In recent times, Keith McCready has been benched, so to speak, when it comes to pool. There's a multitude of reasons for it, which I won't go into as it ain't the purpose of my thread! 
Over the past 6 or so years, my curiosity has been piqued when it comes to American pool. Pool here in the States has quite a different history and track record than other countries, IMHO! Gambling used to be a way of life, much more so than today's tournament soldier environment. Action happened on the spur of the moment in days gone by, but in recent times, most players make appointments to play each other for games of stake, though they seem few and far between compared to the '60s, '70s, and '80s.
American pool is unique, and there is a plethora of players that make up the very fabric of American pool, many of whom some folks have not even heard of and perhaps never will. These are the American Road Players, and is one of the reasons why America attracted quite a few of our international bethren of players in the first place. Apparently, at that time, pool shined brighter here than elsewhere in the world. That was then, though.
Keith participated in an iPodcast interview last night, and listening to him speak about pool as he knew it and knows it today, it only reinforces my present-day opinion that pool truly is entering a new era. Where it's going to go, nobody knows, but it is changing. The IPT, love it or hate it, did provide a platform that players had never seen before, and it sure was good while it lasted. Dave Matlock told me that he was going to take his IPT winnings and put a down payment on a house for him and his fiance, and there are other good stories about what some IPT competitors did with their winnings. Some IPT players truly did benefit from the brief time that the IPT was here in full bloom.
Coming up next month, there will be a battle between Bar Table Kings in Olathe, Kansas, July 18-22, 2007. To date, Hall of Famer Buddy Hall, 2005 U.S. Open Champion Gabe Owen, Shane "South Dakota Kid" Van Boening, Money Player James Walden, and Filipinio champions Marlon Manalo and Dennis Ocollo are officially on the player roster of this $3,000 entry fee event. Somebody is going to go home a happy camper! This is what pool is all about, the great ones meeting in one place, battling it out, and the best player wins. Pool at its finest! I would like to see more events like this where somebody will enjoy a good payday when the dust settles. If they get 32 players at $3,000 a pop, it will be a great day in the history of pool, with no outside sponsor monies either. How about that?!
Dan Tull of Shooters Billiards in Olathe, Kansas, is the host of this great event, and it all began with an idea that, hey, let's have a big pool tournament where the players will enjoy a large payday. Well, by George, I think they've done it. I can't wait to see how this unfolds.
The Action Report, a new website geared towards providing LIVE feeds and updates, is going to be there on site for the unfortunate inquiring minds back home. This truly sounds like it is going to be fun! Bravo to Shooters, Dan Tull, TheActionReport.com staff, and the players themselves. Build it and they will come!
JAM
Over the past 6 or so years, my curiosity has been piqued when it comes to American pool. Pool here in the States has quite a different history and track record than other countries, IMHO! Gambling used to be a way of life, much more so than today's tournament soldier environment. Action happened on the spur of the moment in days gone by, but in recent times, most players make appointments to play each other for games of stake, though they seem few and far between compared to the '60s, '70s, and '80s.
American pool is unique, and there is a plethora of players that make up the very fabric of American pool, many of whom some folks have not even heard of and perhaps never will. These are the American Road Players, and is one of the reasons why America attracted quite a few of our international bethren of players in the first place. Apparently, at that time, pool shined brighter here than elsewhere in the world. That was then, though.
Keith participated in an iPodcast interview last night, and listening to him speak about pool as he knew it and knows it today, it only reinforces my present-day opinion that pool truly is entering a new era. Where it's going to go, nobody knows, but it is changing. The IPT, love it or hate it, did provide a platform that players had never seen before, and it sure was good while it lasted. Dave Matlock told me that he was going to take his IPT winnings and put a down payment on a house for him and his fiance, and there are other good stories about what some IPT competitors did with their winnings. Some IPT players truly did benefit from the brief time that the IPT was here in full bloom.
Coming up next month, there will be a battle between Bar Table Kings in Olathe, Kansas, July 18-22, 2007. To date, Hall of Famer Buddy Hall, 2005 U.S. Open Champion Gabe Owen, Shane "South Dakota Kid" Van Boening, Money Player James Walden, and Filipinio champions Marlon Manalo and Dennis Ocollo are officially on the player roster of this $3,000 entry fee event. Somebody is going to go home a happy camper! This is what pool is all about, the great ones meeting in one place, battling it out, and the best player wins. Pool at its finest! I would like to see more events like this where somebody will enjoy a good payday when the dust settles. If they get 32 players at $3,000 a pop, it will be a great day in the history of pool, with no outside sponsor monies either. How about that?!
Dan Tull of Shooters Billiards in Olathe, Kansas, is the host of this great event, and it all began with an idea that, hey, let's have a big pool tournament where the players will enjoy a large payday. Well, by George, I think they've done it. I can't wait to see how this unfolds.
The Action Report, a new website geared towards providing LIVE feeds and updates, is going to be there on site for the unfortunate inquiring minds back home. This truly sounds like it is going to be fun! Bravo to Shooters, Dan Tull, TheActionReport.com staff, and the players themselves. Build it and they will come!
JAM
