APA league etiquette...to hell in a handbasket???

[btoneill]

First I will say I agree with the people who have problems with cheering for the other team doing badly (ie. scratch, 8 out of turn, etc).

But, for complaining that a TEAM is congratulating each other is just wrong. It's a freaking team, it's what they are supposed to do. It's called comradery. Giving high-5's and cheering on your teammates is accepted in every other team sport. Leagues is a team sport.

So, you can do one of 3 things:
#1 Quit your complaining and get over it
#2 Don't frequent an establishment when they have leagues going on
#3 Get your own table at home and play with yourself

Leagues bring players and they bring fun to the pool room. God forbid people are in your sacred pool hall having fun and feeling happy.

The old school money players who constantly just keep shuffling around the same money from person to person could take a few pointers from the league players about having fun and having a damn smile on your face (and in many cases actually supporting the hall by paying table time without *****ing and maybe actually buying some food or drinks from time to time).

So, get over yourself and that thought that you are "better" than the league players because they actually have fun and enjoy hanging out with friends. Instead just be happy there are more people playing the game we all love.

Ok... rant over...

Brian

 

[rburgoyne]

I think when you add beginner players to the APA in establishments w/ loud music and alcohol you are going to get excitement from people. Just like trick shots on TV, APA is trying to make the sport fun to get more players so they can have more $$$. Speaking of trick shots, Dr Cue has been known to get a little excited once or twice if I recall correctly.

My pet peeve... ok, one of my pet peeves... is when your opponent misses, and leaves you unintentionally blocked and his teammates cheers "nice shot", "way to go man".

 

[RShellhouse]

My pet peeve... ok, one of my pet peeves... is when your opponent misses, and leaves you unintentionally blocked and his teammates cheers "nice shot", "way to go man".

I love to look at them and go "so that was a defensive shot then? and reach for the score sheet.....they either suck up and admit it was luck or get a defensive shot marked down and then they dread the raising of the skill level.

When they admit it was luck and suddenly the cheering stops....

R

 

[rburgoyne]

I love to look at them and go "so that was a defensive shot then? and reach for the score sheet.....they either suck up and admit it was luck or get a defensive shot marked down and then they dread the raising of the skill level.

When they admit it was luck and suddenly the cheering stops....

R

I am not sure why I never thought of doing that... what a great idea! :clapping: Rep to ya!

 

[uwate]

I always liken pool leagues to the pool equivalent of tailgaters at football games. League for them is a social event and often has very little to do with the game. Most of the ones with poor pool etiquette really just dont know any better. They learned to play pool with a beer in their hand and their friends hooting and hollering on every shot.

Whenever I see great players playing in league, I just know that they either really love pool, really love sandbagging, or really are trying to love on someone who is in league. Its all about love dont ya know?

 

[Fatboy]

I grew up frequenting poolhalls. I'm talking about REAL poolhalls. The kind with nothing but pool tables. No video games, no jukebox, often not even a bar. I learned what we call "poolhall etiquette" in these places. It was mostly quiet except for the continuous sound of the balls clacking together. When we were in our chairs (opponents at the table) we sat still and quiet. When our opponent missed a shot or left himself in bad shape we got up and shot without any fanfare. When we won, we shook our opponents hand with very little outward emotion save a few grins and maybe a quietly spoken "alright" or two.

What I've been experiencing more and more lately (mostly in APA league play; seldom ever in a tournament) is the outlandish (IMO) theatricals of opposing teams. They hoot and holler at the conclusion of a won game. They cheer and high-five at the end of a won match as if their local pro football team has just scored the go-ahead touchdown in the waning seconds of an NFL game. I'm not just talking about the player here, I'm talking about the whole team. And I'm talking LOUD! I've even had a few teams whoop-it-up on occasion whenever we miss shots (yes, I know the APA has rules against this, and they were told. One time the whooping actually got worse AND louder after they were warned).

What I'm wondering here is, am I a dinosaur??? I mean, has poolhall etiquette changed over the years to where this is acceptable behaviour and I just haven't caught up to the "new" way yet? Don't get me wrong, I believe a fair amout of celebrating is in order after a won game and again after a won match. But it is so loud and obnoxious as compared to the way I came up in the pool world. I never act this way nor do any of my teammates.

Who else has experienced this kind of behaviour and how do you feel about it? Does this happen in your league? Am I right to feel like I do about it or do I need to move on and "get with the program"???

I respect any criticisms and all opinions.

Maniac

The same thing happened in bowling, I dont go to bowling alleyts but I noticed that the old tournment finals on Classic Sports the announcers are all serious(back in the 70's) think Earl Anthony days. Now days when I see bowling on TV the bowlers are jumping around going crazy think Pete Weber Jr. Times have changed.

Blame WWF and Hulk Hogan, thats about when drama started in sports, now we have UFC instead of boxing(I have been to 15 UFS events and the fights 100 times) there is a totally different vibe.


I too was in those pool rooms as you described, The billiards players are still like that FYI. I miss them, but they were a bit dry-speaking for myself i believe the answere is in the middle not to dry but not like a football game where people go nuts. And slapping high 5's when the opposing team misses is out of line 100000%%%.



Short story: I was in a bar eating breakfast before going to the desert to shoot guns 4 years ago with a friend. It was a Sunday 10am the game was on, this lady and her kids/husban were there. When her team moved the ball maybe 5 yards and got the 1st down(they didnt even score). She went crazy yelling and screaming, almost knocked her kid off his high chair the whole bit. This chick had a orgasm, out of body experience and something else, God only knows. After 2-3 minutes of total hysteria and noise so loud I couldnt hear myself talk I looked up at my friend who had shell shcok as well and said "I wish I could find something in life that makes me that happy". I have never been that happy-ever, and I'm a happy guy!! i dont really have a point here just that story.:smile: Some people these days just get over come with emotions, perhaps in the old days people were as happy just more reserved, in Europe its that way until you go to a FootBall(soccer) game, then they go nuts. I dont know.

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

Has a league thread ever turned out good?

I probably would have tried a league for a first time had I not been on AZB. I think I'd rather pork a heffer while sporting a barb wire condom.

But I'm happy for those that do enjoy it. To each his own.

 

[pooltchr]

Has a league thread ever turned out good?

I probably would have tried a league for a first time had I not been on AZB. I think I'd rather pork a heffer while sporting a barb wire condom.

But I'm happy for those that do enjoy it. To each his own.

Don't let the naysayers on here scare you off. There are thousands of players who enjoy playing in leagues every week. You should at least give yourself the chance to make up your own mind, rather than letting the negativity around here chase you off before you ever find out.

Steve

 

[BigDaddyInc.]

Being 25 and starting in a pool hall, the apa scene does get alittle annoying. I especially hate the cheering and clapping when someone scratches on an 8. You all point out bad habits and what etiquette should be. A couple of questions though:

1) when did the 'stand at the table and chalk your tip after a miss' start. I hate that, for some reason that really gets under my skin. Not so much when I play, but when my wife is playing. Almost like guys are trying to intimidate her. I don't understand why that goes on in APA.

2) I have a question about sitting by the table:
I usually sit still or if i'm moving around, I do it far away from the table and away from players line of sight. Here's the question, when you are sitting still but your chair is only 6 feet away from the table. Is it proper to move when you are in your opponents line of sight, or just sit like a statue?

If your opponent is already down on the shot then i would sit there. But if i see my opponent is eyeing a shot that im in the line of i will try to move out of his or her line of site before they get down to shoot. But if you move while in thier line of site it could be distracting.

 

[BigDaddyInc.]

Has a league thread ever turned out good?

I probably would have tried a league for a first time had I not been on AZB. I think I'd rather pork a heffer while sporting a barb wire condom.

But I'm happy for those that do enjoy it. To each his own.

OWWEE! Dam that is a sick and painful analogy! LOL!

 

[Gregg]

Don't let the naysayers on here scare you off. There are thousands of players who enjoy playing in leagues every week. You should at least give yourself the chance to make up your own mind, rather than letting the negativity around here chase you off before you ever find out.

Steve

X2

I've played for over five years straight, took a session off, and miss it. :frown:

 

[Matt90]

one night

This guy in APA beat me .....I had to go to 5 and he had to go to 2.Well
I was on 4 and he was on 1 and I took a risky shot on the 8 and scratched.I
seriously thought the man was going to have a anurism he yelled so loud .
I had to laugh that he probably really felt like he had done something .Sorry
not to keep up with the times but when I was young I had the Golden
opportunity to play in a few REAL pool rooms with No Music ,No Booze,No
nothing else,just POOL and there is a big part of me that would love that
again .

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

Does this happen in Masters leagues?

Don't let the naysayers on here scare you off. There are thousands of players who enjoy playing in leagues every week. You should at least give yourself the chance to make up your own mind, rather than letting the negativity around here chase you off before you ever find out.

Steve

Maybe... But I know what I like and dislike. So I've drawn on mainly 2 things:

1) Being a competitve golfer. Futiley trying to compete in numerous instances with players that obviously have unpoliced sandbagged handicaps is a buzz kill. It sucks all the oxygen from me as I throw my time an money away.

2) Knowing there's a ton of people in league that are simply ignorant of any ettiquette and reverence for the sport.


I just don't have the patience for cheaters and asshats, so why subscribe when there's a decent chance I'll get a weekly dose? (BTW, sorry for my inappropriate analogy before).

That being said, will joining a Masters league drastically reduce these two negatives?

 

[btoneill]

That being said, will joining a Masters league drastically reduce these two negatives?

APA Masters has no handicaps, so it removes any issue with that. As there is no handicap it tends to be the APA 5/6's and above that play in it, which also tends to be the more serious players.

I think any league that tailors itself to new players has the issues some have with APA and etiquette. And to be honest, the only way to fix the issue is to be a part of it and teach them what is right and what is wrong. Complaining that they are doing it wrong is useless if you aren't telling them the proper way to do it.

Brian

 

[Gregg]

This guy in APA beat me .....I had to go to 5 and he had to go to 2.Well
I was on 4 and he was on 1 and I took a risky shot on the 8 and scratched.I
seriously thought the man was going to have a anurism he yelled so loud .
I had to laugh that he probably really felt like he had done something .Sorry
not to keep up with the times but when I was young I had the Golden
opportunity to play in a few REAL pool rooms with No Music ,No Booze,No
nothing else,just POOL and there is a big part of me that would love that
again .

Sorry, I just got excited, it's been a been a while since I've won in a while, especailly against a higher SL shooter!

WOOOOHHHOOOOOO!!!!@@@@#### :grin:

 

["T"]

I have noticed that there is generally a direct correlation between a players skill & their pool etiquette.

Keep in mind that the APA is billed as a "FUN" league with alot of players that are new to pool & have not learned proper etiquette yet

I agree. That's one of the drawbacks to the 23 rule. It systematically squeezes out the more responsible mature players.

Mix in a little alcohol and well.......

 

[IA8baller]

I have never played in an APA league, but have been playing in various other leagues for about 15 years now with a 1 1/2 yr lay-off in the midst of that run just to get away from the game and to re-adjust my attitude and the way I played the game.

After returning from that 1 1/2 yr away from the game 4 or 5 years ago I have tried to become a better player and have slowly improved my attitude about the game and how I play it, especially with regards to sportsmanship/etc.

I learned to play pool in the bar scene/bar leagues and was not exposed to the "real pool hall" atmosphere and breaking old habits of the "bar pool" has not been easy but the older I get (I'm 41 now) the more I appreciate those players who exhibit what is deemed to be "proper" pool ettiquette and now I find myself striving more and more to be like those players because I respect those players and I wish to have that respect in the future.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope there are a LOT of players out there who like me, may have not known better just because they were never exposed to it, but with age and experience can become the respectful players that can go on to teach others how to play the game respectfully before the "bar pool" scene becomes the only thing they are exposed to.

We are getting a brand new Rec. Center here in the small town that I live in (it should be open in 6-8 weeks) and it is going to have a pool table in it and I am going to make it my personal mission to teach the youth in my area that show an interest in pool the respectful way to play pool and hopefully it will be a catalyst to install those values into many more players in the future. My greatest hope is to be able to start a youth league for kids ages 12-18 and teach handfuls of kids in the future the game, the repect, and the fullfillment that can come with it. :smile:

Trevor

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

...snip...
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I hope there are a LOT of players out there who like me, may have not known better just because they were never exposed to it, but with age and experience can become the respectful players that can go on to teach others how to play the game respectfully before the "bar pool" scene becomes the only thing they are exposed to.
...snip...
Trevor

Good post and good observations Trevor! You somewhat make my point about ME not wanting to play in handicapped leagues. I've been around pool and sports enough to know I don't want to go through the ettiqutte training grounds ripe with the uninformed playing under a handicap system that can be abused. There's plenty of ignorant people to fade outside of league, but I don't have to play them.

I think the handicap leagues are great for many people for different reasons, but they're not for everybody. I also think it's apparent more effective education/enforcement on conduct is needed. But that's a tough one to solve.

 

[ronhudson]

I was playing in a small tournament last night and there was an APA league match also playing there. The bar is smallish and the league players took up two tables out of four, so it was a little crowded. The league players were drinking beer and socializing and generally having a good time. They were not loud or screaming. They were friendly and courteous to the tournament players on the adjacent tables. There were no problems whatsoever

Not every team or player of the APA or any other league is like the teams and players that have been described here. Sure, there are rude players and teams in most any league in most any sport. There are more good ones.

Not too long ago, I was at a pool hall where an APA playoff event was being held. As I was going in, a young female player was coming out. I know her and I know that she's a SL2 player. She's probably never in her life run 4 balls in a row, and in an unhandicapped league she would get hammered week after week to the point of quitting the league and maybe pool. Today she had this big stupid grin on her face and it was there all the way out of the parking lot. I found out inside that she had played and beat an SL4 player. It may have been the first time she had ever won what she considered a serious match, and she felt like she had come throught for her team. Try convincing her that there's a problem with the league.

Any league is the sum total of its parts, players and management. Find one that suits you and have fun. If there's not one that suits you, start one. Quit *****ing and do something.

 

[The Renfro]

We are comparing apples and oranges here. I learned to play in a real pool room...wooden floors, no juke box, no video games, just pool tables.
Fast forward to today. Pool rooms have added loud music, alcohol, televisions, live bands (or worse, Karaoke!) in an effort to attract more customers.

In the old rooms, there might be a dozen serious pool players, but that was all that was there. Pool rooms can't survive catering to serious pool players. They need the kids, the social players, the drinkers, and the league players.

Also, as someone else mentioned, the concept of team play didn't exist in my day. That alone creates a more social situation. Imagine 8 friends getting together in a bar once a week for a few hours, and only talking in hushed tones to each other. Ain't gonna happen!!! Team sports create an enviornment of excitement, and people will express that excitement. Even golf (the sport we always seem to compare with pool), has it. Granted the crowd is quiet when a golfer is shooting, but listen to the roar once the ball leaves the club face. "GET IN THE HOLE!" "YOU DA MAN"!

People claim they want to see pool grow. If we take the game back to the 50's, it would be relegated to the little smoke filled rooms again. Is that what we want? Or do we adapt, and learn to play in an environment that allows more people to enjoy the game?

Steve

The APA is one of the few options to get new players into the game and the team dynamics play a huge part in it... I would never tolerate the whooping and hollering if I was in a singles match or gambling but it does have it's place in a barroom league....

It used to drive me crazy until I just embraced it and decided it's a fun league have some fun and if someone is woofing I woof right back and in all honesty most of it has turned out to be in good nature..

I haven't been able to play lately due to my work schedule but next time around in addition to pulling up my sleeve and showing em my Superman Tattoo when I make an incredible shot OR LUCK ONE IN!! I'm gonna apply the talc liberally before the match and do the Lebron talc move before the match.... Oneupsman that LOL.

Everyone has fun in different ways I don't see it as anything more than that. It's not an affront to the game as I see it because it's not the same game when it's done in the bar with 8 of your friends on the team... APA is a team sport and chest bumping, banter and cheering are all part of the team sports we love... Hey how bout we borrow this one and mod it a little from baseball when we lose the coin toss: Team:"We need a Breaker not a Bellyacher!!!!" Now that funny don't care who you are and I'd laugh my ass off if someone did it to me....

Peace Out