What would you take for your pool playing experiences?

If I could go back in time and work with myself for 3 weeks

jalapus logan said:
You quoted Socrates some time ago. Do you think that the process of "learning" is actually remembering what you once already knew?
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I believe there's a type of "universal sub conscious" that we can all learn to tap into....we all are standing on the shoulders of those before us mentally, physically and even spiritually.

If I could go back in time and work with myself for 3 weeks I would save many years of "trial and error" when I was developing.....I didn't learn the power of TOI until around 19.

I had outstanding mentors, however, being able to learn it all from one source would have been a tremendous advantage.
Tao
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enough money to gamble, eat, drink and stay at the Holiday Inn.

logical said:
There's a price, it's just a whole lot more than $2 million. I'd blow through that in a year.
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Yes, it's stated that most lottery winners are broke within the first three years.

When young, I was the happiest when on the road with a list of great "action spots" and enough money to gamble, eat, drink and stay at the Holiday Inn. ;)
 
I made choice 45 years ago as I graduated hs. It was either a life of pool, or med school to become a gynecologist.

Not sure I made the right decision, I can't seem to put my finger on it even today.
 
Although I have had tons of awesome pool experiences, those mean nothing to me compared to the experiences I have had and continue to have with my family. I would trade them all for my families continued happiness.
 
3andstop said:
I made choice 45 years ago as I graduated hs. It was either a life of pool, or med school to become a gynecologist.

Not sure I made the right decision, I can't seem to put my finger on it even today.
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Since you are posting on AZ, I will assume you made thew wrong decision. :D
 
jalapus logan said:
My wife and I were having lunch by the Neckar river outside of Heidelberg and I made the mistake of ordering a Radler. I think that it was a mixture of sprite and beer. I asked the waiter who other than me orders them. He said that kids do and people after they get done working g out at the gym ha ha ha. Loved Heidelberg! And as far as I can see, Germany is spotless.
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Yeah, a Radler, is a 50/50 mix of beer and lemon soda or lemonade.. depends what part of the country.

Radler is the German word for a bicyclist, and since so many rode bikes after the first war, they did this so folks could still enjoy a beer or two and not worry about falling off their bikes on their way home, but also so folks could bike and enjoy a cold beverage that would not dehydrate them as well.

yes, had a cold Radler in Heidelberg last July :) I needed it, it was 95, which is almost unheard of in Germany, but lucky me with the good timing as usual :)
 
Pool has been a big part of my life especially ever since I bought a table and was able to practice at home. I also got into cue collecting and i've bought and sold quite a few cues which has been a fun addition to my pool playing hobby. I guess I wouldn't trade my pool experiences for almost anything and thanks to pool i've made quite a few trips to Las Vegas. I probably wouldn't have gone to Las Vegas if it wasn't for playing in the big tournaments there, but once I learned my way around a little i've been many times when I wasn't playing pool and loved every minute of it. I've also made many friends who I would never have met if it wasn't for playing pool and i'd have to say it's been a lot of fun.
 
I looked at this the other way around the other day. I’m sure some of you have seen Amadeus. The main character in that movie was not Mozart, it was Salieri. Salieri, being a decent talent himself at composing, was frustrated to be able to understand the genius of Mozart while knowing full good and well that he would never have that genius himself. Some of billiard amateurs must feel the same way. I understand the game in depth, I can tell genius when I see it, but alas, I also know I’m never going to have it, no matter how hard I try or how badly I want it.

So that brings us to the point. The flip to your question is what would a mediocre talent give to be able to taste billiards genius? To be Mike Sigel, Strickland, Mosconi, Crane, etc. When this subject came up around the dinner table, I stated that if I could choose between immortality (but only mediocre in everything) and being the best (or close to the best) in a field of interest, I would take being the best. You can also ask the question would you rather have a couple of million dollars, or be one of the top 5 players on the planet, I would take being one of top 5 players on the planet all day long. Not sure I’d want to be one of the top 5 and pretty broke, but I’d certainly think about it.
 
med school to become a gynecologist.

3andstop said:
I made choice 45 years ago as I graduated hs. It was either a life of pool, or med school to become a gynecologist.

Not sure I made the right decision, I can't seem to put my finger on it even today.
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I have a suggestion to "putting your finger on it".....use a touch of inside. ;)

My first and last "gynecologist toi joke".
 
What would I take?

Nothing I can think of.

My dad introduced me to pool, and it was a bond we had until he died. As a matter of fact, we still have it. I cleaned out some old stuff from his home pool room and brought it to mine, including his cue and some old trophies he had kept. I think about him often when I play.
 
I started playing there at age 7 - Orrin played an important role

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This is Orrin Cleeton who owned the original pool room in Green City Missouri.....I started playing there at age 7 - Orrin played an important role in my early days....he said he'd "keep an eye on me" so my mother would allow me to go there and hang out by myself....other kids weren't so lucky. I'm grateful to you Orrin. R.I.P. -

I'll always remember you making the fire in the wood burning heater on Saturday mornings as I came in to start an exciting day at the pool room. For a young kid this was as good as it gets and I hope to be about to create a reason for kids to benefit from this game in the future....It's done wonders for my life 'The Game is the Teacher'
 
3andstop said:
I made choice 45 years ago as I graduated hs. It was either a life of pool, or med school to become a gynecologist.

Not sure I made the right decision, I can't seem to put my finger on it even today.
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I think being a pool player was the best choice. Being a gynecologist isn't all that it's cracked up to be.

Best,
Mike
 
CJ Wiley said:
Sacrificing financial opportunity for what we're passionate about {in Life} is difficult!

Everything's relative in life and wealth is no exception.
There's been several discussions about the Pro Players
and how they could be making more profit in another field
of endeavors, or by getting a regular job "flipping burgers
or selling hot dogs". (this option strikes me funny for some reason)

My best friend and I were talking about this scenario earlier in the week -
he recently sold his internet business last year for over 30M and is in a
very favorable financial situation - he can afford "high ticket items" and
has an uncanny sense of value.

He posed this question to me:

"How much would you take for your pool experience.
.... what if I gave you One Million Dollars?"

I thought for a second and quickly shook my head
-."How about Two Million Dollars?"
...... I shook my head without hesitation


"Neither would any of the other players,"
... you have an asset that can't be purchased,
and even with pool at an all time low you still wouldn't
sell those experiences because they're invaluable assets."

He's right!

Through pool, the ideal people came into my life
at just the right time, with vital information
time, after time, after time, after time, after time
....and it's all related to the Game's influence
....is it karma, fate, coincidence, good timing
....or something more? .

What would you take for your past experiences?
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Maybe for the elite CJ, but the reality is different for most . If at age 20 a player spent the next 40 years playing tournaments and hustling, two million dollars is probably a lot less than what the pool cost them in earnings over a 40 year career considering lost wages, retirement income and investment.
 
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