My dad taught me how to play pool. I used to play caroms when I was a kid. I probably learned more from my older brothers because we used to play for our allowance all the time, and I guess that's what triggered me from there. I really liked being able to leave the house with $20 or $30 and be able to come home with $500 or $600. That was a lot of money back then.
I grew up around probably the greatest players in the world, and that's what intrigued me the most about pool. As a kid, I learned the most from Ronnie Allen, watching the way he'd move that cue-ball. Richie Florence, Billy Incardona, and Wade Crane were the best 9-ball players, in my opinion, for the money. I studied them for many hours at a time. Wade and Richie used to play 10-ahead sets all the time. I learned from some of the best!