Why are there so few good pool players today?

[QStickMagician]

This might sound like a very dumb question, but have been playing pool since the late 50's/early 60's when few we good pool players.

I see few reasons in the year 2007 why most who play pool are not pretty good at the game, and there should be less bangers imho.

I ask the question why so few good pool players as in 2007 there are so many resources to learn play pool better than there were 50 years ago.

I am talking about instructional books, instructional dvd’s and vhs’s and last certified instructors.

Yes I know there are those who refuse to spend table time practicing, but those who wish to hone their pool game in 2007 there are so many resources for self help, plus certified instruction.

Where are all the good pool players, and why is competition not tougher at the top. why are there still so few player who seem to dominate the top level of pool?

 

[selftaut]

I really don't see anything has changed at all myself , if anything there are more good players around , there was always just a handful at the top that dominated as far as I can remember, many do not travel much due to the expenses involved, but regional tourneys usually bring strong fields.

 

[thebigdog]

I don't agree

I really don't see anything has changed at all myself , if anything there are more good players around , there was always just a handful at the top that dominated as far as I can remember, many do not travel much due to the expenses involved, but regional tourneys usually bring strong fields.

I wasn't around in the 50's or 60's, but I was around in the 80's. I know there were a lot more good players around back then. I think the regional tournaments are a joke now compared to what they were 15-20 years ago. This tournament they are running at Hard Times right now would have had double the players with double the entry fee 20 years ago. The players that are in these tournaments for the most part are all the same guys that were around then, just now 20 years older and not playing as well as back then. Sure there are a few new players who have come up the ranks in the last few years, but not very many at all. The tournaments that Jay used to run at Hard Times Bellfower totally blow away these tournaments today, he used to get 128 strong players. Now these tournaments get about 75 guys with a $100 entry fee and you end up with about 25 pro players, 25 shortstops, and 25 bangers in the field, not much of an event.

 

[8-Ball Player]

This might sound like a very dumb question, but have been playing pool since the late 50's/early 60's when few we good pool players.

I see few reasons in the year 2007 why most who play pool are not pretty good at the game, and there should be less bangers imho.

I ask the question why so few good pool players as in 2007 there are so many resources to learn play pool better than there were 50 years ago.

I am talking about instructional books, instructional dvd’s and vhs’s and last certified instructors.

Yes I know there are those who refuse to spend table time practicing, but those who wish to hone their pool game in 2007 there are so many resources for self help, plus certified instruction.

Where are all the good pool players, and why is competition not tougher at the top. why are there still so few player who seem to dominate the top level of pool?

Yeah there are a ton of great pool players in the world. THere are many who cant get out there because they dont have sponsors or the money to go to the big tournaments. But there are tons of great pool players that dont ever get the chance to be in a position like ..say...Efren Rayes.

 

[Sensation]

Poker... and video lottery.

Pool doesn't pay enough.

 

[traa89]

money is no longer in pool. Definately agree with you there Sensation

 

[poolplayer2093]

Poker... and video lottery.

Pool doesn't pay enough.

.
i have to agree with sensation here. i know a kid that plays decent pool 1-2 years of serious play and he'd be respectable. but he gambles at poker way higher and the chances of winning are "sometimes" better.

and that is overlooking that pool is a game of little things done well. kids today aren't patient enough to listen to a whole song on the radio or finish a tv show without fastfowarding (tivo). how much appreciation do you think these people will have for a game that's full of little things you have to konw or be able todo

 

[CreeDo]

Because they used to play straight pool where you need to clear 14 or 15 minimum for anyone to care, and now we're all thrilled to run 8. Aspiring young pool players will usually do whatever is needed to get other people talking about them. If that's 8 or 9 balls they stop learning whatever is needed to reach number 10. If that's 30 or 50 balls they'll learn whatever it takes to run 30-50, which is significantly more than what it takes to run 8.

 

[RunoutalloverU]

Um I dont know why I am the first to point this out about this post. But wtf is this guy talking about? So few good players today? I would say the landscape of the pool world is vastly superior to that of any era. Yes I know Mosconi and Lassiter were one of a kind, and the straight pool players of that era. This may seem a bit of the topic but its just an analogy. The World Series of College Baseball is going on right now. Now if you win the whole thing, its a national title. Not a world title. Because there isnt any college team from Japan playing in it etc. So tell me, how is it that Mosconi won 16 or so world titles, when the only people playing against him were typically american? How about 9 ball in the 80's and part of the 90's? The reason you don't have that many american champions right now, is because when you invite the rest of the world to play with you, and make your sport truly global, with a true WORLD champion the talent pool broadens and it becomes.....watch this word....BETTER! So assuming the twisted logic of believing that there arent that many good players today (I feel silly just typing that), is because Mosconi could run 500 balls (which john schimdt did), or that someone could be so dominant over thier sport ( like Mosconi was all those years), the reason no one person is dominant is because EVERYBODY is really good, not just one guy, and the reason that everybody is really good and not just one guy, is because the now the world plays our sport allowing for so many good pool players today.

 

[td873]

Um I dont know why I am the first to point this out about this post. But wtf is this guy talking about?

I agree. There are so many more great players today. And probably even more phenomenons than in days of yore.

I suppose the OP hasn't heard of Efren, Archer, Patroni, Soquet, Chao, Salvas, Stalev, Feijen, Hundal, Immonen, etc. Each of which are champions from different COUNTRIES. There was almost NO world-wide pool recognition back then. It was either Mosconi or some other American. Now, we've got world beaters from every country (pun intended).

IMO, the reason there are no 16-time world champions anymore is because there are so many MORE players at the world champion level.

-td

 

[sjm]

Um I dont know why I am the first to point this out about this post. But wtf is this guy talking about? So few good players today? I would say the landscape of the pool world is vastly superior to that of any era. Yes I know Mosconi and Lassiter were one of a kind, and the straight pool players of that era. This may seem a bit of the topic but its just an analogy. The World Series of College Baseball is going on right now. Now if you win the whole thing, its a national title. Not a world title. Because there isnt any college team from Japan playing in it etc. So tell me, how is it that Mosconi won 16 or so world titles, when the only people playing against him were typically american? How about 9 ball in the 80's and part of the 90's? The reason you don't have that many american champions right now, is because when you invite the rest of the world to play with you, and make your sport truly global, with a true WORLD champion the talent pool broadens and it becomes.....watch this word....BETTER! So assuming the twisted logic of believing that there arent that many good players today (I feel silly just typing that), is because Mosconi could run 500 balls (which john schimdt did), or that someone could be so dominant over thier sport ( like Mosconi was all those years), the reason no one person is dominant is because EVERYBODY is really good, not just one guy, and the reason that everybody is really good and not just one guy, is because the now the world plays our sport allowing for so many good pool players today.

Tap, tap, tap. Absolutely right!

PS actually, Schmidt ran 400, not 500.

 

[Fatboy]

online poker, video games, etc. there are alot more forms of entertainment now than years ago and people in general dont have the passion they had years ago, Remeber when the Olympics was a big thing people talking about it etc, now most people dont even know or care about it, society has changed.

The bangers dont care about getting better they just want to bang and have fun, i took pool seriously and wanted to improve my game to me that was fun, they dont want to do the work it takes to become a player, they are happy to settle for what they get, like fast food, it sucks but its popular because its easy, finding good food or cooking is too much work-just like improving your game, Lazy people who settle for medoricaty-not perfection.

 

[justnum]

I feel very community oriented like I get my food at the store instead of grow it in my yard. I go shopping instead of making stuff. Well sometimes I build my own hardware and tools. I use mass transit and usually is easier than driving for work days.

For pool I consider myself good enough that I don't get beat every week in the league.

 

[JimmyRayK]

????????????

I personally I think there are way, way more good players now than ever before. Just look at results from a pro tournament. Guys you have never heard of beating guys like Archer, Parica, Hall, etc. The pros definitely can never take a match off. Ask 'em.

Jimmy

 

[CreeDo]

All you guys who are jumping up and saying "wtf is this guy talking about! There are tons of good players, look at efren and blah blah blah!!!!!111!!1!!!!1"
Reread the post...

He isn't saying "there used to be a lot of top level pros and now there aren't any top level pros", he's pointing out that the overall skill level seems to have gone down. I think he's saying that most of the everyday people who play pool all the time should be 'good' at it, or at least 'decent'... but for some reason 90% of them are just bangers.

I wasn't around 50 years ago so I can't say if that's true, but I know people would pack the stands and marvel at someone sinking 150 balls in a row, and a bunch of those spectators could run 50 themselves. Now you can walk into a random pool hall and the local hero maybe ran 3 racks of 9 ball.

We play shorter, easier games that demand less of the player, and even though a 3-pack in 9 ball is nothing like a 100+ run in straight pool, people can say "I shut the guy out 3 games in a row" and they're pleased with themselves and it doesn't even occur to them that there's a higher standard to reach for.

 

[JamisonNeu]

Pay! Pocket billiards used to pay well enough. If you won a 25,000 dollar tourney in 1907 it was a good pay day a very very very good pay day almost twenty years worth of cash. Now the same 25,000 dollar winnings apply, 100 yrs later.

To the statement about Willie Mosconi only playing USA born players. Your wrong the champion in pocket billiards before him was Ralph Greenlief before him it was De' Ore (I think Cuban I am probably wrong I am also thinking Colombia) this guy was crazy good holding a World title in billiards and/or pocket billiards for something like 30+ yrs.

Jamison

 

[whitewolf]

Tap, tap, tap. Absolutely right!

PS actually, Schmidt ran 400, not 500.

I can see another point of view if you are not thinking of only pros.

From the cities that I played pool in - Roanoke, Va. - Charlottesville, Va. - Danville, Va. - Eden NC and even Washington DC, I personally think that yesterday's players could kick todays players asses.

In the 60s I remember paying a dime a rack. We could play all day. You just can't do that today with the prices you have to pay.

Plus pool has actually died across the US. in most places, IMHO. Drinkers now get punished by the police. Back then poker did not have the popularity it does today and video games didn't even exist.

 

[dabarbr]

I have been involved with pool for over 50 years and I can tell you that there by far many more good players now then anytime that I can recall.

Even at the local level many young players exhibit the poise and confidence of more mature players. Ths could be because of the teaching aids available such as videos, books, instructors, etc.

When I was starting it was very difficult to get someone to teach you anything. If you wanted to learn, you had to play, lose and learn. Now information is available everywhere.

It used to be that top notch players seemed to hang around forever. Soon this will not so.

There will be so many good young players in the near future that most of the top notch older players will be pushed out of the limelight at an earlier age. Like other sports, games.

 

[8ballEinstein]

I have been involved with pool for over 50 years and I can tell you that there by far many more good players now then anytime that I can recall.

Even at the local level many young players exhibit the poise and confidence of more mature players. Ths could be because of the teaching aids available such as videos, books, instructors, etc.

When I was starting it was very difficult to get someone to teach you anything. If you wanted to learn, you had to play, lose and learn. Now information is available everywhere.

It used to be that top notch players seemed to hang around forever. Soon this will not so.

There will be so many good young players in the near future that most of the top notch older players will be pushed out of the limelight at an earlier age. Like other sports, games.

I'm gonna agree with dabarbr. I also gonna guess that other players like Jay and Freddie, guys who have been around since dinosaurs ruled the earth, will agree too. I wait in great anticipation for their take on this.

 

[punter]

I'm gonna agree with dabarbr. I also gonna guess that other players like Jay and Freddie, guys who have been around since dinosaurs ruled the earth, will agree too. I wait in great anticipation for their take on this.

Now that's tooo cold!!

I know for a fact that when Jay and Freddie came along the dinosaurs had been gone for 10 or 20 years.

Just kidding guys, I love hearing about the "dinosaur" days.