SJM Sizes up 2022 in Pro Pool

[sjm]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about 2022 pool.

For me, December gave me hope as an American. Though some are wont to highlighting pool more so on a global scale, I'm concerned—and have been for many years—that American professional pool is dying slow death. Social shooters, leagues, and regional tours are doing great in USA and provide a playing field for players of all caliber, but the American professional pool is not faring as well as professional pool elsewhere.

I am encouraged to see more and more events available to the professional player around the world, but for the American pro, it can be a financial burden to keep up with a global tournament trail with little to no support from the governing body of North American pool.

In this regard, seeing the "60 Minutes" feature with Shane Van Boening and the ESPN documentary "Jeanette Lee Vs." show on American television and Joe Rogan interviewing Fedor Gorst on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, it was a good month for pool not only around the world but especially in these United States of America.

In sum, what happened in the month of December 2022 for me was noteworthy for professional pool.

Well said, and thanks for sharing your views.

There's no denying that the economics of participation have improved in pro pool, but, even if income from sponsorships, exhibitions and instruction is included, any player outside the top 50 will find it hard to make a real living from pool. On the other hand, 17 players made more than $90,000 in prize money alone and every single one of them would have decent sponsorship to go with that.

In the end, the only solution for the American pro player is to play better.
Presently, 66 players carry a Fargo greater than 780. Only four of them are American (SVB, Woodward, Dechaine, Bergman) and two of them are, for practical purposes, retired from competition (Dechaine, Bergman). By comparison, the top 25 Europeans on the AZB money list made an average of $91,000 in prize money alone. No doubt, they all have sponsorships, but some of them also get Olympic money and just as many don't. It's unlikely that American pros will get support from their government or Olympic committees anytime soon, so the only path is to play well, but the good players can make ends meet today without government money.

Like you, I want to see American pros making ends meet financially, but they'll only achieve it through practice and training, not by sitting back and waiting for handouts. The 25th best European Player, based on Fargo, is Chris Melling, who carries a Fargo of 788. The 25th best American player, based on Fargo, is Shane Wolford, who carries a Fargo of 751. America just isn't producing top players these days, and that needs to change.

Things like the Jeanette piece, the SVB piece and the Fedor piece may help participation, but more so at the amateur level than the pro level. That could, over time, increase the public appetite for pool, but it's far from certain.

I think the best thing pro pool has going for it right now is that the prize money available from competition is rising rapidly.

One thing I know for sure, though, is that we have exactly the same hopes for pro pool.

 

[mikemosconi]

Thanks for a great roundup! Now, hopefully, we will see The U.S.A. jump on the band wagon of promoting pool to our youth and opening decent rooms around the country. Hopefully in 2023 the tide turns against all the present room owners who are converting existing rooms to 7 foot bar table discount/booze houses where nobody will be able to build the skills needed to compete on the international scale against the best Europe and Asia have to offer.
Yes the international pool scene is super exciting- would like to see some of that excitement filter to our shores from the ground up.Are there any pool equipment manufacturers willing to invest in an academic approach to rebuilding pool here in the U.S. as they have done so well in Europe for example?
Seems like our existing pool room Facebook pages are filled with promotions for free booze hours, football nights with give aways, happy hour specials, MMA viewing nights, and photos of rows of bar tables as a sideline to the main event of drinking.
This must change or we will not be taken seriously as a producer of highly competitive players on a mass scale.

Proof is that your entire list of 2022 finalists had only one U.S. born name- SVB.

This can change- I remember when EVERY top pool finalist was born in the U.S. - seems like once Brunswick threw in the towel that was the beginning of the end here- I would personally invest in the right concepts to do this right again here in the U.S. - but we need some bigger money leaders here to get it started.

 

[JAM]

Well said, and thanks for sharing your views.

There's no denying that the economics of participation have improved in pro pool, but, even if income from sponsorships, exhibitions and instruction is included, any player outside the top 50 will find it hard to make a real living from pool. On the other hand, 17 players made more than $90,000 in prize money alone and every single one of them would have decent sponsorship to go with that.

In the end, the only solution for the American pro player is to play better.
Presently, 66 players carry a Fargo greater than 780. Only four of them are American (SVB, Woodward, Dechaine, Bergman) and two of them are, for practical purposes, retired from competition (Dechaine, Bergman). By comparison, the top 25 Europeans on the AZB money list made an average of $91,000 in prize money alone. No doubt, they all have sponsorships, but some of them also get Olympic money and just as many don't. It's unlikely that American pros will get support from their government or Olympic committees anytime soon, so the only path is to play well, but the good players can make ends meet today without government money.

Like you, I want to see American pros making ends meet financially, but they'll only achieve it through practice and training, not by sitting back and waiting for handouts. The 25th best European Player, based on Fargo, is Chris Melling, who carries a Fargo of 788. The 25th best American player, based on Fargo, is Shane Wolford, who carries a Fargo of 751. America just isn't producing top players these days, and that needs to change.

Things like the Jeanette piece, the SVB piece and the Fedor piece may help participation, but more so at the amateur level than the pro level. That could, over time, increase the public appetite for pool, but it's far from certain.

I think the best thing pro pool has going for it right now is that the prize money available from competition is rising rapidly.

One thing I know for sure, though, is that we have exactly the same hopes for pro pool.

I appreciate your thoughts and agree with a few points made, but I don't believe that American pro players or aspiring pro players are waiting for handouts. There is no incentive for the American aspiring pro pool player to devote themselves to a career when it does not offer a way to make ends meet. The few American pros that we do have, they're criticized by chirping trolls and railbirds that they are lazy bums with no jobs. Well, in order to be a professional-caliber player, it's damn near impossible to hold down a 9-to-5 job when you have to practice, practice, practice, and travel to tournament after tournament after tournament. This is the reason we have fewer and fewer aspiring pros in USA.

You mention some earning $90,000. Well, unbeknownst to those who have never had to pay their own way on pool's tournament trail, at least half to two-thirds of that 90 large goes to expenses and taxes. Unless you come in first, second, or third at most events, you cannot break even and are stuck big time from previous tournaments where you did not cash.

European pros and aspiring European pros are treated much differently by their countries and some even supported by their country governments and governing bodies of professional pool. Here in USA, we have none of that. None!

So, as the existing lot of professional-caliber players in USA continues to dwindle, we will have less and less bites at the championship apple for professional pool. Compare the number of American pros in 2023 to American pros in 1983. Therein lies the rub. Shane Van Boening has already mentioned he will not be traveling to as many tournaments in 2023 as he once did. Bye-bye, American pool pie for us pool fans. I can count on one hand how many capable American pros we have at this time.

It's easy for some to sit in their ivory tower and look down at the American pro players as lazy bums with no jobs. I have read those words many, many times on this forum. Unless a pro player is married to a rich spouse/family or has a stakehorse with deep pockets, it's going to be almost impossible to keep up with the current professional tournament trail around the world for Americans.

As far as those stupid ranking systems, result pickers like those. I'm not one of them.

 

[sjm]

You mention some earning $90,000. Well, unbeknownst to those who have never had to pay their own way on pool's tournament trail, at least half to two-thirds of that 90 large goes to expenses and taxes. Unless you come in first, second, or third at most events, you cannot break even and are stuck big time from previous tournaments where you did not cash.

This is not accurate. As somebody who goes to more than ten events a year, some of them in Europe, I am a guru on this subject. Actually, it costs me as much to attend events as those who pay an entry fee, as I don't room with anybody and also have to buy event tickets. My typical cost per event is, perhaps, $1,200.

Also, entry fees are down. The Predator men's events in America have an entry fee of just over $300 and Matchroom entry fees are down, as well. Second, there are three Matchroom events where the entry fee is zero and in which all entrants cash. That would be the World Cup of Pool, the World Pool Masters, and the Premier League Pool. Invitations are based on results, and virtually all of the $90,000 group are getting into these events. I think what's closer to the truth is, for this group of players, money from sponsorships is covering much of the player participation costs in their pro events and that they are clearing nearly all of what they make.

As for the statement that only the top three are covering expenses, let's take a look at the last five tournaments in which all the game's elite participated:

At the European Open, each of the final 16 made $4,000 or more.
At the US Open 9-ball, each of the final 16 made $4,500 or more.
At the International 9-ball, each of the Top 16 made $2,000 or more.
At the Puerto Rico Open, each of the Top 16 made $2,000 or more.
At the World 8-ball, each of the Top 16 made $4,750 or more.

Your statement was true fifteen years ago, but times have changed, and certainly, the last 80 times that a player has finished in the Top 16 in an elite-field event, they have covered expenses.

FYI, I have sponsored players, and have lots of knowledge about what participation costs are and what they have been back to at least the 1980s.

Finally, I'm not sure what taxes have to do with this. Taxes are paid on all income in every country.

 

[sjm]

I omitted the action matches from my original post because I, as a rule, don't watch these matches. Would anybody who does watch the action matches, streamed and unstreamed, like to comment on what the highlights of 2022 were in action pool?

 

[sjm]

Great Recap. I can't believe I'm saying this and although maybe subtle, I think the most accurate thing on the whole list is Boyes being the best commentator. I remember several years ago when he was just a touring pro and like many others, I absolutely couldn't stand him and filler either. I was always cheering for the American pro's when they would match up in tourneys. Both have grown on me over the years and Boyes is by far the best commentator out there right now IMO. Considering he's competed as a high level player, he clearly has all the knowledge, but also delivers it in a way that both novice and experienced players can appreciate. He's humble, doesn't get lost in road or gambling stories, and focuses on what the viewer is witnessing. He's professional, honest, mostly keeps it simple, but will also explain intricacies of the game when appropriate. You would think he's a 20 year commentating vet. If 2023 for pool is anything like 2022, that means good things are coming.

The Boyes choice was a close one. He doesn't know the game like Jeremy Jones (or Alex Lely), but I gave him the nod for many of the reasons you did. He keeps it simple and addresses the mainstream fan rather than the serious pool fan in his commentary, his introductions, his pre-match interviews and his post-match interviews.

In addition, Karl gets genuinely excited about really good shots, sometimes without even explaining those shots, but I like that because mainstream fans will feed off his genuine enthusiasm for the play.

He's truly a jack-of-all trades in his job. He's part presenter, part interviewer, and part fan, and it adds up to a very valuable asset in Matchroom's arsenal.

 

[JAM]

This is not accurate. As somebody who goes to more than ten events a year, some of them in Europe, I am a guru on this subject. Actually, it costs me as much to attend events as those who pay an entry fee, as I don't room with anybody and also have to buy event tickets. My typical cost per event is, perhaps, $1,200.

Also, entry fees are down. The Predator men's events in America have an entry fee of just over $300 and Matchroom entry fees are down, as well. Second, there are three Matchroom events where the entry fee is zero and in which all entrants cash. That would be the World Cup of Pool, the World Pool Masters, and the Premier League Pool. Invitations are based on results, and virtually all of the $90,000 group are getting into these events. I think what's closer to the truth is, for this group of players, money from sponsorships is covering much of the player participation costs in their pro events and that they are clearing nearly all of what they make.

As for the statement that only the top three are covering expenses, let's take a look at the last five tournaments in which all the game's elite participated:

At the European Open, each of the final 16 made $4,000 or more.
At the US Open 9-ball, each of the final 16 made $4,500 or more.
At the International 9-ball, each of the Top 16 made $2,000 or more.
At the Puerto Rico Open, each of the Top 16 made $2,000 or more.
At the World 8-ball, each of the Top 16 made $4,750 or more.

Your statement was true fifteen years ago, but times have changed, and certainly, the last 80 times that a player has finished in the Top 16 in an elite-field event, they have covered expenses.

FYI, I have sponsored players, and have lots of knowledge about what participation costs are and what they have been back to at least the 1980s.

Finally, I'm not sure what taxes have to do with this. Taxes are paid on all income in every country.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We will have to agree to disagree. Expenses for spectators are different than the player. One example is maintenance of cue sticks, tip replacement, et cetera.

And then there's the fact that while the pro player practices to hone their skills by playing hours every day and attending weekly and/or weekend events to stay in stroke, they are not working a job, but unfortunately, they still have to have a roof over their head and eat while they're practicing and attending events. American sponsored players are not afforded an income to pay rent throughout the year, much less buy clothes, pay medical expenses, have medical insurance, buy a car, have car insurance, eat food, and buy amenities we all enjoy in life, like an cell phone, a computer, furniture, TV, jewelry.

An average pool pro, whether it's 50 years ago, 15 years ago, 5 years ago, or today's era may attend four tournaments a month, home and abroad. Most pro players do not come in first, second or third place every single time. When they are fortunate enough to win, say, $20,000 for first place prize, they may be already stuck 20-, 30-, or $40,000 in expenses from attending other tournaments with the associated expenses. Shane Van Boening himself said on the "60 Minutes" episode that most players cannot earn over $100,000 in a year. I think he's what I'd call a "guru" when it comes to pool, much more so than any member of AzBilliards, including myself.

Yes, taxes, Stu. Taxes come out of that 20 large a player might win in first place prize monies. So, if they are stuck 20-, 30-, or $40,000, from the past, they still must pay a third of the $20,000 winnings in taxes. Oh, yes, expenses and deductions help with taxes, but when the dust settles, the average pro player may be lucky to clear $20,000 to $30,000 per annum.

These stupid results-picking ranking systems and money payouts are very misleading. The average person reads a pro may have pocketed $100,000 for the year 2022, but what most do not take into account is the associated expenses attending tournaments (hotel, food, travel), living expenses when at home (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance), and taxes. So the $100,000 looks good on paper, but believe me when I say that pro player did not clear $100,000 per annum, not even close. And this is for the high-ranking players on the ranking systems everyone seems to believe as gospel. I pay taxes on my income, but my expenses and deductions are nowhere near what a professional pool player expends each year.

You are wrong as far as payouts in today's era being higher. Keith came in third at the U.S. Open in 2003 and pocketed $10,000. Not much different than today's payouts. However, the major difference is there are more world beaters from overseas competing in today's events than in 2003, which makes the competition more tough for every player, lessening the chances of aspiring pros to rise to the top.

FYI, I have sponsored players too. You're not the lone soldier in this department. I will end it here and give you a little more respect in this thread than you have given to me.

 

[sjm]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We will have to agree to disagree. Expenses for spectators are different than the player. One example is maintenance of cue sticks, tip replacement, et cetera.

And then there's the fact that while the pro player practices to hone their skills by playing hours every day and attending weekly and/or weekend events to stay in stroke, they are not working a job, but unfortunately, they still have to have a roof over their head and eat while they're practicing and attending events. American sponsored players are not afforded an income to pay rent throughout the year, much less buy clothes, pay medical expenses, have medical insurance, buy a car, have car insurance, eat food, and buy amenities we all enjoy in life, like an cell phone, a computer, furniture, TV, jewelry.

An average pool pro, whether it's 50 years ago, 15 years ago, 5 years ago, or today's era may attend four tournaments a month, home and abroad. Most pro players do not come in first, second or third place every single time. When they are fortunate enough to win, say, $20,000 for first place prize, they may be already stuck 20-, 30-, or $40,000 in expenses from attending other tournaments with the associated expenses. Shane Van Boening himself said on the "60 Minutes" episode that most players cannot earn over $100,000 in a year. I think he's what I'd call a "guru" when it comes to pool, much more so than any member of AzBilliards, including myself.

Yes, taxes, Stu. Taxes come out of that 20 large a player might win in first place prize monies. So, if they are stuck 20-, 30-, or $40,000, from the past, they still must pay a third of the $20,000 winnings in taxes. Oh, yes, expenses and deductions help with taxes, but when the dust settles, the average pro player may be lucky to clear $20,000 to $30,000 per annum.

These stupid results-picking ranking systems and money payouts are very misleading. The average person reads a pro may have pocketed $100,000 for the year 2022, but what most do not take into account is the associated expenses attending tournaments (hotel, food, travel), living expenses when at home (rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance), and taxes. So the $100,000 looks good on paper, but believe me when I say that pro player did not clear $100,000 per annum, not even close. And this is for the high-ranking players on the ranking systems everyone seems to believe as gospel. I pay taxes on my income, but my expenses and deductions are nowhere near what a professional pool player expends each year.

You are wrong as far as payouts in today's era being higher. Keith came in third at the U.S. Open in 2003 and pocketed $10,000. Not much different than today's payouts. However, the major difference is there are more world beaters from overseas competing in today's events than in 2003, which makes the competition more tough for every player, lessening the chances of aspiring pros to rise to the top.

FYI, I have sponsored players too. You're not the lone soldier in this department. I will end it here and give you a little more respect in this thread than you have given to me.

I'll admit I tend to overlook some of the most subtle costs of participation, especially the immeasurable cost of time used for practice.

For what it's worth, I have disagreed with you, not disrespected you. You are, perhaps, the only poster in my twenty years on this forum that has ever accused me of posting with disrespect. Nonetheless, if you feel I've done so, I apologize.

I'd rather not pursue this debate any further, instead preferring to wish you a happy new year and a year of good health and good times.

 

[Island Drive]

You both have perspectives that are good....

BUTT....

You both forgot to mention...............

Depending on where you live, transportation costs can easily double.

Not all of us are close to the airport, many of us live out in the sticks, some are from overseas.

It's ABSURD.... for a PRO to pay Friday night room rates in Atlantic City.

It's Because of players, the seats are filled.

And if the best are there, the house is rockin' on a Friday night.

One Weekend night/room with resort taxes are close to some r/t airfares.

Host site for any MR event at ANY casino, should give special rates for ''just the players''.
Players are forced. To play you must stay. Forgot to ask Alan Hopkins if he had too.

 

[336Robin]

Finally, I'm not sure what taxes have to do with this. Taxes are paid on all income in every country.

Jam and Stu,
Both of you are right. Sorry to both of you for my long answer.

Taxes have a great deal to do with it when you consider that a foreign player playing in the U.S. is taxed at 30% right off the top,
but it's as you say, taxes are supposed to be part of the deal in any line of work. I would suspect that other countries treat incoming players in a similar way.

The tax forms are quite complicated so the filling out of them requires a professional agency then withholding has to be taken before payment to the player as a promoter responsibility elsewise of the player decides not to report, then the promoter also picks up that bill.

It would be a lot better on international sports if the promoter could just write checks or issue electronic payments, but we don't live in that world.

Sample Payout and estimated expenses---I'm sure that a cheaper flight might be able to be had, but any savings can add
to the bottom line of what is leftover.

5,000 payout - 30% (1500)= 3500- overseas travel, hotel, food and entry fee for 5 days for a large event.

150 a night---leaving on 5th day 4 days=600
International flight- guess ( 1200)
Entry fee- 750 ( depends)
food 50 per day x 5= 250
WPA dues?--

Total- 2800-----------if I approximately expenses correctly 3500-2800=700 to live on until the next event

So there is 700 left, and you have WPA dues, entry fee, hotel, flight to manage to continue playing as a pro player.

If I were playing and making 700 profit on a regular basis, I would need a job of some kind and I'm in agreement with you that it would be hard to keep any kind of job as long as you aspire to be a pro player but at the level of payout common with aspiring players, (considering that large events have a lot of aspiring players) pool will never be a steady job for anyone if sponsorship were to seek to exist.

On that last note, the commercial value of pool is fairly low considering that the people that watch it love it because they play it otherwise its hard to watch anything with the crafty safeties some of us rail birds love to see. It's not a game of constant action and never will be one and since the rack has moved to the game ball on the spot, its trending towards the short race and better safety game.

Pool is a niche market and growing the sport means getting more the people that play it to watch it and that is one more slow process as I've watched the subscribership of World Billiard TV almost come to a halt this past year, while Matchroom Pool has grown 100k subscribers.

I know that Matchroom has promised to continue raising the pay of the pro players but to that I would say this if I were them I would be real careful abandoning a formula that is obviously working for anything that might not be on solid legs and what is working doesn't have the whole of the equation of raising player pay to stellar heights, because look at how many players there are and how many people are actually watching them. It would take an enormous amount of money to do that and that comes with commercial risks.

Until something is done on the grassroots level to increase the following of pro pool, we have to rely on being diverse content for sale to someone's platform and if it's found that our viewership is underperforming for some reason, that would not be good.

Pool is a great thing to do part time to let off some steam but if it weren't for sponsors it wouldn't exist.

If I were to guess, I would say that European players enjoy more sponsor support than American Players do and they probably have it easier to find friends to stay with. American pool I don't believe enjoys some of the luxuries that the Europeans enjoy but this is just a guess so having some events on this side of the Pond would be good for a lot of reasons, but the viewership right now is dismal to say the least.

Maybe Pool is ok where it's at for now, but it's not ideal for the players but it's going well obviously.

I appreciate your thoughts and agree with a few points made, but I don't believe that American pro players or aspiring pro players are waiting for handouts. There is no incentive for the American aspiring pro pool player to devote themselves to a career when it does not offer a way to make ends meet. The few American pros that we do have, they're criticized by chirping trolls and railbirds that they are lazy bums with no jobs. Well, in order to be a professional-caliber player, it's damn near impossible to hold down a 9-to-5 job when you have to practice, practice, practice, and travel to tournament after tournament after tournament. This is the reason we have fewer and fewer aspiring pros in USA.

You mention some earning $90,000. Well, unbeknownst to those who have never had to pay their own way on pool's tournament trail, at least half to two-thirds of that 90 large goes to expenses and taxes. Unless you come in first, second, or third at most events, you cannot break even and are stuck big time from previous tournaments where you did not cash.

European pros and aspiring European pros are treated much differently by their countries and some even supported by their country governments and governing bodies of professional pool. Here in USA, we have none of that. None!

So, as the existing lot of professional-caliber players in USA continues to dwindle, we will have less and less bites at the championship apple for professional pool. Compare the number of American pros in 2023 to American pros in 1983. Therein lies the rub. Shane Van Boening has already mentioned he will not be traveling to as many tournaments in 2023 as he once did. Bye-bye, American pool pie for us pool fans. I can count on one hand how many capable American pros we have at this time.

It's easy for some to sit in their ivory tower and look down at the American pro players as lazy bums with no jobs. I have read those words many, many times on this forum. Unless a pro player is married to a rich spouse/family or has a stakehorse with deep pockets, it's going to be almost impossible to keep up with the current professional tournament trail around the world for Americans.

As far as those stupid ranking systems, result pickers like those. I'm not one of them.

 

[sjm]

Until something is done on the grassroots level to increase the following of pro pool, we have to rely on being diverse content for sale to someone's platform and if it's found that our viewership is underperforming for some reason, that would not be good.

It is here where I think you've hit the nail on the head.

I'll take it a step further in saying, as Jerry Briesath did in his recent BCA hall of fame induction speech, that supporting young players with big dreams is as important, and we need to do a better job of it.

I'm not so sure that we're making enough progress at the grassroots level, but I see some good signs with respect to juniors in America. We all know of the good work of the Billiard Education Foundation, but in the past few years, we've seen the emergence of some new paths available to the juniors:

1) A new junior tour in America developed and produced by Ra Hanna.
2) A new junior event contested during the International Open each October
3) A new junior event, conceived by Mathcroom and SVB, contested during the US Open 9-ball.

These events have already brought us promising young American players like Kashton Keaton, Landon Hollingsworth, Joey Tate, Eric Roberts and Nathan Childress.

In the end, however, you're right. Pro pool will remain a second-tier sport unless we further develop its landscape. Things are improving, but there's a long way to go.

 

[Island Drive]

Stu, I've said before.
I was Very surprised MR supported Jr. players before the semi-pro play field.
A semi-pro tour with qualifying points.
Have a few venues, winner get entry/room/board paid to a pro event.
Not knockin em, but kids don't pay the rent for room owners.
It's a proven fact, getting an education first and a pool education second works best.

 

[336Robin]

It is here where I think you've hit the nail on the head.

I'll take it a step further in saying, as Jerry Briesath did in his recent BCA hall of fame induction speech, that supporting young players with big dreams is as important, and we need to do a better job of it.

I'm not so sure that we're making enough progress at the grassroots level, but I see some good signs with respect to juniors in America. We all know of the good work of the Billiard Education Foundation, but in the past few years, we've seen the emergence of some new paths available to the juniors:

1) A new junior tour in America developed and produced by Ra Hanna.
2) A new junior event contested during the International Open each October
3) A new junior event, conceived by Mathcroom and SVB, contested during the US Open 9-ball.

These events have already brought us promising young American players like Kashton Keaton, Landon Hollingsworth, Joey Tate, Eric Roberts and Nathan Childress.

In the end, however, you're right. Pro pool will remain a second-tier sport unless we further develop its landscape. Things are improving, but there's a long way to go.

If you look back Pool and the dreams of being big in Pool have always been the thoughts of the young upstarts.

To change Pool's landscape is a change in business model for today's Pool places.

Pool left the uptown Pool room and went to the side street Recreation center then video
games showed up, and it went to the Sports Bar at the Strip Mall.

Make the Pool Room profitable again (without alcohol) and the pockets of support will open up like nothing we've ever seen before,
but it will take a few decades to turn the corner. All stuff of dreams when Pool needs support right now.

 

[JustPlay]

SJM, Thank you for the excellent breakdown of 2022 events in Professional pocket billiards.

 

[Fatboy]

Oddly enough, I don't recall hearing her commentate. I did get to say hello to her at the Mosconi. Not at all surprised she's making the grade.

I saw you on the 2nd day for a glimpse and couldn’t find you after. Was busy and the best Mcup I’ve been to in America.

See you at the Derby.

Happy new year and my very best

Eric

 

[sjm]

Stu, I've said before.
I was Very surprised MR supported Jr. players before the semi-pro play field.
A semi-pro tour with qualifying points.
Have a few venues, winner get entry/room/board paid to a pro event.
Not knockin em, but kids don't pay the rent for room owners.
It's a proven fact, getting an education first and a pool education second works best.

Yes, well said, Bill.

 

[sjm]

SJM, Thank you for the excellent breakdown of 2022 events in Professional pocket billiards.

It's a pleasure. Hope you enjoyed the year in pool, too.

 

[sjm]

I saw you on the 2nd day for a glimpse and couldn’t find you after. Was busy and the best Mcup I’ve been to in America.

See you at the Derby.

Happy new year and my very best

Eric

I'll be easy to find at the Derby. Same seat as last year.

 

[Nick B]

We are actively working on that at Fatboy Command HQ 24/7. This is war!

Simple solution. I use my GreekWeb and contact an old lady in London to go give Emily from Matchroom the evil eye (for maximum effect it must be done in person and for extra strength requires spitting). Then we tell her we have the cure but must revert back to old color set (balls and cloth). Otherwise the headaches continue and will escalate.

https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2018/09/07/xematiasma-greece-evil-eye-headadaches/

 

[Fatboy]

Simple solution. I use my GreekWeb and contact an old lady in London to go give Emily from Matchroom the evil eye (for maximum effect it must be done in person and for extra strength requires spitting). Then we tell her we have the cure but must revert back to old color set (balls and cloth). Otherwise the headaches continue and will escalate.

https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2018/09/07/xematiasma-greece-evil-eye-headadaches/

Sounds like the “Havana syndrome” thing back in the day.