pool on ESPN
- Thread starter olauzon
- Start date
Because I love pool, I enjoy watching the trick shot competitions (sometimes) and the speed pool (sometimes). But, I can't help but feel that these sorts of competitions reinforce an already widespread opinion among the more general sports-viewing audience that pool is a 'gimmicky' sport, and not really a sport at all according to many.
I'd rather not watch anything than to watch trick shots. They are no doubt skillfull, but what does those shots have to do with pool ya know?
I would rather eat a cat poop and broken lightbulb sandwich than watch somebody shoot a goddamn 9ball off of a snapple bottle thirty ****** times
Agree completely regarding trick shots -- really goofy. And the commentary is pretty excruciating. I wonder if trick shot matches somehow get better viewership than regular matches?
Speed pool, on the other hand, I actually enjoy quite a bit. You get to see a lot more legitimate shots being made in a short amount of time. The last event that was aired (I forget the venue) had a lot of 10 second bonuses (subtracted) for perfect running of the table. Watching these guys perfectly run the table in like 55 seconds is pretty inspiring and motivating.
Speed pool, on the other hand, I actually enjoy quite a bit. You get to see a lot more legitimate shots being made in a short amount of time. The last event that was aired (I forget the venue) had a lot of 10 second bonuses (subtracted) for perfect running of the table. Watching these guys perfectly run the table in like 55 seconds is pretty inspiring and motivating.
tonmo said:
Agreed, speed pool is okay
Trick shots suck ass, the go around setting random shit up like lunch sacks, snapple bottles, ramps, etc. and then try to hype the crowd up like they're David Copperfield or some shit and then half the time, after all the shit talk and random gadgetry, they miss the hell out of it
9BallPaul
Banned
How many times must I say this?
Let's lobby for real pool broadast in real HDTV.
I've said for a long time -- and I'll say it again -- the reason pool flops in this country is television.
Pool doesn't work on TV. Until now, with HDTV.
Still, you can't find it. Poker on HDTV? Oh sure. Fishing? Every day.
If real pool could be broadcast in hi-def, in a format where the balls could be distinguished from one another, and the announcers made sense, pool would go nuts.
Get Norman Chad on there.
Let's lobby for real pool broadast in real HDTV.
I've said for a long time -- and I'll say it again -- the reason pool flops in this country is television.
Pool doesn't work on TV. Until now, with HDTV.
Still, you can't find it. Poker on HDTV? Oh sure. Fishing? Every day.
If real pool could be broadcast in hi-def, in a format where the balls could be distinguished from one another, and the announcers made sense, pool would go nuts.
Get Norman Chad on there.
tonmo said:
you should see it in person....I watched the WINNER of the ESPN speedpool competition practicing up before going out to Vegas to compete. It is crazy to see someone move around a 9 foot table that fast playing 8 ball (but the whole rack), and not miss.....
I was also at the poolhall the night Bobby (McGrath Jr.) got back from the tourney. He's a good kid, and has a buncha talent...sometimes focus and drive are an issue (so I've heard), but he has promise to be a pretty darn good all around player (not just speed pool).
Absolutely. I DVR every televised pool match (except trick shots, to the point of this discussion9BallPaul said:
) and I record them on HD, but it's not full-screen HD. I often think about how much better televised pool could be if they would take advantage of this format.
berlowmj said:
Too damn much
Get rid of the trick shots. BORING. ESPN needs to show more matches. Accu-stats would be awesome on the tube instead of ESPN.
Amen! One thing they could do is use cutaways. Pre-match interviews with other players who have played the current opponents, historical material from the player's bio, short flim clips, and above all, each player's performance in the current tournament, where a win or a loss would take them after this match, how well they did in their last tournament, etc. All this spice could fit in while they rack the balls, and it would also give the announcers a break. BUT: My favorite trick shot is on a Pat Fleming video, where two guys shoot towards each other simultaneously from the head & foot of the table. The ball pops straight up and brings down the table light. Absolutely the most entertaining shot I've seen to date!9BallPaul said: