What happen to pool?
- Thread starter Flakid
- Start date
Welcome to the Internet! :wink:
With the advent of digital technology, cell phones, texting, the golden years of pool when road warriors were rolling stones are gone.
The matching up process is brutal today. Everybody is looking for somebody to drop their wallet or lock in a game where they can't lose. Gambling is a thing of the past.
Tournaments offer an opportunity for a pool player to play their best. Even though they are usually short races most times in competitions, it is a venue for them to compete.
Now, sometimes at these venues, they act as a gathering place for players who do enjoy games of stake. In this regard, action is still alive, but you have to be there at the tournament to see it unfold. :smile:
Oh, one more thing. Occasionally, two well-known players might want to shake it up and get down with a high-stakes game, but they don't want the details, like the where and when, known until after the fact.
One such game recently occurred with Kim Davenport and Ronnie Wiseman, immediately after the Southern Classic. Ronnie traveled to Kim's home court and engaged in an 8-ahead set of one-pocket for a big chunkie. Eight hours later, Ronnie came out on top.
These happenings are usually disseminated by word of mouth, but for obvious reasons, the players would prefer to keep it private. The Internet is not a friend of action players, unless it's a well-advertised challenge match on Accu-Stats, TAR, Big Truck (Ray), or one of the other livestreamers that donates their time to bring those events to the Internet audience.
One such game recently occurred with Kim Davenport and Ronnie Wiseman, immediately after the Southern Classic. Ronnie traveled to Kim's home court and engaged in an 8-ahead set of one-pocket for a big chunkie. Eight hours later, Ronnie came out on top.
These happenings are usually disseminated by word of mouth, but for obvious reasons, the players would prefer to keep it private. The Internet is not a friend of action players, unless it's a well-advertised challenge match on Accu-Stats, TAR, Big Truck (Ray), or one of the other livestreamers that donates their time to bring those events to the Internet audience.
The action in pool seemed to have died when the Indian casinos started popping up everywhere. It never picked back up after that.
Hold on, now.
I can't speak about the pros, but I can get action anytime I want. It may be small action, but it's still there.
I can't speak about $20K sets, but I can get a $100 set just about any day of the week. Road hustling? Yeah, it's dead, for the most part.
No offense, JAM, you know how much respect I have for you.
However, small action is still alive and well, even with the word-of-mouth and the unceasing FaceBook posts.
If you can't find action, you're in the wrong pool hall.
-Blake
I can't speak about the pros, but I can get action anytime I want. It may be small action, but it's still there.
I can't speak about $20K sets, but I can get a $100 set just about any day of the week. Road hustling? Yeah, it's dead, for the most part.
No offense, JAM, you know how much respect I have for you.
However, small action is still alive and well, even with the word-of-mouth and the unceasing FaceBook posts.
If you can't find action, you're in the wrong pool hall.
-Blake
Where's that Like button? :grin-square:
Rabbit
Banned
Where have you been? lol been like this for quite a while:frown:
But i agree with the small action claim we gamble everyday in our local room from 10 a game 20 a set all the way up to 500 or a thousand usually weekly usually same 10 guys
Two words, DISPOSABLE INCOME... Years ago before the economic decline of America everyone could find work regardless of education or a lack of. There was always a way to make a buck and the entire society benefited as a result. For instance in 1968 as a teenager during the summer I could paint houses for $8.00 an hour. Now in 2013 we have folks here in America painting the same houses for $8.00 an hour. Guess how much disposable income todays house painter has compared to the guy in 1968.. In todays pool halls you see the effect of this economic decline, years ago most pool halls had a waiting list for a table, when was the last time you saw that? Pool is and has mostly been a blue collar pastime and the folks hurt the most in the decline have been middle and lower income workers thus you have way less money folks are willing to risk or gamble with. As a 16 year old back in 1968 there was always ring games being played in pool rooms, honestly I have not seen a ring game in so long I cannot remember the last one. It all comes down to money!
Well said! I agree with you.
We went on the road shooting pool in the '80s down South. My partner wanted to go to all the pool rooms, but me, I wanted to go to the bars that had tables. I remember down South, some of those bars had a couple dozen tables. Well, I had never seen anything like that in my neck of the woods. It was amazing.
During this road trip, we ventured into a bar in Tennessee during the day. When we walked in, the front bar table had a ring game going with about five or six guys playing. My partner's nostrils were wide open seeing this ring game action. He walked up to the patrons and asked if he could get in, and they said, "Sure, but we're playing for 10 a man." Well, that was like music to a road player's ears.
I've never seen this since, but they were playing ring game 3-ball. About $100 later, my partner gets his very first shot, but he was left bad on the table, so he came with a miss. We ended up dropping about $300 in that bar.
Lesson learned: Never play a 3-ball ring game with strangers who are all friends with each other. You will never get a shot. :wink:
Well said! I agree with you.
We went on the road shooting pool in the '80s down South. My partner wanted to go to all the pool rooms, but me, I wanted to go to the bars that had tables. I remember down South, some of those bars had a couple dozen tables. Well, I had never seen anything like that in my neck of the woods. It was amazing.
During this road trip, we ventured into a bar in Tennessee during the day. When we walked in, the front bar table had a ring game going with about five or six guys playing. My partner's nostrils were wide open seeing this ring game action. He walked up to the patrons and asked if he could get in, and they said, "Sure, but we're playing for 10 a man." Well, that was like music to a road player's ears.
I've never seen this since, but they were playing ring game 3-ball. About $100 later, my partner gets his very first shot, but he was left bad on the table, so he came with a miss. We ended up dropping about $300 in that bar.
Lesson learned: Never play a 3-ball ring game with strangers who are all friends with each other. You will never get a shot. :wink:
I made some real nice income on ring games back in the 80's and 90's. If you were entering any ring game with unknowns, you had to pay real attention to make sure you weren't a mark. Hiding 2 way shots is a skill that you really had to watch for.
Yep...look at all the things we spend our $ on now that did not exist in years opast: cable TV, cell phones, auto debt (including full coverage insurance), huge TVs...sheeat, the list is huge.
You've hit the nail on the head. AMERICA NEEDS A RAISE! And, by the way, I'm retired, so I'm not talking about myself.
Well said! I agree with you.
We went on the road shooting pool in the '80s down South. My partner wanted to go to all the pool rooms, but me, I wanted to go to the bars that had tables. I remember down South, some of those bars had a couple dozen tables. Well, I had never seen anything like that in my neck of the woods. It was amazing.
During this road trip, we ventured into a bar in Tennessee during the day. When we walked in, the front bar table had a ring game going with about five or six guys playing. My partner's nostrils were wide open seeing this ring game action. He walked up to the patrons and asked if he could get in, and they said, "Sure, but we're playing for 10 a man." Well, that was like music to a road player's ears.
I've never seen this since, but they were playing ring game 3-ball. About $100 later, my partner gets his very first shot, but he was left bad on the table, so he came with a miss. We ended up dropping about $300 in that bar.
Lesson learned: Never play a 3-ball ring game with strangers who are all friends with each other. You will never get a shot. :wink:
They must play three ball differently. Where I'm from everybody shoots, low number wins, one tie all tie.
That's how we shoot it. A tie doubles the bet. We play it with 6-7 guys starting at $5 a game. People tie on purpose just to clean up a $400 pot at the end
Don't know, but I just had someone last night ask to play a race to 3 for $20 after I beat him in the finals of a tournamet, so some people still like to do both hehe.
We ended up not playing because his girlfriend wanted to leave, but after winning the tournament, paying for my entry fee, my son's entry fee, our drinks, my beer, gas for the drive, I made at least $5 for the night! Oh wait, I got a bacon burger on the way home. I guess I lost a buck or 2 yesterday :grin:
but got free pool all night LOL
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I find there's just too much drama when you're trying to set up a game. NITs and nuthuggers have spoiled the fun in action.
Theres action in Texas..., but
Its cheap $50 - $100 a game One Pocket $10 -$20 a game 9/10 Ball
Cheap sets $300 - $500 and theres enough guys in Houston and Dallas to keep you busy.
The Big Games are dead..., Taxes, Interest Rates, the cost of living..., its hard for most guys to put there cash out there, they want to be backed and that aint so safe...,
Its cheap $50 - $100 a game One Pocket $10 -$20 a game 9/10 Ball
Cheap sets $300 - $500 and theres enough guys in Houston and Dallas to keep you busy.
The Big Games are dead..., Taxes, Interest Rates, the cost of living..., its hard for most guys to put there cash out there, they want to be backed and that aint so safe...,
