Alex being Alex

[bstroud]

BS (hey, great initials to use for your post),
Isn't that YOUR opinion...hmmmm...

Worst post in AZB history...I think...errr, wait...that's my opinion...my head is beginning to hurt...someone direct me to the proper forum where no one expresses opinions....www.absolutequiet.com

P.S. - I think this forum EXISTS for the sharing of information AND opinions; even those that you may not happen to agree with.
P.P.S. - I support your right to your opinion that I shouldn't have an opinion. JMO.

JMO,

I was going to let this pass but I think it deserves an answer.

Where in the Constitution does it say that you are entitled to have an opinion about anyone else.

You don't walk in Alex's shoes. You don't know what inner demons he deals with every day. You have no idea what goes on in his mind.

America has become a Nation of Fans. People that can not possibly duplicate the feats of their so called Heroes and yet are the first to tear them down.

Give this guy a break. We all makes mistakes at times. Where is the empathy?
Who among you is without fault?

We all live in glass houses and make mistakes but it is we ourselves that have to live with the consequences of our actions. Alex may live to regret what he did or he may not. It is simply not your right to judge.

Bill Stroud

 

[Celtic]

The problem here is that it was handled poorly. The match should have been stopped after 10 minutes.

No I agree with Jcin, if pool wants to act like an actual sport akin to golf, tennis, and any other sport the tournament directors should never have even let the match go off. Alex should have been forced to forfeit. There is not way in hell a golfer would EVER get onto the first tee like that, there is no way a tennis player would EVER get on the court like that. Hell I doubt if you were completely blitzed you could sit down at a table in the WPT fort hat matter, and they let you get away with heaps.

Letting Alex start and then ending the match after 10 minutes would be dumb, if you know there is an issue don't bother even letting the match go off at all. It will set a very strong precident for future players to think about.

 

[kvinbrwr]

JMO,

I was going to let this pass but I think it deserves an answer.

Where in the Constitution does it say that you are entitled to have an opinion about anyone else.

You don't walk in Alex's shoes. You don't know what inner demons he deals with every day. You have no idea what goes on in his mind.

America has become a Nation of Fans. People that can not possibly duplicate the feats of their so called Heroes and yet are the first to tear them down.

Give this guy a break. We all makes mistakes at times. Where is the empathy?
Who among you is without fault?

We all live in glass houses and make mistakes but it is we ourselves that have to live with the consequences of our actions. Alex may live to regret what he did or he may not. It is simply not your right to judge.

Bill Stroud

Bill

Nice post.

Myself, I wasn't too impressed by Alex's actions last night, but for all his fun-loving appearance, he has never seemed like that happy a fella to me.

We tend to judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their actions.

Thanks for the perspective, I appreciate it.

Kevin

 

[cleary]

C-man,
I hope that you will apologize for your mistake if and when you make one; rather than rely on someone to "stand up for you."

"Sober and respectful" are not good descriptors of Alex's behavior as witnessed. "Gentleman" is not a good description of his behavior as televised.

But it is good to know that he is capable of good behavior; no medals from most of us for behaving nicely before drinking. "Gentlemen" behave well at all times; not just among friends; not just while sober. "Gentlemen" do not talk while their opponents shoot. JMO. I admire you sticking up for a friend; I hope we won't be discussing such behavior in the future.

My point is, one mistake shouldn't sum up a persons character. Alex had been around for a minute and people have always found him to be entertaing... Then he gets drunk an hour before everyone else and it's all down the tube.

I'm sure Alex has said he was sorry to a lot of people today. And I'm sure he's sorry to himself as well.

I just don't really know many pool players that havnt done something in a weak moment that you could label unprofessional and not a gentalmen. That list, I'm sure you could count on one hand. And while I don't know you or anything about you, I know you are not perfect like the rest of us.

 

[krelldog]

We are all free to express our opinions. Alex certainly has been a fan favorite for a long time, but trying to defend or ignore or even justify his behaviour during his match with Daz is ridiculous. Pool needs another black eye like a hole in the head. Thankfully only pool junkies saw this debacle. I agree with an earlier post regarding how Earl would be nailed to a friggin cross if he ever pulled this stunt.

Unfortunately Alex pretty much insulted and disrespected multiple peoples/entities. He made a mockery of the 14.1 championship. The 14.1 crowd is already feeling like a minority....only to have their moment in the sun turned into a Saturday Night Live skit.

Pro pool players globally should feel slighted that one of their own totally disrespected their sport...when they all should be working together to promote the sport in a positive light in any way they can. Go figure about 5 guys in the world can actually make a living at it.

Lastly...what an insult to the people in front and behind the scenes that make the Derby happen every year.

If it were possible and Pool actually policed itself.....Alex would be suspended for at least 6 months to a year. This would certainly send a message that this nonsense won't be tolerated.

Keep in mind this is the same guy who left pool to pursue cockfighting....he's a real genius.

 

[mlalum]

Alex screwed up. Just bar him from the event and move on. Whoever was in charge of making the final call should of listened to Bill and not allowed Alex to play. Whose fault is it that the whole thing became a spectacle? Alex showing up popped or the people who knew he was popped and decided to put him under the lights and on camera and make the spectacle as widely seen as possible ?

Alex deserves his share of heat but he isn't the only one. In "big time" sports the producers would of seen his condition and before you know it an announcement made that "due to last minute issue Alex has withdrawn from the finals"

But then no one would get to laugh and judge someone on the internets. And what fun would that be?

Some of the holier than thou comments in these threads about sullying the sanctity of the game really crack me up though.

Well someone has to do something JCIN to help the sport. You gave us 3 hours of a drunk, profane, an ugly-as-yoy-can-get-for-pool Scott Frost on the Tar broadcast last week and nobody with your group did anythinhg about that either.

 

[Williebetmore]

My point is, one mistake shouldn't sum up a persons character. Alex had been around for a minute and people have always found him to be entertaing... Then he gets drunk an hour before everyone else and it's all down the tube.

I'm sure Alex has said he was sorry to a lot of people today. And I'm sure he's sorry to himself as well.

I just don't really know many pool players that havnt done something in a weak moment that you could label unprofessional and not a gentalmen. That list, I'm sure you could count on one hand. And while I don't know you or anything about you, I know you are not perfect like the rest of us.

C,
I guess I lied about being out of the thread (see, I'm NOT perfect as you suspected); your post made me want to reply (unexpected).

Good post, well stated, very reasonable; I'm with you. Now I'm out.

 

[mlalum]

P.S. - My last word on the subject. The gentlemen who contributed the cash, dedicated the time, and ran the event were the ones who were "pissed on" (and THEY ARE gentlemen). It could have been a great event...maybe next year...if there is one thanks to AP.

Maybe some of you do not care for 14.1; but there were plenty who would have taken his place if he didn't care. I care deeply, and I will miss this event if it can't continue. Out.

This is absolutely correct and you folks fail to understand the repeated joke of pool you make of it with every instance you think is fine. Who cares if it's ok with you. You screw the people that tried to do a good thing and stand up for some pool. You never get it. Why isn't pool moving forward because you keep shooting holes in the tires with your enabling attitude and pool room moralities. Some people are trying to move it forward. Give them a hand every once in awhile just to see what's it like.

 

[dorabelle]

I cant believe I missed it. Anyone have it on video? Why didnt Daz say anything to a ref?

 

[jalapus logan]

As I stated above that is apples and oranges. Pro golfers and pro tennis players are members of player organizations. They sign contracts that not only require them to follow certain codes of conduct but ALSO act to protect those players and their investments into the sport. Alex and the rest of the professional pool players have NOTHING like that, they are not members of any professional organization that states a specific code of conduct and the tournaments they play in and in turn they lack the protection of fair play and the guarenteed purses that the professional golf and tennis players enjoy.

You want pool players treated like golfers and tennis players? Great, the pool players want that too. Get an actual tour, guarentee the rights of the players, put in a code of conduct to play on the official professional tour, the players will sign happily. Until then you are asking the players to be held at the same standards of other sports, yet those other sports treat their own professionals WAY better then this sport EVER has.

This post is succinct and says it all. Until this "sport" has any kind of cohesive professional tour, then there will be no "professionals".

 

[cleary]

Well someone has to do something JCIN to help the sport. You gave us 3 hours of a drunk, profane, an ugly-as-yoy-can-get-for-pool Scott Frost on the Tar broadcast last week and nobody with your group did anythinhg about that either.

Mlalum, if JCIN were not deathly ill in his room that night or the proper people were there, Frost would have been "handled" as he has in the past.

 

[Nick B]

Really. Exhibit #1

John Daly. Played in the GVO (Greater Vancouver Open). Was shaking like a leaf and then seen throwing up later in the round. Got the shakes because he needed fix then loaded up on booze and threw up. Allowed to finish. Peoples problems are not isolated to pool. All orgs make mistakes as well.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1013972/index.htm

Nick

No I agree with Jcin, if pool wants to act like an actual sport akin to golf, tennis, and any other sport the tournament directors should never have even let the match go off. Alex should have been forced to forfeit. There is not way in hell a golfer would EVER get onto the first tee like that, there is no way a tennis player would EVER get on the court like that. Hell I doubt if you were completely blitzed you could sit down at a table in the WPT fort hat matter, and they let you get away with heaps.

Letting Alex start and then ending the match after 10 minutes would be dumb, if you know there is an issue don't bother even letting the match go off at all. It will set a very strong precident for future players to think about.

 

[cleary]

This is absolutely correct and you folks fail to understand the repeated joke of pool you make of it with every instance you think is fine. Who cares if it's ok with you. You screw the people that tried to do a good thing and stand up for some pool. You never get it. Why isn't pool moving forward because you keep shooting holes in the tires with your enabling attitude and pool room moralities. Some people are trying to move it forward. Give them a hand every once in awhile just to see what's it like.

Oooooooooohhhhh so THAT is why people arnt pumping millions into pool. Remember that guy in the 1920's/30's who showed up at baseball games drunk and clowning around. He played ok but really hurt the sport of baseball and really held it back. Nobody wanted to see him... I think his name was Ruth... George Ruth, yea that's it. He went by "Babe". Dude ruined baseball.

I'm not in the slightest bit covering up what Alex did or saying it's ok, I'm saying people make mistakes and to get over it. If you had $14 to your name and missed out on a well deserved $17k by .0000002 points, you may grab a cocktail too.

 

[mlalum]

Oooooooooohhhhh so THAT is why people arnt pumping millions into pool. Remember that guy in the 1920's/30's who showed up at baseball games drunk and clowning around. He played ok but really hurt the sport of baseball and really held it back. Nobody wanted to see him... I think his name was Ruth... George Ruth, yea that's it. He went by "Babe". Dude ruined baseball.

I'm not in the slightest bit covering up what Alex did or saying it's ok, I'm saying people make mistakes and to get over it. If you had $14 to your name and missed out on a well deserved $17k by .0000002 points, you may grab a cocktail too.

Cleary are you on the goose again. You smarter than this.

 

[jalapus logan]

C-man,
I hope that you will apologize for your mistake if and when you make one; rather than rely on someone to "stand up for you."

"Sober and respectful" are not good descriptors of Alex's behavior as witnessed. "Gentleman" is not a good description of his behavior as televised.

But it is good to know that he is capable of good behavior; no medals from most of us for behaving nicely before drinking. "Gentlemen" behave well at all times; not just among friends; not just while sober. "Gentlemen" do not talk while their opponents shoot. JMO. I admire you sticking up for a friend; I hope we won't be discussing such behavior in the future.

Maybe qualifying an individual as a "gentleman" is ultimately irrelevant. Jim Morrison was arrested for lewd and lascivious conduct at a concert and he lives on in legend and lore. Maybe pool players are more "rock and roll" and and less "country club". Big deal. Does being couth or uncouth take away from one's ability to run balls or play at an exceptional level? No. Having a little "flavor" is a benefit in certain situations. Perhaps high profile pool is one of those.

 

[jbravo2984]

oooooooooohhhhh so that is why people arnt pumping millions into pool. Remember that guy in the 1920's/30's who showed up at baseball games drunk and clowning around. He played ok but really hurt the sport of baseball and really held it back. Nobody wanted to see him... I think his name was ruth... George ruth, yea that's it. He went by "babe". Dude ruined baseball.

I'm not in the slightest bit covering up what alex did or saying it's ok, i'm saying people make mistakes and to get over it. If you had $14 to your name and missed out on a well deserved $17k by .0000002 points, you may grab a cocktail too.

tap tap tap! btw, I don't think shane does as well in the 1 hole and 9 ball if he played in the banks tournament like alex did.
There something to be said for endurance and shane clearly won less matches in only 2 of the 3 disciplines that earn players points for the all-around. He was fresh going into the one pocket tourney and alex just wore himself out fighting through a field of over 380 players. All around should have gone to alex. Point system needs to be revised...

 

[JCIN]

Well someone has to do something JCIN to help the sport. You gave us 3 hours of a drunk, profane, an ugly-as-yoy-can-get-for-pool Scott Frost on the Tar broadcast last week and nobody with your group did anythinhg about that either.

I wouldn't know I was sick as a dog with a fever attempting to get some sleep. I heard Frost showed his ass and all I can say is that if I was there it wouldn't have happened.

Soon as I figure out a way to not catch a virus in order to police a stream I will certainly do it.

 

[ccshrimper]

This is hilarious. Alex plays in a bar 99% of the time to make a living and you guys want to slam him for having one drunken episode or having a drinking problem. Let's start having the majority of golf tournaments with a bar at every hole and see what kind of behavior they have or how many turn into alcoholics.

 

[greyghost]

What do you think would have happened if Alex pulled that on Earl instead of Daz?

he would have probably wigged out but he wouldn't have even tried to harm Alex if thats what your suggesting..........thats not his bag baby:wink:

 

[greyghost]

Rorschach's journel..................

JMO,

I was going to let this pass but I think it deserves an answer.

Where in the Constitution does it say that you are entitled to have an opinion about anyone else.

You don't walk in Alex's shoes. You don't know what inner demons he deals with every day. You have no idea what goes on in his mind.

America has become a Nation of Fans. People that can not possibly duplicate the feats of their so called Heroes and yet are the first to tear them down.

Give this guy a break. We all makes mistakes at times. Where is the empathy?
Who among you is without fault?

We all live in glass houses and make mistakes but it is we ourselves that have to live with the consequences of our actions. Alex may live to regret what he did or he may not. It is simply not your right to judge.

Bill Stroud

A fine post indeed and I strongly agree. Thats not condoning Alex's actions.....and we all definately have our deamons.

another mentioned about for all Alex's fun loving ways, he never seemed that happy.......and hell maybe the guys not.

Thats what some of us do.........get down..........get drunk and "usually" make everyone around us laugh......entertain everyone so you have something to do other than just be alone in a corner with your thoughts

Rorschach's Journel:

I heard a joke once, Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Says life is harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in a threatening world. Doctor says, "Treatment is simple. The great clown Pagliacci is in town tonight. Go see him. That should pick you up." Man bursts into tears. Says, "But doctor... I am Pagliacci." Good joke. Everybody laugh. Roll on snare drum. Curtains.

-Grey Ghost-