Everyone has seen "that guy". No one wants to be "that guy"...

[DAVE_M]

I'm that guy. Don't know about "APA 4" (I never understood what that rating actually means), although I do own a Predator butterfly case, play with a Z2 and use Predator chalk. Don't like the other stuff on your list.

I play sometimes with a guy that has always had nicer cues than me. His high run in straight pool is half of mine and my life time win percentage (by racks in rotation) against him is about 2 to 1. Do you know what I say to him when he buys a new cue? "Congratulations, that is a nice cue", because that's what a real person says and not a pool hall snob. I seriously don't get why anyone would care what another person plays with, unless you are curious about how it plays, in which case you should politely ask to try it. If someone has a nice cue but can't play, I always assume that he or she has more money than spare time for practice. There is nothing wrong with that. I have no illusions about my level of play (we have Open speed players in our pool hall so that always helps to keep your ego in check), but then again I don't particularly care how I compare to others as that is not in my power to change. I can only change how I play, changing how others play is mostly only possible by sharking. I don't do that.

As long as I can afford it I see no reason to handicap myself by not playing with equipment that I feel helps me play my best. For me that's a Z or Z2 and predator chalk. If you feel that's too nice for my current skill level, that's tough titty for you, buddy.

You completely missed my point and took it personal.... buddy :kma:

The "that guy" I was referring to, is the guy with equipment that he can't use. He has it because it's all made by Predator and he then feels it is the best. Most of those guys haven't even tried another cue, so for them to say it suits them the best, is bull.

Edit -

To elaborate; If you are from Europe, I don't expect you to understand the APA system. New players in the APA start as a SL4 and work their way up or down. An established APA SL4 is a D player, possibly a C if they are sandbagging. Fancy break and jump cues won't make you a better player. So, for a APA SL4 to have the equipment I mentioned, it's a little silly and would be deemed 'That Guy'.

 

[TheAggressor]

Well what justifies how much your game is worth?

Is each ball worth $100, so someone who can run a rack of 9 can get a $900 cue? What about a return on investment? Last week I took $400 off someone in a race to 5. Does that mean I can now justify a $400 cue?

I personally think anyone who wants to truly improve their game should get decent equipment. I started with a $100 Players but once I realized I wanted to get serious about this sport I bought a Joss. Did my current game justify a Joss? No, but I wanted a quality stick I could learn with and keep for the next 5-10 years while becoming a player who could justify playing with a Joss.

So once again what really should justify how much your game is worth?

 

[Baron]

I really hate when people post this picture or express these sentiments. Nobody has to earn a pool cue of a certain level, all they have to do is be able to afford it and want it. Nothing wrong with that.

I'm quite sure my current cue is worth more than my game and I know for a fact that the one I have on order will be when it's done. I don't care. I like nice things, I want a specific cue, I can afford it, and I plan to use it for many years as I slowly get better. I'm not under any misconception that the cue is going to make me play better or that I couldn't learn to play just as well with a $100 Players cue.

The only thing that bothers me is when people try to justify their expensive purchases by saying it's going to make them perform better. I don't like fake justification or to see people who mistakenly believe such things. But if some beginner walks in with a Southwest and a gator skin Justis case, knows he isn't any good and just says it straight up that he bought the cue and case because he liked them and can afford them, then more power to him (and I might ask him what he does for a living...because I'd like to be in that position).

This resonates with me. Regarding the original post, I am without a doubt "that guy". I'm young and not all that great of a player, but I love the cue side of things. Just because I'm not as good as a lot of players doesn't necessarily mean I don't have the right to buy a cue I really like from a respected maker. I know it's not going to make me play better besides that it may give me some added confidence...but it sure looks and feels nice.

Funny thing is, I actually got into higher end cues by accident. I had a 200 dollar Lucasi sneaky I picked up in June 2013, and by this last December I was playing with a Tascarella due to a snowballing addiction to cues. It went from sneakies to plain janes, and up and up. My game is still at the Lucasi level in my opinion, but like many others in this thread have said - the only people who scoff at me playing with the Tasc are the ones who used to own one and gambled it away or A players who don't make as much money as me and can't afford one. I'm not rich, but I manage my money well enough to be okay with having one really nice expensive thing in my life. Especially considering that I know once I have kids, these kinds of purchases will probably be put on hold for quite a few years.

 

[Celtic]

I have never seen one of these guys in my life

I have seen many not so good players with nice cues
and a ton of pool hall bums making fun of him

Given the choice of the two ,I prefer the guy who is successful in life and can afford to
buy the cue,car,home and support his family to the envious critical know it all broke
who can run a few racks

It is my experience that all this type of criticism is directed at a straw man
by pool hall losers.

Dean

Well said man, this thread immediately hit me as sour.

99.99999% of the people on this planet who play pool do so for fun, it is a hobby, a excuse to get off the couch and out of the house and maybe meet a couple friends and be social.

If spending a fairly big chunk of change on a pool cue that you think is a beautiful work of art that you can appreciate the talent it took to make it, and you think the things hits OK too (although what would you know), then someone should do it.

If there is any "that guy" in the pool hall it would be the goof walking around telling people "LOL, nice miss dumbass, you should be playing with an action cue, that thing there is too good for you!". Luckily I have rarely seen that guy in the pool hall (not that I have never seen them), but some of them seem to be around AZB... joy.

 

[Celtic]

The best part was after the match. He shakes hands and packs up all his stuff like nothing had happened. He seemed completely oblivious to everything almost delusional.

Hello there "Irony", how are you on this fine day?

From a point of "understanding" that whole event, it sounds like you were the one left in the dark at the end of it all. No offense...

 

[tc in l a]

that's me

I'm that guy...at work...up since 4am...wishing i could be in a room somewhere listening to the click of pool balls...waiting for my favorite table to open up...looking to take down the ghost today...and always willing to let someone who's interested try one of my too good for me cues

 

[pwd72s]

I have never seen one of these guys in my life

I have seen many not so good players with nice cues
and a ton of pool hall bums making fun of him

Given the choice of the two ,I prefer the guy who is successful in life and can afford to
buy the cue,car,home and support his family to the envious critical know it all broke
who can run a few racks

It is my experience that all this type of criticism is directed at a straw man
by pool hall losers.

Dean

Thanks Dean! Yeah, I guess I'm "that guy"...retired, back to the game after many years away because I was running a biz, raising a kid, paying taxes and insurance, all of it. I'm strictly a recreational player. NOT highly skilled and I know it, which means I can't be hustled. But I'm enjoying the hell out of my Josey custom, my Justis case...and I enjoy even more knowing that Cindy & I are financially secure.

I grew up broke...managed to escape through hard work, saving and investing. I sure as hell don't want to go back to that broke stage!

Not everybody with good equipment plays at top level...not everybody with a Ferrari has formula one driving skills...

 

[macguy]

Hello there "Irony", how are you on this fine day?

From a point of "understanding" that whole event, it sounds like you were the one left in the dark at the end of it all. No offense...

This was not a criticism of the guy he was just really interesting. He looked so unusual to start with. Then all the equipment and his whole demeanor. Then the punch line was he could not play at all.

Most interesting was his play. He would look at shots from different angles taking a lot of time, bending down and lining things up. It was as if he was an actor playing a pool player and doing what he thought a pool player would do. I just found it unusual I never saw anyone quite like him.

 

[Wolven]

Well said man, this thread immediately hit me as sour.

99.99999% of the people on this planet who play pool do so for fun, it is a hobby, a excuse to get off the couch and out of the house and maybe meet a couple friends and be social.

If spending a fairly big chunk of change on a pool cue that you think is a beautiful work of art that you can appreciate the talent it took to make it, and you think the things hits OK too (although what would you know), then someone should do it.

If there is any "that guy" in the pool hall it would be the goof walking around telling people "LOL, nice miss dumbass, you should be playing with an action cue, that thing there is too good for you!". Luckily I have rarely seen that guy in the pool hall (not that I
have never seen them), but some of them seem to be around AZB... joy.

That's the guy that pisses me off too, half of them do a lot of talking, but are gutless and most of the time not that good.

Same goes for a strong player trying to pick on a weaker one, but having no balls to match up with someone above them.

Or a weak player, talking smack about the stronger player on a bad day.

If you don't have anything nice to say about somebody's game, then shut up.

 

[Straightpool_99]

I think it's nice that so many on this site have nice equipment. I think buying a nice cue etc. shows at least some commitment to the game, even if one can't spend as much time on it as one would like. A lot of the time someone first arriving at the "serious" pool halls has better equipment than his skill level would indicate. That is for the most part because he started playing in a small room/bar/home table and outgrew his banger friends, buying better equipment as his skill level rose. One should never forget that it takes quite a lot of effort just to become a C-player, and quite a lot of table time too for most people.

Pool is full of elitist douchebags. Those may be harsh words, but I stand by them. In my pool hall we have maybe 10 awful d-bags, and 2 or 3 of which are d-bag HOF material. They are not necessarily the top players either...Then there is the great majority which are fairly indifferent. Not unfriendly to strangers but not in any way welcoming either. There are less than a handful that are welcoming, friendly and helpful to the beginners. Actively recruiting new players at every chance they can get. These few people are what keeps the poolhall alive, organizing events for beginners, talking the sport up to their friends and coworkers. They bring in lots of business, even more than the d-bags have time to scare away.

In pool as in any sport there is always a lot off people who come into the sport and then lose interest shortly afterwards. Pool, however, is unique in that the most active and skilful people in it for the most part don't realize the importance of recruiting, which is why pool as a sport burn through more potential recruits than most other activities. I mean you don't really have to do anything actively if you don't feel like it, but for the love of god please try to act halfway decent to people. Is that too much to ask? I fear for the day when the friendly, recruiters at my pool hall no longer care.

 

[KRJ]

Sounds good but not a 100% true. I remember seeing Parica lose to a guy and part of the proposition was he had to play with a house cue. It was not long before Parica quit.

Parica actually offered more weight if he could use his own cue but the guy refused and Parica was done the house cue made that much difference. He must have tried a dozen different house cues but without his own cue of at least a decent two piece cue he could not beat the spot.

Bugs Rucker played with house cues and beat the snot of anyone in a game of banks, every day and twice on Sunday. The problem, in most cases, with a house cue is the tip and the gunked up shaft. So, it's not the cue, but the condition of the cue that hurts. If that house cue was brand new, would not be a problem.

I shot the same with my Burton Spain as I did with my Schmelke. I don't own the Spain anymore as someone made me an offer I could not refuse after owning it for 33 years.

 

[justadub]

You completely missed my point and took it personal.... buddy :kma:

The "that guy" I was referring to, is the guy with equipment that he can't use. He has it because it's all made by Predator and he then feels it is the best. Most of those guys haven't even tried another cue, so for them to say it suits them the best, is bull.

Edit -

To elaborate; If you are from Europe, I don't expect you to understand the APA system. New players in the APA start as a SL4 and work their way up or down. An established APA SL4 is a D player, possibly a C if they are sandbagging. Fancy break and jump cues won't make you a better player. So, for a APA SL4 to have the equipment I mentioned, it's a little silly and would be deemed 'That Guy'.

If the APA 4 can afford the equipment, and isn't snotty about it, what does it matter?

If the person is snotty about equipment, it doesn't matter how good a player they are, snotty is as snotty does. If he shoots lights out, all that means is that he's a damned good shooting snotty person.

(From an APA 5 whose game isn't worth the meager production stuff he uses)

 

[macguy]

Bugs Rucker played with house cues and beat the snot of anyone in a game of banks, every day and twice on Sunday. The problem, in most cases, with a house cue is the tip and the gunked up shaft. So, it's not the cue, but the condition of the cue that hurts. If that house cue was brand new, would not be a problem.

I shot the same with my Burton Spain as I did with my Schmelke. I don't own the Spain anymore as someone made me an offer I could not refuse after owning it for 33 years.

Joe Salazar played with a house cue but it was his cue. I am sure he had sanded on it to get it just like he wanted and had a good tip. The average house cue in a pool room with the tip that will be on it and it's condition can be a handicap.

 

[Buzzard II]

A lot of irony as well as hypocrisy here. Most of my disposable income has gone towards motorcycles and has for the last 48 years. I'm a much better rider than pool player. Now there are hundreds of thousands of $30,000 Harleys out on the road being piloted by guys that should be on 250cc Hondas. Those RUB's (rich urban bikers) have kept Harley alive during the poor years.

The same thing with pool. I always see threads about how the sport is dying. What will be the movie that will bring back pool etc. It's all those hobby players and retired geezer's (me) that's keeping what little of the game is left. How many custom builders would be in business if left to the hands of the always broke, pool room junkie. As pool rooms close, more and more those high end tables are making their way into the basements of those of us who like to play but are far from shortstop level.

There are five pool halls within five miles of me, that I have never been in. There are also 12 tables in private homes within 5 blocks of me and I've played in them all.

Maybe it's that elitist attitude that's killing the public rooms.

 

[rookie]

Yep that's me 1000 dollar cue and a five dollar game. But I practice as much as I can, read as much as I can. Pool is a learning process, may as well learn with a Gilbert instead of a wal mart cue.

 

[knuckleduster]

Im that guy to a degree, although I try not to be.
I just have a soft case with a $100 mcdermott in it- nothing fancy...
My game is better some days than others.
Two out of three times I can run 3-4 balls per shot but other times I over and under cut shots so bad you would think I was drunk.... Some days I cant hardly buy a ball the whole night. Those times I feel like an idiot for carting my own stick into a place, especially the bar I shoot for on league.
I hate it when I bring my stick with me and some guy with a beat to death, no tip house cue cleans my clock... Yeah those days I definantly feel like "That guy"....

 

[DeHouser]

Elitism is a funny thing, and pool doesn't have the lock on it. I have a number of hobbies outside of billiards, and have seen how money, ego, and competitiveness can make people ugly.

In pool (or anything else, for that matter), I've never been treated like 'that guy', most likely because I don't come across as 'that guy'. I'm just a schlep, who hits a few balls when he can. Simple.

Anyone who takes issue with my equipment or ability is welcome to their view. I won't be losing any sleep over it.

 

[slide13]

Yep that's me 1000 dollar cue and a five dollar game. But I practice as much as I can, read as much as I can. Pool is a learning process, may as well learn with a Gilbert instead of a wal mart cue.

That is exactly how I feel! I'm waiting on my first custom ordered cue, a Runde, and I plan to play it for the next 10 years so eventually I hope to have the game to match. I don't think it'll make me better, but I like having a nice cue of a certain style. I also feel like if you plan on sticking with pool for the long term it's a good idea to find a stick you want to stay with for the long term rather than deciding to "upgrade" every few years.

 

[hotrod622]

Sounds like league players to me, playin cue, break cue, jump cue, backup jump cue, chalk holder, cue holder, and can't make a ball. Talks about going to Vegas like it actually means he can "play" as a 4.
But they do support the pool "industry".

Figured I might as well start the anti-league discussion, since it's gonna happen anyway

I don't even play league but I fit this description. LOL

 

[UGOTDA7]

"That guy" has the means to spend all of that money and enjoy what is most likely just a hobby.......as opposed to those who probably don't and place more value on winning fairly meaningless games of pool - so who is really winning in the end? I'll go with option 1.

I'm sure there are guys driving Miatas who say the same thing when they see a guy in a Ferrari - "what a poser, that guy can't drive, if we went to a track I'd show him" - but in the end he's still going home in a Miata.