Am I now just an old guy?

[KMRUNOUT]

Curious...are you playing APA? Where? If you play as good as a solid B player, you should be stealing as a 6. I don't know any APA 6's that are B players that are not serious sandbaggers. Many 7's in our area are barely B players.

Just wonderin...

KMRUNOUT

 

[sixpack]

Last night in our league I played a solid B player. I feel that if I play well I can play with him and beat him. In fact I have several times. However my ego was tweaked because the league dropped me to a 6. So, I need to beat this guy just to let everyone know they are wrong and I still have it. Now here is the frustrating part. I beat him on the table but lost because of end game strategy. I shot when I should have played safe and I played safe when I should have been aggressive and shot. On two occasions I missed key shots that weren't hangers but I should have made. As my old partner would say I was guilty of "stinkin' thinkin' " I should have beaten him 5-2 and instead I lost 5-3.

Over the years I watched older guys play great and make that one critical mistake that costs them. I guess I have reached that state. I tried, I really tried to bring back the "I ain't losin' to this guy" feeling but I just couldn't get it to manifest itself.

So, is this what I have to look forward too? Do I just now get to beat up the other 6's but lose to someone that is slightly better? Or is that my problem, thinking that someone is "slightly better"?

Come on you older guys, what is suddenly going on?

Bob

I don't think this is just being an old guy. I think that it could be related to practice. What I mean is that now that you are older and have 'been there, done that' when it comes to thinking through the table and defensive strategy...you probably mail in that part of your practice routine - or don't even practice at all. Or, what I see a lot of long time players do is practice defense without practicing the ensuing offense. In other words, practice getting control of the table back, but then don't practice taking BIH and making sure you run out with it.

The two shots that you missed could have been from being a little out of sorts from not shaking off the other mental mistakes.

Either way, make sure you are not being lazy when you practice and practice winning as much as you practice other skills.

Or, I could be completely wrong and you could just be an old guy now

 

[doitforthegame]

Curious...are you playing APA? Where? If you play as good as a solid B player, you should be stealing as a 6. I don't know any APA 6's that are B players that are not serious sandbaggers. Many 7's in our area are barely B players.

Just wonderin...

KMRUNOUT

No, it is an in-house league at my men's club. They base the ratings on APA. The other guy is the best stick in house and he is a solid B. I'm a C+, low B-. That is the only guy in the room that I should lose too.

Bob

 

[lfigueroa]

Last night in our league I played a solid B player. I feel that if I play well I can play with him and beat him. In fact I have several times. However my ego was tweaked because the league dropped me to a 6. So, I need to beat this guy just to let everyone know they are wrong and I still have it. Now here is the frustrating part. I beat him on the table but lost because of end game strategy. I shot when I should have played safe and I played safe when I should have been aggressive and shot. On two occasions I missed key shots that weren't hangers but I should have made. As my old partner would say I was guilty of "stinkin' thinkin' " I should have beaten him 5-2 and instead I lost 5-3.

Over the years I watched older guys play great and make that one critical mistake that costs them. I guess I have reached that state. I tried, I really tried to bring back the "I ain't losin' to this guy" feeling but I just couldn't get it to manifest itself.

So, is this what I have to look forward too? Do I just now get to beat up the other 6's but lose to someone that is slightly better? Or is that my problem, thinking that someone is "slightly better"?

Come on you older guys, what is suddenly going on?

Bob

Bob, I think it's just that our egos get more fragile over time. It's tough to lose to the younger guys. Just try and remember when you were the young guy trying to beat a guy with a name, an established player -- you had nothing to lose. They have the drive, the stamina, the sound eyes and coordination, the want to. It is the way it is, always has been, and the way it should be.

Lou Figueroa

 

[TheBook]

A loss of one match in APA isn't going to drop you a skill level unless you are a new player. I am sure that your skill level isn't as great as you thought.

I am 68 and a 7 in 8 ball and another player on my team is a 6. Due to the make up of our team only one of us can play per night. I have been trying to drop by losing some :wink: and the captain talked to the LO about it and was told no way because of all of the games that I have played. I pleaded old age is slowing me down and he just laughed.

I think old age is just a excuse for losing the desire to play as much as you use to. If you played as much as you wanted to when you were younger you would still improve.

 

[lfigueroa]

A loss of one match in APA isn't going to drop you a skill level unless you are a new player. I am sure that your skill level isn't as great as you thought.

I am 68 and a 7 in 8 ball and another player on my team is a 6. Due to the make up of our team only one of us can play per night. I have been trying to drop by losing some :wink: and the captain talked to the LO about it and was told no way because of all of the games that I have played. I pleaded old age is slowing me down and he just laughed.

I think old age is just a excuse for losing the desire to play as much as you use to. If you played as much as you wanted to when you were younger you would still improve.

Not so for everyone. My back kills me. My knees kill me. I play as much as I can and sometimes get three or four hours in. But when I was younger I could start playing at 11am and go straight through hitting balls well into the morning and go for breakfast at 5am. Sometimes I'd go to three or four pool rooms in a 24 hour span.

Lou Figueroa

 

[pt109]

I'm old (64) and I am a realist. I know the slide is coming. Just thought I would rant where at least people empathize. Can't talk to the wife about this kind of stuff. Her eyes glaze over and I get the ummmm-huh's

Bob

Ever notice how some actors and actresses age gracefully and take more mature roles?
And some wanna be teeny boppers in their 50s and get a lot of surgery?

Let your game change to suit you age...softer hits and get trickier.
Fred Davis, a world snooker champion, was still winning matches in his late 60s....
.....he'd lost his long shots and his power, but he could out trick them.

 

[pdcue]

Sounds to me, age has nothing to do with it. With age, you can lose some fine motor skills, which means you lose a little "touch" in the game. Maybe lose some eyesight too. But, you don't forget how to play the game until dementia sets in. You stated that you flat out made wrong choices. Sorry, but that is just lack of knowledge, not age. But, you did learn you made the wrong choices, so you aren't to old yet to learn new things!

Really? I think Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry would beg to differ.

Dale(old enough to know better)

 

[pdcue]

Not so for everyone. My back kills me. My knees kill me. I play as much as I can and sometimes get three or four hours in. But when I was younger I could start playing at 11am and go straight through hitting balls well into the morning and go for breakfast at 5am. Sometimes I'd go to three or four pool rooms in a 24 hour span.

Lou Figueroa

Yeah... them was the days.

Dale

 

[doitforthegame]

A loss of one match in APA isn't going to drop you a skill level unless you are a new player. I am sure that your skill level isn't as great as you thought.

I am 68 and a 7 in 8 ball and another player on my team is a 6. Due to the make up of our team only one of us can play per night. I have been trying to drop by losing some :wink: and the captain talked to the LO about it and was told no way because of all of the games that I have played. I pleaded old age is slowing me down and he just laughed.

I think old age is just a excuse for losing the desire to play as much as you use to. If you played as much as you wanted to when you were younger you would still improve.

First we are not in the APA, it is my private men's club. Second it wasn't just one loss that dropped me. End of October had a pacemaker put in and played like crap for over a month. Now I am back on the mark. This is also 8 Ball which is my least favorite game (9ball, 14.1, cowboy, three ball, then 8 ball). Well, that sounded like an excuse to me, so maybe it was.

 

[doitforthegame]

Bob, I think it's just that our egos get more fragile over time. It's tough to lose to the younger guys. Just try and remember when you were the young guy trying to beat a guy with a name, an established player -- you had nothing to lose. They have the drive, the stamina, the sound eyes and coordination, the want to. It is the way it is, always has been, and the way it should be.

Lou Figueroa

Lou- absolutely my ego was hurt. What's worse is the guy is one of those cocky arrogant ones that annoy the crap out of me. I asked him to match up once and we split 2 sets (7-6 and 6-7) and he quit. He wont play again. See, this is what really torques me off is I had him beat, but I beat myself instead.

Bob

 

[PolarBear]

I've heard Jim Baxter "just shoots the eyes right off them balls.", this confirms it!

I'll be 71 in April , and on my team the youngster is 56 , Everyone is 65 or older and 1 is 74 . We won our championship year before last and 2ed last yr. and are tied for 1 this yr .so far , league over in April , I expect 1st or 2ed , again . Tight league , 14 teams . We never push out or call safties , No reason to , we do not play ball in hand , call pocket 8 all is our game .

 

[3andstop]

What's that old saying? ... I'm not as good as I once was ... but I'm as good once as I ever was! :thumbup:

I'm an old 63, 2 heart attacks under my belt, terrible arthritis in my ankles, knees, and shoulders ... Now I can play run out 1 hole, but once I get over a 40 ball run in straight pool these days, I have to stop and check my ID. :smile: Man am I glad I'm a pool player and not a tennis player.

 

[JoeyA]

I don't want to know. It might be contagious.

JoeyA

Last night in our league I played a solid B player. I feel that if I play well I can play with him and beat him. In fact I have several times. However my ego was tweaked because the league dropped me to a 6. So, I need to beat this guy just to let everyone know they are wrong and I still have it. Now here is the frustrating part. I beat him on the table but lost because of end game strategy. I shot when I should have played safe and I played safe when I should have been aggressive and shot. On two occasions I missed key shots that weren't hangers but I should have made. As my old partner would say I was guilty of "stinkin' thinkin' " I should have beaten him 5-2 and instead I lost 5-3.

Over the years I watched older guys play great and make that one critical mistake that costs them. I guess I have reached that state. I tried, I really tried to bring back the "I ain't losin' to this guy" feeling but I just couldn't get it to manifest itself.

So, is this what I have to look forward too? Do I just now get to beat up the other 6's but lose to someone that is slightly better? Or is that my problem, thinking that someone is "slightly better"?

Come on you older guys, what is suddenly going on?

Bob

 

[JoeyA]

Sounds to me, age has nothing to do with it. With age, you can lose some fine motor skills, which means you lose a little "touch" in the game. Maybe lose some eyesight too. But, you don't forget how to play the game until dementia sets in. You stated that you flat out made wrong choices. Sorry, but that is just lack of knowledge, not age. But, you did learn you made the wrong choices, so you aren't to old yet to learn new things!

Nor is he too old to correct the things that he knows he did wrong.

JoeyA

 

[naji]

Last night in our league I played a solid B player. I feel that if I play well I can play with him and beat him. In fact I have several times. However my ego was tweaked because the league dropped me to a 6. So, I need to beat this guy just to let everyone know they are wrong and I still have it. Now here is the frustrating part. I beat him on the table but lost because of end game strategy. I shot when I should have played safe and I played safe when I should have been aggressive and shot. On two occasions I missed key shots that weren't hangers but I should have made. As my old partner would say I was guilty of "stinkin' thinkin' " I should have beaten him 5-2 and instead I lost 5-3.

Over the years I watched older guys play great and make that one critical mistake that costs them. I guess I have reached that state. I tried, I really tried to bring back the "I ain't losin' to this guy" feeling but I just couldn't get it to manifest itself.

So, is this what I have to look forward too? Do I just now get to beat up the other 6's but lose to someone that is slightly better? Or is that my problem, thinking that someone is "slightly better"?

Come on you older guys, what is suddenly going on?

Bob

Need to practice more

 

[doitforthegame]

So, I have been in a TREMENDOUS slump since I made the original posting. Only won one league match. I keep missing the key ball. It is all in my head. The past Saturday during our weekly ring game I found it. The cue felt right, I could clearly see the contact points and I was able to roll the cue ball into perfect position. Plenty of run outs and a few break and runs. I was the big winner. Finally.

How did I manage the turnaround? I don't have a table to practice on and the Queen only allows me a predetermined number of hours for my unsupervised fun. So, since another thing us old guys do is we sit on the couch to watch tv we fall asleep. But go to bed we end up staring at the ceiling because you can't fall asleep. I decided to put this time to good use. I started to mentally play. I visualize "practicing" shots that I was missing and how to run out a table. I swear that has been the difference.

The big test will come Wed. the next league night. I am confident I have found "The Force".

Bob

 

[pwd72s]

The trick is to not worry about it...after all, old age doesn't last long. (I'm 72)

 

[Sedog]

I'm old (64) and I am a realist. I know the slide is coming. Just thought I would rant where at least people empathize. Can't talk to the wife about this kind of stuff. Her eyes glaze over and I get the ummmm-huh's

Bob

What are you talking about? I just started playing pool 5 years ago and I keeping getting better! I am 76. Try something new in pool to get your interest and enthusiasm up.
Good luck!

 

[dougster26]

The trick is to not worry about it...after all, old age doesn't last long. (I'm 72)

That's a good one! I'll be 73 before the week is out.

Best one I have ever seen is with a tape measure. Man's life expectancy is about 75-76 yrs. Pull out a tape measure to that number and say when I was born this is what I had. Then start reeling it in until you hit your age and say this is what I have left. Of course if you are over the expected year you are on borrowed time.