Jay,
First off I've always admired you and have nothing but the utmost respect for you. Thanks for all you've done over the years for the game. And Renfro is right, the forum is much better when you're around.
I'm no writer so I'm not always clear. For that I apologize. I tried not to make that post too long and therefore it wasn't detailed enough. I left some stuff out that may have prevented confusion.
Nah, the money ain't really an issue at all. The issue is really a matter of WHO and HOW rather than HOW MUCH.
As I said in my first post I'd just as soon play for fun or teach newbies for table time or two bucks a game giving a huge spot or if they ain't got no money I'll do it for free. There's an old war horse who used to be a good player in our area. He can't even bend over the table any more and he's damn near blind but he still loves to play. He seems helpless to young hotshots but he still robs them. I could watch that for hours and often do. This old fart couldn't compete with me under any normal circumstances and I'll give him the world just to see if I can do it. We usually break even and I've never taken a dime from him. He's on a fixed income, got health problems and can't play for more than $2 a game but I'll do it and never think about it because he's priceless to me. For two a game I just let loose and fire at stuff I'd usually play safe with and he loves it. It reminds him of better days and frankly he'd pay me to watch me shoot. And I don't mind the occasional $10 I lose to him to entertain and hear his banter and stories and jokes. If I had to I would lose more. So money is NOT the issue.
These individuals I'm ranting about just have a certain WAY of doing things that's just gotten on my last nerve. They come in with a swagger that doesn't match their game. They challenge social players who don't even know how to make a bridge and shark them to death just to get them to play. But if someone who can make three balls in a row shows up they either run scared or start in on them for weight.
One of my examples was the guy robbing my C- friend. This kid hasn't been playing a year. But he will play me for money and I ain't the one asking. I'd play him for fun but he wants the pressure. He just wants to play for a little, just enough. Usually I give him the 6 out and the break in 10 ball, teach as we go and at the most he pays my tab. He's got character, heart, and some natural talent. He has the right, IMO, to ask for whatever he wants.
But the NIT who robbed him was just hustling someone that he knew didn't have a chance. When I showed up and started explaining it to my friend I told him to get a spot. He tried. The guy wouldn't even consider it. The guy just wanted to up the bet and rob him some more. But when I stepped up and said I'd play him for $20 (the same amount he was trying to get from my friend) he starts begging for the 7 and break. This guy didn't know me. His excuse was that if I'm willing to say $20 a game I must be too good for him but he was doing the same thing to a kid who can't play, no spot of any kind was even a consideration. He won't play me without the spot, no way!!! When I finally say ok, get out the quarter and say call it, he backs out and says he will call someone to play me. Frankly, calling someone for $20 seems ridiculous to me. Had I said a thousand I could understand but $20? Really?
I think the other example that confused was the whiner. A little history here might help. This guy has burned himself with almost every player in the area with similar antics. He's a good player. He is always a run out threat. He is capable of stringing racks. He's no weak player needing a ton of weight to make a fair game. He usually comes in our room extremely late. He's young, he can take the late night stuff. I usually want to go home by the time he comes around and always let someone else play him. But he burned everyone in some way and finally I play him. I grew up playing straight pool and when I'm tired I prefer eight ball. So the first time we played eight ball even and he lost the set by one stinking game yet started in on me about weight. He quits. I told him before we started that we could adjust after a couple sets but I don't even get the chance to offer him the break or games on the wire or anything for a second set because he just whines and leaves in a huff.
So this last encounter I had with him had that context. He barks for action, gets some weight, and then pulls even more crap. He wants to play long sets for $200. I'm tired and really just want to go home but since I believe in giving a guy a chance to get his previous losses back I still play. But I don't want to get into a long set with a guy who's very likely to take me hill-hill. So I say play by the game for basically the same amount overall. He comes back with $2 a game. I'm sorry but that's insulting. Finally he agrees to $10 a game. So that's what I meant by "enough to lose sleep and play".
Either way I did not mean to give the impression that it's the amount that I'm complaining about. If any of these guys or anyone else wants to play cheap that's fine. I just can't stand braying like a jackass and then proving you're are indeed one by your actions.
