Sportsmanship/class

TheBook

Ret Professional Goof Off
Silver Member
We have in house pool every Thurs at our Moose Lodge. It is just a fun BS night out that basically consists of our team that played in the Moose League. The league dissolved a few years ago. We play partners. We draw new partners every week, play 3 games, ball in hand 8 ball. Anyone that comes in can join it. We put $6 each into the put for point money. Most players would be a weak 5 or strong 4. There is one guy's wife that always plays and she would not even be a 2.

I am considered to be the best of the players. Last night I drew the female as a partner. Having her is like playing 3 against 1. We lost the first 2 games and since the losers break I broke. I made a ball, the CB landed in the middle of the table only to be kicked towards a pocket. As it was rolling an oppossing player was loudly rooting for it to scratch, which it did. I was fuming and did all I could to contain myself, and I did. I did get another turn at the table only to be hooked without a shot except for a straight in shot on the 8 ball. I was very tempted to shoot it in and then look at that guy and say "I did it because I felt you needed this game by the way you were rooting for the scratch on the break." Instead I just tried to make something and they ended up going out with ball in hand.

What are your thoughts on this?
 

Cameron Smith

is kind of hungry...
Silver Member
TheBook said:
We have in house pool every Thurs at our Moose Lodge. It is just a fun BS night out that basically consists of our team that played in the Moose League. The league dissolved a few years ago. We play partners. We draw new partners every week, play 3 games, ball in hand 8 ball. Anyone that comes in can join it. We put $6 each into the put for point money. Most players would be a weak 5 or strong 4. There is one guy's wife that always plays and she would not even be a 2.

I am considered to be the best of the players. Last night I drew the female as a partner. Having her is like playing 3 against 1. We lost the first 2 games and since the losers break I broke. I made a ball, the CB landed in the middle of the table only to be kicked towards a pocket. As it was rolling an oppossing player was loudly rooting for it to scratch, which it did. I was fuming and did all I could to contain myself, and I did. I did get another turn at the table only to be hooked without a shot except for a straight in shot on the 8 ball. I was very tempted to shoot it in and then look at that guy and say "I did it because I felt you needed this game by the way you were rooting for the scratch on the break." Instead I just tried to make something and they ended up going out with ball in hand.

What are your thoughts on this?

You said this is just BS pool night right? If there is no money on the match, than lighten up. Us pool players tend take everything too seriously. What he did wasn't the most sporting but as long as hes not sharking you, than just let it roll off your back.
 

Nico

Banned
Rooting for something favorable to happen is pretty common place in any sport, in life even. Poeple root for the opponent of their favorite hockey team to make a mistake, people root for that guy who's losing his balance to land in that dog poo over there. Might not be classy, but it's human.

Now if this guy did something to cause you to scratch, that's a big no, no. Fact is, you scratched on your own, he didn't will the ball into the pocket using Telekinesis. If the roles were reversed, I'm sure you would have done the same thing, not even realizing the effect it would have on your opponent. Your opponent was actually pretty crafty, even if your scratch didn't cost you the game/match, he got under your skin and that's worth a dozen ball in hands.

Bottom line, you and your partner were having a bad night. You would probably choose to blame your partner for the loss had you done everything correctly (having her is like playing 3 against 1), but you didn't do everything correctly. You made a mistake and you feel sheepish about it, because now you played a role in the loss. So now you've come here looking for someone to tell you that loudmouth opponent was a big bad wolf that sharked you. This is pool, this is sport, better luck next time. If it's no big deal, just let it go and move on.
 
Last edited:

Gregg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I agree with the above, lighten up.

Many good natured, friendly people have done the same on our league nights. I understand that you are a competitor who is in the heat of competition, but you may be taking things the wrong way.
 

jjinfla

Banned
The main thing to keep in mind when playing at the Moose hall is to make sure the beer is cold. After that nothing else matters. And it is really funny how the more beers you have the funnier scratches get and the more your opponents root for them.

I miss my Moose playing days on a 25¢ coin operated 3x7. A lot of fun was had every week.

Jake
 

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
TheBook said:
I made a ball, the CB landed in the middle of the table only to be kicked towards a pocket. As it was rolling an oppossing player was loudly rooting for it to scratch, which it did.

....
What are your thoughts on this?

I have enough to be pissed off about, but I have never been upset when my opponent (who wants to win) roots for my cueball to scratch. But, there are certainly enough people who get upset at this, so it's not out of the norm.

Fred
 

supergreenman

truly addicted
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
I have enough to be pissed off about, but I have never been upset when my opponent (who wants to win) roots for my cueball to scratch. But, there are certainly enough people who get upset at this, so it's not out of the norm.

Fred
I agree, there's enough in life to get pissed off about. This is a minor thing, Chillax dude, pool is for fun.
 

jnav447

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As I see it, if this happens again, you have two distinct options: Option #1: the Ronnie Allen/Cornbread Red move - loudly proclaim that your opponent's yelling has caused sound vibrations that altered the course of the cue ball and that under BBCPLDG rule # (pick one), this results in forfeiture of the game; Option #2 (recommended): hustle the guy to buy you and your partner a beer since you got him in the right frame of mind to be generous. To quote a famous poolhall philosopher: "for every dark cloud on the horizon, there's a free beer waiting for those with an umbrella" and "pool and anger are bedfellows meant for separate beds" (actually I lied, I just made that crap up, but it sounded like it should have come from a famous poolhall philosopher).
 

scottycoyote

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
if anything.......theres going to be more boisterous behavior and bull$*(tting going on with a bs game than with a money game. I think youre way too uptight if youre playing for fun basically and a guy rooting for you too scratch upsets you. To me this is the kind of game where players would be ribbing each other, doing alot of talking, even good natured sharking. Only in a fairly serious money game would i expect better behavior, but even then its certainly the opponents perogative to root for a scratch after youve shot, unless hes chanting it while you are trying to shoot then its unsportsmanslike and a shark.
 

I rack balls

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello, im new ummmmm yeea.

I dont think its that big of a deal unless he did something before you shot to make u scratch. Of course there are times when someone is repeatedly being a jerk that you have to put them in their place haha.
This reminds me of a guy I played in a local 9-ball tournament about two weeks ago. This guy is the quiet type that goes for rediculous 9 ball cheeses constantly and will foul and not tell you. He also uses entirely too much english. He has a reputation of being a cheater and liar and I was on the hill 4-1. He miscued on a stupid 2 9 combo he was trying to make with like 2 tips of english. The two ball moved but I wasn't exactly sure if he fouled or not so I asked him and he acted like he didnt hear. So he walks away like nothing happened and then I asked him many times if he fouled and he finally put this grin on and it was like I caught him or something and nodded. So the nine was hanging in the corner and the 2 was about 3 feet away and instead of taking the combo I looked at him and smiled and ran the table from the two ball. My freinds were laughing the whole time and after he didnt shake my hand. Thats the most of an ass as I have ever been but he diserved it, everyone seemed to have approved me rubbin it in his face. :D
 

Williebetmore

Member, .25% Club
Silver Member
TheBook said:
Last night I drew the female as a partner. Having her is like playing 3 against 1. ... As it was rolling an oppossing player was loudly rooting for it to scratch, which it did. I was fuming and did all I could to contain myself, and I did.
What are your thoughts on this?

Book-man,
Why on earth would you care about the results of such a match???? With your pool-impaired partner, what do you want out of it?? If you win, it is only going to be because she got lucky, not because you are fabulous. You seem to be expecting "U.S. Open behavior."

You do NOT want to play in my basement on Monday nights. An inviolable rule is that if your opponent is shooting and starts rooting for a ball to speed up or slow down; you must vocally root the opposite way. All joking and sharking is allowed - man it's fun. You should just get into the swing of things and root against your opponent the same way -- all in good fun.
 

jjinfla

Banned
jnav447 said:
As I see it, if this happens again, you have two distinct options: Option #1: the Ronnie Allen/Cornbread Red move - loudly proclaim that your opponent's yelling has caused sound vibrations that altered the course of the cue ball and that under BBCPLDG rule # (pick one), this results in forfeiture of the game; Option #2 (recommended): hustle the guy to buy you and your partner a beer since you got him in the right frame of mind to be generous. To quote a famous poolhall philosopher: "for every dark cloud on the horizon, there's a free beer waiting for those with an umbrella" and "pool and anger are bedfellows meant for separate beds" (actually I lied, I just made that crap up, but it sounded like it should have come from a famous poolhall philosopher).

Almost sounds like you may be quoting something WC Fields may have said.
 

TheBook

Ret Professional Goof Off
Silver Member
Thanks for all of the replies. It seems as if everyone is in agreement to take it for what it is and not take it too serious. That is kind of the point I was trying to convey. Each game is worth $2 per player. We already lost 2 games and with scratching on the break it was almost guaranteed to lose the last game. I did get another turn but was I was hooked due to a ovious intentional leave to keep me out of the game, which is against the gentlemans rule of trying to make a ball and not play a defensive or safety shot, basically it is a stickly offensive game. It is a HA HA game and there is nothing wrong with playing a two way shot that results in a safety but this was not the case. Since the 8 ball was the only shot that I had I was tempted to just shoot it in and end the game as a way of showing that they were taking the game too serious but after thinking about it I didn't want to appear as a bad sport with no class.

So apparently I did the right thing.

Thanks
 

Williebetmore

Member, .25% Club
Silver Member
TheBook said:
So apparently I did the right thing.

Thanks

Book-man,
Yes you did the right thing.

I will say that I have a friend who has such a burning desire to win at EVERYTHING that he will not compete in "friendly games" as you describe. It just eats him alive, even with NO money on the line. If this is a problem for you, you could just opt not to play.

If I didn't enjoy a match/tournament (win or lose) and have fun doing it - I would quit - life's too short.
 

vagabond

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
TheBook said:
What are your thoughts on this?

Interestingly the number of people expressing illwill has been increasing compared to 30-40 years ago and I will guestimate it to be 5-7% of the players of this era.
I will not socialize and develop any relationships with people of that kind of mentality.They will take u down with their negativity.
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
vagabond said:
Interestingly the number of people expressing illwill has been increasing compared to 30-40 years ago and I will guestimate it to be 5-7% of the players of this era.
I will not socialize and develop any relationships with people of that kind of mentality.They will take u down with their negativity.

I'd have just shot 'em...that ends any relationship right there. :cool: :D

Jeff Livingston
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
During the match, doing nothing was correct. However, at the end of a match, it is OK to say something along the lines of:

"I'd like to give you a little advice, and I'll take no offense if you choose to ignore it. I'm sure you didn't realize it, but cheering the way you did for an opponent's cue ball to scratch is viewed by some as poor sportsmanship."

If your opponent disagrees, that's the end of the conversation. If your opponent says "thanks for the advice", give them some positiive feedback for having an open mind.

With this approach, you can make your point without making a direct accusation that opponent has acted inappropriately.

As has been noted by so many in history: "more wars are won with diplomacy than with battles."
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
sjm said:
During the match, doing nothing was correct. However, at the end of a match, it is OK to say something along the lines of:

"I'd like to give you a little advice, and I'll take no offense if you choose to ignore it. I'm sure you didn't realize it, but cheering the way you did for an opponent's cue ball to scratch is viewed by some as poor sportsmanship."

If your opponent disagrees, that's the end of the conversation. If your opponent says "thanks for the advice", give them some positiive feedback for having an open mind.

With this approach, you can make your point without making a direct accusation that opponent has acted inappropriately.

As has been noted by so many in history: "more wars are won with diplomacy than with battles."

So you're saying that shooting 'em is out of the question? :( Damn...sjm, you're taking the fun out of pool hall antics...logic and reasoning...who'd a thunk such a thing?:rolleyes:

Jeff Livingston
 
Top