Pool Myths Explained

[JoeyA]

I heard a myth once that a pool player jumped off the Huey P Long bridge in New Orleans into the water. Before swimming to shore, he wrestled an alligator. In the process, the alligator tore the sleeves off his shirt and made cut-offs out of his blue jeans. Despite the struggle, the pool player swam to the bank and walked out with an alligator tooth necklace and alligator skin cowboy boots on. Rumor has it that he still can be found lurking around pool halls in a cowboy shirt without sleeves, cut-off blue jeans, alligator tooth necklace, and dirty old alligator cowboy boots.


MYTH or LEGEND? You be the judge. I vote legend.

Hahahahahahaha! Good one.

LEGEND!

JoeyA

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

You wouldn't be a real good writer on Mythbusters, every myth they would want to tackle, you would say it isn't a myth because we are assuming people believe it.

Myth: if you eat pop rock candy and drink Pepsi your stomach will explode and you will die.
Your response: that's not a myth because we are assuming someone would be gullible enough to believe it. But you won't die if you eat pop rocks and drink Pepsi

Myths are inherently just false statements that can be proven wrong. hence the word "myth".
The point of this thread was to dig up pool related myths. Our lively debate on the million balls myth (not the million balls fact, the million balls myth) makes me think it should definitely be included. With, of course, the added input of why a million balls is just part of the equation. Like you said.

In order for something to be a myth, it has to be widely held as a fact until proven otherwise. I don't know many people who believed that pop rocks and soda besides dumb people. Saying something is a myth is a glorified way of being nice and not calling someone for what they are, a gullible idiot.

 

[TATE]

Well-stated Colin. I agree. For most, it is probably aim and alignment that are off more often than the stroke. Poor alignment not only includes aligning the cue in the desired direction, but also aligning the tip correctly on the CB.

Also, when using intentional sidespin, many misses will be due to an incomplete understanding of how to compensate for squirt, swerve, and throw.

Regards,
Dave

If the "stroke" is the ability to deliver the tip as desired, I would say it's very important. What proved it to me was playing online pool video games. Some of the best players were amazingly good. Many of those I played and sked did not actually play pool, but they could aim and align the shot like a real world pro. In my opinion, besides the knowledge and experience required to aim and align, building the stroke, which is the coordination required to precisely and repeatedly to deliver the cue, is what separates the pros from the amateurs.

 

[JoeyInCali]

How about these ?

1. There is only one stroke . You just change stroke speed.
2. There are only 3 shots in pool.

 

[Cardigan Kid]

In order for something to be a myth, it has to be widely held as a fact until proven otherwise. I don't know many people who believed that pop rocks and soda besides dumb people. Saying something is a myth is a glorified way of being nice and not calling someone for what they are, a gullible idiot.

I'm going to have to challenge your myth definition:

Miriam Webster dictionary Main Entry: myth
Pronunciation: \ˈmith\
Function: noun
1 a : a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon b : parable, allegory 2 a : a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone ; especially : one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society <seduced by the American myth of individualism — Orde Coombs> b : an unfounded or false notion 3 : a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence

You seem to not understand the definition of myth. "Unfounded our false notion" can encompass every myth on this thread, including "it takes hitting a million balls to become a pro". That's a false notion, proved by those that have done it and aren't pro speed, and also by those who became pro speed in less time/hit balls.

 

[pt109]

I heard a myth once that a pool player jumped off the Huey P Long bridge in New Orleans into the water. Before swimming to shore, he wrestled an alligator. In the process, the alligator tore the sleeves off his shirt and made cut-offs out of his blue jeans. Despite the struggle, the pool player swam to the bank and walked out with an alligator tooth necklace and alligator skin cowboy boots on. Rumor has it that he still can be found lurking around pool halls in a cowboy shirt without sleeves, cut-off blue jeans, alligator tooth necklace, and dirty old alligator cowboy boots.


MYTH or LEGEND? You be the judge. I vote legend.

That's no myth...that's Scotty Townsend you're talkin' bout.
....makes Crocodile Dundee look like a wimp.

 

[duckie]

The myth that if you don't gamble or play for money you are not a serious pool player.

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

I'm going to have to challenge your myth definition:

Miriam Webster dictionary Main Entry: myth
Pronunciation: \ˈmith\
Function: noun
1 a : a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon b : parable, allegory 2 a : a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone ; especially : one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society <seduced by the American myth of individualism — Orde Coombs> b : an unfounded or false notion 3 : a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence

You seem to not understand the definition of myth. "Unfounded our false notion" can encompass every myth on this thread, including "it takes hitting a million balls to become a pro". That's a false notion, proved by those that have done it and aren't pro speed, and also by those who became pro speed in less time/hit balls.

Read between the lines. Dracula is a myth, yet some people believe he exists. HAMB is not a myth because it has been done. You're trying to take the words to mean absolute nothing else. HAMB does exist, no matter what you say or what to believe. I can teach someone how to make a ball. HAMB is what teaches them the routes, and basically how to play the game properly.

 

[JoeyA]

Read between the lines. Dracula is a myth, yet some people believe he exists. HAMB is not a myth because it has been done. You're trying to take the words to mean absolute nothing else. HAMB does exist, no matter what you say or what to believe. I can teach someone how to make a ball. HAMB is what teaches them the routes, and basically how to play the game properly.

It is a MYTH, that HAMB is the only way to learn how to play at a professional level.

There are lots of people who have hit a million balls (HAMB) and still don't know" how to play the game properly and still haven't learned the best patterns/routes".

JoeyA

 

[JoeyA]

Never elevate your cue when drawing the cue ball.

Always keep your cue stick level when drawing your cue ball, except when you are forced to elevate your cue. (FALSE)

JoeyA

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

It is a MYTH, that HAMB is the only way to learn how to play at a professional level.

There are lots of people who have hit a million balls (HAMB) and still don't know" how to play the game properly and still haven't learned the best patterns/routes".

JoeyA

I'd wager they've come no where near as close to a million as you/they think. I doubt there's a single pro out there who hasn't hit at least a million balls. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[jburkm002]

I really question what people see when watching the pros play. It's like all people see is when they make a ball.

 

[JoeyA]

Hamb = champion = myth

I'd wager they've come no where near as close to a million as you/they think. I doubt there's a single pro out there who hasn't hit at least a million balls. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Let's see.....excluding vacation...

5 hours per week x 50 weeks per year = 250 hours per year

250 hours per year x 40 years = 10,000 hours.

10,000 hours x 60 minutes in an hour = 600,000 minutes.

At the rate of 2 balls per minute (very low number) x 600,000 minutes = 1,200,000 balls.

These are pretty conservative numbers for a lot of people that have played pool their entire life. Check my math, maybe it's wrong. Averaging 5 hours per week doesn't seem like much time spent playing pool.

I have probably averaged well over 5 hours per week over 40 years and I am not nearly at pro level speed. I know others who have easily averaged 5 hours per week over 40 years and can't beat me.


JoeyA

 

[Hits 'em Hard]

Let's see.....excluding vacation...

5 hours per week x 50 weeks per year = 250 hours per year

250 hours per year x 40 years = 10,000 hours.

10,000 hours x 60 minutes in an hour = 600,000 minutes.

At the rate of 2 balls per minute (very low number) x 600,000 minutes = 1,200,000 balls.

These are pretty conservative numbers for a lot of people that have played pool their entire life. Check my math, maybe it's wrong. Averaging 5 hours per week doesn't seem like much time spent playing pool.

I have probably averaged well over 5 hours per week over 40 years and I am not nearly at pro level speed. I know others who have easily averaged 5 hours per week over 40 years and can't beat me.


JoeyA

As I explained earlier, a ball needs to be hit every 36 seconds for 10,000 hours in order to hit a million balls. I doubt you spend every second of those 5 hours shooting. So realistically you're shooting less than 5 hours. And then to top it off, I doubt you're truly shooting more than a ball a minute when it comes down to it. Check your math again when you do 5 hours at 1 ball a minute. That's 300 balls a week, 17,000 balls yearly. Even for 40 years, that's still shy of 500,000. Yes HAMB is still the path to becoming a pro. No matter how much you and other people want to say HAMB does not make you a pro. I have yet to see someone who has truly hit a million balls and isn't capable of at least AAA speed.

 

[J SCHWARZ]

Always keep your cue stick level when drawing your cue ball, except when you are forced to elevate your cue. (FALSE)

JoeyA

In Darren's instructional video he states that you need to elevate your cue and use a slower follow though to draw back at more severe angles.

 

[jburkm002]

I think you can learn more by watching the best players HAMB first. You can learn a lot on the internet forums, videos etc. I say forget drills and just hitting balls some time. Watch matches. Take 5 shots you doubt you can do and give it a try until you figure it out. Some people need to be taught things. Some people like to figure things out for themselves. Most training videos show you how to play perfect pool. Pool is about recovering from imperfect situations. That's what makes you a better player.

 

[JoeyA]

In Darren's instructional video he states that you need to elevate your cue and use a slower follow though to draw back at more severe angles.

EXACTLY! And he is correct!

JoeyA

 

[JoeyA]

I think you can learn more by watching the best players HAMB first. You can learn a lot on the internet forums, videos etc. I say forget drills and just hitting balls some time. Watch matches. Take 5 shots you doubt you can do and give it a try until you figure it out. Some people need to be taught things. Some people like to figure things out for themselves. Most training videos show you how to play perfect pool. Pool is about recovering from imperfect situations. That's what makes you a better player.

Some people learn by:
Visual- Reading, watching videos, watching live matches or watching others play.
Auditory-Listening to learned players teaching or listening to instructional material.
Doing (Kinesthetic)- Actual playing.

The problem for me watching the best players play is that it is not always easy to determine precisely how they hit every shot.

The problem for me in listening to auditory instruction is that most of the audio material is limited to the mental game.

The problem for me in doing is that it is sometimes difficult to determine what you are doing wrong. I'm probably a little better at mimicking as a way of learning. :grin:

Also for me, most of the time it can be difficult to know which part of the puzzle needs fixing.

JoeyA

 

[JoeyA]

Slow Learner.....

As I explained earlier, a ball needs to be hit every 36 seconds for 10,000 hours in order to hit a million balls. I doubt you spend every second of those 5 hours shooting. So realistically you're shooting less than 5 hours. And then to top it off, I doubt you're truly shooting more than a ball a minute when it comes down to it. Check your math again when you do 5 hours at 1 ball a minute. That's 300 balls a week, 17,000 balls yearly. Even for 40 years, that's still shy of 500,000. Yes HAMB is still the path to becoming a pro. No matter how much you and other people want to say HAMB does not make you a pro. I have yet to see someone who has truly hit a million balls and isn't capable of at least AAA speed.

As I stated, 2 balls per minute.

I don't doubt for a minute that most every professional player has hit a million balls.

I don't know what AAA speed is.

I have averaged a LOT more than 5 hours per week.

JoeyA

 

[bdorman]

Also for me, most of the time it can be difficult to know which part of the puzzle needs fixing.

JoeyA

That's why MLB has batting coaches

and every pro golfer employs a swing doctor,

and the NFL has coaches for just about every position on the field.

Maybe those batters should just HAMB.:grin: