What I would like to see

[jalapus logan]

The idea of a reality show has promise. I know a couple of producers in LA and the next time I am down there, I am going to approach them with my ideas. There is plenty of entertainment in pool players themselves.

Cool, good luck. Anything is better than nothing. Pool just needs more visibility. I think that the game itself has wide appeal. I've only seen people enjoying the game, even if only casually, so that tells me that folks like the activity by and large.

 

[Jimmy B]

Doubt it, I don't watch much T.V. But it may create new pool fans??? Just a thought.

I would watch it. I watch all pool on tv except sometimes I give the trick shot stuff a pass, because its getting gimmicky or something to me, with all the props and stuff. Looks like they're gonna play croquet or badmitton or some shit. Eric, fat boy has explained all about the tv situation recently, and done it a lot better than I could so, I re u to him. But I just really enjoy pool on my big screen at a certain distance which is 10 feet from my head, much more than on the 24" pc monitor, because I recline in the recliner and am eating or playing wi the cat or something and the screen goes dark and I have to reach over and move the mouse arround just to get the pic to reappear. I wish I knew how to cut that out, but I really prefer wathing a screen that is 40" or more and I wish sometimes I could hook up the pc to the big screen because I have a HP Media Center that costs a lot, but if I attempted to do it then I would probably be without a TV or a pc..........

 

[Cary]

I would watch it. I watch all pool on tv except sometimes I give the trick shot stuff a pass, because its getting gimmicky or something to me, with all the props and stuff. Looks like they're gonna play croquet or badmitton or some shit. Eric, fat boy has explained all about the tv situation recently, and done it a lot better than I could so, I re u to him. But I just really enjoy pool on my big screen at a certain distance which is 10 feet from my head, much more than on the 24" pc monitor, because I recline in the recliner and am eating or playing wi the cat or something and the screen goes dark and I have to reach over and move the mouse arround just to get the pic to reappear. I wish I knew how to cut that out, but I really prefer wathing a screen that is 40" or more and I wish sometimes I could hook up the pc to the big screen because I have a HP Media Center that costs a lot, but if I attempted to do it then I would probably be without a TV or a pc..........

Ever read any Joyce?

 

[jalapus logan]

Ever read any Joyce?

Ha ha ha.

 

[Jimmy B]

Ever read any Joyce?

That's not funny. Jalapus thinks its funny too. Having a little trouble with my stream of consciousness. You want to start a war? I'm your huckleberry by God!!! No I'm kidding of course. It was funny. I gotta go finish Ulysses. I got a test...............

 

[Cary]

That's not funny. Jalapus thinks its funny too. Having a little trouble with my stream of consciousness. You want to start a war? I'm your huckleberry by God!!! No I'm kidding of course. It was funny. I gotta go finish Ulysses. I got a test...............

Just playing JB. Enjoyed your post and pretty much agree with what you said. No war, got too many bullet holes in me now.

 

[P00lh0li0]

Here's another idea. Instead of following around one player or something specifically about the players, why not do a documentary on all pool halls? Visit and profile the place along with some of the more famous players there. If nothing else, at least it'll be some record of the places while they're still around that others 10-20+ years from now can see and hear. Kind of like how people here ask about places like North Shore, Bennsingers, Cotton Bowl, etc. Just a thought.

 

[Scrzbill]

Here's another idea. Instead of following around one player or something specifically about the players, why not do a documentary on all pool halls? Visit and profile the place along with some of the more famous players there. If nothing else, at least it'll be some record of the places while they're still around that others 10-20+ years from now can see and hear. Kind of like how people here ask about places like North Shore, Bennsingers, Cotton Bowl, etc. Just a thought.

One of my ideas is not just the players, but the rooms and the players the rooms come out of to play. I am considering doing this as a build up to the DCC. So it may be next year. It takes about a year to get something off the ground.

 

[P00lh0li0]

That's a great project. I wish you luck on it. Seems like I missed it the first time you mentioned it.

One of my ideas is not just the players, but the rooms and the players the rooms come out of to play. I am considering doing this as a build up to the DCC. So it may be next year. It takes about a year to get something off the ground.

 

[blackeee]

Ha!

Ha!

I think people are just bored with 9-ball. We need one-pocket on television with well thought out production standards and big prize money to rescue pool. The thing that gets me is that pool is now a very large participation sport perhaps exceeding baseball and many others but potential sponsors haven't picked up on the fact that every one of the millions and millions who play pool also drive a car, brush their teeth, drink Bud Light, eat breakfast food, go to McDonalds, etc., etc. etc. Perhaps what's needed is a couple of reality shows and an organization equivalent to the UFC. What do ya think?

They'll have one-pocket on TV when fat meat ain't greasy!

 

[petie]

They'll have one-pocket on TV when fat meat ain't greasy!

People thought the same way about logging, crab fishing, running a pawn shop, being a housewife in New Jersey, repairing old items, picking through junk, reposessing cars, bounty hunting, and all the other idiotic shows that are currently on television. Actually, I enjoy some of them. One pocket isn't just a game--its a world. It has it's own language and customs. It's characters are inimitable, fascinating, and lovable. Ultimately, it will be the stories of these characters--their lives, their struggles, their relationships, their challanges, their victories, their defeats, their back stories, their drama that will captivate an audience. This is what I would like to see.

 

[Scrzbill]

People thought the same way about logging, crab fishing, running a pawn shop, being a housewife in New Jersey, repairing old items, picking through junk, reposessing cars, bounty hunting, and all the other idiotic shows that are currently on television. Actually, I enjoy some of them. One pocket isn't just a game--its a world. It has it's own language and customs. It's characters are inimitable, fascinating, and lovable. Ultimately, it will be the stories of these characters--their lives, their struggles, their relationships, their challanges, their victories, their defeats, their back stories, their drama that will captivate an audience. This is what I would like to see.

I am hoping to sell this to a producer friend of mine as soon as he calls me back. If he doesn't call soon, I will contact my friends in other Hooollllyyywwood adventures. It's going to be about one pocket and not other pool games. There's more intrigue in the background of pool and pool players than more people realize. It's not the smoke filled, bookmaking operation in the back, anymore

 

[blackeee]

I am hoping to sell this to a producer friend of mine as soon as he calls me back. If he doesn't call soon, I will contact my friends in other Hooollllyyywwood adventures. It's going to be about one pocket and not other pool games. There's more intrigue in the background of pool and pool players than more people realize. It's not the smoke filled, bookmaking operation in the back, anymore

I wish you luck; but I wish it was{last sentence}

 

[John Brumback]

How about good ol' eight ball as a game that has the potential to elevate all pool games, including onepocket? Eightball is widely recognized amongst the bar crowd and about everyone else for that matter. Rather than try to educate the masses about a rotation based game or a relatively esoteric game such as onepocket (gasp!), why not just have pros play eight ball, which everyone can follow and hopefully enjoy?

Might work???

I think you and I talked about this.I'm with you on this. I have thought this for along time.But my game would be widopen 8ball.No safes at all.Round here that's what i started out playing.They called it honest effert.You have to try to runout every time you go to the table.And really 8ball Is exciting If It's played wideopen.And every person In the US knows what and how 8ball Is played.People that have never held a pool stick knows what 8ball Is.Onemore thing...It wouldn't matter what size table It Is.Any and all pool tables would work.IMHO

And then another one that I think would work would be wideopen short rack banks.Again no safes at all.Must try to make a bank shot every time you go to the table.Again people that have never held a pool cue know what a bank shot Is on a pool table.IMHO Thanks, John B.

 

[jalapus logan]

I think you and I talked about this.I'm with you on this. I have thought this for along time.But my game would be widopen 8ball.No safes at all.Round here that's what i started out playing.They called it honest effert.You have to try to runout every time you go to the table.And really 8ball Is exciting If It's played wideopen.And every person In the US knows what and how 8ball Is played.People that have never held a pool stick knows what 8ball Is.

And then another one that I think would work would be wideopen short rack banks.Again no safes at all.Must try to make a bank shot every time you go to the table.Again people that have never held a pool cue know what a bank shot Is on a pool table.IMHO Thanks, John B.

Yes, we did discuss this. I also agree with the wide open element that you suggest. Many folks don't want to watch safety play, which they consider tedious. I certainly think that pool can benefit by not trying to reinvent the wheel by selecting games that the masses do not understand. Job one should be to get them hooked and that requires presenting them with something that they are familiar with, imo.

I think that all of pooldom should remember that the objective here is to increase the popularity of our sport, which would then increase the $ pie that is available to all participants (read: pool players get more $). Thought the IPT may have been run by a shyster, they did get that part right I think.

Now that I'm thinking about this again, Pat Fleming agrees with you about focusing the game on shot making and de-emphasizing safeties. He devised some type of hyper-aggressive 9 ball format recently. You can read about the rules here and read a discussion about them here.

Anyway, I think that it would behoove all of us to remember that we need to draw a distinction between the game that we as players like to play and the game that potential fans would like to see. In the end, it will be the fans that will provide the $ after all.

Separately, I need to ratchet back on the fishing. Turns out I'm not that good at that either. Fortunately for me, fishing is like pool, a bad day doing either is better than a good day at the office. I think I'll hang up my rods for a while and pick up a cue. Just ordered my new rails for the bar box I bought, so I'll want to try those out soon. I might try that push-out nine ball that you were telling me about. It sure sounds fun.

Cheers,

Neil

 

[vapros]

Bar box, you say?

 

[jalapus logan]

Bar box, you say?

Yeah, it's sitting next to my 9' Diamond pro table. I saw it listed for $100 on craigslist and just couldn't resist snapping it up.

 

[Scrzbill]

When you see the Alaskan fishing show or the bike building shows, you don't see the tedious day in and day out turning of the screw or putting up the cages. This show will not be a show to watch pool. If you want that, sign up for streaming. This is about personalities of pool, one pocket players, and events leading up to the larger, more popular tournaments. When pool players get together, they talk about personalities, what happened to so and so, etc. How many people would watch the crabbers as they spend a day or so getting to the fishing grounds. Or watch someone ratchet a nut. Pool, on TV, I don't think is that interesting. Maybe if they took out three firths of the advertising, it would be different. But to watch a race to seven on TV in nine ball take an hour, is Reee dic u lus.

 

[jalapus logan]

Some have suggested that a team based model could be successful. I have to agree that it does hold some promise. The Mosconi Cup is one of the most (perhaps THE most) exciting event in pool (with a possible tie being the DCC - which is an excellent event in its' own right).

I do think that team events tend to bring out players excitement and enthusiasm and that is fun to watch.