pool needs a face lift

some great suggestions. sponsors hear the word on players. in a politically correct world. most will run from being a sponsor. the pool industry does a sorry job, of giving back to pool. as far as following the lead of the womens tour. their tour has suffered over the years. nothing will change. if the players from the 50's and 60's, had a chance to post. you would be reading the same post as now. what a shame. this sport deserves better.
 
sjm said:
Wow, very interesting, breakup. Of course, the luck factor would just come down to whether the person who breaks leaves a good safety. Still too much luck.

How about taking your idea to an even greater extreme? The first shot after the break must be a push-out, regardless of whose turn it is. Push-outs tend to create neutral positions in which neither player has an edge.


I like it!
 
Celtic said:
How do you figure that? Pool gets practically no coverage on TV, has no money, and gets few-->no fans in the seats. Yeah, the world really has really "chosen" 9-Ball. If anything the world has chosen against 9-ball and now it is up to us to act.
Dont get me wrong.......I'm not crazy bout 9 ball.....but it is the only billiard game played in most if not all the countries in the world.........you sound pumped for change .....go for it~!.........i would love to try your game in a tourney format
 
Good to see you back Blackjack. Hope you are well.

According to Joe Tucker a gap between 1st and 2nd ball sends the wing ball in the corner pocket.

Watching Mika in a tournament he was sending the back ball to the end rail and back across the table to the corner pocket. Just about everytime. What did he know about the rack?

And Corey was making a ball everytime on his soft break. What did he know?

Instead of winner or loser breaks how about alternate breaks but each player gets two breaks like in bowling?

But they better do something because 9-ball just does not have the spectator draw to attract sponsors.

And once the WPBA gets away from Allison, Karen, Jeanette, Vivian being televised then interest in watching drops fast.

Perhaps TV should try 8-ball. Everyone in the States knows and likes 8-ball. I would think it would attract more spectators than the current 9-ball format.

Pool needs a gimmick. 9-ball ain't it.

Or, maybe they should play 9-ball using the APA format and count points. It would be a modified version of straight pool. I personally think that would generate more excitement in the match. And the gamblers would have a field day. If Robles played Strickland, who would be favoured, and by how many points?

Jake
 
mark tadd said:
i think 9 ball needs to go back to 2 foul rule all balls spot. texas 9 ball rules have ruined the game for good players. any comments:)

I don't (necessarily) agree. I think the current game works, but I definately agree that 10-ball would be better for all concerned. Gaffy rules like call all the shots, no safeties, loser breaks, all that crap are just for crybabies. If and when any of that gang (though I don't suggest that Mark Tadd is in that gang, please don't misunderstand) match up and bet their OWN money I promise they play the standard rules almost all the time. Simple fact - there's luck in 9-ball, just as there is in all games of billiards. Deal with it.

Earlier tonight I happened to be watching a set between two very good players. At one point one of them played a 2-8 combination AND a billiard on the nine, with action to get safe if he missed both offensive shots. Multi-way shots such as that one are an important facet to high level pool, where players manufacture their own luck.

One sidenote, an interesting variation on the old rules was used in the Derby City tournamnt's minis. They played push out on any shot, but the player who ended up taking the shot had to pocket a ball or give up ball in hand. It was a fun variation for one tournament, but I don't think it would add a whole lot to the general game, except maybe to slow things down.
 
sjm said:
Push-outs tend to create neutral positions in which neither player has an edge.

I HIGHLY disagree with this. The player who plays the push-out ALWAYS takes the worst of it, especially at the games upper echelons.
 
dinovirus said:
I HIGHLY disagree with this. The player who plays the push-out ALWAYS takes the worst of it, especially at the games upper echelons.

This would be one for Pat Fleming. I suspect he'd have the stats on the percentage of games won by a player that plays a push-out at pro level.
I'm guessing it's over 40%, but no need to guess. I'll ask him next time I see him.
 
sjm said:
Wow, very interesting, breakup. Of course, the luck factor would just come down to whether the person who breaks leaves a good safety. Still too much luck.

How about taking your idea to an even greater extreme? The first shot after the break must be a push-out, regardless of whose turn it is. Push-outs tend to create neutral positions in which neither player has an edge.
well all this kind of game would do is change the game completly. we already have a game like that its called onepocket . dont want to take the break away just make more challenging after the break. two foul rules would definatey do that. or call your next shot and all balls spot i think would be breally nice.
 
Your right about poker. But remember they all started out with an entry fee. Poker is a simple game. An amature can beat a pro (not really such a thing as a pro in poker). Give them pool cues and everything turns ugly and difficult. That is why bowling was to popular for so long. It is incredably easy. But as easy things turn out, people lose interest. If pool tounaments paid a million bucks, now things could start happening, especially because of the required skill level. We need to promote the top players and figure out how to get them rich. Now you'll see a change. Get rid of the nine ball out of turn, make them sink it last - spot it. There is still a layer of luck with other shots. Nothing worst than to see a great match only to see the last game on the hill to luck in the nine ball. Make it nerve racking, make them sink every ball. (Other balls should stay down if put in out of turn)
 
woody_968 said:
Personally I am not a fan of call shot 9ball, well, Im not a big fan of 9ball anyway, but if I have to play it I dont like call shot. This doesnt take the luck out of 9ball, it may get rid of slopping balls in and getting out, but there is much more to it than that when playing a game in which you only have one ball to shoot at.

Someone made a comment a while back (cant remember who) that really hit the nail on the head, "are more games won by someone lucking a ball in and running out or by someone missing a ball and leaving the opponent bad or hooked?". IMO alot more games are won because someone gets lucky on a leave instead of getting lucky and having a ball go in the wrong pocket.

I think there are several games out there that are better than 9ball, but it has become popular for some reason, so people must like it. But to try to punish someone for slopping in a ball while still rewarding a lucky leave just doesnt seem right.

I know lucky leaves is involved in all the games, its just much more prominate in a "one ball on" game.
the post that i posted had nothing to do with call all shots,no 9 ball only it was combined with call your next shot. calling all shots without calling your next pocket is only small edge for good players. my reason for this post was not to penalize great players , it was to keep them great players . but the rulles bhave made it easyer for medium to good players to go hill hiil with great players. to me this is a insult to great players who have put many years of practice into the game just to have the rules make it so close that they cant make a living because they lost two hill hill matches to two good players. to me thats rediculous. does tiger lose golf to a good player ? or anyother sport does this happen. i say let everyone that wants to be a great player travel the same road as the great players did . lets go back to longer races , better payouts, trask texes express rules and play hard put in your hours and time ,gain knowledge and go get em. there is no easy way to become a great player but whoever came up with no texas express rules and shorter races less payouts are sure not making it something strive for. they seemed to make it easier for people to place when if the rules were different ,the races longer , the pressure of getting in the top 12 or so would mean no money they may have not placed at all. i think make the playes in the next generation if they do not make some adjustments in money and format may not play as good as the players you see now. what incentive is there? how can they get better if all they have to do is get in the top 24 or 32 in a 64 man tourny to get paid? i think in the next 20 years if conditions dont change you will not see the talent you see now . theres really no incentive for someone to get good because just when he is getting their............. he has to get a job
 
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