Mosconi Cup Realization

[Island Drive]

If we all look at What Simon Cowell has created with X Factor, it too could become a similar Billiard reality in the coming years.

It's quite amazing when many are given an equal chance at Opportunity in our society to succeed, how much effort and support will be given on the front end and the back side of your life.

The irony of all this....Mika/Thorsten/Souquet are NOT from the States.... But they SEE and Realize the opportunity the USA has to offer those that are willing to put in the work/effort and commitment, they are just a speck of European talent and Character.

The talent pool in the USA is so deep, that it would take ''very little time'' to develop the game to a meaningful point, thus involving parents and community and ones peers.

Currently....pool has Zero Value, unless your afflicted with the Bug, then its personal, nothing more.

How many show up to try out for the X Factor?? Thousands upon Thousands, and who accompanies them, their Friends and Families...

 

[bdorman]

Three of my employees are European ex-pats. It cost a lot of time and money to get their HB-1 visas. They could have worked from their home countries but wanted to live in the U.S.

I've asked each of them why, and received the same answer from each one: The drive to excel is not viewed as a virtue in many European countries; it's often viewed as a character flaw. They are more comfortable in the U.S. where ambition is admired rather than looked down upon.

One of them was even asked by his father, "Why do you want to appear better than everyone else?"

I can't say that's the motivation for European pool players living in the U.S.; it's just my limited experience.

 

[CJ Wiley]

This is what he wrote........

If we all look at What Simon Cowell has created with X Factor, it too could become a similar Billiard reality in the coming years.

..

Here's an excerpt from a letter I received on FACE BOOK today from someone that REALLY LIKES POOL, just to put things in perspective relative to "the general public".


This is what he wrote........


But, for all the people bashing Earl's conduct and some temper/ emotion from Hatch/Rodney......well, I can tell you this.....

.....my Mom was around. She doesn't care anything about pool. Never plays. She knows I love it, of course.

But, as I'm watching it, Earl goes on his typical tirade, of which I'm still shocked that many players can't fade. He's been doing it for years. It's HIS personality/demons/passion, whatever you want to call it. But, no one that has ever followed pool should expect anything different from him.

Anyway, my Mom saw Earl go off. You know what happened next? She sits down AND WATCHES THE MATCH.

She watched it because Earl was on full-tilt. She watched it because I explained that his partner was Shane.....and I told her of his hearing issues and the fact that he was bullied as a child and it's pushed him to crush everyone in his wake. How he works harder at the game than any of the other current pro's.
Basically,

I told her their backstories and she was fascinated.
When the match was over, she asked who was next. I can't remember who it was, but I didn't have much backstory to give and said it would be a quiet, more "professional-looking" set.

She said....."Oh. Well, can we watch something else then?"

That completely confirmed to me that the masses want to see conflict and characters with a backstory.

 

[sjm]

Yes, people like conflict but they don't generally respect sportsmen who show no respect for their fellow competitors and who do unethical things to gain an edge in competition. That wears thin quickly with most fans in all sports. In other sports, such behavior tends to lead to fines and suspensions. The fact that it is routinely tolerated in pool is part of the explanation for the low regard in which the sport is held in America, and it sadly tends to confirm the American public's view of pool players as predatory types with no self-respect.

 

[Rackemep]

Here's an excerpt from a letter I received on FACE BOOK today from someone that REALLY LIKES POOL, just to put things in perspective relative to "the general public".


This is what he wrote........


But, for all the people bashing Earl's conduct and some temper/ emotion from Hatch/Rodney......well, I can tell you this.....

.....my Mom was around. She doesn't care anything about pool. Never plays. She knows I love it, of course.

But, as I'm watching it, Earl goes on his typical tirade, of which I'm still shocked that many players can't fade. He's been doing it for years. It's HIS personality/demons/passion, whatever you want to call it. But, no one that has ever followed pool should expect anything different from him.

Anyway, my Mom saw Earl go off. You know what happened next? She sits down AND WATCHES THE MATCH.

She watched it because Earl was on full-tilt. She watched it because I explained that his partner was Shane.....and I told her of his hearing issues and the fact that he was bullied as a child and it's pushed him to crush everyone in his wake. How he works harder at the game than any of the other current pro's.
Basically,

I told her their backstories and she was fascinated.
When the match was over, she asked who was next. I can't remember who it was, but I didn't have much backstory to give and said it would be a quiet, more "professional-looking" set.

She said....."Oh. Well, can we watch something else then?"

That completely confirmed to me that the masses want to see conflict and characters with a backstory.

Unfortunately I think the author of your FaceBook letter is spot on...We live in a society that thrives on drama and controversy. I know its not pool related but take Howard Stern for example...He made a carrier out of being a vulgar D.J. and even got his own late night TV show just because he was so controversial. His ratings didn't even come from just fans, people that hated him would watch/listen to his show just so they could hear what he had to say, judge/ hate him more and have drama filled conversation about him....

Now I'm in no way comparing Earl to Howard but I can see where Earl could be a big draw for the average non-pool player on TV. The Earl show gives you something to watch besides the pool portion of things...Lets face it, to the average person pool is boring to watch :frown:.....Most of us here on AZB could probably watch pool with the same excitement that the general populous gets out of football or baseball. If pool has to become a circus in order to make it main stream again here in the states then I personally would rather it stay the way it is now (off the radar)....

Shaun

 

[sammylane12]

Chances are that if your mom saw a guy with 3 heads she would probably sit down and watch that too. Earl has freak show value.

 

[Roger Long]

I agree that there are many people who watch TV programs for their conflict value. Just look at all of the reality shows on TV; they all have conflicts going on.

But there are probably just as many who don't care to watch the conflict. I, for one, am one of those. I have checked out many of the reality TV shows, and as soon as I see that they are all about building up to some sort of conflict, I never go back to them.

AZB provides all the conflict I need. :grin:

Roger

 

[Johnnyt]

Do We Really Want A Pool Reality Show?

Reality show? Is that what we really all want for pool? I thought we wanted to show pool for the great skilled game it is. Showing pool in a conflict theme will not get many people to flock to the poolrooms in droves like the two hit pool movies, COM and The Hustler did. Even if circus pool was a big hit on TV it wouldn't help getting a pro tour started, a lot of small regional tours for the better than average players that want to pay a small entry fee to test the waters and test themselves against other players in their area. What most on here want to see are poolrooms opening back up, and in the end real pool on TV, weather that be match-ups of two champions or tournaments from a tour.

One thing I think (and I know this is nowhere the big answer)is to promote 14.1 more. For the new players learning 14.1 first is easier to start running balls than having to get position on the next # ball in the rotation games. When newbies start playing pool they want to see that they can make balls and we all continue to want that...more and more balls.

If I was in better health I might try opening a small storefront with two tables to give lessons to young kids and young adults. Like a Karate school/studio. Maybe parents would let their kids go there because it takes the poolroom out of the picture until their old enough to do and go where they want.
Sorry for the long thread. I had more to say, but I'll leave it at that for now. Johnnyt