Why are there so few good pool players today?

FLICKit said:
Are you kidding me? Have you seen the ESPN classic matches that show many of those old timer stars (like Willie Mosconi and Luther Lassiter, ...)? The level of play that those guys played are a joke compared to the level of professional play today. Not to say they weren't good players, they were. But their level of play then, can hardly measure to current levels of play.
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Well, I was going to try to skim through all of the posts before I added my 2 cents, but this was just too much. FLICKit, the Classic reels are exhibitions filmed when these players were at least a decade past their primes. Only a handful of today's players could stand the heat from Lassiter.
 
Well, I've scanned through all the responses, and it's hard to believe no one else has brought this up. Creedo kind of touched on it a little bit. But the reason the game has regressed, IMO, is the 1 foul rule. Why take a risk shooting a tough shot or trying to break out a problem ball when you can just play safe? 2 shot roll out is the best way to play the game. It promotes shot making and the "bad rolls" are neutralized by the ability to roll out.
 
Of course too, human nature reminisces on the past, and elevates stories to super legendary status. All of the good things they do become elevated to super human status. You don't usually hear anyone reminisce about the failures from those legends.

For example if one wanted to make Efren Reyes into a legend, then they could say Efren Reyes was so good that in his prime he just didn't miss. He played a defensive shot, which locked up the cue ball so tight that nobody could make it except himself. At times, another ball just happened to fall into a pocket forcing him to have to shoot again. He just kicked it twice off both long rails, made the shot and ran out. Nobody else in history could do the things that Efren could.

Another prime example, when people look back on Michael Jordan, you'd think he did everything perfect. He never missed a shot, and of course he never missed a clutch shot. One could then make the same claim that Robert Horry made every clutch shot he ever took... Robert Horry is much more difficult to back up, especially since he's still currently playing.

Great accomplishments should be given their proper due. Beware of the trap of embellishing the past.
 
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I was at the DCC a couple years ago watching Corey Deuel and Marco Marquez gambling some one-pocket and Grady happened to be sitting beside me. I overheard him telling someone "with today's players, all they need is one shot and then they're out."

P.S. If you read this Grady, I hope I didn't misquote you, I just remembered overhearing something very similar to this.
 
QStickMagician said:
The point I was trying to make was I do not understand why from my prospective in local, regional, and national pool competitions it seem to me that the same folks win all the time.

It would seem to me with all the great pool instructional material available today the competition would be closer. With better matches for the top spots.

But it seem to me in many tournaments a few pool players constantly run away with the prizes all the time.
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Because in any endeavor there only gong to be so many people in any given area who strive to be as good as they can be. Pick your sport and location and you will see the same things. No matter how much instruction is available there are only so many people who will use it. The rest gets their kicks from the social aspect of participation rather than the contest of skills.

Not everyone who enjoys playing pool seeks to play in or enter tournaments. Thus it is inevitable that in any region there is going to be an established pecking order that changes slowly. I suspect that this was the case in the 20's as well as the 90's and will be the case 50 years from now. Even if everyone started practicing and taking instruction there would still be domination by the few.

As to whether the players of yesteryear were better or not. They played under different rules, on different equipment and with different equipment. As John Schmidt said, it's all about incentive. And I say mass makes class.

The point has been brought up about the depth of talent when there is 5000 rooms and also the depth of talent in the Phillipines. I agree. More players playing for signifigant prizes makes for better players.

Mosconi's record stands because there hasn't been any incentive or real opportunity to break it in the last 40 years. Remember that at the time he did it he was playing straight pool every day of his life and that was the dominant game. How about Neils Feijin's 14 racks of nine ball on a 9 footer from the break? That's a modern record that is likely to stand the test of time and one which I highly doubt that even the greats of yesteryear would have an easy time duplicating. John Schmidt is right, if someone were to put up a signifigant prize for breaking Mosconi's record then it would be broken. Because then there would be umpteen thousands of erios attemtpts by the very people capable of doing it. Today's great players.
 
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senor said:
Well, I've scanned through all the responses, and it's hard to believe no one else has brought this up. Creedo kind of touched on it a little bit. But the reason the game has regressed, IMO, is the 1 foul rule. Why take a risk shooting a tough shot or trying to break out a problem ball when you can just play safe? 2 shot roll out is the best way to play the game. It promotes shot making and the "bad rolls" are neutralized by the ability to roll out.
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Maybe. On the other hand under today's 9-ball rules players have become better kickers, bankers, safety players and jumpers, as well as being superb shotmakers.

Now they MUST have these skills and it is not enough to simply be the better shotmaker and dare your opponent to shoot.

I don't know how much pro pool you watch but the best players are constantly breaking out clusters and taking tough shots. They play the right pattern for the situation. If the runout is the best way then they go for that, if the safety is the best way then they play it.

I like two-foul nine ball too but I don't think it ever made me a better player. I know I would never have learned to kick and jump or play safe without the advent of Texas Express rules. I don't really know why we still have roll out after the break. They don't play that way in Europe - at least they didn't when I was there.

So by that comparison I think that todays nine ball players are better than those of yesteryear. And I think that there are probably more of them. I played yesterday against a guy that is a real nobody and yet he put a six pack on me. And guys like this abound around the world. At least around the world that I have been around.
 
John Barton said:
I don't know how much pro pool you watch but the best players are constantly breaking out clusters and taking tough shots. They play the right pattern for the situation. If the runout is the best way then they go for that, if the safety is the best way then they play it.
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I think the IPT proved you incorrect on this statement. Leave it to good ole 8 ball to bring out the worse, or should I say true speed of these 'young folk'. :D
 
Just my thought, I'm 44 years old. Ben in a pool room 5 days a week from the age of 10 till now. When i was in my twentys I was untouchable.I said I was a great player. Or at least I thought so back then. Now some 30 years later. I find I'm not the player I was back than.Not winning as much
any more. My point is I think there are so many more players now that pool has grown so much. There for producing a lot more good players today. What do you guys think agree or disagree. good day to all Jack
 
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