Laughing about the general opinion of "new posters" playing abilities

Shawn Armstrong · Jul 30, 2007

I just read a reply to one of my statements, to which I was informed that I should "listen to member ABC because he play a lot, and plays well".

Just noticing a general lack of respect for new posters on this group. I know there ends up being the odd McWhorter or FastLarry, but for the most part, we're all people that love pool, and love to talk about it and play it.

Here's my problem - there seems to be an "old boys" network on here that determine who knows and who knows not. If you take exception to one of their comments or opinions, you are labelled a "newbie" or a "pool retard", when none of you know our speeds or who we are.

I don't gamble, so some of you would label me as yellow, or a fish. I don't live in a pool hall, so you'd say I'm not a die hard. I don't play with a custom cue (although I used to and still do build the odd one), so I'm just another banger. But what I am is a decent player. And I hate hearing the voices of newsgroup "elders" saying "there, there - one day you MIGHT know something about pool after listening to us for the next 3 years".

Oh, PULEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE.

Just a "newbie rant".
APA stats - 8ball 7, 9ball 8
BCA ranking - 10
..................but still just a hack. I hope Pat Johnson will be around to correct me some more.

jcrack_corn · Jul 30, 2007

APA, BWHAAAAA hahahahahahaah

PredatorHater said:
.

Just a "newbie rant".
APA stats - 8ball 7, 9ball 8
BCA ranking - 10
..................but still just a hack. I hope Pat Johnson will be around to correct me some more.

worriedbeef · Jul 30, 2007

to be fair i think your original comment came accross as a bit rude and impolite. you probably didn't mean it to be but when using the written word we have to be careful sometimes because we don't have the extra element of our voice to help us make a point.

Big Perm · Jul 30, 2007

Hater

4 things I may or may not know....

1. All forums are like that.....you gotta put in your dues, be patient....that, or change your screen name to Efren Reyes or something...

2. Many of them know more than you might think...

3. Many of them know less than they are aware of....

4. You know a lot less than you think....

Welcome to AZ...

Pushout · Jul 30, 2007

I, for one, try not to judge new posters too harshly. I should warn you that people will be able to pretty much tell from the tone of your posts just how much you know or do not know. I try not to be a know-it-all, but I do have 45 years around the game and know a bit about the game, players, and equipment. Try to take some stuff {including me, if you wish} with a grain of salt until you read more posts. I take it you've been lurking for a while?

Williebetmore · Jul 30, 2007

PredatorHater said:
Just noticing a general lack of respect for new posters on this group.

Here's my problem - there seems to be an "old boys" network on here that determine who knows and who knows not. .

PH,
Welcome to the forum; from an "oldbie" if there is such a thing.

I think you will find that "status" on the board is NOT directly related to duration of membership. There are plenty of trolls, both new and old. All of the true students of the game will assess posts by their content; and we are proud of this fact. Also be assured that posts will NOT be given credence just because someone puts it on the internet. Be prepared to back up your points; and to share your background before everyone blindly accepts a statement as gospel.

The beautiful thing about this board is that over time, the anonymity fades. Members of the forum meet and play with ever increasing regularity (search posts on the DCC AZB room, Betmore's Basement, WPBA Peoria get-togethers from years past). There is no hiding on this forum; the regular members will eventually find out who are the true fans, who are the true students, who are the true experts, and who are not to be trusted (and it will not depend on your length of participation).

There is an amazing amount of participation by some of the great minds in the game; I suppose there should be a list of some of the experts so you know who they are. The pool world is a small world; and the true fanatics tend to congregate here - these are people with credentials, not bar-league wannabees. Also check out the pro's area; though many would feel that that is not the main draw of the forum.

Here's my list of people whose posts I NEVER fail to read and heed (apologies to those I've forgotten) - these guys know pool, have proven it on and off the table to everyone's satisfaction, and are gracious enough to share with us:

Blackjack
sjm
Bob Jewett
breakup (man that hurts)
Mark Griffin
Scott Lee
RandyG
GregDiamond (Greg Sullivan of Diamond Billiards)
rackmsuckr (former WPBA player)
Jay Helfert
Steve Lipsky
ZimsRack
JoeyA
1pocket (Steve Booth, founder of onepocket.org)
Freddy the Beard
Grady (Grady Mathews)
JAM
satman
IronDon55
stevelomako
Allie (WPBA player without her own forum area)
ThorstenHohmann (he plays a little)
John Schmidt
sandianakid
cueball1950 (could have been one of the greatest)
JungleDude (author of Green Felt Jungle)
Snapshot9
VIProfessor
Colin Colensoj
JimmyM
OldHasBeen
Mjantti
pooltchr
ericyow
KerryImpson

Yes, many of these people are part of the "old boys" network; but most required precious little time to become cherished members of the forum. I'll add to this list as I think of more (and there ARE more).

Welcome.

poolhustler · Jul 30, 2007

What is this APA and BCA I keep hearing about??

Russ.....

JoeW · Jul 30, 2007

It's a shame you feel that way. Hang around awhile and things may change. I find this one of the more plesant places to be as people are more than polite, they actually try to help. Some have shorter fuses than others but that is life.

third_i · Jul 30, 2007

Like it was mentioned, all forums are like that... In fact, some are much worse.

sjm · Jul 30, 2007

PredatorHater said:
I just read a reply to one of my statements, to which I was informed that I should "listen to member ABC because he play a lot, and plays well".

Just noticing a general lack of respect for new posters on this group. I know there ends up being the odd McWhorter or FastLarry, but for the most part, we're all people that love pool, and love to talk about it and play it.

Here's my problem - there seems to be an "old boys" network on here that determine who knows and who knows not. If you take exception to one of their comments or opinions, you are labelled a "newbie" or a "pool retard", when none of you know our speeds or who we are.

I don't gamble, so some of you would label me as yellow, or a fish. I don't live in a pool hall, so you'd say I'm not a die hard. I don't play with a custom cue (although I used to and still do build the odd one), so I'm just another banger. But what I am is a decent player. And I hate hearing the voices of newsgroup "elders" saying "there, there - one day you MIGHT know something about pool after listening to us for the next 3 years".

Oh, PULEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE.

Just a "newbie rant".
APA stats - 8ball 7, 9ball 8
BCA ranking - 10
..................but still just a hack. I hope Pat Johnson will be around to correct me some more.

I am sorry to learn that your first forum experiences have been disappointing. Welcome to the forum, and all I can say is post with courage and conviction. The contributor's post count is not a measure of the quality of a post, and if some feel otherwise, just grin and bear it. We were all newbies here once.

renard · Jul 30, 2007

We all have had sand kicked in our face at one time or other on this forum. Keep posting anyway because the AZ pool community as a whole will be better for it.

Pearls of wisdom of the game surface when we cover every facet of the question as a group.

mikepage · Jul 30, 2007

PredatorHater said:
[...]
Oh, PULEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE.

Just a "newbie rant".
APA stats - 8ball 7, 9ball 8
BCA ranking - 10
..................but still just a hack. I hope Pat Johnson will be around to correct me some more.

Sorry PH. I went back and read the string. Pat was perfectly reasonable to you. You replied with sarcasm and then by telling him he either doesn't play much or doesn't play well. You were then and are now out of line, imo.

Neil · Jul 30, 2007

..............

Shawn Armstrong · Jul 30, 2007

Mike,

He pointed out an error, IN RED, that I already pointed out myself. He then went on to say I was wrong, even though I've seen Earl shoot the shot for what seemed like an hour.

It was the other guy that told me "I should listen to Pat because he knows how to play" that bothered me. I dealt with Pat for years over on ASP and RSB. He was a pain with not a lot to add then. Looks like nothing has changed.

mikepage · Jul 30, 2007

PredatorHater said:
[...] I dealt with Pat for years over on ASP and RSB. He was a pain with not a lot to add then. Looks like nothing has changed.

Well I guess perceptions differ. I've always seen him as smart, thoughtful, knowledgable, and willing to share.

Now you've criticized him again. How about we move on and be positive?

Shawn Armstrong · Jul 30, 2007

PredatorHater said:
No. He hits this shot (I've watched him and a player that I know slap this ball in 3 different ways) just about 1/4 tip below centre. He doesn't use a draw stroke, though. He kind of "slaps" the ball into the rail, then the inside spin takes it around. He uses a lot of these shots. DJ McGinley, a local player (used to run with Hatch back in his day) around my area, shots a lot of shots like this, and it seems like the guys with the hammer strokes can do this. I use the forementioned 10 o'clock ball with about a half to a full tip of english, but I've learned that "slap" shot as well. It requires a heck of a lot more stroke than the student in the video has.

PredatorHater said:
I hate having to reply to myself! I meant to say follow stroke instead of draw stroke. Earl possesses some shots that humans don't. Massey can do the same thing. I have shot the shot on the video, and the only way I can do it is with the normal slightly high left english.

Patrick Johnson said:
I think he hits it with follow, for two reasons: (1) the cue ball hits the rail farther down and (2) hitting with draw would work against the goal of getting the ball around the table.

Also, Idon't think there's such a thing as a "draw stroke". If you hit the cue ball below center you get draw and if you hit it above center you get follow.

There's really no trick to hitting this shot. Hit it with inside spin and follow, just like you think you should. The only thing that makes it harder than any shot with sidespin is judging the squirt (cue ball deflection), because this shot has to be hit relatively hard and that means more squirt/deflection than you might be used to (because "swerve" is pretty much eliminated).

pj
chgo

PredatorHater said:
Pat,

Thanks for reading my post afterwards that corrected the statement to read "follow stroke".

If you think there is no difference between a draw stroke, a follow stroke, and a stun stroke, then you either don't play much, or don't play well.

Flex said:
Pat just may be too much of a gentleman to call you out on your comment. Suffice it to say he plays a lot, and plays very well.

Flex

And I'm the one that was sarcastic? Pat's response of "there's really no trick to hitting this shot" cracked me up.

Bob Jewett · Jul 30, 2007

PredatorHater said:
And I'm the one that was sarcastic? Pat's response of "there's really no trick to hitting this shot" cracked me up.

He's right though. There is no trick to playing a three-cushion follow with running english shot. Just use follow and running english. His point was -- or so it seems to me -- that people were trying to make something complicated out of something simple.

Do you really see any complication in the shot?

And I think Pat was being straight-forward in his remark and not sarcastic at all.

BTW, PH, what name did you used to go by on ASP and RSB?

Shawn Armstrong · Jul 30, 2007

mikepage said:
Well I guess perceptions differ. I've always seen him as smart, thoughtful, knowledgable, and willing to share.

Now you've criticized him again. How about we move on and be positive?

Mike,

I posted about how Earl shoots the shot. It's inside spin, with just a smidge of follow, and you "slap" the ball into the rail, and let the spin do the work. I said "draw stroke" in the original post. I corrected it minutes later to say "follow stroke". 2 hours later Pat corrects me by putting my "draw stroke" in red, and then saying it's a follow shot. Thanks for the info, Pat. Then, he tells me there's no difference between a draw stroke or a follow stroke - hit the ball on the bottom, you get draw. Hit the ball on top, you get follow. Too funny - there are tonnes of new players that will be shocked to know all you have to do is hit the ball below centre to get it to come back. I'm sorry, but Pat talked down to me in order to make himself feel smart. That's why he got the response he did, and deservedly so.

Shawn Armstrong · Jul 30, 2007

Went by my real name - Shawn Armstrong. For those of you who knew the group, I left due to ongoing flame wars with Texas Willee. I couldn't take the bickering (part of it was my own doing too), so I decided to leave for awhile until I could learn to play well with others.

Shawn Armstrong · Jul 30, 2007

Bob Jewett said:
He's right though. There is no trick to playing a three-cushion follow with running english shot. Just use follow and running english. His point was -- or so it seems to me -- that people were trying to make something complicated out of something simple.

Do you really see any complication in the shot?

And I think Pat was being straight-forward in his remark and not sarcastic at all.

BTW, PH, what name did you used to go by on ASP and RSB?

Do I see any complication to this shot? Not for me. However, just because I know how to shoot it, doesn't make it a gimme. Proficient players can make this shot, but that doesn't take away from the beauty or the difficulty of this shot. If it was easy, there'd be not spots or handicaps.

Do you believe there is no difference between a follow stroke and a draw stroke? I believe there is a huge difference. Everyone can shoot a follow shot. Not everyone knows how to draw the ball. Again, if it was easy, everyone could do it.

Just my opinion - maybe I'll get labelled "pool retard" afterwards.

Laughing about the general opinion of "new posters" playing abilities

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