All this talk about pool, leads me to one question, Who Cares & Why

[rayjay]

Good thread, makes me question myself a little. I care, but it's mostly all for selfish reasons. I want pool rooms and the game of pool to thrive because I personally love the game and its constant challenges. I see the game as a never ending challenge to me to improve. Like you said earlier, I'm playing the best pool of my life at age 65 and see no end to the up curve until physical limitations kick in. I've had 7 major surgeries in the last 3 years, including a spinal fusion, and my game continues to improve. Amazing. It gives me a lot of satisfaction which spreads to many other areas of my life, and I like that.
:grin:

 

[Scaramouche]

double posted

 

[Hud]

My reasons for caring are simple. Jealously, ego, and nostalgia. Like you said action is gone, and it's staying gone. The public spotlight is in my mind the only way that pool players can get respect now. It won't be like the respect we hold for the legendary road warriors of the past but at least it will exist to some extent.

When I go play pool and some non player friends want to come just to shoot I want them to know that that shot I just made was fanfrickintastic and took skill. I also want them to know it took work and a little bit of talent to make the cue ball bow to my will and go where it was told. I say this as a mediocre player of course but I'm still better than they are and I want them to know it. That's the petty ego part.

If i went out and played golf with them and did really well they would be impressed, well why not in pool?! That is the jealously. I would just like to be able to talk to more people about the game and have them actually follow and be able to contribute to the conversation with at least a basic understanding of it.

I was introduced to pool when the road warrior hustling days were ending. When those damn cell phones began to impact the lively hood of my past heroes. I'll never forget the three years I spent just watching a one eyed fat man do battle with several other wonderful straight out of story book characters in Kentucky. Those days are gone and even some of the players have left us. So there is the nostalgia.

If pool thrives and people know it is an art and takes real work and real talent, if it gets a national following then I'll constantly be reminded of those days when I really saw amazing pool that mattered on a nightly basis.

 

[liakos]

I just play for the love of the game!! I don't think ill ever play really good but I don't really care about that! I just play for me and when I feel like testing myself, I go find a few games!!! As far as the industry itself? I don't know, I think its completely unorganized! I think the players have a lot to do with it!!!! Most of them ***** and whine about everything! What are you gonna do?!?! Our local hero is a complete dousch so that makes me not care about certain things outside of my game!!! In the end, I think we are all intrigued about this game, and therefore we show interest in other aspects of the game other than we ourselves playing!!! Anyway, just my 2cents!!!! Very interesting thread by the way Fatboy!!! I wonder if I will ever be a silver member???

 

[Fatboy]

Good thread, makes me question myself a little. I care, but it's mostly all for selfish reasons. I want pool rooms and the game of pool to thrive because I personally love the game and its constant challenges. I see the game as a never ending challenge to me to improve. Like you said earlier, I'm playing the best pool of my life at age 65 and see no end to the up curve until physical limitations kick in. I've had 7 major surgeries in the last 3 years, including a spinal fusion, and my game continues to improve. Amazing. It gives me a lot of satisfaction which spreads to many other areas of my life, and I like that.
:grin:

i had 5 from 06-09 and never been right since, yet somehow i overcome it and when i'm in stroke i play head and shoulders better than i did 3 years ago or 13 years ago.

thats why i made this thread, i was questioning myself some and loking around the pool room tonight, there was 3 guys playing together(league guys-its different in germany) in the pool room tonight that could play, if i was in stroke i beat them all(close tho), they are serious players, i looked at all the bangers and they could have been bowling downstairs or playing darts(off to the side). Then i come to AZB and see 1000's of views/posts sweating a biz thats not really anyones biz here & then the Glen thread, wow $500-$1000 and the guy is "HighRoller" something who is knocking-really, again not our biz. and yet if gets all this action. What the hell has happened to pool? look at the people posting in it, including me? WTF? is going on?

wrong direction IMO

 

[Scaramouche]

The primary reason I'm concerned about the future popularity of pool is to make sure I have somewhere to play (no room for a pool table in the house).

I'd like to see pool become popular enough that an owner could operate a quality room.

I belong to a bike club and a yacht club.
Both attract support from business

Many people with similar interests come together to establish clubs for everything from model railways to polo.

There seem to be lots of tables being sold, presumably most of them are toys for boys, not serious players.

When you see what individual posters have done to create their own rooms, most readers drool.

Pool lacks what golf has, member operated clubs, the quality depends on the members, from Augusta on down

Why don't pool players unite to create local clubs rather than relying on professional operators of halls and leagues?

Wouldn't it be enjoyable, and a method of raising the status of pool and quality of play, if you could join a member operated club with attractive surroundings, coaching, quality equipment, competitive ladders, and competition between clubs over silverware?

So long as the cry of disorganized pool players is:
Somebody, Anybody, Money Me
they are going to remain ignored and frustrated.
IMO

 

[liakos]

Scaramouche, totally agree with you! But, look at the pool players!!! You think any of them make any type of real money??? But I really do like your view of it!!! There is just not enough people to put clubs together!!!

 

[Fatboy]

Scaramouche, totally agree with you! But, look at the pool players!!! You think any of them make any type of real money??? But I really do like your view of it!!! There is just not enough people to put clubs together!!!

when i get back in the chips again(and i will i always do) the answers on this thread may influence what direction i'd go. If league pool created something other than bangers on shit equipment(i know there are exceptions) then perhaps a new sort of league that brought in amatures that would lead to clubs might be good.

problem i see in competing with the internet.

 

[Cameron Smith]

The reason why we should care is, more interest means more demand, more demand means more pool rooms, more pool rooms means more competition amongst businesses, more competition means better pool rooms and better rates, better rooms and better rates are more likely to entice even more people to play. I believe most people are likely to return if they enjoyed spending time in a particular pool room, which may all you need to create a new pool fanatic. Or at least something like that, but regardless more demand for the product can only be good for those who play. We don't really need 10,000,000 more people to just start playing, we need them playing in earnest. Increase the percentage of players playing it as a competitive activity rather than a social activity. It wasn't too long ago the statistics showed we had those 10,000,000. But I believe most of them were casual 1-5 times a year players, so we need more people to enter that 25+ times a year category.

With that kind of influx in players we would certainly see more tournaments, and I can't imagine you wouldn't find more action. Maybe not easy action, or suckers, but certainly if we were able to increase the proportion of serious competitive players, statistically speaking, there should be more people willing to gamble. The concept is so heavily ingrained in pool subculture, there will always be a percentage of people who will embrace it.

 

[Tom In Cincy]

the internet, not people. business goes where business is, and thats online. there are more people on AZB at any given time than in any one pool room anywhere(almost) think about it.

Eric,

I once thought that there were very few pool players (amateur or professional) that were computer literate, let alone able to navigate the internet to find a pool related discussion forum.

Things do change, I would hate to think that I had to depend on the internet pool forums to run a successful business.

But, then again, it happens. Go Wonder...

 

[Fatboy]

Eric,

I once thought that there were very few pool players (amateur or professional) that were computer literate, let alone able to navigate the internet to find a pool related discussion forum.

Things do change, I would hate to think that I had to depend on the internet pool forums to run a successful business.

But, then again, it happens. Go Wonder...

I'm sure you know is was I in the credit biz for 12 years, we did everything with the post office and paper. old school. I used the internet, so did my programmers and a few of my executive staff, however NONE of the other 750-950 employees did. My employees were profiled when hired to match my customer base(my idea) my average customer was 26 years old and not to bright, so that's what i hired. So when the customers spoke to the employees it was a level playing field.

then in 06? i noticed some of my employees using MySpace and learning the internet. by 2008 that whole demographic(customers and employees) was online, and my biz wasnt economically viable anymore. it couldnt transition over to the web because it couldnt provide instant gratification. so we shut down, blew $2,000,000 trying to get a version of it to work online, i have 0 to show for that effort, except more tax rite-off's i dont need.


What i have noticed is different demographics of people get online based on their profile kinda at the same time, in pool people have been trickling in at a more less even level-thats a exception to what else i have seen. The watch and car forums-the expensive stuff those forums were booming in 97, that demographic of people got online first-why i don't know. price of computers? ISP prices, now you got kids that cant remember life with out computers so they are a lock to be online.

its a tricky thing, i dont have .0000153% of the answers, but thats what i have seen.

 

[golubushka]

----------

 

[pooler]

Heads up

[...]And as wondering HOW DO I BENEFIT? [...] What's in it for me? NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. ???
[...] But other than a hand full of people NONE OF us benefit at all ???
[...] So why the big push, i'm really getting bored with it... [...]
EDIT: thats why i made this thread, its a legit question, i'm trying to see why people are interested in pool beyond themselves.

The reason why we should care is [...] We don't really need 10,000,000 more people to just start playing, we need them playing in earnest. [...]

Gentlemen,

not everything is lost just yet... ; there is still future for all of us :smile:
I guess the key word is: SATISFACTION

See it for Yourselves:
(please note: these kids are just some of the best, there are many, many more)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560998943940536.1073741837.221166347923799&type=1
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.561429353897495.1073741838.221166347923799&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.560992240607873.1073741836.221166347923799&type=1

 

[Scaramouche]

Scaramouche, totally agree with you! But, look at the pool players!!! You think any of them make any type of real money??? But I really do like your view of it!!! There is just not enough people to put clubs together!!!

These purportedly poverty stricken pool players collect cues, order custom cues covered with bling that contributes nothing to play, carry them around in fancy cases, gamble, and pay thousands a year on table time, booze, food and travel.

Joining a club that runs on volunteer effort is far cheaper than using commercial facilities, be it parking a boat or playing on a tennis court.

If pool players are so poor, a volunteer run club would be the best use of their money (and their time, since they apparently don't command decent wages).

 

[lakeman77]

pool

nothing stands still, it's either dying or growing. we want things that help pool stay alive and grow. more rooms to play in, more people to play. pool prosperity is good for all of us.

 

[naji]

All the endless BS about IPT, Bonus Ball, More people playing, grow pool etc.


got me thinking, i was playing tonight. took a 15 minute break looked around the pool room which was kinda busy. And as wondering HOW DO I BENEFIT? if 10,000,000 people go out buy a cue and get real serious about pool. What's in it for me? NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.


It would help Shane, there might be a few more guys come along who are good or better than he is. Diamond would sell more tables, great for Greg and Mark, Jay mite sell a few more books, CJ a few lessons. But other than a hand full of people NONE OF us benefit at all, sure I play better than most of them would for a few years, but its not going to put me in the big leagues because there would be new talent that would pass me up in 2,3,4,5 years. There will NEVER BE ACTION AGAIN, cel phones with cameras and the internet destroyed that. More Tournys, I dont play in them and if I did, how much would that matter. As far as the Pro's sure 100 people out of the 10,000,000 new people would be making a living, yay for them, always like to see people do well, but 100 people dont really effct me.

So why the big push, i'm really getting board with it...


Of course i want to see my friends who do make $$$ in pool do well, but at the end of the day its their job, i have my job. my nose in their biz aint what its all about


jus sayin'


EDIT: thats why i made this thread, its a legit question, i'm trying to see why people are interested in pool beyond themselves.

Simply put, more people play more prize money for tournaments, just like snooker, it is live on TV, arena reserved years ahead, and lots of gambling, excitement when the bar rises. COMMON POOL GET THERE!!!

 

[lfigueroa]

All the endless BS about IPT, Bonus Ball, More people playing, grow pool etc.


got me thinking, i was playing tonight. took a 15 minute break looked around the pool room which was kinda busy. And as wondering HOW DO I BENEFIT? if 10,000,000 people go out buy a cue and get real serious about pool. What's in it for me? NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.


It would help Shane, there might be a few more guys come along who are good or better than he is. Diamond would sell more tables, great for Greg and Mark, Jay mite sell a few more books, CJ a few lessons. But other than a hand full of people NONE OF us benefit at all, sure I play better than most of them would for a few years, but its not going to put me in the big leagues because there would be new talent that would pass me up in 2,3,4,5 years. There will NEVER BE ACTION AGAIN, cel phones with cameras and the internet destroyed that. More Tournys, I dont play in them and if I did, how much would that matter. As far as the Pro's sure 100 people out of the 10,000,000 new people would be making a living, yay for them, always like to see people do well, but 100 people dont really effct me.

So why the big push, i'm really getting board with it...


Of course i want to see my friends who do make $$$ in pool do well, but at the end of the day its their job, i have my job. my nose in their biz aint what its all about


jus sayin'


EDIT: thats why i made this thread, its a legit question, i'm trying to see why people are interested in pool beyond themselves.

You want the big push to succeed for the same reasons you wanted "The Hustler" to succeed in the 60's. You want pool to become big time, main stream, and cool. And while the benefits of a pool resurgence for the average pool player are not entirely knowable, chances are that there would be more and nicer pool rooms opening than closing, more local events, more national events, more pool on TV. So it might be a mixed bag but chances are something that would make pool more enjoyable for you personally would happen. Maybe it would just be that you wouldn't have to be embarrassed when you told your friends and neighbors that you were a pool player.

Lou Figueroa

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Fat man you ask some tuff questions!!!

Reason 1)
Some of my life long friends are pro players and I care what happens to them!

Reason 2)
I have devoted years of my life to achieving pool excellence and would like there to be a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow! We all might not make it to the pot of gold, but it would be nice if it was actually there!!!

Reason 3)
Pool gets my heart pumping and my competitive juices flowing. Having that do or die pressure on you for all the cheese is just something you can't recreate! At least not to my knowledge of other sports and I have played them all! At least I think! I can go to my local pool room and recreate that Gladiator spirit on the table and like the king would say "Off with their heads". Team sports does not put the pressure to win TOTALLY on your shoulders, it spreads it across the WHOLE team. It is an indoor sport and unlike golf it is not dependent on good weather! Plus, the cost to participate is pretty minimal when compared to golf! When I am pissed off or had a bad day you are certain to find me in the pool room opening up a "CAN OF WHOOP A$$" on the table, its better then me going postal or taking that aggression out on the misses like Chris Brown or some other high profile spousal abuse case.

So, that is why I care! I am interested in reading why others care?

KD

 

[CJ Wiley]

What's in it for me to see the Game do well? Are you kidding?

All the endless BS about IPT, Bonus Ball, More people playing, grow pool etc.


got me thinking, i was playing tonight. took a 15 minute break looked around the pool room which was kinda busy. And as wondering HOW DO I BENEFIT? if 10,000,000 people go out buy a cue and get real serious about pool. What's in it for me? NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.


It would help Shane, there might be a few more guys come along who are good or better than he is. Diamond would sell more tables, great for Greg and Mark, Jay mite sell a few more books, CJ a few lessons. But other than a hand full of people NONE OF us benefit at all, sure I play better than most of them would for a few years, but its not going to put me in the big leagues because there would be new talent that would pass me up in 2,3,4,5 years. There will NEVER BE ACTION AGAIN, cel phones with cameras and the internet destroyed that. More Tournys, I dont play in them and if I did, how much would that matter. As far as the Pro's sure 100 people out of the 10,000,000 new people would be making a living, yay for them, always like to see people do well, but 100 people dont really effct me.

So why the big push, i'm really getting board with it...


Of course i want to see my friends who do make $$$ in pool do well, but at the end of the day its their job, i have my job. my nose in their biz aint what its all about


jus sayin'


EDIT: thats why i made this thread, its a legit question, i'm trying to see why people are interested in pool beyond themselves.

I come from a town of 629 People with no stop lights with an economy based on farming, Banquet Foods and a Hog Processing Plant in a neighboring town. I'm really glad to grow up in a small town and wouldn't have traded it for anything looking back.

However..... when I needed to be entertained the Game of pool was there for me.

When I needed money as a kid, the Game let me win it fair and square.

When I wanted to get out of that small town and see the world, the Game paved the way.

When I wanted a business the Game provided one, then another, then another.

When I needed to meet new people and socialize, the Game introduced me and continues to on AZ, Face Book, Billiard Clubs, and all over the world.

When I desired a girlfriend....yes the Game hooked me up....many times over

The Game also made me Mosconi Cup Captain and introduced me to you Eric.

What's in it for me to see the Game do well? Are you kidding?

I owe the Game my LifeStyle, I'm grateful to have a chance to pay it back by giving some of my time, money and knowledge to help out.

I"m still a "student," 'The Game is the Teacher'

 

[Maniac]

I really feel for you posters that do not have a table at home. Many of you claim that you do not have room to have one, but I bet, at least for some of you, that you DO have room, you just do not want to utilize the space for the table. Let me give you hope (if you can make the sacrifice OR get your significant other to agree to it):

I live in a boxy little three bedroom, one and three-quarter bath, two car garage, 1,500 square foot home. It's just my wife and I (well, right this moment my 28 year-old son is staying with us for a "while"). My wife, being the best wife ever, gave me permission to turn our 18' x 14' living room into my "Man-Cave". Got the 8-foot Brunswick. Got the 4 spectator chairs. Got all my wall-hangings, etc. The room is a true "Man-Cave". What we did was turn one of our spare bedrooms into an office/television-watching room. Got a 42-inch flat screen hanging on the wall (also doubles as the computer monitor). Got two Lay-Z-Boy recliners on the back wall. It's all we need for no more television than we watch. Now, you see, the pool room is where everything happens at my house. I spend far more time shooting pool than I do watching television. When company comes over, we visit over a couple/few games of 9-ball. Best renovation I've ever made to one of my homes, EVER!!! And....all with my lovely wife's blessings.

So, it may not be that you don't have room, it's just that you won't take the necessary steps/sacrifices to have the room.

That gets me to Fatboy's OP. At this point in my life (and yes, I'm being a bit selfish here :sorry, I don't really care if another pool table exists in the whole planet Earth. I've got mine. Got plenty of cues and an extra set of balls that will last me the rest of my pool shooting days. About to get my table re-clothed (original cloth has 6 years use on it). I should be good for life. I like to go to pool halls, but it's not something I HAVE to do. Got everything I need right here at home. So pool does not have to give me anything but the simple pleasure of playing the wonderful game in the comfort of my own, quaint, little home.

BTW, in the past 6 years, I can assure you that my table has already paid for itself.

Maniac