Does Your Opinion Count?

[Tbeaux]

Ummm............it's not 1000 members it's 18,000+ members (probably only 3-4k really). WPBA board members, WPA board members, APA officials, CSI, TAP, tournament promotion people, regional pool tour presidents, pro players, room owners, cue makers, table manufacturers, pool accessory manufacturers, case makers, streamers, gamblers, american, asian, european, joe shmoe the eskimo and everybody in between.


Does my opinion count................who knows!
Who cares..........?????
Do I care...........Nah! :wink:

 

[jay helfert]

Recently, on "All My Children," a better than average player opined:

"frankly im tired of trying to be the azb darling.
if all 1000 people on here love me it wont change my career,and if all 1000 hate me it wont change it either.
so im done giving a shit ,im done listening too 1000 phantoms behind a computer tell me off.
...im sick of all the know it all,wanna be ,finger pointing,this is what you need to do,i used to be great at pool,pool players are broke,hiding behind keyboards telling people off idiots on here."

Soooo, my question is, in this day of internetness: does what we say and think here -- as fans, students of the game, railbirds, stakehorses, nits, and players ourselves -- matter?

Can what we say and think of a player here, affect their career?

Does opinion, as expressed here, change anything?

I know that over on onepocket.org, the members can vote someone into the Hall of Fame. Now it seems, we can vote someone onto the US Mosconi Cup team. Group will power here seems to be able to magically get people their money, or cue, back from transactions gone bad. We all choose to lend our support (or not) to different events and endeavors. Players come here to seek financial support to enter major tournaments. And there's the usual hawking of player generated and endorsed stuff.

So, do you think any of this adds up to a hill of beans?

Lou Figueroa

I happen to like beans and am offended they are not held in higher esteem. Especially Bush's Baked Beans. Good for your heart and will make you...... Okay, you get the picture.

 

[Snapshot9]

Opinions

I think most opinions on here matter, some do not, as Stu said, depends on the credible or not so credible source it comes from. Much what is discussed on here you used to hear about in the old dusty Poolrooms, only not near as fast as AZB is. With AZB, you have instant information, which does shape opinions about various Pool items and players alike, events, etc..

I think that we, collectively, have to think about how we can help our sport even more than we already do. We have a real good board here, and we could do even more in the future, given the chance.

As far as the pros coming in here, I really enjoy that, but lets be real, everyone is not always going to agree with everything they say. I have met a lot of players in 47 years, and even though they may play real good, they may not always be the nicest of people, and it shows up. (BTW John, I think you are a real nice person, and a heck of a player, and really enjoy your participation here on AZB).

I must say though, I am not fond of not-spoken-of cliques that seem to form on here, and how what they say is 'The Bible' and any disagreement whatsoever puts that person in a 'bad light'. I just don't think that is right, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, good, bad, or indifferent.
I am not talking about the trolls either, they have another agenda, and are not sincere in their efforts.

There are a lot of posters on here that I would love to meet in person, and are pretty sure we would become friends for real. I do think that collectively, we could exert some influence in some areas in Pool that could help Pool overall. How about forming a governing National USA Pool association for starters.

 

[lfigueroa]

i think what people like you say matters.the people who dont matter in my opinion are the ones who constantly spew crap and are negative constantly.
99 percent on here are great but the 1 percent ,oh my god.

Thanks, John.

You know, there's a lot of chaff thrown up here. The longer (and thicker) your Internet skin becomes, you'll be better able to throw off some of the crap that's posted as semi-serious thought, so don't worry about all that.

Personally, I think you do just swell as the AZ poster boy and that there is a huge body of support for you here. Participating, just a bit more, on some of the threads such as those about aiming and stroking and equipment (or a trip report or two), would go a long, long way for you, PR wise ;-)

I look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the pool world in the next 20 years. (I'd say 20-30, but I highly doubt I'll be around long enough to see the tail end of that

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

As I said, that's exactly what happens on another site

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

In my opinion this thread sux:sorry:

lol.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

Looking at the BIG picture, then NO!!!

Maniac

But, but... we're only looking at a little bitty picture, here on AZ ;-)

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

The opinions written here matter little to the world at large.

To this individual, it depends on the source of the opinion, some are worth more than othes.

But, Joe, you'd have to concede that as far as the *pool* world, what is said here (or not) can have repercussions.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

I hate to say, or maybe I enjoy saying this, "After hanging around here for several months now and posting what I thought were some very informative posts, I've come to the same conclusion. Very few people, on here, really care."

This place is a typical pool room, only on a lager scale.

You've been in my room Lou. There are people in there running around giving advice to other people, on how to play the game, that, I shutter, when listening, to what they have to say. I believe they just like to hear, "themselves," talk.

Don't take it personal, Lou. I read your stuff.

I like the ,"Soap", reference.

Thanks, Tom.

But I disagree. I think, by and large, the population here does care about the sport, and care very deeply about it, at that.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

Lou,

Pretty obvious that even individual opinions matter to many, even the pro's. Look how many have gotten their panties in a wad and left or the ones that have left and returned over and over. It seems that very few of the pro's don't at least lurk on AZB on occasion, many are daily readers. Many of the pro players and people in the industry don't come on here to avoid the risk of bad PR. That seems to say that opinions matter.

Our opinion as a group clearly matters. The folks running this new event at Galveston made some changes in the way they did business and seem to have made some changes in the event itself based on input from AZB, that is pretty strong. Other people have logged on or forwarded messages to be posted here when forum opinion was running high concerning happenings at their event.

Although the opinions of the members of this forum are pretty easily swayed there is no question that being the single largest billiard sounding board available gives the forum and it's members considerable clout.

It is a totally different question if you ask should our opinions matter. As a tiny subset of all pool players the answer is probably not. However we are the vocal few while the silent majority goes unheard. Few true pool fanatics have time to waste on a computer when they could be wasting it over a pool table. :smile:

Hu

Hu, I think you're very much on target. And, for better or worse, some ignore what's going on here (to their detriment), while others use and even exploit it.

I think it would be unwise for anyone in the industry to underestimate what happens here (or can happen I think whatever that effect is it will only become stronger in the years to come.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

It definitely matters to the pool world and it matters to a lot of people here. In many ways beyond just commerce.

If pool ever gains real traction in the US's real world, this forum will likely have played a huge role in that happening.

I strongly agree.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

It has always been a pleasure knowing you share an opinion with others and there is agreement.

There are so many aspects of pocket billiards that can be discussed that normally just don't come up in the conversation in a pool hall. I has been rewarding to share these opinions and then have other respected players agree. To me, that is what makes this forum so great.

IMO this forum follows Life's 80-20 rule. 80% of what is posted is worth reading and browsing through to get to the 20% that is the GOLD in this forum.

To some posters and readers, just having something to read about pool is the GOLD.

IMO we all take something from this forum. It is what we make of it.

I think this is a good take on what happens here for many of us, Tom.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

What is said here might not matter to one person individually. But anytime you have a mass of people that feel strongly about something, that is a powerful force. So just like when you vote for the President, its easy to feel that your vote doesn't matter. Many elections have been won by a single vote. So it does matter. Just maybe not to you but it does matter to someone.

I really think pros who are smart at marketing themselves and are friendly and helpful to the public could really use a forum such as this to help boost their career. I certainly plan to when I break through to the pro circuit.

*Really* good take on the potential here.

Lou Figueroa
IMO

 

[lfigueroa]

I'm with John on this one.....the vast majority here speak with sincerity and conviction.....their intentions are to bring something of value to the site and share with others that have a passion for pool....even when they disagree, they do so with honorable intentions....

The outspoken PITA minority of rabble rousers either get banned or are never taken seriously.....every site has it's trolls....you take the good with the bad....

Yes, I agree, BP. But there is also the little underground group of small thinkers that tries to stifle discussion, any time it takes a turn they don't approve of, with unwarranted accusations of "hater," "naysayer," and "negativism." To me, that is the most disturbing and dishonorable thing going on here lately.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

im jealous ive always wanted to live in montana. been through there couple times cool state

I lived in Montana (Great Falls) for four years, courtesy of the United States Air Force (Malmstrom AFB).

You haven't missed much :-o

Lou Figueroa
though I hear
Kalispell is nice

 

[lfigueroa]

Interesting thread, Lou. AZB is just like the real world. Though you have countless opportunities to express an opinion, your opinions are taken seriously when you are credible. They are taken even more seriously if they are stated with clarity and are far less likely to be taken seriously when they are in a tone of intolerance and proclaimed as irrefutable fact.

So, does my opinion count? The real answer is sometimes. I am credible on some matters relating to pool and not credible in other matters relating to pool, and I'm happy to let the forum judge when I am and when I am not credible.

WAIT A MINUTE!? You're not that "Jim" guy John was talking about in the other thread, is you?

Just a bit more seriously, I do agree with what you're saying, Stu.

I have oft made the analogy that participating here is like joining a tribe. You need to come to the camp with a contribution that others find valuable. Over time, the rest of the tribe (and its elders) will come to recognize you for what you are: someone who contributes; has a sense of humor; flies off at the handle at the very tiniest slight; is a great warrior; provider; comic relief; or maybe just a real jack off.

Over time, there is no escaping the reputation that you create for yourself. And in that regard, it is not the whole tribe you should care about.. just the tribe elders, and not the jack offs

Lou Figueroa
thinks Stu
is a tribe elder

 

[lfigueroa]

I think most opinions on here matter, some do not, as Stu said, depends on the credible or not so credible source it comes from. Much what is discussed on here you used to hear about in the old dusty Poolrooms, only not near as fast as AZB is. With AZB, you have instant information, which does shape opinions about various Pool items and players alike, events, etc..

I think that we, collectively, have to think about how we can help our sport even more than we already do. We have a real good board here, and we could do even more in the future, given the chance.

As far as the pros coming in here, I really enjoy that, but lets be real, everyone is not always going to agree with everything they say. I have met a lot of players in 47 years, and even though they may play real good, they may not always be the nicest of people, and it shows up. (BTW John, I think you are a real nice person, and a heck of a player, and really enjoy your participation here on AZB).

I must say though, I am not fond of not-spoken-of cliques that seem to form on here, and how what they say is 'The Bible' and any disagreement whatsoever puts that person in a 'bad light'. I just don't think that is right, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, good, bad, or indifferent.
I am not talking about the trolls either, they have another agenda, and are not sincere in their efforts.

There are a lot of posters on here that I would love to meet in person, and are pretty sure we would become friends for real. I do think that collectively, we could exert some influence in some areas in Pool that could help Pool overall. How about forming a governing National USA Pool association for starters.

Amen.

Lou Figueroa

 

[akaTrigger]

Thanks, Tom.

But I disagree. I think, by and large, the population here does care about the sport, and care very deeply about it, at that.

Lou Figueroa

I COMPLETELY disagree also with what he said, also. To say AZB folks don't care makes me think he hasn't seen the outpouring of care toward fellow AZB folks. Not to mention how everyone helps here in regard to POOL.

 

[memikey]

Chill, Trigger...take a moment....think of something on a higher philosophical plane.. :smile:

If an azb guy is in the middle of a deep forest shouting his opinion and there's no-one there to hear it.......will his wife/girlfriend still think he's wrong?

 

[jay helfert]

What I've discovered in my years posting on AZ is that my opinion counts a lot to those who agree with me and not so much to those who disagree. Can someone please explain that to me?