How am I doing?

I'm not trying to get all flaming preachy with you all, but I like to see a young guy with ambition, misguided as it may seem, we all have a path to find. I've worked and played in pool rooms for 15 years, and I know what both sides of the "road player" can look like, not to mention the seedier side of it all. I'd just tell a young guy to find a good mentor, be careful, and be honest, and above all.........have a great time!

Gerry
 
Couldn't agree more!

Gerry,

I couldn't agree more with your post here. I strayed into a pool room or two too in my misspent youth and I can't remember meeting a road player that met the description of the player you are suggesting that he be though. I am not saying none existed but they surely weren't the typical old school road player. Ambition is great however and if it is a bit misguided a little real world seasoning will often adjust ambitions.

Hu


Gerry said:
I'm not trying to get all flaming preachy with you all, but I like to see a young guy with ambition, misguided as it may seem, we all have a path to find. I've worked and played in pool rooms for 15 years, and I know what both sides of the "road player" can look like, not to mention the seedier side of it all. I'd just tell a young guy to find a good mentor, be careful, and be honest, and above all.........have a great time!

Gerry
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I started winning local tournaments when I lived in Louisiana and then I went to a bigger tournament in Shreveport and finished second. By then I got the big head. So I took myself and my large head down to New Orleans and played in a SE pechauer tourney to see where I stood. I got my ass handed to me.

I am not suggesting that you are a bad player. In all likelyhood you are a great player. However, you need to play against the best to know how you compare to the best.
 
I'm 17 and been playin 9 for about 1 year and run consistanly 7 balls and can break and run if I try (if I have to prove myself!). My friend however has been playin for as long as I have and better than me!:mad:
 
mnorwood said:
I started winning local tournaments when I lived in Louisiana and then I went to a bigger tournament in Shreveport and finished second. By then I got the big head. So I took myself and my large head down to New Orleans and played in a SE pechauer tourney to see where I stood. I got my ass handed to me.

I am not suggesting that you are a bad player. In all likelyhood you are a great player. However, you need to play against the best to know how you compare to the best.
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Hence the reason I said he should play in a Tiger Planet Pool tournament. He won't have to travel far and he should be able to get a good idea of where he stands. Mike Davis is always there unless there's a UPA/IPT event. Shawn Putnam has been known to show up at them along with Keith McCready. There's quite a few short stops and then there's a few that I swear, even I could be beat. All playing levels are represented quite nicely on this tour and it could definitely help him learn just how good or bad he really is.
 
Maybe Timberly could have added, "The life of a road warrior" is not all glory, peaches and roses. It is a life of feast or famine with most days a famine. There is no health care, no 401K, no home to call your own. Your cue stick is your best friend but he is passive at best. One old gentleman once told me that a pool-player's life is that of a fox, chicken today, feathers tomorrow.

With this young man's talent, he could be far more than a half-loved and half-hated road warrior. He might be able to become one of the great ones. Perhaps he has unlimited resources (money and someone to take care of him) and in that case, what the hell, take a shot at it all. Maybe he will do like Jeremy Jones and make a run across the nation spanking player after player then for all practical purposes quit the road. It is hard even if you have unlimited resources.

If I were him, I would start playing in some tournaments to get a really good idea of where I stand. From his description, he has lots of talent and determination and it will take all of that and more for him to stay on the plus side while on the road. He reminds me of those 4 young guns from Oklahoma this past Derby City Classic that were in action most of the tournament or plotting their next heist. They were young, ruthless, sometimes reckless but deadly on the field of green and had one hell of a good time. :-)

JoeyA

Gerry said:
Why?.....if that's what he wants to do......he should do it.

Where would we be if Lassiter, Ronnie Allen, Efren, Parica, Grady, DiLiberto, Bugs, Fats, Sigel, Rempe, Varner, McCready and all the other greats never "hit the road"?

We all can't fit into someone else's mold of what should be.......

Gerry
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Masked Man, is it your intention to try to play pool for a living? You stated you wanted to become a road warrior and do it old school, do you have any mentors to assist?

This is a very difficult path you choose, something that has a better chance of ending with you broke, hating pool and wishing you had a "real" Job. There are so many bear traps that lie in wait for you along the way. How many "old school" players got caught in these traps and became junkies, alcoholics, compulsive gamblers, or just plain broke dicks?

Unless you are possessed with supernatural talent, you have gotten a late start at becoming a professional player, which is also something you need to consider.
 
It almost sounds like he is 19 and he has been inspired after watching The Hustler, The Colour of Money, Pool Hall Junkies or read Hustler Days.

MaskedMan

I don't know that there is alot of money to made as a road player unless you have pro caliber skills. I make a little money on the side but I never get much more than $50 in a night. That would make for a difficult life If i didnt have a seperate source of income. I could possibly win more if I had the game to compete with the shortstops or pros though.

It was mentioned earlier that you don't mention your weaknesses. This is very important. I could brag about my high run in snooker, but it does not accurately describe my speed. Anyone who has played me in snooker or straight pool know the best way to difuse my pocketing abilities. Thus my game is greatly reduced by my short comings.

My point is, how are your safeties? How well do you break up clusters? Can you come up with creative shots to get yourself out of trouble, or keep the run going. This is just as important as pocketing abilities. Anyone can learn to run a table when it is open and easy.

Find a teacher somewhere anywhere get, lessons get them to gauge you. I played against a local pro who was an incredible safety player. I never felt as helpless as I did against him, but I learned an awful lot.
 
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