Where did the action go? (Opinions wanted)

stolz2

stolz2

Kid Mack
Silver Member
So im just about done reading my Buddy Hall book "R2R". I wish i could go back to the Johnston city days, just to watch some of these match ups I have been reading about. I just wanted some opinions on why the action has been so dry for along time now?

I was talking to a older pool playing friend of mine, he said alot of action started dieing when people started using debit cards. Because people used to cash there checks, at bars and check cashing places. And would usually have a wod of cash for a few days until they made it to the bank to deposit. When you bet some one and go to the ATM to get out say $200 its easier to keep track of your bank roll. When you have a bank roll its easier to just keep pulling out money, and not keep track.


Anyone else know where all the action went?

Mack
 
stolz2 said:
So im just about done reading my Buddy Hall book "R2R". I wish i could go back to the Johnston city days, just to watch some of these match ups I have been reading about. I just wanted some opinions on why the action has been so dry for along time now?

I was talking to a older pool playing friend of mine, he said alot of action started dieing when people started using debit cards. Because people used to cash there checks, at bars and check cashing places. And would usually have a wod of cash for a few days until they made it to the bank to deposit. When you bet some one and go to the ATM to get out say $200 its easier to keep track of your bank roll. When you have a bank roll its easier to just keep pulling out money, and not keep track.


Anyone else know where all the action went?



Mack
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Thats very true. before the ATM you had to be sure you had enough money to make it through the weekend unless you had someone who would cash a check. You would be in a place on a Friday night and every guy in the place had their paychecks in their pockets. You never knew what was going to happen it was exciting. Now a days you will see a guy with a Vett and a $500. suit and he may have maybe $40 or $50. for some pocket money and thats it. You don't need money any more.

This only applies to hustling though not matching up. Another thing, I hear a lot of stories and a lot of it is BS. Guys will tell you they were playing for $50.00 or $100. a game when they were really playing for $5's and $10's. They have had to adjust their stories to make up for inflation. I use to play in a real action room and most of the play was like $10 9 ball or $20. one pocket and I'm talking about guys like Jimmy Reid, Danny D and all kinds of champions. Without a backer action on the side not as much was bet as you would think. Remember back to the hustler. "Hundred a game"? Lets make it two hundred a game". "Now I know why they call you Fast Eddie". Thats a little more accurate.
 
hey you dont wanna sell that book do ya? id love to read that one but i aint seen it nowhere. Either that or maybe we could set up a book exchange club lol, i got a ton of em.
 
Death of of pool action caused by:

1. The expansion of casino gambling
2. The rise of home poker games
3. League play
4. Weekly tournament play
5. The lack of back room card play in pool halls

Old has been could elaborate.
 
A whole bunch of the action and $ shifted over to poker and to the casinos. I know several ex-stakehorses who now get their gambling ya-ya's through poker or casino gambling. If you don't have backers, you're not gonna see a lot of high betting. We've had a lot of big tournements in Orlando in the past few years, and the big-time matchups were few and far between. There are only a relative handful of top players who I would call "self-starters": guys that will bet their own dough (or yours, or his, whatever), gamble anytime, anywhere, don't need a "Schlage lock", and will play til you both drop. IMO,the epitome of the action player is Richie Richeson. In case Richie Rich ain't in action, it's cuz he took a wrong turn into a church. I know there are others (Cliff, L'il John), I just haven't been around them that much. Until there are some new deep-pocket people who are willing to throw 100% to win 50%, the high betting will be sparse (look how hard it is to get matched up for the "open offer" backers on AZ). And the old tried and true "pool ATM's", the YUPPIES who played in college and had a Friday night 6-beer flashback and would merrily dump a couple of hundred, are all playing poker or hustling the babes at TGIF. Playing pool for a living is hawd wuk. Maybe the IPT will inject some money and enthusiasm into the game and we'll get to see a third pool renaissance (I think it will take another good pool flick).
 
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Law enforcement?

The country as a whole has gotten more apathetic and politically conservative (even though people insist in thinking otherwise), is my guess. We live in a completely toothless era, anyways.

Everything is safe, legislated, and mediated. Most live vicariously through their TV sets.

I think the overall cause is the collapse of the industrial working class...

Just some speculative hot air! :)
 
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Lewd has a good point. Most people I know do not even play cards. They watch reality tv and night time dramas.:mad: Alot of guys I know would also rather hang out at the local titty bar. In houston fast eddie's can be empty on free pool night while the brass poll establisment accross the parking lot is full.
 
scottycoyote said:
hey you dont wanna sell that book do ya? id love to read that one but i aint seen it nowhere. Either that or maybe we could set up a book exchange club lol, i got a ton of em.
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It crossed my mind, but i think im holding onto it. There getting too rare, and its just a real good read. I would try to find a copy, mine is signed by Buddy hall so thats kinda cool.
 
Most of the best players in America know that the road doesn't offer much of an income anymore. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but these days, it's five times as difficult to stay under the radar as it used to be.

The information age has changed everything.
 
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Most of the best players in America know that the road doesn't offer much of an income anymore. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but these days, it's five times as difficult to stay under the radar than it used to be.

The information age has changed everything.


Exactly. Good post.

Kevin
 
I agree +............

mnorwood said:
Death of of pool action caused by:

1. The expansion of casino gambling
2. The rise of home poker games
3. League play
4. Weekly tournament play
5. The lack of back room card play in pool halls

Old has been could elaborate.
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High daily road expenses and the fact that "Good Sports" of the past are now considerd to be "Suckers".
But I do think you have hit 5 nails squarly on the head.
Especially the casinos.

TY & GL, OHB
 
I wasn't alive in the 50s, 60s, or most of the 70s, but I'm wondering if America's attitude towards violence has changed. In other words, I think your stereotypical pool hall is probably cleaner and in safer places now than back then, but are people more likely to flip out about losing $500 now than they used to be?

I was at the Joss event at Turning Stone, and I was disappointed when I heard before I went that there was no side room for betting. I was looking forward to spending more time in there than in the tournament room if there had been a betting room. :-P Maybe the casino didn't allow it? They had room for a separate section of tables, that's for sure.
 
I'm not sure about the U.S but in Canada most of the provinces have VLT's (video lottery terminals) which have soaked up any gamblers that the casinos havn't.
 
I agree with what everyone has eluded to about gamblers having other outlets for action like casinos. I"d guess those players played pool for money and action, and not the love of the game?......that sucks!

Gerry
 
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Most things ...

are a 'Hustle'. Titty bars, talk about a hustle!!! ...lol Ever hear a patron there sayining, 'Spot me a tittie and a lap dance'? ... lol And most poker games, most players don't have a chance against a real player.

Alol these things are hustles, the point is: How long will the common Joe hang on trying to find out how much knowledge he lacks about the situation?
They are all suckers. The better the hustle, the longer they hang on, 'trying to get lucky'.
 
This was my eye opener

Gerry said:
I agree with what everyone has eluded to about gamblers having other outlets for action like casinos. I"d guess those players played pool for money and action, and not the love of the game?......that sucks!

Gerry
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I learned about 10 years ago that for a large number of players pool is just a means to an end. The end being gambling. I have personally watched a guy lose 40K in one evening playing 9 ball. In the same room, people constantly flipping coins for 100 (all night and after while that gets old).

Pool is just the way to get there.

I gamble cheap and enjoy pool, I play 10 -20 a game one pocket, up to 10 a game 9 ball.

I gamble so I can play better players, some play so they can gamble.

Took me a while to understand that.

Ken
 
Action-what Happened To It

I have played and gambled at pool since the late 50's. I became a working stiff in 1961(Thanks to Ritchie Florence) and have worked ever since, but I used to make it to the pool room several times a week and always matched up doing something. I would love to find a room where I could match up a fair game, even though my game has gone downhill. I am a fairly loose gambler and the closest pool room to me is Hard Times in Sacramento with the best equipment you could find. I could match up with a little weight with a couple of local champions, but you are not only taking a tough game, you are giving them odds on the $$ because if you lose, your $$ is going to the card room or casino. The alternative to that is to play sets for high dollars, and that is not for me either. I am a $50/$100 a game one pocket player. The last good player I played for $50 a game was busted after two games. In the old days the $$ floated around the room and you had a chance to win it back. Today you have to be a nut hunter because almost everybody else is. I can't play for fun, so I play once a month or so in a tournament. I'm sure there are lots of old war horses like me out there who would be good action if we could get some action back in return. But we have been doing this a long time and you just can't give your $$ away to someone you don't have a chance getting it back from. Losing your $$ is bad. Losing your $$ and feeling stupid is worse. Now the horses are getting my gambling action. You can play them on the computer. Wait a minute, I'm just like the guys I'm knocking. But the horses don't pull up, and neither do the card rooms or the casinos. John Henderson
 
I think the action is still there, just harder to find. The action isnt in the pool halls anymore. In my city, it gone to the rundown hole in the wall bars. All the laborers who get paid in cash, have too many DUI's to drive themselves home, will bet the whole wad if they get a chance. Especially if they are drunk, they become"champions" in their own mind. You gotta play some wierd games, but its worth it. at least a couple hundred a week.
 
Your right but the sick part is..

Gerry said:
I agree with what everyone has eluded to about gamblers having other outlets for action like casinos. I"d guess those players played pool for money and action, and not the love of the game?......that sucks!

Gerry
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A lot of pool players equate $ won in a casino with $ won on a pool table.
That's sick and unrealistic. Pool is a developed skill where it is possible to get the best of it OR close enough to out run the difference for the right reasons.
The very best odds a casino gives is 51/49 the worst of it and or the complete luck of seeing the river card. You always hear of the converted pool players making a fortune at poker. You seldom hear of the mass majority gone broke trying.
I've seen so many good pool players/gamblers go completely busted in the casino because the action was faster. These same pool players used to sit and match up for hours in the poolroom.
Personally - Everything I have ever done On The Road - Was a hustle. But at home, I did & do play as cheap as $5 9ball and 10/20$ OP - when there is nothing better to do.
I just wonder how $ Tiger Woods blows in casinos.

TY & GL, OHB
 
OldHasBeen said:
I just wonder how $ Tiger Woods blows in casinos.
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By all accounts, he doesn't really gamble. He'll gamble a few bucks against a playing partner in practice rounds or against pals like Jordan, etc., but in a casino, no, no gambling. He gets his thrills doing other things like Scuba Diving. Plus, if you've seen his wife, you can hardly imagine wanting to leave her to do something as lame as gamble in a casino!

Phil Mickelson, on the other hand, now THERE was/is a gambler. Reportedly his $10M contract (approx.) with Callaway was largely to pay off gambling debt.
 
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