Well its time again for another Issue and I was trying to figure out …from everything that I feel is needed to be said in…and about this “subculture” that we call POOL. I sat up long nights and pondered away hot days trying to weight the most important thing to say to all the readers out there….and since it’s the beginning issues of what is going to be, no doubt, a HUGELY read publication…..I wanted to set an imprint in peoples minds that will stick first and foremost thought the life of Sneaky Pete Magazine. And here it is:
BE HAPPY, PROUD AND CONGRADULATORY FOR THE WINNERS OF EVENTS AND ACTION!!!
Theres a saying…. “To The Victor Goes the Spoils.” Yet this is not so true in pool I’m afraid. In pool….unless you’re a Professional…the majority of the population in the local pool scenes HATE the guy who wins the most. They talk bad behind his back…..they jack up his handicap so hopefully he cant win anymore…even when hes already the HIGHEST handicap in the city….and they even go as far as to BAN HIM FORM TOURNAMENTS AND ESTABLISHMENTS when he wins even through all that effort to stop his success in this game. Not only does this hurt this players LIFE—-its hurts the rest of the pool community because now you have taken away the ability to witness…and play against….a high level player…..who has been handicapped down….so that you have a very good chance to beat him.
I remember an article that Samm Diep wrote called “when Handicaps Handicap” or something to that effect. She talked about how her now husband Mark “Spain” Vidal played in a local tournament at a handicap where if he lost 1 game….he was out of the tournament. He ended up winning the tournament….and people not only complained…..they tried to get him banned from the event. She talked about how he had to play at an amazingly high level and had to have luck on his side at that…and when he won…it was another high level player….who won the event many many times…who was the biggest complainer…and who was trying to have him banned. This same scenario has happened to myself many many times…..and im sure to many other players who have worked so hard to be a good player…and to have their efforts pay off by finally getting to a level that they can win tournaments.
If we don’t give people in this game love and credit for their very high level of play…and the respect they deserve…why would anyone want to be a good player? How many times have you heard someone say “I don’t want to be good! Good players are broke..hated and cant get a game…nor can they play in any of the local events!” and the sad thing is…THEY ARE RIGHT! This rhetoric is TERRIBLE for other people to hear….and its also TERRIBLE FOR IT TO BE TRUE! WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO GET GOOD IF THIS IS WHAT THEY RUN INTO AT THE TOP….before they go PRO that is.. THEN…..EVERYONE IS ON THEIR YOU KNOW WHAT. And at that point…they have sponsors…people who want to let them stay with them and help pay for their life….and then…they don’t need to play in the local events ANYWAYS…..so why would they care at that point anyway if they cant play….or they are at a handicap they cant win?
They don’t. So it doesn’t effect them.
It effects the rest of us. The 99% of people who play pool and who don’t have those luxuries of other people helping them with their lives. So we need to NOT make it harder for these people…..if they can win….to make a living…or at least win, without negative consequences. WE NEED THESE PEOPLE IN THE POOL WORLD. They are the people we should be looking up to in our own communities. We need these people so others have a goal to work twards…TO BE THE BEST THEMSELVES…so THEY can win the money that that other player is winning…to elevate their game so they can reap the rewards that that other player reaps, and to have a goal…”TO BEAT SO AND SO” that motivates them to come spend the time…and the money in their local pool room…to get better. So they can be THAT DUDE (or DUDETTE). 😉
We need to be happy for the winners in the pool world. Give them the credit and respect they deserve. Give them the SPOILS that come along with being the VICTOR. And give people in this subculture….a reason to be the best they can be. Which is…..a very important life lesson to everyone in the world.
TO BE THE BEST THEY CAN BE….because it pays off in the end.
Sincerely,
Jason”Buffalo” Hunt