WPBA crowd at it again

You don't have to prove anything to me...LOL. You've probably been to more than I have!!!!

Melissa

I love that pic btw. Awesome that you kept all of those credentials!

I know i was there for your first big finish at the BCA- I was up in the balcony when someone (Jenny Lee?) next to me yelled "WAY TO GO MELISSA". It took you by surprise but you smiled, looked up and waved.

Anyway Thanks for chiming in- I've been the lone voice til now.
 
I know i was there for your first big finish at the BCA- I was up in the balcony when someone (Jenny Lee?) next to me yelled "WAY TO GO MELISSA". It took you by surprise but you smiled, looked up and waved.

Anyway Thanks for chiming in- I've been the lone voice til now.

I think it was Stefanie Boch (nee Nakagawa) :D

At that point in our history...I doubt Jenny Lee would have cheered for me...LOL.

Melissa
 
I really don't know why the crowds do this. The point is simply that it is very annoying to watch, and it would probably be a good idea to educate the crowd on the fact that they do not need to clap after every shot.
 
I find it fascinating that applause at a televised event is so annoying to people.

Almost elitist. "The poor dumb audience doesn't know what to clap for..."
 
I find it fascinating that applause at a televised event is so annoying to people.

Almost elitist. "The poor dumb audience doesn't know what to clap for..."

Interesting statement to call that elitist. It is both annoying and somewhat condescending in my opinion. To clap for a shot is generally done because the player has done something worth clapping for. To clap for a straight in stop shot seems condescending to me, as if the player had done something they couldn't normally do in their sleep. It also seems phony and forced, as even a novice pool player can tell what is a very simple shot, or a more difficult shot. Clapping for every shot also decreases the value of celebrating a truely good shot.

How can that be elitist? You clap because you understand that what just occured was somewhat special. To do so without reasonable cause puts forth the image of someone either truely not understanding what is going on, or trying to create an atmoshphere of more excitement than what is naturally there.
 
I find it fascinating that applause at a televised event is so annoying to people.

Almost elitist. "The poor dumb audience doesn't know what to clap for..."

They really dont at most WPBA events. Im guessing more than half the crowd comes solely for a chance to get on TV. I once saw a crowd clapping on a deliberate foul which set up a 1-9 for her opponent.
 
Last edited:
Interesting statement to call that elitist. It is both annoying and somewhat condescending in my opinion. To clap for a shot is generally done because the player has done something worth clapping for. To clap for a straight in stop shot seems condescending to me, as if the player had done something they couldn't normally do in their sleep. It also seems phony and forced, as even a novice pool player can tell what is a very simple shot, or a more difficult shot. Clapping for every shot also decreases the value of celebrating a truely good shot.

How can that be elitist? You clap because you understand that what just occured was somewhat special. To do so without reasonable cause puts forth the image of someone either truely not understanding what is going on, or trying to create an atmoshphere of more excitement than what is naturally there.

Yet we hear time and again how pool needs to attract more casual fans... Better make sure those folks who don't understand the game get properly educated as to what constitutes a shot worthy of applause, and which shots are supposed to be made and therefor the fan must sit still lest they be considered morons, and worthy of contempt.

(That seems elitist to me.)

Imagine a television program trying to create a sense of excitement in the arena... wow. Why oh why would TV producers ever want a sense of excitement in the arena where an event was taking place? You want the fans to sit quietly unless something "with reasonable cause" occurs? Yet folks boo hoo about pool not being televised.

Yep, that attitude will certainly help attract more casual fans to our sport.
 
No cure for "the clap"???

It's not that the crowd claps on every shot that bothers me. It's that they clap THE SAME for every shot. The applause level and enthusiasm never seems to vary whether it is a two-rail kick shot or a tap-in of a hanger.

I mean, come on. Even a casual fan can at least tell the difference between a difficult shot and an ultra-easy one. Or am I giving people too much credit? Surely, there's actual pool fans at a tournament who can tell the difference and adjust their enthusiasm accordingly. Yet, the applause meter never moves a hair.

The only time I hear any actual cheering from the crowd is during the introductions, or possibly after the match winning shot. If someone is "pumping up" the crowd before these televised matches, they are doing a very poor job.
 
Yet we hear time and again how pool needs to attract more casual fans... Better make sure those folks who don't understand the game get properly educated as to what constitutes a shot worthy of applause, and which shots are supposed to be made and therefor the fan must sit still lest they be considered morons, and worthy of contempt.

(That seems elitist to me.)

Imagine a television program trying to create a sense of excitement in the arena... wow. Why oh why would TV producers ever want a sense of excitement in the arena where an event was taking place? You want the fans to sit quietly unless something "with reasonable cause" occurs? Yet folks boo hoo about pool not being televised.

Yep, that attitude will certainly help attract more casual fans to our sport.

You have been a little bit defensive about this whole thing from the start, almost as if you have some stake in it. You are blowing the original statement way out of proportion. A simple statement that people should only clap when there is actually a reason to do so is not cause for someone to get this upset. Clapping on every shot certainly does not create a sense of excitement. It creates a sense that the audience either is not very knowledgeable about the game, or that their reaction has been solicited and is not genuine.

When anything is falsified, it creates some irritation in those that truely participate in that function. Trying to increase the excitement level is one thing, but getting so far away from real as to clap after EVERY shot is another thing that looks completely produced, and one that I personally takes more away than it adds. Just my opinion!
 
You have been a little bit defensive about this whole thing from the start, almost as if you have some stake in it. You are blowing the original statement way out of proportion. A simple statement that people should only clap when there is actually a reason to do so is not cause for someone to get this upset. Clapping on every shot certainly does not create a sense of excitement. It creates a sense that the audience either is not very knowledgeable about the game, or that their reaction has been solicited and is not genuine.

When anything is falsified, it creates some irritation in those that truely participate in that function. Trying to increase the excitement level is one thing, but getting so far away from real as to clap after EVERY shot is another thing that looks completely produced, and one that I personally takes more away than it adds. Just my opinion!

I'm not upset at all. Sorry if I come off as defensive, as you are correct, I don't have any direct stake in it. But we all, as pool players, ought to be thankful for what pool coverage we do get on TV here in the states. So we all do have a bit of a stake in it. And I find it interesting that people get so worked up about applause, and which shots should be applauded.

It's quite obvious that I'm not gonna win this argument, since I appear to be the only one (that will post) who finds it funny how pool players can wish for more TV coverage and then complain about spectators actually applauding the participants. It really doesn't matter what kind of shot they are applauding, they are appreciating the players and their performance.

To insist that spectators be better informed on what is a good shot versus one that is made in their sleep is foolish. EVERY routine play made in a professional baseball game is applauded. EVERY free throw that Ray Allen makes in his sleep is applauded. Every 2 foot putt that EVERY golfer makes on the PGA tour is applauded. The applause doesn't have to be specific to the difficulty of the task, it can merely be polite and appreciative. Like EVERY other televised performance.

That is how TV works. If we as pool players want more pool on TV, we shouldn't be complaining about the players being applauded too much.

Just my opinion... :p
 
To insist that spectators be better informed on what is a good shot versus one that is made in their sleep is foolish. EVERY routine play made in a professional baseball game is applauded. EVERY free throw that Ray Allen makes in his sleep is applauded. Every 2 foot putt that EVERY golfer makes on the PGA tour is applauded. The applause doesn't have to be specific to the difficulty of the task, it can merely be polite and appreciative. Like EVERY other televised performance.

That is how TV works. If we as pool players want more pool on TV, we shouldn't be complaining about the players being applauded too much.

Just my opinion... :p

I hear ya but when a golfer makes that 2 foot putt, he has now posted a score and the BB player has scored also. The baseball team has attained a specific goal and ended an offensive attempt. It's not quite the same in my book-not to mention before the WPBA no one applauded routine shots-Were they rude?
 
I hear ya but when a golfer makes that 2 foot putt, he has now posted a score and the BB player has scored also. The baseball team has attained a specific goal and ended an offensive attempt. It's not quite the same in my book-not to mention before the WPBA no one applauded routine shots-Were they rude?

No, it's just how televised sports have evolved. I guess.
 
That is one reason why pool will never be more than a fill in or a program that has to pay to be on.

I don't watch any pool on ESPN. There is too much good stuff on live stream that is available or other matches that are archived. Also find it better to buy DVDs from Accu Stats. The matches aren't edited, better commentary, and don't have that idiotic pocket camera. Plus I can choose what match I want to watch.
 
Back
Top