lose, pay...play some more, simple and respectful
I felt insulted and in my less mature days things would not have turned out well for this character, as mentioned, he was old and pathetic imo and I politely declined his "offers", walked away and left early which sucked because my play time is very limited these days but I really had to get away from this dude
I've come across guys like this over the years and it's really sad
I do miss the guys who just wanna play and throw down, pick a game, pick a bet, and play, win, lose, pay...play some more, simple and respectful
I always enjoy seeing this video of Johnston City, Illinois.
That Johnston City YouTube video is very representative of American pool during this road warrior era. It is actually a news reel video clip is from Chicago local News 5 with Dick Kay and occurred in 1972.
The news anchor speaks about the man in the python shoes, none other than Minnesota Fats:
Then there's the King of the Hustlers, Minnesota Fats, who helped put the Johnston City tournament together. Fats lives about 12 miles from the show bar, but he never plays in the tournament. He waits for someone to win the $20,000 prize money and then shoots them for the cash. That's his hustle, but according to Fats, everybody's got one.
Then comes Minnesota Fats with his gift of gab:
Ain't Nixon hustling? Ain't he out shaking hands, 24 hours a day, trying to be the President? Hey, ain't everybody hustling? Yeah, everybody's scuffling. You see, there's two different -- there's a scuffler and a hustler. A hustler is one that's always in action and gets it once in a while, see, and a good hustler gets it more often. Then there's a scuffler. He never gets it. Understand? All he ever does is waste his time, gets in everybody's way. You understand? He goes through life, and he's a failure.
The ending to this 3-minute video says it all:
Hustling may have been the name of the game, but it was a way of life.
Johnston City video ---> HERE
Thanks, it's a little early right now but about 4 I think I'll pour up a 15 year and then get some pork chops ready for the grill
You should enjoy that pappy, because prices may go up due to theft of ~200 bottles back in may by an employee. And there isn't much to start with as you know. Check ITT out:
http://www.npr.org/2014/05/02/308939212/want-a-shot-at-10-000-solve-kentuckys-great-bourbon-mystery
The only person a hustler ever hustled was another hustler. I say that, because the "sucker" wouldn't have played if he didn't think he was the one that had the best of the game going in. Someone has to win and someone has to lose. Too many losers start to cry and say they got hustled.
Any "road player" knows that he is always "tugging on superman's cape". He will win some and he will lose some. The idea is just to play good enough to win most of the time.
Any "road player" knows that he is always "tugging on superman's cape". He will win some and he will lose some. The idea is just to play good enough to win most of the time.
Not really. It is more like this
I think it goes more like this:
"There are two types of people in the world:
There are the Whores,
and then there are the Johns.
Either way in this life your going to get F*ck@d
So you might as well get paid for it.
Your Choice."
I think it goes more like this:
"There are two types of people in the world:
There are the Whores,
and then there are the Johns.
Either way in this life your going to get F*ck@d
So you might as well get paid for it.
Your Choice."
Yeah there was a lot of talk about the theft. But I pretty much get my allotment each year. Having good old friends helps.
What give, you said it in line one, double standard.
If someone other then the guy yelling oohrah get screwed it is ok, if it is him it is a crime, call the cops, build a gallows, etc.
Oddly enough just about the same time Lotto games spread across the country and casino licensing regulations loosened up. Once people got more choices in how they would relieve themselves of their extra money pool almost always loses out. Growing up in Detroit, there were tons of auto worker bars filled with tons of guys who begged to give their money away. Even when pool was dying in the early 1990s the players in my cohort had routes where we picked up consistent, worthwhile money. By then most of the older players, who had enjoyed the 60s-80s easy money, mostly got tired of having to work too hard for too little money and left the scraps to us young guys. At the time I thought the older players were nuts for not doing their "collections" but now I finally understand where they were coming from. The bar money was our admission into poolroom games but there aren't even many games at the poolroom anymore and the bars... they just seem too dangerous now. You don't even have to be playing for money in a bar to get stabbed over winning a game.
Regarding the hustlers, I agree with a few others in that it depends on your definition. There are really only a couple "hustlers" around the Detroit area and they usually leave the stronger players alone. They typically prey on the weaker B players and especially the C and D players pushing whatever buttons they can to get them to give money away. To me a hustler is just a vulture who is always taking advantage of way weaker players through not only deception and lies but also by public shaming or intimidation. Preying on the people who often times don't even think of gambling, have no clue about gambling, and usually have no idea about values or lack of value in spots. To make matters worse, they also usually believe in the whole "max extraction" doctrine so the newer, eager players not only get humiliated but literally robbed. Now more than ever those previously eager to learn players just wash out immediately and stop playing altogether.
I could care less about the predatory suckers out there who cry foul over someone turning the tables around on them. They will either learn how to limit their chances of being hustled or, better yet, quit trying to rob way weaker players. Those new, eager players with all the new sticks, shafts, chalk and fancy tips look like such appealing targets but there are other ways to make money than hustling them. I figure that I could feel like a criminal by convincing them to maybe lose $100 to me or I could show them a few shots, talk to them about pool and more than likely, make way more than what I could have robbed them for through lessons and the "gappers" that I would get if they stuck with pool and improved more. Plus, I will get the call when one of the predatory suckers try to target them somewhere else.