Dick:
First off, let me begin by saying I respect your game and you as a player. However, this ASS stuff is plain outright retarded. Every single player who achieves a certain level aims using some kind of system. Now, maybe you're against certain systems that are outlined on this site and that's fine. I know you're a self-described "feel" player; however, as a feel player, you can't possibly say you don't use a "San Jose Dick" system of some sort.
Regardless if you're a feel player or not, I'd be surprised if you finalized your aiming line completely randomly and different on each and every shot. Even the very, very best players in the world have a systematic way making shots--- even if it's not CTE, 90-90, fractions, or whatever the named systems are. If you didn't, you wouldn't have a well-defined pre-shot routine (which I'm sure you do)
Even guys who see a spot on a ball and just hit that spot--- they go about doing so the same way every time. That's a system.
As a matter of fact, every single pool player on this site who has any semblance of speed to their game is an "ASS" whether they know it or not - believe it. I'm 100% an ASS. Being congnizant of being an "ASS" is how you get to the next level, regardless of your speed.
Dave
Spidey,
I appreciate your semi-compliments, but I have to tell you something.
I am very conscious of my stance, bridge, and pre-shot routine. Beyond that, I am not aware of using ANY aiming tricks, CTE, BHE, or ghost balls, or anything of that nature.
I (nor very few of my peer's) ever even HEARD of all that stuff 'til I joined AZB, a few years ago.
Allowing for "squirt and swerve", were all I needed to know. And it came to me, only after many times, of paying dearly...by NOT allowing for it.
Maybe I would have been a better player if I had known all those things... but drills and practice were completely foreign to me.
I know for a fact that,.. of all my time spent playing pool, less than .001% of it, was spent practicing.
If I wasn't in action, I didn't screw my stick together.
I am not bragging, maybe I am a savant, or something but almost all the players from my era, must have been savant's too, because we all thought practicing was for straight pool players, like Mosconi...not real gambler's.
Ronnie Allen and Richie Florence, (my two closest friends and rivals) were the same way, with regards to "practicing"...we considered it a boring waste of time. If we were not in action, we were chasing women or drinking.
And I think you have to admit....those two could play a little bit.
Our reasoning has always been...when you step up to the table, with the cash on the line, you had better know how to make the ball go in the pocket, or you are going to lose....It ain't rocket surgery.
Bottom line is...if you think I use anything but "pure feel"...I wish you would explain it to me. I promise to listen..:wink: (I am a confimed non ASS...
)
