Pro Pool Players outside of the competition

justnum

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
Do you get the impression that even at the highest levels of pro pool player status, they are just people trying to make the rent, support their families and manage debt and hope they can make it a few more months?


Promoters do their job and make sure events pay out and players get fair treatment. The past few months there have been surges in promoter problems and management of pro players.


But should fans know the challenges players face. Not all pro pool players have steady income, some don't have support networks to help them in tough spots, some don't know the local language well enough to take advantage of local resources.

Should the career of a pro pool player be more valuable than the pro player as a person?

The Billiard community is full of characters, those that can afford to leave the room and enjoy other aspects of life and those that have to be in the room practicing constantly. As a fan that likes to write, I thought it worthwhile to start a discussion on respecting billiard players and respecting them during competition.
 
There should be more..,

justnum said:
Do you get the impression that even at the highest levels of pro pool player status, they are just people trying to make the rent, support their families and manage debt and hope they can make it a few more months?

As a fan that likes to write, I thought it worthwhile to start a discussion on respecting billiard players and respecting them during competition.
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Thee should be more there for the fans and the players. I have heard all the reasons that the game is suffering in this country and most are valid, but as a lover of the game I still wish and believe there should be more.

I have seen fights and a stabbing at a soccer match, to many fights to talk about at football games, baseball and basketball have had plenty of bad actors on the field and in the stands, but the Money keeps following.

We just need one guy who needs a tax wright off and is willing to get it from Pool!
 
justnum said:
I thought it worthwhile to start a discussion on respecting billiard players and respecting them during competition.
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Good luck. I've learned, even during my prime years to NEVER tell someone I don't know that I play pool, even tho I was invited and played in 2 WPA events and on an on. The negativity of what society in the US thinks of a pool player is/was or whatever you want ta call it, is deep rooted in negativity. Those ''shark'' ''hustler'' feelings/drool that come out of the average joe or Jolene's mouth, were created by the movie the Hustler and then the Color of Money, shortly after the Moscoin/Hoppe years of greatness. In most every gangster, druggie movie or anything with bad people in it, a pool table is almost always in the background. Great pool players almost NEVER groom their kids to become a pool player. I can't count on one hand, in the past 50 years, 5 playerd that was groomed by there dad or mom to be a pro player.
 
Island Drive said:
Good luck. I've learned, even during my prime years to NEVER tell someone I don't know that I play pool, even tho I was invited and played in 2 WPA events and on an on. The negativity of what society in the US thinks of a pool player is/was or whatever you want ta call it, is deep rooted in negativity. Those ''shark'' ''hustler'' feelings/drool that come out of the average joe or Jolene's mouth, were created by the movie the Hustler and then the Color of Money, shortly after the Moscoin/Hoppe years of greatness. In most every gangster, druggie movie or anything with bad people in it, a pool table is almost always in the background. Great pool players almost NEVER groom their kids to become a pool player. I can't count on one hand, in the past 50 years, 5 playerd that was groomed by there dad or mom to be a pro player.
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I am not saying people have to be groomed for pro pool sports.

I am saying people don't know how to appreciate a billiard room or billiard room culture.

I go to comic shops and they have huge gatherings of people playing card games, not gambling, just playing card games. Mostly young people.

A Billiard hall can be intimidating, because of all you mentioned. But once people get past the stereotype its a fun place. I knew a billiard hall would be fun because I like the game. I wasn't raised to play it, no one in my family plays it. I just wanted to do it.

Other people can get turned off by the location of a billiard hall, the people in the billiard hall or other non-billiard related activity. People get turned off billiards before they gave it a chance.
 
Not sure what you are talking about, really.

Pro athletes are humans, some are cool as shit, some ar missing the cool as part.

They went to high school and were bullied and bullies, they played football and read books and did dumb stuff around the neighborhood and broke their leg and crashed their car and cut the grass and had to buy new shoes and...

Just people. With fears and dreams and happiness and sadness. People who play pool.

justnum said:
Do you get the impression that even at the highest levels of pro pool player status, they are just people trying to make the rent, support their families and manage debt and hope they can make it a few more months?


Promoters do their job and make sure events pay out and players get fair treatment. The past few months there have been surges in promoter problems and management of pro players.


But should fans know the challenges players face. Not all pro pool players have steady income, some don't have support networks to help them in tough spots, some don't know the local language well enough to take advantage of local resources.

Should the career of a pro pool player be more valuable than the pro player as a person?

The Billiard community is full of characters, those that can afford to leave the room and enjoy other aspects of life and those that have to be in the room practicing constantly. As a fan that likes to write, I thought it worthwhile to start a discussion on respecting billiard players and respecting them during competition.
Click to expand...
 
Island Drive said:
Good luck. I've learned, even during my prime years to NEVER tell someone I don't know that I play pool, even tho I was invited and played in 2 WPA events and on an on. The negativity of what society in the US thinks of a pool player is/was or whatever you want ta call it, is deep rooted in negativity. Those ''shark'' ''hustler'' feelings/drool that come out of the average joe or Jolene's mouth, were created by the movie the Hustler and then the Color of Money, shortly after the Moscoin/Hoppe years of greatness. In most every gangster, druggie movie or anything with bad people in it, a pool table is almost always in the background. Great pool players almost NEVER groom their kids to become a pool player. I can't count on one hand, in the past 50 years, 5 playerd that was groomed by there dad or mom to be a pro player.
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Ernesto/Oscar...big truck/his kids...the shuffets
 
Bank it said:
Jean Balukas parents, Richard Riggie as well.
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There Riggie again. Question, is he / was he as good as everyone always talked about?? When I knew Riggie it was post " the hotel incident " and he was already FRIED - WELL DONE if you know..... But even so, I've seen him run RACKS in 9 ball banks. By far the best banker I've ever seen, he would just fire those banks in slamming them so hard I don't see how they stayed on the table but they always split the heart of the pocket just about every time . So before the hotel incident, how good was he actually? What was he / his game like? I've heard plenty of stories but who all have you heard of him snapping off back in the day?
 
Sorry Bank It, brain far - I am actually talking about his son Greg ! Lol. Well I'd love to hear something about either of them though actually!
 
BmoreMoney said:
Sorry Bank It, brain far - I am actually talking about his son Greg ! Lol. Well I'd love to hear something about either of them though actually!
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I knew Richard Jr., Greg's father, very well when I was growing up as he frequented the hall I came up in & was friends with my father, he was a stone beast at the table, talented, fearless.

Greg was a kid when I first hit the road & played really good then as he was immersed early. By the late 80's early 90's I think him and Junior Harris were the top 2 young players around. Nobody really wanted to play him much. Like his father before him he was fearless & really didn't miss a ball very often but in the right situation could hide his speed well just like his father. He was a player.
 
Respect is earned.

There's not nearly enough guidance out there --- at least not like years ago. Years ago when we prepared for a big event, or to be televised, the promoter, usually Charile Ursitti, would sit us down and teach us how to act in front of the camera and in front of crowds. This was for both men and women pros. That information was invaluable.

Who works with today's players and teaches them how to act, stressing the importance of good behavior?
 
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