Now this is a post I can get behind......thanks, Terry
- Status
Now this is a post I can get behind......thanks, Terry
Agree 100%
All said in your posting. David seems to be very satisfied after leaving here- i really miss his knowledged postings very sure. And of course also that John at one point stopped to read and post is sad imo.
But some guys will never understand what they do to some ppl here, while posting unbelievable BS. The anonymous world-wide-web is hell and heaven at once- and many are not able to handle this seriously.
lg
Ingo
Whatcha mean Terry. Why don't you come back and do a little more posting yourself.
DrOnePocket
Banned
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!!!! 
John
John
Cheap shot -
Sorry guys, I'm just tired of these delusional "Professional" pool players who's livelyhood rests solely on the GAME of pool. Let him go wash dishes or pump gas...spare those of us who WORK for our paycheck from the constant whining. To most of us, pool is a game that ENHANCES our lives...to a scant whiney few, pool needs to DEFINE their lives...it really gets old...
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Living Legend
Banned
hey, i got called bungalow bill! im sure i will be able to survive that name calling 
hey, i got called bungalow bill! im sure i will be able to survive that name calling
Dammit I can't get the song out of my head now!!! LOL
How about each player lives according to his own standards?
What's wrong with that peaceful way?
Everyone doesn't have to do it YOUR way, ya know.
Jeff Livingston
Poolmouse,
If it please the forum, here's the way I see it. :smile:
By the very definition of "professional," it means the pool player shoots pool as his profession, job, livelihood, et cetera. It is my opinion, based on almost 40 years of being around the American pool culture, that a pool player is only as good as how often he hits balls, practices, in order to have his game sharp.
If you were to work, say, a 40-hour week job. It might be difficult to hit, say, 10,000 balls on a daily basis to keep your skills set at maximum performance.
Then there's the necessity to compete in various tournaments to receive those precious so-called "ranking points," which inevitably only gets an American pro player a shot in Mosconi Cup. Truthfully, the way I see it today in 2012, winning tin cups, bragging rights, and $10,000 as a first-place payout, which is an average payout in most high-profile tournaments, isn't enough to afford a pool player to make a "normal" living, one in which they can pay rent, buy a house, eat normal food, and attend two, three, and four tournaments a month, again, to keep their game proficient.
You can't work a 40-hour job, hit balls once or twice a week when time allows, attend one or two tournaments a month on the weekend only, and play at a competitive advantage. It just is not possible.
Most pro players, after shooting competitively for a while, not making ends meet, soon leave competitive pool permanently. There are some enterprising pool players, though, who are able to find a niche in the pool industry and do both. However, their income comes from their pool-related job, not from shooting pool competitively. Allen Hopkins, Nick Varner, Shannon Daulton, Tony Robles, Tony Crosby, and Mike Sigel come to mind. Bravo to them for making it work, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
A lot of forum members slammed Danny Harriman for not accepting the offer to shoot in Vegas where he was guaranteed money, win or lose. Here's where it gets sticky. Let's say, hypothetically, Danny was working a 40-hour-a-week job. He takes off a week from his employer, hoping to get permission, and goes to Vegas. He wins! He comes back to his job, but his employer decides the company cannot afford to have someone leave sporadically to shoot pool. Danny might win, say, $5,000 in Vegas, but he would lose, again, hypothetically, a $35,000-a-year job, one that provides financial security, et cetera. :smile:
Now, here's where I agree with you, Poolmouse. Pool players, ones who want to compete professionally, should either sh*t or get off the pot, as the saying goes. Unless you're willing to sacrifice financial security, a roof over your head, a loving spouse willing to keep the family afloat, then the pool player should quit playing professionally and get a job, washing dishes, as you say. At least there is regularity in the income. In pool, you can win $10,000, but still be stuck from previous pool expenditures.
And I have a very strong opinion, with few exceptions, that most of the male so-called pro pool players have substance abuse problems, whether prescription pills, pot, or alcohol; and cheat on their spouses/girlfriends with the prostitutes on a regular basis at tournaments when they travel solo. In fact, one unnamed Mosconi Cup team member at an unnamed Mosconi Cup event spent more time in his hotel room with paid prostitutes than he did practicing with his team, and another unnamed one can't hit a ball without popping prescription pills (plural).
The activities similar to these are why I quit being active on the pro tournament trail. I wasn't going to let it ruin me or those I love.
We also have some excellent pro players in America with high moral standards and I'm proud to see them represent the United States wherever they play.
I'm going to end my post with a true story. I have a friend who was charged with child sex abuse. He was 22 years old and attended a keg party, which was held out in a rural field out in the country. After some complaints came to the police department, the cops came and busted the party due to the loud noise. The cops arrested a lot of people, minors and adults that attended this party. My friend was making out -- KISSING -- a girl, who was 17 years old. When her parents came to pick her up at the police station, she said she was drunk and didn't know what she was doing. She got off, but my friend got busted for child sex abuse and giving alcohol to a minor, a charge he has to live with for the rest of his life. He's almost 60 today and is still living with the consequences of this happening that occurred when he was 22 years old. :frown:
In sum, people who don't know all the details of happenings can come to their own conclusions, as many have in this thread, but I have a different stance sometimes. I don't pass judgment too often unless I know all the facts, and this applies to pool players who shoot professionally. Unless you walk in their shoes, you can't know what it's like.
Mama, don't let you babies grow up to be pool players...unless you live in the Philippines.
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Jennie,
Think you should be unanimously named Poet Laureate of AZ Billiards. You speak the truth and you speak it from first hand knowledge. It's really a shame some of the know-it-all's here at AZ make you take sabbaticals from time to time. You have my vote.
Please say hello to your partner for me. We miss him too!
Lyn
Think you should be unanimously named Poet Laureate of AZ Billiards. You speak the truth and you speak it from first hand knowledge. It's really a shame some of the know-it-all's here at AZ make you take sabbaticals from time to time. You have my vote.
Please say hello to your partner for me. We miss him too!
Lyn
JAM, since you've been there, perhaps you can share with us how gambling falls into the "big picture" that you've described above?By the very definition of "professional," it means the pool player shoots pool as his profession, job, livelihood, et cetera. It is my opinion, based on almost 40 years of being around the American pool culture, that a pool player is only as good as how often he hits balls, practices, in order to have his game sharp.
Then there's the necessity to compete in various tournaments to receive those precious so-called "ranking points," which inevitably only gets an American pro player a shot in Mosconi Cup. Truthfully, the way I see it today in 2012, winning tin cups, bragging rights, and $10,000 as a first-place payout, which is an average payout in most high-profile tournaments, isn't enough to afford a pool player to make a "normal" living, one in which they can pay rent, buy a house, eat normal food, and attend two, three, and four tournaments a month, again, to keep their game proficient.
You can't work a 40-hour job, hit balls once or twice a week when time allows, attend one or two tournaments a month on the weekend only, and play at a competitive advantage. It just is not possible.
Most pro players, after shooting competitively for a while, not making ends meet, soon leave competitive pool permanently. There are some enterprising pool players, though, who are able to find a niche in the pool industry and do both. However, their income comes from their pool-related job, not from shooting pool competitively. Allen Hopkins, Nick Varner, Shannon Daulton, Tony Robles, Tony Crosby, and Mike Sigel come to mind. Bravo to them for making it work, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
Now, here's where I agree with you, Poolmouse. Pool players, ones who want to compete professionally, should either sh*t or get off the pot, as the saying goes. Unless you're willing to sacrifice financial security, a roof over your head, a loving spouse willing to keep the family afloat, then the pool player should quit playing professionally and get a job, washing dishes, as you say. At least there is regularity in the income. In pool, you can win $10,000, but still be stuck from previous pool expenditures.
And I have a very strong opinion, with few exceptions, that most of the male so-called pro pool players have substance abuse problems, whether prescription pills, pot, or alcohol; and cheat on their spouses/girlfriends with the prostitutes on a regular basis at tournaments when they travel solo. In fact, one unnamed Mosconi Cup team member at an unnamed Mosconi Cup event spent more time in his hotel room with paid prostitutes than he did practicing with his team, and another unnamed one can't hit a ball without popping prescription pills (plural).
The activities similar to these are why I quit being active on the pro tournament trail. I wasn't going to let it ruin me or those I love.
We also have some excellent pro players in America with high moral standards and I'm proud to see them represent the United States wherever they play.
In sum, people who don't know all the details of happenings can come to their own conclusions, as many have in this thread, but I have a different stance sometimes. I don't pass judgment too often unless I know all the facts, and this applies to pool players who shoot professionally. Unless you walk in their shoes, you can't know what it's like.
Sure, I can. Thanks for the question. :smile:
When we used to attend pool tournaments, we gave it our all to win, win, win. Unfortunately, as I'm sure most know, you can't win 'em all.
After the pool tournament, though, we did engage in action games, as long as Keith didn't have to rise and shine the next morning to shoot a match in the tournament.
This is where the run happens. I am a firm believer that pool should be fun. I had MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more fun with pool BEFORE I met Keith. When I was shooting socially, recreationally on leagues and at my neighborhood tavern, I loved pool so much. I had so much fun.
After I met Keith and embarked on the tournament trail, got hit with stop signs from organizational entities, experienced favoritism with pool super stars arriving late at events while we had mandatory times to adhere to, saw the substance abuse, witness husbands and boyfriends go into hotel rooms with whores while they were traveling solo, et cetera, et cetera, I wasn't having fun anymore. I won't even get into how much of my time and effort I put into helping industry members of all calibers with my time as well as products for FREE, only to get kicked in the teeth down the road by some of the very ones I helped, when they were a NOBODY. It hurts, and I can't let it go. Wish I could. :frown:
Gambling, action, though, in pool is fun for me. Here locally, we used to go to the all-night pool rooms and get in action. I could sit there hour after hour watching Keith play one-pocket, parter games, one-on-one, and before I know it, it's daylight outside. Everybody in the pool room we go to likes action. They love Keith, listening to him bark, watching him play. Keith believes, as do I, that pool should be entertaining and fun.
That's where gambling comes into play for me. These blue-blooded pool purists who like to see men dressed in tuxedos playing mum pool like emotionless robots is what's hurting pool, IMO. But, you see, they control the organizational strings and steer pool in today's society. Action, which is what everybody seems to enjoy, won't ever get a chance to shine as long as the blue-blooded pool purists control pool in the United States.
That's my story, and I'm sticking with it! :smile:
Thanks, Lyn. We miss Update New York and seeing all of you guys. As far as I'm concerned, pool is alive and well up in your neck of the woods. Down in my area, it's just about nonexistent, sad to say.
Hope your'e doing well! :smile:
JAM, I needed to see this post.
Most of the best memories I have of this game is being in action.
You get away from the posers, that 'regardez moi' struttin' and see
something real. It's a serious thing when you bet your cash and it makes
the comedic things that happen all that more funny, 'cause 'grace under
pressure' is a delight to experience.
And I get a chuckle when Keith makes a good post and someone surmises
that JAM must've wrote it for him. They have obviously not seen Keith in
action.
Action is what gave this game its popularity and mystique.
..and I'll put up 6 to your 5 on that.
regards
pt
Poolmouse,
If it please the forum, here's the way I see it. :smile:
By the very definition of "professional," it means the pool player shoots pool as his profession, job, livelihood, et cetera. It is my opinion, based on almost 40 years of being around the American pool culture, that a pool player is only as good as how often he hits balls, practices, in order to have his game sharp.
If you were to work, say, a 40-hour week job. It might be difficult to hit, say, 10,000 balls on a daily basis to keep your skills set at maximum performance.
Then there's the necessity to compete in various tournaments to receive those precious so-called "ranking points," which inevitably only gets an American pro player a shot in Mosconi Cup. Truthfully, the way I see it today in 2012, winning tin cups, bragging rights, and $10,000 as a first-place payout, which is an average payout in most high-profile tournaments, isn't enough to afford a pool player to make a "normal" living, one in which they can pay rent, buy a house, eat normal food, and attend two, three, and four tournaments a month, again, to keep their game proficient.
You can't work a 40-hour job, hit balls once or twice a week when time allows, attend one or two tournaments a month on the weekend only, and play at a competitive advantage. It just is not possible.
Most pro players, after shooting competitively for a while, not making ends meet, soon leave competitive pool permanently. There are some enterprising pool players, though, who are able to find a niche in the pool industry and do both. However, their income comes from their pool-related job, not from shooting pool competitively. Allen Hopkins, Nick Varner, Shannon Daulton, Tony Robles, Tony Crosby, and Mike Sigel come to mind. Bravo to them for making it work, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
A lot of forum members slammed Danny Harriman for not accepting the offer to shoot in Vegas where he was guaranteed money, win or lose. Here's where it gets sticky. Let's say, hypothetically, Danny was working a 40-hour-a-week job. He takes off a week from his employer, hoping to get permission, and goes to Vegas. He wins! He comes back to his job, but his employer decides the company cannot afford to have someone leave sporadically to shoot pool. Danny might win, say, $5,000 in Vegas, but he would lose, again, hypothetically, a $35,000-a-year job, one that provides financial security, et cetera. :smile:
Now, here's where I agree with you, Poolmouse. Pool players, ones who want to compete professionally, should either sh*t or get off the pot, as the saying goes. Unless you're willing to sacrifice financial security, a roof over your head, a loving spouse willing to keep the family afloat, then the pool player should quit playing professionally and get a job, washing dishes, as you say. At least there is regularity in the income. In pool, you can win $10,000, but still be stuck from previous pool expenditures.
And I have a very strong opinion, with few exceptions, that most of the male so-called pro pool players have substance abuse problems, whether prescription pills, pot, or alcohol; and cheat on their spouses/girlfriends with the prostitutes on a regular basis at tournaments when they travel solo. In fact, one unnamed Mosconi Cup team member at an unnamed Mosconi Cup event spent more time in his hotel room with paid prostitutes than he did practicing with his team, and another unnamed one can't hit a ball without popping prescription pills (plural).
The activities similar to these are why I quit being active on the pro tournament trail. I wasn't going to let it ruin me or those I love.
We also have some excellent pro players in America with high moral standards and I'm proud to see them represent the United States wherever they play.
I'm going to end my post with a true story. I have a friend who was charged with child sex abuse. He was 22 years old and attended a keg party, which was held out in a rural field out in the country. After some complaints came to the police department, the cops came and busted the party due to the loud noise. The cops arrested a lot of people, minors and adults that attended this party. My friend was making out -- KISSING -- a girl, who was 17 years old. When her parents came to pick her up at the police station, she said she was drunk and didn't know what she was doing. She got off, but my friend got busted for child sex abuse and giving alcohol to a minor, a charge he has to live with for the rest of his life. He's almost 60 today and is still living with the consequences of this happening that occurred when he was 22 years old. :frown:
In sum, people who don't know all the details of happenings can come to their own conclusions, as many have in this thread, but I have a different stance sometimes. I don't pass judgment too often unless I know all the facts, and this applies to pool players who shoot professionally. Unless you walk in their shoes, you can't know what it's like.
Mama, don't let you babies grow up to be pool players...unless you live in the Philippines.
Tap, tap, tap...what a great post.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
WintakeGary
Banned
Hey Mr. Harriman,
It's nice to see you here! In fact, I saw you once back in 2004 in Taipei when you were playing in this match, but I couldn't get close to you and say hi cause I was waiting for the Earl and Fu-Che Wei match on the main table. And then I never saw you again, I wish I had a chance to meet up with you man, you know, I'm very cool with all the U.S. players. And btw you're a very handsome man, and no worries cause I'm no gay as I have an average-looking girlfriend to back that up...^__^
I understand that most pool players struggle sometimes financially, although I don't know what's your situation now but I'm positive that you have the abilities to do the job that I'm offering now. Please visit Non-Pool-Related and search for this thread, "Seeking for business partners around the world", and you'll get it. Or any of the AZBers for that matter, if you have some free time and wouldn't mind earning some extra cash, go check that thread out, maybe it'll be helpful. So I see you guys tomorrow and wish you the best Mr. Harriman, hopefully I'll get to meet you one day, gotta get back to my 9~5...^__^
It's nice to see you here! In fact, I saw you once back in 2004 in Taipei when you were playing in this match, but I couldn't get close to you and say hi cause I was waiting for the Earl and Fu-Che Wei match on the main table. And then I never saw you again, I wish I had a chance to meet up with you man, you know, I'm very cool with all the U.S. players. And btw you're a very handsome man, and no worries cause I'm no gay as I have an average-looking girlfriend to back that up...^__^
I understand that most pool players struggle sometimes financially, although I don't know what's your situation now but I'm positive that you have the abilities to do the job that I'm offering now. Please visit Non-Pool-Related and search for this thread, "Seeking for business partners around the world", and you'll get it. Or any of the AZBers for that matter, if you have some free time and wouldn't mind earning some extra cash, go check that thread out, maybe it'll be helpful. So I see you guys tomorrow and wish you the best Mr. Harriman, hopefully I'll get to meet you one day, gotta get back to my 9~5...^__^
- Status