March 7-8 Sidepocket Billiards in Shreveport hosted their annual Open 9-ball Championship. I decided to go over there to watch, but not play in the tournament as I haven't played in a tournament in quite a while. So my friend and I drove over there the day before the tournament started so he could get a feel for the tables and see who was there. I was also interested in seeing which pro players might show up. Johnny Archer had come to the previous tournament (and won it) back in October, I believe. Skyler Woodward was there along with a few other names I've heard in big tournaments.
We walked in and it was like somebody had set a big pile of wet leaves on fire. The smoke was BAD.
Now I don't mind a little smoke, hey, if you choose to smoke, that's your business, but when it's so thick that I can barely see across the room, that's too much for me. 5 minutes in there and I felt like I was at risk for lung cancer.
I think it's pretty clear with all the research done that smoking is bad for you and second hand smoke equally bad if not worse. Many of establishments I've been to over the years allowed smoking, but NONE as bad as this place. I will not go back there. Ever.
It was disappointing too, because it's a fine establishment. Good size place, lots of tables (mainly bar tables and two 9-footers), great food, etc. But the smoke...
Many places now don't allow smoking, which I feel is a good thing. I know some smokers that don't even like all the smoke. It gets in your clothes, hair, hell, I even smelled the smoke on my leather belt...days after I left.
I feel it would just be better for pool in general if places did not allow smoking inside. Smoky pool rooms just add to the negativity that pool has accumulated over the years. Time to fix that and get more people interested in shooting some pool.
