8 Ball on TV
I would like to see 8 ball played on a pro level on television more so than 9 ball. I think the reason we don't see it played on TV is because it is easier for the non pool playing public to understand what's going on with 9 ball. Break nine balls open and then run them in rotation. Throw in a few lucky rolls occationally and it's over. Granted, running 9 balls in rotation isn't as easy as it sounds but it is still a very basic premise and it is easy for the average person to understand. 8 ball on the other hand, is, in my opinion, the most difficult game when played on a pro level. Setting up the table, dealing with clusters, strategy, etc. When played on a bar table, like league play, it can really get messy. Let's face it, when the public is watching pool, and the players are working on their third or fourth round of safties, the average person out there watching will yawn and turn off the television. Or worse, he'll change the channel to some football game which is nothing more than a bunch of block heads banging into each other for millions of dollars. When a very difficult shot is executed by a professional player, accompanied with perfect position, we, as pool players, can appreciate the incredible amount of skill in the individual that can do that consistently. This doesn't mean anything to the average TV watcher. They aren't aware of the thousands of hours of painstaking practice, study and just plain old hard work needed to be able to control those damn balls. Just my opinion of cource.
