Does life as a road player change the personality of most players?

J

justinb386

Banned
I am curious if life out on the road (for the average road player) changes the type of person is for the worse?

I just wonder what life is like for most of these touring pro's in the US.

Is it fun and exciting ? I imagine it is, but then again, it might not be much fun, and maybe even very hard at times.

I imagine that the life of a pro pool player might turn a very nice guy into a very different type of person (personality wise).

This is one reason I was too shy to try to talk to any of my favorite players at the Derby. I dreaded the possibility of them not being very cool, or maybe very stuck up (I do not know, but was too shy to take a chance and find out).

I am just curious if the personality of a player that was once just a local tournament player, but now a big time favorite in big open events around the country, are the odds of that same player being as cool and down to earth as he always was in the past?

Thanks for any thoughts, if you know a lot of these touring players.

Just curious.
 
Jasmin Ouschan gave an interview once and talked about this. You might find it - the again I'm not sure if it was in German.

All in all iIt's very tiresome and you need a strong support system. Excitement not so much. Real work.

Cheers,
M
 
I am not a touring pro, but I do travel the same circuts with many of them, week after week month after month, and I play in lots of thesame tournaments with them, but primarily I sell my clothing line Action 24/7

I can tell you this, at first it was exciting and fun, but after awhile, it's not so shiny. It's still a good time, the driving is the worst part of it all in my opinion.

I would say it's a kinda tight knit circle of friends who are like family off the table, but on the table enemies for sure. Not mean to each other but its all business. Each person wants to win badly for sure.

It can have a toll on your personality, as with anything in life who you choose to hang out with the most is usually who you become like, unless they are becoming like you, just depends on your own mind and integrity etc....

It's something that I always wanted to do when I was younger but didn't have the right type of job to do it, but now, a little older, and owning a billiard clothing line, I am able to do it, make money, good friends and have fun all at the same time....
 
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I've traveled with some pretty strong players. Believe me its a GRIND. The daily quest for cash is pretty brutal. You need a thick skin, a love of the game and a sense of humor. The good times are sweet, the down times will either make you or break you.
 
garczar said:
I've traveled with some pretty strong players. Believe me its a GRIND. The daily quest for cash is pretty brutal. You need a thick skin, a love of the game and a sense of humor. The good times are sweet, the down times will either make you or break you.
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Gas, Hotel, Food, Gambling Losses, Drinks...... add up toooooo fast.... thats why many players travel in groups for sure, its much easier to split a room 4 ways and gas 4 ways and even losses 4 ways....
 
justinb386 said:
I am curious if life out on the road (for the average road player) changes the type of person is for the worse?

I just wonder what life is like for most of these touring pro's in the US.

Is it fun and exciting ? I imagine it is, but then again, it might not be much fun, and maybe even very hard at times.

I imagine that the life of a pro pool player might turn a very nice guy into a very different type of person (personality wise).

This is one reason I was too shy to try to talk to any of my favorite players at the Derby. I dreaded the possibility of them not being very cool, or maybe very stuck up (I do not know, but was too shy to take a chance and find out).

I am just curious if the personality of a player that was once just a local tournament player, but now a big time favorite in big open events around the country, are the odds of that same player being as cool and down to earth as he always was in the past?

Thanks for any thoughts, if you know a lot of these touring players.

Just curious.[/QUO

Justin, you ask a lot o questions. That is fine. But, you ask alot of very specific questions which just so you know if you don't already would draw great suspicion at any pool hall. I've bit my tongue till now but I gotta say..... To answer your question, yes people will and do change after any amount of time " on the road ".
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In a word,if you are not a crook when you go to prison,you soon will be

Pool huslin.serious pool hustling,the kind that only a pretty hardened character will even attempt

Leaving honest gainful employment and choosing the way of the road agent exposes the player to temptations to lose their soul that few survive

first the exposure to the sort of individuals you will daily be exposed to,not like your mom caring and generous but hardened cynical so called pundits that fancy themselves sports heroes
when in effect they are pool hall bums

they wake up looking to beat somebody ,without pimps with working girls,druggies and peddlers ,in other words dishonest people with easy money there will be no gambling

seldom does a doctor or businessman go these low rent dives and if they do,it won't be long until a top notch hustler arrives to take this poor stiff off quickly



If a fella dresses nicely and has a job he is considered a mark,a sucker

If the mark has money he is promoted to a stake horse,the player may start out trying to win,but he soon takes tough games with little chance to win because he has nothing to lose

soon he dumps stake horses
,this applies to about 80% of the games where you see big money pass

the hustler makes 50% (often even a higher per cent)of his money borrowing money that he will never pay back,or even intend to return

you ask does this affect the character of the fella starting out on the road?You bet it turns him into a bum,a druggy, a worthlless hardened fella with no love for his fella man or decent manners
,compassion or any socially redeeming benefits at all

But don't knock dream
,let him think that he is a professional athlete,he can bank a ball and he considers all the decent folks to be fools.the bums admire him


life on the road(or even to the local pool room) changes people for the worse almost 100% of the time
 
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deanoc said:
In a word,if you are not a crook when you go to prison,you soon will be

Pool huslin.serious pool hustling,the kind that only a pretty hardened character will even attempt

Leaving honest gainful employment and choosing the way of the road agentexposes the player to temptations to lose their soul that few survive

first the exposure to the sort of individuals you will daily be exposed to,not like your mom caring and generous but hardened cynical so called pundits that fancy themselves sports heroes
when in effect they are pool hall bums

they wake up looking to beat somebody ,without pimps with working girls,druggies and peddlers ,in other words dishonest people with easy money there will be no gambling

seldom does a doctor or businessman go these low rent dives and if they do,it won't be long until a top notch hustler arrives to take this poor stiff off quickly

If a fella dresses nicely and has a job he is considered a mark,a sucker

If the mak has money he is promoted to a stake horse,the player may start out trying to win,but he soon takes tough games with little chance to win because he has nothing to lose

soon he dumps stakehorses,this applies to about 80% of the games where you see big money pass

the hustler makes 50% of his money borrowing money that he will never pay back,or even intend to return

you ask does thi s affect the character of the fella starting out on the road?You bet it turns him into a bum,a druggy, aworthlless hardened fella with no love for his fella man or decent manners
,compassion orany socially redeeming benefits at all

But don't knock dream,let him think that he is a professional athlete,he can bank a ball and he considers all the decent folks to be fools.the bums admire him
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Dean, while a lot of what you say IS TRUE, it honestly requires one to have been there to truly understand it. Our buddy Justin I'm sure will be quick to say; no, not me it could never happen - just like countless before him. Truth is it I what it is and it really isn't that pretty as those who fantasize about it and those who have lived it are all too often tight lipped- and for good reason. It's not really bad, def not good but ot is what it is reserved for a special breed. While this prob doesn't answer the question of all of our good friend Justin, no one truly can. He seems intrigued so the answer itself lies on the road he so enthusiastically asks about. The only way to truly know or understand IMHO.
 
deanoc said:
In a word,if you are not a crook when you go to prison,you soon will be

Pool huslin.serious pool hustling,the kind that only a pretty hardened character will even attempt

Leaving honest gainful employment and choosing the way of the road agentexposes the player to temptations to lose their soul that few survive

first the exposure to the sort of individuals you will daily be exposed to,not like your mom caring and generous but hardened cynical so called pundits that fancy themselves sports heroes
when in effect they are pool hall bums

they wake up looking to beat somebody ,without pimps with working girls,druggies and peddlers ,in other words dishonest people with easy money there will be no gambling

seldom does a doctor or businessman go these low rent dives and if they do,it won't be long until a top notch hustler arrives to take this poor stiff off quickly

Life on the road changes people for the worse almost 100% of the time
and that is the result of divine intervention

If a fella dresses nicely and has a job he is considered a mark,a sucker

If the mak has money he is promoted to a stake horse,the player may start out trying to win,but he soon takes tough games with little chance to win because he has nothing to lose

soon he dumps stakehorses,this applies to about 80% of the games where you see big money pass

the hustler makes 50% of his money borrowing money that he will never pay back,or even intend to return

you ask does thi s affect the character of the fella starting out on the road?You bet it turns him into a bum,a druggy, aworthlless hardened fella with no love for his fella man or decent manners
,compassion orany socially redeeming benefits at all

But don't knock dream,let him think that he is a professional athlete,he can bank a ball and he considers all the decent folks to be fools.the bums admire him


life on the road(or even to the local pool room) chages people for the worse almost 100% of the time
And that requires divine intervention
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Great post.
 
deanoc said:
In a word,if you are not a crook when you go to prison,you soon will be

Pool huslin.serious pool hustling,the kind that only a pretty hardened character will even attempt

Leaving honest gainful employment and choosing the way of the road agent exposes the player to temptations to lose their soul that few survive

first the exposure to the sort of individuals you will daily be exposed to,not like your mom caring and generous but hardened cynical so called pundits that fancy themselves sports heroes
when in effect they are pool hall bums

they wake up looking to beat somebody ,without pimps with working girls,druggies and peddlers ,in other words dishonest people with easy money there will be no gambling

seldom does a doctor or businessman go these low rent dives and if they do,it won't be long until a top notch hustler arrives to take this poor stiff off quickly

Life on the road changes people for the worse almost 100% of the time
and that is the result of divine intervention

If a fella dresses nicely and has a job he is considered a mark,a sucker

If the mark has money he is promoted to a stake horse,the player may start out trying to win,but he soon takes tough games with little chance to win because he has nothing to lose

soon he dumps stakehorses,this applies to about 80% of the games where you see big money pass

the hustler makes 50% (often even a higher per cent)of his money borrowing money that he will never pay back,or even intend to return

you ask does thi s affect the character of the fella starting out on the road?You bet it turns him into a bum,a druggy, aworthlless hardened fella with no love for his fella man or decent manners
,compassion orany socially redeeming benefits at all

But don't knock dream,let him think that he is a professional athlete,he can bank a ball and he considers all the decent folks to be fools.the bums admire him


life on the road(or even to the local pool room) chages people for the worse almost 100% of the time
And that requires divine intervention
Click to expand...
That being said what's funny is that probably 75-80% of AZ'ers would give their left nut to play as good as a true roadplayer. People want to knock the lifestyle but only dream about EVER playing that sorta speed.
 
garczar said:
That being said what's funny is that probably 75-80% of AZ'ers would give their left nut to play as good as a true roadplayer. People want to knock the lifestyle but only dream about EVER playing that sorta speed.
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Yeah, I certainly dream about being able to play short stop or pro speed. I think I had the skill to maybe become a champion, if I would have had the discipline, confidence, a great instructor, and eventually a great stake horse who believed in me. I just lacked too many things that are required to become a great player. I think I had the potential though. Always dreamed about what that life would be like though (being in the 'in croud' with all of those great players). I have been out on the road a lot when I was younger, and it was very exciting, even though I would lose all of my money most of the time. I understand the type of personality that the average pool player has (which is pretty cool most of the time), but I just do not know how cool most of these super strong touring pro's are.
 
Is there even such a thing as a real "road player" anymore?

I mean the undercover hustler type of guy who slips into town and nobody knows and then he cleans everybody out and moves on.
 
justinb386 said:
The great champions do not (or will not) end up bums though, right? I am talking about the guys that win these big open events on a regular bases.
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Pool has changed a lot in last 20-25yrs. Used to be 80% gambling and 20% tournaments. Now that's kinda flip-flopped. Action is still out there but the big boys make their $$ in tournaments mostly. I know a lot of players from the 80's & 90's that really don't have much to show for their efforts. Many that are doing well left pool behind them years ago. Dude, like i said, it is and always will be a GRIND.
 
HawaiianEye said:
Is there even such a thing as a real "road player" anymore?

I mean the undercover hustler type of guy who slips into town and nobody knows and then he cleans everybody out and moves on.
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Not really. With a smart phone you can knock a guy in 5 minutes. Tuff to fly under the radar these days.
 
deanoc said:
it is true that many players fantacize about playing good or winning money

just like many married men dream of adultery with some woman that is not half what their wife is

once they follow that line of behavior divorce ,broken homes.loss of respect in the eyes of their children and even in the eyes of the weak knee so called friends who encouraged them in this and painted a picture of fun and the good life

that is all they gave up for their adultery

Pool offers a person a chance to follow an illusive dream to anyone foolish enough to give up
a steady life with the stability and comforts that the best men have always chosen

But hey,let's not knock the dream of thesefools who want to throw their life away so they can roll a ball in a hole with a stick

nevermind the fact they will turn into bums ,end up broke,in prison or dead before they reach 40,who cares about a respectable wife who labors to raise children and set a good example,why worry about a nest egg for the future, OBAMA care will take care of them

They have heroes who prowl the night and sometimes win a little, I knew and traveled with titanic Thompson,he won millions in the 20s and died broke,friendless and worse

What about Fats,died broke and broken,left his wife of 30 years and the rest is too sad to talk about

I knew Ronnie Allen well,here was the absolute most glamorous player of all time,once but before it was over he actually teared up talking about losing his wife,what he won at pool he lost at races,etc

drinking went along with his decline,you ever notice how many show biz people are alcholis,
glamorous miserable lifestyle but be sure,there is nothing glamorous about being a broke pool player

Yes I knew Archie,sleeping in his car when I met him,won 30 million ,went to the horseshoe everyday to play a million dollar set,after a year he was back asleep in the car,i read he went to jail recently


Oh,these are best,of the best ,the biggest highest players ever,the average pool hustler knows nothing of really big money or even modest success,just the final end of dieing broke and embarrassed to face reality

I fully expect some of you Az guys to answer with some yes everything you say is true but blah blah blah

Its not nice to take the dream away,even if it is a pipe dream with absolutely no possible results other than what I described
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What you say is true. I know plenty of people who wound up in the same boat as the guys you mentioned. 99% of them are either dead now or don't have a dime.
 
justinb386 said:
The great champions do not (or will not) end up bums though, right? I am talking about the guys that win these big open events on a regular bases.
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Son, everything Dean has said is 1000% true and I gotta tell you if you're even a little bit smart you should believe him AND take every last bit of it to heart - FOR SURE. While obviously I am not privy to each and every pro players life, money, situation etc I can say with absolute confidence they TOO are way more likely than not headed just for what Dean has said. In an effort to be at least slightly optimistic, SVB may BE THE ONLY ONE that at least has a chance to break the trend. I say this because, and ONLY because he had enough sense and forethought to take a good portion of his winnings early on and to invest it wisely into various real estate deals. But keep in mind though,most if not all other " champions " have not and do not have the money nor forethought to do the same so yes, they too are doomed to Deans predictions imho.
 
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