Speaking on behalf of us pool fans, many of us don't follow the NFL, MLB, NBA or the NHL We don't know anything about NASCAR. Instead, we have our favorite players (Earl, Shannon Daulton, Fong Pang Chao, Ortmann, Varner, Mathews, Hall, etc) that we keep up with. And since our great sport is not a mainline sport, the coverage is not up to what we wished we could have. So instead, we have to rely on the 3 monthly pool magazines, AZB or OnePocket.org and assorted tidbits from other pool fans for info on our champions. Thankfully, Accu-Stats has preserved some great history for us and future generations to enjoy and revel over. And T.A.R. is hot on their heels with another form of pool coverage. I'm thanful for and appreciate Pat, Justin and their staffs for what they do.
Despite this lack of coverage by mainstream media and only sparse coverage by our own media, the fan stays loyal and true to this sport. Why? Personally, I see just how this game can be played at the very highest levels. And watching guys like Strickland, Daulton, Varner, McCready, Hall, Mathews, Sigel, ect keep plugging away, year after year, with no real chance to make a regular income, let alone a lucrative one, is somehow a romantic notion. We have a handful of men like Johnny Archer, Kim Davenport, Jose Parica and the others already named who still stick with the sport, no matter what. When the tournament trail dries up, they still somehow manage to find other means of income still in this industry. That's too risky a venture for me, as I have a family to take care of. But many of our pro players also have families that they love as well. And they also have that drive to work. But...they choose to channel that drive for an income entirely in the sport they love. In many cases these guys really devote their life to the pursuit of an income in the sport they live for. I know I couldn't do that. I devote my energy into the field that brings my income in. YOU devote your time and energy into the jobs that bring in YOUR incomes. And THEY devote their energies into trying to make a living from pro pool.
I'm not jealous of my favorite pro player. I don't envy their life-style of having to travel and be away from their loved ones and never knowing if there'll be enough money to keep up their standard of living or not. But this one thing I do know...I deeply appreciate that they are out there, devoted to this sport! And no matter what, they keep plugging away. I get a lot of pleasure following their exploits. Apparently, I'm not alone. Many of us do. How nice it would be if they had the coverage that the other mainline sports enjoy. How nice it would be if they had rich payouts from weekly tournaments like the PGA has. Despite all the down side of being a pro player, the vast majority are super fan friendly and approachable. I've had great talks with Earl Strickland, who actually thanked me for being a fan!?! Grady Mathews spent 4 (four!) hours with me in a booth at dinner, talking about the rich history of our great sport. Billy Incardona wrote some very special remarks on photos for me. Shannon daulton has time between his matches to shoot the breeze and be just as down to earth as the guy next door. He's a super-elite player in 9 ball, banks, onepocket and 10 ball. One of the best ever. And he acts as if it's nothing special. I can't count how many times Freddy Bentivegna has exchanged emails or phone calls trading info on the great players. What I'm trying to say is this....try going up to Tiger Woods, Dale Earnhard, Mariano Rivera or Michael Irvin and having them spend time conversing with you. The one big plus that we pool fans have is that our pro players are very approachable and fan friendly. The primadona pampered gazillionairs of the mainline sports don't mingle with their fan base like our pros are willing to do with us. I appreciate that and what they really put into our sport...their life.
Despite this lack of coverage by mainstream media and only sparse coverage by our own media, the fan stays loyal and true to this sport. Why? Personally, I see just how this game can be played at the very highest levels. And watching guys like Strickland, Daulton, Varner, McCready, Hall, Mathews, Sigel, ect keep plugging away, year after year, with no real chance to make a regular income, let alone a lucrative one, is somehow a romantic notion. We have a handful of men like Johnny Archer, Kim Davenport, Jose Parica and the others already named who still stick with the sport, no matter what. When the tournament trail dries up, they still somehow manage to find other means of income still in this industry. That's too risky a venture for me, as I have a family to take care of. But many of our pro players also have families that they love as well. And they also have that drive to work. But...they choose to channel that drive for an income entirely in the sport they love. In many cases these guys really devote their life to the pursuit of an income in the sport they live for. I know I couldn't do that. I devote my energy into the field that brings my income in. YOU devote your time and energy into the jobs that bring in YOUR incomes. And THEY devote their energies into trying to make a living from pro pool.
I'm not jealous of my favorite pro player. I don't envy their life-style of having to travel and be away from their loved ones and never knowing if there'll be enough money to keep up their standard of living or not. But this one thing I do know...I deeply appreciate that they are out there, devoted to this sport! And no matter what, they keep plugging away. I get a lot of pleasure following their exploits. Apparently, I'm not alone. Many of us do. How nice it would be if they had the coverage that the other mainline sports enjoy. How nice it would be if they had rich payouts from weekly tournaments like the PGA has. Despite all the down side of being a pro player, the vast majority are super fan friendly and approachable. I've had great talks with Earl Strickland, who actually thanked me for being a fan!?! Grady Mathews spent 4 (four!) hours with me in a booth at dinner, talking about the rich history of our great sport. Billy Incardona wrote some very special remarks on photos for me. Shannon daulton has time between his matches to shoot the breeze and be just as down to earth as the guy next door. He's a super-elite player in 9 ball, banks, onepocket and 10 ball. One of the best ever. And he acts as if it's nothing special. I can't count how many times Freddy Bentivegna has exchanged emails or phone calls trading info on the great players. What I'm trying to say is this....try going up to Tiger Woods, Dale Earnhard, Mariano Rivera or Michael Irvin and having them spend time conversing with you. The one big plus that we pool fans have is that our pro players are very approachable and fan friendly. The primadona pampered gazillionairs of the mainline sports don't mingle with their fan base like our pros are willing to do with us. I appreciate that and what they really put into our sport...their life.
