Why do Filipino spectators touch and crowd the table during matches?

I'm not going to pretend to know anything about day to day Phillipino life, or make any generalizations about any other's philosophies on life. I for one would love to see this kind of public involvement in a pool match in the united states, or in most other parts of the world for that matter. The large televised events barely have crowds like this, and if you look closely you can see the disinterest in a lot of the faces in those crowds. Look around the room in these phillipino videos, people are interested and involved in the game. I don't see one thing wrong with that at all.

I know that gambling is a big part of it, but there is also something communal going on there as well. That sense of community interaction is a lost thing here in the states, at least so far as I have seen. Pool will thrive there, not so much here.
 
vietnamese do it too

with the straight rail players, or libre as theyll call it

there will be 7 of em on a rail, smoking, not even paying attention, causing a ruckus

its just thier culture,

and for sure, lots of gambling
 
It's just the way they are. Filipinos here in the Philippines do not understand personal space. There can be no one within 10 feet of you and they will stand almost on top of you and not think anything of it. They also have no issue with touching anything they feel like touching. It doesn't matter who owns it or how much it costs. If they want to touch it, they will.

I can't tell you how many times they have walked up to my motorcycle and turned the mirrors up to look at themselves and fix their hair or pull a hair out of their nose. They think nothing of it.

My friend bought a brand new Harley and drove it from the dealer to a bar where we celebrated and not 5 minutes there a girl climbed on it and moved the mirrors to look at herself. She couldn't understand why my friend was screaming at her.
 
LeftyIke said:
I can tell that they are gambling, but they seem to use powder to mark spots near object balls, brush the table between shots, and crowd the table. Is this just their culture? I don’t see this happen anywhere else. I guess it would make it hard to distract you anywhere else. They also seem to concede the game,with a ball or two left, more than almost any other countries that I’ve noticed.
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Great thread and very timely because I just watched this entire 5 part match between Efren and an up and coming kid player....

https://youtu.be/Ereflp2fcKM


I was wondering why all the marking of the table, and the random picking at the table...I realized there are no windows and its pretty much an open air table. The bugs must be having a ball with the light.
Also everyone is sweating...the players are affected by the heat, changing shirts a few times after crucial misses.
Then there's the piles of powder right on the rail but the side pockets. I usually see players put their powder on their tables by the chair...never seen that on the actual rail. The humidity must be unbelievable as it seriously effects the table and roll of the cue ball in the match a few times.

This match was grueling to watch on my tv in my air conditioned house....how spoiled am I as a spectator!?!?!:eek::thumbup:

In all seriousness, I have a huge respect for these players and players like Efren and Bustamante (who can be seen in the crowd sitting table side) and Parica, who play under these conditions as well as they play in tournaments.
 
Cardigan Kid said:
Great thread and very timely because I just watched this entire 5 part match between Efren and an up and coming kid player....

https://youtu.be/Ereflp2fcKM


I was wondering why all the marking of the table, and the random picking at the table...I realized there are no windows and its pretty much an open air table. The bugs must be having a ball with the light.
Also everyone is sweating...the players are affected by the heat, changing shirts a few times after crucial misses.
Then there's the piles of powder right on the rail but the side pockets. I usually see players put their powder on their tables by the chair...never seen that on the actual rail. The humidity must be unbelievable as it seriously effects the table and roll of the cue ball in the match a few times.

This match was grueling to watch on my tv in my air conditioned house....how spoiled am I as a spectator!?!?!:eek:

In all seriousness, I have a huge respect for these players and players like Efren and Bustamante (who can be seen in the crowd sitting table side) and Parica, who play under these conditions as well as they play in tournaments.
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Unless you have been here, you cant imagine what its like to watch let alone play in one of these matches. All the things we call distractions, Filipinos call just normal every day living. The crowd in that video was actually pretty civil. I was a guest of Bong and Efren at a money match here in Olongapo and the spectators were crowding the table for every shot. It was mid April and over 90 degrees. Busses, jeepneys, trikes, betting, dogs, roosters, vendors, smoke belching, non stop talking and more. Just a horrible place to be.....man it was great.

Sharking a Filipino is like trying to sell ice to an eskimo.

Sent from my SM-C710F using Tapatalk
 
I Got Lucky said:
Unless you have been here, you cant imagine what its like to watch let alone play in one of these matches. All the things we call distractions, Filipinos call just normal every day living. The crowd in that video was actually pretty civil. I was a guest of Bong and Efren at a money match here in Olongapo and the spectators were crowding the table for every shot. It was mid April and over 90 degrees. Busses, jeepneys, trikes, betting, dogs, roosters, vendors, smoke belching, non stop talking and more. Just a horrible place to be.....man it was great.

Sharking a Filipino is like trying to sell ice to an eskimo.

Sent from my SM-C710F using Tapatalk
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I'm very humbled by hearing the stories and the life of the players over there. They have an amazing resilience and what's of note is that no matter how great the player gets, they are always going back to play there.
Players like Orcollo, Efren, etc could say goodbye and never go back, but they are always back there playing in the environment.

As I was watching that match, you could see Efren's love for the game/action...he could've set up that match anywhere, but plays in front of the crowds anyways.
 
Cardigan Kid said:
I'm very humbled by hearing the stories and the life of the players over there. They have an amazing resilience and what's of note is that no matter how great the player gets, they are always going back to play there.
Players like Orcollo, Efren, etc could say goodbye and never go back, but they are always back there playing in the environment.

As I was watching that match, you could see Efren's love for the game/action...he could've set up that match anywhere, but plays in front of the crowds anyways.
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Efren will be in Angeles city on Saturday night at the old eruptions bar playing anyone who wants to play. Race to 2 for...$10. He's always giving back.

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Thank you very much for the wonderful thoughts and insights shared by some of our friends here in AzB.

This is how we roll here. And I truly love every bit of it. ️


AnitoKid
 
From what I am seeing now, young Filipinos can match up to their big brothers because they constantly play 10 ball or 9 ball. Table are always open after break Lost was the game the very reason they become great, Rotation. As you can see, older Filipino players are still the ones winning internationally not the younger ones.
 
jay helfert said:
Bingo! All the commotion that goes on during a big money match in the PI makes these guys immune to sharking. I've seen guys down on the ball and people are actually walking around the table while he's shooting. There is also constant chatter from the crowd, never total silence like you're accustomed to here.

I've been in with Dennis when he was playing for some serious bucks and his opponent was talking to him while he was shooting. I was so pissed! When I asked Dennis what he wants me to do, he just said, "Don't worry Jay, he doesn't bother me." Dennis just kept on making balls and winning games (at 600 a pop) and finally the guy shut up. :rolleyes:
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One of the few times I remember even seeing one of these guys lose it over some antics was Pagulayan vs. Frost. Scott is talking so much he is getting under Alex's skin. Alex finally tells him to shut up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVyNAmhKbm0
 
parvus1202 said:
From what I am seeing now, young Filipinos can match up to their big brothers because they constantly play 10 ball or 9 ball. Table are always open after break Lost was the game the very reason they become great, Rotation. As you can see, older Filipino players are still the ones winning internationally not the younger ones.
Click to expand...

So Carlo Biado (who won the most prestigious event in the world, the World 9b Championships in 2017) is an older player? 34 is older? Lee Vann Corteza (who just won the Japan Open) is older? He's 39. Dennis Orcollo is also 39. James Aranas is like 12 (okay, early 20s) and he's world class. De Luna, Ignacio, Chua - jeebus the list of killer young Pinoys is endless.
 
smashmouth said:
lmfao at the internet philosophy

their biggest export is human labour, tons of flips hate their lives and will kill to leave, and...you can hire hitters for like $500

here in Toronto I've known at least 100+ flip immigrants that pwill readiliy admit to previously falling into the above categories
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Obviously you neither know about their culture nor respect them in any way based on the word you use to refer to them.

They may hate their lives but us westerners with all our "stuff" seem to hate ours more.

JC
 
GideonF said:
So Carlo Biado (who won the most prestigious event in the world, the World 9b Championships in 2017) is an older player? 34 is older? Lee Vann Corteza (who just won the Japan Open) is older? He's 39. Dennis Orcollo is also 39. James Aranas is like 12 (okay, early 20s) and he's world class. De Luna, Ignacio, Chua - jeebus the list of killer young Pinoys is endless.
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I am pretty sure Biado, Corteza and Orcollo are masters of ratation. In rotation jump ball is illegal. You need to master the rails.
 
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smashmouth said:
lmfao at the internet philosophy

their biggest export is human labour, tons of flips hate their lives and will kill to leave, and...you can hire hitters for like $500

here in Toronto I've known at least 100+ flip immigrants that pwill readiliy admit to previously falling into the above categories
Click to expand...

I guess we, as individuals, see things with different filters.
Both my grandmothers were Irish.....so many Irish left Ireland for the same reasons that
Pinoys leave their homeland....poverty and lack of opportunity...the Irish and Filipinos
spread all over the world and were not afraid to work, no matter how lowly the position.

But I find Pinoys to be quick to smile and share food...and their generosity extends to
many other areas.
I know a few tough ones, but when they’re around, I feel protected rather than threatened.
I know one Pinoy player who was good (short stop speed) but he was vain and selfish...
....our Pinoy community basically ostracized him.
 
I Got Lucky said:
It's just the way they are. Filipinos here in the Philippines do not understand personal space. There can be no one within 10 feet of you and they will stand almost on top of you and not think anything of it. They also have no issue with touching anything they feel like touching. It doesn't matter who owns it or how much it costs. If they want to touch it, they will.

I can't tell you how many times they have walked up to my motorcycle and turned the mirrors up to look at themselves and fix their hair or pull a hair out of their nose. They think nothing of it.

My friend bought a brand new Harley and drove it from the dealer to a bar where we celebrated and not 5 minutes there a girl climbed on it and moved the mirrors to look at herself. She couldn't understand why my friend was screaming at her.
Click to expand...

This is the one correct answer. It's the culture of Central America, South America, and probably other countries. Personal space is nothing. They get within two inches of each others' face while talking. The similar behavior is on the pool table, every one of them like to crowd around. They don't mind it; in fact, they expect it.

I guess you can compare it to Italians who have to hug each other every time they see each other. Or the opposite, the Irish, who will walk past good friends, and not even acknowledge each other. It's culture, DNA, how you grow up, however you want to define it.

Don't get in my personal space.

All the best,
WW
 
I have watched a lot of matches that they play there on YouTube and find it amazing they play in those conditions. I make it a point now when someone walks next to me or in my line of sight I still shoot. I see it doesn’t make them miss so I stop making excuses for myself. I don’t do it to others but something to be said when you see someone walking next to someone and you make an 8’ foot shot and keep shooting like it’s no big deal whatsoever. Maybe it’s just me. Just another way to train/practice and then play.


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