Pros missing easy shot - why?

P

precisepotting

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
https://youtu.be/QBaAclAjH8M 8m 10s

Do you guys have other videos?

Question is, why some pros miss easy shot albeit rarely? I know they are human and so the nerves could be getting to them, but what other possible reason/s could be there for missing such easy shots?? Standing, cueing or sighting errors?

Would love to hear your views.
 
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I know. But from the video clip, do you think it is a cueing error or a sighting error?

Would love to see more clips to do some simple analysis/discussion. It is just rare to see pros missing an almost straight on shot. I remember seeing Efren Reyes missing one too.
 
Which miss, the one ball at the beginning or the 9 ball at the end?

For the one ball, the camera angle wasn't good. It could have been a little harder than it looked trying to play rail first around the ball.

For the 9 ball, it looked like he cued inside english, and tried to roll the ball. He may have misjudged the squirt, or had a case of the nerves. I know for myself I prefer not to roll a ball in like that. I prefer to punch a shot like that with a firmer stroke, and use a little natural english.


precisepotting said:
I know. But from the video clip, do you think it is a cueing error or a sighting error?

Would love to see more clips to do some simple analysis/discussion. It is just rare to see pros missing an almost straight on shot. I remember seeing Efren Reyes missing one too.
Click to expand...
 
Ooh, I meant the 9 ball. It seemed like a simple centre cue ball hit will do the trick. Most average players would have potted that easily. I believe he accidentally mishit and inside english was imparted to the cue ball. Or could it be that his shot line is wrong when he stoop down for the shot?
 
Generally I've notice that it happens more when I've bet my last dollar on them...
 
When you''re a skilled and aggressive CB mover, like the pros, you tend to hit a bit firmer and rely on the right draw/stun/follow + spin to float or kill the CB where you want it on many or most shots. When they're tearing through a rack they're really more focused on where the CB is going and how to get it there, with their foot hard on the gas.

What happens when otherwise great shooters miss the last ball is usually that they let up off the gas and/or 'steer' the cue. If they've been hitting repeated firm shots for position, they've been sticking harder into the CB and focused more on their cue delivery to control the CB. When they're just rolling the last ball in and let off the gas, they may subconsciously steer the cue towards the contact point on the OB, which results in a thicker hit.

That's why with really serious players, even if they're close to the pocket with an easy shot, they'll stun or draw even though to the amateur it looks like there's no reason to do so and no risk of a scratch. They're not doing it to make a statement or show their CB control, they're doing it because 99.9% of their mental game is about CB control and if on the last ball they decide to soft-touch it without precisely controlling the CB, they risk having a brain fart where their control breaks down and they steer their cue ruining the shot.

Yes this can be caused by nerves, being timid about the shot and reverting to n00b mode, easing up off the stroke. But with players of this level, it's definitely an execution and not an aiming problem. These guys don't even remember the last time they had to think about aiming, it's like breathing to them, their focus on their shot is always how the CB is going to come off of the OB, not where the OB is going, because that's always a given for them.

Edit: In short, the problem is they've reversed their usual process on the last ball, thinking too much about aiming the OB into the pocket when their mental game is developed to aim the CB to come off the OB and land on some specific spot on the table. They know where to contact the OB without even thinking so when they DO make that what they're thinking about, they suffer a breakdown of the other things they do well, i.e., dead-stroking the CB with the line, speed, and spin it should have.
 
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In other words, under the execution part, they have the correct shot line but it was the cueing action that resulted in the miss shot. So, it is unlikely that it is the shot line that costs the shot to be missed.
 
After examining the clip further, I suspect his shot line is not right when he goes down to play the shot. It is clearly seen that he played inside english (right hand sidespin). In that situation, the cue ball would have squirted left and the object ball should have landed on the long rail instead of the top rail.

I have watched the whole match. He played fabulously after that. That was just a hiccup in the first game.
 
Gorramjayne said:
When you''re a skilled and aggressive CB mover, like the pros, you tend to hit a bit firmer and rely on the right draw/stun/follow + spin to float or kill the CB where you want it on many or most shots. When they're tearing through a rack they're really more focused on where the CB is going and how to get it there, with their foot hard on the gas.

What happens when otherwise great shooters miss the last ball is usually that they let up off the gas and/or 'steer' the cue. If they've been hitting repeated firm shots for position, they've been sticking harder into the CB and focused more on their cue delivery to control the CB. When they're just rolling the last ball in and let off the gas, they may subconsciously steer the cue towards the contact point on the OB, which results in a thicker hit.

That's why with really serious players, even if they're close to the pocket with an easy shot, they'll stun or draw even though to the amateur it looks like there's no reason to do so and no risk of a scratch. They're not doing it to make a statement or show their CB control, they're doing it because 99.9% of their mental game is about CB control and if on the last ball they decide to soft-touch it without precisely controlling the CB, they risk having a brain fart where their control breaks down and they steer their cue ruining the shot.

Yes this can be caused by nerves, being timid about the shot and reverting to n00b mode, easing up off the stroke. But with players of this level, it's definitely an execution and not an aiming problem. These guys don't even remember the last time they had to think about aiming, it's like breathing to them, their focus on their shot is always how the CB is going to come off of the OB, not where the OB is going, because that's always a given for them.

Edit: In short, the problem is they've reversed their usual process on the last ball, thinking too much about aiming the OB into the pocket when their mental game is developed to aim the CB to come off the OB and land on some specific spot on the table. They know where to contact the OB without even thinking so when they DO make that what they're thinking about, they suffer a breakdown of the other things they do well, i.e., dead-stroking the CB with the line, speed, and spin it should have.
Click to expand...

Gorramjayne,

You sure do come up with some great tips.

Quote:
These guys don't even remember the last time they had to think about aiming, it's like breathing to them, their focus on their shot is always how the CB is going to come off of the OB, not where the OB is going, because that's always a given for them.

Thanks

John
 
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Gorramjayne said:
When you''re a skilled and aggressive CB mover, like the pros, you tend to hit a bit firmer and rely on the right draw/stun/follow + spin to float or kill the CB where you want it on many or most shots. When they're tearing through a rack they're really more focused on where the CB is going and how to get it there, with their foot hard on the gas.

What happens when otherwise great shooters miss the last ball is usually that they let up off the gas and/or 'steer' the cue. If they've been hitting repeated firm shots for position, they've been sticking harder into the CB and focused more on their cue delivery to control the CB. When they're just rolling the last ball in and let off the gas, they may subconsciously steer the cue towards the contact point on the OB, which results in a thicker hit.

That's why with really serious players, even if they're close to the pocket with an easy shot, they'll stun or draw even though to the amateur it looks like there's no reason to do so and no risk of a scratch. They're not doing it to make a statement or show their CB control, they're doing it because 99.9% of their mental game is about CB control and if on the last ball they decide to soft-touch it without precisely controlling the CB, they risk having a brain fart where their control breaks down and they steer their cue ruining the shot.

Yes this can be caused by nerves, being timid about the shot and reverting to n00b mode, easing up off the stroke. But with players of this level, it's definitely an execution and not an aiming problem. These guys don't even remember the last time they had to think about aiming, it's like breathing to them, their focus on their shot is always how the CB is going to come off of the OB, not where the OB is going, because that's always a given for them.

Edit: In short, the problem is they've reversed their usual process on the last ball, thinking too much about aiming the OB into the pocket when their mental game is developed to aim the CB to come off the OB and land on some specific spot on the table. They know where to contact the OB without even thinking so when they DO make that what they're thinking about, they suffer a breakdown of the other things they do well, i.e., dead-stroking the CB with the line, speed, and spin it should have.
Click to expand...

Once again.

Gorramjayne,

You sure do come up with some great tips.

Thanks

John
 
In the early 70's....Mr. Willie Elder took Mr. Willie Mosconi on an exhibition tour thru Texas. I was lucky enough to get in two shows one day and watch him run a 100 balls effortlessly. After the trick shot portion of the show, he would answer questions from the audience. After fielding all sorts of inquiries as to the playing of the game, Lucky Louie chimed in with.....How come sometimes I miss some easy shots? What Willie said has stuck with me for ages.....he said, son....THERE ARE NO EASY SHOTS!

You should concentrate just as hard on the hangers, as you would a thin cut 8 feet away. My game jumped up 2 balls after hearing that. Thanks Willie.....
 
Great post, and advice.


Rockin' Robin said:
In the early 70's....Mr. Willie Elder took Mr. Willie Mosconi on an exhibition tour thru Texas. I was lucky enough to get in two shows one day and watch him run a 100 balls effortlessly. After the trick shot portion of the show, he would answer questions from the audience. After fielding all sorts of inquiries as to the playing of the game, Lucky Louie chimed in with.....How come sometimes I miss some easy shots? What Willie said has stuck with me for ages.....he said, son....THERE ARE NO EASY SHOTS!

You should concentrate just as hard on the hangers, as you would a thin cut 8 feet away. My game jumped up 2 balls after hearing that. Thanks Willie.....
Click to expand...
 
One Pocket John said:
Gorramjayne,

You sure do come up with some great tips.

Quote:
These guys don't even remember the last time they had to think about aiming, it's like breathing to them, their focus on their shot is always how the CB is going to come off of the OB, not where the OB is going, because that's always a given for them.

Thanks

John
Click to expand...

I agree 1PJohn... Knowing where the CB comes off the OB is the only way to play.
You must know the end point that the CB will run the stun line.. or what I call SLAP.

A stunned CB follows the tangent line. Knowing where the stunned CB is going lets
you deviate the CB from that line using draw or follow. SLAP... Stun Line Aim Point.

.
 
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