American 8-ball question

[Nugget]

If Americans put a tenth of the money, energy, and enthusiasm into snooker that exist in American Football the US would dominate the sport.

The game is picking up across Europe and getting pretty big in China, I wouldn't be so sure.

The Americans can't even dominate pool!

[poolqjunkie]

"Americans inventing another game?" LOL We have invented many things. Stay tuned we are not done yet. People tend to invent things when they are given the freedom to.

Well, in all fairness, the Chinese have invented lots of things we use nowadays. I dont think we should attack someone from China because there is no as much freedom in his country as in ours.
China is really opening up. The fact that a Chinese can join a public forum to freely discuss snooker with people from all over the world without being censor is a big step forward. Just my opinion.
Going back to 8 ball, I was told that it is a very popular game in China, and they called it 16 colors or something like that. It is more popular than 9 ball, but it was played on a smaller version of snooker table, with tighter pocket, and a curved jaw rather than normal straight jaw around the pockets, is that correct?

[poolqjunkie]

The game is picking up across Europe and getting pretty big in China, I wouldn't be so sure.

The Americans can't even dominate pool!

Yes, it seems that with all the coaching and new technology shaft/tip/cues...etc happening in America, the Americans are slipping in their 9 ball dominance.

The Asians, and the Europeans are really dominating both men and women pool now.

In my humble opinion, I think the cultural and mentality has something to do with it. Asians are known to be a very patient and enduring race, with a display of great intelligence,. They would work harder than anyone else in order to survive the worst condition. We see Chinese at every corners of the world, and in most top universities in the world. They have the mentality to study something with obsession and never give up. "Fun" is something they enjoy while working hard to achieve success. This is the kind of mentality needed to be good at snooker or pool. Almost all the Asian and Europeans players I have watched are very quiet but deadly killing machines.

[DavisFan76]

The game is picking up across Europe and getting pretty big in China, I wouldn't be so sure.

The Americans can't even dominate pool!

Yeps, we destroyed them in the Mosconi!

[forcefollow]

The game is picking up across Europe and getting pretty big in China, I wouldn't be so sure.

The Americans can't even dominate pool!

Americans are do not care about pool. Most socalled professionals do not play full time. There is absolutely no money in pool. First place in most "pro" tournaments are around 1500 US. The top paying tournament is the US open at 50,000 US. In a number of US tournaments the prize checks bounce and players never get paid. Vegas does not even publish odds concerning pool tournaments. Pool in the US is for amateurs and a bar room amusement.

If money ever did come into the sport, watch out.

[matoski]

Americans are do not care about pool. Most socalled professionals do not play full time. There is absolutely no money in pool. First place in most "pro" tournaments are around 1500 US. The top paying tournament is the US open at 50,000 US. In a number of US tournaments the prize checks bounce and players never get paid. Vegas does not even publish odds concerning pool tournaments. Pool in the US is for amateurs and a bar room amusement.

If money ever did come into the sport, watch out.

It's not true that there is no money in pool. For an example, the three 8-ball tournaments held in Reno, Las Vegas and L.A. in 2006 had 3 milion dolars prize money each, with 350 000 $ for the winner in Reno and 500 000 $ in the other two tournaments. Also there are anual tournaments like Glass City Open in Toledo, the Derby City Clasic, US Open and many other tournaments.

[forcefollow]

It's not true that there is no money in pool. For an example, the three 8-ball tournaments held in Reno, Las Vegas and L.A. in 2006 had 3 milion dolars prize money each, with 350 000 $ for the winner in Reno and 500 000 $ in the other two tournaments. Also there are anual tournaments like Glass City Open in Toledo, the Derby City Clasic, US Open and many other tournaments.

If you are referring to the IPT most of the prize money for those 8 ball tournaments were never paid. The Glass City Open no longer takes place. The Derby and the US open do not pay enough to motivate anyone other than the most dedicated top players.

[Nugget]

Americans are do not care about pool. Most socalled professionals do not play full time. There is absolutely no money in pool. First place in most "pro" tournaments are around 1500 US. The top paying tournament is the US open at 50,000 US. In a number of US tournaments the prize checks bounce and players never get paid. Vegas does not even publish odds concerning pool tournaments. Pool in the US is for amateurs and a bar room amusement.

If money ever did come into the sport, watch out.

It's getting away from my original point a little, but the money in pool, high or low, is the same for everyone. Europeans seem to be emerging as a dominant force in pool, competing for the same prizes as the Americans.

My point was that your claim of the US dominating snooker if they decided to take an interest might not be such a certain one. Yours is a pretty big country, so if the game took off there you would obviously expect to see some sort of impact on the tour.

China is a bigger country, has a very large number of people playing snooker, and has already had an impact on the tour with a few professional players joining it, led by multiple tournament winner Ding Junhui.

If interest in the game grows in other European countries, then it would be even less likely that the US would dominate the game with them already being so far behind the much larger and snooker-mad China anyway.

All of this is hypothetical, of course, as the main game in the US is still 9-ball, and there seems to be a fair degree of reluctance to switch to the "slower" game of 10-ball, despite 9-balls many flaws.

[forcefollow]

It's getting away from my original point a little, but the money in pool, high or low, is the same for everyone. Europeans seem to be emerging as a dominant force in pool, competing for the same prizes as the Americans.

My point was that your claim of the US dominating snooker if they decided to take an interest might not be such a certain one. Yours is a pretty big country, so if the game took off there you would obviously expect to see some sort of impact on the tour.

China is a bigger country, has a very large number of people playing snooker, and has already had an impact on the tour with a few professional players joining it, led by multiple tournament winner Ding Junhui.

If interest in the game grows in other European countries, then it would be even less likely that the US would dominate the game with them already being so far behind the much larger and snooker-mad China anyway.

All of this is hypothetical, of course, as the main game in the US is still 9-ball, and there seems to be a fair degree of reluctance to switch to the "slower" game of 10-ball, despite 9-balls many flaws.

Those are all valid points. My speculation concerning the potential of America is based in large part on the absolute extremes Americans go to in a competitive pursuit they care about. For example, you would be absolutely amazed at the money and effort that goes into American football in the state of Texas. The University of Texas has perhaps the most well funded and organized athletic program in the world. If that type of focus was placed on snooker there is no limit to how good American players would be.

In the world of pool I rank America fourth internationally.

I think snooker would eclipse pool in popularity in the US if the Brits ever decide to promote it here.

[cyrusbobo]

Well, in all fairness, the Chinese have invented lots of things we use nowadays. I dont think we should attack someone from China because there is no as much freedom in his country as in ours.
China is really opening up. The fact that a Chinese can join a public forum to freely discuss snooker with people from all over the world without being censor is a big step forward. Just my opinion.
Going back to 8 ball, I was told that it is a very popular game in China, and they called it 16 colors or something like that. It is more popular than 9 ball, but it was played on a smaller version of snooker table, with tighter pocket, and a curved jaw rather than normal straight jaw around the pockets, is that correct?

actually in china we enjoy alot of freedom, it's not like what have been publicised by western media, but in regard to democracy, i think we still need to wait for some time, at least need a large amount people of middle class rising.
yes in china 8 ball is popular, the table is different with the 9 ball table,

[cyrusbobo]

Yes, it seems that with all the coaching and new technology shaft/tip/cues...etc happening in America, the Americans are slipping in their 9 ball dominance.

The Asians, and the Europeans are really dominating both men and women pool now.

In my humble opinion, I think the cultural and mentality has something to do with it. Asians are known to be a very patient and enduring race, with a display of great intelligence,. They would work harder than anyone else in order to survive the worst condition. We see Chinese at every corners of the world, and in most top universities in the world. They have the mentality to study something with obsession and never give up. "Fun" is something they enjoy while working hard to achieve success. This is the kind of mentality needed to be good at snooker or pool. Almost all the Asian and Europeans players I have watched are very quiet but deadly killing machines.

lol , i know pretty much about asian, yes that's true,

[cyrusbobo]

It's getting away from my original point a little, but the money in pool, high or low, is the same for everyone. Europeans seem to be emerging as a dominant force in pool, competing for the same prizes as the Americans.

My point was that your claim of the US dominating snooker if they decided to take an interest might not be such a certain one. Yours is a pretty big country, so if the game took off there you would obviously expect to see some sort of impact on the tour.

China is a bigger country, has a very large number of people playing snooker, and has already had an impact on the tour with a few professional players joining it, led by multiple tournament winner Ding Junhui.

If interest in the game grows in other European countries, then it would be even less likely that the US would dominate the game with them already being so far behind the much larger and snooker-mad China anyway.

All of this is hypothetical, of course, as the main game in the US is still 9-ball, and there seems to be a fair degree of reluctance to switch to the "slower" game of 10-ball, despite 9-balls many flaws.

i think snooker is a delicate game, but i am criticising american for not being delicate, it's culture difference, but indeed some American player are very entertaining and eye catching

[DavisFan76]

Americans are do not care about pool. Most socalled professionals do not play full time. There is absolutely no money in pool. First place in most "pro" tournaments are around 1500 US. The top paying tournament is the US open at 50,000 US. In a number of US tournaments the prize checks bounce and players never get paid. Vegas does not even publish odds concerning pool tournaments. Pool in the US is for amateurs and a bar room amusement.

If money ever did come into the sport, watch out.

I thought Pool was the number one cue sport in the US? Or don't they really care about cue-sports in general?

i think snooker is a delicate game, but i am criticising american for not being delicate, it's culture difference, but indeed some American player are very entertaining and eye catching

Snooker is a more delicate game than pool, but a lot of power is required in certain situations.

AAAAAnnyway, to get the thread back on topic, here's another question about 8-ball! Where is the best place to hit the pack on the break-off shot? Is the ball on the point the best place to hit it to get a good break, or is it better to move the cue ball to the side a bit and try to hit the side of the pack? I'm used to just clipping the corner of the pack as you do in the snooker break off shot!

[forcefollow]

I thought Pool was the number one cue sport in the US? Or don't they really care about cue-sports in general?



Snooker is a more delicate game than pool, but a lot of power is required in certain situations.

AAAAAnnyway, to get the thread back on topic, here's another question about 8-ball! Where is the best place to hit the pack on the break-off shot? Is the ball on the point the best place to hit it to get a good break, or is it better to move the cue ball to the side a bit and try to hit the side of the pack? I'm used to just clipping the corner of the pack as you do in the snooker break off shot!

Americans don't care about cue sports in general. Even the pros have a bad attitude at times. Its not uncommon for a player to forfeit a match because they wanted to play a round of golf or poker or they just decided to sleep late. The American pro game is dead.

[cyrusbobo]

Americans don't care about cue sports in general. Even the pros have a bad attitude at times. Its not uncommon for a player to forfeit a match because they wanted to play a round of golf or poker or they just decided to sleep late. The American pro game is dead.

i think most of pro play snooker or pool, because they love to play, so it isn't really a attitude problem, if US player don't care or don't love the cue sports, why they turn into pro in the first place