Ralf Souquet Joins Bonus Ball

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
Having Ralf join a Bonus Ball team can't hurt. He has many fans in the US and around the world. Story is on the AZ homepage. Johnnyt
 
It's a little sad actually. Everyone wants the professionals to earn more money so they can survive playing pool, which I can't argue with.

But how will you feel when you go to the next big tournament and you will suddenly need to pay $50 for a ticket? If you want to speak with one of the players, you won't be able to, they will not be available to the public.

Would you like to see if Ralf could give you a few lessons? Not possible, he is now under contract with specific regulations on what he can/cannot do.

Would you like to enter tournaments with the pros so you can gain experience by playing the best players? You can forget about playing the best players. You will be barred from their tournaments, you don't make for good television ratings.

Oh well, at least you can see the pros at Derby City and Valley Forge each year. But when the money is flowing in from bonus ball, where do you think the players' loyalty will lay? In time, they will be enslaved by whoever is able to offer them the most money.

But this is what everyone is asking for. For pool to become a bigger business. Some people like this.
 
Having Ralf join a Bonus Ball team can't hurt. He has many fans in the US and around the world. Story is on the AZ homepage. Johnnyt

Just a small correction to the press release. When it states "With Engel being raised in the area and all three teammates being German", it should instead have said that Jesse is of German decent, as he's only half German, and not actually from Germany.
 
It's a little sad actually. Everyone wants the professionals to earn more money so they can survive playing pool, which I can't argue with.

But how will you feel when you go to the next big tournament and you will suddenly need to pay $50 for a ticket? If you want to speak with one of the players, you won't be able to, they will not be available to the public.

Would you like to see if Ralf could give you a few lessons? Not possible, he is now under contract with specific regulations on what he can/cannot do.

Would you like to enter tournaments with the pros so you can gain experience by playing the best players? You can forget about playing the best players. You will be barred from their tournaments, you don't make for good television ratings.

Oh well, at least you can see the pros at Derby City and Valley Forge each year. But when the money is flowing in from bonus ball, where do you think the players' loyalty will lay? In time, they will be enslaved by whoever is able to offer them the most money.

But this is what everyone is asking for. For pool to become a bigger business. Some people like this.

I'm fine with all of this. Ralf and all the others who have chosen to play Bonus Ball should be managing their own careers as they see fit. They know what they've agreed to contractually and obviously feel that they are investing their time wisely. Good luck to all of them.

If playing bonus ball means being less available and accessible to the pool playing public, that is OK, too. It is a calculated gamble on the part of the players, one they have every right to take on.
 
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Good for Ralf if it puts a buck in his pocket... I am very intrigued to see what Derby City looks like this year with the BB season in effect... If the fan favorites aren't in the tourney I have torches and pitchforks boxed up and we can all rent a van...
 
It's a little sad actually. Everyone wants the professionals to earn more money so they can survive playing pool, which I can't argue with.

But how will you feel when you go to the next big tournament and you will suddenly need to pay $50 for a ticket? If you want to speak with one of the players, you won't be able to, they will not be available to the public.

Would you like to see if Ralf could give you a few lessons? Not possible, he is now under contract with specific regulations on what he can/cannot do.

Would you like to enter tournaments with the pros so you can gain experience by playing the best players? You can forget about playing the best players. You will be barred from their tournaments, you don't make for good television ratings.

Oh well, at least you can see the pros at Derby City and Valley Forge each year. But when the money is flowing in from bonus ball, where do you think the players' loyalty will lay? In time, they will be enslaved by whoever is able to offer them the most money.

But this is what everyone is asking for. For pool to become a bigger business. Some people like this.

I would be happy if pool had enough money in it for all of the touring pros to make a good living, as opposed to now where you have to be in the top 5-10 in the world.

If the downside is that the top players are less accessible, I'm okay with that.

However, I do hope that these highly-paid pros spend their time competing in a game that serious and casual pool players know and appreciate, rather than a reinvented wheel. JMO.
 
I just got word that the news of the Bonus Ball press release has reached Boston and they aren't very happy with the Youngs Guns being disbanded and moved to Minnesota. They also think it is fitting they were renamed the Outlaws because they are now wanted on warrants in Boston.

This picture was just taken outside city hall....

aecf06b7_angry-mob.bmp
 
I just got word that the news of the Bonus Ball press release has reached Boston and they aren't very happy with the Youngs Guns being disbanded and moved to Minnesota. They also think it is fitting they were renamed the Outlaws because they are now wanted on warrants in Boston.

This picture was just taken outside city hall....

aecf06b7_angry-mob.bmp

Word on the street is Marty is forming a new Boston team called Herman's Hebrews. Look out world.
 
I've always wanted to see Ralf on a 24 second shot clock.

There are a few of the top slow pokes that are playing Bonus Ball, I can't see any of them adapting well to the format and being one of the top players.
 
I find it funny they changed the name of the team from Young Guns to Outlaws. What? Ralf can't be young no more? He looks like he's in his early 30's.
 
I just got word that the news of the Bonus Ball press release has reached Boston and they aren't very happy with the Youngs Guns being disbanded and moved to Minnesota. They also think it is fitting they were renamed the Outlaws because they are now wanted on warrants in Boston.

This picture was just taken outside city hall....

aecf06b7_angry-mob.bmp

Thank you Saw for the chuckle. This seriously made me Laugh Out Loud!
 
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