Bonus Ball, will you watch it or not!
- Thread starter richiebalto
- Start date
I will try and watch, I have tried to watch some previous matches and haven't been able to get into it at all.
I like so many concepts except the game they are playing. I would pay in a minute if they were playing 8 Ball, 9 Ball or One Pocket. Having the great players they have signed up in a team environment playing any of the above games would be great to watch.
I like so many concepts except the game they are playing. I would pay in a minute if they were playing 8 Ball, 9 Ball or One Pocket. Having the great players they have signed up in a team environment playing any of the above games would be great to watch.
I couldn't agree more.
Completely new game, my guess would be 9 ball, which is at least 80 years old.
10 Ball is just a variation.
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In answer to the OP's question...
I keep hearing all this hoopla about "Bonus Ball", and for some reason, somewhere deep deep down inside it feels like someone is trying to screw over the players, and force them to play some new game that in general benefits the promoter only.
I have already heard about players skipping certain events they would have otherwise played in favor of Bonus Ball. I would think this is not a good thing, and it sounds like the same old promoter bullsh!t, which in the end, only benefits the promoters, and f()cks the players. Is Charlie Williams involved somehow?
That being said.. I watch hundreds of hours of pool per year, both on video and in person, and I have absolutely zero interest in Bonus Ball. Maybe if I watched a (match?), it would be different, but whatever Bonus Ball is, for some reason, it has not even generated enough interest in me to actually find out what it is...
Maybe I am just an old fuddy-duddy?
Russ
I keep hearing all this hoopla about "Bonus Ball", and for some reason, somewhere deep deep down inside it feels like someone is trying to screw over the players, and force them to play some new game that in general benefits the promoter only.
I have already heard about players skipping certain events they would have otherwise played in favor of Bonus Ball. I would think this is not a good thing, and it sounds like the same old promoter bullsh!t, which in the end, only benefits the promoters, and f()cks the players. Is Charlie Williams involved somehow?
That being said.. I watch hundreds of hours of pool per year, both on video and in person, and I have absolutely zero interest in Bonus Ball. Maybe if I watched a (match?), it would be different, but whatever Bonus Ball is, for some reason, it has not even generated enough interest in me to actually find out what it is...
Maybe I am just an old fuddy-duddy?
Russ
Just another game, all other sports there is only one version of play the fans speak one language. This is ok i love pool becouse of this unique aspect. This attempt to get more people watching pool is getting old. You do not have to sell the game its already great.we love to play. For professional pool to be popular you got to sell the players. I have never seen kid delicious play pool but I read his book and he is my favorite player everytime I walk into a pool hall and I see a big boy that plays good I get my hopes that i will get to meet him. Pool is sold people have pool tables in their houses they are everywhere, players got to find their way into the hearts of the occasional player. Im not intreststed in watching or playing bonus ball i speak 9ball, one pocket, 8ball, and English. I wish I knew who was in charge of all this nonsense anyway. Creating a new market never works . When i walk up in the pool hall i fee like
I ...ow n the mother f***** .. i feel like fast eddie do u think fast Eddie would play bonus ball. Good luck hope its the answer your looking for.
I ...ow n the mother f***** .. i feel like fast eddie do u think fast Eddie would play bonus ball. Good luck hope its the answer your looking for.
Bonus ball is a way to complicate a simple game. We like to play the game for the game. You don't see any one playing pool golf or pool poker in pool halls .... do you??? I predict utter failure of bonus ball.
I understand that golf is played constantly on the snooker table at Romine's, Milwaukee.
Dave Nelson
I understand that golf is played constantly on the snooker table at Romine's, Milwaukee.
Dave Nelson
I just watched 2 matches on U-Tube. Interesting but I think over complicated. I think they would have better luck if they could adapt the concept to a full set of normal balls. I have no idea how that would be done.
14.1 anyone?
Dave Nelson
14.1 anyone?
Dave Nelson
If it is on TV and it is pool, I will support it.
Don't need a full set. four stripes and four solids plus the 8 works just fine.
Interesting
Okay I just watched the Johnny and Jason match on youtube and it does look a bit interesting. I still dont totally understand the pocket rotation and so on but it wont be long until that will be a runout fest for these guys for sure. I applaud anyone who is trying to give our game a much needed shot in the arm. I will be supporting this as much as I can but it will be hard to watch for a sustained period of time. I truly hope that this takes off and is a great success. I truly do.
Frank Cherry
Okay I just watched the Johnny and Jason match on youtube and it does look a bit interesting. I still dont totally understand the pocket rotation and so on but it wont be long until that will be a runout fest for these guys for sure. I applaud anyone who is trying to give our game a much needed shot in the arm. I will be supporting this as much as I can but it will be hard to watch for a sustained period of time. I truly hope that this takes off and is a great success. I truly do.
Frank Cherry
I think the pocket thing is definitely a problem, players were occasionally shooting into the wrong pocket or playing shape for the wrong pocket. They marked the pockets with these little star stickers. What they need to do is put some paint or laminate or whatever that covers the entire area around the pocket, so it's extremely clear to which set of pockets belongs to which players. Maybe color the pockets to match the team colors or jerseys.
Something like this:
I think the pocket thing is definitely a problem, players were occasionally shooting into the wrong pocket or playing shape for the wrong pocket. They marked the pockets with these little star stickers. What they need to do is put some paint or laminate or whatever that covers the entire area around the pocket, so it's extremely clear to which set of pockets belongs to which players. Maybe color the pockets to match the team colors or jerseys.
Something like this:
I recall Nathan saying that they are doing exactly what you suggest.
No. It looks retarded. Let me elaborate:
Bonus Ball is not the answer to promoting pool in this country. The only way to promote pool is to actually promote pool, not invent some gimmicky game no one's ever heard of.
The problem with pool is that unless you're a fairly committed player, you cannot appreciate how difficult the game is, and how much skill the pros possess. There is no macro physical execution that is impressive to a non-playing public, such as basketball, football, or hell, even golf. Inventing some new game, with teams and stats and cheer leading squads...that's just fluffery, it won't work and if it does, it won't last.
The countries where pool is hugely popular are the countries where many, many more people actually play the game. I grew up in Taiwan as an expat, around the decade that pool was solidified into a national sport (early 90's to early 2000's). EVERYONE was at least a C player. I mean, there will be 50-table rooms (over a thousand rooms in Taipei alone), operating 24/7, mostly packed with students, young people, older people...every male in Taiwan could run a few balls. Everyone got their chin over their cue and stroked it like they meant it.
In that environment, you have something to work with. The government started promoting the sport, and schools started billiard programs. Wu Chia Ching was a product of public school pool programs, with the benefit of coaches and training etc. The Taiwanese public didn't get behind pool because of some slick packaging or marketing...they got behind pool because they actually played the game themselves. As a result, there was a very deep pool of talent (forgive the pun) and you can see how well that worked out for them on the international stage, how many world titles and how deep the Taiwanese manage to run into almost any field they enter. They also have a thriving pro tour that gets live tv coverage. Now China is getting in the mix, and mark my words within the decade the biggest tournaments on earth will be in Beijing, Shanghai, and other Chinese cities.
You know, if Earl Strickland walked into my pool room tomorrow and started running racks on table 1, maybe 10% of the customers would even know who he is. The rest of the room could watch him run 5 racks of 9ball or 10ball and not be all that impressed, because they don't really play the game and they have no rubric to judge Earl's skill. I don't see how an invented, contrived game with purple and orange balls is going to change that.
-roger
Bonus Ball is not the answer to promoting pool in this country. The only way to promote pool is to actually promote pool, not invent some gimmicky game no one's ever heard of.
The problem with pool is that unless you're a fairly committed player, you cannot appreciate how difficult the game is, and how much skill the pros possess. There is no macro physical execution that is impressive to a non-playing public, such as basketball, football, or hell, even golf. Inventing some new game, with teams and stats and cheer leading squads...that's just fluffery, it won't work and if it does, it won't last.
The countries where pool is hugely popular are the countries where many, many more people actually play the game. I grew up in Taiwan as an expat, around the decade that pool was solidified into a national sport (early 90's to early 2000's). EVERYONE was at least a C player. I mean, there will be 50-table rooms (over a thousand rooms in Taipei alone), operating 24/7, mostly packed with students, young people, older people...every male in Taiwan could run a few balls. Everyone got their chin over their cue and stroked it like they meant it.
In that environment, you have something to work with. The government started promoting the sport, and schools started billiard programs. Wu Chia Ching was a product of public school pool programs, with the benefit of coaches and training etc. The Taiwanese public didn't get behind pool because of some slick packaging or marketing...they got behind pool because they actually played the game themselves. As a result, there was a very deep pool of talent (forgive the pun) and you can see how well that worked out for them on the international stage, how many world titles and how deep the Taiwanese manage to run into almost any field they enter. They also have a thriving pro tour that gets live tv coverage. Now China is getting in the mix, and mark my words within the decade the biggest tournaments on earth will be in Beijing, Shanghai, and other Chinese cities.
You know, if Earl Strickland walked into my pool room tomorrow and started running racks on table 1, maybe 10% of the customers would even know who he is. The rest of the room could watch him run 5 racks of 9ball or 10ball and not be all that impressed, because they don't really play the game and they have no rubric to judge Earl's skill. I don't see how an invented, contrived game with purple and orange balls is going to change that.
-roger