Pool in need of another great ambassador

C

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Just finished my latest read of "Willie Game", book about Willie Mosconi, IMHO he was for many year a great ambassador of the game, on the payroll of Brunswick billiards, and did some thing to HELO with the games image.

Yes I loved the movie Hustler & Color of Money but they both show the bad side of P;oil and did not do much image enhancement for the game.

IMHO if Pool in the USA is ever to become a big time sport, the people doing the building be it ACA, BAC, or who ever need another Willie Mosconi to help build the image of the sport, or game.

Anyone agree?

Anyone disagree, and if so why?
 
D

DecentShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
CocoboloCowboy said:
Just finished my latest read of "Willie Game", book about Willie Mosconi, IMHO he was for many year a great ambassador of the game, on the payroll of Brunswick billiards, and did some thing to HELO with the games image.

Yes I loved the movie Hustler & Color of Money but they both show the bad side of P;oil and did not do much image enhancement for the game.

IMHO if Pool in the USA is ever to become a big time sport, the people doing the building be it ACA, BAC, or who ever need another Willie Mosconi to help build the image of the sport, or game.

Anyone agree?

Anyone disagree, and if so why?
Click to expand...

I'm a huge SVB fan, but he has held American pool back in terms of having an ambassador with a personality that people can get to know. Miller lite won't be calling, he has zero marketability, and its sad.
 
Dan Harriman

Dan Harriman

One of the best in 14.1
Silver Member
No mas players like Mosconi

There will never be another player like Mosconi, I have never seen anyone attack the table as he did. I did not get to see him play in his prime - but have seen some footage when he was still in decent form. He played with a ferocious intensity like I have never seen before. Today 14.1 is not being marketed well here in USA so I see very little future for any player to even come close to measuring up to his accomplishments. Straight Pool is not dead however, overseas it is still the main pocket billiard discipline in the pool rooms.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In both movie's defense neither was ever intended to enhance pool's visibility/reputation. They both caused pool surges but not for all the right reasons. No clue as to who would be a good ambassador for the game. I think Tyler Steier is a helluva good guy but don't know if him or anyone would want to be pool's roving ambassador.
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Danny Harriman said:
There will never be another player like Mosconi, I have never seen anyone attack the table as he did. I did not get to see him play in his prime - but have seen some footage when he was still in decent form. He played with a ferocious intensity like I have never seen before. Today 14.1 is not being marketed well here in USA so I see very little future for any player to even come close to measuring up to his accomplishments. Straight Pool is not dead however, overseas it is still the main pocket billiard discipline in the pool rooms.
Click to expand...
God, for someone who cries as much as you do about made up news...
The main game? Where...area 51?
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
DecentShot said:
I'm a huge SVB fan, but he has held American pool back in terms of having an ambassador with a personality that people can get to know. Miller lite won't be calling, he has zero marketability, and its sad.
Click to expand...

Tiger woods couldn't maintain the role and honestly, I think that in the information age, no human can maintain the position.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Black-Balled said:
God, for someone who cries as much as you do about made up news...
The main game? Where...area 51?
Click to expand...
No doubt. It is pretty popular in Europe but its not the main game. I don't know if it is anywhere. Look, all the pool $$ is in 9b-10b-Chinese 8b and those games are being played the most. Chinese 8b is coming on strong world-wide and could well be THE game in next 5-10yrs. Its a tough game, has well run events and the prize $$$ is way better than most pool offerings. 14.1 is a great game but will forever be a niche discipline not the main event. Area 51, that's pretty damn funny.
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
garczar said:
No doubt. It is pretty popular in Europe but its not the main game. I don't know if it is anywhere. Look, all the pool $$ is in 9b-10b-Chinese 8b and those games are being played the most. Chinese 8b is coming on strong world-wide and could well be THE game in next 5-10yrs. Its a tough game, has well run events and the prize $$$ is way better than most pool offerings. 14.1 is a great game but will forever be a niche discipline not the main event. Area 51, that's pretty damn funny.
Click to expand...

He doesn't know...but wants it soooo bad.

Maybe he's never been out of the country...maybe he's not even allowed to travel outside of the country.
 
D

DecentShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Black-Balled said:
Tiger woods couldn't maintain the role and honestly, I think that in the information age, no human can maintain the position.
Click to expand...

Yes BB! He was exactly who I was thinking about while writing that post. I mean, remember him promising bringing golf to underprivileged kids? Lol, can Cheyenne even get him to answer a call?
 
Island Drive

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
garczar said:
In both movie's defense neither was ever intended to enhance pool's visibility/reputation. They both caused pool surges but not for all the right reasons. No clue as to who would be a good ambassador for the game. I think Tyler Steier is a helluva good guy but don't know if him or anyone would want to be pool's roving ambassador.
Click to expand...

If the money was right (Luke Riches has that + more) and they were on the payroll, and they were under control from their employer, it can happen. It's much better for a good, successful business man, to do this.

I've seen too many Great players being sponsored in the past, and have the wrong character, but the right game. Kinda like a beautiful woman with all the right moving parts, but the brain is not totally functional/mature.

Ty.Sty. tho could be that person. It's more important to have the right person, than to have someone who hasn't missed a ball in years. Very few are cut out for the ''full monty''.

Alex Caras, AM radio announcer for NFL football, he was as good announcing as seeing the game live. On camera, Terry Bradshaw, both have special talents, ones that they never knew they had, but someone saw it within.

You can go out with the most beautiful woman, but yah gotta live with what's upstairs if it's gonna work.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
DecentShot said:
Yes BB! He was exactly who I was thinking about while writing that post. I mean, remember him promising bringing golf to underprivileged kids? Lol, can Cheyenne even get him to answer a call?
Click to expand...
Are you serious? Ever heard of The First Tee program? Him and his dad were instrumental in getting this started. Thousands were able to take up the game because of it. Its also provided over $10million in scholarship money. How many other sports figures have something like this on their record???
 
Bic D

Bic D

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You can have the best ambassador but if no one is watching, the ambassador means nothing.

I watch all types of billiard videos on youtube and as a result, my right arrow key is worn out from speeding up the videos. Down on the ball, back up, down,up down, up.

I watched a vid the other day where if the shot clock runs out, but the shooter is down on the ball, he can still shoot. The clock ran out on almost every shot. I finally turned it off.

They need to speed the game up, get more money involved, get back on TV which will increase viewership which will get more players involved which is more likely to produce an ambassador.

.02
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What????

Danny Harriman said:
There will never be another player like Mosconi, I have never seen anyone attack the table as he did. I did not get to see him play in his prime - but have seen some footage when he was still in decent form. He played with a ferocious intensity like I have never seen before. Today 14.1 is not being marketed well here in USA so I see very little future for any player to even come close to measuring up to his accomplishments. Straight Pool is not dead however, overseas it is still the main pocket billiard discipline in the pool rooms.
Click to expand...

Willie had no personality!! Minnesota Fats made Willie interesting. The fact that he was one of the few things to watch made him interesting, there was only 4 channels to choose from and one of them didn't come in well with those rabbit ears or clothes hangers.

Earl was a show worth watching, Keith was a show worth watching, Kid Delicious..,
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bic D said:
You can have the best ambassador but if no one is watching, the ambassador means nothing.

I watch all types of billiard videos on youtube and as a result, my right arrow key is worn out from speeding up the videos. Down on the ball, back up, down,up down, up.

I watched a vid the other day where if the shot clock runs out, but the shooter is down on the ball, he can still shoot. The clock ran out on almost every shot. I finally turned it off.

They need to speed the game up, get more money involved, get back on TV which will increase viewership which will get more players involved which is more likely to produce an ambassador.

.02
Click to expand...
With Matchroom's involvement and Chinese 8b taking off i think the $$ is going to grow finally. Getting it on mainstream tv may be a little longer. When you can't outrun cornhole you have a problem.
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What are you talking about??

DecentShot said:
I'm a huge SVB fan, but he has held American pool back in terms of having an ambassador with a personality that people can get to know. Miller lite won't be calling, he has zero marketability, and its sad.
Click to expand...

The man has a handicap! That has given him every reason to be introverted, shy or reserved.
 
C

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Think it would be hard to CLONE a Mosconi Type in 2020, as the World has changed so much. So many other things to do with ones free time. These other activities are big competition and most are well funded.

It would take more then another great Pool Movie like Hustler, or Color, or a top player with an All American Boy Image Mosconi had. Plus the Mosconi's for the most part were in the entertainment business, so let say entertains was in Willie Mosconi's blood.
 
G

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
DecentShot said:
I'm a huge SVB fan, but he has held American pool back in terms of having an ambassador with a personality that people can get to know. Miller lite won't be calling, he has zero marketability, and its sad.
Click to expand...
SVB is deaf and has always been pretty shy/introverted. He's never gone looking for the so-called "ambassador" for good reason(s). He hasn't held pool back in any way. His cue does his talking. BTW, he is a tour rep for one of the largest Chinese 8ball table brands so they must see something they like. Being the guy out front is just not his thing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top