I fail to see how the idealized old days in your post are in any way preferable to what you describe the reality of today to be?
It's a good thing that the higher level players never played the low level ones without charging them money?
It's a good thing that people used this bs "hierarchy" to avoid getting challenged by up- and coming players, or explain away their losses to those players as bad luck?
It's a good thing that people would rather sit around doing nothing, than playing an opponent from the lower "strata" or even eachother for free?
I simply don't understand why you think that a pooroom with a bunch of geezers sitting around doing nothing, is going to help the sport grow and get better. The key to getting the level of play up is to have lots of playing in the pool hall and as many new players as possible, since it increases the chance of new, talented players getting into the sport. If the players that are better even give the newbies some tips, the level of play increases even more.
And why, for God's sake why, is it wrong for a player to have a Cuetech and a glove? Cuetechs are cheap as dirt (for anyone with a job) and gloves are a super cheap solution to a very annoying problem in humid environments. Only in pool would people complain about a newbie spending a whopping 100 bucks for a cue and 6 dollars for a glove, especially since the cue could last a lifetime. Are all poolplayers living in their cars? There are few sports in which the equipment is cheaper. Why exactly is it a problem if a newbie buys expensive gear anyway? You don't want the pool hall or even your friend the cue flipper to make a buck? You want beginners to have ratty equipment that hold them back? Would it be better if the guy who thought he was the bees knees had an expensive custom, or would it be worse? Do you have to use a house cue until you can run 100 balls? Someone please tell the cue nuts on this forum, lol.
If you want to get paid to play, win some tournaments and get yourself some sponsors, instead of leaching off lower level players. I guess a lot of you are too "smart" for tournaments. My explanation differ slightly... If you are that desperate to get paid for pool, You could even <gasp> take up a career as an instructor. That way you still get paid for playing low level players, but you actually help them. If you want to pontificate about your own greatness, then do so to your dog, humans tend to get annoyed. If you'd rather sit around than play, go to a cafè. If pool is your only source of validation, get a new (or any) job.
