A question

billiards and sanity

Gmanpoke said:
So, the other day at the pool hall (Q-Spot in Tulsa) we had a healthy conversation. And, might I add the pool hall is a wonderful place for noble gentleman and scholars to discuss the world's wrongs.

Why do you play? or what motivates you? We broke it down to 2:

1) Cash
2) Ego
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a definition of sanity is the ability to cope with your enviroment - the world is too vast for me to start with so billiards is my choice - a mystic once said "study a dewdrop and you can understand the universe" -
as for cash,action players know those who play with $ signs in their eyes tend to lose - i would remind my wiseguy buddies to remember why they started playing [there are lots better ways of getting money] as for ego i suppose it has something to do with anything we do but i'll leave that to the shrinks ....hmm.. maybe i'll try a freudian slip-stroke.........
 
To be better at something no matter what it is, I think it's priceless. I
mean if you have a natural talent to do something better than most you
should charish that gift. I know that playing pool will never get me rich,
but that's what I'm good at. If I perform well, money is only a bonus for
me. How many things can you say you can do better than most of the
people? I bet you not many, so if pool is that thing ,do the best you can
and be proud of it. By the way money isn't everything:smile:
 
beauty. pool is beautiful.

The first image that comes to mind is when a friend came to install our table. Four of us onlookers talked, jumped around in excitement, watched every move, and generally just got in his way.

When he had FINALLY finished, he rolled a ball across the table, and we all five stood silent and slack- bodied and watched the ball roll straight, true, and smoothly ease to a stop.

All five of us forgot ourselves and everything else but that one ball rolling.

and when it finally stopped there was a pause, and then we all sort of giggled in embarrassment and happiness.

it's just a beautiful thing.
 
Well put

:clapping:
JoeW said:
I do not need the money and I don’t even gamble very often. The ego thing is met in many others ways. In fact I have been successful in several areas and there are few challenges left that are needed to find out who I am.

Which brings me to the real reasons for playing pool; it is all about the challenges and there are several of them. First are the physical and mental aspects. It matters little how much I know about the mind and how it works. When playing pool it is about coordinating many aspects of the physical and mental. Talk all you want and when the talking is done it is about how well you play against yourself and the other guy. The requirements for excellent play are awesome and provide a true challenge for self mastery. Put up or shut up and there is a real appeal to that.

In the pool hall, a pool league or at a tournament I am just another one of the guys. Nobody defers because I am Dr, Professor, boss or any of the other titles I have held. I grew up on the streets in foster homes, orphanages and with a difficult childhood. No matter how much I have succeeded in other areas of life, my first love is the streets and the culture in which you are accepted for what you do, not what you say. Street culture and the whole culture of the pool player’s mentality with its sharks, nits and everyone in between is where I am comfortable. I have been fortunate in having passed through many sub-cultures in our civilization and when it is all said and done there is an honesty about how life is lived that can only be found on the streets and in the pool hall. In the pool players world I am just another Joe and I like that.
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Yeah-the game is sort of a great equalizer. Not who you are, but how you play; how you deal with both losing and winning. Earning some respect in our little sub-culture as a result of our play, not talk, is reward enough. Is that ego? Don't know.

Joe-your posts are always relevant, informative and enjoyable. Thank you.

I play because I am addicted-to the sounds-of the balls colliding violently or the light click of balls slowwwww rolled on the golf table, of the racking, of the barking, of the retelling of what you missed Saturday night when the road players came through-all that and more.

There is something wrong with me. I hope there is no cure.

It's not for cash or ego. I just wanta play. And hang out with other honorable degenerates.

3railkick
 
First time I saw the balls I was Fascinated............

Gmanpoke said:
So, the other day at the pool hall (Q-Spot in Tulsa) we had a healthy conversation. And, might I add the pool hall is a wonderful place for noble gentleman and scholars to discuss the world's wrongs.

Why do you play? or what motivates you? We broke it down to 2:

1) Cash
2) Ego
Click to expand...

I was 12 years old when I saw my first pool tabel in person. Wow. These cool balls and they go down in the table. Put in some money and they drop down for another game.

My hand was small when I was younger and I could reach up and trip the ball out on the older pool tables. I think that's Why Dad would take me along over the other boys. Free pool.

At this time all my needs were met and there was no ego to feed. I was just a little boy that saw a game that I thought was the greatest.

So when Dad was drinking and playing cards or whatever I was playing pool. I couldn't wait to get those balls out and knock them in the hole again. This would happen a few times a week.

Today I just woke up about 15 minutes ago. I just got back from a handicap tournament in Burnsville ,Minn at 6:00 this morning. It's a really tough tournament because the handicap is really fair which I think is good. Many of the best players up there don't play in it because it is so tough.

It's about a 2 hour drive from my house to there. And of course 2 hours back. Gas is about $30.00 back and forth and the entry is $15.00. First place is around $100.00 and 2nd is around $75.00. Usually there is at least 32 players every week. Just to give you an idea how tough it is to win, I got to the final match last night and Ryan was rates an A player. It's a race to 5. I had to spot him the wild 6,7,8 and the break on the nine footers. These spots turn everyone into a monster. You screw up once and you might not recover. This is what makes it so great. Just like playing on the road and giving up wieght you have to learn how to play giving players these big spots. What a great game........

Bottom line is that 12 year old little boy is now 56 years old and still can't wait to get to the pool table somewheres to knock in the balls. The passion and love for the game is still there. The aches and pains that come with age and injuries are there but that makes no difference when it comes to playing the game I love. As long as I can slide the cue through my fingers I will be playing pool for the rest of my life.

It's great that there are tournaments and players to play for money because this just adds to the whole package and puts a little excitement in the works.

Playing pool is just a game but a great game. To me the cash and the ego pump that one gets is a reward that one recieves just buy doing something that you love to do.

The money part has always been the same for me. That in itself is a game. To try and keep your pocket money at or above a certain level based on what you can win.

The ego part is kind of a cool reward to yourself when you accomplish something that might have almost been out of your reach but you did it. Wether it be winning a big or small tournament or having a great league night. We deserve the little pump we get for all the work we have put into something we love and enjoy.

There are a whole bunch of little boys and girls out there in all of us that I know feel just the same about the game. And when you think back to the first time you saw those balls your thoughts were also alike.

WOW.

YOU CAN TAKE THE BOY OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE COUNTRY OUT OF THE BOY...............................................:smile:
 
greyghost said:
Garbage is what I say to that....if thats why people play then they are missing out. Thats like saying musicians only play the guitar for their $$$ and ego, thats pretty judgemental, short sighted, and small/close minded.


This is why I play, its my art...how i most like to express my soul, those that know me best know my running and pool are my best forms of expression. Of all games it is my inner childs favorite also, just something about how those balls roll around...don't need anything else when I'm on a table...and I been on a table for a long time for my age.

And this is how I feel about it,
read the quote below.....
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i think i agree with more than i do the cash/ego options.
 
I personally play for the challenge, but I suppose that it would fall under ego. I have played for money, but it just never interested me because I honestly don't care much for money and no I am not wealthy.

Actually now that I think of it I will definitely say ego. When I play someone in practice or a match I not only want to win.....I want to crush them. The only time I want to see them get up is to rack for me.
 
manwon said:
To Escape from Reality!!!!!
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I have to agree with you, Craig. Whether I win or lose, I play for fun. I was feeling horrible when I got to the pool hall, tonight, but I went to get away from all the stress in our lives, right now. I was really glad I went. Our team had a terrific night and a lot of fun. While we were there, we totally forgot about what is going on in our everyday lives, because we were so focused on playing well and learning more.

If you ever catch me playing for cash, you better call the morgue and maybe the Ghostbusters, because I've already died and something has taken over my body!!

I can also be found at Q-Spot in Tulsa. ( http://www.jespiddlin.net/qspot ) We go there at least one night each week. It is a great place and we enjoy the family atmosphere.

Eight ball tournament is tonight (Friday), guys! Check out the website above, if you're interested.
 
cash or ego is exactly right.
that is the main drive of any really good player.
i tried telling a good friend that. he does not have a real job. and money is what drives him. others i know have money but they have to be the best.
i love the game and when i want to i can be very hard to beat. if i would be forced to play really hard all the time i would be a pro. but i dont need the money. and i dont have the drive or ego to play hard.
 
Gmanpoke said:
I'm not saying there aren't more reasons to play, this is just what the discussion was at the pool hall.

Ghost, I read the quote and I'm not trying to pick a fight but when I read a quote "I like to make people stop and say, 'I've never seen anyone shoot like that before" sounds kinda like ego to me. But, I could be wrong.
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i have read this whole thread and i came back to this. i usually just read threads and enjoy learning about the game as a whole ( equipment, personalitiies, strategy, and techniques ). i just felt compelled to post on this thread. it began with not one but two questions. why do you play? what motivates you? the answer to one question will vary greatly by individual however i feel that the answer to the other is pretty much the same for everyone.

what motivates you? answers vary not only by individual, but by what point that individual is in their game and their life. i believe this changes.

why do you play? having read many of grey ghost's posts i believe his point was he plays because he really loves the game and not because of what he can be ,but maybe because of what the game can be. when the game is played at a high level there is great beauty in it. i have to believe that at the core this has got to be why everyone plays, or maybe just because i am left handed like the ghost we see it the same way. nah, i dont think thats it. you play because you enjoy it.
 
Once again, I defer to my good friend Ghost. I don't play for money because I don't gamble. And, my ego is healthy enough so that I don't feel the need to prove myself, over and over on a pool table. I play for the enjoyment of participating in a game I enjoy playing. I like hanging out with the guys and the gals. Sometimes I play Dominoes.
 
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