Class vs. No Class

The thread about the One Pocket Dilemma made me think of this subject which we have probably talked about some in the past but which would support more discussion and stories. Have you ever noticed how some pool players are class acts to the very end and others are just the opposite? I remember once at DCC when midnight struck and the vampires and ghouls came out in force, there stood our own Billy Incardonna with a pillow, yes a pillow, full of obvious cash. A player from Nashville, I think, who was there with his wife and son started wolfing on Billy for a bank game. For this player, I’m sure he was hoping that a bank game with Billy would turn out to be a BANK game because Billy had the Bank with him. This obviously was not Billy's first choice of entertainment that night so he good naturedly put him off several times. The guy persisted and persisted trying to get a session with Billy for I think it was $5000. Eventually Billy said OK and accepted the game. One problem--the challenger didn't have the money to post. He asked for time to raise it. Billy graciously acquiesced. After some time they met in the room where they were going to play but the guy still didn't have the money to post. He tried everything to get Billy to play anyway but, really, would anyone do that without posting from a demonstrated broke? I said that--not Billy. Then the guy says that he will give Billy $500 to hold until the next night when he would return with $4,500 and they would play for it. If he did not return with the post money, Billy could keep the $500. Billy told him to keep the $500 but come back tomorrow if he wanted to and they would play. Now, that's class.

In contrast, it is much easier to find examples of ‘no class’ in the poolroom. I’ll give one or two here and I would like to hear your examples of both class and no class in our sport. How about the guy that won’t give you the victory of winning even though you beat him fair and square. He has to tell everybody that he wasn’t playing very well or that you were lucky. Better yet, he wasn’t really interested enough to win. There are countless examples of this. Let’s hear some.

There are a couple of guys that owe me money in the pool hall. And they go about their business as if it never happened. I never ask. I figure if they can live with themselves like that then good riddance. Once when one of them asked if I like to play I brought up that he still was in owesy's to me. He said "Really I dont remember. Why didnt you tell me.". I was like dumbfounded. If I ever owe money I go out of my way to pay. I have to tell you you owe me money? F you. Dont put me in that position.
How about I have it out with your wife and forgot she is married? Money is important to my family. If you mess with that youre messing with my family.

But the biggest thing that bugs me is when guys whine and moan about the equipment, about the weather, about how unlucky they are, that I get all the rolls, this and that. Especially if they are winning. Thats no class.

I love all those guys ya'll are talking about. They're looking for an excuse to lose.
Rod.
P.S. Keoneyo, I asked a guy (not a mooch) for my money, he said "you don't need it do you" I said no but "you need to pay it"

St Louie Louie asked if I had any money, I said I've got every pocket full.
He said I need two hundred to play (whoever) I said no! He said how about one hundred? I said no! He said can I borrow fifty. I said no! He said "you're pretty seasoned around the pool scene,aren't ya."

keoneyo said:

There are a couple of guys that owe me money in the pool hall. And they go about their business as if it never happened. I never ask. I figure if they can live with themselves like that then good riddance. Once when one of them asked if I like to play I brought up that he still was in owesy's to me. He said "Really I dont remember. Why didnt you tell me.". I was like dumbfounded. If I ever owe money I go out of my way to pay. I have to tell you you owe me money? F you. Dont put me in that position.
How about I have it out with your wife and forgot she is married? Money is important to my family. If you mess with that youre messing with my family.

But the biggest thing that bugs me is when guys whine and moan about the equipment, about the weather, about how unlucky they are, that I get all the rolls, this and that. Especially if they are winning. Thats no class.

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Now this is exactly what I'm talking about.

androd said:

I love all those guys ya'll are talking about. They're looking for an excuse to lose.
Rod.
P.S. Keoneyo, I asked a guy (not a mooch) for my money, he said "you don't need it do you" I said no but "you need to pay it"

St Louie Louie asked if I had any money, I said I've got every pocket full.
He said I need two hundred to play (whoever) I said no! He said how about one hundred? I said no! He said can I borrow fifty. I said no! He said "you're pretty seasoned around the pool scene,aren't ya."

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I was going with this girl once. Yes, I actually had a life at one time. One day she said to me, "How you doing for money?" I said, "You aught to know, you've got all of it."

xxxxx

keoneyo said:

There are a couple of guys that owe me money in the pool hall. And they go about their business as if it never happened. I never ask. I figure if they can live with themselves like that then good riddance. Once when one of them asked if I like to play I brought up that he still was in owesy's to me. He said "Really I dont remember. Why didnt you tell me.". I was like dumbfounded. If I ever owe money I go out of my way to pay. I have to tell you you owe me money? F you. Dont put me in that position.
How about I have it out with your wife and forgot she is married? Money is important to my family. If you mess with that youre messing with my family.

But the biggest thing that bugs me is when guys whine and moan about the equipment, about the weather, about how unlucky they are, that I get all the rolls, this and that. Especially if they are winning. Thats no class.

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I didn't pay you because I thought your game stunk. The table was dirty, the cue ball was old, the lighting wasn't any good and it was hot. You'll get another chance foe me to owe you more soon.:lol:lol

androd said:

I love all those guys ya'll are talking about. They're looking for an excuse to lose.
Rod.
P.S. Keoneyo, I asked a guy (not a mooch) for my money, he said "you don't need it do you" I said no but "you need to pay it"

St Louie Louie asked if I had any money, I said I've got every pocket full.
He said I need two hundred to play (whoever) I said no! He said how about one hundred? I said no! He said can I borrow fifty. I said no! He said "you're pretty seasoned around the pool scene,aren't ya."

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rod i like that story, reminds me of a joke my uncle vinny told to our family at a holiday dinner about 60 years ago. a guy uses the toilet at a public restroom and after he has done his business he notices there aint no toilet paper. he's in a bind, he really needs it. soon another fellow enters the stall next to him. the guy asks politely if there is any extra toilet paper in that stall and is told there wasn't any. a few minutes later he asks if the guy has a newspaper he could use and again the answer is no. finally he asks " do you have 2 fives for a ten?"
i was 8 years old when uncle vinny told that joke and i still laugh when i tell it. keith

I've said this here before, but I have two tournament pet peeves that are related:

When the match ends it should be the loser who immediately offers the handshake. If he doesn't, or if the winner takes the initiative, they are both wrong. (The winner shouldn't be trying to force the loser to shake.)

When the loser offers a handshake to the winner, he should look the winner in the eye and at least try to look sincere. I see way too many of the top players making it obvious that they are shaking hands only because they think they have to, and often turn their heads away even before the cursory grip is released.

The unspoken message should be, "Good shooting, you beat me fair and square... I'll get you next time... [sotto voce] mother fxxxxr" :heh

If nothing else, it's good for the game's image.

Rod, I'm going to have to borrow that line about having money in every pocket.

ulikastr8pool said:

Rod, I'm going to have to borrow that line about having money in every pocket.

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They knew I had money, when I'd say no, they wanted the rest of the story, they wanted to hear, the rents due, I owe someone else, I've got a note to pay. I never gave'em any of that Stuff. I just said NO.
Rod.
P.S. Louie was right, I was pretty seasoned around the pool room.

androd said:

They knew I had money, when I'd say no, they wanted the rest of the story, they wanted to hear, the rents due, I owe someone else, I've got a note to pay. I never gave'em any of that Stuff. I just said NO.
Rod.
P.S. Louie was right, I was pretty seasoned around the pool room.

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Seems kinda cold, however, it's to be respected. I wish I were you I would of saved ..hundreds of thousands..true.

Dr. Bill

wincardona said:

Seems kinda cold, however, it's to be respected. I wish I were you I would of saved ..hundreds of thousands..true.

Dr. Bill

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I had a lot of experience.
Rod.
P.S. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want"

When I was staying in Quincy, IL for a week on business, I met a guy named Jack Cooper who was a former room owner in Hannibal, MO. He had been a backer for Louis Roberts and a good friend of Fatty. He told me that when Fatty had money, he would give anybody who asked a stake. The way he said it was, "He didn't care at all about money."

Class vs. No Class

petie said:

When I was staying in Quincy, IL for a week on business, I met a guy named Jack Cooper who was a former room owner in Hannibal, MO. He had been a backer for Louis Roberts and a good friend of Fatty. He told me that when Fatty had money, he would give anybody who asked a stake. The way he said it was, "He didn't care at all about money."

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Yeah.. The Beard called fatty an "easy bite" I think.

He was sweet man who'd help most everyone.
Rod.
P.S. He was the greatest. Many that didn't know him didn't like him because of the braggadocio.

Class vs. No Class

androd said:

I had a lot of experience.
Rod.
P.S. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want"

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I always loved that saying. Thanks for teaching it

Good & Bad

Good & Bad

androd said:

I had a lot of experience.
Rod.
P.S. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want"

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And…Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of experience comes from bad judgment.

RedCard said:

And…Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of experience comes from bad judgment.

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Yep
Also you get experience right after you needed it.

Class vs. No Class

androd said:

Yep

Also you get experience right after you needed it.

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That's great.