I recently purchased a 7 ft Valley Black Cat myself and want to upgrade my rails. How do you like the Penguins? And how would you compare them to RidgeBacks?
Does Anyone Ever Get to the Point of Saying...
- Thread starter lfigueroa
- Start date
Going on 73 and playing the best pool of my life.
Stamina is the problem.
No more big tournaments that can last 10 or 12 hours or longer.
Two day events....forget about it.
Ain't happening anymore.
A four hour session max is about all I can do before losing all concentration and focus.
I still work on fine tuning my game, stroke, when I practice.
I still practice with a purpose.
The longer you have been playing the game, the longer the plateaus last.
Stamina is the problem.
No more big tournaments that can last 10 or 12 hours or longer.
Two day events....forget about it.
Ain't happening anymore.
A four hour session max is about all I can do before losing all concentration and focus.
I still work on fine tuning my game, stroke, when I practice.
I still practice with a purpose.
The longer you have been playing the game, the longer the plateaus last.
Zerksies
Well-known member
I am always self aware of how i am playing. When i miss i think about what could of been done that could of have been done better. Their have been sometimes that i have played my best and i've done nothing wrong. Sometimes their is a guy is just better and i can't do anything better.
Have to agree with Op. I am 64 and soon to be 65. I can catch a gear and my buddy is an accu stat guy and every now and then I can have that miracle set in 9 ball. I recently been playing a lot on one pocket and the game I used to dislike is becoming my best game. lol. Learning the strategies and moves and gaining confidence but know reality when it hits me between the eyes. Ok Rant Over to agree
Lou -
Like many things, we are limited. At one time I was shooting Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays fairly often. At that time, I started out with a Remington 1100 (field gun) and was hitting about 20-23 out of 25 at trap. The best shooters of course was consistantly hitting 24-25 out of 25. I thought, the only thing holding me back was using this old field gun when the best shooters were shooting incredible over/under shotguns.
So of course, chasing perfection, I got an incredible Browning Citori and hit about 15/25 and then finally hitting 20-23 out of 25.
I met the New York state champion and related this story and of course he laughed and said if he only had a nickel for everytime he had heard the story. He said, "Ken you are a "B" shooter and that is all you will ever be. You can slightly improve but there some folks that are wired that will always have great coordination and you will never beat them." He continued, so enjoy shooting and dont burden to chase perfection.
I think pool is the same way.
Best of rolls my friend,
Ken
Like many things, we are limited. At one time I was shooting Trap, Skeet and Sporting Clays fairly often. At that time, I started out with a Remington 1100 (field gun) and was hitting about 20-23 out of 25 at trap. The best shooters of course was consistantly hitting 24-25 out of 25. I thought, the only thing holding me back was using this old field gun when the best shooters were shooting incredible over/under shotguns.
So of course, chasing perfection, I got an incredible Browning Citori and hit about 15/25 and then finally hitting 20-23 out of 25.
I met the New York state champion and related this story and of course he laughed and said if he only had a nickel for everytime he had heard the story. He said, "Ken you are a "B" shooter and that is all you will ever be. You can slightly improve but there some folks that are wired that will always have great coordination and you will never beat them." He continued, so enjoy shooting and dont burden to chase perfection.
I think pool is the same way.
Best of rolls my friend,
Ken
The Old Fart thread? 
When I started playing in The Seniors division, I found the competition enjoyable. Well there is always the occasional A hole but as a rule the sportsmanship was refreshing. Some of my most memorable victories came in matches where the competition was so close that, had I lost, the congrat at the handshake would be genuine.
As a senior my strength and stamina are not what they used to be. My knowledge is a repository that grows. Sometimes the CRS limits my access to that knowledge. 
My mornings at home always start with a fitness program very similar to a visit to the gym. Stretching and flexing is an easy low impact fitness routine. My workout challeng leans towards precision. Something I feel I can improve. The strength and stamina are on maintain. I have found a program that works for me. An hour a day makes it fun to play.
The league competition is a favorite social Intercourse. The exhilaration of competition and the comradery of the team makes it enjoyable even when we don't win.
When I started playing in The Seniors division, I found the competition enjoyable. Well there is always the occasional A hole but as a rule the sportsmanship was refreshing. Some of my most memorable victories came in matches where the competition was so close that, had I lost, the congrat at the handshake would be genuine.
As a senior my strength and stamina are not what they used to be. My knowledge is a repository that grows. Sometimes the CRS limits my access to that knowledge.
My mornings at home always start with a fitness program very similar to a visit to the gym. Stretching and flexing is an easy low impact fitness routine. My workout challeng leans towards precision. Something I feel I can improve. The strength and stamina are on maintain. I have found a program that works for me. An hour a day makes it fun to play.
The league competition is a favorite social Intercourse. The exhilaration of competition and the comradery of the team makes it enjoyable even when we don't win.
By “recently rebuilding the table”, it was during Covid.
I could not get Ridgeback to answer the phone, I get it, there were many businesses taking a break.
I used Penguin rails because they were still taking care of orders. They were very helpful and fast.
The rails were great and I have never had a problem with them. I have never played on Ridgeback but I imagine they play similar.
Yup. Ever notice that the pecking order at the pool room hardly ever changes (with the exception of up-and-coming youngsters, of course). The same guys that were beating me 30 years ago, can still spot me about the same thing today. The guys I was slightly better than are all still there and slightly under me. We all have our good days and bad days, but for most, once we hit that plateau, that becomes our new average. I peaked at around 18 years old. Since then, I've lost my stroke and shot making but gained some maturity and craftiness. Net = about the same.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
While not quite, 'this is as good as I can ever get', there are days which wildly outperform the level I can reasonably expect to reproduce given the amount of work I am currently willing and able to put in. The good ole, "You're not as good as your best day and you're not as bad as your worst day". Happens in all sports really.
As a low handicapper in golf, I've had a striking day that was miles better than 'scratch' level. I couldn't even believe how good I was. It wasn't that 'this is as good as I can get', it was literally, "I'm nowhere near this good, wtf is going on?". Took profuse notes and tried to recreate that magic with any scrap of memory of that day to no avail. The tidbits made me better but I haven't seen another day of perfection like that. In pool, I've had a few such days. Usually a practice day where I just repeatedly destroy the ghost despite being a clear underdog overall. A few matches against way better players where even my mistakes aren't big enough to hurt me. I guess I could walk away from those days thinking "I can't get any better than that" and maybe that's true, but I won't ever get to find out bc I just don't have the time and willingness to put in the work required to actually get that good rather than have a good run of positive variance that gives off the illusion of a skill level I just don't have atm.
As a low handicapper in golf, I've had a striking day that was miles better than 'scratch' level. I couldn't even believe how good I was. It wasn't that 'this is as good as I can get', it was literally, "I'm nowhere near this good, wtf is going on?". Took profuse notes and tried to recreate that magic with any scrap of memory of that day to no avail. The tidbits made me better but I haven't seen another day of perfection like that. In pool, I've had a few such days. Usually a practice day where I just repeatedly destroy the ghost despite being a clear underdog overall. A few matches against way better players where even my mistakes aren't big enough to hurt me. I guess I could walk away from those days thinking "I can't get any better than that" and maybe that's true, but I won't ever get to find out bc I just don't have the time and willingness to put in the work required to actually get that good rather than have a good run of positive variance that gives off the illusion of a skill level I just don't have atm.
George the Greek
Well-known member
I'm 71 and love snooker and pool and just getting back into only playing pool. Can I get to a decent level ? I believe I can with some more table time and practice the right way. I've had a few bnr"s during practice and three 9"s off the break on my table. Last weekend I ran a few racks,banked like a monster and had a killer bnr during a tournament. I'm giving the Predator Tour here an effort to see where I'm at and if it doesn't pan out I'll keep on beating on my friends. It's all in fun for me now since I'm still above the grass after treatment for prostate cancer so it's a win win.
sudocrushms
Well-known member
Not directly, but i do think i have a pretty good handle of what my ceiling is if i had loads of practice time and training. So i basically have the speed i expect to be playing the majority of the time, then the good days where i'm closer to that ceiling for a bit.
I know i'm not Eagle Eye and can't thin a ball by 1mm from across the table. BUT i can keep learning and making better decisions so i don't need to rely on my eyes for mm precision.
I generally don't think about that though because i only play to have fun. I love the game and don't need money/standings/ratings/tourney results to be satisfied.
I know i'm not Eagle Eye and can't thin a ball by 1mm from across the table. BUT i can keep learning and making better decisions so i don't need to rely on my eyes for mm precision.
I generally don't think about that though because i only play to have fun. I love the game and don't need money/standings/ratings/tourney results to be satisfied.
I've had that feeling. Once in a blue moon, you have that day in which you can do no wrong. I once played a straight pool league match in which I ran 12, played safe, won the safety battle, and then ran 88 and out for the 100-2 win. I went home happy, knowing that I had never played a match like that one before and might never again.
... that special day in which we, seemingly, play at our highest possible level, comes for all of us.
... that special day in which we, seemingly, play at our highest possible level, comes for all of us.
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To me that is a defeatist attitude and I never quit nor quit trying to get better. Sure, I've played great and reached a peak, but that's just a new goal. There are many ways to get better IMO. Better routes, better patterns, better strategy...not just shooting better. Sometimes understanding the small things just a little better also. There is a point at the top of the learning curve that is harder and harder to reach. At that point, your commitment and dedication need to improve. It is amazing to see the level of Shane, Filler, and Gorst and how they just keep raising the bar on "perfection". Hang in there and keep fighting. Try teaching and you will instantly know what you don't know.
Sure. League play comes to mind. I'll beat higher ranked players straight-up for a couple of weeks, then lose to a 3 the next.
It's exactly like golf.
It's exactly like golf.
Yes, but it was when I played a perfect match and beat Edgie Geronimo 7-5 alternating breaks... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The trick is being able to do it consistently though isn't it?
Jaden
I think a quick perusal of the thread will show you that everyone else took my question as the tongue-in-cheek query it was and not a proposal of a personal creed.
Lou Figueroa