I sympathize with Billy Thorpe

[alstl]

Boise area. Don't get me wrong, we've got crackheads in town but not in the pool halls, just the usual drunks there

My wife and I flew into Bozeman Montana a few years ago and rented a car to drive to Yellowstone. I was thinking what a pristine place it was likely without all the problems we have back home. On my way from the terminal to the rental car lot a block away I heard a noise and looked down. My foot had contacted one of those glass pipes people smoke dope through.

That stuff is everywhere.

 

[The_JV]

Paul's solution is for the breaker to continue on any legal break whether a ball is pocketed or not. With random racks.

Well that's an interesting angle. Hadn't heard that one before.

So opponent racks, and breaker gets a free swing after the break. ...assuming no fouls have been committed. I like it, but it does cripple the improtance of learning how to break somewhat. More like playing the ghost with the benefit of optional safety play.

 

[jsp]

Paul's solution is for the breaker to continue on any legal break whether a ball is pocketed or not. With random racks.

Is alternating breaks used in conjunction with this solution?

It would be interesting to see data on how much of an increase the BNR percentages of the pros have with this breaking rule.

 

[michael4]

"I sympathize with Billy Thorpe"​

I dont, way out of line.......

 

[Chili Palmer]

My wife and I flew into Bozeman Montana a few years ago and rented a car to drive to Yellowstone. I was thinking what a pristine place it was likely without all the problems we have back home. On my way from the terminal to the rental car lot a block away I heard a noise and looked down. My foot had contacted one of those glass pipes people smoke dope through.

That stuff is everywhere.

LOL, we just found a crack pipe and some girl's panties outside our backdoor at work, yep, it's everywhere, thankfully, I don't know of any local players that are hooked and/or play on it.

 

[PoolBum]

That sir is why playing pool in bars was always an iffy proposition. I saw far more bad behavior in bars than in all the hundreds of poolrooms I played in. For the most part, arguments in poolrooms were just that, verbal arguments. In bars it could get physical very quickly, including the use of weapons. I have been chased out of a bar by a crazed guy with a knife over a $3 game of Eight Ball.

Same here, Jay. I quit playing pool in bars a long, long time ago.

 

[westcoast]

Why didn't they use a magic rack or just switch to 10 ball where the rack mechanics aren't as important?

 

[Paul Schofield]

Strip away the alcohol. Strip away the anger and violence. Strip away the bad conduct, bad language, and bad sportsmanship and we are left with an open sore that never heals. It goes on and on for decades. Racking templates and Ten-Ball are just Band-Aids.

 

[Cameron Smith]

Well that's an interesting angle. Hadn't heard that one before.

So opponent racks, and breaker gets a free swing after the break. ...assuming no fouls have been committed. I like it, but it does cripple the improtance of learning how to break somewhat. More like playing the ghost with the benefit of optional safety play.

I think if you integrate a version of the 3 point rule, you still have to learn how to control the 1 while getting balls past the head string. But of course, it's still not as tough as learning to actually make a ball, get a good layout and control the 1. Generally, I like the idea though.

 

[AtLarge]

... Paul's solution is for the breaker to continue on any legal break whether a ball is pocketed or not. With random racks.

Yes. Paul's "No Conflict Rules" are posted here: http://www.goldcrownbilliardseriepa.com/no-conflict-rules/

 

[justadub]

That's fine to have that opinion, but don't piss and moan when professional pool never sees the light of day while stuff like cornhole and axe throwing are being shown on ESPN.

Pool can be on ESPN tomorrow, if you want to pay to show it. That's how axe throwing and cornhole get airtime, and how the Pro Women's Pool Tour used to be on. The promoters of the event buy the airtime to show the events, and they sell the advertising to pay for it. ESPN isn't paying to put this stuff on, either pool or cornhole.

So yes, you can have pool on ESPN tomorrow if you'd like.

 

[jay helfert]

Strip away the alcohol. Strip away the anger and violence. Strip away the bad conduct, bad language, and bad sportsmanship and we are left with an open sore that never heals. It goes on and on for decades. Racking templates and Ten-Ball are just Band-Aids.

Paul, I can remember a time when there would be big money games of 9-Ball where the opponent was racking and they would throw up a rack and start the next game quickly, with little time wasted inspecting the rack. It was all just play, play, play, until someone quits. Yes, occasionally there would be some discussion about the rack (usually by the losing player) and they would get it resolved and the match would continue. In rare instances they would ask for a neutral racker. I got that job a few times and took it with pleasure. I knew that the winning player would tip me. I racked for Danny D, when he won over 5,000 and he gave me a $200 tip. That was my best one.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Is alternating breaks used in conjunction with this solution? (breaker shoots next) ...

Yes. The goal is to hold your serve. There are still N-packs, but the other player gets to do his own in between.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Paul, I can remember a time when there would be big money games of 9-Ball where the opponent was racking and they would throw up a rack and start the next game quickly, with little time wasted inspecting the rack ...

Too many players now either know more about the rack/break than back then or at least think they do. I wonder if there were players 70 years ago who knew the break as well as Corey does now. If there were I imagine they didn't let on or share.

 

[jay helfert]

Too many players now either know more about the rack/break than back then or at least think they do. I wonder if there were players 70 years ago who knew the break as well as Corey does now. If there were I imagine they didn't let on or share.

Vern Elliott comes to mind. He was a pretty clever guy and kept his secrets close to the vest. Billy Johnson aka Wade Crane also seemed to know more about the break. He was one of the few (and Buddy) who I would see practicing the break before matches. I guess the first modern player to really understand how important the break was, besides just hitting them hard, was Earl. He never had the hardest break, just the most effective one. That's how he ran all those racks!

 

[West Point 1987]

The problem with the game, isn't the game, or the rules of the game. It's some of the people that play the game...

I hope to have to feel sorry for Billy as well. Other than chatter here, I haven't heard of any repercussions he's had to suffer. Can we please stop making excuses for the way he choose to act.

Looks like the other shoe has dropped...don't know if it will end here or not. From FaceBook:

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/148129276_10157923390506778_7428775212138083789_o.png?_nc_cat=104&ccb=3&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=ACGIjtttjYQAX-0TOtz&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=353d03febcc522c11ad4c938ee200a2f&oe=604960D6

He's a world class player, I'm sure he'll figure out how to rise to the occasion in the future. I hope he gets his stuff together, he's got a lot of years ahead of him.

 

[Paul Schofield]

Paul, I can remember a time when there would be big money games of 9-Ball where the opponent was racking and they would throw up a rack and start the next game quickly, with little time wasted inspecting the rack. It was all just play, play, play, until someone quits. Yes, occasionally there would be some discussion about the rack (usually by the losing player) and they would get it resolved and the match would continue. In rare instances they would ask for a neutral racker. I got that job a few times and took it with pleasure. I knew that the winning player would tip me. I racked for Danny D, when he won over 5,000 and he gave me a $200 tip. That was my best one.

We knew how to have fun. Didn’t we?

 

[jay helfert]

We knew how to have fun. Didn’t we?

Yes we did! I forget your speed, but I know that you played pretty good. Someone warned me about you once. You had some gamble yourself!

 

[ChrisinNC]

Looks like the other shoe has dropped...don't know if it will end here or not. From FaceBook:

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/148129276_10157923390506778_7428775212138083789_o.png?_nc_cat=104&ccb=3&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=ACGIjtttjYQAX-0TOtz&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&oh=353d03febcc522c11ad4c938ee200a2f&oe=604960D6

He's a world class player, I'm sure he'll figure out how to rise to the occasion in the future. I hope he gets his stuff together, he's got a lot of years ahead of him.

We can hope that maybe this will be Billy‘s wake up call, that actions have consequences.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Looks like the other shoe has dropped...don't know if it will end here or not. From FaceBook: ...

For those who don't follow links....