I thought I was good until.......

Cdryden

Cdryden

Pool Addict
Silver Member
So when I was a kid I had a table at home. I played every day and soon thought I was the master of the game and I decided to go to the new community center and show them how it was done. Then I realized I had a long ways to go.

Then in my teens after I had honed my skills beating the other kids in town (and after watching the Color Of Money at the theater!) I decided I would go to the pool hall and make some easy money. Again I realized I had a long way to go.....and now I needed more money.

Next came my early twenties, marriage, kids, divorce, mrs. right, another marriage and more kids and I decided to start playing the tournament circuts in my area. And of course I realized I still had a long way to go.

Then my thirties came and with it a new home and finally my own pool table. After some instructional videos, dabbling in trick shots, pool lesons, serious practice, pool leagues and finally bigger tournaments guess what? I still have a long ways to go!

Now that I am 40 years old I looked back on the last 3 decades of my pool life and I realized something, I've came a long ways.:smile:
 
Cdryden said:
So when I was a kid I had a table at home. I played every day and soon thought I was the master of the game and I decided to go to the new community center and show them how it was done. Then I realized I had a long ways to go.

Then in my teens after I had honed my skills beating the other kids in town (and after watching the Color Of Money at the theater!) I decided I would go to the pool hall and make some easy money. Again I realized I had a long way to go.....and now I needed more money.

Next came my early twenties, marriage, kids, divorce, mrs. right, another marriage and more kids and I decided to start playing the tournament circuts in my area. And of course I realized I still had a long way to go.

Then my thirties came and with it a new home and finally my own pool table. After some instructional videos, dabbling in trick shots, pool lesons, serious practice, pool leagues and finally bigger tournaments guess what? I still have a long ways to go!

Now that I am 40 years old I looked back on the last 3 decades of my pool life and I realized something, I've came a long ways.:smile:
Click to expand...

....And still have a long way to go...... :smile::smile::smile::smile: j/k.
 
LOL, I love the way you "Took a look back" at life from a pool playing perspective. I have done the same thing. Humbling at times, no ?
You are a true addict, and a class act. :smile:
 
It's only due to blind luck that I wasn't relieved of every dollar I had when I was an ignorant advanced-level banger. I would've played anyone for $20-$100 a game in about any bar I landed in... I was good enough to keep myself and my liberty buddies well-stocked with drinks, but considering the competition in hindsight, that wasn't much of a feat.
Special thanks to all you killers who didn't find me in one of those bars!
 
I spent a day with John Brumback last summer. That readily put things into perspective rather quickly. I've visited Stan Shuffett, again, rather humbling. Gene Albrecht was at my house this week and we had a 4 hour playing lesson. Gene certainly wasn't using his 100% tournament/money game and it was still rather humbling. Sometimes I wish I would have taken the game seriously 35 years ago instead of 1 year ago. But then again, to what end? Chances are it would have negatively impacted my chosen professional career and family in a big way, I seriously doubt the feeling of being shortstop level today (or even better) would be a good tradeoff for the life I enjoy now. Regardless, I sure love the game now and enjoy every minute practicing and playing.
 
Cdryden said:
So when I was a kid I had a table at home. I played every day and soon thought I was the master of the game and I decided to go to the new community center and show them how it was done. Then I realized I had a long ways to go.

Then in my teens after I had honed my skills beating the other kids in town (and after watching the Color Of Money at the theater!) I decided I would go to the pool hall and make some easy money. Again I realized I had a long way to go.....and now I needed more money.

Next came my early twenties, marriage, kids, divorce, mrs. right, another marriage and more kids and I decided to start playing the tournament circuts in my area. And of course I realized I still had a long way to go.

Then my thirties came and with it a new home and finally my own pool table. After some instructional videos, dabbling in trick shots, pool lesons, serious practice, pool leagues and finally bigger tournaments guess what? I still have a long ways to go!

Now that I am 40 years old I looked back on the last 3 decades of my pool life and I realized something, I've came a long ways.:smile:
Click to expand...



Hahaha this is so true. I am in my late 30s and finally took some lessons. Wish I had done it early on in my pool career.

I think the important thing to remember is the joy of playing doesn't come from winning. It is the challenge of the game that keeps you coming back. If you had mastered it as a kid you would be bored of it by now.
 
I thought I was good with my basement, small town and college town experience until I walked into the Capitol Cue Club at 21 and there was Cornbread Red.

Kevin
 
I love pool but it's a real kick in the balls, the first time you realize you're not the player you think you are. I used to say stuff like "yeah, I play pretty good. I might be like top ten in the state"... then one day a B player spotted me 80 in a race to 100 in straight pool and I was like... "ok, I might be top ten in this room but that's about it."
 
Dunnn51 said:
LOL, I love the way you "Took a look back" at life from a pool playing perspective. I have done the same thing. Humbling at times, no ?
You are a true addict, and a class act. :smile:
Click to expand...
Yes, very humbling!

DallasHopps said:
It's only due to blind luck that I wasn't relieved of every dollar I had when I was an ignorant advanced-level banger. I would've played anyone for $20-$100 a game in about any bar I landed in... I was good enough to keep myself and my liberty buddies well-stocked with drinks, but considering the competition in hindsight, that wasn't much of a feat.
Special thanks to all you killers who didn't find me in one of those bars!
Click to expand...
Aint that the truth! I'm pretty lucky to that I didn't get busted when my ego exceeded my skill!

nobcitypool said:
I spent a day with John Brumback last summer. That readily put things into perspective rather quickly. I've visited Stan Shuffett, again, rather humbling. Gene Albrecht was at my house this week and we had a 4 hour playing lesson. Gene certainly wasn't using his 100% tournament/money game and it was still rather humbling. Sometimes I wish I would have taken the game seriously 35 years ago instead of 1 year ago. But then again, to what end? Chances are it would have negatively impacted my chosen professional career and family in a big way, I seriously doubt the feeling of being shortstop level today (or even better) would be a good tradeoff for the life I enjoy now. Regardless, I sure love the game now and enjoy every minute practicing and playing.
Click to expand...
There is a lot of truth to that. If I had been a short stop when I was young I probably wouldn't have made the best choices. That's a good way to look at it.

TheNewSharkster said:
Hahaha this is so true. I am in my late 30s and finally took some lessons. Wish I had done it early on in my pool career.

I think the important thing to remember is the joy of playing doesn't come from winning. It is the challenge of the game that keeps you coming back. If you had mastered it as a kid you would be bored of it by now.
Click to expand...

I wonder about how much time I wasted doing things the wrong way. I didn't even know of anyone who was giving lessons when I was young and most of the advice a person got was bad advice.

kvinbrwr said:
I thought I was good with my basement, small town and college town experience until I walked into the Capitol Cue Club at 21 and there was Cornbread Red.

Kevin
Click to expand...

OUCH! Cornbread is the man!
 
CreeDo said:
I love pool but it's a real kick in the balls, the first time you realize you're not the player you think you are. I used to say stuff like "yeah, I play pretty good. I might be like top ten in the state"... then one day a B player spotted me 80 in a race to 100 in straight pool and I was like... "ok, I might be top ten in this room but that's about it."
Click to expand...

Wow! I pay attention to a lot of your posts CreeDo and I figure that you're a pretty decent player. Getting a 80 spot in a race to 100 and loosing would be tough to take but at least you kept at it.

I have gotten knocked down pretty hard twice in my life, the first time I almost gave up on pool altogether. The second time it just made me want to beat them! I tend to roll with the punches a lot better now.
 
Cdryden said:
So when I was a kid I had a table at home. I played every day and soon thought I was the master of the game and I decided to go to the new community center and show them how it was done. Then I realized I had a long ways to go.

Then in my teens after I had honed my skills beating the other kids in town (and after watching the Color Of Money at the theater!) I decided I would go to the pool hall and make some easy money. Again I realized I had a long way to go.....and now I needed more money.

Next came my early twenties, marriage, kids, divorce, mrs. right, another marriage and more kids and I decided to start playing the tournament circuts in my area. And of course I realized I still had a long way to go.

Then my thirties came and with it a new home and finally my own pool table. After some instructional videos, dabbling in trick shots, pool lesons, serious practice, pool leagues and finally bigger tournaments guess what? I still have a long ways to go!

Now that I am 40 years old I looked back on the last 3 decades of my pool life and I realized something, I've came a long ways.:smile:
Click to expand...
I'm almost 42 now and my story is much the same, except for the divorce and league play. If I played in leagues as I've been asked to do several times, then I'm sure the divorce would follow soon after....lol. I work long hours and do most of my play right here at home. There's just not enough time in the week to even consider league play for me. As far as the pros go,their consistent play is the biggest difference in their game and mine. I can run my share of racks, but it's not enough to keep up with them. I wish I could play more tournaments, too. They're so few and far between for me that if you don't take advantage of them right then and there then the next time could be a long time before you have another chance to do well in a tournament. It is a fantastic game to play, there's no doubt about that. I've been lucky enough to play 15 to 20 pros including some of the best ones ever. Pool may be one of the only sports out there where you have a chance to have a match with top players, even though you may not be cosidered one of the top players yourself.
 
Great post, Cdryden. I found myself chuckling and identifying with it along the way. I guess any amatuer player who has played off and on over decades can pretty much tell the same tale. I am now on another quest to improve! :)
 
Last edited:
Cdryden said:
So when I was a kid I had a table at home. I played every day and soon thought I was the master of the game and I decided to go to the new community center and show them how it was done. Then I realized I had a long ways to go.

Then in my teens after I had honed my skills beating the other kids in town (and after watching the Color Of Money at the theater!) I decided I would go to the pool hall and make some easy money. Again I realized I had a long way to go.....and now I needed more money.

Next came my early twenties, marriage, kids, divorce, mrs. right, another marriage and more kids and I decided to start playing the tournament circuts in my area. And of course I realized I still had a long way to go.

Then my thirties came and with it a new home and finally my own pool table. After some instructional videos, dabbling in trick shots, pool lesons, serious practice, pool leagues and finally bigger tournaments guess what? I still have a long ways to go!

Now that I am 40 years old I looked back on the last 3 decades of my pool life and I realized something, I've came a long ways.:smile:
Click to expand...


Very well written, sir! Btw I think it was a good decision to omit the last line as referenced earlier.
 
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