Are You Smooth

I don't notice too many pros who aren't smooth. If you do the same stroke literally 1,000,000 times you will look pretty smooth doing it. Ditto the same golf swing or free throw. I imagine if you catch SVB off guard with an unexpected frisbee toss he recoils and bobbles it just like anyone else

I agree...
They are still human and they all have their up and down days. One of the most naturals I have seen is Jasmin Ouschan, I really think she just loves the game from heart.

Remember too that these pros travel ALL the time, I imagine their time schedule (internal clocks) are off and the pressures of being away from family are a bit much sometimes.

The UAE is coming up in a week. I think Mike said that is a 19 hour plane ride from Atlanta and 3+ hours to get there (22+). I couldn't stand traveling that much personally.

It's all about confidence and comfort. If your out there playing all the time you better be able to find your comfort zone, or you won't be out thee playing all the time. The expenses will eat you alive.

Winners always look confident.

BrandyWine said:

I agree...
They are still human and they all have their up and down days. One of the most naturals I have seen is Jasmin Ouschan, I really think she just loves the game from heart.

Remember too that these pros travel ALL the time, I imagine their time schedule (internal clocks) are off and the pressures of being away from family are a bit much sometimes.

The UAE is coming up in a week. I think Mike said that is a 19 hour plane ride from Atlanta and 3+ hours to get there (22+). I couldn't stand traveling that much personally.

Click to expand...

Are Mike and Jerry streaming the UAE?
JoeyA

peteypooldude said:

Have you ever noticed how smooth and relaxed some players are around the table ,while others seem to be somewhat awkward .Do you think its confidence or just natural coordination ?SVB is one of the smoothest.Is he a coordinated person or just at the table?

Click to expand...

Gilbert Martinez and Swanee remind me of smoooooooooth at the table, Buddy Hall too was relentlessly smooth.

I feel as though I am fairly smooth at the table until I get down to my last two or three balls, then I tend to rush things a little. This is one of several flaws in my game I need to improve on.

Another time when I probably am not too smooth is when I'm reaching for a shot. I feel my back starting to stiffen up and I hurry the shot off.
Same for a jacked-up shot. My shoulder begins to hurt and I end up stabbing at the ball before I really prefer to.

I do enjoy watching the smoothness and grace of many professional players, both men and women. It's like they are dancing around the table with their cue stick as their partner. Oliver Ortman comes to mind when I think of smoothness/dancing around the table.

Maniac

Maniac

being smooth or fluid around the box comes with time, some faster than others. However I have seen choppy players that play great and smooth B- players.

Its all in the stroke, when you stroke it very often, you will get smooth, smoother with KY

jk

I think smooth comes with being calm and relaxed at the table as well. Playing tense and nervous will drop your shooting level by quite a bit. Just my .02

It's easy to look smooth when you're making your shots. The hard part is staying smooth when you miss.

Fatboy said:

being smooth or fluid around the box comes with time, some faster than others. However I have seen choppy players that play great and smooth B- players.

Click to expand...

You say B- like its a bad thing. I have to work on my game to get some respect I guess.

The funny thing is sometimes I feel smooth, and sometimes I feel like I am playing left handed. I know I play better when in league, because of the focus, but I don't think I look very smooth at all. I stumble and drop chalk and shake and look like an idiot, but I play much better.

Who knows.

Maniac said:

I feel as though I am fairly smooth at the table until I get down to my last two or three balls, then I tend to rush things a little. This is one of several flaws in my game I need to improve on.
Maniac

Click to expand...

Thats me too. Been that way for years, and the worst part is knowing I do it and doing it anyways. D'oh

Fatboy said:

I have seen smooth B- players.

Click to expand...

Thats also me. I figure as long as I LOOK like I know what im doing im ok. like they says; its all about confidence.

And like someone above me said, its easy to look smooth when your running out from everywhere ala SVB. But its hard to do when your rattling everything ala ME. :

TXsouthpaw said:

Thats me too. Been that way for years, and the worst part is knowing I do it and doing it anyways. D'oh






Thats also me. I figure as long as I LOOK like I know what im doing im ok. like they says; its all about confidence.

And like someone above me said, its easy to look smooth when your running out from everywhere ala SVB. But its hard to do when your rattling everything ala ME. :

Click to expand...

Hey Tex, hopin' you were gonna back me up with my Gilbert comment, he was from TX for most of his life, and think last time I saw him he settled in NV. Gilbert was the epitomie (spelling probably wrong) of smooth.

Island Drive said:

Hey Tex, hopin' you were gonna back me up with my Gilbert comment, he was from TX for most of his life, and think last time I saw him he settled in NV. Gilbert was the epitomie (spelling probably wrong) of smooth.

Click to expand...

never had the pleasure of meeting gilbert. I was gone in the military for alot of years. But Buddy hall was definitely smoooooth. I do agree with you on that one.

RoryHunt said:

You say B- like its a bad thing. I have to work on my game to get some respect I guess.

The funny thing is sometimes I feel smooth, and sometimes I feel like I am playing left handed. I know I play better when in league, because of the focus, but I don't think I look very smooth at all. I stumble and drop chalk and shake and look like an idiot, but I play much better.

Who knows.

Click to expand...

I dont mean any disrespect, it took me one hell of along tiome to become a B- player, I respect all players. The reason I said it was to validate that being smooth and being a great player are 2 different things. You wont find a C player that is smooth, but I have seen B- players that are(I know I was one), it comes with time-it took me longer than most players. Now I look like I play alot better than I actually do play. I just wasnt born with a lick of talent, and not haveing any talent has taught me to respect all players, some guys are so natural and never have to play to stay in stroke, others have to fight and grind. For me its not possible to not respect anyone's game(even If I dont like the player-I still respect their game) I dont have more respect for great champions than I do C Players I see busting their ass to get a ball better.

I respect the wheel chair players game the same as or maybe a hair more than JA's game-because the wheel chair players have had to struggle(i still respect JA's game he has worked hard at it for years), or the guy at the Derby with no hands, he was playing in the action room on a barbox with a cue and a sling, he had 2 fingers on half his arm and noghing on the otherside, he litterly had nothing below his elbows, by looking at him you would never in a million years think he could hold a cue, let alone stroke the cue correctly, I saw him run 4 and 5 balls many times infront of 250 people in that room. Thats the man I respect-EVERYTHING possible working against him and he has the stones to get up and play. I sure wish I talked to him-That man right there showed as much or more heart than any champion I ever saw(more than I have). OIf I was him I wouldnt play pool, he has more heart and stones than I do-I admit that, same for wheel chair players.



What I dont respect is guys throwing their cues down so hard they break, cheaters, chemical players, guys that disrespect other guys when they arnt there(talking behind their back), knockers. Thats my short list of what I dont respect. But Rrespect dosent go up with a players speed IMO, its the heart a man shows that counts.

I have been compared to Rodney Morris for looking smooth and making the game look easy. I don't play at his level but they say I'm very smooth with a good tempo. Probably from 50 years of playing and being 63 years old i can't move very fast around the table anyway.I always stay down until the ball gos in the pocket because now if i jump up i will hurt my back.LOL :grin-square:

Smoothies

From my personal experience
Tied for 1rst in smoothness - Swanee and the Miz
2nd - Buddy Hall
3rd - Dallas West
other end of the spectrum - Edgar White aka Shake and Bake
..they could all make you wish your chair was more comfortable

Ed Kelly should be on the smooth list for sure.

Fatboy said:

Ed Kelly should be on the smooth list for sure.

Click to expand...

FTR... "Mizerak" is billiardese for smooth.

THE MIZ

Fatboy said:

What I dont respect is guys throwing their cues down so hard they break, cheaters, chemical players, guys that disrespect other guys when they arnt there(talking behind their back), knockers. Thats my short list of what I dont respect. But Rrespect dosent go up with a players speed IMO, its the heart a man shows that counts.

Click to expand...

Pool rooms are ridden with many that have no other place to go and places they do go few want to socialize with em. The enviornment of many places with one or more pool tables is their breeding ground, add alcohol and you've got a never ending supply of em. Whether it be a guy or a loud mouthed blonde headed bar bimbo, they are pretty much the same animal, cept most guys don't become blonde, unless they hang out in that newly built other barracks their planning on building in the military....:thumbup::thumbup: