Then and Now - Money or Ego

Mr. Bond

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
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What if you could beat a killer like Shane or Darren, so you set up a match with one of them for 20k.

But they would only agree to the match if it was played behind closed doors, and you could never publicly discuss it if you win, or how much money you won...

Money is great but how important is people knowing what you did, and to whom?

I think some of the old school players, unlike today, were just as concerned, or more, with their ego and reputation than the money involved. The amounts of money they played for was just that much more of an ego boost, they weren't actually concerned with getting rich.
 
Particularly in the south, where the last vestiges of the victorian honor of man can still be recognized as antebellum pride....it's not so much what you win but how you carry yourself in doing so.
 
I'd play that match and then play another where I can show off LOL

The only time I have an itch to say something is when someone is talking up something he/she did but you know the real facts are different. Say "I beat this guy last week bad, he was scared to even play me" when the beating was actually him banging in 3 9 balls off the break or something and he was getting a 4 game spot to 9.

Not telling how good you are or who you beat sounds like a good hustler move anyway :) I'm sure some would want the fact that they beat Shane out of 40k hidden.
 
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If I feel I have an edge, I'd play, keep my mouth shut, then do all of my yapping to myself over a very nice dinner or vacation with the money I hopefully won.

It's nice to live in the dream world for a bit. Did we take the red pill or the blue pill for that? I forget.
 
speaking as a southerner, i would take the match and hope no one would say a word if i beat the "greatest", but if i lost i would hope they would tell everyone.

while i think you are correct about honor and code of most southerners, they do not use these standards to puff ones chest out and say i am the greatest. part of abiding by a code or creed is that one doesn't need to stroke ones own ego at the expense of others.

no, just take the cash and ask if they want to pay some more ...
 
Status has always been a big factor in pool. I think deep down we all want to be recognized as being at the top of the hierarchy whether its a local hierarchy, national, or world. I think the status is even more important than the money in most cases.

I believe even the most serious road players of yesterday wanted to eventually leave town with everybody talking about him and how great he was, and I think today it is still more about the status for most players.
 
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These days I imagine someone that good and unknown would want to hold on to his status as an undercover monster and keep the win quiet!


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In the 60's/70's, many good players would try to hide their speed as much as possible. Hard to make money when everyone is telling you how good you play.
The 'ego' guys were good for short-stops and part-time road players because
people in the pool room were watching them, allowing players like me to 'pick-off'
the lesser gamblers without much notice. Some of my biggest scores came when
two guys like Rempe & Buddy Hall were playing, or the Mezz and Lisciotti matched up.They could have the 'glory', I was looking for the 'cash'.
 
Mr. Bond said:
What if you could beat a killer like Shane or Darren, so you set up a match with one of them for 20k.

But they would only agree to the match if it was played behind closed doors, and you could never publicly discuss it if you win, or how much money you won...
Click to expand...

If I was good enough to beat Shane or Darren I would want all my matches to be played under those conditions.
 
I still know some players that love to brag about themselves and their conquests, while dwelling on the money very little. I don't think this is limited to the old school players. Show me a room full of pool players and I'll show you quite a few inflated egos.:smile:
 
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