pool is out of luck??

m.libre10

m.libre10

Banned
any idea why pool is down??

I do, Asian country players are admired and respected by most poeple because of their talent they have known them not only because of their talent but personality as well. Players also support the industry to be successful by helping out with the new generation players. Unlike in other country which players just ignores the game and the poeple who wanted to learn.

I everytime I go to a pool hall mostly I get stared at and they are probably asking them selves if I'm going to be their ATM.
 
Another Kick the Pool Player Thread!

I don't quite agree fully with the generalization or stereotype of SOME of what you portray relating to pool players not helping younger players.

So just to add a counter-thought to this thread, I will post a few pictures of a pool player who enjoys helping younger players learn the game and always makes an effort to spend time with the children who do express an interest. :)

At the 2005 U.S. Open, Keith McCready spent about an hour with these young tikes, honing their skills set, how to address the ball, where to aim, et cetera.

JAM
 

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Another shot at the same event during the hour-long lesson in the front hall of the Chesapeake Conference Center. The children were thrilled to learn from one of the competitors in the event.

Keith observes the young'n trying to shoot the ball in the hole and offers advice before, during, and after.

JAM
 

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Then there's this young Kentucky boy whose family was in Denver, Colorado, for a week. We were on the road and stopped by Paradise Billiards. When the family recognized Keith, the young boy came up to Keith and asked him if he could play a game or two. Keith has always had a soft spot in his heart for children and spent an hour or so playing pool with the young boy, giving him advice, showing him where to aim, just some basic fundamentals.

JAM
 

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m.libre10 said:
any idea why pool is down??

I do, Asian country players are admired and respected by most poeple because of their talent they have known them not only because of their talent but personality as well. Players also support the industry to be successful by helping out with the new generation players. Unlike in other country which players just ignores the game and the poeple who wanted to learn.

I everytime I go to a pool hall mostly I get stared at and they are probably asking them selves if I'm going to be their ATM.
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Im not exactly sure what you are saying. So pool is actually globally up (that is more popular I assume) yet conversely it is down here(less popular in the United States?). Pool is one of the most popular participation sports in the world including the United States. I almost get the sense from reading about this topic on this forum that somehow because pool and billiards has exploded in popularity in other countries (particularly asain) that this means it is not popular in our own. This I also think this is a mis-nomer, it maybe that the popularity of the sport has simply been brought to our attention. And the global players have been brought to our pool rooms. The standard for sport recogition in the United States relies mostly on EPSN. Although the coverage isn't that great and the format maybe not be the most palatable for hard core pool afficianados, it is still on tv. Look I guess the bottom line is that I keep hearing about how in America pool is baisically seen as a step child of a sport. Well actually I think this is wrong. America always has a contender in a championship whether we win the title or not. Just like in tennis since Federer dominates the field so heavily American commentators try to speculate why arent there more Americans winning titles? Well just like in every sport sometimes it isnt anything you are doing. Im sure in Asia all the golf academies are trying to produce the next Tiger. So my advice is relax, don't worry, pool is hugely popular, we can compete on a world stage and beat other pros consistently (yes even asain ones) and do.
 
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Here's a cute shot taken in Richmond, Virginia, of Keith and young Tyler. Tyler is probably on of the most enthusiastic young player I've met. He was running around the Virginia State 9-Ball Championship trying to get autographs on his pool case. When he asked for Keith's, the two of them engaged in a conversation and hit some balls together. Ever since then, the two of them have become friends and have even played together as partners against another set of players. When we see Tyler, he always comes up and hangs out with us. Tyler is cute as a button and loves pool.

JAM
 

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m.libre10 said:
any idea why pool is down??

I do, Asian country players are admired and respected by most poeple because of their talent they have known them not only because of their talent but personality as well. Players also support the industry to be successful by helping out with the new generation players. Unlike in other country which players just ignores the game and the poeple who wanted to learn.

I everytime I go to a pool hall mostly I get stared at and they are probably asking them selves if I'm going to be their ATM.
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Not that I have addressed the "heping out with the new generation players" part of your post, I will address the popularity issue.

Pool is popular in the U.S. as a recreational game for hundreds of thousands of American pool league players, social shooters, and bar bangers.

Professional pool, on the other hand, is what is not popular.

JAM
 
JAM said:
Not that I have addressed the "heping out with the new generation players" part of your post, I will address the popularity issue.

Pool is popular in the U.S. as a recreational game for hundreds of thousands of American pool league players, social shooters, and bar bangers.

Professional pool, on the other hand, is what is not popular.

JAM
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Hey Jam, (asking as respectfully as possible) what do you mean by popular? Very vauge term (I know I used it too) but it seems that it is on the map (again going back to ESPN). But here is my thinking on the subject. I think we all agree that it is atleast huge globally, and we do have it on our primetime big sports network. And we also have players that consistently beat the players from the countries where it is really popular. So that just leaves me with the thought that... you know, things are going to be and are OK.
 
RunoutalloverU said:
Hey Jam, (asking as respectfully as possible) what do you mean by popular? Very vauge term (I know I used it too) but it seems that it is on the map (again going back to ESPN). But here is my thinking on the subject. I think we all agree that it is atleast huge globally, and we do have it on our primetime big sports network. And we also have players that consistently beat the players from the countries where it is really popular. So that just leaves me with the thought that... you know, things are going to be and are OK.
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Playing pool here in America conjures up different meanings when it comes to popularity.

Pool is very popular here in the States. I can't even name the alphabet soup of acronyms for pool leaues, BCA League, APA, TAP, et cetera.

A pool room in Frederick, Maryland, has a league night every day of the week. When the owner was asked if he would like to host a pro event, he said no way. He makes his money from LEAGUES. Professional pool is nothing more than money burner, no profit, no interest.

In sum, pool is popular in the United States. Professional pool, though, sits on the back burner. Yes, there are ESPN broadcasts, but they are never live and oftentimes cut and abbreviated. Sometimes you never get to see the whole game, like you do in football, basketball, and tennis.

Pool in America is considered a recreational game, much like Tiddlywinks. If you were to walk into a league night in my area and ask them who Efren Reyes or Earl Strickland is, you'd come up empty! :D

JAM
 
JAM said:
Playing pool here in America conjures up different meanings when it comes to popularity.

Pool is very popular here in the States. I can't even name the alphabet soup of acronyms for pool leaues, BCA League, APA, TAP, et cetera.

A pool room in Frederick, Maryland, has a league night every day of the week. When the owner was asked if he would like to host a pro event, he said no way. He makes his money from LEAGUES. Professional pool is nothing more than money burner, no profit, no interest.

In sum, pool is popular in the United States. Professional pool, though, sits on the back burner. Yes, there are ESPN broadcasts, but they are never live and oftentimes cut and abbreviated. Sometimes you never get to see the whole game, like you do in football, basketball, and tennis.

Pool in America is considered a recreational game, much like Tiddlywinks. If you were to walk into a league night in my area and ask them who Efren Reyes or Earl Strickland is, you'd come up empty! :D

JAM
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Thanks for giving the bleak East Coast situation. That sounds bad.
 
pool

my apology!!! I am not trying to bash any country especially the US. I am just trying to get an idea of what's happening now in the pool industry. I know that its still a popular sport here in US (I knew I should have posted this to that thread that I read earlier...lol) I just happen to read a thread earlier questioning why the popularity of pool is now starting to get weak on some country.

I wonder why I dont see much pool on TV though? I know that there should be something exciting to watch on some of the previous pool tournament. why is it not being aired?

but then again I do APOLOGIZE if I offended anybody. NONE of that is in my intention.
 
East coast tournament?

yeah, there is still quite a few big ones. I still love to see Keith M. play though, his presence has been gone for a while now though.

Although, I still have another person that I can consider a heavy hitter in Maryland which happens to be Jerry S. his also fun to watch.

I just love pool and now beginning to be curious of its status.
 
Runoutalloveryou said:
......Pool is one of the most popular participation sports in the world including the United States......
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"One of the most popular" means different things to different people.....to many it would mean a position within top 4 or 5, to most it means top 10 at worst.

It is fairly certain there isn't any country in Europe or the Middle East or Australasia where pool is a top 4/5 participation sport and almost certainly not even top 10 or even top 20 in many cases. In Asia the main pool playing countries are China, where pool is certainly not top 5 and probably not top 10, Taiwan where pool may scrape into the lower regions of the top 6, Japan, definitely not top 5 probably not top 10 and The Phillipines where it is probably top 5. In South America and in Canada I doubt it is top 10 and most certainly not top 4/5.

That leaves USA in respect of which there are many on these boards in a much better position to judge and look forward to their comments but I'd be astonished if it was in the top 6 participation sports.

That begs the question as regards where on earth did you get the numbers which gave you the idea for the above 'global' quote? I hope it wasn't from AZB threads as clearly all us "mad for the game pool lovers" are hardly representative of the worlds participating sports public:)
 
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