[@joerogan] Joe Rogan Experience #2371 - Fedor Gorst

Link: https://youtu.be/gT5oTp-3VuI

Short Summary

Here's the requested information based on the provided transcript:

Number One Action Item/Takeaway:

Promote and elevate the sport of pool through increased viewership and participation by casual players.

Executive Summary:

This Joe Rogan Experience episode features a conversation with world-class pool player Fedor Gorst. They discuss the nuances of professional pool, including the mental aspects, equipment variations, and the evolving landscape of the sport due to increased promotion and prize money. The conversation concludes on the need for more promotion of the sport in order to increase its popularity among more casual players.

Key Quotes

Here are five quotes that represent valuable insights or interesting points from the provided transcript:

1. "If you're the best player in the world today, you're the best player of all time." - Joe Rogan, articulating a strong opinion that emphasizes the current level of skill in professional pool compared to past eras, acknowledging advancements in the game's conditions and playing environment.

2. "The game changed. Even though in the last three years, I think the game changed drastically... we changed the breaking formats." - Fodor Gorst, highlighting the rapid evolution of professional pool and the impact of rule changes (like breaking formats) on the sport.

3. "Cool thing about America is that it's a nation of immigrants. It's like you can come over here and just say, "I'm American now." And everybody's like, "All right, try that in Poland." They're like, "You're not Polish. Get the [__] out of here." - Joe Rogan, explaining that in America, unlike many nations with rigid ethnic definitions, embracing the culture and following the rules can lead to acceptance, which facilitates people calling themselves American.

4. "What pool really needs is something like you like they had the hustler in the 1960s made pool explode and then they had the color of money in the 1980s made pool explode. They need something like that like some two days ago trailer on Netflix." - Joe Rogan. The host discusses the need for more representation in Hollywood to explode the fanbase.

5. "When I'm winning more, I'm also getting more lucky." - Fodor Gorst, noting a fascinating phenomenon where success seems to breed further good fortune, hinting at potential psychological or energetic connections influencing outcomes beyond pure skill and chance.

Detailed Summary

Here's a detailed summary of the Joe Rogan podcast excerpt provided, focusing on the key topics and arguments while excluding advertisements:

• Introduction & Guest's Recent Performance:

  • The guest, Fedor Gorst (likely a professional pool player), recently lost in the finals of the US Open and World Championships in Saudi Arabia.
  • He mentions having played four back-to-back events.

• Best Pool Player of All Time Discussion:

  • Joe Rogan argues that if Fedor is the best player in the world today, that makes him the best of all time, given current conditions and the evolution of the game.
  • There's a discussion about Efren Reyes (a legendary Filipino pool player) and his impact on the game, particularly his skill at kicking balls.
  • Fedor mentions a tough three-rail kick shot that he recently made.
  • Filipino players are recognized as masters of the kick shot.

• Evolution of Pool & Current Standards:

  • The conversation shifts to how conditions for pool have changed significantly.
  • Bar tables have larger pockets (5 1/2 inches), while professional tables are 9-foot with much tighter pockets (4 inches).
  • They argue that current pool players are better than ever due to tighter conditions and increased competition.
  • Breaking formats have changed, specifically mentioning the "nine-ball on the spot" rule and the "break box."

• Matchroom's Impact on Pool:

  • Matchroom (a sports promotion company) is credited with elevating the game of pool and creating many more events with World Nineball Tour.
  • Matchroom has a subscription platform and a YouTube channel with free content.
  • Pool is gaining popularity on social media.

• Disguises

  • Rogan and Fedor talk about the idea of Fedor going undercover to play pool for youtube content.
  • Rogan recounts a story about Obama meeting with a person that was in disguise for a demonstration by the CIA.
  • Rogan recalls Kyle Dunnigan dressing as Elon Musk and fooling him on Kill Tony.

• Rankings and "Real Matches":

  • Fedor acknowledges he is ranked #1.
  • It's noted that rankings consider two years of prize money combined.
  • "Real matches" (long races to a high number of games) provide a more definitive test of skill than short tournaments.
  • Fedor recalls two matches he played against Shane Van Boening, losing the first closely but winning the second by a large margin.
  • They danced around the specific amount the matches were played for.

• Citizenship and Playing for the U.S.:

  • Fedor discusses his permanent resident status and the requirements for U.S. citizenship.
  • He talks about how Matchroom changed its rules to allow him to represent the U.S. as soon as he got his green card.
  • Before the rule change, Fedor was not allowed to compete due to him being Russian.
  • There was a broader ban on Russian athletes due to doping concerns pre-war, and later due to the war.
  • UFC is cited as an exception, allowing Russian fighters.
  • Fedor appreciates how welcoming the pool community in the U.S. has been.
  • Rogan emphasized that good play is valued regardless of background.

• The Pool "World":

  • There is an anecdote about a pool hustler in the depression era that was uninterested in who the President of the US was because "he can't make a ball."
  • Rogan stated "It's almost like that's the only thing that matters. The only thing that matters is how good you play."

• Current Performance Level:

  • Fedor feels he's at the peak of his career and still improving at 25 years old.
  • He cites a recent quarterfinal match against Michael as an example of extremely high-level pool.
  • Fedor admits to feeling the pressure in such high-stakes situations.

• Consistent Form vs. Wild Styles:

  • Rogan praises Fedor's consistent and uniform setup.
  • They contrast his methodical style with wilder, more unpredictable players like Muhammad Sufi.
  • They also cite Oliver Ortman and Tony Drago as examples of wild players.
  • The conversation emphasizes the importance of winning and perfect position in professional pool.

• The "Mental" Game and Pressure:

  • Pool is described as an intensely mental game.
  • The shot clock is discussed as a major factor, forcing quick decisions and increasing pressure.
  • Mosconi Cup is highlighted as the highest-pressure tournament, with loud and potentially hostile crowds.
  • Rogan is glad that not all tournaments are like that.

• Soft Breaking Rule and Speed Guns:

  • The "soft breaking" rule (requiring a forceful break) is discussed, highlighting the subjectivity of the referee's call.
  • The conversation suggested Radar guns or speed guns to measure the speed and enforce the rules.
  • They discussed adjusting the rules based on age or sex of the pool player.
  • Boom Boom Yamonte is cited as an example of a player with the best "break" style.
  • Eugenie Stalif and Roberto Gomez were cited as other players with a great "break."

• The Break

  • Fedor mentioned "Everybody on the tour is figuring out the break really fast."
  • Kachi is mentioned as the player that "breaks" the hardest.

• Gambling in Pool and its Reputation:

  • Rogan highlights the "romantic" appeal of the gambling part of pool.
  • The conversation acknowledges that gambling can attract shady people and potentially cause match fixing.
  • Fedor's gambling matches with Shane Van Boening were organized among a small group of trusted individuals.
  • Fedor claims his "gambling days are over" and that he is now focused on tournaments.
  • Rogan claimed "You got too good."

• Modern vs. Old

  • Fedor said "I do play a lot better than I did uh two years ago, you know."
  • Rogan believes there is so much information today that pool players can get better faster.

• Lifestyle of a Pool Player:

  • They acknowledge the physical toll the sport takes on the body (crooked backs, etc.).
  • Fedor shares his routine for stretching and preventing neck pain, bulding disc C4 and C5.

• Cold Plunging and Weightlifting

  • They talked about cold plunging to relieve inflammation.
  • Fedor agreed it is the worst thing to lift weights as a pool player.

• Willie Hoppe

  • Rogan recalls a story about Willie Hoppe a billiard player that refused to drive a car because it would mess up his pool game.
  • Rogan and Fedor look at a picture of Willie Hoppe and they comment on his unique side arm style of play.

• Repeatable Styles

  • "Yeah, it's interesting. It's again, as long as it's repeatable. It's like there's a lot of things like that. If you you're if it's repeatable, if you can do it over and over and over again, it does. There are no rules."

• Championships

  • Rogan asks "Who Who's won the most tournaments of all time?"

• Shane Van Boening

  • "It might be Shane. Shane might be the greatest of all time right now."
  • Rogan mentions "the deaf aspect that he shuts his hearing aids off when he plays. That must be amazing."

• Earl Strickland

  • Rogan noted, "Is he the oldest guy that's still super competitive."
  • Rogan notes "but he works out every day or does something."

• Healthier Lifestyles and the Sport of Pool

  • Rogan and Fedor agree the younger players embrace a healthier lifestyle today.
  • In the past pool was associated with amphetamines and cocaine.
  • Fedor agreed that pool is a sport these days.

• The Hustler

  • Rogan brought up the movie "The Hustler" and how it had a major impact on pool's popularity.
  • Rogan and Fedor talk about a trailer from Netflix about "Eddie and Barry Hearn" that will have episodes on pool.

• Top Golf

  • Rogan and Fedor talk about the idea of a "top golf" type business for pool.

• China

  • Fedor and Rogan talk about the popularity of Pool in China.
  • Fedor mentioned it could cost as little as $2 an hour to play pool.

• Saudi Arabia and Money in Pool

  • Rogan and Fedor talk about how the money the Saudi's are offering has helped grow pool.
  • The first place prize is $250,000 at the World Championships in Saudi.
  • Rogan jokes "Those those dudes throw some money around cuz it's like when people talk about the richest people in the world, they're like really because their money isn't public."

• Pressures and High Stakes

  • Fedor recalls a final he had at a tournament against Kachi.

• Comparisons to other Sports

  • Rogan describes pool as " no other sport has a ball hitting a ball."
  • They compare it to snooker, a very difficult sport with tiny balls and tiny pockets.

• Gambling Scandals

  • Fedor and Rogan talk about gambling and scandals with players dumping on purpose.

• One Pocket

  • Rogan and Fedor talk about the shady business in One Pocket.
  • Fedor mentioned the respot of the balls rule making the game more dynamic.
  • Fedor felt that One Pocket should have a shot clock.

• Shot Clock and Jump Cues

  • Fedor and Rogan discuss how having a shot clock is difficult in pool.
  • Rogan mentioned how jump cues were exciting.
  • Fedor said he would be starting his own Jump Cue Brand, possibly in Q1 next year.

• Pre-Shot Routine

  • Fedor talked about how he does a lot of breathing and visualizes the shots.
  • He fights off thoughts of missing the ball by telling himself he can make it.

• Mental Game

  • "You're never going to win the tournament without believing that you can actually win it, right? And you can only believe that you can win if you can only visual visualize that you won that tournament."
  • Fedor talked about how he missed a shot because he knew he was going to miss the ball.
  • "You just have to switch your focus to your fundamentals. That's what helps me."
  • Rogans notes, "That's what I like about archery and that's what I like about pool. They have the same quality to them and that to do it correctly is so difficult that it requires all of your mind."
  • Fedor notes it is hard to keep playing because there are so many good players now.

• Nineball Perfection

  • Rogan and Fedor talk about the Nineball perfection by Coping Chung over Ojus Yap.
  • That video went viral because it rarely happens.
  • Both Rogan and Fedor are big fans of Co Brothers.

• Wooden Shafts vs. Carbon Fiber

  • They then debate the benefits and drawbacks of carbon fiber vs. wooden shafts.
  • They noted how the people from Taiwan prefer wooden shafts.
  • Fedor and Rogan discuss tapers, balance, etc.
  • Fedor has been doing testing cues with the company Triple 60 for three years.
  • They agreed it is all a mind game.
  • Rogan noted that Southwest cues have a specific "thunk" to them.
  • Fedor mentioned different strokes have different feels.
  • Fedor has also experimented with using extensions to his cues.

• Contact with Queue (Deflection)

  • Rogan and Fedor talk about what part of the ball you strike.
  • Fedor has found its advantageous to play with a wooden shaft because you can move the cub around easier.

• Upcoming Opponent and Setting up a Match

  • They then discuss his potential matches against Josh Filler.
  • They are trying to set up the next match.
  • Rogan wants to do commentary.
  • Filler wants to play on a 4 inch table.
  • They want to play somewhere where a lot of people can watch in person.
  • A potential is for a four million stakes.

• Competing Organizations and Filler's Decisions

  • Rogan and Fedor discuss two competing organizations.
  • Filler got some negative heat for his actions.

• The Sky is the Limit for Pool.

  • They agree there is a lot of potential for pool and that they are in the right place at the right time.
  • Rogan pointed out the systematic ways the younger players are practicing.

• "Janage" Social Media

  • Check out Janage on Facebook mostly.