Outed By The Internet

[ghost ball]

You always hear that the internet killed the road hustler. My question is how? Any examples out there? How is the internet different from a phone with a good description of the player?

With all the years of reading the AZ forum, I don't think I ever ran into a thread where some roadie was outed.

 

[Nostroke]

You always hear that the internet killed the road hustler. My question is how? Any examples out there? How is the internet different from a phone with a good description of the player?

With all the years of reading the AZ forum, I don't think I ever ran into a thread where some roadie was outed.

There have been many where they were outed.

A phone call only goes to one person but when 100 pool players learn who a road agent is simultaneously, the word spreads much faster.

 

[Tbeaux]

It has and does happen. An example would be Gary Abood a few years back. He had been "travelling" New England, he hustled a few rooms with AZBers. They were wondering who this guy was. Abood must have found the pickings a bit slim and entered a tournament wearing a ski mask :grin:.
He won the tournament and had to give his name when collecting the prize. Needless to say the pic got posted and the AZB detectives determined who the "Masked Marvel" Gary Abood was.
Here is a link to the thread.....http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=22374&highlight=mask+tournament

 

[Eric.]

It has and does happen. An example would be Gary Abood a few years back. He had been "travelling" New England, he hustled a few rooms with AZBers. They were wondering who this guy was. Abood must have found the pickings a bit slim and entered a tournament wearing a ski mask :grin:.
He won the tournament and had to give his name when collecting the prize. Needless to say the pic got posted and the AZB detectives determined who the "Masked Marvel" Gary Abood was.

I remember that. That is definitely one time where the Net outted someone. In fact, I remember Mike Howerton making a post, asking if he should report the tourney results (prolly because someone asked him not to publish certain names).

I remember that Abood had a pic taken with the second place guy, Randy Labonte. Abood had a ski hat pulled down to cover his whole face, lolol!


Eric

 

[mikeyfrost]

That pic is the nuts!

 

[Black-Balled]

I know who a lotta people are because of the interweb.

Their action isn't 'dead' but they will be starting from somewhere far away, aka: big spot.

 

[peteypooldude]

Internet streaming has exposed some great players . You can come on AZ on
ask if anyone knows of said player from Timbucktoo and someone on here knows him and his speed

 

[ghost ball]

I remember that. That is definitely one time where the Net outted someone. In fact, I remember Mike Howerton making a post, asking if he should report the tourney results (prolly because someone asked him not to publish certain names).

I remember that Abood had a pic taken with the second place guy, Randy Labonte. Abood had a ski hat pulled down to cover his whole face, lolol!


Eric

I remember that too. But was he really "outed"? To me he looked like a guy with a hood pulled over his head...

 

[The Schwartz]

In Abood's case...

IMO he outed himself when he entered the tournament. If he was making a living playing on the road then maybe he should have stuck to playing sets on the side.

Streaming has ID'ed players, but again, they would have some level of control over that happening too.

However, I have seen a few threads here with the title "ID this road player", or something similar. I could see that as unfair knocking I guess.

 

[Eric.]

I remember that too. But was he really "outed"? To me he looked like a guy with a hood pulled over his head...

I think so. That pic created a fervor and eventually, all the detectives chimed in. You can't hide on the Internet.


Eric

 

["T"]

I wonder if the internet is more of a mixed blessing. Word gets out a lot quicker (and permanently) on air barrels and maybe that's a good thing for action overall?

Remember that wheelchair guy? lol

 

[Black-Balled]

Out:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/member.php?u=2897

 

[Koop]

I remember that Abood had a pic taken with the second place guy, Randy Labonte. Abood had a ski hat pulled down to cover his whole face, lolol!


Eric

That is actually Mark Ransom, the old owner of Renaissance Billiards in Quincy MA.

 

[ridinda9]

You always hear that the internet killed the road hustler. My question is how? Any examples out there? How is the internet different from a phone with a good description of the player?

With all the years of reading the AZ forum, I don't think I ever ran into a thread where some roadie was outed.

Another thread started on a completely false premise : i.e. , that the Road Hustler is dead . The Road Hustler is like GOD - just because you don't see him doesn't mean he isn't there .
Also , remember that AzBers are a fairly insular community - they stay with there own types , and (I'll get jumped for saying this . . .) fairly elitist . They concentrate on what THEY consider 'action rooms' - dedicated poolhalls and bars which cater to the 'more advanced' player . They talk down to bars that are geared toward the 'banger' player , and don't spend anytime in them.
Guess what ? All those 'bangers' have an inflated sense of their abilities , and most receive a paycheck on Friday.
Eagles , Moose , Elks , VFW , American Legion halls - all full of older bangers , past their prime but still full of pride , and nobody to warn 'em til it's too late - cuz after all , you had to be a brother member to get in , right ?
Movies and media have made it seem like road players are always out for that big score - that $10,000 dollar rack. And , of course , there are some players gambling that big (Chris Bartram , you are my idol . . . ) but more commonly the road player is trying for a couple of $10 racks , and get out before there's too much talk - only need ten racks like that a day to make a nice comfortable living below the radar.
Look back in history , and you'll find this is how the road players of the Golden Age were living day to day - those giant score were few and far ( and legendary when they DID happen)
So my question to you is this - who said road players were dead?

 

[ShootingArts]

yep

Another thread started on a completely false premise : i.e. , that the Road Hustler is dead . The Road Hustler is like GOD - just because you don't see him doesn't mean he isn't there .
Also , remember that AzBers are a fairly insular community - they stay with there own types , and (I'll get jumped for saying this . . .) fairly elitist . They concentrate on what THEY consider 'action rooms' - dedicated poolhalls and bars which cater to the 'more advanced' player . They talk down to bars that are geared toward the 'banger' player , and don't spend anytime in them.
Guess what ? All those 'bangers' have an inflated sense of their abilities , and most receive a paycheck on Friday.
Eagles , Moose , Elks , VFW , American Legion halls - all full of older bangers , past their prime but still full of pride , and nobody to warn 'em til it's too late - cuz after all , you had to be a brother member to get in , right ?
Movies and media have made it seem like road players are always out for that big score - that $10,000 dollar rack. And , of course , there are some players gambling that big (Chris Bartram , you are my idol . . . ) but more commonly the road player is trying for a couple of $10 racks , and get out before there's too much talk - only need ten racks like that a day to make a nice comfortable living below the radar.
Look back in history , and you'll find this is how the road players of the Golden Age were living day to day - those giant score were few and far ( and legendary when they DID happen)
So my question to you is this - who said road players were dead?

Rumor has it that there are still unknown road players doing just fine. Down in my part of the world it paid to know when the local big employers paid off the weekly guys. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, were all paydays and people on a weekly payroll often only worry about keeping enough to make it to the next paycheck. Far smarter to cut a few laps where these guys hang out and pick up $50-$100 each place than to go play a big match at a pool hall that you might lose and win or lose you start building local recognition and rep.

A favorite stop for awhile was Bridge City. They had a little weekly jackpot rodeo and the nearest bar/honky tonk had a pool table or two. The rodeo paid off in cash and win or lose folks were ready to party. Been a lot of years but I'm pretty sure I met another guy plying his trade in there a couple times, somebody named Scotty.

Hu

 

[Tbeaux]

Out:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/member.php?u=2897

LOL....I'm not positive but I don't think "T" was referring to Shorty. Think he was talking about a guy that was running around Kentucky and Tennessee awhile back. Then again with Shorty ya never know. :grin:

 

[ghost ball]

Another thread started on a completely false premise : i.e. , that the Road Hustler is dead . The Road Hustler is like GOD - just because you don't see him doesn't mean he isn't there .
Also , remember that AzBers are a fairly insular community - they stay with there own types , and (I'll get jumped for saying this . . .) fairly elitist . They concentrate on what THEY consider 'action rooms' - dedicated poolhalls and bars which cater to the 'more advanced' player . They talk down to bars that are geared toward the 'banger' player , and don't spend anytime in them.
Guess what ? All those 'bangers' have an inflated sense of their abilities , and most receive a paycheck on Friday.
Eagles , Moose , Elks , VFW , American Legion halls - all full of older bangers , past their prime but still full of pride , and nobody to warn 'em til it's too late - cuz after all , you had to be a brother member to get in , right ?
Movies and media have made it seem like road players are always out for that big score - that $10,000 dollar rack. And , of course , there are some players gambling that big (Chris Bartram , you are my idol . . . ) but more commonly the road player is trying for a couple of $10 racks , and get out before there's too much talk - only need ten racks like that a day to make a nice comfortable living below the radar.
Look back in history , and you'll find this is how the road players of the Golden Age were living day to day - those giant score were few and far ( and legendary when they DID happen)
So my question to you is this - who said road players were dead?

FWIW, I agree with you (except for that silly statement about god!). People here say the road hustler is dead due to the internet. I don't agree with that.

 

[mnShooter]

Some guy named Chris Bartram came and won our no Pro's allowed MN state big table championship a while ago. This was a few years back when the internet was still young and not a lot of people had heard of him. I don't think they'd would allow him to play had they known who he was. Which I'm sure they do now thanks to AZ.

 

[ghost ball]

Some guy named Chris Bartram came and won our no Pro's allowed MN state big table championship a while ago. This was a few years back when the internet was still young and not a lot of people had heard of him. I don't think they'd would allow him to play had they known who he was. Which I'm sure they do now thanks to AZ.

When the internet was young??? Back then Chris was what? about 8 years old? Ever consider he was not a pro back then? And while you are at it, define pro. In my definition, he is not considered a pro. If he is, why is he playing poker?

Hey Mr. Bartram, do you feel you have been outed by the internet or are your "skills" responsible?

 

[Scott Lee]

ridinda9...I would guess you haven't been out "on the road" at all...or at least not in a decade or more. While your figure might have worked 20-30 years ago, NOBODY can even live on the road for $100 a day (let alone make a "comfortable living"...LOL)...unless they eat only McDonalds and sleep in their car. Speaking as someone who spends 200 days a year 'on the road', I can tell you that the dead minimum just to get by, is $150-$200/day (if you're by youself, and not traveling with a wife/girlfriend)...and that's not paying your bills back home (assuming you have one), nor saving even a quarter for 'retirement' or anything else.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Movies and media have made it seem like road players are always out for that big score - that $10,000 dollar rack. And , of course , there are some players gambling that big (Chris Bartram , you are my idol . . . ) but more commonly the road player is trying for a couple of $10 racks , and get out before there's too much talk -only need ten racks like that a day to make a nice comfortable living below the radar.