Question: Why do People Pay to Sign up to get Slaughtered?

[jay helfert]

Nope, I chopped off the tip of my left index finger and can't make a normal bridge anymore so I don't even play the game. Never figured out the open bridge so I just gave up the game for golf. Played golf every day for quite some time and then my shoulder went to hell. So I had to give up golf too. In golf I was an 11 Handicap at the 500 Club a very nice course here in Phoenix. Could normally shoot around 80-82 and my best score ever at the 500 Club was 76. So I was pretty much a C player at golf as well.

There was a very strong player/hustler out of Muskogee, OK that they called "Little Hand." I believe his real name was Lewis Bramlett. He had one arm that was very short and withered at the end, with maybe a small thumb and two fingers. It was like he had no elbow, just a forearm growing out of his shoulder. I can't remember now if he held the cue with that small arm (I think so) or used it as his bridge hand. Either way, he was severely handicapped for playing pool, and yet he was an excellent player. I watched him dismantle one of Oklahoma City's top bar table players, Herman the German, one night in OKC for $25 a game, when that was serious money. I sat there in amazement watching this man run out rack after rack.

 

[buckshotshoey]

There was a very strong player/hustler out of Muskogee, OK that they called "Little Hand." I believe his real name was Lewis Bramlett. He had one arm that was very short and withered at the end, with maybe a small thumb and two fingers. It was like he had no elbow, just a forearm growing out of his shoulder. I can't remember now if he held the cue with that small arm (I think so) or used it as his bridge hand. Either way, he was severely handicapped for playing pool, and yet he was an excellent player. I watched him dismantle one of Oklahoma City's top bar table players, Herman the German, one night in OKC for $25 a game, when that was serious money. I sat there in amazement watching this man run out rack after rack.

I have a guy on my pool team almost like that. His "birth defect" is in between the wrist and elbow. Was that way from birth. He shoots VERY well. Holds the cue with that "hand". Has not held him back at all.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Think It could be for right to say I played in DCC, or US Open. Local guy who worked for INM use to do DCC. Could not play Pool well, but talked about his DCC Bank Pool game.

He had the money to blow as he did well at IBM.

Then you have people who say they are supporting pool?

I have no desire to run s race with Olympic runner, why make fool of myself.

If I had desire I would train for Sr. Games, I spend my money I earn as I see fit.

Not spending it on nonsense.

 

[rexus31]

OK, look at the winner side bracket at the U. S. Open. As the cops say "all the usual suspects." Dennis, Shane, Neils, Max, Jason etc. Why would inferior players, who in their hearts must know that they're no match for any of these guys, pay money and sign up to get embarrassed by these people. Even established pros like Mika, Thorsten and Cory know that they're not going to win so why do they bother to play. At the beginning of any tournament there are ten guys that can win maybe 20 at the most if Taiwan and China are fully represented as clearly they are not this year. Back in Pittsburgh I played in every C tournament there was because I always had some chance of winning. I didn't play in tournaments where A players were going to kill me and I knew it. What am I missing here?

You are kidding yourself if you think the likes of Mika, Thorsten and Corey don't think they can win. These are world champion players who are capable of beating anyone in the world and they believe it. If all you do is play in C tourneys, guess what? All you'll ever be is a C player. Competitive players all need to test themselves against stronger competition at some point. That's how you improve. For some, it is a reality check. For others it is a stepping stone in the journey. Personally, I've played my best pool against players that were better than me. IMO, it makes you dig deep and focus.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Before I would enter something like a US Open, I would try a US Amateurs Championship first. If I did well there, then I would step it up a notch.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Before I would enter something like a US Open, I would try a US Amateurs Championship first. If I did well there, then I would step it up a notch.

Well I play 1 Pocket with guy who is very strong play, place in World Police & Fire games.

If I can not beat him 50% of time, why blow money go to Pro Tournment to donate too.

I honestly would rather buy something I enjoy, and get pleasure from it.

Maybe someone fell up to winning $10.00 for 5 rounds with a pro MMA Fighter.


If your up to that I would say not bright.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Well I play 1 Pocket with guy who is very strong play, place in World Police & Fire games.

If I can not beat him 50% of time, why blow money go to Pro Tournment to donate too.

I honestly would rather buy something I enjoy, and get pleasure from it.

Maybe someone fell up to winning $10.00 for 5 rounds with a pro MMA Fighter.


If your up to that I would say not bright.

So are you agreeing with my post? Or disagreeing? It's hard to tell.

It would be a memorable experience to play with the pros though. No expectations.... no disillusion... I would relish the experience. After all, what good is money after you are dead.

I made a little poem just for you Cowboy....

Playing pool with a pro,
Or buying hookers and blow,
I dont care what you do with it,
It's your dough.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

So are you agreeing with my post? Or disagreeing? It's hard to tell.

It would be a memorable experience to play with the pros though. No expectations.... no disillusion... I would relish the experience. After all, what good is money after you are dead.

I made a little poem just for you Cowboy....

Playing pool with a pro,
Or buying hookers and blow,
I dont care what you do with it,
It's your dough.

Me personally not playing in anything I have no chance of recover entry fee.

Other people can do with money as they see fit.

My $9.00 eBay watch tell time, Rolex President does that also.

But no one is killing people for junk watch.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Me personally not playing in anything I have no chance of recover entry fee.

Other people can do with money as they see fit.

My $9.00 eBay watch tell time, Rolex President does that also.

But no one is killing people for junk watch.

Isnt that sort of what I said the first time?
Start smaller and work up?

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Isnt that sort of what I said the first time?
Start smaller and work up?

Play we’re you feel comfortable, also be willing to look in mirror and say I will never be World Class.

Age is not on your side, as you age eyes go, thought slow down, and body goes to hell.

Young guns can play for 24 Hrs., non stop, I can not do that.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Play we’re you feel comfortable, also be willing to look in mirror and say I will never be World Class.

Age is not on your side, as you age eyes go, thought slow down, and body goes to hell.

Young guns can play for 24 Hrs., non stop, I can not do that.

 

[Maniac]

You can always learn to stroke the cue between the knuckles of your fist, I see lots of people do that in my poolroom. Not that they are particularly successful with that, but at least they are playing.

All one needs to do to make an open bridge is make a fist, set it down on the table/rail, and point your thumb up into the air.

It's that simple.

Maniac (has actually used that bridge under certain conditions)

 

[book collector]

OK, look at the winner side bracket at the U. S. Open. As the cops say "all the usual suspects." Dennis, Shane, Neils, Max, Jason etc. Why would inferior players, who in their hearts must know that they're no match for any of these guys, pay money and sign up to get embarrassed by these people. Even established pros like Mika, Thorsten and Cory know that they're not going to win so why do they bother to play. At the beginning of any tournament there are ten guys that can win maybe 20 at the most if Taiwan and China are fully represented as clearly they are not this year. Back in Pittsburgh I played in every C tournament there was because I always had some chance of winning. I didn't play in tournaments where A players were going to kill me and I knew it. What am I missing here?

 

[dnschmidt]

Who cares if I can still play the game with a bridge I hated and played like shit with. I played to win. In Pittsburgh, at Jimmy Marino's Golden Cue we had four really decent C players all four of us were right on the 5-6 player ranking edge. Any one of us could beat the other on any given day. It was competitive. Did I beat a B player now and then? Yes, I did and I loved it when that happened. The same was true with golf when my shoulders went out I quit playing altogether rather than play like a hack. If I'm just going out there to shoot 90 why bother. If I'm never going to shoot in the seventies again the hell with it. A part of my job was taking customers golfing. I tried to beat their brains out every chance I got. If a customer beat me, and some did quite often, it was because they were better than me and not because I went into the tank for them.

 

[ShootingArts]

Never played a big tournament, never played a small one when I was at the top of my game but I still won a dozen or so. What I did do was play every road player that came through the door of my "home" bar. Since they were getting steered from Greenway and I was in some books some of these were top players. I am a big believer in home field advantage and didn't give a damn who they were anyway. Some gave their real name upfront, some while playing, some after the battle. Some probably never did. All got played, few went away happy.

I was racing dirt in the early seventies and a guy with more money than sense was going to give AJ Foyt $40,000 for a car with the agreement that AJ would drive it now and then if he was available that weekend. As one of the local owner/drivers the track owner asked me what I thought about the idea. "Hell yeah, I'll never have a better shot at him than on my home track. If he beats me nobody will even notice. If I beat him I'll rent a billboard!"

Almost everything I have competed at over the years has been open class. In the few cases there were separate classes I rapidly moved up to the top division. I would rather run with the big dogs, it's an honor when you just get their attention. My first circle track car was a top division car. I showed my butt in front of two to four thousand people twice a weekend learning to drive it. By the end of the season the winningest driver around by far with over 500 wins was standing at the end of pit road with the track owner when I went out to qualify. My car was old when I bought it and completely rebuilt the important things not including the body. As I rolled out on the track Chick looked at the track owner, "that old son of a bitch will run!" I had passed him on an open track before a minor mechanical issue slowed me down and outran him at the end of a long race. I had his respect.

When all is said and done that is all that almost all of the amateurs are shooting for in big open pool events, respect!

Hu

 

[Billiardscollec]

OK, look at the winner side bracket at the U. S. Open. As the cops say "all the usual suspects." Dennis, Shane, Neils, Max, Jason etc. Why would inferior players, who in their hearts must know that they're no match for any of these guys, pay money and sign up to get embarrassed by these people. Even established pros like Mika, Thorsten and Cory know that they're not going to win so why do they bother to play. At the beginning of any tournament there are ten guys that can win maybe 20 at the most if Taiwan and China are fully represented as clearly they are not this year. Back in Pittsburgh I played in every C tournament there was because I always had some chance of winning. I didn't play in tournaments where A players were going to kill me and I knew it. What am I missing here?

I started doing the same thing (entered as a huge underdog) at Turningstone which has several pros that enter. I got killed in some matches, but kept trying. My game improved and in the last Turningstone I cashed. Along the way, I had some matches with some pros and in some of them I hung around early, but lost later on. The point is, by doing that, my game improved and I definitely learned some things. So maybe that is how other people think and they are willing to make the investment. Plus i'll give you an example. I played Mike Dechaine in Pennsylvania a few years ago in a tournament. I lost to him race to 5 on the hill in 9 Ball. I'll be the first to say that he plays way better than I do, but I believe in myself, so I made it a match and I expected to win because I was up 4-1. So maybe these people believe in themselves and that is why they entered.

 

[Fatboy]

Self belief is lacking in most people. Too much of it is equally bad. I look for balance.

Fortune favors the bold, not the locksmiths.

I’ll live and die by that statement
Fatboy

 

[gregcantrall]

I play in events that I have no chance of winning to support the game.

 

[cueman]

OK, look at the winner side bracket at the U. S. Open. As the cops say "all the usual suspects." Dennis, Shane, Neils, Max, Jason etc. Why would inferior players, who in their hearts must know that they're no match for any of these guys, pay money and sign up to get embarrassed by these people. Even established pros like Mika, Thorsten and Cory know that they're not going to win so why do they bother to play. At the beginning of any tournament there are ten guys that can win maybe 20 at the most if Taiwan and China are fully represented as clearly they are not this year. Back in Pittsburgh I played in every C tournament there was because I always had some chance of winning. I didn't play in tournaments where A players were going to kill me and I knew it. What am I missing here?

I have donated my entry in many open tournaments. Why? Well I like to play. If the entry is not huge I don't mind playing. I think actually playing better players will help you get better. Can you tell me you wouldn't like to be able to say you beat Johnny Archer a game? I actually beat him in a short race tournament once. But I have won a few games against many pros even though I lost the matches. I have beat some pros also even though it was rare.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Who cares if I can still play the game with a bridge I hated and played like shit with. I played to win. In Pittsburgh, at Jimmy Marino's Golden Cue we had four really decent C players all four of us were right on the 5-6 player ranking edge. Any one of us could beat the other on any given day. It was competitive. Did I beat a B player now and then? Yes, I did and I loved it when that happened. The same was true with golf when my shoulders went out I quit playing altogether rather than play like a hack. If I'm just going out there to shoot 90 why bother. If I'm never going to shoot in the seventies again the hell with it. A part of my job was taking customers golfing. I tried to beat their brains out every chance I got. If a customer beat me, and some did quite often, it was because they were better than me and not because I went into the tank for them.

You are a sad,sad person. I feel sorry for you. You were only happy playing pool if you won? You never played pool because you enjoyed it? Sorry if that is not true, but in the bulk of your posts, it certainly sounds that way.

We have a guy on my team who just turned 84. He still is playing twice a week. He keeps saying he wants to quit, because he just cant play as good as he used to. I keep telling him I wont allow him to quit. We want him to keep playing because we enjoy having him around. I asked him what he is going to do if he does quit. All he's going to do is sit around the house, sitting in front of the boob tube, and will end up dying in his recliner. I told him he doesn't have to be as good as he used to. We want him on the team because we enjoy his company.

And another thing... When you're playing pool, you are just playing the game with another person. The true competitor that you're playing against is the pool table itself. It's the table you need to defeat. And you're trying to do it before the other person does.

You see a true winner isn't measured by how many games they win, or how many people they defeat. A true winner keeps plugging away when the times get tough. A true winner keeps trying even though they know they may never play at the ability they did when they were younger. It's part of growing old. Stop being a baby and get used to it. Learn how to use that open Bridge. With time and effort you may find that the hard work will pay off. That's what winners do.

If you're not willing to do that, then I don't know why you're on this forum. Go to your recliner, turn on The Boob Tube, and just wait for the Grim Reaper. Myself, I hope to die with a pool cue in my hand. When someone comes up to me and asks..."Do you want to play a game"? My response is...YES SIR! AS MANY AS I CAN BEFORE I DIE!