How do you think Pro Pool/Billiard Players became pro players?

OK.....I don't know if I qualify as the GP...I too grew up with a 6' table in the basement ;)

I don't mind 9-Ball that much, but it aint the end all game.

I just wish I could wrap my lil'bitty brain around 3 cushion billiards...

Can't figure out the magic words...is IoS giving out hints?
Bar rooms?
 
Actually, I meant hints for the __________ that I'm too dense to figure out.
E-mail is fine :D

It is a joy to watch someone who it amazing at the game.
Played at the upper levels it looks easy, because a good shooter never leaves himself a hard shot.

Me?
Average with an occasional flash of brilliance.
OK, maybe a little less than occasional ;)
 
OK it seems like the experiment is pretty much over... you guys also helped prove my side of the argument in the debate we had.

I'll explain.

The debate was: Does John Q. Public think that professional pool players have a negative or positive backgorund to get them to their current playing status.

I voted that the public views professional pool players pasts in a possible positive light if they were to theorize where they came from. The other side of the argument was that the public would have a negative view on how the pros reached their current playing ability. Now for the facts.

FACT 1: The members who participated in this thread did not ever state a negative past regarding how a pro players got to where they are. I used the members of this thread as John Q Public Non Pool Player. Those that have listed all mentioned legal routes and things like leagues, practice and tournaments which are all positive.

Fact 2: A large chunk (not all, but most) ofprofessional pool players have a past and present rooted in hustling and gambling for low and high stakes money. Some of the Non Pool playing (and pool playing) public could view this as negative.

So that is what the ____________ is. Gambling/hustling.

Thanks a lot everyone for helping me in the experiment!!!

While it is fact that a parent and child watching pool may think it is a good hobby for thier son/daugter to get into. The last thing they may want is for them to start getting good at pool as whether you gamble playing or not, as you get better you will eventually be around he seedy side of the game a couple times.

Thanks!!!!

-Heath
 
DOH!
I shoulda figured that out, but dismissed it as too obvious.
Well, anyway, we all know no one ever hustled pool.
(just like there are no guilty guys in prison)
;)
 
Ahahaha if only I had seen this thread earlier I could have ruined it for everyone. Then again you cant consider me part of the general non-pool playing population either. Didnt personally see the thread on the pool forum (though i'll guess AzB) but I dont know; answer seemed obvious to me.

Im pretty young but it seems that the majority in my age group still sees pool and hustling at the same level. First thing people call you when you beat the pants off them is a hustler. Of course when you deny it (since they have NO IDEA what hustling is) they ask if you play for money.

Still, im happy to see a lot more people are seeing the positive light of pool now. Itll only do pool good in the future. It lifts my heart everytime I see parents bring their kids to a clean family environment pool hall to play. Makes me wish my childhood was like that.
 
It's just like the polls you see in the newspapers; the answer you get depends on what question you ask. If you ask "How did they become pro players?" the answer is "Practice." If you were to ask a question like, "Do you think most of the pros spent years hustling before they started playing tournaments?" the answer would be different. :cool:
 
Cougar Allen said:
It's just like the polls you see in the newspapers; the answer you get depends on what question you ask. If you ask "How did they become pro players?" the answer is "Practice." If you were to ask a question like, "Do you think most of the pros spent years hustling before they started playing tournaments?" the answer would be different. :cool:
Click to expand...

Well that is why I wanted to ask the question without any influence of an answer. If I would have asked the way you mentioned above, everyone would have said something regarding hustling gambling.

This way people can devise their own opinions and not be influenced. I can see how many really think on their own that pros came from hustling or not.
 
What is "hustling" that a "hustler" does?

Webster say

...

2 a: to obtain by energetic activity <hustle up new customers> b: to sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity <hustling the suckers> c: to sell or promote energetically and aggressively <hustling a new product> d: to lure less skillful players into competing against oneself at (a gambling game) <hustle pool>

...

4: to play a game or sport in an alert aggressive manner

Do you honestly think that most pro basketball players have never done a bit of hustling, that they've never bet someone that they could beat him one-on-one? Golfers make wagers on their games all the time. It's not uncommon.
 
Gollnick said:
What is "hustling" that a "hustler" does?

Webster say

...

2 a: to obtain by energetic activity <hustle up new customers> b: to sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity <hustling the suckers> c: to sell or promote energetically and aggressively <hustling a new product> d: to lure less skillful players into competing against oneself at (a gambling game) <hustle pool>

...

4: to play a game or sport in an alert aggressive manner

Do you honestly think that most pro basketball players have never done a bit of hustling, that they've never bet someone that they could beat him one-on-one? Golfers make wagers on their games all the time. It's not uncommon.
Click to expand...
That's not what I am saying. I know that pro athletes from almost all sports made some money at someone else's expesne at one point in almost all their lives even by hustling it out of them.

The reason for the experiment was to see how many people brought negative opinions into the matter on their own free will, which no one did. Out of all the sports where amateur go pro, I think pool has the biggest following of gamlbing/hustling by players on their way to the top and already there, but no one mentioned it without it being mentioned first.
 
Sports can change. Once upon a time the only professional chess players were hustlers, and they were as disreputable as pool sharks. Now the great majority have never hustled in their lives, and chess players are respectable. I think that's happening with pool. It could even happen with poker....
 
I think with pool, people (especially the loser) are more apt to throw the word 'hustler' out there.
The 2 go together like bacon and eggs, soup and sandwich.
Might have something to do with Paul Newman's movie ;)
 
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