RSB finally dead
- Thread starter Bob J
- Start date
I think Smorg had a hand in my coming here also. I remember that it wasn't just the one individual who brought the downfall of rsb but a number of people, some of whom came here and tried the same tricks and were banned in short order. FL was gone from here by the time I came but there were others...........
I was there to at the Jimbo RSB get together also. Think I lost a few games of one pocket to Lou, I'ld like remach...lol. RSB was my first foray on the web, using my AT with one meg ram and a 40 meg hard drive...had to partion it into two 20 megs. Still have Viking cue I won in Viking contest on RSB.
I was there too, and met several of you (and others) as a result. Good times until the nonsense got out of hand.
In unrelated news, we're all old!
In unrelated news, we're all old!
Just about everything we talk about now, we discussed back then. Many might think things are relatively new, but a lot of those topics are 20 years old at this point.
In my opinion, all cuemakers who do anything with low squirt (low deflection) cues owe a lot of their information from the discussions and work from RSB. Of course, Clawson and Alan McCarthy and Steve Titus deserve all the recognition, but the dissecting and dissemination of "what makes a low deflection (squirt) cue" information was through RSB.
Specifically:
Thomas Wayne - Rosabelle Believe post. This, IMO, was the start for most of us on the understanding of squirt. Some of us just didn't think about it, but when Thomas disclosed what happens when a cuemaker reduced the tip-end mass, then the rest of us science guys took it and ran.
Ron Shepard - Everthing You Always Wanted to Know about Squirt, but Were Too Afraid to Ask
Bob Jewett - for everything scientific and engineering, but for squirt, his work on the Jacksonville Experiment answered everything for this mechanical engineer
Jim Buss - also Jacksonville, but for making the loaded cue to show how mass severely trumped any other notion on squirt
Ken Bour - for being just super inquisitive and super curious about such things
Pat Johnson - for being super critical and forcing posters to backup their claims.
Etc.
And yes, even me. I was one of the few mechanical engineers in those discussions, and I've used that information for the last couple of decades discussing with many cuemakers on what all is entailed and why for a lower squirt cue.
I only wish DrDave had been into the internet in those days. I think his presence may have made the discussions progress more quickly from a mechanical engineering subject matter expert point of view. But alas, he was several years late to the party. But, he's certainly made up for lost time and more.
Mike Page - what more can I say about this genius? He gave us the game of FARGO (named by Pat Johnson with a nod to Mike's town), and now he's given us the FARGO Rate and FARGO Billiards. Back in the RSB days, he was a simple Professor of Physical Chemistry who loved to play pool. In other words, a perfect RSBer.
Additionally, all the discussions with Hal Houle started on RSB. So any of today's discussions on aiming methods, CTE, 90/90, etc., that was all smashed out long before the web-based forums. I still use what Hal taught me, long before these DVDs have come out.
Backhand English was also completely discussed to death during those years. It wasn't until Colin Colenso's video after web-based forums started that those who didn't understand BHE got a visual of what we were discussing.
And I suppose finally, the concept of cue collecting, although most of us really weren't into that, guys like JimBoCt were the first to highlight on the internet that crazy underworld of cue collecting and cues as functional art. A lot of you (and you know who you are) owe a lot to guys like JimBoCt, as much as you'd hate to admit it.
That's a quick summary. I've met many people in the pool world, and many of my longest acquaintances and friends have been through RSB.
Freddie <~~~ reminiscing, but going forward
In my opinion, all cuemakers who do anything with low squirt (low deflection) cues owe a lot of their information from the discussions and work from RSB. Of course, Clawson and Alan McCarthy and Steve Titus deserve all the recognition, but the dissecting and dissemination of "what makes a low deflection (squirt) cue" information was through RSB.
Specifically:
Thomas Wayne - Rosabelle Believe post. This, IMO, was the start for most of us on the understanding of squirt. Some of us just didn't think about it, but when Thomas disclosed what happens when a cuemaker reduced the tip-end mass, then the rest of us science guys took it and ran.
Ron Shepard - Everthing You Always Wanted to Know about Squirt, but Were Too Afraid to Ask
Bob Jewett - for everything scientific and engineering, but for squirt, his work on the Jacksonville Experiment answered everything for this mechanical engineer
Jim Buss - also Jacksonville, but for making the loaded cue to show how mass severely trumped any other notion on squirt
Ken Bour - for being just super inquisitive and super curious about such things
Pat Johnson - for being super critical and forcing posters to backup their claims.
Etc.
And yes, even me. I was one of the few mechanical engineers in those discussions, and I've used that information for the last couple of decades discussing with many cuemakers on what all is entailed and why for a lower squirt cue.
I only wish DrDave had been into the internet in those days. I think his presence may have made the discussions progress more quickly from a mechanical engineering subject matter expert point of view. But alas, he was several years late to the party. But, he's certainly made up for lost time and more.
Mike Page - what more can I say about this genius? He gave us the game of FARGO (named by Pat Johnson with a nod to Mike's town), and now he's given us the FARGO Rate and FARGO Billiards. Back in the RSB days, he was a simple Professor of Physical Chemistry who loved to play pool. In other words, a perfect RSBer.
Additionally, all the discussions with Hal Houle started on RSB. So any of today's discussions on aiming methods, CTE, 90/90, etc., that was all smashed out long before the web-based forums. I still use what Hal taught me, long before these DVDs have come out.
Backhand English was also completely discussed to death during those years. It wasn't until Colin Colenso's video after web-based forums started that those who didn't understand BHE got a visual of what we were discussing.
And I suppose finally, the concept of cue collecting, although most of us really weren't into that, guys like JimBoCt were the first to highlight on the internet that crazy underworld of cue collecting and cues as functional art. A lot of you (and you know who you are) owe a lot to guys like JimBoCt, as much as you'd hate to admit it.
That's a quick summary. I've met many people in the pool world, and many of my longest acquaintances and friends have been through RSB.
Freddie <~~~ reminiscing, but going forward
:withstupid:
I remember RSB. I'm pretty sure I was one of the AOLers that came in around 1998 or so. Good to see some of the regulars here now and again.
We had an RSB get together here in Denver and then of course there was the Jimbo thing in Connecticut. The world has changed a lot in the past 15 years. Honestly, it feels longer ago than that to me.
We had an RSB get together here in Denver and then of course there was the Jimbo thing in Connecticut. The world has changed a lot in the past 15 years. Honestly, it feels longer ago than that to me.
RSB gathering in Titusville
The many events hosted by Jimbo were great. I got to meet a lot of fine and fun people at those gatherings and especially fondly remember David the Hamster and his lovely wife Ortelia as mentioned by Gideon. Jim was always a gracious and fun host and really put a lot of effort into these events and through them many of us got to meet each other for the first time.
But let us not forget what was probably the first broad range gathering of pool players who met on the internet. It was in Racks billiards in Titusville, FL, ca. 1998. Jim and Becky Humprhies (Humphrey?) hosted the event, coordinating the timing with the trade show in Orlando. I can only remember the names of a few who were there, Smorg, Bob Jewett, Linda from Racks, Ray from PR, Ghosst. Alex, were you there as well? I think someone also came from Rhode Island perhaps George Comerford.... I'm sure that more will come to my aging mind later.
One of my main objectives was to meet Smorg as I enjoyed his humor. I remember getting there early. There were a few people at the bar. I got a tray of balls, found a table and started knocking balls around. A few people ambled in and congregated at the bar. Then this poor soul arrived, struggling to get his walker through the door, patch over one eye and one arm in a sling. He slowly made his way to the bar with the others. I continued my "practice" and across the room heard my name mentioned in conversation. After a while I went over to the bar and asked if my name had been mentioned. The eye patch guy said yeah and introduced himself as Smorg. The entire group had a lot of fun meeting each other and playing in a mini-tournament. I think there was a local guy that edged out Bob Jewett.
The gathering was not without controversy as Smorg's opponents had to call Bob over several times for rulings on the legality of Smorg using a compass and magnifying glass.
Almost 20 years later, hats off once again to Jim and Becky.
The many events hosted by Jimbo were great. I got to meet a lot of fine and fun people at those gatherings and especially fondly remember David the Hamster and his lovely wife Ortelia as mentioned by Gideon. Jim was always a gracious and fun host and really put a lot of effort into these events and through them many of us got to meet each other for the first time.
But let us not forget what was probably the first broad range gathering of pool players who met on the internet. It was in Racks billiards in Titusville, FL, ca. 1998. Jim and Becky Humprhies (Humphrey?) hosted the event, coordinating the timing with the trade show in Orlando. I can only remember the names of a few who were there, Smorg, Bob Jewett, Linda from Racks, Ray from PR, Ghosst. Alex, were you there as well? I think someone also came from Rhode Island perhaps George Comerford.... I'm sure that more will come to my aging mind later.
One of my main objectives was to meet Smorg as I enjoyed his humor. I remember getting there early. There were a few people at the bar. I got a tray of balls, found a table and started knocking balls around. A few people ambled in and congregated at the bar. Then this poor soul arrived, struggling to get his walker through the door, patch over one eye and one arm in a sling. He slowly made his way to the bar with the others. I continued my "practice" and across the room heard my name mentioned in conversation. After a while I went over to the bar and asked if my name had been mentioned. The eye patch guy said yeah and introduced himself as Smorg. The entire group had a lot of fun meeting each other and playing in a mini-tournament. I think there was a local guy that edged out Bob Jewett.
The gathering was not without controversy as Smorg's opponents had to call Bob over several times for rulings on the legality of Smorg using a compass and magnifying glass.
Almost 20 years later, hats off once again to Jim and Becky.
The Jimbo Jambo in CT was Oct 2004. That was an awesome, funkin' get together with a big group. Might have been the largest RSB gathering and probably the last.
As far as (fast larry)... sadly, karma caught up to him. His last friend on the planet, his wife, was tragically killed by getting hit by a car. Two days later, fxxx lxxxx committed suicide by OD'ing on pills. This story was mentioned by his estranged daughter, who discussed it on fxxx lxxxx's website. I'm not sure why, but i feel a bit sorry for the way he went out. Not much, mind you, but it is sad.
Eric
As far as (fast larry)... sadly, karma caught up to him. His last friend on the planet, his wife, was tragically killed by getting hit by a car. Two days later, fxxx lxxxx committed suicide by OD'ing on pills. This story was mentioned by his estranged daughter, who discussed it on fxxx lxxxx's website. I'm not sure why, but i feel a bit sorry for the way he went out. Not much, mind you, but it is sad.
Eric
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my sentiments exactly lol
It's good to see the old names from RSB. I was on there a lot but too busy to keep up consistently and then dropped off altogether.
The other day my wife was editing her website and wanted to put in something to let her know when she still had information to add to a page. I told her to use "plonk". Lol. Because it would be easy to search and find where you still had stuff to do. I laughed at the thought of so many RSB people not being able to load her website because of a decades old filter hiding in the bowels of their web browser. Doesn't matter that it's ridiculous. Still funny.
The other day my wife was editing her website and wanted to put in something to let her know when she still had information to add to a page. I told her to use "plonk". Lol. Because it would be easy to search and find where you still had stuff to do. I laughed at the thought of so many RSB people not being able to load her website because of a decades old filter hiding in the bowels of their web browser. Doesn't matter that it's ridiculous. Still funny.
I 'm trying to think of what my dialup speed was when I first started on rsb. 8 baud I think.
Like Jam said , it took a long time to do anything back then.
Like Jam said , it took a long time to do anything back then.
Mine was 14.4k
A few years back, I was getting rid of an old computer and recovered some stuff of the hard drive. I found a text file of a copy of a post from 1996 (IIRC) in response to Ron Shepard. I don't know why I had the copy on a text file, and the subject matter wasnt memorable enough for me today.
The atmosphere there changed there from what it once was. That's for sure.
My industry Google NewsGroup is also dead in the water. Now I am moderator of an industry group on Facebook.
We have a community listserv where everybody can post, but the moderator makes everybody sign their full name. A lot of members don't like that, but I can see the advantage of it. One rules she has that is really annoying is that nobody can use the word "you." I have to write "Thanks for the link" or "Thank one for the link." Strange rule, but I guess she has her reasons. :embarrassed2:
We, I think, have a mutual friend. He asked me if I knew you the other day. Do you know Huey?
Yay, I got on a list. Thanks Freddie.
I never joined RSB as far as I recall, but used to browse some of the old discussions for gems.
Certainly quite a few of the names Freddie mentioned taught me a few things.
For those interested, I uploaded my first video in a couple of years today, detailing the game I developed which utilizes and demonstrates Back Hand English on several shots. I've become more intimately familiar with the method and adjustments over the last 10 years. The game is 2 Rail, like 10-ball on steroids. https://youtu.be/wWhn4X-h63I
Cheers all,
Colin