Why all the nicknames?

SamLambert

SamLambert

Daydreaming about pool
Silver Member
I love watching games on YouTube and reading about other players, but I am really getting annoyed at everyone having a nickname. I think it's exagerrated.

I know, it doesn't affect me, so why does it bother me so much? I just think it removes the effect of being recognized by a nickname. When someone tells you about The Rocket when talking about hockey, everybody is gonna recognize Maurice Richard. The same principle does apply to pool (The Magician for exemple), but at the same time it doesn't really anymore.

What's the point of being recognized by a nickname if everyone has one? Just call me by my name at that point. Even more ridiculous is that 95% of these nicknames seem to come from thin air with no significance at all.

What's your opinion on the prevalence of nicknames in cue sports?
 
SamLambert said:
I love watching games on YouTube and reading about other players, but I am really getting annoyed at everyone having a nickname. I think it's exagerrated.

I know, it doesn't affect me, so why does it bother me so much? I just think it removes the effect of being recognized by a nickname. When someone tells you about The Rocket when talking about hockey, everybody is gonna recognize Maurice Richard. The same principle does apply to pool (The Magician for exemple), but at the same time it doesn't really anymore.

What's the point of being recognized by a nickname if everyone has one? Just call me by my name at that point. Even more ridiculous is that 95% of these nicknames seem to come from thin air with no significance at all.

What's your opinion on the prevalence of nicknames in cue sports?
Click to expand...

Ahhh but here is the thing. Pro pool players have them and are recognizable. Amateurs have them for a very different reason. We use them to maintain a sense of anonymity without straight up lying about who we are. A kid from detroit named "white boy" came in about a week ago and thats what his nickname was. Took as a few days to find out who he really was.
 
I agree. In my opinion, it's corny. I get it that some people have nicknames in all sports but in pool it's just really forced.
 
Drop The Rock said:
Ahhh but here is the thing. Pro pool players have them and are recognizable. Amateurs have them for a very different reason. We use them to maintain a sense of anonymity without straight up lying about who we are. A kid from detroit named "white boy" came in about a week ago and thats what his nickname was. Took as a few days to find out who he really was.
Click to expand...

I guess I must be missing the point of maintaining anonymity. Does it have to do with gambling? Why not just tell that'd you'd rather keep your name a secret, or give a false name instead. Meaningless nicknames are just weird in my opinion.
 
SamLambert said:
I love watching games on YouTube and reading about other players, but I am really getting annoyed at everyone having a nickname. I think it's exagerrated.

I know, it doesn't affect me, so why does it bother me so much? I just think it removes the effect of being recognized by a nickname. When someone tells you about The Rocket when talking about hockey, everybody is gonna recognize Maurice Richard. The same principle does apply to pool (The Magician for exemple), but at the same time it doesn't really anymore.

What's the point of being recognized by a nickname if everyone has one? Just call me by my name at that point. Even more ridiculous is that 95% of these nicknames seem to come from thin air with no significance at all.

What's your opinion on the prevalence of nicknames in cue sports?
Click to expand...

Maurice - If I was named Maurice I'd go by a nickname. How about space cowboy?
 
SamLambert said:
I love watching games on YouTube and reading about other players, but I am really getting annoyed at everyone having a nickname. I think it's exagerrated.

I know, it doesn't affect me, so why does it bother me so much? I just think it removes the effect of being recognized by a nickname. When someone tells you about The Rocket when talking about hockey, everybody is gonna recognize Maurice Richard. The same principle does apply to pool (The Magician for exemple), but at the same time it doesn't really anymore.

What's the point of being recognized by a nickname if everyone has one? Just call me by my name at that point. Even more ridiculous is that 95% of these nicknames seem to come from thin air with no significance at all.

What's your opinion on the prevalence of nicknames in cue sports?
Click to expand...
In the pool rooms people have always had nicknames. I have to tell you, I know some guys like 30 years and don't know their real names.

The names usually mean something like what they do or how they look.
I have no idea what Limo Rick real name is or Airport Steve. Even "Poncho" a famous hustler people are always speculating what his real name was.

Boston Joey, Little Miami, Geese, Toby, Shorty, Fats, Omaha Fats, Squirrel, Cornbread Red and many more, That is the only thing we knew them by.
 
Thing is, you seem young and pool in general doesn't really want to keep up with the times. It's as if when you walk into most pool rooms, you travel back in time 35 years.

If you know anything about skateboarding, pool is very similar to the old school guys you see at the park with the big ass knee pads and monster board. They hate change and the new crop of kids… Skateboarding for the longest time wanted to stay true to it's underground roots and not 'sell out', lucky for them the new crop of kids had vision and turned it into a major sport with recognizable people. I don't know if pool has the same potential but I can say that the people at the reins are blinded by their old school ways.
 
In other sports you have to earn a nickname; only the very top players get them.

Can you imagine every member of your favorite baseball team (football, etc) having a nickname? It would become a joke.
 
cleary said:
I agree. In my opinion, it's corny. I get it that some people have nicknames in all sports but in pool it's just really forced.
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Yep....that's the word...'forced'
Over the years, some acquired nick names and some didn't.
Harold Worst was always Harold Worst, to most of us.
But Cornbread Red was a constant also.

Somewhere between the Hustler and the Color of Money, many started clamoring for their
own nick name to establish a bogus stake in the hierarchy of pool players....
....and some were forced on them by promoters and writers.
Kinda difuses the 'sorta glamor' and turns bold colors into pastels.

I was known as Caradine in a bunch of action spots for a while in the 70s....
...I kinda liked that one...and it was necessary 'cause I told no one my name.
Unfortunately. the moniker was for the way I dressed, not the way I fought....:o
 
They fit some players, but definitely not all. Not all pool players need a nickname. Shannon "The Cannon" Daulton IMO has a nice ring bc of the rhyme. Neils "The Terminator" Feijen sounds like someone just tried to apply an intimidating-sounding nickname because everyone else has one. He's a great player, but that nickname is really cheesy to me. Nicknames should have a history behind them, and you can't pick your own. Ever.

A lot of the hustlers and scufflers around here have nicknames and it makes it easier for me to know who someone's talking about. There are a lot of guys named Troy, but there is only one Deathball.
 
Atlatlien said:
They fit some players, but definitely not all. Not all pool players need a nickname. Shannon "The Cannon" Daulton IMO has a nice ring bc of the rhyme. Neils "The Terminator" Feijen sounds like someone just tried to apply an intimidating-sounding nickname because everyone else has one. He's a great player, but that nickname is really cheesy to me. Nicknames should have a history behind them, and you can't pick your own. Ever.

A lot of the hustlers and scufflers around here have nicknames and it makes it easier for me to know who someone's talking about. There are a lot of guys named Troy, but there is only one Deathball.
Click to expand...

Deathball is a clown lol
 
If there ain't no "Earl the Pearl" or "Minnesota Fats" or "Pretty Boy Floyd" or "Earthquake",then......I'm out.
 
cleary said:
I agree. In my opinion, it's corny. I get it that some people have nicknames in all sports but in pool it's just really forced.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's forced, Bright Shirts.

I think if you are worthy enough to have a nick-name it means you are "in" with some crowd, instead of being just some guy/girl that shows up but no-one really pays attention to you. You have something you are known for, good or bad. I would not want to be called "Smelly Mis-A-Shot" for example LOL
 
cleary said:
Thing is, you seem young and pool in general doesn't really want to keep up with the times. It's as if when you walk into most pool rooms, you travel back in time 35 years.

If you know anything about skateboarding, pool is very similar to the old school guys you see at the park with the big ass knee pads and monster board. They hate change and the new crop of kids… Skateboarding for the longest time wanted to stay true to it's underground roots and not 'sell out', lucky for them the new crop of kids had vision and turned it into a major sport with recognizable people. I don't know if pool has the same potential but I can say that the people at the reins are blinded by their old school ways.
Click to expand...

You have no idea how embarrassing pool in america is to non americans. That embarrassment is perpetuated on a daily basis on his site by a shrinking and weakening genepool, who are resistant to change and resentful of fresh ideas.

I fear it is too late for america. :frown:
 
SamLambert said:
I love watching games on YouTube and reading about other players, but I am really getting annoyed at everyone having a nickname. I think it's exagerrated.

I know, it doesn't affect me, so why does it bother me so much? I just think it removes the effect of being recognized by a nickname. When someone tells you about The Rocket when talking about hockey, everybody is gonna recognize Maurice Richard. The same principle does apply to pool (The Magician for exemple), but at the same time it doesn't really anymore.

What's the point of being recognized by a nickname if everyone has one? Just call me by my name at that point. Even more ridiculous is that 95% of these nicknames seem to come from thin air with no significance at all.

What's your opinion on the prevalence of nicknames in cue sports?
Click to expand...


I think you are right. I am gonna call you Samnonick
 
Some are forced and never used except by TD's-some are not. People in the game know the difference.
 
Its traditional.
Thru the years I have known
one poke
Richie from the Bronx
the ern
mouse
guitar bobby
choo choo Larry
mental mike
Neptune Joe
one eyed mike
dog biscuit
atm
bugs bunny
chicken neck
Phil the fin
uncle mike
And a bunch of others that I have forgotten.
and most were characters.
 
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