[Al_U_Card]

"To thine own self, be true."

[kenberg]

Ken,

To agree with you on one point, I am no great fan of ZT. I generally find that the people who complain the loudest about how rude other people are, at bridge or elsewhere, are pretty much a pain in the butt themselves. To wander a little off topic, out here in the DC area we have a ZT policy towards drugs and weapons in school. This has led to expulsions for aspirin and nail clippers. On the other hand some kids were caught having group sex in the high school theater and the authorities couldn't deal with it effectively because they couldn't find where the rulebook forbade it.

A little common sense is of greater use than all the ZT rules in the world.

Ken

[pigpenz]

About 20 yrs ago at a regional in Whicita at dinner with the STacks,Fellows, Magees, and other Freinds Jim Fellows told a story about his wife had called the white Ron Smith an axxhole at the table. Ron called the TD and said this women called me a aXXhole....the TD said obviously she has met you before

ZT RuleZ!!!

[pclayton]

Good job Justin - I think you're on the right track.

He is a junior in a senior's game and he is counting on support from older clients (present and future). He wants to act and look the part.

Are there bridge pros that act like idiots? Sure, but they are already established and their clients already know what to expect. J won't get out of the gates if he acts childish. Many bridge patrons are retired and wealthy. They don't have time to put up with the baggage many in this thread are advocating, nor do they have the interest.

As a 40-something I sort of admire non-conformity, but I also remember how it was when I started my career. If I dressed like a slob and shot my mouth off, I'd be bagging groceries somewhere right now.

Why should a bridge pro starting out be any different?

[Rain]

Actually I'm a little bored with bridge rules, to tell the truth. The rules of ettiquete are even written into the laws. Does poker have that? I honestly don't know, but going by what I see at pokerstars, it seems ok to trashtalk.

Why not? Do you know the girl who starred in smallville? She's maybe the prettiest actress in hollywood, and I can't even remember her name. But do you know Paris hilton?

The real problem is that even off-court, bridge is boring. But I believe part of this is caused by extensive behaviorial rules at table--it stifles the atmosphere and quells rebellian!

[hrothgar]

Jlall, on Mar 9 2006, 06:17 AM, said:

Rain, on Mar 8 2006, 10:10 PM, said:

Do you know the girl who starred in smallville?

Kristen Keuk lol.

Ah Smallville...

Or as we call it "The Lex and Chloe Show"

Allison Mack is MUCH cuter than Kristen Kreuk

[csdenmark]

Assuming bridge has ever been popular to the masses I think is a mistake. A quiet intellectuel activity don't have what is needed to be popular. The requirement to be popular is you will be able to discuss Meckwell performance in deal 7 at segment 3 at your local pub.

Cardplay is popular and I think will always be.

Bridge is a complicated language for special interested persons with fairly good time.

It is no spectator sport. I like to watch Meckwell. But when Meckstroth plays with other partners than Rodwell they no longer use their specialities but fall back on standard. Unfortunately that normally also means Meckstroth in that way have handicapped himself so much that he ends at the bottom of the field. Nobody feel pleased to see their stars flopping.

The habit of constantly ruling out spectacular features are heading for even more conformity. That is not what we need. Watching Vugraph you here: 'Take care, here comes a strong action.' Few seconds later you hear: 'Sorry folks, I don't understand what is happening here.'

The last I want to draw your attention to here is change in society. With less physicals demand for jobs the demand for physical activity in leisure activities has increased. Especially for younger persons.

I doubt spectactular behavior or clothes has anything to do with popularity of bridge. Maybe we some day will see the sexual trend to be introduced in bridge!

[andych]

The thread does offer us some point of thought and personally I enjoy it.

The starter of the thread didnt ask anyone to do anything.... He just take an example.

Quote

I'm not suggesting that Justin show up in Italy next year with a mohawk and a bottle of gin at the table, with hottie kibitzers (he might be thinking...). But, would that be ALL bad?

So it is pointless to say below and it ruins a healthy discussion

Quote

Ken, since Justin doesn't want to do it, there is just one solution: YOU have to do it yourself

Sorry for the ramblings.

Back to the question, personally I dont think that would be ALL bad.
Agassi and Mourinho - the Chelsea football club manager are the 'bad boys' in Tennis and Footabll. I would label them as ' colourful characters'. Tennis and Football does benefits from these guys in my opinions.

We could not/should not request someone to be 'bad boys'. And no one could try to act like 'bad boys'. It is sort of born gift/talent.

ZT is good. Most bridge players are ordinary and would benefit from it. If there were a Agassi or Mourinho in the bridge world, he would not need to break ZT, he could generate enough publicity elsewhere.

Any Agassi or Mourinho in the bridge world? Maybe Zia Mahmood is the closest for now ......

[kenrexford]

It is good to hear some sane reflections on my opining. I fear it is the very hostile reaction to this post which reflects the tendencies of the bridge community against effective promotion of the game.

We disfavor money games, and yet bridge started gaining popularity as a money game, sort of. Culbertson was clearly a gambler. More, though, in that the average social group at the home was a small-stakes game, roughly equivalent to the home poker game. Out of that arena grew the desire to have the serious non-money tournament. Makes sense to me. At home, the stakes are bragging rights and about $20.00. At the tournament, the stakes are titles. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Poker carries an initial draw of the ability to win money. Bridge can also. At a penny a point, a good slam nets $14.30, not a bad gambler's hand. A good lead against this saves that chunk of change, plus nets you a dollar -- not bad for a trash hand.

So, why not initiate interest in the "game" with showy folks and money stakes? Why not have Buffet and Gates pair up with some celebs, or some "well-dressed" bridge professionals, and play at $1.00 a point (like they could not swing this). That would grab some attention, especially on the first good $1100 double.

Once the draw is there, the folks are in the door, then the masses, not satisfied with a penny a point as the end-all, will naturally seek out the ACBL tournaments. The "gentlemen's game." No?

BTW, if anyone wants to sponsor me, I'll gladly dye my hair purple and play money bridge on TV with Gates and Buffet. I'll even have my wife wear something naughty.

[Sigi_BC84]

ArcLight, on Mar 7 2006, 10:05 PM, said:

A tax credit for those that can solve Bridge Master Level 2 hands would also help.  Or maybe if all the celebrities would play Bridge. 

It would already help a lot if only one or two class A celebrities would play, and promote, Bridge. Omar Sharif promoted Bridge and he hasn't been an A-list star for a long time now. Actually I knew long before I learned Bridge that it's a game that Sharif played, while I had not even seen a single movie starring Sharif at that time! That's how well celebrity "endorsement" works.

A Chinese player from my club has told me that bridge has become popular in China while their leader was playing and promoting it. Now you might say, this must have been propaganda, or that people in China blindly replicate their leaders to please the ones in charge or whatever, but the point is that it really helps if the game gets into the public eye in such a way.

The main problem of the game is the image problem; there might be other reasons (learning curve and all), but the main issue is the picture of the typical bridge player (little old lady) that people are carrying around in their head. This stopped me from considering Bridge for a long time, and I was convinced in about a second that it's the perfect game for me when finally I took the opportunity to take lessons.

If George Clooney started to play bridge and talk about it in the countless interviews he gives, believe me that image problem would be gone at that moment (only slightly exaggerating).

--Sigi

[andych]

It isnt a problem the public doesnt understand the game if it is shown on TV.
If one get Miss America to play bridge on TV, who is watching the cards? Certainly not me.
It is just a promotion. The people who are interested would later get into the game, after the TV show.


But I too agree too much energy is spent trying to promote bridge.

Quote

No doubt the post is mostly for fun so may maybe a serious response is silly. However. I think too much time is spent worrying about how to get more people to play bridge, admire bridge, or, gasp, get it rated as an Olympic sport. The last two week-ends I played (some) in sectional tournmaments. Tomorrow I play at the unit game. In a few weeks I go to Dallas. I can play on-line any time day or night. Other people would rather do something else. Let them. When my older daughter was in college she told me someone was going to teach her bridge. I suggested she wait until she graduate. She now has a high demand job allowing her barely enough time for an occasional game of Clue with the kids. She should take up bridge? Maybe later when the kids are gone. Yes, I know Bill Gates plays bridge, and Eisenhower played bridge etc. But a person with an active life has to make some choices and if they don't choose bridge, maybe they know what they are doing.

I enjoy the game a lot, so I play it. Others (my wife, for example) don't. That's fine. I seriously doubt that those who don't play bridge are unaware of the option to do so and I really hope they wouldn't be lured in by a bunch of fruitcake antics.

Ken

[Sigi_BC84]

Gerben42, on Mar 8 2006, 12:46 PM, said:

Last week one a German expert came on television in the show "Who wants to be a Millionaire?"

First question on Bridge was "Isn't that a game for old ladies?" As long as this image persists, it's not helping. He countered by saying that it was an Olympic demonstration sport in 2002, but I doubt this will change anything. Well, he tried.

Unfortunately he also displayed kind of an arrogant attitude and left with $500. Not the best ambassador of Bridge... He should have won the Million, with some more opportunities to promote the game.

Oh well, at least now we've had Bridge mentioned on German prime-time TV once.

--Sigi

[andych]

Correction ....

No good to get Miss American to play bridge on TV, get Salma Hayek ......

[andych]

Quote

A Chinese player from my club has told me that bridge has become popular in China while their leader was playing and promoting it. Now you might say, this must have been propaganda, or that people in China blindly replicate their leaders to please the ones in charge or whatever, but the point is that it really helps if the game gets into the public eye in such a way.

Sure I dont think you are pin-pointing Chinese. Just want to add that the same situation could happen elsewhere in the world, if their leaders do the same.

[Sigi_BC84]

I'd rather have George Clooney or Brad Pitt take up Bridge than the German chancellor (who might be called a little old lady :-).

--Sigi

[y66]

One thing I remember reading by Ms. Truscott is that she used to play on her company's bridge team.

Are there tournaments on BBO where, say, teams from GE, IBM, HP, Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Verizon and other companies compete?

To me, this seems like a natural promotion opportunity for bridge.

People love to root for teams. Who wouldn't love to see a showdown between Google, Microsoft, Apple and IBM? Toyota and GM? Verizon and Vonage? etc.

The people who work for these companies would and there are lots of them.

And wouldn't some of those corporate egos, who want to win at all costs, be willing to put some corporate $$$ into the game? Bridge is a pretty good value for them I think, not like they have to build a stadium or host a PGA tournament.

Maybe some enterprising bridge professional or tournament director could pair up with someone with promotion skills and corporate contacts to make this work.

I don't have the time or skills to get something like this going myself. But I can put in a few hours here and there on odd jobs and contribute a few hundred bucks if the rest of you guys on this thread want to try to make something happen.

[the saint]

Sigi_BC84, on Mar 10 2006, 10:00 PM, said:

Gerben42, on Mar 8 2006, 12:46 PM, said:

Last week one a German expert came on television in the show "Who wants to be a Millionaire?"

First question on Bridge was "Isn't that a game for old ladies?" As long as this image persists, it's not helping. He countered by saying that it was an Olympic demonstration sport in 2002, but I doubt this will change anything. Well, he tried.

Unfortunately he also displayed kind of an arrogant attitude and left with $500. Not the best ambassador of Bridge... He should have won the Million, with some more opportunities to promote the game.

Oh well, at least now we've had Bridge mentioned on German prime-time TV once.

--Sigi

We had a bridge player win £500,000 a few years ago in the UK on Millionaire