Lou, I'm greatly looking forward to your billiards expo produced to your exacting standards. Where and when is it exactly?
We Get What We Deserve
- Thread starter lfigueroa
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Lou, I'm greatly looking forward to your billiards expo produced to your exacting standards. Where and when is it exactly?
As for the military analogy, not even close. Being a veteran I can attest to the clusterf$cks troops deal with daily. Military is not immune to bureaucracy & idiots making bad decisions. Troops can make demands all they want but politicians ultimately make the decisions and it's rarely for the benefit of the troops. But the troops still serve. Why? Because they're idiots or second class citizens? Do they get what they deserve, too? Or maybe, just maybe, they do it because they love what they do? If you're going to compare military shows to billiard shows, then you must include the troops who are forced to work UNPAID overtime & weekends away from their families all just for a political smile, public relations, military image in the eyes of the public. It's bad enough they have to spend so much time away from family because of ridiculous political wars, but the time they have at home is spent being forced to kiss the public's ass so the general public tolerates the politics of the situation. Comparing it to billiard shows is way "off base", pun intended.
Nobody is arguing whether the show was lacking compared to years passed. But pool players "getting what they deserve" because they don't demand better, is a bit of a stretch. Go to the gas station & demand they give you gas for $1/gal. You'll get laughed at & will never see it. If you refuse to pay the going rate, you simply won't drive. Is that you getting what you deserve? The expo is what we got. You either go or you don't. Making demands will get you nowhere, nothing. We can discuss it endlessly with no reconciliation, no middle ground. It is what it is. Either be negative about it and refuse to go, or accept what you got & choose to be happy that you even have anything at all. The only other alternative is to step out and make it better by doing it yourself, which I do not see happening. *****ing about it & "demanding" better just wastes your time. You can't make Hopkins spend his money differently any more than I or anybody else can. All we can do is spend our own. The way I see it, I can spend a little & let him do the work while I enjoy it. Or I can spend a lot & do the work myself, hoping there will be a turn around on my time & money investment, knowing I may or may not lose my ass. I'll opt for spending a little with no risk and enjoy myself. Even if it's not everything I want, it's what I got.
Nobody is arguing whether the show was lacking compared to years passed. But pool players "getting what they deserve" because they don't demand better, is a bit of a stretch. Go to the gas station & demand they give you gas for $1/gal. You'll get laughed at & will never see it. If you refuse to pay the going rate, you simply won't drive. Is that you getting what you deserve? The expo is what we got. You either go or you don't. Making demands will get you nowhere, nothing. We can discuss it endlessly with no reconciliation, no middle ground. It is what it is. Either be negative about it and refuse to go, or accept what you got & choose to be happy that you even have anything at all. The only other alternative is to step out and make it better by doing it yourself, which I do not see happening. *****ing about it & "demanding" better just wastes your time. You can't make Hopkins spend his money differently any more than I or anybody else can. All we can do is spend our own. The way I see it, I can spend a little & let him do the work while I enjoy it. Or I can spend a lot & do the work myself, hoping there will be a turn around on my time & money investment, knowing I may or may not lose my ass. I'll opt for spending a little with no risk and enjoy myself. Even if it's not everything I want, it's what I got.
So you were NOT referencing the recent SBE?!?!? Just a coincidence that you made this post two days after that event ended?!?!?! As Amy and Seth would say ---- REALLY?!?!?!?
Air show = billiards expo,,,, REALLY?!?!?!?!?
I was there. It was awesome as usual. Great job Allen! Thanks for giving us this show every year!
Really, Lou? Is this necessary?
-Sean <-- thought he demonstrated restraint and was actually respectful
You just never learn, do you?
Are you unhappy unless you're rocking a boat somewhere?
Seeing as I have given you several warnings in the past, how should we proceed here? another warning or something with real teeth?
No, I don't have to include anything else. Is the military perfect? No, of course not. But generally speaking they do know how to plan things large and small -- they are trained to think things through to include the unexpected.
And gas prices are not something the local gas merchant can do anything about. What he can do something about is whether his staff is well trained, what kind and the quality of the food he has available, and the state of his bathrooms.
Lou Figueroa
So you were NOT referencing the recent SBE?!?!? Just a coincidence that you made this post two days after that event ended?!?!?! As Amy and Seth would say ---- REALLY?!?!?!?
Air show = billiards expo,,,, REALLY?!?!?!?!?
I was there. It was awesome as usual. Great job Allen! Thanks for giving us this show every year!
I'm sure many folks were happy with the SBE. But, there were several threads and posts that indicate that feeling was hardly unanimous.
Lou Figueroa
I agree John. There were some challenges, but I loved it and will be back wherever it is held.
You gave me one warning long, long ago, and more recently, another alleged warning, though when I asked for specifics you did not provide any details.
About this discussion in general, I think it is a valid discussion. Specifically speaking, Sean's insult of my military service and subsequent taunt elicited an admittedly strong response from me. Some of us feel that way about honorably serving our country.
Lastly, I write a lot of good stuff on this forum, so your characterization that I'm "unhappy unless... rocking a boat" is grossly unfair.
Lou Figueroa
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Not our fault!
I don't think average Joe pool player is at fault. He plays league, tourneys, tries to go to Vegas. Buys equipment and goes to pool halls. It's our passion and a hobby. I have a table and still go to three different pool halls. Eating and drinking each time. I spend thousands every year going to events and haven't been to the Derby yet. Have spent $2000 on cues this year! Well the wifey doesn't know about the last one, but whatever! LOL. I don't do any of this to support the pool industry. It's just one of my passions, much like hunting and fishing. I feel no responsibility to support pro players. They chose that lifestyle. The world doesn't owe them a living!
I don't think average Joe pool player is at fault. He plays league, tourneys, tries to go to Vegas. Buys equipment and goes to pool halls. It's our passion and a hobby. I have a table and still go to three different pool halls. Eating and drinking each time. I spend thousands every year going to events and haven't been to the Derby yet. Have spent $2000 on cues this year! Well the wifey doesn't know about the last one, but whatever! LOL. I don't do any of this to support the pool industry. It's just one of my passions, much like hunting and fishing. I feel no responsibility to support pro players. They chose that lifestyle. The world doesn't owe them a living!
While that may be true as an individual, if everyone who bought gas decided it was too much money, and decided to boycott the way things were being done, it would most definitely be dropped. It would take a few days of just not purchasing fuel.. maybe a week or two. The oil companies would feel the effect and change accordingly.
That's the thing, If people want it to change, it has to be a group effort. You can't have only a few people in on the cause, it will cause them to not change the results, but if Majority decides to do this.. then they will see a change, until then... nothing will change. (speaking from a generalized perspective, I don't know anything about this expo.. just wanted to comment when I seen the gas price comment.)
Lou:
You bet that was an "admittedly strong response" from yourself! Insult to your military service? Really? Like you've never been around others that were, at the time, in another branch of service, and "never heard of" good-natured chiding between branches? You are free to call me an ex-squid, or floater, etc. It was, and always is, good-natured. In the context of my post, however, Chris was right -- it wasn't the proper venue for this kind of chiding, so I quickly and gladly removed it.
I honorably served my country too, pal. Two tours, in fact. Saw action in Libya in the mid-1980s, so I have combat experience as well.
So please, before you get on your soapbox about honor and your military service (and especially mischaracterizing my "subsequent taunt"), look around first. Your fellow brothers are all around you.
-Sean
I think we're on the same page, Senior Wiggles. But one word of advice: the secret is to get your wife to give you the cues as presents
Lou Figueroa
I don't expect caviar at a pool expo, but that doesn't mean I'll happily accept everything. As Lou says, you don't need to be a master chef in order to criticize a restaurant.
When I walked in, I tried hard to keep in mind the state of pool and the economy. Was it to the point of Oaks or nothing? If so, I'll take Oaks and do what I can to contribute to its improvement. Hopefully, things aren't that bad. But the fact remains that the facility made me question the expo's future.
The place struck me as a former warehouse that would be better used for partial-day activities like slot car racing or indoor paintball. For a four-day "expo" that serves as one of pool's major annual events, Oaks fell short. I'm not optimistic that it has the potential for what the expo should be, but I'll give it another year or two.
When I walked in, I tried hard to keep in mind the state of pool and the economy. Was it to the point of Oaks or nothing? If so, I'll take Oaks and do what I can to contribute to its improvement. Hopefully, things aren't that bad. But the fact remains that the facility made me question the expo's future.
The place struck me as a former warehouse that would be better used for partial-day activities like slot car racing or indoor paintball. For a four-day "expo" that serves as one of pool's major annual events, Oaks fell short. I'm not optimistic that it has the potential for what the expo should be, but I'll give it another year or two.
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TheThaiger
Banned
Very true, but guess who's a cheerleader for paying over the odds for pool stuff? Yep, the OP himself!
Exactly! Well said Sean.