Quite often, most the people who repeatedly opine how jump shots require no skill, or are too easy - themselves cannot jump a ball or can't jump very well. They think getting over an obstructing ball is all there is to it. They grab a jump cue, get over an obstacle and they've got it all figured out. How about making the shot with a reasonable degree of confidence? How about playing position with a jump shot? At the higher level, going for a jump shot and missing usually results in losing the rack unless you luck a safe. They speak of the jump shot as if it is an automatic, or a given. Pull out the magic jump stick and all is well. I think these people have a psychological aversion to the jump cue because they were the victims of well executed jump shot at one time and they allow their hysteria to get in the way of the facts. For example, only remembering the times opponents make the ball against them - rather than all the times they miss or foul....
Jump shots are an important part of the game for the simple reason that they punish garbage safeties. Safety play is better because of the jump shot.
I hear all this whining and complaining about kicking and safeties. What nonsense. Most of the time, the person at the table does not execute some difficult or elaborate safety involving incredible skill or kicks. However, the person stuck with the safe is the one who has to come up with some insane kick or sometimes there is no kick. Should we concede that against some shots, there is 0% chance at all? The game is better when there is always a chance or an option.
The point is, the anti-jump shot crowd wants to make it seem as if all their hard work is being bypassed and avoided because players can "easily" jump out of it.
It's nonsense. The reality is, many safeties are fairly effortless. Players bumping balls or rolling them to a safe area. More safety play is effortless or skill-less than jump shots that are allegedly effortless or skill-less.
Without the jump shot, large areas of the table become suitable for a safety. Where's the skill in that? Oh, that's right...they want to be able to putt the cueball and play a skill-less area position safety and be rewarded for it.
Let's not forget about one angle few ever want to touch on, but I'll go there because I don't pull my punches. There's the ENVY factor. I don't know about you guys here on this board, but in my personal experience in pool rooms, almost always - the anti-jump shot people and whiners are the geezers who can't jump, and many weaker league level players.
All this anti-jump shot talk can be equated to "it's not fair you possess another skill" ...
To put it in the proper perspective, replace "jump-shot" with DRAW. We should ban the draw show! It's an unfair advantage for better players...
As for the destruction of the cloth or equipment. That is ignorance. I'm sure many players destroy cloth trying to execute jump shots. No argument there. But how is this any different than the damage done to cloth by improperly executed shots of any kind? I've seen players miscue so badly and sharply on a draw shot, they scrape and thus break threads in the Simonis. Again, let's ban the draw shot!
I execute jump shots and there is zero damage to the cloth. No burn marks, no divots. No problems. It's technique, not power. The CB weighs 5.5-6.0 oz. It can be hit relatively lightly and still get full ball height. Therefore, it is wrong to say jump shots damage the table, because there is nothing inherently damaging about a properly executed jump shot. It certainly does no more damage than a break shot - which burns the cloth and does create pits over time. Should the break be limited to 10mph or less? How about we only play 14.1 and ban jump shots so we can preserve the cloth.
Finally, there is nothing automatic, automatic or assisted in a jump shot with a jump cue. You have to bridge, stroke and hit the CB which all requires coordination, speed control, accuracy and everything else that goes into cueing any shot. The anti-jump shot people make it seem as if it's some kind of device that makes the shot happen. The reply to this is "well then, just jump with a full size cue" ...sure. Then at the same time, why use a mechanical bridge? Just shoot lefty, or reach, or bridge on the cue's forearm? Why use baby powder or shooting gloves to have a smoother stroke? Why even use chalk? Chalk is too easy. Makes hitting the CB off center too easy. Ban it.
There's a difference between automation and something which helps facilitate the shot. All a jump cue does, is allow you to get a better angle when stroking downward because a full size cue gets in the way of your arm and upper body.
