Wish the USA had a couple Manny Pacquiao's

Diamond69

Diamond69

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sure, we've got the multimillionaire athletes and movie stars. Many of which are passionate about pool. Wouldn't it be cool to see the following happen yearly (which I'm betting all could afford without sweating it too much).

Michael Jordan Cup in Chicago
LeBron James Cup in Cleveland
Tony Stewart Cup in Indianapolis
Peyton Manning Cup in Denver
Kobe Bryant Cup in Los Angeles
Derek Jeter Cup in New York

I know Jordan and Stewart both love to play pool, not sure about the others. They could do a $50k added and a Junior tournament with scholarships or something.

Their agents could set it up for them, so not like it's a lot of work for them. Added plus of the good press of supporting juniors. I'm sure it would help grow the sport as well with the added publicity.

Or maybe it's just me loving to spend other people's money! :thumbup:
 
macguy

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Diamond69 said:
Sure, we've got the multimillionaire athletes and movie stars. Many of which are passionate about pool. Wouldn't it be cool to see the following happen yearly (which I'm betting all could afford without sweating it too much).

Michael Jordan Cup in Chicago
LeBron James Cup in Cleveland
Tony Stewart Cup in Indianapolis
Peyton Manning Cup in Denver
Kobe Bryant Cup in Los Angeles
Derek Jeter Cup in New York

I know Jordan and Stewart both love to play pool, not sure about the others. They could do a $50k added and a Junior tournament with scholarships or something.

Their agents could set it up for them, so not like it's a lot of work for them. Added plus of the good press of supporting juniors. I'm sure it would help grow the sport as well with the added publicity.

Or maybe it's just me loving to spend other people's money! :thumbup:
Click to expand...
Would be nice, but why should they. Knew a guy who was a billionaire and he loved pool. We had this same conversation and he had no interest. He was Roger King of King World productions.

He owned the Oprah show as well as Wheel of fortune. What he could have done for pool would have been astronomical. He had no interest. You can't even get a celebrity to lend their name to a tournament much less put up all the money.
 
Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
Diamond69 said:
Sure, we've got the multimillionaire athletes and movie stars. Many of which are passionate about pool. Wouldn't it be cool to see the following happen yearly (which I'm betting all could afford without sweating it too much).

Michael Jordan Cup in Chicago
LeBron James Cup in Cleveland
Tony Stewart Cup in Indianapolis
Peyton Manning Cup in Denver
Kobe Bryant Cup in Los Angeles
Derek Jeter Cup in New York

I know Jordan and Stewart both love to play pool, not sure about the others. They could do a $50k added and a Junior tournament with scholarships or something.

Their agents could set it up for them, so not like it's a lot of work for them. Added plus of the good press of supporting juniors. I'm sure it would help grow the sport as well with the added publicity.

Or maybe it's just me loving to spend other people's money! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

The U.S.A doesn't have any/many?, holding a weight class crown either. Americans just don't want to put in the work. Only the boxers and guys from other sports will put in the work it takes, including pool. One must stay hungry to know how to survive. You don't see many champions from old money. I believe Manny has put on a few tournaments at Hardtimes. Johnnyt
 
Joe_Jaguar

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Diamond69 said:
Sure, we've got the multimillionaire athletes and movie stars. Many of which are passionate about pool. Wouldn't it be cool to see the following happen yearly (which I'm betting all could afford without sweating it too much).

Michael Jordan Cup in Chicago
LeBron James Cup in Cleveland
Tony Stewart Cup in Indianapolis
Peyton Manning Cup in Denver
Kobe Bryant Cup in Los Angeles
Derek Jeter Cup in New York

I know Jordan and Stewart both love to play pool, not sure about the others. They could do a $50k added and a Junior tournament with scholarships or something.

Their agents could set it up for them, so not like it's a lot of work for them. Added plus of the good press of supporting juniors. I'm sure it would help grow the sport as well with the added publicity.

Or maybe it's just me loving to spend other people's money! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Jordan threw plenty of money into one of his main passions, fielding a motorcycle team in the AMA series. But then after the idiots at Daytona Motorsports Group ran the series into the ground he closed up shop two years ago. I think he would be able to see similarities with pool and know not to even bother wasting his money.
 
Diamond69

Diamond69

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
macguy said:
Would be nice, but why should they. Knew a guy who was a billionaire and he loved pool. We had this same conversation and he had no interest. He was Roger King of King World productions.

He owned the Oprah show as well as Wheel of fortune. What he could have done for pool would have been astronomical. He had no interest. You can't even get a celebrity to lend their name to a tournament much less put up all the money.
Click to expand...

I would guess his love for pool didn't meet the passion, and or self promotion of Manny. Manny follows pool and I'm sure has many players he admires. His ego/self promotion, along with his passion/love of the game drove his desire to create the tournament where he could participate, watch, and hang with his pool heroes.

Maybe the USA celebrities, if they knew of what Manny did, would admire it and say they'd like to do something similar. Roger sounds like his was behind the scenes money and doesn't have the ego of celebrities.

A man can dream, right!
 
Diamond69

Diamond69

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Joe_Jaguar said:
Jordan threw plenty of money into one of his main passions, fielding a motorcycle team in the AMA series. But then after the idiots at Daytona Motorsports Group ran the series into the ground he closed up shop two years ago. I think he would be able to see similarities with pool and know not to even bother wasting his money.
Click to expand...

My vision would this would be an event, not a series to participate in over a period of time. $50k would be like a weekend golf gamble for MJ. If he enjoyed it, he'd do it again, if not, he wouldn't.

But more athlete's would hear about it maybe their ego would hold the next one. Just more pie in the sky ideas on growing the sport is all.
 
N

NitPicker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's an idea...

Instead of praying to an imaginary pool god to come down from the billiard heavens to save pool for you, give what you have, everything you got, to saving it yourself. You're of able body and mind...so you yourself are capable of growing this sport, one player at a time, which is all it takes. For any true god will tell you, faith without action is dead.
 
Kid Dynomite

Kid Dynomite

Dennis (Michael) Wilson
Silver Member
Diamond69 said:
Sure, we've got the multimillionaire athletes and movie stars. Many of which are passionate about pool. Wouldn't it be cool to see the following happen yearly (which I'm betting all could afford without sweating it too much).

Michael Jordan Cup in Chicago
LeBron James Cup in Cleveland
Tony Stewart Cup in Indianapolis
Peyton Manning Cup in Denver
Kobe Bryant Cup in Los Angeles
Derek Jeter Cup in New York

I know Jordan and Stewart both love to play pool, not sure about the others. They could do a $50k added and a Junior tournament with scholarships or something.

Their agents could set it up for them, so not like it's a lot of work for them. Added plus of the good press of supporting juniors. I'm sure it would help grow the sport as well with the added publicity.

Or maybe it's just me loving to spend other people's money! :thumbup:
Click to expand...

If someone put up 50K a year for 10 years in their will!!! Who would run it??? How much would it cost to ship tables and set up 10k! How much for the hotel or ballroom? Another 10K! Then salaries and expenses for advertising and wiring the lights. Over half of the money left to the sport would be eaten up by "UNRELATED" costs.

Like fields of dreams, "If you build it they will come". Snooker did just that and built a Dedicated facility. Max Eberle has drawings of his "Billiard Dome" an arena for optimum spectators and player comfort. Before anyone can leave money or an endowment! The sport has to have infrastructure!!! It does not have to be expensive real estate. Just accessible via planes, trains & automobiles.

Absent infrastructure, any philanthropic efforts would be a waste and eaten up by the industry with very little making its way to the players after the venue, labor & equipment cost.

The dubai facility they created is perfect! But, not in the USA! They have the infrastructure, we do not! Funding an event overseas is not all that appealing to USA philanthropy when their friends and family would not get the full enjoyment, only via some kind of broadcast. The sport would certainly get a face lift if the middle east was more involved as their code of conduct is "MUCH" stricter then ours and the sport would most certainly be lifted out of the gutter, as they would "Require"...

I am aware of a few "Fanatics" of pool that are very wealthy and expressed an interest over the years. Most wanted to "ENJOY" running it and being involved in their golden years. Not just do something that they would not be around to see and enjoy.

Ever since Mr. Badi Nashit existed the sport, i could not help but wonder what the sport would look like and how it would have evolved with some industry support and infrastructure???

KD
 
N

NitPicker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Kid Dynomite said:
If someone put up 50K a year for 10 years in their will!!! Who would run it??? How much would it cost to ship tables and set up 10k! How much for the hotel or ballroom? Another 10K! Then salaries and expenses for advertising and wiring the lights. Over half of the money left to the sport would be eaten up by "UNRELATED" costs.

Like fields of dreams, "If you build it they will come". Snooker did just that and built a Dedicated facility. Max Eberle has drawings of his "Billiard Dome" an arena for optimum spectators and player comfort. Before anyone can leave money or an endowment! The sport has to have infrastructure!!! It does not have to be expensive real estate. Just accessible via planes, trains & automobiles.

Absent infrastructure, any philanthropic efforts would be a waste and eaten up by the industry with very little making its way to the players after the venue, labor & equipment cost.

The dubai facility they created is perfect! But, not in the USA! They have the infrastructure, we do not! Funding an event overseas is not all that appealing to USA philanthropy when their friends and family would not get the full enjoyment, only via some kind of broadcast. The sport would certainly get a face lift if the middle east was more involved as their code of conduct is "MUCH" stricter then ours and the sport would most certainly be lifted out of the gutter, as they would "Require"...

I am aware of a few "Fanatics" of pool that are very wealthy and expressed an interest over the years. Most wanted to "ENJOY" running it and being involved in their golden years. Not just do something that they would not be around to see and enjoy.

Ever since Mr. Badi Nashit existed the sport, i could not help but wonder what the sport would look like and how it would have evolved with some industry support and infrastructure???

KD
Click to expand...


I think the reality is that most people that play pool are no more interested in working to grow the game than non players are interested in working to learn it. If WE build it, it will come. But it won't happen without at least a grass roots type of start because that's the only thing that can be nurtured and sustained. You can throw all the money and infrastructure you want, but if you don't nurture seeds and roots, your field of crops will never grow.
 
Tramp Steamer

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
NitPicker said:
I think the reality is that most people that play pool are no more interested in working to grow the game than non players are interested in working to learn it. If WE build it, it will come. But it won't happen without at least a grass roots type of start because that's the only thing that can be nurtured and sustained. You can throw all the money and infrastructure you want, but if you don't nurture seeds and roots, your field of crops will never grow.
Click to expand...

This post is another way of saying that if you don't take the, smart phones, x boxes, and Game boys, out of the hands of today's kids (and insert a cue stick in them), then there aren't going to be any pool players for tomorrow. Or, at least, damn few of them. :)
 
Kid Dynomite

Kid Dynomite

Dennis (Michael) Wilson
Silver Member
NitPicker said:
I think the reality is that most people that play pool are no more interested in working to grow the game than non players are interested in working to learn it. If WE build it, it will come. But it won't happen without at least a grass roots type of start because that's the only thing that can be nurtured and sustained. You can throw all the money and infrastructure you want, but if you don't nurture seeds and roots, your field of crops will never grow.
Click to expand...

Also, the sport has to compete with other charitable endowments. Such as, cancer research, disaster relief & etc. Pool endowments fall pretty low on the endowment list I am sorry to say! People are more likely to build a wing on a hospital then leave a little to pool. I hope that changes and people have a way to give back to the sport.

More troubling is the people in the "Business" of making a living in the pool industry, refuse to invest in the industry and help "Grow" it. They just sit around and leach off the glory days and hope for another "Color of Money"

KD
 
jasonlaus

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
Probably more people playing now than ever, nobody cares about pro pool!
What good would having a tour that nobody is interested in? Face it it's all league play
 
3

3RAILKICK

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Johnnyt said:
The U.S.A doesn't have any/many?, holding a weight class crown either. Americans just don't want to put in the work. Only the boxers and guys from other sports will put in the work it takes, including pool. One must stay hungry to know how to survive. You don't see many champions from old money. I believe Manny has put on a few tournaments at Hardtimes. Johnnyt
Click to expand...



Think there was one.

In name only. Apparently not the funding.

Mini player revolt mid tournament.

Room owner had to salvage.

...at least that's my recollection of the stream and comments from the 'striking' players.

...was entertaining though.
 
Bella Don't Cry

Bella Don't Cry

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The celebrity names mentioned could all bankroll pool. to anyone who can answer the million dollar question.
WHY?
Answer that correctly and you'll have a tour and then some :thumbup:
 
P

parvus1202

Suspected hacked account
Silver Member
I thnik even Manny is pouring money into the game, he is also receiving help from his major sponsors. He is famous, big sponsors want to be connected with him. In the end he might even earn more money.
 
N

NitPicker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bella Don't Cry said:
The celebrity names mentioned could all bankroll pool. to anyone who can answer the million dollar question.
WHY?
Answer that correctly and you'll have a tour and then some :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Cause pool has its hand out, that's why! Isn't that enough? Gimme, gimme, gimme...:shakehead:
 
9andout

9andout

Gunnin' for a 3 pack!!
Silver Member
Tramp Steamer said:
This post is another way of saying that if you don't take the, smart phones, x boxes, and Game boys, out of the hands of today's kids (and insert a cue stick in them), then there aren't going to be any pool players for tomorrow. Or, at least, damn few of them. :)
Click to expand...
Some hope...... I have a young nephew who plays pool on his phone.
Waiting for his Dad to get the damn table set up already!!
I got him his first cue for x mas ...He's psyched!
 
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