Faces people make right before they shoot

cleary

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
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When I'm playing someone, I like to watch their "shot face". Some people make very funny faces right before they shoot.. I wonder why?

It seems to me, a lot of good players do this. It's almost as if their mind goes totally dumb for a moment. Making them dog proof. Mind totally blank for a moment. Anyone have any insight to this?
 
sfleinen

sfleinen

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cleary said:
When I'm playing someone, I like to watch their "shot face". Some people make very funny faces right before they shoot.. I wonder why?

It seems to me, a lot of good players do this. It's almost as if their mind goes totally dumb for a moment. Making them dog proof. Mind totally blank for a moment. Anyone have any insight to this?
Click to expand...

Michael Jordan used to have his tongue hanging out while in midair, about to come slamming down on the basket. Part of the anticipation while watching Mike, was that you never knew if he came down particularly hard on his feet, if he'd guillotine his own tongue when his mouth slammed shut.

I think it's a way of "just letting go" -- the focus of getting in the moment, whether that be tensing up, or in Michael Jordan's case, just relaxing and "letting it all hang out."

I think it's just a moment thing.
-Sean
 
Ghosst

Ghosst

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Higgins used to stick his tongue out.

No, you cannot see my "O" face.
 
cleary

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
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sfleinen said:
Michael Jordan used to have his tongue hanging out while in midair, about to come slamming down on the basket. Part of the anticipation while watching Mike, was that you never knew if he came down particularly hard on his feet, if he'd guillotine his own tongue when his mouth slammed shut.

I think it's a way of "just letting go" -- the focus of getting in the moment, whether that be tensing up, or in Michael Jordan's case, just relaxing and "letting it all hang out."

I think it's just a moment thing.
-Sean
Click to expand...

Sean, I think you're right... just letting instinct take your body over. I wonder how you can achieve this because I don't believe I do it. I try to turn my brain off but then I keep thinking "turn your brain off dummy!" as I shoot.
 
Underclocked

Underclocked

.........Whut?.........
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That seems a little extreme to me, Cleary. If you succeed, you will fall to the floor stone dead.

I know one guy that looks fairly normal until he cues a shot. His entire face contorts into a murderous expression. He's a decent player but I think he would be better if he didn't try SO hard. And maybe he wouldn't be so scary lookin'. :grin:
 
beetle

beetle

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You mean like this????
 

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cleary

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
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Underclocked said:
That seems a little extreme to me, Cleary. If you succeed, you will fall to the floor stone dead.

I know one guy that looks fairly normal until he cues a shot. His entire face contorts into a murderous expression. He's a decent player but I think he would be better if he didn't try SO hard. And maybe he wouldn't be so scary lookin'. :grin:
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No, I'm not talking about holding your breath or tensing up... almost the opposite. People just look like they go brain dead for a moment. You know when you space out and someone is talking to you, you "come to" and don't even know what they said? Kinda like that feeling, but some people seem to be able to go brain dead on command.
 
sfleinen

sfleinen

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cleary said:
Sean, I think you're right... just letting instinct take your body over. I wonder how you can achieve this because I don't believe I do it. I try to turn my brain off but then I keep thinking "turn your brain off dummy!" as I shoot.
Click to expand...

Andrew:

First, I'm sorry I missed you at SBE. I spent most of my time in the 14.1 Challenge booth, but was occasionally hanging with the good folks at the Fury booth.

Second, I'm assuming when you ask "how I can achieve this," you mean the "letting your subconscious take over" thing?

I'm probably going to get roasted for this, but I think a lot of those folks obsessed with aiming systems here on these boards have it all wrong. One is in the wrong state of mind to be "thinking" about aiming when down on the shot. And IMHO, I think folks need to work this out of their shooting routine. While standing, sure, look at the table layout, decide what's going to be your shot, what speed/spin you need after you pocket the ball (and *know* you're going to pocket the ball -- this is key) to get to the next shot. But as soon as you step into your stance and get down on the shot -- <click!> turn OFF that conscious mind! It will only get you into trouble. The old "paralysis through analysis" applies here.

IMHO, that state is a practiced state. If "telling" your mind to switch off is required, then so be it -- practice that. The hope is that after practicing this a while, the need for the "command" to the conscious mind to go to sleep will become an unnecessary step, as the mere physical process of stepping into the shot is all that's needed -- the catalyst, if you will -- to tell your conscious mind to step out of the way.

It's not "becoming stupid" for a moment, as one might think. Rather, look at it as "removing the governor" or "opening the conduit" to pure execution.

-Sean
 
stljohnny

stljohnny

knowledge > execution. :(
Silver Member
sfleinen said:
Andrew:

First, I'm sorry I missed you at SBE. I spent most of my time in the 14.1 Challenge booth, but was occasionally hanging with the good folks at the Fury booth.

Second, I'm assuming when you ask "how I can achieve this," you mean the "letting your subconscious take over" thing?

I'm probably going to get roasted for this, but I think a lot of those folks obsessed with aiming systems here on these boards have it all wrong. One is in the wrong state of mind to be "thinking" about aiming when down on the shot. And IMHO, I think folks need to work this out of their shooting routine. While standing, sure, look at the table layout, decide what's going to be your shot, what speed/spin you need after you pocket the ball (and *know* you're going to pocket the ball -- this is key) to get to the next shot. But as soon as you step into your stance and get down on the shot -- <click!> turn OFF that conscious mind! It will only get you into trouble. The old "paralysis through analysis" applies here.

IMHO, that state is a practiced state. If "telling" your mind to switch off is required, then so be it -- practice that. The hope is that after practicing this a while, the need for the "command" to the conscious mind to go to sleep will become an unnecessary step, as the mere physical process of stepping into the shot is all that's needed -- the catalyst, if you will -- to tell your conscious mind to step out of the way.

It's not "becoming stupid" for a moment, as one might think. Rather, look at it as "removing the governor" or "opening the conduit" to pure execution.

-Sean
Click to expand...

^ This. (and some more text for posting rules)
 
cleary

cleary

Honestly, I'm a liar.
Silver Member
Yes, exactly like Frost. That's what I'm talking about. Not everyone does that, but a lot do. Frost actually tilts his head slightly before he hits the ball as well which is I guess a different discussion but its also something I wonder about.
 
M

mia

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I know when I play, in the second before I hit the ball, I tend to make a rather unfortunate face. And that is putting it mildly. It almost looks as if someone is pressing parts of my brain and making my face do weird things that it normally wouldn't be capable of. Sad, but true.
 
JMW

JMW

Seen Your Member
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Have you ever noticed pool players whose ring finger on the bridge hand twitch up and down real fast? I think it is the same kind of thing.
 
jason

jason

Unprofessional everything
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JMW said:
Have you ever noticed pool players whose ring finger on the bridge hand twitch up and down real fast? I think it is the same kind of thing.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I do this occasionally if not often and I've seen a lot of shooters do it. Why, I'm not really sure unless it is some kind of primal action of some kind. It might be trying to get a feel or producing some type of rhythm.

There are a lot of actions humans do that really just doesn't make a lot of sense. Why do we raise our hands after a victory and lower our heads after a defeat? We all do it sub-consciencely. Why do we "ventilate" when under pressure? You know, like tugging on your shirt collar like Rodney Dangerfield. We all do something that is primal in nature. I think for some these faces are just that.
 
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