I don't consider pool on a bar table to be pool

purpdrag

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mark Griffin is an icon of the game and we all appreciate his efforts but as much as I love to watch world class pool I will not be going to the pro CSI events at the Rio, although it's an easy drive for me since I live in Phoenix, because I can't stand pro level players playing on a seven foot table. To me this is a joke. The ability to shoot at distance is what separates the men from the boys. Make that 12 foot shot on the Bigfoot pal, let me see what you've got.

It's either break and run out or break and be snookered. Why is Efren not the dominate force he used to be, because it can't make the long ball anymore on a consistent basis. That's what pool is all about.

How do others feel about this? My view is 9 foot is fine, 10 foot even better.

Short answer, I agree.
 

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For me, at 72 plus, it's a chocolate & vanilla syndrome.... something for everyone. I play on all size tables. 8 Ball, 9 Ball, 10 Ball on 9 footers & 7 footers, Diamonds & Gold Crowns. Plus, I still play an occasional game of Snooker.

I also play Golf on a Snooker table with Pool Balls, 2-3 nights a week.

10 years ago, I mainly played on 9 foot Gold Crowns & Golf on a Snooker Table.

I like it all.
 

AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Make that 12 foot shot on the Bigfoot pal, let me see what you've got. ...

While I think I understand CSI's reasons for going to the 7-footers, I don't like it either. But I'll probably still watch it.

[P.S. Corner to corner diagonally on the Bigfoot is just about 10' 5". Now, on a big snooker table, the diagonal is about 13'.]
 

fjk

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know what you mean, I believe a smaller table is an equalizer. If I had to play a pro, I think the probability of an upset would be inversely related to the size of the table.

On a similar note, I believe today's players play so strong, any set is a crap shoot. Whoever is breaking well and getting a few rolls can win. I would like to see bigger tables and smaller pockets, maybe even a mandatory roll out after the break.

In my opinion, there's nothing more boring than watching someone like Jason Shaw or Rodney Morris run threw rack after rack while looking like they're bored with the simplicity and ease of the game.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
LMAO!

Sounds like when the "pros" from the 9-footers lose their cash to the "barbox bangers" on the 7-footers!

They always tell the banger, "this ain't pool!"
 

Inaction

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I disagree with the comment on 7 foot tables. I play on the Valley bar boxes most of the time. I loved playing on the 9 foot Brunswick tables while at SD State 23 years ago, but haven't got back on track with them at a local Center.

On the other hand, I would stay far away from 6 foot tables.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Eight Ball on the cramped quarters of a bar table remains a great game that requires good thinking, good safety play and excellent cue ball control. Ten Ball is Ten Ball, a little tougher game to play than 9-Ball. A good game on a bar table but not nearly the test that Eight Ball is. JMHO as always.
 

wahcheck

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
my $.02

I agree with the OP..........I grew up learning on a 9-ft. table; that's what represented the game of pool to me.....
When I first saw a bar table (6-ft.?), I thought it was a cute spin-off of the real game.....I still do.....I was surprised when they started having big tournaments with bar box pool tables.....I guess that "legitimized" it for a lot of people......
I will always think that the only real pool is played on a 9-footer; even 10-footers seem weird or alien to me.....
 

mcsock

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While I think I understand CSI's reasons for going to the 7-footers, I don't like it either. But I'll probably still watch it.

[P.S. Corner to corner diagonally on the Bigfoot is just about 10' 5". Now, on a big snooker table, the diagonal is about 13'.]

I might or might not understand the reasoning, but do not be mistaken, CSI is looking out for CSI, not pool. After the Swannee, the joke streaming and money question about payouts (not my questions). I became totally convinced of it.
Pros on 7ft tables not best for the game. Same event on 9ft tables just a better event.
 

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Depends on what you mean. All those bar and league players on 7 footers have not helped billiards get a solid pro tour or good wages for the pros. Neither did it help all those pool rooms from closing after the smoking ban went into effect and video games caused kids to stay home more.

Jayson Shaw posted on Facebook, and I quote "I can whip out my d**k and use it run out the balls in on a 7 foot table". Not a lot of endorcement for a pro event on 7 footers hehe.

Although pool on a 7 footer could be counted as a separate animal like 9 ball / 8 ball / 1 pocket /etc... are. So it works a different skill set but should not be lumped into the general pool category but rather it's own thing. Something like the Chinese 8 Ball tables and tournaments, they are not just an 8 ball tournament, you need something different to play that game, so goes the bar box play.

If someone only played pool on a 7 footer, by choice, I would not think of them as a "real" player unless they also at least went over to a 9 footer every so often and not just tried it once, thought it was too hard and went back to the bar tables.
Your time frames are all screwed up. Pool was all but dead back in the late 70's and early 80's. Long before smoking bans pool rooms had already closed up. No one wanted to play pool, period.

I bought out a bowling alley 12 Gold Crown tables and all the equipment for $2000. They didn't even bother turning on the lights anymore no one went back there and played.

The lifeboat for the sport for many years was the bar table. It at least kept some people playing and did introduce it to many new players who would never have gone into a pool room anyway.

It was only after the COM that there was a new resurgence in pool rooms. Unfortunately most that opened during the boom closed mainly due to bad business plans.They over invested and had unrealistic expectations of what they could earn in the pool room business.

I should add, it took me years to get rid of those Gold Crown tables. I could hardly give them away. I think I averaged $900 to $1200 delivered and set up just to get buyers. Pool was officially dead.
 
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Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If I can throw in a basketball analogy.....

I had a ton of fun as a kid playing half court basketball at a city park. A ton of great players.
But as I grew older and played varsity basketball in high school, full court dimensions = completely different game with coaching, pressure, etc. A lot of those kids who were great at the play ground, I never saw again, as they couldn't transition to full court.

It's the same with seven foot tables vs nine foot tables. And a pro CSI event with seven foot tables could be viewed as a professional half court basketball game. Lots of fun but can't seriously be taken as the upper echelon of the sport.
 

tjshaw02

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If I can throw in a basketball analogy.....

I had a ton of fun as a kid playing half court basketball at a city park. A ton of great players.
But as I grew older and played varsity basketball in high school, full court dimensions = completely different game with coaching, pressure, etc. A lot of those kids who were great at the play ground, I never saw again, as they couldn't transition to full court.

It's the same with seven foot tables vs nine foot tables. And a pro CSI event with seven foot tables could be viewed as a professional half court basketball game. Lots of fun but can't seriously be taken as the upper echelon of the sport.

Well said my friend.
 

SeabrookMiglla

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think that it definitely does more good than harm. I don't think blaming a 7 ft table for the destruction of pool is a good excuse. I understand the thinking behind it when it comes to competition format. Although, many players are introduced to the game or enjoy playing on bar tables only. They don't really care to go to hang out in the pool hall, just a reality imo. People are different and get their enjoyment from pool in different ways.
 

terryhanna

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If it's so easy you should be able to show up and rob people...
This is so true i hear people say barbox is so easy anybody can win.
But in the end you still have the same elite top players winning on any table.
 
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hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Your time frames are all screwed up. Pool was all but dead back in the late 70's and early 80's. Long before smoking bans pool rooms had already closed up. No one wanted to play pool, period.

I bought out a bowling alley 12 Gold Crown tables and all the equipment for $2000. They didn't even bother turning on the lights anymore no one went back there and played.

The lifeboat for the sport for many years was the bar table. It at least kept some people playing and did introduce it to many new players who would never have gone into a pool room anyway.

It was only after the COM that there was a new resurgence in pool rooms. Unfortunately most that opened during the boom closed mainly due to bad business plans.They over invested and had unrealistic expectations of what they could earn in the pool room business.

I should add, it took me years to get rid of those Gold Crown tables. I could hardly give them away. I think I averaged $900 to $1200 delivered and set up just to get buyers. Pool was officially dead.

Yes, I was in the wrong cycle of the boom and bust of pool, I did not start playing till past mid 80s when things were doing great and almost every place I went to had a waiting list for a table, there were 2-3 decent rooms within a 15 minute drive from my house and another 4-5 within a 30-45 minute drive.

I guess people continue to play in bars, but I don't see that doing anything for the higher levels of play. Very few people from those bars goes to tournaments or plays in real pool rooms. I'm sure we've all seen when people walk into a pool room and say "WOW those are some huge tables!" when they see the 9 footers.
 

leto1776

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well said my friend.

No, not at all. Just another in a long line of poor analogies used by bar box bashers to denigrate it. Anyone who uses a little logic instead of emotion and blind hatred and cynicism can see it. Half court basketball is literally half of the court taken away. Does a barbox take away two whole pockets? No. In fact, it's even done to scale. Width= half of the length.

Put this analogy in the same garbage pile as tennis/table tennis and golf/mini golf.
 
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