Joe Rogan Experience #2034 - Jeremy Jones

[Music]. by night. Jeremy Jones what's happening baby not. much not much I did this yeah trying to. run out you know yeah man uh Plainview. is very humbling experience I should. tell everybody Jeremy Jones professional. pool player. um the team captain the Moscone cup. which is the most prestigious. international team tournament in all the.

world of pool but what I really enjoyed. about talking with you for the last. couple days is you're just you're a very. smart guy very interesting guy there's a. lot of you know like a lot of interests. and all kinds of different things you're. very fascinating guy that's why you're. so good at commentary yeah I guess so. maybe just growing up watching all that. stuff and uh I think my parents you know. they they had pretty vast interest even. though maybe didn't afford it all the. time to be able to you know kind of go. with it but yeah number five is six kids. you learn a lot of stuff well it's just.

always been fascinating to me the people. that are really good at pool are some of. the [ __ ] smartest people I've ever. met in my life there's just they just. got that bug they got that bug to chase. this one thing saying geometry in. pockets and balls and collisions and. they got that bug to chase it but some. of the best players that I've I've. talked to they're some of the smartest. people I've ever met oh absolutely I. mean that just tells you about the game. right how much there is to it and uh. yeah I mean it's just it grabs you and.

you know if your watch paying attention. what goes on it's like hardly ever the. same thing yeah you know you you don't. realize how much control you have I. thought I thought pool was kind of like. a game you played waiting on a bowling. alley Lane you know prior to playing it. right I didn't know you could play it. well I didn't know you could play it for. a living. you know there's movies out there and. stuff but I mean. it just didn't seem real when you how. old were you when you first started. playing uh really playing 17. I was 17. years old yeah I started late I started.

really late I was 25 I think. somewhere around 24 24 25 yeah yeah yeah. I uh I work two jobs and one of them uh. we'd you know have a few beers on the. weekends at a pizza restaurant play. poker with our money our tip money and. one of the guys would go to the game. room and play pool. and he uh took me down there one day and. kind of hustled me a little bit you know. we kind of knew each other like that and. uh the only thing I wanted to do was be. able to beat him Joe that's like that's. what I wanted to do yeah and that's so I.

quit one of the jobs I quit the pizza. restaurant went and got a job at the. game room so I could play for free. and uh you know kind of the rest is. history from there wow it's a game that. just sucks you in I remember uh I used. to go and play with my friend John and. we would go to this place executive. Billiards and White Plains. and uh when we got there you know it was. an interesting time because there was a. lot of gambling going on in that place. and the guy the the owner was a wild man.

the owner of the the pool hall was this. really eccentric musician. yeah his name was guy azaridi but he. would use the the name guy Hamilton when. he performed he was this uh musician. like a piano player and go like really. good musician and he had some money from. you know his career as a piano player. and he was really in a pool he loved the. culture of it and so he was the owner of. this joint and we were all just hanging. out with him having fun and I would go. there and it would be filled with people.

gambling and I was like this place is. wild and then I was watching like really. good players play when I was you know. just starting out didn't know what I was. doing and I was like that looks so. different than anybody else I've ever. seen play pool like the way they hit the. ball so soft and they're in such control. and you're watching the ball spin off. the cushions you get perfect on the next. ball and everybody's like shaking their. head wow I'm like that that got me. hooked yeah yeah I think the culture of.

it is a big big part of it I mean just. being able to gamble and not take it. personal right you know like you hate. the casino when you go lose right right. I mean they're like cussing the casino. they're cheating they're doing this. right but I mean where I was at we could. Gamble and then we could hang out you. know what I mean and then we're on teams. the next day and we're not on you know. so yeah that to me was pretty. fascinating overall you know there's a. culture that encourages more gambling. and the best way to encourage more. Gallery is not have fisticuffs every. time somebody loses like some guys just.

get two per look it's a natural feeling. the guy just beat you you feel about. you're you're angry at him but really. you should be angry at yourself yeah. absolutely yeah and it's just that's. what you're both trying to do it's an. agreement like you can figure it out. yeah I mean you know you beat a guy you. don't bust his chops too often right you. let them cool off and then it all is. good but uh everybody goes back to like. mccready's character in The Color of. Money which is apparently from what. everybody tells me from those days. really McCready was probably like wilder. than that no I think I've sweated it 100.

really oh yeah yeah I uh. I was in with a player playing Keith and. I think they played something like four. days or five days with like a eight hour. break or ten hour break in in the middle. wow you know and if you say stay there. and sweat that kind of pool with those. guys you see stuff that you're just not. gonna see you know what I mean they get. a little rum-dum they get a little. agitated then they're hugging you know. an hour like oh yeah it's crazy yeah but. but Keith would definitely uh talk a. little bit you know but he liked a.

little Banner those are the craziest. legendary sessions when guys just. gambled for three straight days in a row. people think it's [ __ ] but that was. that's part of the thing about pool and. gambling is nobody wants to quit oh no. no you're trying I mean if you don't. quit when you're up and if you're down. and you still got some fight left in you. this guy might get tired or money you. know you might you know I've seen them. go through three or four stay courses in. a night yeah you know but I mean I think. you and I were talking about it earlier. so much different these days when I went.

to the pool room I was fully rested like. 10 12 hours because I knew I'm there to. be four or five guys I'm gonna be there. 20 30 hours wow yeah I mean you know. that's what you want you want to put the. parlay on them you know like that you. want to take us you know somewhat small. bankroll and try to run it through. somebody so that's a fascinating way to. live your life it really is I've always. I mean that if out of all of the things. if you talk about like American folklore. just like American culture.

all the. poetic characters the the professional. pool player is one of the most. interesting because it is the least. guaranteed job that has ever existed. yeah there's lots of sayings I think. it's the you know hard way to make an. easy living Easy Living is one of them. right but but I mean you know if I was. lucky I was around some of the old. school ones as well. and the Charisma is true you know like. if you see genuine Charisma I mean it's. a real thing yeah and that's what the.

old guys had that the other young guys. have it too but it's just a little. different well everyone seems it's. interesting because it seems like pool. is just like every other thing and that. the guys today are as good if not better. than anybody that's ever existed oh. absolutely and there's more of them. that's the problem you know there's so. many of them yeah exactly and I'm more. compressed I mean Europe Asia you know. guys from Taiwan guys from China guys.

from Japan guys from Spain it's like. whoa Killers most Global support there. is I think it's it's amazing how much. Talent there is out there like I'm I'm. just so impressed with how what the. level is now because if you like no. disrespect to anybody who played back in. the day but if you go back and you watch. a tournament from like the 80s versus. you watch how these guys are playing now. it's it's almost like it's a completely. different game. yeah I mean different style rather yeah.

I think the equipment allows for that. too yeah you know what I mean so yeah. and the training I mean that these guys. you know you had Federer Gorst I'm sure. you all talked about his regimen right. he's my my perfect example if he's. almost playing like a totally different. style of pool like his style of pool is. like it's so perfect like his position. the way he stands with his body the how. rigid it is it's like people that don't. understand that are just seeing a guy. just make something look easy but people.

that do understand like that that's like. a work of art like look what he's doing. oh absolutely like artwork yeah he's. kind of like you know back in the day. you'd kind of. you know I used to say to a lot of guys. that go on the road hey if if they don't. beat me in the first couple hours all. right you know what I mean because I'd. get better and better and better and he. kind of doesn't even look for that you. know he doesn't even want a gear he just. has it's just steady gear you know what. I mean it's just like he's not looking. for that Rhythm even though it's there I. guess a little bit but he's just a. different machine you know well he's so.

well trained in terms of his. fundamentals and it's also repeatable. and I think that that exists in martial. arts it exists in archery and it really. exists in pool if you have really good. fundamentals like like that's why a lot. of those snooker guys really Excel when. they try to learn pool they're. fundamentals like they're stroke. fundamentals are so perfect yeah yeah I. mean they they learn some things as they. come over I mean they hate when you say. snooker though right don't don't they. give you a hard time snooker snooker. yeah or the you know I don't still don't.

know why a bank is called a double and. snooker that's just a one-rail bank it's. called a double so I mean there's a few. of them that that I'm not really sure. about but you know that's that's an. interesting game too. oh it's a great game yeah I mean I think. you know I think nine balls a little. better looking for today's people I you. know what I mean like snooker has done. really well and it's got a great. following and it should but I don't know. there's nothing like breaking and. running now yeah the different balls you.

know you know you feel a little more. aggression I think yeah you know which. in sports you usually want to feel that. aggression right and if you [ __ ] up and. leave the nine in front of the hole it's. an easy victory for your opponent it's. something beautiful about luck the luck. aspect of nine ball balls bounce all. over the place and when you're down and. then all of a sudden Boom the guy shits. a nine ball in you're like God damn it. and you can change it around you know. what I mean you turn things around such. an exciting game and it never stops. being exciting when it's played at a. good level it just never stops being.

exciting it's like it's one of the most. engaging physical games that I've ever. participated in yeah and you would think. for a non-contact sport it the. adrenaline gets way up there I know I. mean it's it's pretty intense they've. done heart rate monitors on guys right. oh yeah yeah what's like the highest. anybody got jacked up oh my God you know. a guy you know a couple years ago Max. Eberly was trying to make the team so we. traveled to to Moscow. actually to play the Russian team. and we put them on there I think it was.

Garmin that was the sponsor or whatever. Max I mean some guys are 130 125 Max was. like 180. I mean it was Unreal oh my God. yeah and he couldn't play position at. all it was just one of those things but. he knocked in every shot wow I mean I. was super proud of him yeah. picture perfect fundamentals yeah yeah. real straight stroke you know been. around a long time and uh it was it was. a pretty fun experience for Max I was. happy to see it so when you were a kid.

and so you start off. um working in this game room and you'll. you learn how to play pool then like how. how long before you're just all in with. pool like all day long. oh it didn't take long at all and and I. was kind of Lucky uh a little unlucky. but lucky at the same time where my. parents actually split up for like 12 13. months right so during this time I live. with my mom and there's no chance I. would have ever been a pool player if. they didn't split up for that little. period of time right so my dad just.

wouldn't have allowed it and so they got. back together and then I'm graduating. high school getting out of school so it. wasn't really up to him but I was pretty. much first road trip right out of high. school wow yeah so what did you do and. how did you do it okay the road trip yes. okay so me and my high school buddy Doug. Donovan then we went and played uh we. played a lot of pool together we decided. we're going to do this and his was more. of an experience experiment kind of. thing you know he was going on to UT and. you know doing his thing and and uh.

so we went to New Orleans first we're. gonna go visit my grandparents in. Florida new Florida was a good spot. so we went Florida we went New Orleans. first Mississippi second Alabama third. you know we hit all these spots. you know and back in the day. now I didn't know this as of yet because. it was my first road trip but on a. normal road trip because no cell phones. right. you go to like Waffle House when you. drive in you get you some food you go. get the yellow pages and you literally.

go to where it says Billiards and the. Yellow Pages you know and you just start. going the pay phone and calling uh and. normally the bartender or whoever. answers will divulge a little more. information than they probably should. you know like if the players knew oh. yeah she's telling me yeah Joe's a good. player and he likes again what name of. all this guy likes to play one pocket. you know so you get a lot of information. over the phone and then you just go to. those pool rooms and you know start. trying to get down wow and how good of a. player were you fresh out of high school.

well you know a year and I was real. lucky I had some really good players. just kind of like come to the pool room. and played me pool and do things with me. and show me things and and I was a. pretty good athlete anyway so I kind of. picked up things quick. um. but I played good enough to beat him on. the way to Florida Joe. but they're way too smart and we were. way too dumb to stop at the same pool. rooms on the way back because they got. us on the way but they kind of knew how. we played you know what I mean brought. some yeah yeah got us on a few Gap games.

you know so we kind of went empty on the. way home pretty much but explain a gaff. game to the uninitians so a gaff game is. kind of like you know three card right. the shell game many of those games you. know you're gonna lose and even if. you're going to pick the right one they. start the you know the song and dance. again that's how the show game goes. right so it's basically a game that. you're just not going to win at like. give me an example it sounds good kind. of like. oh like this might sound good to you but.

you know better now like eight ball. taking balls off that kind of thing or. say we're playing nine ball right and I. might say to you Joe all you got to do. is drive a ball to the rail but I get. brake ball in hand. playing nine ball you understand right. so so I mean if I'm basically playing. the ghost meaning right right I'm gonna. try and run out every time but until you. start to see it happening you're not. going to believe it you might go for. that you ain't even got a pocket a ball. you just got to drive one to a rail. right you know there's tons of them so. that's an interesting game to play with.

someone who can't play because that. would get them thinking I can do that or. Nike pool rooms like if there's not any. pool rooms with a good player that just. really ain't running out I mean that. just sounds like the world right you. know what I mean that just sounds all. right yeah go ahead yeah exactly I can. drive one to a rail that's for sure but. you know that's but the thing is like. what like practicing with you today. probably not like and it's especially if. it's a bucket it's a large pocketed. table you run out like a champion man.

it's amazing I know I know you're not. like playing professionally as much. anymore but damn that was really. impressive yeah I've been here a few. days got to play a little pool here in. Austin already so that's good but skinny. Bobs yeah skinny Bobs that's a great. spot yeah the 50th going on the longest. running tournament yeah I went there. last year to sweat it I mean I might try. to make it there this year too yeah it's. fun man it's what it's I I love watching. high level pool it's just uh just and. especially it's one of those things that. I always said it's like an art form that.

only the people that do it appreciate. yeah and when you really get into it you. see different Strikers you know what I. mean The Strokes are different you know. what I mean a little bit yeah you know. the position's a little different at. times different things different. Breakers different ways to win you know. what I mean so it's attractive in that. manner I think. yeah no it's it's just it's an. interesting thing that there's different. approaches you know some guys have like. thick shafts some guy's a little tiny. shafts and body types yeah right we're. talking about Kachi on you know. unfortunately what happened to him.

recently but this guy looks like you. know like built like Gronk almost not. quite as muscle as ground big dude yeah. huge and then you got what little Co. who's one of your favorites that you. said yeah I love the Cobra 90 pounds. soaking wet maybe yeah coping Chung and. coping Yee are two of my favorite guys. to watch because there's the way they. play is so smooth it's just it's so. controlled like it seems like he's never. hitting the ball at different speeds. he's just hitting it at different places. on the ball unless it's a very soft shot.

everything is just like this beautiful. controlled stroke yeah everything looks. medium right everything looks like uh. right in the middle I forget what match. I was watching recently but he broke. around the first five racks and it was. just like Exquisite oh yeah like little. one the little one no that was the big. one. yeah I haven't seen that guy play yeah. he's got a lot of talent he's he's way. tall compared to the other two oh really. so it's almost like when I watch him.

he's still kind of getting his. coordination as a tall man because he's. pretty young you know so yeah but he's. got a lot of game as well there's. something about you know watching these. guys from the time that they're really. young like some guys get so good so. quick like Wu cha ching you know that. dude who won the World Championships at. what 16 years old yeah the nine ball and. then later in the year the eight ball as. well insane oh it's 16. oh yeah I was. there when he won the nine ball he was. like Fearless well he manhandled the. whole tournament yeah at 16. it was like.

you could see after like the third or. fourth round a little different. complexion on his opponents compared to. everyone else's opponents yeah he was an. interesting guy too because he played. with a heavy Southwest right yeah well. the Chinese Taipei former Taiwanese. right uh that's a big common cue for. them is the Southwest maybe more on. Southwest and Chinese Taipei than. anywhere in the world well that's what's. interesting too is that everybody has. like a different philosophy on whether a. cue should be heavy a cue should be. light but what's fat you know to people.

that don't know what the [ __ ] we're. talking about what's what's so. fascinating about it is you're trying to. apply a certain amount of pressure to. this thing that you're holding in your. hand that you drive into a cue ball to. get the proper amount of revolutions and. you're doing it across a whole table so. it's like a nine foot canvas and when. the ball goes three rails and comes all. the way back and sits perfect for a. position on the next ball it's one of. the most beautiful things in life oh.

yeah the car I don't people don't. realize the cue ball curves all over the. place you know you know what a mass say. is right but like every shot it curves. so how much knowledge did you have when. you were out there hustling when you. were 17 did you know how to make a good. game did you uh just wing it just for. experience no I mean you know Baytown. where I'm from east side of Houston so. you know I stayed in Baytown that area. for the first six eight months I played. and then because everyone said don't go. to Houston you know too many great. players and so I started going there but. I started learning real quick like you.

know you're trying to hang on to your. bankroll you learn a little quicker and. uh so I was a little Savvy for a year. player probably a little more than most. but but yeah I was pretty naive you so. you were telling me we were talking. about earlier that there's parts of the. country that are not good to go to for. gambling back in the day at least back. in the day but the south is. overwhelmingly good to go to for. gambling oh yeah absolutely yeah it's. just like tournaments with calcuttas or. auctions you know a good auction in New.

York if they even have one might be like. 5 000 in there you know we're buffaloes. I think they had. I don't know 320 000 or something like. that in in May a weekend that's in New. Orleans gonna get in trouble with the. IRS because of this conversation well no. it's legal in Louisiana so they don't. take anything out of them out of the. purse or anything so there's there's no. money you know what I mean so for people. that don't know what a Calcutta is so uh. if Jeremy was in a tournament you could. actually buy him in the tournament and.

you're gambling against all the other. people that are picking different. players yeah they auction everyone off. exactly yeah and if there's a lot of. gamblers it can get pretty high and it. gets fun yeah like you know yeah like at. your country club like a tournament like. your Club tournament or whatever they. usually do a Calcutta for each day yeah. yeah they do that in golf a lot yeah so. when you were first like just trying to. go out and get games you're just calling. people in the Yellow Pages showing up at. places and how do you know your speed in.

comparison to like. are you just guessing uh a little easier. like your first experience is like. traveling yeah yeah yeah yeah. um yeah I mean you know you hear about. things right you get information from. people as you as you go on you get to. start to know people you've you know how. you meet this guy in this area that. you're in that area so you keep in touch. and if something's serious going on that. you know send you a page on the old. pager and you know you make a call and. you make a decision if you're going to. drive across now that was a few years. into it but at first it was kind of like.

I did some dumb [ __ ] you know like. went in with like a a mechanic shirt on. you know like all green stuff well you. know I want you know color money didn't. get me going right for a pool that was a. little bit before but I did watch it. right you know so I kind of felt like. you could be a hustler yeah yeah but. immediately went away from that a lot. better just go in and say hey we like to. play. you know and they usually get one of. their better players and you're hitting. every little town yeah you know what I. mean so you're betting on yourself a. little more often and it's easy to tell.

pretty quickly unless you catch one of. them smart guys that know how to stall. you know that are hustling you you know. what I mean right so that's happened did. you encounter a lot of those. a lot of attempts you know but normally. The Hustler would come up asking for a. big spot you know the the smart Hustler. was the one that could come in and start. playing even and then figure it out from. there you know it's just a little easier. to get down you know and I knew a lot of. those guys that you know were there to.

win now when you would go to a new pool. room would you try to make a friend and. maybe maybe give them a gapper if you. steered you in the right direction yeah. that was kind of touchy I mean you might. you quick learning quick you know. quickly that if it's double steer the. same guy that's going to give you. information is probably talking to. someone else too right you know kind of. thing yeah you know so you know best off. to be able to evaluate a room uh pretty. quickly and and it's amazing from coast. to coast how common people are in the.

pool room. and when you were doing this did you. realize like how Wild it is to be a. young free man just traveling the. country gambling on pool did you realize. like how Wild that is absolutely I got. reminded of it a lot of times just. because you get stuck in situations and. you so you get to know people and they. kind of remind you of it you know we're. in Chattanooga one time we were stuck. for like two weeks because it was the. blizzard of 91 I don't know if you. remember it was freaking crazy people. lit died in the mountains because of it.

and all that but so we're stuck in the. and we're basically walking to the pool. room sliding to the pool room whatever. every day so you kind of think about it. and then you my friend that was with me. he finally had to end his road trip to. go back and go to school so that reminds. me of what I'm doing a little bit right. you know that I'm out there just kind of. going from place to place single just. playing all the pool I can and and you. know it was great. yeah pretty special. yeah it's romantic yeah it's like it. really is I mean how many movies are.

there about pool Hustlers or or that. type of person who's just living this I. mean it's that's what was so attractive. to it to me it was not just watching. people that played really well it was. the culture it was a culture of people. that just weren't gonna fit in with nine. to five it was not an option yeah these. guys were wild people and they there. were a lot of them were gambling addicts. and a lot of them were really [ __ ].

smart guys and they were really good. pool players oh yeah and they just. couldn't deal with regular World they. had to get to a pool hall let's get to a. [ __ ] pool or any pool players around. here and they didn't give a [ __ ] about. anybody he wasn't a pool player yeah. they're comfortable you know what I mean. yes and they were just around these. people and every day would be the same. kind of conversations like this guy. could get the a and it was always like. you don't have heart yeah that was New. York right my God New York was so much. talk with so little like real high.

gambling that I saw but I saw a few I. told you about water dog when he played. this guy uh George the Greek that was. one of the craziest things I've ever. seen I've talked about it before so in. brevity he would do heroin in the. bathroom come out sit on a chair for 20. minutes just like gone and then couldn't. miss it was Wild on a what you would. call like a gaff table it was a very. tight table and the shims were all. [ __ ] up it wasn't perfect right like. if you if you hit the point on the way. in weird [ __ ] Could Happen yeah you. could hit the ball well and then not go.

yeah it was but he was firing him in. like it was a swimming pool oh yeah he. was firing him in it was a sound like. Earl right there his stroke was so pure. it was so pure it was so wild to watch. it was just running out he was I think. he met he made around like 75 an hour or. something like that like something which. is like 300 on a regular table we just. watch him do it it was like watching him. just run ball after ball while George. couldn't do [ __ ]. he beat him a couple times like that. with different games too I think they.

played some one pocket too George loved. one pocket but he would gamble high he. would like be the one guy that would. gamble thousands of dollars. and then there was this one dude named. International Sal an international Sal. made his money uh from American Express. card scam way back in the day they would. get the carbons and they would make. duplicate cards and buy a bunch of [ __ ]. and then then sell it. and he was uh he would go to the pool. hall and they would bring him bags of. cash just bags of cash.

and he was just there all day gambling. losing yeah well he was probably one of. the few gamblers there I mean I love New. York I love the guys around New York but. it is more of like a lot of [ __ ] talking. really and uh not as much action maybe. it's interesting that that's the case. because you would think of New York you. would think of like wild people crazy. they're out there on the streets they're. gambling you know like yeah it's almost. like they've been doing it longer though. like they're smart you know what I'm. saying like I mean they want to win I.

mean they want the edge and you know. that's another part of it that's always. awesome you know when you're in there. trying to match up everyone's trying to. get a little Edge yeah it's just almost. like human instinct to try and get a. little Edge you know did you read. running the table the kid delicious book. no I haven't read it completely yeah. it's a really good book he was a great. guy the guy who wrote it what is his. name John worthheim I believe. uh [ __ ] just did a beautiful job like. painting that romance that's a painting. that romantic story of them doing the.

same thing like traveling the road and. playing pool and I know there was all. this talk about turning that into a. movie and I think it would have been a. great movie I think it if the right. person got a hold of it really. understood what you were talking about. yeah Danny used to talk about it yeah. possibly becoming a movie so I know they. were trying to do something with it but. then they died you know so I don't know. you know what they would I don't know I. mean you would have to get someone to. play him that looked like him. I don't know if anyone could ever act. like him no he was awesome no like. incredible one time we're in Toledo at.

the Glass City open and sports. illustrator was following him. and me and him are playing like the. third round the winners. and I got him like 10-6 racing 11 and he. comes back and beats me but the shot he. made to to win at hill hill out of the. pocket right like you know how you set. the ball up in the middle of the table. and. you know you put the cue ball in the. corner and you try to follow it in. sometimes and you try to draw I mean and. he stabbed this ball in but he gave the.

Sports Illustrated photographers the. Hulk. I mean it was on I mean it was great. we're right in Sports Illustrated too. wow yeah yeah I love that guy he was. incredible yeah he's a it's there's a. few really good books on pool playing. off the rails another one yeah really. good book on pool and and uh Tony. anigoni yeah Tony. um but that that just romantic vision of. this person doing like the craziest kind.

of way to make a living you're making a. living off of your skills and you're. just gambling random people in pool. halls and the people there are looking. out for people like you because they. know people like you coming to town yeah. but they kind of like it too yeah you. know what I mean like I mean it's you. know more like you know we call it. complementary action these days you know. when you become kind of a name people. want to play you and you know they play. you know like Shane he goes to these. places he'll play 50 a set there was a.

guy like ten thousand playing 50 I said. there was a guy who was really good who. was from uh I believe he was from. Montreal. um Paul portier yes Paul Poitier Paul. Poitier came through executive billions. and robbed a bunch of people really yeah. that was fun to watch that was fun to. watch because he wasn't a big Gambler. per se you know what I mean he oh yeah. he was so good though he was stealing. with some of those guys he's a really. good teacher up there now I think that's. what he mainly does teaches pool yeah he. shot my friend Johnny's nuts in it was.

beautiful to watch though I mean the guy. just watching someone who's just like. just elegantly moving that ball around. the table in a perfect position he was. kind of an elegant kind of guy anyways. yeah he was always cleaned up yeah real. nice real clean yeah it seemed like uh. you know Jackie Gleason there he is. there he is his beautiful mustache hell. of a player yeah he actually lived in. Texas for quite some time oh did he. really yeah he lived in the Dallas area. so he was the first pro that I ever saw.

that came through executive oh wow the. first like real legitimate Pro. and that was you know early on I was. just learning pool just learning pool. yeah well he was pretty solid. fundamentally and stuff you know like. kind of critique that so be a good one. to watch. but he was kind of like just a nine ball. player. so not to pick on Paul of course but. when you're on the road you play. everything huh you learn you got to play. yeah I mean you know you're going to. come into some areas where they just. don't play nine ball how many times.

you've gone to a place that they only. played Bank pool. well I'll tell you one place I was in. Cleveland. so I was on the road with it which is. right next to Kentucky well this is. North Ohio's North yeah Cincinnati. okay I'm trying to think because. Kentucky is supposed to be the bank. Place well well I'll get back to that. one I was going to talk about but yeah I. went through like uh. all over Kentucky a lot of small towns. that's the only now I wouldn't say. that's the only thing they would play.

but that's the only thing they played me. without knowing me oh okay so like Mount. Sterling I don't know if the pool I. don't know how old this pool table was. right these pool balls were so old. they were like snooker ball size they. were worn out oh my God it was. unbelievable how they're like BBS I mean. these balls right no this guy's been. racking the balls for 60 years getting a. quarter in this boom what 60 years for. the gamblers they're playing like I'm. playing like 300 a game these guys. played two three four hundred against a.

quarter a rack for 60. do you ever get a. raise do you ask for a raise I don't. know I was only there like two days so I. don't know yeah yeah I get a dollar but. no he was happy as hell wow I mean he. looked you know just one of the nicest. guys in there just like being there yeah. yeah but one time I was in Cleveland and. I was on the road with a A friend of. mine who's a black guy right. so he's going to take me to these spots. where the black guys play mainly you. know like in that area. so I walk in this pool room in Cleveland.

called Carnegie Billiards and the whole. area is more more black area right. so we walk in the pool room. and there's a sign that says no nine. ball loud no recreational pool allowed. so they had eight eight nine foots and a. bear table and you couldn't take your. date in there. it was all action yeah so the guy he's. like you're young Recreational yeah no. recreational no play yeah yeah holy [ __ ]. yeah yeah you'll see those No gambling.

signs that's a No-No gambling yeah. exactly right exactly right I love that. oh no it was awesome so the guy that ran. the joint was called shorty and uh he. was one of the younger guys in the place. he's probably 35 you know and I'm this. is 1994 so I'm 23. so he says if you're kind of young he. says I know you want to play nine ball. he said I'm gonna let one set for 500. you know he just first almost first. thing he says to me. so because he knows the guy I'm with so. we're there for Action you know.

and so uh I beat him and said and I'm. most only nine ball played but I stayed. there two weeks playing those guys and. all they play is one pocket banks are. beards that's it wow yeah three cushion. billions three cushion Billiards yeah. wow yeah there were a couple really. great players uh in there that. I mean they kind of played giving some. handicaps in the three cushion but it. was mainly one pocket in Banks that's a. wild game three cushion Billiards it's. one that just. for whatever reason it's really hard to. find it never took off for some strange.

reason in America or it did at one point. in time it was very popular right yeah. it was popular but it it was more like. exhibition and the tournaments just. didn't pay that much it's almost like. the old school players back in the day. they didn't make their money off the. tournaments they made their money. winning some tournaments and then. getting sponsored and traveling the. country for Brunswick doing these. exhibitions you know like Moscone and. Karis and all those kind of guys right. so but now it's starting to take off a. little bit because Korea's is so huge in. Korea again really yeah big money.

they're playing for really I mean you. know not like golf money but I mean 100. 000 for first 150 000 yeah big money. yeah no kidding and who's putting these. events on a couple Korean companies over. there because it's always been big in. Korea right it just kind of got. rekindled again so now. all around the world really they're. having bigger tournaments now they're. playing for 30s and 40s that's good for. first you know that's 16 players yeah. well I I'd love that there's so many. events now you know because I watched so. many of them on YouTube like if you.

enjoy watching pool I used to have a box. of accustats VHS tape still it was like. this like a washing machine box filled. with Pat Fleming's tapes and um I I got. rid of all of them now because you just. [ __ ] get everything on YouTube yeah. everything's on YouTube well I asked. this question you might know is there. any more stream sport in the world than. pool. it streamed constantly I mean but so. many different ones so many different I. mean right all these different pool.

rooms like Oscar's pool room hard times. in Sacramento just streamed that. tournament I was saying I was watching. uh uh Tyler styler and Shane play yeah. let alone great players I mean the next. level down other tournaments I mean just. yeah I mean it's amazing to me I don't. know of other sports I don't watch them. like that I mean I'm a sports guy but. maybe. maybe what you're into some type of MMA. or some type of martial arts or. something maybe that streamed a lot do. they don't really stream that that often. I mean there's only like big events that. stream there's UFC there's Bellator.

there's uh I I guess you could probably. get pfl on uh some sort of streaming. device too right it has to be right and. then one Championship I think you get. that streaming too but I feel like. there's so many multiple pool events. that are happening like simultaneously. oh platform after platform really I mean. there's a ton I mean there's no more I. don't think that I've ever heard of or. seen I think it's the internet I think. the internet sort of rekindled it in.

some people and I also think it got a. boost during the pandemic because people. started playing again oh yeah yeah I was. talking to you about pool table sales. and what yeah during during the pandemic. it was through the roof and uh and along. with that I mean you're gonna just get a. percentage that like it you know and. once they start liking it they're going. to watch it so there are no people right. it gets really good now it's it's. actually a legitimate career path but. when you were doing it you're just a. wild person you're just out there doing. wild person things well you can't yeah.

it kind of made steps for me I mean I. kind of like I said I never knew you. could make a living or play good pool. and then it kind of all right I can make. a pool I'm actually making you know cash. money you know Pretty good overall for. the year and and then I started playing. some smaller I never never really had a. clue of playing professionally still it. kind of crept up on me when did that. happen uh. well 1995 and six is I was the Johnny. Archer kind of just told me he said hey. you need to start playing the next level. you said you're the good enough players.

where you should be it just depends on. if that's what you want to do you know. and so I still gambled afterwards kind. of slowed down a little more of the. gambling started to go to tournaments. traveling all over the world and the you. know country playing tournaments but I. started to realize I really like the. tournaments that's a different pressure. only knowing you can't you know just. flip the coin again yeah you know so. especially because the first year I. think I played Seven tournaments and I. might have won one match. really and I could beat most of the guys.

I was losing to now the first draw was. hard because I wasn't a seated player so. I was that friend you know Lua you know. Johnny you know Kim Davenport all those. guys but. um but on the loser side I lose matches. the guys I'm supposed to be a lot of. times but I was a different nervous so I. was really intrigued on getting through. that you know like getting to where that. wasn't a problem whether I won or not. it's a different nervousness than. gambling oh 100 yeah gambling I don't. recall ever starting off nervous only.

the only way to take that back now if I. only had a couple barrels and I was on. the road you know what I mean like and. that's happened several times where you. know let's just imagine now this is a. true story even smaller probably but. let's just say I had a hundred bucks and. that sounds crazy to be a thousand miles. away and you only gets 100 bucks. and a guy's trying to say come on I'll. play some Hunter to game one pocket. right. and I'm trying to get him to play for. 50. so I can have two barrels you know. and he's just insisting we play for a. hundred yeah so now I'll start off a.

little nervous knowing I got one barrel. and if I quit after one game it looks. real bad as far as the action and yeah. you know so but I've had to do that a. few times because percentages say I'm. I'm supposed to beat this guy you know. and pump up oh yeah percentages say yeah. but I mean you know that's the. difference that but I mean overall gamma. and I played races to five for five. thousand I played. the biggest set I ever played was like. 38 G's. um but I wasn't nervous at all really. no I mean I knew the person I was.

playing we probably had history a plan. before you know what I mean I knew what. to expect you know generally it was one. pocket more just wasn't as much big 9. ball back in the day you know uh unlike. today but. um. but yeah the tournament's totally. different and like you go up to scale. like mosconi cup is off the charts. that's why it's so impressive watching. someone just break and run five racks in. a row in a tournament oh yeah perfect. Precision it's because you know the. control that's involved and all of those.

little fine movements and oh yeah but. that's the thing though when they heat. up a little bit you know what I'm saying. they start to forget about a little bit. more they start to play better. but even the fillers and Fetters and all. them you know and they'll tell you but. they're nervous I mean you can see it. out there you know like you know they're. nervous but they're battling through it. yeah I can imagine poor Max at 180 beats. per second and he was pissed dude how. many beats per minute is so much that's. like that's like a full-on Sprint no it.

was way up there and there was somebody. I can't remember exactly maybe it was. Shane that was like 90 or 85 like way. way down it shuts that hearing aid off I. know it's strong huh that's such a great. thing to be able to do to shut the world. out it's not a great thing to be deaf. obviously but yeah to have that with. pool you know it's almost like it's he's. like it's like you know what a sensory. deprivation tank is I'll show you one we. have one out here okay you lay in salt.

water and you float and the water is the. same temperature as your skin you close. the door total silence total darkness. and in the absence of sensory input your. brain becomes like supercharged she can. think about things better you see. everything more clearly and you start to. almost achieve like a psychedelic State. while you're doing this. and the benefit of not having sensory. input is the other senses for whatever. or your mind rather is more free it has.

less resources that are hogging up it's. you know it's yeah it makes sense it's. energy I I imagine that's what's going. on with him he shuts that hearing aid. off and he can probably just completely. concentrate on the game well that and. the one I thought about with him because. he's always been talked about with. practice so much right his regimen was. so you know long right yeah but I mean. to be able to shut them off when you're. practicing and be in a poor room you. know what I mean like really get. involved in yourself that's the big deal. with most guys that practice even the.

ones that want to get bothered a lot you. know what I mean distractions and. whatnot. probably also just his situation when. people he was there people just left him. alone he kind of knew it I was hanging. out with Max Everly and we were at this. pool hall in Las Vegas that this Italian. guy owned this guy had the best food of. any pool hall I've ever been to in my. life I mean legit Italian food it was. Sensational he had lasagna and linguine.

with clams and cookies in Vegas yeah. this guy was from Italy and he would. bring over food from me he was like a. chef in Italy he'd bring over his food. from Italy like imported Mortadella and. all it was insane that the food was so. good but anyway this is while Shane was. still on top of the world this is when. he was doing the tar matches and all. those things and we're we're playing. it's like a Friday night before a UFC. and Shane is practicing by himself for. like five hours just five hours stroking.

in balls and getting perfect positions. setting things up again and setting. things up again for five hours by. himself didn't talk to anybody just. firing balls in well that's the amazing. thing too you ever see him just sit on. the back rail with the cue ball and set. up the long shot hitting at 100 miles an. hour we'll try doing that for like three. or four hours straight yeah hitting the. ball that hard you know swinging the I. mean you'll be wore out I mean he'll be. he'll win the hot seat at the U.S open.

and be the first guy practicing not even. play till the next day you know be there. eight hours nine hours getting ready. next day he wakes up does the same thing. eight or nine hours before he's got to. play the big final wow oh no he's sick. he's a sicko for sure but I mean it. shows though it shows yeah I mean under. I'm you know if I don't know if there's. anyone better in the tough shot ever I. mean I know filler's awesome and. everything but the true tough shot I. mean under the biggest pressure maybe. Shane's the best well he's certainly in.

the argument is the greatest of all time. I mean you got a handful of people Efren. and so many different people we were. talking about Bustamante when he was in. his prime. but the thing about all those guys like. oh like when you go back to like the the. early days of tournament play and Efren. Reyes and the Filipino Invasion like. that was all gambling it was all. gambling oh 100 which is one of the one. of the most exciting parts of the game.

of pool is this illegal aspect of it. well it's like such a drip it's not. illegal everywhere but in a lot of. places it is someone bets on the side it. becomes illegal I think is how it works. oh well then it's illegal every single. yeah that's right right but it means to. the side in Texas yeah that's a that's a. form of racketeering or something yeah. something like that yeah yeah but Efren. you know this you can't even make a bet. with your friends like what if you and I. were playing no me and you are supposed. to be able to play and we could bet a.

million okay and it wouldn't be a. problem but Jamie couldn't bet on us. that's I think that's something or if. there's someone taking a percentage of. some sort that seems you know I'm kind. of like the poker y'all got the legal. poker around here right I do not know I. don't play poker yeah well I got the. legal poker rooms but they charge like. pool time you know like by the hour so. they don't take any money out of the pot. you know yeah so it's legal now that. makes sense that's that's not a bad. compromise but I feel like not being. able to bet on your friend is. Un-American we're definitely not texting.

that's for sure you know what I'm saying. like if you're gambling with somebody. and you're playing this someone I'm like. I got money on Jeremy if I and if I say. that that's illegal if like you were. just making an agreement I think so yeah. that's so crazy pretty sure that sounds. so crazy it happened once in Houston. like right before I started actually a. couple times but once in his not a pool. room that I frequented. like a year or two before I really. started going there right when I was. young they didn't take the guys that. were playing they took the guys that.

were all bet on the side oh my God yeah. is that crazy yeah meanwhile how many. people are out there getting robbed for. real Rob yeah right how many people. could you get arrested instead of like. finding people or gambling the wrong way. yeah they're all there's a lot of those. right yeah it's just it's such a like. and you know like I said the those two. books are great like depicting the. Romantic aspect of it playing off the. rail and running the table but to.

actually live that life to actually been. like when did you when did you come off. that life like when did you stop like. traveling constantly and uh like town to. town kind of thing yeah probably around. 90 98 99 I really jumped up in the. rankings uh started being able to get. like real sponsors paychecks uh stuff. like that from sponsors. um. but I still didn't quit gambling I still. played plenty of people it was just kind. of like. it wasn't spent a lot of time traveling.

you know like waiting around like you. might go somewhere if you know it's a. good spot you know like somebody sent. you their hey they're gambling you know. but it might take a little time get to. know you what not before they're. comfortable you might stay a week two. weeks three weeks at a place was there. the fear that you entering into. professional tournaments would knock. your gambling. uh these people would know that you by. this time people everyone knew I mean. you know it didn't take long before a. few few trips I went by my middle name. yeah because there were magazines that. you know you could see what's going on.

around the country right you just might. not get a picture or a video of it or. whatever so you start to hear names you. know so like first time I went to. California. uh I did that actually and you know it. worked out nice so what did you do you. just use a different name well it's a. funny story and I think he can laugh. about it now but you know Marcus Shaman. is right from Sweden so. so there was a guy that was staking him. and a lot of other great players and and. he was big action the guy was and I knew.

Marcus was out there and so I'm in hard. times. I think I told you about this the other. day with Keith but the only two people. in the hard times that knew me all right. uh was Keith and Jose perika all right. so everyone else didn't know who I was. so Marcus Shaman is standing next to two. other guys that I know play but won't. play kind of thing. so I go up and I ask those two guys I. was like you know one of y'all want to. play some you know 50 100 sets of nine. ball you know knowing.

Marcus is going to just jump right on me. you know what I mean like he's right. next to him so long story short that. happened. and uh but I introduced myself as Tyler. my middle name you know like I just did. you know so we start playing he beats me. a set for a hundred playing even I quit. he offers me the eight. beats me a set for 200 I quit. now he offers me the seven. so now his stakehorse starts coming over. near me because Marcus is just stealing.

this little four or five hundred ain't. got nothing to do with a stakeholder you. know what I mean it's just like pocket. money. so now his steak horse comes over and. he's kind of interested in the game and. he says he'll give you the seven but you. got to bet you know everything you got. I got like 25 or 30 000 on me you. wouldn't know it but I do you know so I. can't pull out 25 or 30 000 they're. gonna know something's up so me and my. buddy we just talked for a second so we. ended up pulling out like 4 500. so we play for a little bit.

and uh. we're now we're playing Seven ahead we. were playing a race to seven for the 100. and 200 right. so now he thinks he's stealing because I. mean the way I played in the other two. sets you know what I'm saying so he just. comes out like gangbusters you got me. like four games down I'm talking my. buddy I'm like man this is sick we're. gonna get beat in this spot right here. I'm getting the seven you know so. finally I get a shot and I start to run. out now I'm starting to run out and so. his stay course is there and he says man. ain't this something you know what I.

mean he says uh we thought we were. stealing it looks it looks real bad now. so so I beat him that set. so now at hard times you've been there. right in L.A yeah Bellflower yeah so. they got the player side right with the. tight tables and they got the looser. tables well he had me on the looser. tables thinking you know I'm just a. sucker you know. so he says uh the state course says. double the BET and we'll give you the. eight on the tight tables. right so this is like really good for me. you know now I'm getting a spot on even. a tougher table so I beat him that set.

but during that second set. a friend of mine had built me a queue. and send it out to the guy that ran the. tournaments in LA right. so I'm going by Tyler and this guy walks. up and he says. real loud he says are you Jeremy Jones. oh no he says if you are I got a cue for. you you know and I was like no I ain't. Jared because I'm in the middle of this. 13 uh nine thousand dollar set plan you. know so I said no I ain't Jeremy Jones. you know and I just sent him on his way.

and then the next day when I came in. Mark knew who I was and you know. everyone spilled the beans kind of thing. yeah I had to go tell the guy all right. that's my cue and everything so was it. was mad at you no no not at all he. understood it's kind of like a funny. story around there now I think but. Marcus was mad at me for a little while. yeah that's why I was asking oh yeah. because he was European you know and it. was just kind of like you know if. someone got me like that you know I'm. gonna it's gonna sting but it's gonna be. more like all right touche kind of thing. you know what I'm saying later on you.

know we're gonna laugh about it and. stuff but it took it's almost like if. you first be different he walks by you. but he don't say much to you for about a. month or two really oh yeah he's got to. let that wear off a little bit but took. Marcus probably about a decade before. it was bad so when when he beat you the. first two sets even were you. were you hustling a little well I might. not have put forth my best effort but he. played real good you know what I mean he. was all right let me pick up this. honestly trying to set something up well.

I thought I you know I'm definitely not. trying to win for 200. you know what I. mean like his steak horse who now is. actually after that trip became a real. good friend of mine you know at that. time he was known you could beat him out. of you know 40 and 50 you know a. thousand right so you're not going to. start off doing anything like that for. 200 or so so when you first start. playing you play good but you're not. really bearing down right right so. you're showing them that you can play a. little but you might miss some shots.

that plus I want to see him play right. you know I heard the name I kind of. wanted to really see because eventually. to beat him out of the real money is. going to be playing even right you know. what I mean because he's another great. player so that eventually was going to. happen but Mark is into having to leave. the country for his Visa got shortened. up or something like that he actually. ended up leaving the next day. but I stuck around for about a month in. these other countries is there a lot of. gambling going on obviously in the. Philippines there is but is there a lot. of gambling going on in these other. countries where all these players are.

emerging the sum of Asia for sure. um southeast Asia especially I think you. know Thailand like you said Philippines. Indonesia um. you're up here and there not a whole lot. not a whole lot at all and I I think. it's more of the stakehorse kind of. situation it's just not the mentality. you know there's not a state course you. know people aren't just thinking oh let. me go put somebody else in action for. thousands of dollars you know it's just. not your everyday thing one of the fun. parts of American pool culture the steak.

horses oh absolutely they're some of the. biggest characters yes wild crazy people. with tons of money yeah and how they got. it yeah. yeah and uh they're interested in. gambling on pool. yeah I've uh been paid in uh buried. money quite a few times really oh yeah. oh yeah it stinks it stinks usually oh. yeah not nice wow the whole car stunk. yeah. really oh yeah real bad. do you think there's like bodies next to.

them I don't think so why don't it smell. just mildew and [ __ ] yeah I think so. yeah I'm talking about yeah I think this. has been there a long time 30 to 30. years yeah there was a guy one time. we're in South Carolina is another place. that uh. are frequented in the Summers especially. because we gambled to golf but um this. guy Frank and he's a great great guy and. he was the coming in overalls didn't. know he had a penny but he staked a lot. of players and he did a lot for the pool. community so he comes in one morning.

because we'd all meet at the pool room. about 10 a.m and we'd all make a golf. game then we'd go out to the golf course. Gamo golf come back to the pool room and. make pool games right it was it was. awesome I mean the whole summer was like. this. so as Frank comes in one morning. and uh. he looked real upset and he never looked. upset always happy. even if he lost he is happy and so I. said Frank what's wrong you okay. I'll come out my back door and I saw one. of my bushes dug up today so.

one of his sons that is kind of was you. know a little detached at times from the. family for one reason or another he let. us stay there and he said he knew it. right it was a thirty thousand dollar. Bush oh yeah yeah yeah and so he took it. like a grain of salt he was more. disappoint it was kind of like a. disappointed father kind of thing more. than upset he had plenty of money you. know yeah so but it's amazing what. people do with their money. yeah that's a that's a hunter Biden type. move.

[Laughter]. probably got it buried a little better. you need something yeah but I mean. digging that money up for a need oh yeah. yeah. yeah that's uh it's just that the kind. of people that would uh go to these. places and look forward to matching. these guys together like that was always. the the it's a famous story. um that's in the the um running the. table book about Chicago Billiards did.

you ever go to that place because you're. in Connecticut I don't think so Chicago. Billiards was uh owned by this one. eccentric millionaire who would. encourage gambling and if no gambling. was going on he would put money up for. guys to play he just wanted action. constantly they had dorms there like. people would had beds on the back people. would sleep there guys would come in. stay for days oh yeah well that's you. know just like poker games Houston had a. big underground poker scene and the same. thing with pool rooms if you have a a.

guy that owns the poker room that's. action that's the best games yeah I mean. they're putting the money back in play. and the same thing with the pool room. the pool room owners involved yeah I. mean you know he's gonna have players. around he's gonna have options usually. and that's some of the best spots for. Action I remember I was watching this. guy play. and you just got off the phone and uh he. said uh my wife just told me if I don't. come home now I'm getting a divorce. and he goes Rock the balls. I've heard that in so many words before. it was but he said it out loud he was.

rack the balls yeah he's like we're. gonna keep playing oh yeah it looks like. I'm getting divorced not the first time. she's told him that probably it's just. too addictive those places are too. addictive I would get I couldn't wait to. get back to them when I'd go on the road. and I'd do stand up couldn't wait to. come back get to the pool room what's. going on oh yeah who's playing who. what's happening yeah there are a lot of. truck drivers that played you know got. to play all over in different places you. know but the one thing about pool you. really even if you don't around the.

gambling it's hard to leave totally the. game I mean it's just it's good to hit. the ball well it feels good you know. what I mean it's just like golf they say. when you hit it well it feels good right. have you ever considered writing down. some of your uh Road stories oh yeah. putting together like Danny diliberto. has a book out yeah there's a good. friend of mine Harley Brian uh I think I. was telling you a little bit about him. the other day but he's like a legend guy. and uh I tell him all the time I'm like. I mean this is like the best book ever. if you just.

tell it you know tell your stories you. know he was raised on a riverboat. his uh like porkies you know what I mean. you know like that's what his dad owned. to him in Jacksonville the only two you. know like just the stuff he was raised. around then he was a great pool player. around. you know Jimmy cares Moscone and all. those guys he's actually he's 84 now I. think yeah but yeah that'd be good to. put the pool stories down there's a lot. of them that's one of my favorite. Expressions is a Riverboat Gambler oh. yeah those type of people yeah he's one. of them Riverboat gamblers just wild.

people. around the water I mean I don't know. what it is I mean I'm from there too. Baytown like right on it what do you. think it is. it's a very Carefree kind of you know. once you don't bathe for a week kind of. figure out you ain't got to that often. again I mean I don't know I don't know. what the mentality is but the why why is. gambling so prevalent in the South. that's what's fascinating to me like why. is it so a part of the culture I mean. and even in things that are illegal like.

rooster fighting and [ __ ] like oh yeah. gambling is like so pervasive yeah I. mean you know you would know more about. the north than I would but. maybe the faster paced I mean we always. just said it's kind of like California a. little bit the same they're real smart. and they play well and they're just not. they're not just going to take much of a. beating and the thing is. even if you play well the difference a. lot of people like I used to get accused. for being on you know the best of the. game which who doesn't right right but.

people would mistake that also for. someone who could play well under. pressure. you understand you know if you play well. under pressure it looks like you got the. best of the game you know most people. can't so even if you beat and playing. really well. so it's hard to make another game off of. how you just played because you played. really well like that's hard to do all. the time playing pool you know that. right right so you see guys try to match. up for hours. give up come back give up come back oh. yeah and then finally oh my God they're. racking the balls they're rocking the.

balls yeah what's happening you know I. go to senior centers right sometimes. play pool with some of the older guys or. I have a lesson there or something like. that they talk a little [ __ ] without any. gambling so you know what I mean so and. some of it goes way back like it's. pretty nasty stuff oh really well I mean. kinda I mean you know they don't know me. from Adam talking about something real. personal from 25 years ago you know. that's hilarious yeah that's pretty. funny so I think the Barking in general. being somewhere you're allowed to bark a.

little bit yeah you know well that's it. was always it's just a part of the fun. of it all it's like wild things are. happening oh yeah absolutely people are. accusing people or sharking them and. it's just well the swings too the ups. and downs you know like I mean you know. you just broke so and so he's dead broke. he was borrowing money yesterday and you. know you spent two days out of the pool. room and he's he's won ten thousand. cents you know what I mean so you keep. track of everyone yeah especially if. you're in a place locally that you live. at that has action you always want to.

know what's going on a little bit you. know and for people that don't. understand the Allure of this you're. constantly engaged in some kind of. competition so it's constant happening. oh yeah and it's endless yeah it's. endless yeah it ain't you know. basketball what are you gonna do you're. gonna go shoot free throws maybe or. maybe play one I mean this is endless. the pool games and the handicaps the. partners it's no season yeah y'all two. could play me yeah you know we could. rotate yeah I mean it's just all kinds. so yeah.

when you have you ever sat down and. tried to like like write out some of. these stories not really the stories now. I've written some stuff for teaching uh. because I do a lot of that right and uh. um it helps to write it down yeah for. sure. um but no not the stories probably. should you definitely should yeah I. think I'd want to know somebody though. like really trust putting it in someone. else's hands right you know someone's. going to come across the third yeah give.

it the right climate whatever that is. you know I'm not sure what that is yet. but maybe we could just record some of. your stories just record some of these. stories make YouTube videos that might. actually be even better than a book. while some of them are pretty crazy. give me a crazy one what's the craziest. one oh uh older I can't tell you. probably maybe the craziest I'll tell. you later on the craziest ones on there. but uh. let's see uh so so so one time I was in. a tournament in uh Mississippian. to get on with this I won the tournament.

uh tough tournament Johnny Archer all. the great players and his bar table so I. won like 8 000. so by the time I won the tournament I. think I was about 25 000 losers in the. casino okay like terrible trip I mean I. wasn't even trying you remember Tony. Ellen yes so he was 20 minutes late to. get a steak dinner at the Horseshoe it. cost me about twelve thousand I went. down there said let me just let me just. pitch 300 you know and they just pounded. me right. so.

I got the tournament money after winning. it was eight thousand. went straight to the cage and cashed it. went straight to the blackjack. yeah I had it about 10 minutes so the 8. 000 was gone. and so this guy that was playing there. his name was Frank seals and he was a. legendary steakhorse. and he used to take CJ when he was a kid. and a lot of players throughout the. years and he said hey if you're ever. bored you want to come up to Morristown. Tennessee I got a kid I'll let you play. if you still want to play you know I.

like the way you gamble is what he said. he watched me play Blackjack blow all my. money right yeah so. yeah so I had yeah I told him this one I. said you ain't dealing with me with no. Blackjack up there if I go up there so. anyways I go up there. so he's got this guy Mark Owens was his. name good player. and uh real high gear maybe not the most. steady player but real high gear. so we're playing we start out playing. races to 9 or 10 or something for a. thousand so long story short I got him.

10 000 loser okay. and it's because we raised it and. whatnot and uh so now the whole town. this is a small town okay just up in the. northeast corner of Tennessee. so the whole town starts coming in and. this is their hero. so my buddy starts taking bets on the. side you know. so now we I got him 10 000 loser and uh. he says we want to play a separate ten. thousand this is what Frank says the the. steak horse. he says but we need to call eight you.

know what the call is of course right so. uh so I said okay yeah. so we're gonna race the 11 no race to. 15. so we're betting about 10 000 on the. side okay so we're playing a set for. like 20. all right because my buddy's. got a list of bets this long with all. the town people you know what I mean. yeah so. it's nine to eight me instead of playing. safe on the eight I try to jack up off. in Rail and stab it in and draw my ball. you know what I mean and I Bobble it he. makes it he breaks and runs five racks.

he's up 14-9. so now he breaks going to 15. and the four nine is wired over the spot. he makes an incredible shot on the one. he's got the three down the rail and. he's just got a cupcake on the four nine. so I turned my buddy and I said man we. ain't got but like 8 000 left you know. because we're winner we start off a. thousand a set I said we can't lower the. bet you can't do that right then they. know you're short. you know what I'm saying yeah so I'm. like what are we going to do you know we.

get more money tomorrow and whatever. right. so the pool tables here. right. he's shooting at this corner. now Frank is the only guy he's sitting. right here on a stool chair right like a. little school chair everyone else is way. back over here besides me and my buddies. over here right all the people watching. so he knocks a three and Mark does and. he comes down he was kind of one of. those guys that would fire the nine in. you know what I'm saying you've seen. them. he rifles this four nine he could have.

just tapped it and it would have rolled. right in the corner this ball went down. and swirled around in the pocket. jumped almost all the way back out to. the spot that's how far it went oh my. God yeah all the money's on the light. right. so Frank he knows about pulling the. balls aimed directly at Frank so as soon. as he hits it he knows it's in. so Frank starts to get up and get the. money I said oh Frank I said The Nine's. on the table you know Frank's like 75. years old he's got glasses. so I said The Nine's on the table he.

says oh I'm sorry you know like he. didn't realize it didn't go in well it. did go in it just came back out yeah. never pocketed another ball the whole. set I played safe on that first shot I. broke around played safe broke around. beat him 15-14 right wow yeah so now the. kid he quits and he's he's literally. crying out on the stairs okay. so Frank says come back the next day. we'll play you some more so we come back. the next day we start out playing like. for 3 500 races to 11. so I beat him.

three sets so he says hey he's going to. take a break he said he'll play some. more in a minute I'm like sweet man this. is good good action you know. so Frank's sitting in this chair right. here. and the kids practicing a little bit and. he hits a ball in that same pocket it. jumps the pocket hits Frank dead in the. eye right he's glasses and blood's going. everywhere I mean Jesus Christ oh yeah. yeah it was ironically crazy right so we. end up having to quit and we never end. up playing again.

so the same pocket that kind of saved me. the day before right kind of got him the. next day and we ended up never playing. yeah. funny story I'm kind of shitty table is. that it was a gold crown but it had a. replacement Pockets you know the big. black ones that go in they're kind of. bulky they kind of move around a little. bit shitty job yeah yeah it's old school. pool hall oh man yeah that Frankie was. something else so that he I'm playing. right and he pulls up his overall.

and uh I see a gunshot wound in his leg. I said dang Frank you got shot. he said yeah my wife shot me about 10. years ago I said man you mean your. ex-wife don't you he says no he says I'm. still with her right I said damn. about three months later she killed him. wow after I played yeah same lady that. shot her shot 10 months before. she shot him dead dead. I think she did six months in a mental. place and then she's out oh my God yeah.

six months six months that was it yeah. that's it she'd shot him twice. no I think it's like not tell about more. I think it was like five of them in the. church. yeah yeah sure I was telling you about. that buried money yeah Frank gave me. some of that buried money I think he was. kind of like a numbers guy you know how. they run the lottery out in the country. on their own and stuff yeah I think he. did like stuff like that so my grandma. was involved with that yeah it was a big. thing in the Northeast the numbers yeah.

yeah that's a another thing people look. forward to that kind of gambling I just. don't like restrictions on gambling and. I know people have problems with it I. really do I and I met a lot of people. that are like degenerate gamblers and. it's horrible to see oh so they get so. addicted they're so [ __ ] up but. it's still fun and especially with pool. it's really fun you mean you're you're. gambling on a game of skill. you know yeah well I've rarely seen.

where someone got their life messed up. really I mean don't get me wrong you. might not have the best relationship you. know with your lady you know if you're. gone all the time for days at a time. right but as far as like. financially really I've seen another. kind of gambling whatnot you've seen. that I'm sure oh yeah yeah I've seen it. in all kinds of sports gambling in. particular yeah did you ever see that. movie uh uncut gems yeah. really good what a great movie I like. him in serious roles a lot I've never.

saw him in one before that but that one. is so good it's you get so much anxiety. watching that you're like don't do it. yeah what are you doing yeah what do you. do but we know guys like that oh. absolutely 100 yeah 100 those are real. guys oh 100 and it's uh it's amazing. because usually they get a hold of a big. number and it still doesn't matter no. you know like I mean it used to be like. all right they got a hold of 30. how. long are they going to hold on 30. they. got a hold of 60. now juice yeah but I.

mean same guys I'm seeing them get a. hold of fives and 600 and still going. and losing it all yeah quickly yeah. month three weeks. well I mean I went broke tons of time I. mean I'd tell between the legs coming. back home but I mean I'd leave with like. 3 000 yeah 4 000 and normally odds are. the value I was going to come back. pumped up sometimes that came back broke. but it wasn't like you know. like that I was watching Dana White. gamble in Vegas he was playing Blackjack.

and when I when I got there he was down. 600 000. oh yeah. yeah Rwanda winning it all back and plus. 600. oh yeah but like like the guy we. were talking about earlier with the ipt. yeah he used to like that real high. dollar background twenty thirty thousand. hands yes. it goes fast oh boy it does it's that's. just so crazy but I guess when you just. have like [ __ ] [ __ ] tons of money and. that's that's the only way you can get.

excited like it has to be dangerous I. don't know I think there's got to be a. hypnotism I mean they obviously aren't. gonna go broke right right so I mean. maybe oh I hope not yeah I mean look it. could happen if you just get really. wacky and keep going. yeah absolutely I mean you could get. yourself stressed out about it I guess. but but I mean you know I mean I don't. know if I happen to the people that I. know but it could if I had a billion. dollars though I think if I like playing. Blackjack maybe 1000 hands just gonna be.

just as satisfying just maybe maybe be. pool player I don't know I don't know. maybe my mentality I don't know because. I used to play a lot higher than a. thousand a hand a couple of whiskeys. when I didn't yeah oh 100 yeah a couple. of whiskeys and you might be betting. hundred fifty thousand yeah maybe let's. go I will raise my bed if I get one yeah. that's 100 that's pool room mentality. yeah yeah only way to win really yeah. yeah it's just the art of that though is. what was always fun to watch The Art of.

like making the game and guys going and. knowing that they're eventually probably. gonna play even but like bro I need the. eight I need the [ __ ] eight I need. the brakes I need this I need that and. this is Banter back and forth and. everybody's circling around watching. this drama play out yeah and you're. trying to figure out who to bet on yeah. you know because I you know you can't. just sit on the sidelines waiting for. the nut game yeah you won't get any. action it's like a poker guy they know. he's got aces of Kings if he moves all. in kind of like thing right and there's. also an understanding amongst guys who.

gamble with each other on a regular. basis that it's I'm losing money to you. you're losing money to me we're all good. yeah absolutely yeah this is a little. it's going this way a little going that. way there's very rarely were bad. feelings after guys would lose money. gambling I mean some guys get pissed off. at themselves or some guys but yeah I. mean areas were different I think you. know and maybe you noticed it more but. like Houston where I was from it was. just gambling was gambling personal was. personal I just I mean it was the most. cut and dry I'd ever been around and it.

was cut and dry sort of in the culture. like as you were crumming up yeah yeah. absolutely that way absolutely yeah yeah. whereas like Dallas we are always called. it more knitty you know like but you. know it just was more than any it wasn't. necessarily nitty it was just more nitty. you know more knitty than Houston than. Houston was it is someone who's like. very you're very conservative and you're. gambling yeah trying to fire one barrel. at you yeah if you lose you're out of. there yeah exactly where'd that term.

come from nitty yeah. you got me that's a whole turn old old. and it's used not just pool I mean I've. heard it outside of pool but well you. know Houston's been around on the map. for the gamma that's where Cesar Morales. went right that was that one's name yeah. and he passed as a Hispanic guy from. from San Antonio yeah that funny story. if you ever heard red Walling the guy. that owned Reds. [Music]. um. so I guess Ephraim was in a semi-final. and uh of the tournament still under the.

name of Cesar Morales and he went up to. Red Walling and he says uh Mr Walling he. said I gotta ask you a question or I got. to tell you something my uh my real name. isn't Cesar Morales am I going to get. forfeited out of the tournament not get. my money you know he won before he got. to win in the tournament he wanted to. fess up you know and so red Walling said. yeah just tell us your real name now so. I will make sure you get paid you know. pretty crazy and that was only like 10. miles from where I was from but it was. before my time so how did those guys.

know in the Philippines that there was. so much gambling going on in Texas back. then and how did they know they could. take this kid from the Philippines who. turns out to be one of the greatest. players if not the greatest it's ever. lived and then just Rob everybody well. Philippines are everywhere Filipino. people are everywhere I mean if you. would go a tournament it could be just I. mean you just pick a place out of the. blue if there's Filipino Champion there. there's going to be Groves of them. showing up to watch so they can't kind.

of keep control of it plus there was uh. one of the original guys that was a top. player him and his brother Rudy Pasquale. and J.R Pasquale they came before effort. and all them and they lived in Houston. so they kind of brought them there for. the for the Reds tournaments and all the. action yeah so kind of like we said. information right yeah so they knew. Efrin in the Philippines or so effort. had already had a name so if he had. tried to come over as Efren Reyes people. would already have heard about them.

absolutely 100 yeah and and the thing is. then at that point there were only a. couple of them that you heard about from. outside of America. so Efron was one of them for sure it. wouldn't get lost what is the the. highest Stakes match you've ever seen. played. um. [Music]. probably in New Orleans there's a. billionaire car bomb. I think he took on like 220 000 worth of. action he's he's not a good player but.

he's not a bad player he's kind of a guy. and he comes down to a few tournaments. and he plays real expensive you know on. the bar table he plays nine ball. plays another weak player or he plays a. good player getting a huge spot and like. how much is he gambling oh I mean he's. he's playing like six or seven games. ahead or maybe a race to nine for. you know in the middle might be like 80. or 100 but he'll bet another 100 on the. side and well when he comes everyone. bets against him just because the you. know you're looking at the odds right. right yeah you're looking at and that's.

another thing in the pool room you might. get a good game but you know the guy's. short. right so you got to wait right you know. what I mean you know right you want to. get the most out of that game if you do. win yeah exactly yeah yeah that's. interesting that's it it's like all. knowing when to pull the trigger exactly. right knowing where a person's at yeah. when it's all prime knowing if they. scored recently yeah how they're playing. right Tony Allen used to be the best. because. you know people bet on matches and stuff. at the tournaments you know and he was.

just so in tune with all the players you. know some of the some of them their. personal lives you know and like that. makes a huge difference because pool's. so mental oh yeah your girlfriend breaks. up with you yeah kicked out of your. apartment yeah now you might play like. [ __ ] or or if like a couple things don't. go your way to start with Tony you say. that if he doesn't get it his way at the. beginning he's going to fold he's just. in that mood right now you know what I'm. saying so like just so many different. aspects yeah so is the biggest games.

that you've seen played or really from. people that aren't the best players. um have you seen what is like the most. high stakes between like two elite. players because I know there's there's. some legendary stories about you know. guys like Bustamante and Johnny Archer. Logan horns and Johnny runs the whole. set yeah. UPS the BET yeah says flip the coin yeah. double the BET and beat him yeah I was. uh I played on that table that was in. Toledo Ohio how many people 13 and out. 13 racks and out Johnny broke and ran 13.

racks in a row yeah I would never play. with another q ever for a second in life. yeah that queue is an extension of his. soul all right when 13 racks is so. bananas yeah they do it and how much. were they gambling I think it was like. 10 you know back then the thing is these. days of course everything's gone up in. money right so but there's more being. bet now so I would say like when Dennis. and Shane played a few years ago here it. is that was a huge one it says one time. we're in Toledo and Archer is playing.

Bustamante a race to 13 for two thousand. two thousand Two thousand thirteen. consecutive racks in a row yeah. the Johnny was a bad hombre for money oh. my God he was an awesome tournament but. he's awesome in everything yeah I just. rarely ever saw him get beat for money I. mean he would give guys that were like. really good players the last four you. know what I mean on tight tail I don't. know I got this Jeremy yeah no problem. you know like never saw him practice by. the way so you know the guys like Johnny. like with all this new technology with.

like carbon fiber cues and the like does. a guy like that still play with the wood. shaft I think so I haven't seen him play. in quite some time it's been probably. four or five years that I've seen since. he's really been in a big competitive. tournament now I did play the US Open a. couple years ago. um won a match or two but didn't didn't. do that well so I don't think he's. playing a ton so yeah last I saw him. play yeah you know I think he opened a. pool room there in uh North Georgia so.

doing a lot of that but this this. technology thing like we were talking. about this today that there's these new. carbon fiber shafts and they're very. consistent and all these people play. with them but some players still prefer. the feedback that they get from wood and. that's part of the enjoyment of the game. is like feeling that feedback in your. hand yeah I think so I mean you know you. definitely get a lot of feel you know. you don't want something that's like a. 2x4 right I mean uh.

that's why. you know players they break in like they. get a new cue they break in the shaft. the oils off your hands you know just a. number of things you like. I think one of the things about the. carbon fiber. which I like I like it but you get a lot. out of it but sometimes you know if you. get a little hairy. the Mist can be a little uglier. really yeah just because it does put a. little more spin on the ball you know. it's just it's a higher a little higher. spin rate overall so I mean you know if. you get a little.

you know like so you deseled the ball. could be real ugly you know or if you. really overheat it you know but my point. was that like Johnny Played perfect with. a wooden shaft like try how would you. convince that guy to even try carbon. fiber. well if you could just do it a little. easier you know if you can swing a. little bit Yeah Yeah you could swing a. little more you know subtly I hate to. say soft or anything like that but just. a little less on it overall or let's say. you're putting a tip and a half of left. English maybe you only got to go a tip.

or a half a tip no so a little Comfort. level you know Comfort overall it just. makes the ball react differently yeah. and I don't know exactly all the. technology behind it other than. you know we could you can build them how. you want exactly right wood there's. still a little variable I think. yeah but the thing that bums me out is. that part of pool is the custom cue. makers there's all these guys that are. making these beautiful. functional pieces of art oh absolutely.

absolutely you know but you know with. the carbon fiber I guess most the. companies and really with the. playability it's gone to more. performance than it is even though they. are you know they make attractive cues. and all that but you wouldn't say it's. the the time and effort like some of. your handcrafted cues right it's just. about winning yeah about showing up with. a battle Bush. that's a great scene oh I love it I've. made a post about my new cue the other. day referring to that do you know the.

video game Doom was named from that. scene yeah a bunch of people made that. comment on the post ever yeah that is. amazing I didn't know that actually yeah. John Carmack told me yeah and then I. think you know how the phones listen to. you I was watching some flip and I think. you mentioned that on one of your. podcasts I think so yeah they um they. wanted to just they wanted to be doomed. for the video game industry yeah that's. crazy and it's such a great name for a. crazy video game no it is but where are. they you know where he got it from Tom.

Cruise exactly like Doom didn't come up. from something else that came up from. there did you ever get into video games. uh you know we had an Atari. um. played it for a few days after Christmas. uh weren't allowed inside very much you. know so really six of us oh no no no no. but I mean exactly yeah drink out of the. water hose oh yeah oh 100 I bet you got. an amazing immune system that's really. good I've been lucky my whole life knock. on wood yeah hoes drinking Joey Diaz.

always talks about that when we swam in. the bay which was just right across the. street Joey diazzo is like I drank. puddle water yeah yeah we weren't. allowed there too often until later in. the evening and my mom wasn't no need. freak or anything it was just. pandemonium I think and plus we had tons. of [ __ ] to do we had to park we had our. guys you know yeah and go like I said go. in the bay go play ball yeah sounds like. an idyllic childhood sounds great yeah. my neighborhood was cool it was a little. lower class but it was cool it was an.

old one like I said on the water I mean. there were fights every day but you know. we all knew each other you know but but. my point is it's like the video game. thing gets people too and it got me as. well for a while I was a completely. addicted to playing online Quake you. know I played like these 3D Shooters I. jump on these these you could anytime. you want like could be two o'clock in. the morning you could log on and you. find some server somewhere and there's. some guy waiting to play and you get in. and then you just chase after each other. in these maps and you you hear footsteps.

and Rockets coming at you oh yeah it's. uh but I bought a lot of that stuff for. the kids too have you oh yeah but what. it doesn't do though. it's like it doesn't clear your mind the. way pool does when you're playing pool I. think it's a lot like archery in that. it's so difficult to do to have like. precision and move the. occasionally when you do it right and. you're cleaning your mind it's like so. satisfying whereas video games are just. exciting when it's over you're like.

cracked out yeah when I would end I'd be. like oh Jesus Christ like adrenaline's. all [ __ ] up like I gotta go home yeah. this is too much it's too crazy yeah we. talk about a 12 year old is like oh he's. been on there too long you know we can. tell the difference. get them get them some moisture and some. some vitamins 100 well that game room I. got a job in it had like probably 80. video games and then it had you know we. didn't have a nine foot table we had. four by eights and then a snooker table. and like some foosball a couple of them. I like like Robotron but like actual.

gaming no I never got into it uh I was. always either playing baseball or tennis. or you know something yeah besides so. you're probably lucky but but now people. are making money doing that too oh 100 I. know these guys are wasting their lives. and you know they're making [ __ ] tons of. money playing video games yeah well I. think he's uh one guy I know here for a. long time from the pool he's worked for. EA for like 20 years he's like a develop. you know test their games give all he. does is pretty much give him feedback I. think those guys who develop those games.

those guys work hard. those guys work hard those are long. hours like when they're putting together. in like it's crunch time when they're. getting to the end of a video game they. basically like live in their Studios and. offices well I believe it I know a guy. back he was a year ahead of me he. graduated valedictorian of my high. school. and he was moving to Japan into Asia to. get into gaming like developing gaming. he knew a long time ago that the. addiction was going to go crazy for.

gaming you know like like it was going. to be kind of like oh I can stay at home. and do something else here again that. entertains me right you know. yeah it's um I mean for kids it's so. captivating it's so difficult for them. to put them down because they're so good. now and the graphics are so insane it's. like it's so much more exciting and for. a lot of kids they don't want to be. outside maybe they get picked on maybe. someone [ __ ] with them at school like. they just can't wait to live in that. world well I think the parents too to be. fair.

um I see parents that don't mind the. kids being upstairs you know doing their. own thing self-included at times you. know I catch myself hey he's been up. there too long bob you know right kind. of thing you know so and again I guess. it wasn't that long ago you were playing. those games so you know even guys our. age can get addicted to those things. right oh yeah we we set up a a local. area network at our old studio and I had. to quit cold turkey I was like this is. too much Jamie and me and my friend Jeff. would be going at it like constantly. bring people in and play them it was fun.

it's too fun though too crazy just too. addictive yeah I have a friend in St. Louis he has places all over St Louis. and other towns just for gaming people. can come in 24 7 they pay a membership a. bunch of couches set up bunch of gaming. set up oh so they just come in and just. log on to a game yeah yeah they pay a. monthly for it. makes sense especially if you can't. afford like great equipment you know. yeah and I think it's social too I think. it's fairly social oh yeah for sure yeah.

it's probably a great place to buy weed. too maybe I would imagine they have the. automated pool rooms now around the. country you know where there's no one. working automated pool rooms oh yeah. there's several throughout the country. now uh where you just uh you know they. got 10 tables or whatever they got. vending machines and whatnot and you. just have your card that lets you in it. has cameras and all that and you have to. be there with a member if you're not you. know what I mean kind of like you just. pay a monthly fee yeah oh so you log in. with your card and however many hours.

you play. does it charge you by the hour. well a lot of them have like a you can. buy the membership plus so many hours a. month at a discounted charge you. understand you know what I mean where. you get a little break or you can just. pay the hourly I think so like your. credit cards on file or something that's. kind of a bummer because like the house. man at a pool hall there's always been. some interesting humans oh absolutely. yeah like how can you get rid of the. house man yeah but I mean you know for. for big places like Miami has one Des.

Moines has one uh Seattle has one that's. kind of part-time meaning half the week. they're kind of regular and then the. other half of the week they're kind of. automated on the slower days so. I mean I guess I it's better than not. being open well they can go 24 7 also a. lot of them are 24 7 where people can. you know kind of like exam you know they. can kind of go at their own Leisure so. you have a car to get in yeah uh so it's. a club yeah basically yeah that's well. that makes sense yeah it's better I mean.

they have you know a lot of people carry. some bigger products out of there and. whatnot sell you some stuff you know. make an appointment for this maybe maybe. like uh Tony Robles you know him sure. yeah he has he's part of one uh in Miami. right and he coaches a lot out of there. and stuff so oh yeah that's all right. that makes sense that makes a lot of. sense. so how often are you uh on the road. doing commentary now. um. probably 15 weeks a year probably or so.

but I do some remotely from home as well. but the bigger events uh travel do you. ever play when you go to these places uh. occasionally but not in the tournament. of course I'm just working right but did. you ever match up I actually played a. guy in London a couple months ago yeah. yeah and uh. I think I surprised him a little bit. he's a good player you know this guy so. right but he thought you were done yeah. I think he thought he was going to win. you know he had beaten Darren Appleton. last year gambling you know so that.

tells you he's a good player you know. yeah I mean I think he was an underdog. playing Darren but he did beat him and. uh. so and he's kind of a crazy guy like. known to do some super crazy stuff like. probably stuff I can't say on here you. know okay you know like. you can just imagine just crazy. debauchery yeah exactly and uh. he was like perfect gentleman with me no. problems ever. just nice guy. took his beating easily. he wants to play again actually so we'll.

see oh wow yeah now a guy like that when. he wants to play again is he trying to. get a spot no too proud this guy really. yeah but that's good though I mean he's. like I think he's very very wealthy man. you know kind of like uh family stuff. but uh but I don't I can't remember him. ever asking for a spot from any good. player oh wow yeah well that's where he. gets his juice right well he tries to. beat you with the bet you know like he. went on uh I'll play svb two not two. thousand a set 2000 a game you know. pounds again you know like yeah yeah so.

he you know he didn't try that with me. as much but I beat him you know like. three sets we were betting that much. thousand right or a couple sets thousand. but then he went to like. uh let's play 3 000 a game you know I'm. like. yeah yeah I mean yeah we're gonna put up. like 60 000 let's go you know what I. mean but I mean you know let's not do it. and just play like two games I don't. want to do that right so better off to. just play sets know where you're at how. many different Pros does this guy.

matched up with. several I mean I think he's played. Darren a few times he plays all the. English guys over there. um I think he actually has played Shane. before really yeah I think of course. Shane beat him but. um but yeah he tries to play as many as. he can he plays a lot of local guys over. in England. is that common that guys match up like. that in England no this is the guy that. kind of creates the action oh really. yeah most the action that happens. um with the good players is through this. guy you know but now you know what.

English eight ball is right yes okay so. that's hit the scene again. so now they're they're playing uh you. might have saw the video on it but. they're playing like huge sets 100 000. pound sets of English eight ball. gambling. really yeah huge sets yeah an English. eight ball it's just like different. colored balls they don't have numbers. right right and then uh it's basically. like eight ball there's maybe a couple. little bitty rules that are different. um but the pockets are different. remember like the Chinese able to come.

out there so they're rounded Pockets. like a snooker table but the balls are. smaller also so it's all fairly. comparable. so the balls are smaller than pool balls. yeah I think they're like Snookers. snooker ball size oh really yeah yeah. because the pockets are rounded you know. and what's the size of the table three. and a half by seven oh yeah oh. interesting yeah there it is right there. yeah that's kind of like what Jason Shaw. started playing on for the most part or. played a lot of Darren he was a world.

champion at this team and do these guys. use pool cues oh wow look how small it. is in comparison that's interesting they. use like snooker cues you know the ash. wood you know now what is the benefit of. that because like this is I've always. wanted to ask someone like you these. questions like. why would they play with a cue that's. really really stiff if well that little. ball deflects and you know the felt they. play on kind of promotes deflection a. little easier as well that thicker nap. felt you know you've seen the snooker.

fell right yeah it's kind of like. directional felt you can actually wave. your hand and the direct the felt so. thick it'll change directions yeah you. know what I mean so it's much slower. yeah it's well they've gotten it to. where it's actually much faster now than. it ever was but not as fast as Simona's. no it shouldn't be much slower than what. yeah and the lighter balls don't go as. far like three cushion that's why they. use the big balls because they go five. six seven rails with the cue ball right. right yeah so it goes a long ways but. yeah the stiffer but to me it's kind of.

weird because they don't put much side. spin on the ball right you know unless. they have a cupcake that's laid up in. the hole there or they're real close to. it they aren't putting side spin on the. ball has anybody tried to develop a. carbon fiber snooker Cube oh yeah. there's a guy uh qtec actually did and. there's a guy that qualified for the. tour using it yeah from uh he's one of. q-tech players. because that's the weird thing is how. every Q react it's like you're getting. feedback from every different one that's.

slightly different and how it makes the. ball react. yeah it's like tips everything else when. you're on the road do these uh players. ever match up with each other oh yeah. like is that common yeah Vegas is a real. good one you know we're there for two. like the one I saw you at I met you at. right what was that March I think it was. yeah. um that one there were there for two. weeks. um. and the Europeans and the Asians they. all like to gamble it's just not. something that happens a lot where.

they're from but when they get over here. yeah they make a lot of games and. they're all getting introduced to one. pocket they all like one pocket you know. so the one thing about one pocket. compared to nine ball is it's just a. little easier to make a game. there's more room to match up you know. so like say for instance me and you're. gonna play each other nine ball. most likely I'm going to give you a game. that I can't win at or I'm gonna give. you a game that you can't win at like. the handicap you know what I'm saying. it's hard to make a game unless you get. two guys that are real close to each.

other right and level but one pocket for. some reason the spot shows up so you can. make it you know a game where I go to 10. balls you go to five or six or something. right and then actually in time you'll. start to see it it's pretty fair you. know if the game's right so. where you can see a big ups and downs. tosses and turns you know it's just not. as exciting to watch no no I mean you. got to get into it you know it's it's. not as fast right but most people to get. into it they love it there's no doubt.

about that oh I get it I mean it's a. very intricate game but as far as like. getting people to tune into it you don't. have a chance in hell oh no chance zero. chance no chance even though. in the pool World which is pretty vast. you know that. it's the biggest watch streams really. yeah like the head up matches you know. there might be a nine ball that comes. along every now and again. but for the most part because the one. pocket people spend you know they got.

money those are the gamblers you know. what I mean yeah yeah it's weird that. that's the big gambling game yeah well. that's the only reason is again because. you can take you can match levels yeah. yeah yeah there's so many ways to match. up you know I mean. I've played games you know I played a. guy in St Louis one time 55 to eight or. nine I think it was wow so I had to spot. my first whatever 40 ball 42 balls or. something like that yeah yeah yeah now. that's a little extreme spot yeah yeah.

we were and you know you got to bet a. little higher because the games don't go. very fast right right but uh I've you. know you know what backgammon is of. course right and you know how they play. with the cube yes okay so we played one. pocket big money with the cube. so say me and you're playing the Cube's. neutral I'll say you break the balls and. say we're playing for a hundred a point. on the cube right and you break the. balls and break bad. and sell out a shot or scratch or. whatever right okay well I can take the. cube and offer to you.

and you either gotta take the cube and. now we're playing for 200 because the. cube always doubles right like. backgammon or you got to pay off that. game for 100 and we start a new one. whoa you see like the badgaming right. now this is the advantage. if I offer to you the cube and you. accept it now you're in control of the. cube so if you turn things around later. in the game to where it's your advantage. you're the only one that can offer the. cube back so now you offer it back to me. and I say I either got to pay off the.

200 that we're playing for now or now. it's worth 400. uh you see and but now. I'm in control of the cube because I. accepted it uh. uh that's a great way to play oh that's. exciting oh yeah and you can do that. almost any gambling you can do it on the. golf course like you like your guy hits. right and before you hit say he hits it. in a rough. I can say all right we're playing for. 100 a hole I'm offering you the cube you. want to take the cube and play for 200. this hole before you see me hit or you.

want to pay off the hundred Wow. have you done this. well backgammon's the most uh popular. place the Cube's kind of known for you. know what I mean gambling because it's a. it's a numbers game so you read your. numbers right your position you say I. like my position I'm going to say offer. you the cube. great way to gamble by the way. especially if you're there for a while. like you're playing a guy all the time.

that's interesting yeah but you can't do. that with nine ball really but you could. do it with one pocket because the one. pocket it's a vast game it might take an. hour right you know yeah that makes. sense yeah but still nine ball is the. most fun thing to watch well especially. these days it's off the charts I have. too much add for one Puck but you know. how many times I've heard that before. yeah from all people that were telling. you the truth and then they end up. becoming a great one-pocket player are. you talking about like Pro 9 ball. players it may be you know the diagnosis.

for your for your add I don't have that. kind of time no I barely have time to. play a few hours a week you know which. is frustrating because like right when I. get warmed up then I gotta stop yeah I. gotta go somewhere because we were. talking about this it's so nuts like. what's required to play really good pool. but it's really eight hours a day we. both kind of agreed on that right oh I'm. you know I used to gamble and then I'd. play between right but when I decided to. go ahead and just I moved to. Jacksonville Florida. and uh I didn't know anyone wasn't a. real gambling place had some action but.

I just said all right I'm just gonna. practice I'm gonna forget about the. gambling we'll see how I can do on this. tour this 98 into 98. once I started. doing the eight hours a day. I went from like 24th to First on tour. wow ended up fourth on tour for that. year uh Erwin to win the Tour that year. but uh but then got back to first uh. another 10 or months later a year later. and hovered around the top ten for 10 or. 12 years mainly just because of that.

practicing I could tell the difference. between me and the next guy yeah 100 and. when you're practicing you're practicing. with purpose right you're practicing oh. you're not just throwing balls around. you're setting things up oh yeah and the. main thing to me and this this will make. you practice well is if you just put. yourself in a tournament setting. you know like take your time go look at. your position you know what I'm saying. like you don't slow play or anything. just what you would normally do right. you know most guys want to just swing. the queue a little bit and then when. they get to the tournament all of a.

sudden slow down and that's a hard thing. to do all of a sudden yeah yeah better. off just go ahead and play Speedy around. the table like you've been doing you. know that's the same thing with fighting. no I'm sure yeah you you want to really. practice the same way that you perform. you know you don't want to spar hard all. the time but you you definitely don't. want to try to switch up what you do in. the intense competition oh absolutely I. mean you know Skyler Woodward huge huge. talent I mean I think he really could be.

number one player in the world yeah we. were just talking about him yeah just a. real Keen mind and one thing I tell him. I don't need a thousand balls a day you. need 300 quality balls a day you know. that's a huge difference and right I. think he's doing that a little more and. it's uh it's shown yeah it's it requires. so much of you it's tough it requires so. much you have to be a full-on addict. you know and that's those are the guys. who succeed in this Wild game. but everyone is attracted to it like the.

idea of being a good pool player is very. attractive to people oh yeah yeah once. you start to see that ball move but well. everyone's played it right that's why. everyone's player they realize oh yeah. we we went out and had a beer and played. one game over an hour and a half you. know or a couple you know we had four. drinks and we played one game you know. just because it's so difficult so. but it's it's one of those things that. if you like a person like yourself like. literally made a living running around.

gambling doing it like what percentage. of the population has ever done that for. years and years yeah very slim my last. regular job I was 19. a lot of people uh they they most people. laugh some are not that happy about that. so they've been working you know pretty. hard which hey it takes a lot of hard. work though it's not easy well it it 100. takes a lot of hard work but how did you. transition from doing that to being able. to do uh such good commentary because.

one of the things that I really enjoy. about your commentary is you explained. all the different things that's. happening to the ball you explain what. could cause problems and then a lot of. times those problems occur and go yeah. you know that's a common mistake yes. how did you develop the ability to. articulate all these thoughts so. smoothly uh I think uh man I grew up. loving commentators you know whenever I. was a kid. you knew all the commentators because.

there wasn't cable television and all. the games weren't on 38 different. channels and you know so you kind of. learned to know that Cosell was coming. on Monday and Frank Gifford and all. those guys right so those I really like. those moments and uh. and then I was always a sports guy just. I've always been able to pick apart the. smaller things in the games. you know I was a really good baseball. player believe it or not I was a really. good tennis player you know look I used. to be like 260 in High School playing. tennis you know yeah but I knew how to.

take advantage of all the smart sides of. the game you know so I could pick apart. you know if I did it this way he's most. likely going to hit the ball back that. way you know I learned all the little. things that would help out a slow fat. guy right right so. um and I did the same in baseball just. was really good at the things I could do. really well and and uh. I think you just learn more that way and. and then pool I was super Lucky Joe I. mean I mean I was around the Buddy Halls. Jersey Reds never had a problem with it. Nick Varner or any of those guys uh.

helping me and then I played Efren all. the time you know so learning the game I. learned it a lot and uh but as far as. the speaking side I never thought twice. about it too much. kind of do it. you know like but it's it's that you can. articulate all the problems that can. occur yeah well I mean I've been. teaching the last eight years that helps. a little bit. um but I just always been one to be able. to see the table like right after the. break I can see a lot I can just. visualize a lot. um recognize a problem pretty easily.

and then I pay attention to where and. understand it's probably the same thing. in your your field to where the mistakes. are common if you see if you see them. coming you know what I'm saying like you. know from one player or the next whether. it be the position they played the. stroke they made you know what I mean. tip position it doesn't matter they're. pretty common mistakes throughout the. players you just got to be able to. recognize them one of the things that I. really love about the game is that are. these two sides of it there are there is. the quiet tournament play with the.

Applause after a great run out and then. there's the pool hall which is so. different the where people learn how to. play pool and where people gamble. playing pool and then where they get. really good then all of a sudden they're. doing some totally different thing now. now you're playing this very. professional tournament where you're. wearing slacks and nice shoes and a golf. shirt and oh yeah it's fascinating that. there's just two different worlds yeah. and they that's where the smarts come in. you kind of learn to live in both right.

yeah when and. when you were coming up was it more. colorful than it is now do you think. that like because there's so many more. professionals now and they're so good. yeah and I think at times they're. they're trained to be a little more. machine-like you know what I mean like. uh you can't lose this Focus you can you. know and where I I watch some older. tapes and I see some of the guy you know. I look at Efren for instance man you can. tell he's nervous but he's enjoying it. you know he was really a sportsman out.

there and I think that's the one thing. we're missing a little bit of not the. playing side of things and of course the. guy's personalities exactly you know and. and uh the good thing is they're getting. a little more in front of the camera now. so I think it's starting to come out. yeah but it's just like you can't fake. someone being a nut like you can't fake. a Keith McCready type or even Earl. Strickland type character like that's. just what they are exactly yeah you. can't just come up with lines trying to. it's just them you know like you know if.

you ever hung out with Earl which I'm. sure you have and yeah if he starts to. tell you about stories of how we should. be playing and where we should be at. it's it's some of the greatest. experience you'll ever have because he's. so genuine about it like he really truly. believes we're supposed to be you know. on the biggest stages yeah well his. commentary is awesome too I love when he. reviews matches it just does all by. himself review it you can learn a lot. from the way he moves the ball around oh. yeah like it's it's very interesting.

just to hear the thought process behind. it do you what do you have a part of the. game that you like more do you like the. pool hall gambling part more or the. tournament more. that's hard they but if like one of the. things about pools we got to clean up. pool and stop gambling you hear that all. the time and uh my thought is always. like no you don't like what are you. doing oh no I mean I think society today. is fine with it. um you know of course you don't want. like real bad bad things happening or.

anything like that and I I haven't seen. that like my career people ask me. you know a few times I was a little. sketched about this or that but I mean. you know for the most part. I mean it's just as easy as normal. normal living over overall you know you. never got in a situation where you oh I. wouldn't say that but um how many. situations did you get in where they. were like real well give me one that's. touch and go uh well you know I think I. told you you know just being safe I'd. leave the pool room and and not what the. people you were gambling with it was the.

people that knew cash was around they. weren't necessarily pool players or. anything like that yeah and so you'd. leave the pool room and you'd drive. around 20 30 minutes if you're in a you. know Charleston South Carolina or. somewhere you know before you went back. but just to make sure no one's following. you yeah yeah I was real lucky you know. knock on wood I was never robbed uh in. any former fashion a few times I I got. warned maybe something you guys were. talking about things so oh yeah one time. in LA I was.

not to go on too deep something I'll. tell you later but uh you know there was. kind of like some mobster guys that were. kind of. uh kind of take an aim on me and a. friend of mine we'd want a bunch of. money around there like a hundred. thousand and uh yeah they were trying to. get it so we got out of there pretty. quick. yeah and I was very fortunate that. actually one of the guys I beat out of. probably half the money is the one that. told me. really yeah we had become friends and. whatnot and uh and uh he just came into. me one day and he kind of laid it on the. line a little bit for me and yeah.

so time to get out of Dodge yeah yeah. even though you know he was still. wanting to have a stab at his money of. course but you know we continued that. later on well that's nice of him to do. oh heck yeah well we like Comics have. favorite places to perform you know like. uh Texas was always one of my favorite. places to perform before I moved here. is that the case with pool two it's like. there's this like hot spot areas oh. absolutely what causes these you know is. it just like one great pool room and.

people sometimes yeah some usually a. steak horses really yeah I mean even you. know you have some guys like I used to. always bet my own money you know like my. whole life. um after my first divorce my only. divorce actually but uh after my divorce. I kind of went on till a little bit you. know yeah you know how it goes it went. on till it went on the road I think I. told you about that the other night. first time in forever I did that and uh. so you know and of late when you gamble.

it's more like you play one big set for. twenty thousand you don't start off like. we used to do it three four hundred a. game and you try to play for a while you. know so. um but yeah steak horses have a big part. to do with it good pool rooms. having a big part to do with it and then. something that you just kind of know. like the Derby City Classic right right. you know there's 10 days of action the. whole time 24 7. someone needs to do a. documentary about that yeah they've done. had a few people the last few years you. know 60 Minutes was there for a little. while I mean like a real I know yeah.

like Justin and I talked about that like. that is one of the wildest places on. Earth where for how many days is it it's. like 10 days right in the middle of. winter 10 days in the middle of winter. and where are they doing it now it's at. uh uh it's in Elizabeth. it's right outside of Louisville right. across the river in Indiana. Elizabethtown is Indiana uh it's at. Caesars the casino. and it's 10 days yes 10 days 10 days of.

all the pool players from all over the. country in the world oh yeah coming in. and just going crazy yeah well they have. the tournaments of course yeah right you. got the main tournaments the three main. ones then you got some smaller ones you. got the all-around but then the action. yeah like you know some of the big poker. players come out there playing 40 50 000. a game yeah. yeah. yeah them guys you know they like their. actions that's the one wild agreement. every year that everyone's gonna go to.

this world yeah and it's been going like. 20 something years now you know since. like 99 or 98 it's been going strong. yeah someone's got to do a documentary. on that yeah the Derby City Classics got. a lot of memories because I think you. know we've always talked about like a. thing that could reignite pool like the. color of money did it in the 80s when. that movie came out pool halls opened up. all over the country everybody wanted to. play pool and I feel like there's. something like that that could be done. today. that would really ignite people's.

excitement in pool again I always. thought of sitcom with the right script. you know like a real script it might be. a good documentary yeah documentary good. documentary The Derby City might do it. yeah well they've had some people I. think Alex lately you know him right. that he was the European coach yeah. um I think he did some stuff over there. last year and he did some at Buffalo's. trying to put something Netflix maybe or. I don't know oh really I someone. mentioned that so. um but yeah he's interested in doing all.

that if it's done right. you know you go to the right places and. meet the right people and see the right. things yeah and give people a window. into something that they didn't even. know existed yeah well one of those. genius you know directors that can give. it the right look you know what I mean. yeah yeah that's what her I think. Scorsese did real well oh yeah with the. Color of Money the scene where Tom. Cruise and Keith McCready are talking. [ __ ] to each other and playing in the. pool hall that's a [ __ ] classic scene. yeah there's a bunch of them in there. though yeah oh a bunch of classic scenes.

but that kind of atmosphere that kind of. place like that's Derby City. yeah and some of the best players in the. world yeah and they're scrambling around. like I mean because you want to get a. bet you know what I mean there's like 50. tables in this place this might be going. on over there you got to scramble down. here to go because there's guys there. just to gamble you know right I mean. don't don't even bring their cues. they're just betting on the side. are they just trying to find a side they.

like and then but they're bankroll you. know like let's get the quick double up. one time what's the legality of that. uh well you know for a few years it. seemed like about the fifth sixth day. there's start to be some guys coming. around oh y'all ain't supposed to be. gambling. but it seems like the last couple years. there hasn't no one's ever got in. trouble. it's just kind of like all right now we. gotta not talk about it for but we're. talking about it on a podcast that. millions of people are going to hear I. know but just in front of these guys. with the suits they can't talk about it.

for about a you know maybe an hour or. two before they leave or you know what I. mean like they're just roaming around so. um but the last couple years I haven't. had heard of any problems at all so. I just love that a place like that. exists well they gotta realize okay I. can understand that they got a casino. and they'd rather you gambling in the. casino but that tournament still brings. a ton of Casino action for them oh my. God through the roof for sure all these. gambling junkies unbelievable yeah your.

story about losing all the money. instantaneously 100 yeah yeah a lot a. lot of people over there. have gotten beat out of 10 you know next. next day they can't play the same game. because the guy went blue the 10 in the. casino I heard a story about Alex page. line winning a tournament and then. flipping a coin for the for the winnings. and losing I don't know I watched him. flip one for 10 at Griff's yeah yeah he. lost that one yeah. now that's an adrenaline rush I've never.

bet 10 I bet five on a on a coin have. you really oh yeah oh my god did you win. oh yeah did you keep going no and the. guy never looked at the coin the guy was. gambling with in Houston what yeah the. Derby City Classic yes yes this is a 60. Minutes piece that was just posted yeah. interesting wow. oh right this is where Shane talks about. look at that no smoking no gambling but. this is in this he talks right who what. is the big guy that was shooting right.

there right there no who's that that's. genre blonde uh the poker player oh. he's uh he's one pocket like nut yeah. yeah big action guy. yeah yeah. in that I saw an interview with him I. didn't see this but I saw an interview. with him where they talk about how he. doesn't Gamble. yeah well you know he plays those. matches that are of course being bet on. and you know he makes money from that. but I mean he's not going to go around. trying to trying to you know pick on a.

game or anything like that yeah when. your five-time U.S Open winner like yeah. good luck. well I mean you give up the wrong game. yeah that's the thing yeah yeah crazy. spot yeah I'd bet on you against him but. you know let me make the game but yeah. exactly right but he you know directed. that energy towards trying to be the. best in the world and yeah you know it's. paid off pretty well for him yeah it's. it's uh it's always to me fascinating to. watch a person who rises above all like.

what are they doing different like. what's going on how are they doing this. so much better than everybody else. and you know with him it's just the. obsessive practice and just this [ __ ]. Focus that he has yeah that's the one. that you know I think any of us can. practice and at times I feel like his. practice could uh be better and I don't. mean it unfairly meaning like get a. little more out of it sometimes like. I've seen him [ __ ] suits there sit there. and shoot a 900 mile an hour jacked up.

stop shot for hours. that's going to come up like once every. right here it does I know I know I know. there's a lot to get back on but the. thing that I was getting at is he's just. a unique individual with the focus like. when he gets those crazy eyes when those. eyes the oxygen starts making them oh my. God I'm like all right we're home we're. good. because if the balls lay tough no one's. beating them you know if both players. get a tough layout no one's beating them.

so when you are the coach of the Moscone. cup is he the guy that you're like most. happy he's in the clinch. yeah I mean I was talking about earlier. uh last night with my buddies the ones. you met uh and uh you know the best. thing for me come to Moscone as far as. the decision is hill hill and do I got. to pick Skyler or Shane to to play that. hill hill match you know pretty good. decision yeah it's just because you know. you got to say Shane's the the probably. the pick most the time.

but I mean Skyler's one of those that. may prove you different that week you. know what I mean maybe like a no-brainer. you know so. um and the mosconi cup is fascinating. because it's it's they openly encourage. cheering like is that what you call it. why um let's hear this hear the volume. on this Ward pressure packages. oh that was one yeah yeah that's 2018. when we won after losing eight years in.

a row. but so these I don't think the crowds. like how are they so much different for. the Moscone cup than anywhere else and. they were singing and dancing yeah. they're you know USA versus Europe oh. yeah it's big you know they're I mean. all those countries they're big on that. I mean soccer fans I mean it's just. freaking crazy. is that is that better would that make. it more exciting for people cheered in. between shots but didn't do it at all.

while the guy's down on the ball like if. because it seems like they're good at. that well they somewhat get almost. settled you know occasionally you still. have something peep out yeah you're. settle down yeah settle down to the. referee well you're called the first. place it was a small venue only 600 is. when I started now that one had like 3. 000 I think right on top of you you know. what I mean right on top of you you can. feel everyone's energy but your call. they used to have like laser pointers. the crowd did and they'd point at the. nine ball while we're shooting them I.

mean they were ruthless yeah because. they had two sessions a noon and a six. so they start drinking about 11 30 well. by the time the six o'clock come there. were fights every time I mean it was. unbelievable yeah I mean but amongst. friends that came together you know what. I mean like those English are but it's. so much different than any other pool. tournament and one of one of the things. I was thinking was Jamie and I Jamie. showed me that golf tournament where. they play in front of a giant audience. in Phoenix you mean yeah yeah like.

that's amazing yeah like that's what a. great idea where everybody's cheering. and screaming oh yeah and maybe that's a. thing that like with the mosconi cup. if you had a high stakes game like that. where people in the audience reacted. like that oh yeah maybe that would get. more people engaged well I think that. but the thing with the long ones man. they just play too long races erased a. hundred I mean come on let's let's cut. it up and do three out of five races to. like nine or something you know.

something that's going to keep your. attraction many people want to watch it. yeah and you know the big nine ball. tournaments now uh you know the ones. I've been traveling for and working the. fans are getting like the Moscone every. time they're getting closer and closer. really yeah real smart fans real. energetic I mean going crazy singing in. between games oh yeah it's getting. better yeah interesting yeah so is that. encouraged heck yeah we want yeah yeah. yeah so you want people to be more. engaged because it was always very quiet.

well the thing is the players are. loosening up a little more so you know. the fans are going to follow what the. players do they want to engage with the. players right so like at the Moscone you. see Jason Shaw getting them going and. whatnot you know and we get them going. as well and uh that's starting to happen. a little more on the regular tour now to. where the the players are starting to. engage with the fans more interesting. yeah. well that might be a thing that helps a. lot but it is nice to see all the. streaming and match room and the the. Predator series and all these different.

things that are happening I have so much. pool right so much pool it's all over. the place and there's some dollars out. now I mean is it you know yeah and even. like the regional ones right. like Texas open it's not considered a. pro pro on the calendar tournament but. you know it's pro quality right the. great players but I mean this event has. gone from 15 000 added maybe 20 to like. almost 50 now with all that yeah I mean. everything's going up that's good yeah. makes great for the game heck yeah uh.

yeah I'm always trying to encourage more. people to play it I just wanted to be. more popular yeah well you fall serious. into it pretty quick once you get down. on the ball it becomes I can tell it. comes pretty serious I just don't have. enough time if I had more time I could. play better yeah just I just and I work. out too much and lifting weights is. literally the enemy of pool because it's. just your arm is not communicating with. like fine motor skills that well okay. you know it's just like it stiffens.

everything up so it takes hours for me. to get loosened up a couple times I got. broke I'm not broke but I lost one I. shouldn't have I went bowling and I. didn't Bowl very hardly ever so I went. bowling the night before I ended up. playing the next day right it's just. like three four games of bowling a. little 16 pound ball ain't that's. nothing to it but I couldn't draw my cue. ball the next day this little right here. this little muscle right here the one on. top oh it wouldn't it wouldn't keep. going it would like kind of swing and.

quit. it was unbelievable and the same thing. with darts believe it or not if you like. you play darts for like a bunch of yeah. exactly yeah you just make sense it just. messes up that little sensation you want. you know so. yeah I always found the worst was curls. when you did curls I don't kill yourself. yeah you're just like I don't feel just. nothing just numb and stupid yeah well. Willie hoppy apparently wouldn't even. drive his car when he had to play I'm.

really happy I wish I would have met him. the one say he was a he was a character. of course all the old guys were oh it. had to be yeah yeah fats was like uh. everyone loved him we read a statistic. once that at the turn of the century New. York had something like 900 pool halls. wow see if that's true in 1900 I think. in the 1900s New York had some absurd. number of pool halls wow because it was. Houston had a ton of them whenever I. played 900 sounds nuts no you talking. about the state in New York State no no.

City in the city of New York wow that. might not be true yeah because I think. Houston had one of the most back in like. the 90s and they had this was in like. the 1900s yeah yeah I see what you're. saying this is like the early 1900s yeah. well Houston was so great because it was. like going on the road yourself everyone. had every pool room had their own little. Champion everybody yeah their own little. like uh you know pool pool nut guys you. know pool groupie kind of guys you know. you know like and uh so you could go.

from pool hall to pool. and really uh just Play Play Your Heart. Out do you miss those days. absolutely yeah because I see it in your. eyes when you talk about your eyes. twinkle yeah okay look at this okay I'm. wrong. 117. that's still incredible what I. think was 900 because I exaggerated. everything the game was legalized in. 1904 by 1935 there was a 117 pool halls. in the city that is pretty nuts though. still well it's amazing because it's. during prohibition that you know.

117 points well you know they end up. taking them out right and that one thing. that happened during prohibition I think. is anything to do with any kind of. gaming that promoted in some areas I. think New York was one of them yeah. jukeboxes end up going away that's. interesting pool tables end up going. away until the end of prohibition the. number of licensed pool halls has grown. to 169 from 140 oh in Los Angeles where. alcohol and food are permitted the. number of license pools pool halls has. grown from 169 to from uh 140 five years.

ago the city clerks so they had 169 pool. halls at what time this is the 1987. really right after the color of money. right after the color of money that. makes sense yeah. wow in the last two years uh Manhattan. has two pools struggle to survive wow. membership in the Iowa city-based. billiard Congress of America okay that's. what it was okay um yeah they're. interesting those pool rooms everywhere. and you know like right after the movie.

Just A oh look at the newer movies. caused a maxi Resurgence in the game. wow. yeah I mean I remember watching it being. fascinated that was before I was really. playing going wow yeah I didn't watch it. and then play I actually was that was 86. I think it came out I think so yeah 86. I started in 88. so I played about three. or four months before I got turned on. that movie and I was like oh okay which.

on Paul Newman's my favorite anyways. yeah my favorite actor so well that was. his first Oscar you know that executive. Billiards uh where I used to play they. had a a VHS player and they played the. Hustler all the time all the time to the. point where like everybody in the pool. hall could like say the words they knew. it they knew every line when everything. great movie was a sad story though so. how unbelievable it was a [ __ ] bummer. man yeah they made some bummer movies. back then yeah well big parts of it was.

be so sad it had you know it had great. highs right but I mean like when he's. beating fats but then you just know. what's coming and that's just from there. about the next hour of the movies like. tear jerker yeah. um another thing that was amazing about. that movie is how good Jackie Gleason. played oh yeah Jackie Gleason could. really play oh yeah watching the. difference between watching a guy like. Tom Cruise or watching a guy like Paul. Newman Tom Cruise was better than Paul. Newman but Jackie Gleason looked like a. real player yeah it wasn't painful to.

watch no not at all no it wasn't like. lifting the queue up with every shot. like there's some scenes with Newman you. gotta reshoot that don't do that don't. lift the queue up as you're shooting. that's ridiculous yeah when he's. breaking the balls and that one scene I. think it comes up but well he shot a. ball like with following like lifted the. cube up at the same time stay down stay. down yeah great actor though but but all. his shots were kind of like trick shots. yeah a little more you know they looked. okay yeah yeah it looked okay it wasn't. offensive you know no no no but Jackie.

Gleason looked like a player along the. way he would stroke the ball like wow. and you could see him making break shots. like you see his whole body yeah moving. the cable yeah well they say he was a uh. a rack boy I think at one time as a kid. and then just was a real character like. a pool hall kind of guy so makes sense. yeah yeah yeah for sure all his all his. roles he kind of played not later in his. years but you know The Honeymooners and. whatnot seemed like the kind of guy that.

could fit in the pool hall pretty well. yeah yeah kind of again a lot of. Charisma it's just interesting that that. one movie which was like this massive. movie where he plays a serious character. and it's not funny at all like you would. never even imagine that that's the same. guy from The Honeymooners I know you. know yeah because he hardly ever Smiles. the entire movie in the Hustler I don't. know if he ever did nope he's just a. no-nonsense killer yeah what was the uh. yeah he's one of my favorite actors too. the guy that played his steak horse oh.

yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. I'll think of it in a second God damn it. oh no it's on the tip of my time Dorsey. Scott that's right my brother would be. hot at me if I didn't remember that name. yeah yeah oh my God he was phenomenal he. was great hyper Laurie she was. phenomenal yeah it's an amazing movie. it's it holds up too it's one of those. movies that really holds up you go back. and watch it and you go man and then the. style of film they did back there was. more quiet there wasn't music playing in. every moment that told you how to think. you know the the movie played itself out.

yeah well the scenes the setting yeah. told you a ton about what was going on. you know like in the pool hall names I. guess it was because it Ames yeah James. Mister yeah exactly and yeah it didn't. take a whole lot of words to get the. feeling of what you know everyone was. about in the movie so yeah which I. thought they did pretty well at that in. the color money as well yeah you know. what I'm saying for the most part yeah. for the most part yeah because you could. say not many had a lot of lines besides. Tom you know Mary Elizabeth Master.

Antonio I think is who it was in Paul. Newman everyone else was just bits and. pieces so but it did capture the feeling. that you get from that I wonder how many. people like became pool Hustlers after. the Hustler how many people saw that. movie because back then they didn't have. very many movies oh no those were two of. the big those were two of the biggest. yeah yeah I wonder how many people that. probably caused a Resurgence in 63 as. well I would I would say so yeah 100. yeah I think it did pretty well overall.

it was a huge movie yeah did It win. anything. who gives a [ __ ] about that you know. like I was saying I think. I think the color of money is actually. Paul Newman's first Oscar win really. yeah he got he got uh nominated a few. times but never actually won it uh at. least I checked the Hustler first right. yeah uh best cinematography best art. Direction Best Actress best picture wow. this adapted screenplay wow won.

everything yeah Jesus holy [ __ ] yeah I. wonder who won best actor that year. besides Paul Newman yeah I think that. was the thing about the color of money. like they had to give it to him because. he hadn't won it yet yeah maybe he was. good in it though oh he's phenomenal. yeah he was really good it's a great. movie John turtura is one of my. favorites too anyway so yeah but I just. love movies that you know it's not. offensive it like really does capture. what it's like in in these places yeah. yeah I mean I you know let me correct. that it was nominated for most of those.

I just said oh which ones did It win one. art Direction cinematography oh damn it. it's still a little bit of what we. talked about though yeah for the most. part exactly yeah art Direction. cinematography were so important in that. movie that that place aims if that. doesn't exist someone needs to build it. I think it did it exists I think it did. not anymore but uh probably they filmed. in a pool hall they wouldn't set up a. new pool hall no I think it did in fact. maybe it's in another book or another. some something to do with pool I think.

is and then it's quoted from that movie. so what was the name of the original. place do you know what was it really. called makers and names yeah two two. places that were defunct it says. yeah they were defunct before yes and. most of the action was filmed at two oh. now the funk pool hall so I guess I. don't know whenever they're writing now. if it was the time they're writing it or. the time that they were shooting it. academies where they shot it yeah um I. think those are real places that's color. money or the Hustler a hustler yeah. interesting.

yeah yeah now I think now the one that. the one that I didn't like in the color. of money is whenever the the two men and. a stranger kind of remember that that. didn't that doesn't really happen you're. trying to get someone in real trouble. with something like that yeah but uh but. a lot of that other stuff though yeah I. mean you know. kind of like I said earlier with shamat. you know I wasn't like not I just kind. of wanted to see him play right because. I knew it wasn't going to end up for. 200. even if we didn't play that was. just going to be it you know what I mean.

but it wasn't gonna be any real action. for 200 so let me just kind of evaluate. him yeah and that you can kind of see. that in the color of money when he's. kind of he's figuring out the right way. to do it how Paul's teaching them and. he's you know handing over small Bank. rolls but then getting bigger bankrolls. in return. you know when he wins you know what I. mean so so that that kind of stuff. happened a lot actually I love the. Forest Whitaker scene oh yeah Forest can. I ask you a question yeah do you think I. should lose weight. that was a big dig though.

Big Dig. but another good one for us Whitaker but. he actually looked like he had a little. stroke yeah yeah a little something yeah. yeah he could play a little yeah yeah. there's quite a few out there that that. like the game well didn't Mike Siegel. coach them oh I wouldn't doubt that I. know he coached Paul um uh Tom Cruise. yeah. uh there were a few of them around the. guy I worked with last night yeah you're. right I'm looking at right now oh yeah. yeah Larry Schwartz a guy from Chicago. you may have heard of him he worked on. that and it was in that movie as well.

worked I did commentary with him last. night as a matter of fact. well my my big fear is that the game. will somehow under the slide away it. doesn't seem like that I was worried. about that for a while yeah but it. doesn't seem like that's happening. anymore now there's a international. Resurgence yeah well the amateur side. League pool you know there's so many. right and the consumer Market's so good. right now. um I think it's just going to go up and. up yeah I hope so I think so too and uh. maybe a solid documentary in the Derby.

City or something we've talked about. doing stuff in here but having challenge. matches in here and streaming them and I. would do commentary oh yeah so that's. still on the table yeah there you go I. just have to find some time yeah well. you know a commentator I do I know the. best he's right here as long as it's. pool yeah pool baseball I could do a. little baseball mate maybe a little golf. that's about a pool you're the man yeah. uh well thank you Jeremy thanks for. being here I appreciate it it was a lot. of fun absolutely all right let's go. play some pool bye everybody.

[Music]. okay.