Professional Pool Player Behavior - Is it Time to Solve the Problem or Not?

earl may need the code of conduct most of all, but hes also the reason why people are talking about bonus ball. I didnt even know it was happening until mid-week season start.
And purists may not like the game, but it seems really interesting to me. 99.9999% of pool players are a ****ing bore to watch, alot of great champions, but boring as ****. and viewers are what brings money to any sport, earl is unpredictable, but thats what makes it fun, and efren is past his game, so im guessing another pool player who will be a draw will take some time to come. So hate him or love him, he makes people talk. but yes, a code of conduct needs to be implemented.:thumbup:
 
I think you may be under rating modern day managers. Everyone can be managed, and this is happening with virtually all professional athletes, again, I don't believe pool is the exception to needing and being receptive to management.

For some reason we are led to believe that pool is the exception and pool players are the exception for many things that seem far fetched. Kevin was the closest thing we've had to a true professional marketer and promoter.

There are many people at Kevin's level or above that would not think it difficult to manage a staff of a thousand players, and 32's probably enough. They would do it in a way that required contracts, player agreements and all the Code of Conduct and Policies and Procedures would not be simply signed and forgot about, they would be utilized on a regular basis in meetings.

Effective management is done on a daily basis, not just "every once in a while".

thers only one issue, money. managers get paid a percentage of the athletes salary, and 10% of a pool players salary is -$5600, yes, thats a negative
 
I'm sorry about that, but I'm not doing anything unusual. If anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to make any adjustments if possible. I would think this is the same for everyone.

If there's any change I could make I would, it makes no difference to me,

CJ, try reducing your "Location" line. Currently it says, "DFW Texas - 'Champion's Way' Billiard Insruction - "Play the Pro's Way" www.thegameistheteacher.com"

Cut that in half, and I think it will help the people having the problem. BTW, not everyone sees the problem because it depends on which display style the member is using.

Fatz
 
The WPBL code of conduct.....

WPBL Personal Conduct Policy
All WPBL players and staff are required to avoid all conduct that would be deemed detrimental to the integrity of the league and the image it represents. Therefore certain behaviors inside and outside of the WPBL studios will not be tolerated and will result in various forms of discipline.
- Slandering of the league, the game of bonus ball, or anything directly related to either

- Derogatory comments or gestures towards any player, official, staff or audience member of the WPBL including but not limited to homophobic, racial or sexist in origin made by any means including social media

- Damage or theft of any property of the WPBL

- Showing up late or missing a match

- Assaulting any player, official or fan

- Cheating

- Gambling on any WPBL match

- Any intentional decrease in performance
The preceding will be dealt with by various forms of discipline based on a league committee ruling:
1. Verbal Warning
2. Written Warning
3. Monetary fine
4. League Suspension
5. League Expulsion


This document was given to all the players along with their contracts back in November. We have an appointed ruling committee that will meet on matters like last nights. It consists of myself, Larry Chiborak, Nathan Dumoulin, Johnny Archer (voted by players) and Thorsten Hohmann (voted by players).

We will have a decision and public announcement soon.

Thanks for the information Dave!

I would suggest to the Bonus Ball powers that be that they include rules about sportsmanship like every set of rules in the world in order to address situations like happened here. If they had been included in advance, Lee Brett would have had the power to shutdown Earl before Jeremy Jones would have ever felt compelled to comment....IMO

Good show! I think it has a shot!

Ken

p.s. Thanks for the set of balls! :thumbup:
 
Good behavior, like anything else, needs practice, training and management.

CJ, try reducing your "Location" line. Currently it says, "DFW Texas - 'Champion's Way' Billiard Insruction - "Play the Pro's Way" www.thegameistheteacher.com"

Cut that in half, and I think it will help the people having the problem. BTW, not everyone sees the problem because it depends on which display style the member is using.

Fatz

I reduced the verbiage and changed the Avatar to one with less girth. :ok:

One thing I want to add to the Code of Conduct discussion is a "Code of Conduct" manual is used to PREVENT negative behavior, not find ways to punish people.

Positive, constructive behavior, like anything else, needs practice, training and management. If an employee is acting up it's a warning sign to upper management to increase the "conduct training" in the staff meetings.

It's not a signal to punish the staff member, it's usually a verbal warning followed by an educational session with the General Manager of the business (whatever the business).

We don't train for positive results, that was my main point and it got lost in the debating over "to punish or not to punish". Everything like this can be spun into a positive outcome at the public relations level. Bonus Ball will not thrive because of the game it's self, however it can do VERY well if they can train the players in a constructive and productive way to become better "pool personalities."

'The Game is the Teacher'
 
Thanks

I reduced the verbiage and changed the Avatar to one with less girth. :ok:

One thing I want to add to the Code of Conduct discussion is a "Code of Conduct" manual is used to PREVENT negative behavior, not find ways to punish people.

Positive, constructive behavior, like anything else, needs practice, training and management. If an employee is acting up it's a warning sign to upper management to increase the "conduct training" in the staff meetings.

It's not a signal to punish the staff member, it's usually a verbal warning followed by an educational session with the General Manager of the business (whatever the business).

We don't train for positive results, that was my main point and it got lost in the debating over "to punish or not to punish". Everything like this can be spun into a positive outcome at the public relations level. Bonus Ball will not thrive because of the game it's self, however it can do VERY well if they can train the players in a constructive and productive way to become better "pool personalities."

'The Game is the Teacher'

CJ

You did it!! Thanks, that is much better. I don't know what you did, but it worked. I didn' realize that it was not appearing that way to everyone (if that is the case)

Anyway, thanks:thumbup:
 
Hello CJ

Hi Seige.
What a good thread. I wish you luck in your mission. It's a tough one but if anyone can get some response it will be you. You lead by example.

In your code of conduct, I think you should say "When you hit someone with your cue, hit them with the shaft end so you are still holding the butt."
Just a thought.

Keep it nice. Alfie
 
to the Wizard of AZ

CJ

You did it!! Thanks, that is much better. I don't know what you did, but it worked. I didn' realize that it was not appearing that way to everyone (if that is the case)

Anyway, thanks:thumbup:


Glad it worked, I did the reasonable thing to find the solution.....

Simply went to the Wizard of AZ and ask him to restore my Avatar to normal and POOF it was done. .....the only strange thing is I woke up in Kansas with a Model named Dorothy....hmmm :groucho:
 
Last edited:
It's near impossible to get rid of spots on a leopard. Unless your able to completely change its ecosystem along with the way it lives and survives. Pro pool players in the states are Not able to change their colors (Not talking about wardrobe), else where its a No brainer. Until a promoter with the ball$$$$$$$$$$$$ to take control with a business model and rules it ain't gonna happen here. If ya got the money, you can remove the spots....tho it'll still take a generation to clean it up.
 
True

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!!

I'm not a fan of Earl's antics either, its getting old and annoying, but it was J.J. who did the threatening..to fight him outside after the match from what I heard from Shuff during the TAR match Sunday night.
 
Easy Solution

For now on...no personal cameras, cell phones or any other device that records. Keep these items away from professional events.


Make livestream the only recording device.:thumbup:

Now go at it boys!:smile:
 
JJ only went off after Earl refused his offer of a handshake and then spouted off once again. Had JJ punched him in the nose in front of the camera, I would have felt he was justified. I think JJ showed great restraint before finally getting pushed over the edge.

I was in the stands. This is precisely how I see it. Strickland's classless behavior caused and fed the whole situation.

It's just like.. (apologies to Mr. Jones for the analogy) a child tormenting a sleeping Doberman for hours and being flabbergasted that he actually gets bit.

"splutter splutter Doggy bit me!!"

I also feel that there is a difference in degree between invited outside (which can be and was refused) versus being *dragged* outside. Or simply punched in the nose in front of the camera.
 
Pool will "Evolve"

I'd like to see someone try to sell the game of pool to a young crowd. Let them make it professional as they think it "should be". You could have every top pro in a room with a suit and tie,and acting like they are in church. Tell me how that's going to compete with a ps4 or an Xbox one in a room full of teenagers. The game is so unappealing as is,and it honestly seems like people want it as boring as possible. Kids don't care about stories and what used to be's. You could top it all off by telling them "with proper dedication and practice for 10 years you could also make no money,unless your gambling".

I am nothing big in the pool world, but I DO know business. You need to serve your market in order to survive/grow/prosper.
Unfortunately, most of the elders in pool don't see, or know this fact. The market is the 18-40 yr old crowd. The US, Asia, and Europe. The 40+ crowd needs to take a backseat.

I don't know all the rules yet about Bonus Ball, but it is combining the playing styles of several different old(er) ways of playing pool and making it unique.While doing so, the game is providing a living for professionals at the game. Every sport needs to support their PROs in some fashion. GIVE IT TIME.
Let it get some exposure/marketing to its intended crowd. In pro sports there is swearing and sharking/name-calling all the time, we just don't hear it like you would in a studio.

As for Earl,............... well,..... Earl is EARL !!
(I did hear JJ say they could talk about it "outside." C'mon , everyone knows what that means) :rolleyes:
 
I wish them both success and I"m much more likely to watch if they play again.

Hi Seige.
What a good thread. I wish you luck in your mission. It's a tough one but if anyone can get some response it will be you. You lead by example.

In your code of conduct, I think you should say "When you hit someone with your cue, hit them with the shaft end so you are still holding the butt."
Just a thought.

Keep it nice. Alfie

You always know where "the rubber hits the road, Alfie".

In all sports there are displays of temper many time worse than what we've ever seen in pool. I don't condone it, yet understand that in the "hear of battle" we sometimes say things and do things that we don't necessarely mean. This is why there are rules, regulations, and a referee to make sure they're followed.

I've heard in the NFL on the line the players cuss, insult and degrade each other the whole game (of course we can't hear what they say), and I"m not sure what they say, I would just bet it's many time worse than what Jeremy and Earl said.

This incident got the Bonus Ball more attention than anything else has this month and it's publicity, so it's positive. It's when No One's talking about you that it's bad, but this stuff is interesting, my image of Jeremy and Earl is still the same now as it was before.

THEY'RE BOTH good for Bonus Ball in their own way and I wish them both success and I"m much more likely to watch if they play again.

'The Game is the Teacher'
 
This incident got the Bonus Ball more attention than anything else has this month and it's publicity, so it's positive. It's when No One's talking about you that it's bad, but this stuff is interesting, my image of Jeremy and Earl is still the same now as it was before.

THEY'RE BOTH good for Bonus Ball in their own way and I wish them both success and I"m much more likely to watch if they play again.

'The Game is the Teacher'

OK, but who is it getting attention from? Are all the people talking about it the usual hard core pool fans who are already pool fans? I hate this kind of crap, but I already love pool, so it's not turning me off to the sport itself.

Is this getting any kind of national attention? Are the the run-of-the-mill non-pool fan people getting exposed to this? Is it bringing in new "customers" for the pool industry?

These are not rhetorical questions. This could be getting national attention for all I know, I don't pay too much attention to the news. But assuming it's not getting non-pool people attention, you can see where I am going with this - I've already made my case in this thread.

EDIT: I am a little confused CJ. In this thread you seem to be OK with the JJ/Earl the Burl drama. But in that other thread you are proposing that a standard code of conduct needs to be established.

Fatz
 
Last edited:
Back
Top