an honest review of the hustlers

[Leadcask]

Good Show

I enjoyed the both episodes very much. All antagonists no protagonist, yet. That's realism. The dialogue was sharp and pointed like most pool room banter is when putting together a match. While we all may understand whats being said, its a foreign language to most people. Glad they didn't dumb it down.

Clowery was awesome, nice to see he got a spot on the show.

Looking forward to seeing Simonetti get some face/play time.

Also looking forward to Shaw and Strickland making their appearances.

Just keep in mind this show wasn't meant for established pool players, it's an effort to promote the game and get people in the pool rooms.

Only thing I'm afraid of is that people going into the pool rooms may emulate this shows obnoxious behavior put on display. While it makes good TV, it doesn't translate well IRL. Like bullets flying around in action movies.

 

[Dead Money]

This show could draw more women to the game, more suckers to the game, more money into the game and so on, lets try and be positive about it for once...

NO WAY! This is pool, we take it as seriously as dick cancer! We can ONLY accept perfect pool being played on perfect equipment! LOL. Of course the hardcore pool peeps are going to see and get excited about the faults of the show the same way gear heads do over shows like Fast N' Loud, Street Outlaws and other car shows. BUT....the car hobby has gotten a ton of exposure from the shows and that is a great thing IMHO. Same can and hopefully will be said for pool if this show has a long run of success which I hope it will.

About the list: Just because those five are on it now, it doesn't mean that it is fixed for all time. There is potential for it to change over time with people moving up, down or off the list entirely. As the season and seasons(fingers crossed) progress there is potential for more folks to come into the show to challenge the list, move up the list etc. A good hook and plot point to build on if you ask me.

Over all I liked the show a lot even though like others I saw a few things that were "off" but so be it. All in all a great effort! Congrats to all the cast and crew for putting out a fun show to watch!

 

[one stroke]

Come on people, if the average person wanted to see the level of pool that the criticizers of this show think should be displayed we would be tuning into ESPN weekly to watch pros play tournaments. I think we all know how that worked out. A show like this will get the attention of a much broader range of viewer than pro tournament pool. A lot of people say APA is good for pool because it brings in the casual players. These casual players may very well think all of the characters on The Hustlers are pro level players. This show is certainly no worse to you arm chair pros than the movie that created the biggest influx for pool in the last 3 decades, The Color of Money. This can't be all bad for pool. This show is much better for pool than reading news of someone getting murdered outside of a pool room. Give them a break.

The color of money only added to what the APA had already started in a sky rocketing economy ,, where bar and grill pool places were sprouting up everywhere ,, unlike today where their all closing ,, it's simply a differant set of circumstances . a pool show or 10 has little chance of changing it much ,,

1

 

[Johnnyt]

NO WAY! This is pool, we take it as seriously as dick cancer! We can ONLY accept perfect pool being played on perfect equipment! LOL. Of course the hardcore pool peeps are going to see and get excited about the faults of the show the same way gear heads do over shows like Fast N' Loud, Street Outlaws and other car shows. BUT....the car hobby has gotten a ton of exposure from the shows and that is a great thing IMHO. Same can and hopefully will be said for pool if this show has a long run of success which I hope it will.

About the list: Just because those five are on it now, it doesn't mean that it is fixed for all time. There is potential for it to change over time with people moving up, down or off the list entirely. As the season and seasons(fingers crossed) progress there is potential for more folks to come into the show to challenge the list, move up the list etc. A good hook and plot point to build on if you ask me.

Over all I liked the show a lot even though like others I saw a few things that were "off" but so be it. All in all a great effort! Congrats to all the cast and crew for putting out a fun show to watch!

I like Fast n Loud and was doing what Richard is doing now...over 50 years ago with many type cars, putting huge motors in them, like 1940-1956 fords with Caddy, Olds, Buick motors in them. All Fast N Load is mostly parts changers. Arron the "Master Mechanic" has to call an outside mechanic almost every time he has car that won't start. If old hot rod motor swapers like me can block some things out, so can pool players. Also, Steinway's and "the list of five" can change every week or month. Johnnyt

 

[jay helfert]

What ever happened to the reality show that was about Scooter, and his gang.

I have no idea. I've seen several reality show ideas come and go in the last two years. It's nice to see one make it to the screen.

 

[jay helfert]

So this is the future of pool as you see it? Anything is better than nothing? Or, is it that you, like so much of the rest of society, find watching cute girls play pool, titillating?
I'm surprised that you, as a published author, could find anything meaningful in the story line. Again, it must be the girls.
Well have it your way. If nothing else it gives you and the others something to chat about until another one of the Kardashians gets a divorce.

Yes I like cute girls that can play and even some not so cute who play good as well. My favorite is Siming Chen. She's a fabulous player and not that attractive, but I love to watch her play anyway she's so damn good. I will have to disagree with you here. I think this show is good for pool, warts and all. I hope they have a second season and beyond.

 

[JOEY]

The "top five"

I enjoyed the show, but anyone who's been to Steinway knows that those are not the top "5" players there. I've only been there twice and can prob name 5 players that would rob the current 5 on the show. Let's start with Jorge Rodriguez...maybe not a personality for the show, but my money is on him for 1st on the list!

 

[Colonel]

Yes indeed. Cue Sports as an Olympic event. My vote would be for one of the games to be One Pocket, but viewers might find it a bit dull. Perhaps Nine, or 10-ball might be the more logical choices although 3-cushion could have some appeal. These could be done in both team, and individual events.

It will be a venue like this where Pool makes it's comeback, and not in some bullshit reality show where everything is staged and scripted, and cute girls with little talent are shown to be what today's pool scene is all about, and where reality has little or nothing to do with anything.

Come on sheeple, these games we all play mean more to us than this.

I disagree. There are several threads on here now about this show & they all seem to have 2 camps. The crotchety hardcore whining about how fake & ridiculous this all is & thereby a travesty. Then then the other camp which I side with that states this is exposure that will draw attention & new players to the game.

This show is meant to market the game to those who DON'T play now. We don't need to sell pool to the hardcore, we're already in it. We need something, anything, that draws new blood to the game. Once that new blood finds their way in they can sort out the pool world for them. I just want to see a cue in 10's of thousands of new players hands & see them bit by the bug driving a need for more halls & places to play.

You say you'd like to see 1 pocket, that's never going to sell to newbies that don't play, too complex, even boring as watching paint dry to the uneducated non player.

Yes as pool players, hardcore ones, we see some of the things in this show that don't add up, but it isn't for us, it's to draw in those that DON'T play, which is good for all of us who do.

Having said the above I'll give a perspective of why I think what they have here is good & will sell. They have included a variety of people who DO play & appeals to a wide group of people. That you can be older like Finnegan, that you can play as a female & compete with men like Jennifer, Smiley & Emily. That you can be someone like Ross that is a skater, etc, etc. it's subliminal statement is that it is a game EVERYONE CAN PLAY. That you can be young, old, female, male, black, white, fitness minded like Jennifer & her husband, a skater like Ross. That no matter who you are, your background, your other interests that pool can be a game for you, it sells mass appeal

. As far as choice of game goes I can remember sitting in my pops pool hall as a kid listening to him & his former road partners lamenting when 9 ball became the prevalent game signaling a death knell for straight pool, the game him and his friends loved & had been the discipline that champions of this game had been judged by prior to 9 ball. I remember telling him to get over it, that it wasn't what him & his former road partners loved but it would keep the game alive & it did. If you're trying to market to a new group of people you have to have something easy to understand
and fast paced to attract attention to it and straight pool & one pocket can't and won't do that.

I play a number of disciplines, banks, one pocket, straight pool & 9, 10 & 15 ball Rotation. I love them all but if you're going to draw a new group you better go for something that is simple, easy to understand & play & that's not one pocket. It's about appealing to new players, not to us.

As far as your comment on the females on the show, well Jennifer & Smiley play pretty good & Emily is up & coming & whether you like it or not appealing to women which is what it's about with them is a smart thing to do. Again, I like that the forethought to include a cast that is young, old, black, white, foreign born, male & female, I think it's slick subliminal marketing genius.

It's often commented on here that the vast majority of the membership here is a little long in the tooth with 1 foot in the grave & that's true but we all aren't. Some are young, some like me in the middle neither young nor old. While the choices & fare put forth on this show may not appeal to our older members here remember, this isn't meant to appeal to us, but to the non playing public attempting to draw them to play thereby securing a future for this game.

 

[Diamond69]

I enjoyed the show, but anyone who's been to Steinway knows that those are not the top "5" players there. I've only been there twice and can prob name 5 players that would rob the current 5 on the show. Let's start with Jorge Rodriguez...maybe not a personality for the show, but my money is on him for 1st on the list!

My guess is the top 5 was created based on who was willing to be on the show, which not all people are. And it may not be a true top 5 at the start of best to worst because there has to be some success in some of the challenges to move people around. I know I'd bet on Jennifer over the Irishman just based on 2 shows.

 

[GoldCrown]

Watched for around 1/2 hr., it never got better, to hokee, to scripted, to hohum. Turned it off. Maybe future shows will get better ?

Ditto this. Not for me but I hope it succeeds

 

[Cardigan Kid]

I disagree. There are several threads on here now about this show & they all seem to have 2 camps. The crotchety hardcore whining about how fake & ridiculous this all is & thereby a travesty. Then then the other camp which I side with that states this is exposure that will draw attention & new players to the game.

This show is meant to market the game to those who DON'T play now. We don't need to sell pool to the hardcore, we're already in it. We need something, anything, that draws new blood to the game. Once that new blood finds their way in they can sort out the pool world for them. I just want to see a cue in 10's of thousands of new players hands & see them bit by the bug driving a need for more halls & places to play.

You say you'd like to see 1 pocket, that's never going to sell to newbies that don't play, too complex, even boring as watching paint dry to the uneducated non player.

Yes as pool players, hardcore ones, we see some of the things in this show that don't add up, but it isn't for us, it's to draw in those that DON'T play, which is good for all of us who do.

Having said the above I'll give a perspective of why I think what they have here is good & will sell. They have included a variety of people who DO play & appeals to a wide group of people. That you can be older like Finnegan, that you can play as a female & compete with men like Jennifer, Smiley & Emily. That you can be someone like Ross that is a skater, etc, etc. it's subliminal statement is that it is a game EVERYONE CAN PLAY. That you can be young, old, female, male, black, white, fitness minded like Jennifer & her husband, a skater like Ross. That no matter who you are, your background, your other interests that pool can be a game for you, it sells mass appeal

. As far as choice of game goes I can remember sitting in my pops pool hall as a kid listening to him & his former road partners lamenting when 9 ball became the prevalent game signaling a death knell for straight pool, the game him and his friends loved & had been the discipline that champions of this game had been judged by prior to 9 ball. I remember telling him to get over it, that it wasn't what him & his former road partners loved but it would keep the game alive & it did. If you're trying to market to a new group of people you have to have something easy to understand
and fast paced to attract attention to it and straight pool & one pocket can't and won't do that.

I play a number of disciplines, banks, one pocket, straight pool & 9, 10 & 15 ball Rotation. I love them all but if you're going to draw a new group you better go for something that is simple, easy to understand & play & that's not one pocket. It's about appealing to new players, not to us.

As far as your comment on the females on the show, well Jennifer & Smiley play pretty good & Emily is up & coming & whether you like it or not appealing to women which is what it's about with them is a smart thing to do. Again, I like that the forethought to include a cast that is young, old, black, white, foreign born, male & female, I think it's slick subliminal marketing genius.

It's often commented on here that the vast majority of the membership here is a little long in the tooth with 1 foot in the grave & that's true but we all aren't. Some are young, some like me in the middle neither young nor old. While the choices & fare put forth on this show may not appeal to our older members here remember, this isn't meant to appeal to us, but to the non playing public attempting to draw them to play thereby securing a future for this game.

I couldn't green rep this because I have to spread it around, but if I could you'd get out for sure.
Well said and exactly on point.

This show provides a vehicle which the industry can reach more than we might even know existed. When you get to know the players, you become attached to them, take sides, etc. Just like the common public tune in to watch crab fishermen in Deadliest Catch, or loggers in Ax men-this is a step beyond because the public can actually go to a tournament to watch these characters, or go to a pool hall to try their hand at the game in the show.

Other reality series can't do that and don't have that appeal.

With some tweaks and development, there is a lot of potential here. Maybe do an end of season money count like the other big game reality shows I mentioned above. Branch out into tournament play and other venues. Other professionals visiting the area-euros, etc. The possibilities are endless and I am thoroughly in the camp behind this show.

Well said, colonel. Congratulations to the production company, they have a gem on their hands.

 

[Bambu]

I enjoyed the show, but anyone who's been to Steinway knows that those are not the top "5" players there. I've only been there twice and can prob name 5 players that would rob the current 5 on the show. Let's start with Jorge Rodriguez...maybe not a personality for the show, but my money is on him for 1st on the list!

If the list was real it'd be all pro, so even Jorge wouldn't make it. Its obvious the list isn't real, but somehow the game matchmaking seemed reasonable. Jennifer got 3 games on 9 from Mike Dechaine, Gary got 4 on 10. Jen is an open player and I think Gary is an A player. Still not enough weight but it did show that Mike was better than anybody on the list. I thought they did a great job in saying who was pro and who was amateur....they made it as real as they could.

It seems we are to believe that regardless of whose on the list, there are no other pro or open players in NYC. All good though, it doesnt have to be real, its TV. From a pool perspective, only good things can come from this.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I couldn't green rep this because I have to spread it around, but if I could you'd get out for sure.
Well said and exactly on point.
This show provides a vehicle which the industry can reach more than we might even know existed. When you get to know the players, you become attached to them, take sides, etc. Just like the common public tune in to watch crab fishermen in Deadliest Catch, or loggers in Ax men-this is a step beyond because the public can actually go to a tournament to watch these characters, or go to a pool hall to try their hand at the game in the show.
Other reality series can't do that and don't have that appeal.
With some tweaks and development, there is a lot of potential here. Maybe do an end of season money count like the other big game reality shows I mentioned above. Branch out into tournament play and other venues. Other professionals visiting the area-euros, etc. The possibilities are endless and I am thoroughly in the camp behind this show.
Well said, colonel. Congratulations to the production company, they have a gem on their hands.

If this reality show (how can a show be real with a hundred people on the back side of the camera?) is the vehicle that saves pool, let me off the bus.
Currently, there is another thread going down the first page of the main forum that is about a father congratulating his 16 year old son for winning his division in the Colorado State Jr. Eight-ball championships. It's had thirteen responses and is almost off the page.
So far there are five threads going regarding this TV show with almost a hundred responses. Does anyone not see the disparity?
You're backing the wrong horse, folks, and it will come back to haunt you.

 

[trinacria]

If this reality show (how can a show be real with a hundred people on the back side of the camera?) is the vehicle that saves pool, let me off the bus.
Currently, there is another thread going down the first page of the main forum that is about a father congratulating his 16 year old son for winning his division in the Colorado State Jr. Eight-ball championships. It's had thirteen responses and is almost off the page.
So far there are five threads going regarding this TV show with almost a hundred responses. Does anyone not see the disparity?
You're backing the wrong horse, folks, and it will come back to haunt you.

another member said he watched teh show with his son, when it was over the kid asked him if they could go play pool, first time he asked. usually his son is online or with an xbox. the kid who won the tourney is already in the game, maybe the guys son will now be in one too someday. see where the bus can go now??

 

[jimmyg]

A little throwback to The Hustler and The Color Of Money: These two movies sparked a tremendous amount of interest in pool not because they were merely about pool and shoved down the public's throats, but because they were major, professional, productions, complete with big budget star quality, well written scripts based upon quality novels, and well financed marketing and advertising.

Had either one of these movies been of a similar quality to the current "The Hustlers", they too would have accomplished exactly nothing to advance the game of pool. :sorry:

Without a quality product introducing pool to the public, a quality audience cannot be captured. That's just the way it is.

J

 

[Bambu]

another member said he watched teh show with his son, when it was over the kid asked him if they could go play pool, first time he asked. usually his son is online or with an xbox. the kid who won the tourney is already in the game, maybe the guys son will now be in one too someday. see where the bus can go now??

Good point, my 10 year old watched 2 full hours and enjoyed it. Normally, he hates pool and would never watch anything pool related.

Clearly, the show wasn't made for pool freaks like us. But, I see that as a good thing.
Attracting new players to the game is more important, and the directors did a great job of that. I also think its important that all of us support the show. Even if its not for you, it can help the future of the game. Once they get to a pool room, it wont take long for a kid to learn how to really act.

 

[chefjeff]

another member said he watched teh show with his son, when it was over the kid asked him if they could go play pool, first time he asked. usually his son is online or with an xbox. the kid who won the tourney is already in the game, maybe the guys son will now be in one too someday. see where the bus can go now??

I'm wondering how the numbers will look inside pool halls this coming month compared to those before the show aired. Will player numbers increase because of this show?

The timing of the show on Fridays, if the above story is true everywhere, should be just right to incentivize 20 somethings to watch, get excited about playing, then head to the bars and halls for the rest of the evening. We used to do time our partying like that, even without a pool show to watch. Drink cheap and whatever else for a while and then head out to the bars and engage, man, engage.

I'm waiting to hear some such punkster utter a repeat of something from the show and then we'll know it's working.

Btw, I watched both episodes a second time as I was just a little tipsy the first time and thought that maybe I had a bias for liking it. I laughed just as hard as the first time. I couldn't believe it. That girlfriend of the # 5 guy was a hoot. I don't know if I'd want her on my team or not, but she sure has passion and that's a plus for anyone. I wish I could get so focused as she does.

Jeff Livingston

 

[macguy]

I'm wondering how the numbers will look inside pool halls this coming month compared to those before the show aired. Will player numbers increase because of this show?

The timing of the show on Fridays, if the above story is true everywhere, should be just right to incentivize 20 somethings to watch, get excited about playing, then head to the bars and halls for the rest of the evening. We used to do time our partying like that, even without a pool show to watch. Drink cheap and whatever else for a while and then head out to the bars and engage, man, engage.

I'm waiting to hear some such punkster utter a repeat of something from the show and then we'll know it's working.

Btw, I watched both episodes a second time as I was just a little tipsy the first time and thought that maybe I had a bias for liking it. I laughed just as hard as the first time. I couldn't believe it. That girlfriend of the # 5 guy was a hoot. I don't know if I'd want her on my team or not, but she sure has passion and that's a plus for anyone. I wish I could get so focused as she does.

Jeff Livingston

If it is going to follow the formula other reality shows. By the 7th episode she will be screwing the Irishmen, skateboard boy will come out of the closet and we will discover one of the women used to be a man.

 

[kkdanamatt]

When the movie "The Hustler" was released in 1961, I remember the complaining from the pros how the movie denigrated the game of pool. Right after the movie's release pool exploded all across the country. The pros stopped complaining. The same thing happened after the release of "The Color of Money".

Understand that 99% of Americans have never set foot into a real poolroom.
Understand that 99% of Americans don't know all the rules of 9-Ball.
Understand that 99% of Americans wouldn't know SVB, Earl, Darren, Dennis, or Alex if they were sitting next to them on a 6-hour cross-country flight.

Now, for the first time in decades, something about pool has made it on TV, albeit cable. Please, guys, stop your whining and let this reality/un-reality show play out. Only good things can happen from this.

 

[BeiberLvr]

If it is going to follow the formula other reality shows. By the 7th episode she will be screwing the Irishmen, skateboard boy will come out of the closet and we will discover one of the women, not saying which one, used to be a man.

Emilio?

.........