Not even close - you must not be around pool much.
Professional Pool Player Behavior - Is it Time to Solve the Problem or Not?
- Thread starter CJ Wiley
- Start date
Not even close - you must not be around pool much.
Are you saying Earl managed to make it all the way to the second week of Bonus Ball before throwing a temper tantrum? That seems hard to believe...
It's a miracle that Earl only gets threats and never a real beat-down.
For what it's worth, I love watching Earl play and don't even really mind his blowups because I assume it's a medical condition that is difficult to control. But to blame JJ for another one of Earl's blowups seems dubious at best.
On a good note, the Mosconi Cup will be at the Mirage in Vegas in December 2013. I hope Barry Hearn makes Southern Classic a Mosconi Cup points event.
Jen,
Please check with Mr Hearn's group. A statement was posted earlier this year on AZ with information they would no longer use BCA points to determine Mosconi Cup players. All players would be "chosen" directly by Mr Hearn.
This affects not only Greg Sullivan's events but the Turning Stone and ALL the US Open events as well. Not sure who is more to blame. Mr Hearn or BB for another sad state of affairs in the game of pool.
Lyn
In Pro events, it isnt far off at all imo.
I thought it was all an attempt to keep the "Hockey" theme going?!?! They have tucked in hockey jerseys combined with dress pants, and dress shoes. I just figured with the "shoot out" and such that they were gonna let the boys throw a couple 1,2 stunners at one another? They could then sit the instigator in the PENALTY BOX. Maybe I'm wrong but pretty sure this is part of they plot?!?! :thumbup:
Earl never blew up until he was threatened with physical violence from Jeremy Jones!!
Yes Earl was being a nit, yipping and yapping or sharking, whatever you want to call it, but not once did he threatin anyone! Jeremy Jones should be banned from Bonus Bal!! In any other business environment, he'd be fired!!
Earl has threatened people before... A chinese player at the 2006 World Pool Championships,
and I think he offered to go to the parking lot with Nick van den Berg after yelling insults to/about his family.
I do agree nobody should try to get into a fistfight,
But if Earl's defense is basically "yeah I mouth off and shark and yell at people but I don't threaten anyone"
... that's pretty weak.
Anyway. Re: time to solve the problem.
You need to solve problem A before solving problem B.
Problem A is there's no real governing body of pool. Get one and then they can make a code of conduct people follow,
with actual penalties if it doesn't happen.
Otherwise, it's just random internet people offering opinions on how players should act.
We could make a boilerplate one with a catchy name and then individual TD's and tours can choose to adopt it.
Sort of how they could in theory just put "World Standardized Rules" on a poster or website and solve all rule arguments
in one easy step. How many events do this?
Pool players in general are their own worst enemy most of the time.
I am not a John Schmidt fan, but you have to admit, they guy is sincere, dresses professionally and looks sharp at each event (at least all I have seen). He speaks to fans, signs autographs, and promotes the game with enthusiasm. John is not alone, but is REALLY the minority.
I go to pro events often and the players look like incredible slobs, and I think who the hell would ever want this motley group to represent anything?
My point to CJ and others is if you have to have rulebook on how to act, dress, and interact haven't we lost already?
Give me a break. I don't know what happened to Earl, but he should never be allowed on TV. It may be drugs, mental health, or something else I don't know. People who put him out there (and everywhere else) is like having a blind guy crossing the street repeatedly because it "makes good TV".
Ken
I am not a John Schmidt fan, but you have to admit, they guy is sincere, dresses professionally and looks sharp at each event (at least all I have seen). He speaks to fans, signs autographs, and promotes the game with enthusiasm. John is not alone, but is REALLY the minority.
I go to pro events often and the players look like incredible slobs, and I think who the hell would ever want this motley group to represent anything?
My point to CJ and others is if you have to have rulebook on how to act, dress, and interact haven't we lost already?
Give me a break. I don't know what happened to Earl, but he should never be allowed on TV. It may be drugs, mental health, or something else I don't know. People who put him out there (and everywhere else) is like having a blind guy crossing the street repeatedly because it "makes good TV".
Ken
I agree, they have to nip this in the butt pronto!!
The answer is obviously not, how can you lose if you're not even playing the "game".
The answer is obviously not, how can you lose if you're not even playing the "game".
ALL successful businesses have a Policies and Procedures manual, as well as a Code of Conduct and even a Code of Ethics in many cases.
Pool is the exception, does that mean pool's exceptional? Yes, it's exceptionally unorganized and primitive compared to other sports, businesses and organizations.
This reminds me of managers that can't understand why the employees won't do what he's thinking and acts like it's too much to actually tell them or memo them in writing.
Dress codes are present in parties, businesses, sports, games, movies, TV shows, but in pool people are allowed to dress with very little taste and professionalism. I'm ok with the Bonus Ball jerseys (although I would not have selected them), what's not acceptable to represent pool is poorly tailored shirts, shorts, t shirts, and tank tops. imo
The answer is obviously not, how can you lose if you're not even playing the "game".
ALL successful businesses have a Policies and Procedures manual, as well as a Code of Conduct and even a Code of Ethics in many cases.
Pool is the exception, does that mean pool's exceptional? Yes, it's exceptionally unorganized and primitive compared to other sports, businesses and organizations.
This reminds me of managers that can't understand why the employees won't do what he's thinking and acts like it's too much to actually tell them or memo them in writing.
Dress codes are present in parties, businesses, sports, games, movies, TV shows, but in pool people are allowed to dress with very little taste and professionalism. I'm ok with the Bonus Ball jerseys (although I would not have selected them), what's not acceptable to represent pool is poorly tailored shirts, shorts, t shirts, and tank tops. imo
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cluelesscuer
New member
There was an incident with Earl Stickland
Do we need to read more? We know what the issue is, why the debate?
Do we need to read more? We know what the issue is, why the debate?
the bottom line...
When they finally get all the felons, drug abusers, wife beaters and dope sellers out of the NFL, it will turn into a billion dollar business, sponsors will line up around the block, and TV will want to put every game it can on TV, folks might even tune into the playoffs, and do I dare say, the Superbowl.
And football could grow into one of the most popular sports in America. Oh wait, it happened. But Earl got nippy again, time to blame him again for pool's demise. Too funny.
When they finally get all the felons, drug abusers, wife beaters and dope sellers out of the NFL, it will turn into a billion dollar business, sponsors will line up around the block, and TV will want to put every game it can on TV, folks might even tune into the playoffs, and do I dare say, the Superbowl.
And football could grow into one of the most popular sports in America. Oh wait, it happened. But Earl got nippy again, time to blame him again for pool's demise. Too funny.
There's no debate about Earl Stickland, it's about solving the problem
There's no debate about Earl Stickland, it's about solving the problem of promoters and tournament directors not supplying a Code of Conduct to the players. This seems to be such a difficult task and it's rudimentary and should be done automatically to prevent potential problems and have a solution for ones that do arise (and they will).
There's no debate about Earl Stickland, it's about solving the problem of promoters and tournament directors not supplying a Code of Conduct to the players. This seems to be such a difficult task and it's rudimentary and should be done automatically to prevent potential problems and have a solution for ones that do arise (and they will).
cluelesscuer
New member
Perhaps it was staged for ratings? A chair shot to someone's head would have been nice.
Thanks Lyn --
I count everything - from Charlie Williams being on his cell phone while his opponent is shooting to players dumping matches either because their buddy bet against them or dumping so their friend could get Mosconi Cup points to qualify. Dumping to me in all forms - tournaments and gambling - is what needs to be cleaned up in pool first. THen let's see if we worry about Earl not taking his medicine.
CJ,
Think you need to hop a flight to Upstate New York and attend this Fall's Turning Stone Classic. While the players don't play in vests, it's probably the best venue for well dressed, well behaved professional pool players. Any "funny business" like what happened in your original post here will result in penalties being immediately handed out. Neither Mr Zuglan nor Turning Stone will tolerate such actions.
Lyn
Wrong.
BB says they're going after the masses - new customers.
For every person attracted by this kind of crap there are tens of thousands of people (if they were actually seeing this) who would turn away from pool because of this kind of thing.
Let's say that you are right to a small degree. Let's say that today's pool market consists of 1 million fans. Let's say that the low-brows who like this stuff become new pool fans. Then we would have a market of 2 million pool fans - when it could have been 20 million.
How many people are golf fans? How big is their market? Pool needs to be thinking in those terms. Not going to happen with hustlers, sharkers, threateners and jerks. Pool's *potential* market *should* be even greater than golf's. It's a lot easier, quicker and cheaper to go out and play some casual pool than a round of golf. If more people start playing some casual pool, next leagues start to grow. Then more people start buying cues and tables. Then pool industry people are making more money. Then sponsorship for real pool events (sorry Bonus Ball) gets better. Then pool will be seen more often on TV in the US. Then it will attract more fans, and so on.
I think it's a given that this discussion is in the context of American professional pool. It seems to be doing fine in the rest of the world. Why is that? Is it because the standards for civility are generally higher in other industrialized countries and that such behavior is not seen on any kind of large stage? You betchya!
Fatz