Screw my game, I think the biggest compliment of all time came from many top pro players.... that Mike Sigel was lucky. I don't think there will EVER be a bigger compliment than that in pool... past, future or present.
What's the biggest compliment anyone has said about your game.
- Thread starter Black Cat 5791
- Start date
While playing against Willie Munson's monster team at the US Open in '74, one of his teammates remarked (while I was down to shoot, and loud enough for me to hear), "man this guy shoots slow!" Willie, ever the gentleman, waited till after I shot and responded, "Didn't you notice? He runs 'bout every rack!"
Up in MD around '94, I watched a guy run six racks of 8-ball for $20 while I was waiting my turn to play. He broke and made nothing, I ran five racks and he quit me. "Why'd you quit?" I asked, "I saw you just run six!" "Yea," he said, "but you ran 'em the right way!"
Up in MD around '94, I watched a guy run six racks of 8-ball for $20 while I was waiting my turn to play. He broke and made nothing, I ran five racks and he quit me. "Why'd you quit?" I asked, "I saw you just run six!" "Yea," he said, "but you ran 'em the right way!"
I was out shooting Thursday, and after league was over I hung out for awhile and put in some extra practice. After finishing I was about to leave and I was saying my goodbye's when a wannabe made a comment to the guy I was talking to, "Man that guy shoots like a Robot, 1 ball after another bloop, bloop, bloop, bloop" the guy I was talking to replied yeah but he's good as hell.
My first reaction was that it was an insult, then it hit me I must be good enough that people are really noticing. Hmm........
Black Cat
That sure is a nice cue!
I think these were the best I've heard:
In our APA 9 ball playoff match, we were way behind and they put up a good shooting 4. So I played, and had a great match. I won like 75-10 or something, whatever comes out to an 18-2 win. My opponent said I had the most amazing cueball control he had ever seen. "You always get right where you need to be".
In a local tourney, I'm in the finals with a great player (he is the better player and ended up beating me). The TD told us both "It's always such a privilege to watch you guys play!"
Or just at league night, a 2 on the other team was practicing with me: "I just love watching you play. You make these impossible shots like they are easy."
I try to tell these people that there is a much bigger pool world in which I am a great B player, a nobody...but I guess in their little corner of the world I'm one to watch ha ha. Still feels great to hear!
KMRUNOUT
In our APA 9 ball playoff match, we were way behind and they put up a good shooting 4. So I played, and had a great match. I won like 75-10 or something, whatever comes out to an 18-2 win. My opponent said I had the most amazing cueball control he had ever seen. "You always get right where you need to be".
In a local tourney, I'm in the finals with a great player (he is the better player and ended up beating me). The TD told us both "It's always such a privilege to watch you guys play!"
Or just at league night, a 2 on the other team was practicing with me: "I just love watching you play. You make these impossible shots like they are easy."
I try to tell these people that there is a much bigger pool world in which I am a great B player, a nobody...but I guess in their little corner of the world I'm one to watch ha ha. Still feels great to hear!
KMRUNOUT
A couple of years ago I drew Dave Hemmah in the Swanee 9 Ball tournament. I'd not met him before. After he beat me 7-4 (not bad, huh?) we were chatting and he said to me "You're a straight pool player by background, aren't you?"
Not much, I know, but I don't get a lot of compliments on my game, and I considered that a compliment. :embarrassed2:
I did have a BCA 8 Ball teammate tell me recently he like watching me because he learned a lot from the patterns I played. I thought that was nice.
When I was a kid I went to an episode of "Minnesota Fats Hustles the Pros" and played Fats a rack of 8 Ball before the show began. I beat him with a nice cut shot on the 8 ball in the side. Fat's looked at me and said, "Not bad, kid."
Other than that I do get complimented on my racking quite a bit.
I don't know why you don't get compliments.
The few times I've seen you in action I thought when you were focused and trying, you played very well. You're a straight shooter and smart player. I especially thought you played well over at Poolhustler's house. I liked your fundamentals and ability to hit shots under pressure.
No man, you play a respectable game - and you grind good - which is something only experienced players can do.
Chris
I was down in Jackson MS. for awhile working... I got to hang out and play a bunch at The Green Room.... Reed Pierce came in one evening and announced that "anyone in the house has got the break and the 7 out"... The last word of the statement was barely out of his mouth when he saw me and quickly added without missing a beat... "Except you Knoxville... You can play a little bit......"
I matched up several times with Reed playing even and came out on the short end overall but he was always a blast to play and hang out with... He gave me some great advice and showed me a couple of things about the break that I still haven't seen or heard since....
The advice he tried to beat it into my head was that I needed to build a stroke for the days when I didn't have my "A" game... He told me I could beat anyone in the world when my natural stroke was working but I couldn't play a lick when it wasn't there... I needed to learn how to win with my "B" game....
Man I wish I had started actually working on my game back then instead of waiting 5 years to begin......
I matched up several times with Reed playing even and came out on the short end overall but he was always a blast to play and hang out with... He gave me some great advice and showed me a couple of things about the break that I still haven't seen or heard since....
The advice he tried to beat it into my head was that I needed to build a stroke for the days when I didn't have my "A" game... He told me I could beat anyone in the world when my natural stroke was working but I couldn't play a lick when it wasn't there... I needed to learn how to win with my "B" game....
Man I wish I had started actually working on my game back then instead of waiting 5 years to begin......
I had a world champion tell me that if I put enough time in, with my talent and skill he looked for me to be one of the best in the country. I think he might see something I don't. I hope he's right. I guess we'll see what the future holds. I'm sure life will get in the way but I hope not enough that I can't reach a high level. I don't have the time to be a world beater, but I hope to keep improving.
"You're in dead rack"
"For a fat guy, you don't sweat that much"
"For a fat guy, you don't sweat that much"
It wasn't a compliment that had been said directly to me but about me to someone else. 2 players from a stronger level were talking about my game and one of them said. "I wouldn't want to play him(me) if I still had a good chance to win the tournament."
I thought it was nice
I thought it was nice
Hopeless
Hopeless or "Your Hopeless". Yeah I hang around a lot of really nice people. least they are honest.
Hopeless or "Your Hopeless". Yeah I hang around a lot of really nice people. least they are honest.
Buddy Hall.....
Buddy Hall said to me that I had a better stroke than him, but I wondered if he just said that to a lot of players to be friendly during lessons.... Abel Medillo in Lubbock was talking to a blonde while I was running out and I drew with low inside out of a corner to reverse off the bottom rail and straighten into a line for a shot along opposite rail..... he turned the blonde around and pointed at me and said "now that's a pool player!" .... Abel is the most sportsmanlike player in the history of pool. Everyone loves to play him.
Buddy Hall said to me that I had a better stroke than him, but I wondered if he just said that to a lot of players to be friendly during lessons.... Abel Medillo in Lubbock was talking to a blonde while I was running out and I drew with low inside out of a corner to reverse off the bottom rail and straighten into a line for a shot along opposite rail..... he turned the blonde around and pointed at me and said "now that's a pool player!" .... Abel is the most sportsmanlike player in the history of pool. Everyone loves to play him.
The one I will never forget that was a gigantic compliment was from Joe Lawrence who I had just lost to in the BCA Canadian 8-ball championships hill/hill. He said "you are the best young player I have seen since Alex". I had shot a pretty solid match, missed a single shot, a cross corner bank, everything else was runs.
For the record there are quite a few younger players I would put above myself, the compliment was still pretty awesome to get, especially from a guy as good and experienced as Joe.
For the record there are quite a few younger players I would put above myself, the compliment was still pretty awesome to get, especially from a guy as good and experienced as Joe.
I was playing 9-ball, bank the 9, to make it more interesting. On a 7ft'er now. Valley bar table.
I get down to the 9, after playing some great position to set up a 2 rail bank. Off the foot rail, then the side rail, then the into the side pocket. Called it and made it.
The guy I was playing says, "No f***in' way man, you are LUCKY!" I told him set it up again. Made it again, same speed, everything the same way. He then says, "Man that is strong."
Made me feel pretty good.
But the best I've felt is when I got to play Brumback in a challenge match in Myrtle Beach. I broke and ran to the 8, but had to jump it to make contact. It was a decently tough out before that, but got to the 8 anyways. Missed the shot, but made contact. He then ran out and banked the 8, 'cuz he's nasty good!!! But that was the best I've felt playing. To show up when it counts, instead of choking big time.
I get down to the 9, after playing some great position to set up a 2 rail bank. Off the foot rail, then the side rail, then the into the side pocket. Called it and made it.
The guy I was playing says, "No f***in' way man, you are LUCKY!" I told him set it up again. Made it again, same speed, everything the same way. He then says, "Man that is strong."
Made me feel pretty good.
But the best I've felt is when I got to play Brumback in a challenge match in Myrtle Beach. I broke and ran to the 8, but had to jump it to make contact. It was a decently tough out before that, but got to the 8 anyways. Missed the shot, but made contact. He then ran out and banked the 8, 'cuz he's nasty good!!! But that was the best I've felt playing. To show up when it counts, instead of choking big time.