2011 AZ Straight Pool Challenge!
- Thread starter alinco
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Ran 24 yesterday
112 on 10 January 2011
Hi folks:
Put me down for a 112 last night at Iron Willies in Yorktown Heights, NY. I'm actually *still* miffed how the run ended -- I missed a STUPID shot. A simple little straight-in stop shot at a slight distance (about six feet). I don't know what I was thinking, but I basically got down on it and two-stroked it. The ball hit the knuckle of the corner pocket and bobbled, staying up. I just stayed down, looking at the shot from where my cue delivery came to rest (with the cue still in position on the cloth) and was at first in shock, and then a split second later I started to seethe. And yep, a stream of expletives then ensued.
Crikey, what makes us do things like this? I.e. throw your stick at a shot that deserves a little more respect than that?!? This one really bugged me, because there was no reason at all for it.
Anyway, I have to shrug it off. Maybe go to the gym and hit the speed bag or something.
-Sean
Hi folks:
Put me down for a 112 last night at Iron Willies in Yorktown Heights, NY. I'm actually *still* miffed how the run ended -- I missed a STUPID shot. A simple little straight-in stop shot at a slight distance (about six feet). I don't know what I was thinking, but I basically got down on it and two-stroked it. The ball hit the knuckle of the corner pocket and bobbled, staying up. I just stayed down, looking at the shot from where my cue delivery came to rest (with the cue still in position on the cloth) and was at first in shock, and then a split second later I started to seethe. And yep, a stream of expletives then ensued.
Crikey, what makes us do things like this? I.e. throw your stick at a shot that deserves a little more respect than that?!? This one really bugged me, because there was no reason at all for it.
Anyway, I have to shrug it off. Maybe go to the gym and hit the speed bag or something.
-Sean
BIG FOOT
Registered
wow, thats awesome. i cant even fathum what that would feel like to hit a number like that.
Great shooting !
Joe
Thanks Brian and Joe!
Thanks Brian! To be honest, I think this type of mistake hurts MORE when you're deeper into a long run. When I run 20 balls and miss, or 16 and miss, or even 5 and miss, I wasn't that emotionally invested into the run. I hadn't had a chance to "bond into" the run, if that makes sense. When you get into a deep run, you tend to "bond" with it, and you become it / it becomes you. You lose all sense of your surroundings, and you're shooting purely from instinct. And that is the trick to get into these deep runs -- to block everything out and not let outside influences affect you. "Shoot from the subconscious," so-to-speak. Too often, people try to keep their conscious/analytical mind engaged into every detail, checking their fundamentals (grip/bridge/stance/head-eye-position/etc.), end-running their shot-making computer, the subconscious.
What you can't let happen, however -- as I made the mistake last night -- is to not respect every shot, that just because you're in the full rhythm of running balls, that if you just throw your stick at a ball, that the expectation will be "that it goes into the pocket like magic." B-i-i-i-g mistake. And one that I make far too often, because of my quick pace at the table. Probably one that is keeping me from joining Steve L.'s esteemed 200-club. I'd recently dusted-off my well-worn copy of Bob Fancher's Pleasures of Small Motions, and I'm going to reacquaint myself with the chapters on focus maintenance.
Thanks Joe! Actually, it's in us to hit numbers like that regularly, assuming the required solid fundamentals and practice time is in place. The question is, can you pull it out of you? The difference in excellence at our game (14.1) over other games is consistency -- over the long haul. Consistently pocketing balls, in a rhythm, without over-analyzing things.
Those that are good at rotation games can get away with keeping the conscious/analytical mind engaged all the time, because that is for a short haul -- 10 balls or less. Your mind "resets" after pocketing each rack-winning ball (i.e. the 9-/10-ball). And, if you miss, chances are that you'll get to the table again, especially in alternate-break situations. Not so in 14.1, because each rack "links into" the next. You have to carefully plan for and execute that linkage. One false move, and you can be 1 point away from match-winning point; it doesn't matter -- your opponent is liable to make you sit and watch you LOSE the match, just because you had a lapse of concentration, but he/she won't.
Once you are fundamentally sound enough to "link" two and three racks together, there's really nothing stopping you from going further. It's all in the head. For many folks, it's the problem of staying focused for that long. (When I say "focused," I'm not talking about the conscious/analytical mind. Rather, I'm talking about blocking everything out, focus on the task at hand -- pocket that ball in front of you, get shape for the next, and the next... ad-infinitum until the break ball.) And it's my problem, too. I tend to make some really BONEHEADED mistakes right after I break 100. I think it might be that I somehow "relax" a bit and think I'm over a hurdle, when in actuality, I'm not. Obviously, I need to work on a few things "upstairs," "between the ears."
Hope this is helpful!
-Sean
Thanks Brian! To be honest, I think this type of mistake hurts MORE when you're deeper into a long run. When I run 20 balls and miss, or 16 and miss, or even 5 and miss, I wasn't that emotionally invested into the run. I hadn't had a chance to "bond into" the run, if that makes sense. When you get into a deep run, you tend to "bond" with it, and you become it / it becomes you. You lose all sense of your surroundings, and you're shooting purely from instinct. And that is the trick to get into these deep runs -- to block everything out and not let outside influences affect you. "Shoot from the subconscious," so-to-speak. Too often, people try to keep their conscious/analytical mind engaged into every detail, checking their fundamentals (grip/bridge/stance/head-eye-position/etc.), end-running their shot-making computer, the subconscious.
What you can't let happen, however -- as I made the mistake last night -- is to not respect every shot, that just because you're in the full rhythm of running balls, that if you just throw your stick at a ball, that the expectation will be "that it goes into the pocket like magic." B-i-i-i-g mistake. And one that I make far too often, because of my quick pace at the table. Probably one that is keeping me from joining Steve L.'s esteemed 200-club. I'd recently dusted-off my well-worn copy of Bob Fancher's Pleasures of Small Motions, and I'm going to reacquaint myself with the chapters on focus maintenance.
Thanks Joe! Actually, it's in us to hit numbers like that regularly, assuming the required solid fundamentals and practice time is in place. The question is, can you pull it out of you? The difference in excellence at our game (14.1) over other games is consistency -- over the long haul. Consistently pocketing balls, in a rhythm, without over-analyzing things.
Those that are good at rotation games can get away with keeping the conscious/analytical mind engaged all the time, because that is for a short haul -- 10 balls or less. Your mind "resets" after pocketing each rack-winning ball (i.e. the 9-/10-ball). And, if you miss, chances are that you'll get to the table again, especially in alternate-break situations. Not so in 14.1, because each rack "links into" the next. You have to carefully plan for and execute that linkage. One false move, and you can be 1 point away from match-winning point; it doesn't matter -- your opponent is liable to make you sit and watch you LOSE the match, just because you had a lapse of concentration, but he/she won't.
Once you are fundamentally sound enough to "link" two and three racks together, there's really nothing stopping you from going further. It's all in the head. For many folks, it's the problem of staying focused for that long. (When I say "focused," I'm not talking about the conscious/analytical mind. Rather, I'm talking about blocking everything out, focus on the task at hand -- pocket that ball in front of you, get shape for the next, and the next... ad-infinitum until the break ball.) And it's my problem, too. I tend to make some really BONEHEADED mistakes right after I break 100. I think it might be that I somehow "relax" a bit and think I'm over a hurdle, when in actuality, I'm not. Obviously, I need to work on a few things "upstairs," "between the ears."
Hope this is helpful!
-Sean
112
Sean,
Great run. 112 is a lot to be proud of. All great runs have to come to an end. Some sooner then others by all different means. There is no doubt that your #'s can go a lot higher. Keep up the good work.
Sean,
Great run. 112 is a lot to be proud of. All great runs have to come to an end. Some sooner then others by all different means. There is no doubt that your #'s can go a lot higher. Keep up the good work.
Wow Sean,
thats pretty deep right there...and i never thought of it that way, but in some strange sort of way i think you hit the perverbial nail right on the head !
-Steve
Overconfidence? That's my best guess. After you've watched over 100 balls disappear into the pocket it's not uncommon to assume everything will go. Especially if you've played a couple lazy shots up till that point. That's my guess any how.
I've had the same problem on the snooker table recently, I went a few days were I hit a lot of 70's and 80's and in each case I missed a simple shot that would have put me in position to finish the century (ie. a few balls close around the blue or pink). I had one session were I ran 75, 75, 73 and 80 that I walked away pissed about how badly I played hahaha. Sadly, today the best I could manage in a match was a 17 :frown:.
On a side note, this is the first year where we haven't a nine hundred million ball run posted from John Schimdt within the first couple days of the year lol. Have to say I miss it. His numbers simutaneously encourage and discourage me. I'd say about 70/30.
John is a little busy - but yes, I miss those scores as well. Pat Howey (RIP) would always surpass any of my high runs by a few balls just to show me that he could. lol... A couple of years ago, I had a run in the 160's. At the end of the year, I barely finished in the top 10. That tells me that 14.1 is still going strong, and that many people are out there playing it, and playing it well!
John is a little busy with his new venture, but I bet he puts up a pretty good number at the Derby City Straight Pool Challenge in a couple of weeks.:grin:
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I am getting frustrated with my 7' Valley. It is so cramped when playing 14.1. I used to have a 9' Gold Crown and sold it to free up some space. And since I've discovered the 14.1 challenge I sincerely regret it.
My buddy has a 9' Gold Crown. I might have to put a 10 hour day on it with my camera. The only thing I don't like about it is he felted it with the same cloth they use up here on the leagues, which is much slower than the cloth on my 7'.
Nice job Bobby Chamberlain. I will be working hard this weekend to take over 2nd place.
My buddy has a 9' Gold Crown. I might have to put a 10 hour day on it with my camera. The only thing I don't like about it is he felted it with the same cloth they use up here on the leagues, which is much slower than the cloth on my 7'.
Nice job Bobby Chamberlain. I will be working hard this weekend to take over 2nd place.
wow, got in here only to post some digits and discovered a discussion which at first sight carries some valuables from Sean... I didn't expect that here.
On Jan 10 I managed to run 22 in a race to 75 which I lost nevertheless. Hope this gives a good start for the year.
On Jan 10 I managed to run 22 in a race to 75 which I lost nevertheless. Hope this gives a good start for the year.
thursday night ran 11 thanks tim
Ran 54 on 17th Jan. Started off with a 14 and got totally hooked after the break. Then another 14 and scratched on the break. Then came the 54. Still confident I will someday reach the century mark 
Just gotta play more often...
Managed to get the whole run on video (720p) but while editing the rest of the session out, I somehow deleted it by accident. Sigh. Will try again another day. Only bad thing is that the only table I can set up a camera somewho is just next to the bar, people walk nearby and pretty much all the people I know will always come to say hello when they are around. That distracts a bit...
Just gotta play more often... Managed to get the whole run on video (720p) but while editing the rest of the session out, I somehow deleted it by accident. Sigh. Will try again another day. Only bad thing is that the only table I can set up a camera somewho is just next to the bar, people walk nearby and pretty much all the people I know will always come to say hello when they are around. That distracts a bit...
