I have a question. I've heard the "start with billiards" theory before, but I've never heard a good explanation of what exactly, specifically it's supposed to do for your 3C game. Generally a vague answer about 'learning control' or 'fundamentals'. One or two cushion I can see, just a scaled down version of the big game, but straight rail?
To me it seems like saying, "If you want to be a great one-pocket player, play nothing but straight pool for three years." The games are so different. The ideal position in straight rail is all three balls in a tight group, which is hardly a good 3C position. Ideally, in straight, you would just keep hitting the cueball a few inches into the two balls and not move them much. You only drive to a rail if you have to gather or regain control of the balls, but 3C is nothing but playing cushions. If you're playing straight right, most of the time you're moving the cueball no more than a few inches, whereas in 3C most of the time you're sending it 20+ feet around the table. To be a really good straight player, you need to master the nurses, which are absolutely useless in 3C.
In Europe they use different cues for straight rail, and I believe they use a less smooth cloth for it as well, because the two games are essentially different. The whole 'feel' of hitting a ball a inch and drawing it at the same time is so different than calculating and shooting a 6 rail around the table shot.
In Europe most billiards players start playing billiards, so maybe they learn straight because it's relatively easier to start with? Whereas in the US, I think most players come to the game via pool, so by that time they already know the fundamentals of draw, english, etc.
Maybe I'm missing something? Anybody know specifically what straight rail is supposed to impart to your 3C game? Blomdahl skipped the small games and it didn't hurt him any.