Hey Old Guys--does the fire still burn?

I was out of the game for twenty+ years due to work, location and family responsibilities but I never lost that desire to play. Several years ago I was able to put a table in my house. I think I play better now than I did when I was younger. I love playing in tournaments but due to my remote, rural location I don't get to do that as often as I'd like. I believe that as long as you have that desire to play and put some time in at the table you can't help but improve. As far as tournaments go, as long as you are having fun keep playing, ya win some you lose some.

doitforthegame said:

So after many years absence I started to play tournaments again. I keep doing the two step. I lost to guys I would have gladly put the money down and played. Sadly, they not only beat me, but I stunk! I just didn't have "it". I didn't have focus or drive. I was just a guy with a pool cue in his hand. When I go back to my home room against the same guys, I can still play.

I've been hoping to pull a Rocky like he did in "Rocky Balboa". You know, bounce the young guys around a little and make them feel a little pain inflicted by a senior.

So my question is, is this the end? Am I done with competitive pool? Can I ever get back the "Eye of the Tiger" like days of old? Have you ever faced this demon? How were you able to get your groove back?

Bob

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Fred Davis....he could still win matches in pro snooker tournaments in his late 60s.
He didn't try to play like he did when he was a world champion.....
...he got trickier.
So, Bob, try to find another way to win...your break speed and your long shots may
suffer.....so get tricky.

Competition is no longer my driver, even though I've been playing a lot more in the last two years.

Teaching, however, has been a great motivator to keep my stroke and knowledge up!

Freddie

I am a realist.........at my age, just enjoying a day of life without pain and aches is a blessing.
When those days come around, I make it a point to try to play pool. The desire to compete
and win....whether for bragging rights or some cash.....it just doesn't matter as much. I never
bet unless I can afford to lose and I never play to lose but winning means a liitle less than it
did. Just like Jimmy Connors, the pro tennis player, once remarked during an interview, "I
I really don't have to win and a tie would be okay but it's just that I hate the taste of losing."
That pretty much applies to me too but sometimes reality can adjust our way of thinking.

Well this old guy can still play a little. I believe he has won this event three times now...
http://www.ocweekly.com/news/henry-...-at-2015-us-amateur-pool-championship-6781783

Well I go in and out but a few yrs back I got the opportunity to get on a masters team that was pretty good , and after some big lapse in concentration , I decided it may be my last shot so decided to go all in even went to a sports shrink , played every thing local had some of my best finishes in yrs ,, it paid off big time I went 8-1 years all but one match was win or go home , and we made it to Vegas finished 33-64 out of 360
I felt i accomplished my goal of proving to myself I could play at a high level and was very satisfied to do that ,
However at the end of the day , I found something I never really found before , I found the game to be enjoyable ,all my life I played pool to be competitive never stopped to smell the roses , sorta speak
So now I picked up one pocket cause I don't have to gride as much I can usually find a cheap game no one gets hurt in and play a few local turneys when I feel like it that gives me my fill and seeing all the people I know is a great thing

1

Well, you're only as old as you feel,...... and all the other cliches'

I think it's important for pool, like anything else, to find its place. Maybe it's purely
recreational anymore, maybe you'd enjoy a TAP or APA team so it can be more of a
social event, maybe you don't feel,the passion you used to so now you'll just throw
the balls out on the table and knock them around once in a while. If you still enjoy
pool it will find its place.

i missed the point again

please forgive me

Cornerman said:

Competition is no longer my driver...

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I think this is the most likely explanation even if it isn't readily apparent to the person. It is common that as people age they lose some of that killer instinct and competitive spirit. Asserting yourself over someone else is no longer quite as important. Winning, while certainly not unimportant, is no longer as important. Aside from the degradation of their physical skills, diminished competitive drive is the other reason why so many "older" guys migrate from being players to being rail birds.

After my stroke 10 years ago, I had to re-learn how to play all over again. The first few weeks I couldn't run 3 ball in rotation or more than 7 or 8 in 14.1...and I ran 100 and 60 and seventies 100's of times, before stroke. I bought several books and DVD's on the basics. It took me at least 5 years to get back to a B player.

The next year or so I slowed way down and gave each shot and position a lot more thought. I got back to an "A" player again. Sadly back, knee, and shoulder problems set me back again, plus the Arthritis took over all my joints...so as much as I loved the game I played over 60 years...I had to give it up.

PS: I was watching an interview with Earl before his last MC. He said when his father took him to a poolroom when he was 10 years old, he fell in love as soon as he saw the table and watch the balls being broke.

My Dad took me to his firehouse when I was 6. The soon as I saw that 10' table and my Dad firing balls in the pockets...I was good and hooked. Johnnyt



My father took me upstairs in

I think if you have very seriously pursued a hobby such as pool for decades like many of us have, the fire still burns but maybe not as bright. When I was younger and lose an important match I would agonize over it for a couple days and dissect it to determine where I went wrong. I don't agonize anymore, (may just be mildly pissed off) but I still replay the match in my head to see where I could have improved.

I still have the desire to win and actually hope my opponents arm will fall off if he is in the process of running out. It hasn't happened yet but would be OK with me if it did......

My game is as strong as ever. I just wish I was a better player when I was young.

I am 78 years old and pretty much only play one pocket anymore, but still can play all games at a fairly high level. I was always a good, not great player, but have held my game together much longer than most of my peers. I play in as many tournaments as I can and still gamble a bit, mostly at one pocket.

The older you get the more you have to work at it. If the fire and desire is not there, you will not put in the effort it takes to keep your game up.

As an older player there is always something that will need fine tuning. The things that were easy and natural like stance and other mechanics that used to be automatic, get out of kilter much easier now and need to be corrected from time to time. What I work on maintaining more than anything these days is my stance and alignment to the shot. If I don't pay attention to this I jerk my stroke, lower my arm and throw my elbow out or something else to make me butcher the shot.

After a long session or going deep in a tournament, I am mentally exhausted, nothing is automatic anymore and I have work on maintaining my focus.

I have been waiting for the day it all goes away for some time now, and I do consider myself very lucky to still be able to still play the game I love and have played for 65 years.

Some days are better than others, depending on the aches and pains, but any day in the pool room is a good one.:grin-square:

Bob,

As a really old guy (JR is beyond old ), the fire definitely still burns. No longer drive long distances to tournaments. Play nationals when I'm in Vegas. Go to Erie for Gold Crown events. Play a few Joss Tour events. Regular at Super Billiards. Really, really enjoy beating the young'uns. For the most part, they feel I'm just an old guy they can run over. A happy moment comes once in a while when players complain I'm too good! Anyway, don't win as much as I used to. Second is acceptable. Cashing is great. OK. Winning a match or two against younger, superior players is nirvana these days! Think I have a few more good years on this frame.

Lyn

Stop going to the tournaments for a bit.

There's times I love tournaments and times I've literally walked away or played super lax to take myself out.

Same w league. Played for a few years and then took a couple years off. Back in last year and this year now and looking forward to it.

Fire is still there.

I compete in all sports, pool is no different.

That's my heart and soul. It's inside me.

I still very young so I have many years to go.

randyg

Quesports said:

Well this old guy can still play a little. I believe he has won this event three times now...
http://www.ocweekly.com/news/henry-...-at-2015-us-amateur-pool-championship-6781783

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That was the worst written article I have ever quit reading. The person who wrote that should be ashamed of himself.