Black Widow

[Sweet Marissa]

I don't get it... I meet a lot of guys who proclaim they have "Asian fetishes" or "love how Asian women look"... but my birthfather was a real asshole and he told me how ugly I was growing up almost every day - I can only imagine what he told my mother. He cheated on her constantly and tried to kill her a few times when she tried to leave him. I think her cosmetic surgery gave her more confidence, and she's only changed for the better.

 

[Williebetmore]

I am not talking about her charitable contributions. But showing how to hustle pool in bars while pretending to be drunk? Its negitive publicity. How many articles on golf, bowling or table tennis, where the participants pretented to be drunk or were drunk and went to a course, field or table to hustle their game? Would Tiger Woods (who donates millions to charities), hustle golf against a bunch of amatures? Does Maria Shrapova, goto out of the way tennis courts and dress up in a disguise and hustle tennis matches for an SI article?

Please explain to me, how pretending to be drunk, hustling bar patrons or amature pool players in bars, out their money (yes, i know they gave the $ back) is positive for her and for her charities and for pool itself? Yes, everyone got a good laugh out of it, but what is the message it sends to the public?

JP,
Thanks for the clarification; I see your point and agree. The message is that pool is a sleazy game (everyone already knew this), the best players are extremely talented but relatively poorly recognized, the player in question was professional enough to give the money back (to the great disappointment of the road player husband). Not the greatest messages, not the worst. I certainly am starting to believe that ANY PUBLICITY IS GOOD PUBLICITY (wow, what a jaded view of advertising and publicity). You have to crawl before you can walk, and Sports Illustrated is a fairly good start.

 

[u12armresl]

Willie,


You said George is by far the best player Indy has ever produced? You must be really really new to the game if you think that is the case. One only need drive down to Columbus to see that isn't the case.

 

[Williebetmore]

Willie,


You said George is by far the best player Indy has ever produced? You must be really really new to the game if you think that is the case. One only need drive down to Columbus to see that isn't the case.

U12,
We'll have to disagree.

 

[JustPlay]

JP,
Thanks for the clarification; I see your point and agree. The message is that pool is a sleazy game (everyone already knew this), the best players are extremely talented but relatively poorly recognized, the player in question was professional enough to give the money back (to the great disappointment of the road player husband). Not the greatest messages, not the worst. I certainly am starting to believe that ANY PUBLICITY IS GOOD PUBLICITY (wow, what a jaded view of advertising and publicity). You have to crawl before you can walk, and Sports Illustrated is a fairly good start.

Publicity is great for pool. Any publicity good or bad is for actors, because it means interest and for them Bad News is just as good publicity which means more movie deals.

Pool needs to clean its image up. SI could have done an article on Sigel, Varner, Mizerak, Strickland, Archer, Reyes or any number of pros to fill there pages and I am sure alot of SI readers would be interested with what they would have to say about themselves and the game of pool and where they have been and have experienced. Every time I see a pro on ESPN interview, they have them doing trickshots. Tricks like watching a dog do tricks. When they start interviewing pool players like, they interview, Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds or Lebron James in a professional and informal manner, then Pro pool players will have gained some ground and respect.

If the article was for Insidepool, Billiards Digest or Pool & Billiard magazine, It would be justified to a more accecptable degree. Those magazines are read mostly by pool players or enthusiest and not so much the sporting public..

 

[Williebetmore]

Publicity is great for pool. Any publicity good or bad is for actors, because it means interest and for them Bad News is just as good publicity which means more movie deals.

Pool needs to clean its image up. SI could have done an article on Sigel, Varner, Mizerak, Strickland, Archer, Reyes or any number of pros to fill there pages and I am sure alot of SI readers would be interested with what they would have to say about themselves and the game of pool and where they have been and have experienced. Every time I see a pro on ESPN interview, they have them doing trickshots. Tricks like watching a dog do tricks. When they start interviewing pool players like, they interview, Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds or Lebron James in a professional and informal manner, then Pro pool players will have gained some ground and respect.

If the article was for Insidepool, Billiards Digest or Pool & Billiard magazine, It would be justified to a more accecptable degree. Those magazines are read mostly by pool players or enthusiest and not so much the sporting public..

JP,
You are absolutely correct. I don't know if you saw it, but a couple of years ago Jeanette was asked to appear on the David Letterman show. Instead of interviewing her, or letting her interact with Dave they just had her do trick shots in the few seconds before commercials; while Dave made fun of the shots (even many of the uninitiated think trick shots are just lame). She made a shot where she laid 2 cues on the table, jumped the cue ball over the first cue, striking the object ball and causing it to jump over the second cue and into the pocket. Dave smirked and said, "I guess that's a useful shot in a game." Though I'm obviously a big fan, I should have skipped it and gone to bed early.

 

[JustPlay]

JP,
You are absolutely correct. I don't know if you saw it, but a couple of years ago Jeanette was asked to appear on the David Letterman show. Instead of interviewing her, or letting her interact with Dave they just had her do trick shots in the few seconds before commercials; while Dave made fun of the shots (even many of the uninitiated think trick shots are just lame). She made a shot where she laid 2 cues on the table, jumped the cue ball over the first cue, striking the object ball and causing it to jump over the second cue and into the pocket. Dave smirked and said, "I guess that's a useful shot in a game." Though I'm obviously a big fan, I should have skipped it and gone to bed early.

WBM,

Thats exactly my point. I would like to see all of these media people interview Tiger Woods, never ask him about anything, just have him do golf trick shots and laugh at him.. There are alot of pro pool players with alot of interesting things to talk about and I would think the sporting public would be interested in them and what they had to say... Life on the road, the losses the Victories and success they had.

 

[sjm]

Jeanette should have declined to do the piece and should have stated to SI that, I am a Professional Pool Player, not a hustler, not a con artist, but a professional pool player, period.

I agree. Does it really prove anything that a player that has nearly always been ranked in the top four on the WPBA for eleven years now can deceive the John Q Publics in a local bar for some cash? To me, it proves absolutely nothing, other than substantiating the fact that many a pool player is inclined to practice deception.

I'm sure Roger Federer could win some serious money gambling with some very capable tennis players if he wore a wig, put on a fake beard, walked with a limp, and played tennis with a wooden racket while wearing long pants and a "Virginia is for lovers" T-shirt. I'm equally sure that few of us on the forum would admire him if he did, regardless of whether he returned the money he won. Is this really any different?

This whole episode really doesn't fit for Jeanette Lee, who has consistently enhanced the image of pool for the length of her professional career, and has been the greatest ambassador the game has known in many, many years. I am, therefore, guessing that reinforcing one of our sport's most negative stereotypes was an unintended result of all this.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I don't get it... I meet a lot of guys who proclaim they have "Asian fetishes" or "love how Asian women look"... but my birthfather was a real asshole and he told me how ugly I was growing up almost every day - I can only imagine what he told my mother. He cheated on her constantly and tried to kill her a few times when she tried to leave him. I think her cosmetic surgery gave her more confidence, and she's only changed for the better.

Well, that's just horrible and wrong. Marissa, I'm absolutely certain I don't have to tell you your father was completely blind AND inconsiderate but unfortunately, there are some men that will say or do anything to keep women subordinate. I don't know many women that have had plastic surgery but the few that I do know did it because for whatever reason, their looks were something of an issue at some point in their lives. Anyone who lays a blanket statement suggesting its completely wrong has not had to endure years of feeling inadequate. In my opinion, it's you who has to live your life. Do what makes you happy.

 

[kennyratt]

SI Pool Article Jeannette Lee

Did you read the hustling article in SI - 7/4/05 issue on Jeanette?

Jack
www.johnmaddencues.com
member of the American Cuemakers Association

Could someone please post the article? Some of us do not have access to the article. I never could find the article on Kid Delicious, earlier this year. Thanks, Kennyratt

 

[JustPlay]

I'm sure Roger Federer could win some serious money gambling with some very capable tennis players if he wore a wig, put on a fake beard, walked with a limp, and played tennis with a wooden racket while wearing long pants and a "Virginia is for lovers" T-shirt. I'm equally sure that few of us on the forum would admire him if he did, regardless of whether he returned the money he won. Is this really any different?

.

LOL, LOL, That couldn't get any funnier, especially the T-shirt, Thanks, SJM

 

[Rickw]

This whole episode really doesn't fit for Jeanette Lee, who has consistently enhanced the image of pool for the length of her professional career, and has been the greatest ambassador the game has known in many, many years. I am, therefore, guessing that reinforcing one of our sport's most negative stereotypes was an unintended result of all this.

First of all, everyone in pool wants to see it get the recognition it deserves and I'm sure that Jeanette felt that just about anything that could bring it to the attention of more people would be a good thing. This brings us to one of the reasons she didn't get recognized, other than wearing a disguise, not that many people, including some pool players, watch pool on TV. If all the people that played pool watched it on TV, it would be rivaling some other sports in the Nielsen ratings. According to some of the statistics I've seen in BD, the one that talked about how Bowling is doing good, there are millions of people playing pool recreationally, they just don't care to watch it I guess.

 

[TheConArtist]

SS,
I guess we will have to disagree. Since Jeanette began concentrating on her game 2 years ago, her record against both Karen and Allison is quite good (close to if not above .500). She has significant health problems (worse this year, but present throughout her career) that would keep anyone but a fierce competitor on the sidelines. To maintain a top 5 ranking is quite admirable given the circumstances. In August she will undergo yet another back surgery (she's had somewhere between 5 and 8 surgeries on a part of the body that often leaves the patient disabled even after a single surgery). Try playing that level of pool through excruciating pain, it may not be as easy as you think. Twice in the last 2 years Jeanette has beaten Allison 7-0 in a televised match (I also recall her beating Karen twice in the same tournament a year or 2 ago) - she's definitely got game.

I think her fashion sense is quite good, and nothing like any street walker I've ever seen (perhaps you have more experience in this area). Players like Jeanette and Ewa who make an attempt to dress up the sport should be commended.

You forgot to mention she has a baby on the side. Cole.

 

[Williebetmore]

I'm sure Roger Federer could win some serious money gambling with some very capable tennis players if he wore a wig, put on a fake beard, walked with a limp, and played tennis with a wooden racket while wearing long pants and a "Virginia is for lovers" T-shirt. I'm equally sure that few of us on the forum would admire him if he did, regardless of whether he returned the money he won. .

SJM,
I would have to volunteer/confess that I WOULD admire Roger F. more if he pulled such a stunt - I'm a sucker for a sense of humor (in my family the practical joke is a way of life). However, tennis doesn't have the same low-life gambling stigma as pool. It might be funnier for Roger than Jeanette.

P.S. - "inappropriate" practical jokes always end up being funnier - I may have a mental defect of some kind.

 

[sjm]

LOL, LOL, That couldn't get any funnier, especially the T-shirt, Thanks, SJM

I can't fully explain it but that "Virginia is for lovers" T-shirt just cracks me up.

 

[landshark77]

I can't fully explain it but that "Virginia is for lovers" T-shirt just cracks me up.

They sell them at Dulles International Airport. I have been sweatin' one for a long time. The next time I fly outta Dulles that baby is mine!! BWI is always cheaper to fly out of though.

<~~also sweatin' a "I *heart* NY" T. Those are bad ass.

 

[LWW]

Can someone please post a link to the article?

My 7/4/05 issue of SI never arrived and I just now realized it.

Thanks in advance.

LWW

 

[vagabond]

I can't fully explain it but that "Virginia is for lovers" T-shirt just cracks me up.

Hi,

Because u have thick bushes/forrests to hide and do that stuff.

Vagabond

 

[Williebetmore]

maybe those gladiator heels strapped around her ankle are helping her ... I think she can play better,,, but sometimes it's not how well you play it's how you look when you are playing. ( I wonder which is more important)

SS,
I believe Jeanette is on record as saying she has played so long with that footwear that she doesn't even notice - I don't believe she has ever used that as an excuse for her performance (nor has she generally used her chronic, severe back pain as an excuse). My opinion is that appearance is very important to her - surely a large portion of her income depends on it.

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

I don't have a problem with the way she dressses I have a problem with people who blow smoke up others butts. If your back hurts lets start with the feet.The most important piece of attire you should be wearing are comfortable shoes (Dr. Thomas Errico NYC Spine Surgeon or Dr Gary Sherman Podiatrist) Last year 30 points seperated Karen and Allison in the end, the gap after that was 500 points ( Jeanette) maybe those gladiator heels strapped around her ankle are helping her This might explain the Drama Queen act after every shot. Jeanette plays well and I think she can play better,,, but sometimes it's not how well you play it's how you look when you are playing. ( I wonder which is more important)

Trust me dude, I've known the woman since we were both 19 and have seen her when her back was acting up. If her shoes made a huge difference, she'd be wearing Nikes all the time. This isn't merely discomfort and I've seen it act up almost spontaneously. Look, I don't know what she's going through but I can assure you, neither do you.