All this talk of sweet, sweet strawberries and bar-b-cueing lambs has made me hungry. Time for brunch.
Getting mad when playing against better players
- Thread starter justnum
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Sounds like pressure to me.
Its good for you.
Keep playing them and dont whine or
get discouraged.
It magnifies your mistakes and shows
you where you need improvement.
It is a chance to learn and get better.
I got run over for a few years every time
I played an open tournament. I got sick of it. Learned the lessons I was being taught.
Eventually got used to the pressure of playing
guys that dont miss. Took the game one ball
at a time and began to beat them all at one
time or another.
Its good for you.
Keep playing them and dont whine or
get discouraged.
It magnifies your mistakes and shows
you where you need improvement.
It is a chance to learn and get better.
I got run over for a few years every time
I played an open tournament. I got sick of it. Learned the lessons I was being taught.
Eventually got used to the pressure of playing
guys that dont miss. Took the game one ball
at a time and began to beat them all at one
time or another.
I have always felt I would much rather lose to someone I've learned from than to win against someone I know I can beat. Challenge is what makes us stronger, sharper, more well equipped at whatever it is we do. Without challenge, we sink to mediocrity. And I would rather not exist than exist as a mediocrity.
Just my .02
Bro you went right of the deep end. Nowhere in there did I read he was calling you stupid. He is right. You will not improve in the way that you need to improve in order to be the better player if all you want to do is take flyers with less risk of selling out. You can infer what you want from but it is the simple truth.
Playing better players gives you the first hand opportunity to actually learn and compete at the same time.
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I am not totally in line with the whole "if you play better players you will get better thing". There is a lot of wrong with that not just right.
A newer player won't learn much from a better player just by watching because they won't have the basics to understand what they see to re-create it. While you may see them shoot a shot hard, they won't know WHY he shot it hard. Or you may see them use 2 rails instead of 3 or 1 but you may not know why they chose that way. Even a good player may not learn much from a pro. What can an A learn from a Pro really? The difference is not usually in knowing the shot, it's being able to execute it better.
In my mind, you can learn by playing better players if they explain things to you, either after or even during a match. If I am playing a newer player in a tournament I have no issues with helping them with shots or maybe explaining why I did something as an example to show them a shot they did wrong before.
Just by playing or watching better players you will only get a bit of new information and you may get some practice in composure and nerves at the table in a tough match. That is probably what you gain more than any physical skill, you may learn to focus more and to try to eliminate any mistakes since you know any mistake will cost you the game or match.
Being the captain of 2 teams I always throw myself against the other teams best when I can.. other than a few acting like dechaine when I rack 9 ball I really enjoy playing the better players. Some of those guys must have microscopes for eyeballs complaining about cracks that I cant seem to never see....other than the occasional rack that will not stay tight no matter what.
9 's are notorious for complaining about racks. A few 8 's do also. Most 7's and below hardly ever complain but there is a 5 and a 4 who are as bad as any 9 about complaining. Me ? I never check a rack ...probably why my break sucks lol.
9 's are notorious for complaining about racks. A few 8 's do also. Most 7's and below hardly ever complain but there is a 5 and a 4 who are as bad as any 9 about complaining. Me ? I never check a rack ...probably why my break sucks lol.
Yep. Reminds me of something written by Willie Mosconi, and I'm paraphrasing here. He said....
I've never missed a shot I was trying to make.
That sounds a little arrogant, and probably hard to believe, but I think what he was saying was smart....he was in the practice of only shooting shots that he knew he was going to make, taking no chances on shots that he wasn't 100% sure about.
As far as playing better players....it's great for your game if you pay attention to how they do things, rather than just sit in your chair steaming because you want a chance. I had a guy put a 4pk on me a couple of weeks ago. Sure I wanted a chance to fire back, but I sat there and studied his thought process, his patterns, his psr, etc... It was a much better use of my time than what I've seen other players do in the same situation.
I ran 10 and out twice in a row one night playing one pocket. I was giving weight, 10 to 5. The guy got mad and quit. I asked if he learned anything, which just made him even more mad. But I was serious. How is he going to get any better at the game if he refuses to pay attention to what is going on right in front of him on the table? Food for thought.
If you don't play better players your path do becoming better will be much slower. It's good to have pressure on every shot, really good. You can also watch your opponent that is much better and learn some valuable moves and strategies.
I hate playing folks that are at a much lower skill level. They take the wrong pattern, the wrong shot and so on. I become sloppy and lazy since I know I will get another shot most likely. If I'm sloppy and lazy how am I supposed to become a better player?
I hate playing folks that are at a much lower skill level. They take the wrong pattern, the wrong shot and so on. I become sloppy and lazy since I know I will get another shot most likely. If I'm sloppy and lazy how am I supposed to become a better player?
Romanticizing a loss is not why I play in my pool league.
The theory of getting better? Everyone can be great, but some people are just naturally better. I know my limits, I can pick up new habits, but get better, that is just a line to keep me a repeat customer.
When I play pool winning is more fun than losing. Sometimes it doesn't matter if I win on luck or skill, a win is a win.
Playing better players they will always be out there. I just prefer to play weaker players.
The idea that there is only one correct way to play pool I am strongly against.
I am not a pro, I do not compete in tournaments, I play league pool. I can't get any better, my skill level topped out years ago. I am hardly better than a D+ or a 6.
I don't want to go to league pool thinking I am back in school trying to do schoolwork the way the teacher wants it. I just want to play the shots I like, win as much as I can and avoid losing as much as I can.
Some of the comments shared on the thread remind me of when smarter people say I can do things they can. Like people that can dunk a basketball, I can't do that. Some people can learn to player better, I can't do that. Some people can play like the top pros and break like the top pros.
Reality check for me is, I can't do what those people can do.
The theory of getting better? Everyone can be great, but some people are just naturally better. I know my limits, I can pick up new habits, but get better, that is just a line to keep me a repeat customer.
When I play pool winning is more fun than losing. Sometimes it doesn't matter if I win on luck or skill, a win is a win.
Playing better players they will always be out there. I just prefer to play weaker players.
The idea that there is only one correct way to play pool I am strongly against.
I am not a pro, I do not compete in tournaments, I play league pool. I can't get any better, my skill level topped out years ago. I am hardly better than a D+ or a 6.
I don't want to go to league pool thinking I am back in school trying to do schoolwork the way the teacher wants it. I just want to play the shots I like, win as much as I can and avoid losing as much as I can.
Some of the comments shared on the thread remind me of when smarter people say I can do things they can. Like people that can dunk a basketball, I can't do that. Some people can learn to player better, I can't do that. Some people can play like the top pros and break like the top pros.
Reality check for me is, I can't do what those people can do.
If you already have this perspective, then what is there to get mad about when you play a better player? You know you're a D+ with no chance of improvement, so why get mad when you miss a ball? You know they are supposed to run out, so why get mad when they run out? Nobody likes to lose, but I don't understand where the anger is coming from...
I understand. But look at this way.... Let's say a skilled player is running out against you. I'm not saying you should take notes and feel like you're getting an education you aren't really wanting. I'm just saying you should watch. I'm not even suggesting that this will teach/show you the "correct" way to do anything. But if there's a certain position shot you struggle with consistently, you might see this player do something completely different with the shot, something you can certainly do but just never thought about that particular option. At least with this type of mentality you could walk away from that table with something more in your head than just another loss.
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Ha!!! Priceless.
That is always an option, if you have your own table. Try to get better at home.
Just the racks? I find they complain about racks, tables, balls, felt, chalk, music,
cheating, sharking, cues, tips, pocket size, hair color and length, shorts to tight,
temperature, beer, water, etc..... well, I'm sure you get me. every team has a princess,
you know......
I know what gets me mad.
I said it in the thread title.
Are you saying getting mad is not the right way to react to losing or playing better players?
I am not going to sit there grinning and smiling while I watch some beat me in a match.
I am just saying getting mad is what people do.
I've seen top pros get mad. I don't know why they are mad, I just see them acting out.
I know I get mad. Its like everyone here is the emotion police, being mad is against the rules.
I said it in the thread title.
Are you saying getting mad is not the right way to react to losing or playing better players?
I am not going to sit there grinning and smiling while I watch some beat me in a match.
I am just saying getting mad is what people do.
I've seen top pros get mad. I don't know why they are mad, I just see them acting out.
I know I get mad. Its like everyone here is the emotion police, being mad is against the rules.
Never get mad.
Get even.
Then get at least ONE game ahead and STAY there!!
For just table time I'd play someone all night long that can beat me to death!!
What a great opportunity to observe, maybe ask questions and learn more stuff, how other better players think during a game.
You probably can do a lot better with some even casual instruction.
I bet that most of us here could show you a few things that could improve your playing a lot in just a little time of playing with you.
The word "can't" was taken away from me as a child by my Father.
If I said "I can't" he'd say "can't is a slugger to lazy to swing the bat". I wasn't allowed to think in terms of "can't".
He died when I was 12. He couldn't imagine all the things in life that did for me. Come to think of it he probably knew it way back then!!
Get even.
Then get at least ONE game ahead and STAY there!!
For just table time I'd play someone all night long that can beat me to death!!
What a great opportunity to observe, maybe ask questions and learn more stuff, how other better players think during a game.
Then you are defeated before you even approach the table. Maybe other things in life too.
You probably can do a lot better with some even casual instruction.
I bet that most of us here could show you a few things that could improve your playing a lot in just a little time of playing with you.
The word "can't" was taken away from me as a child by my Father.
If I said "I can't" he'd say "can't is a slugger to lazy to swing the bat". I wasn't allowed to think in terms of "can't".
He died when I was 12. He couldn't imagine all the things in life that did for me. Come to think of it he probably knew it way back then!!
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Get even means beating the better player.
When you see a better player shoot, reality check kicks in and emotions just takeover.