Boy, it was nice to see players competing head-to-head again.

But, boy, did watching streams and looking at photos give me a queasy feeling.

More than a hundred players and an equal number of fans and employees crammed into Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, Texas, for the Texas Open 9-Ball and One-Pocket Championships. Some of the best players in the world — Shane Van Boening, Skyler Woodward, Dennis Orcollo, Mika Immonen, Alex Pagulayan and more — were on hand to finally once again feel the pressure and adrenaline of tournament play. The matches were spirited and the level of play was back to peak level in no time.

Photos and selfies of maskless players and maskless fans, however, gave me pause as to the risk/reward of staging the event without lockdown policies in place. It was, of course, nice to see everyone laughing and smiling. It’s been a while since I’ve seen people’s teeth!

Listen, I get it. I, as much as anyone, long to be in the same room with the players, fans and industry friends that I haven’t seen in nine months. And I understand the excitement players and fans in Texas felt when they could elbow bump, fist bump or even flat out hug each other once again after months of no contact beyond social media.

And I get it that players, pent up for more than a year, were itching to get back to the table. For players, pool is less-than-steady employment as it is. Nine months without an opportunity to make money is tough to take.

But is it worth the risk of illness from a disease that we still know so little about? We still know little about the long-term effects of Covid-19. Even those that have had it and recovered will have to wait and see what kind of damage it does to your system over the long haul.

And let’s dispense with conspiracy theories and exaggerations. This is not a political argument. It’s not even a scientific argument. It’s a common sense, compassion and respect argument.

To be fair, most of the players competing in Texas were wearing masks. But some were not. And the reluctance by people to adhere to rules and guidelines 100 percent of the time made that event just dangerous enough to warrant discussion.

Why? Because players, fans and employees left that tournament infected by the virus. Numerous players fell ill and tested positive in the days following the tournament. An employee at the poolroom tested positive and the poolroom was closed down for a period of time.

One of the players that tested positive was young Chris Robinson of California. Robinson went to Texas to compete and meet with his Team USA Mosconi Cup teammates. It is Robinson’s first opportunity to play in the Mosconi Cup, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Yet, he was perilously close to having to miss the Mosconi Cup because of contracting the virus. Luckily, after suffering through symptoms for a week, Robinson recovered and produced several negative tests ahead of the team’s departure to London just before Thanksgiving. But the lesson was not lost on the youngster.

“It was fun to see everyone again,” he said. “But going to that tournament almost cost my slot in the Mosconi.”

Billiard Congress of America Hall of Famer Mika Immonen also found himself suffering from symptoms in the aftermath of the Texas tournament.

“They had safety protocols in place,” he said, trying in vain to rationalize his participation. “There was encouragement and rules, but I feel like a lot of people weren’t respecting them. In hindsight, it wasn’t worth it. Luckily, I didn’t have crazy symptoms and I recovered quickly. I’m just happy I didn’t cause any other infections.”

In an industry that has taken longer than most to get clearance to resume activities, why do we want to shoot ourselves in the foot?

I want tournaments as much as anyone. And I want poolrooms to be able to be open. And I want players to make money.

But, at least for the time being, having that happen has to come with rules. And those rules need to be strict and followed. If a tournament promoter demands that every player, fan and employee wear a facemask 100 percent of the time that they are in the building, don’t react as though he/she is part of a Deep State conspiracy to strip you of your liberties. They are simply trying to keep people safe and, in the process, keep their doors open and allow you opportunity to play the game you love. Respect that.

I don’t enjoy wearing a facemask. I can’t wait for an effective vaccine to be distributed so that I can feel comfortable attending an event and having in-person conversations with people in this business that I desperately miss in which I can actually see their lips move.

But until then, I will do what I think is socially responsible. Why? Because I fear for the safety of my friends and their families.

I hope the whole billiard industry will do the same.