YOU CONCEDED that game.
APA Sharking Question
- Thread starter Zphix
- Start date
I call BS excuse on your part. "You figured she would make it so you stood up to get something" is like reason #2 on the shark list. Whatever you "needed" probably wasn't so important that it couldn't wait the 30 seconds to 1 minute to let her shoot. Win with class, lose with class.
She could have stopped and not shoot that 8 at all.
AT THE TIME WHEN I GRABBED HIS PHONE FROM HIM IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE MOVING AROUND ALL THE TIME.
Understand that I became accustomed to this particular league because it's my first league I played in. I see people move around all the time during matches and that's what I came to understand as "okay" and this is the first time I've seen anybody called out on it.
Usually I don't move while my opponent is shooting because I want to watch - and yes I did concede the game because I thought she was going to make her shot but she missed by more than a diamond after I had already walked over to my captain. I got up as she marked her pocket because my team captain waved me over, and she wasn't down on her shot yet so it didn't seem like it mattered.
I guess from now on I'll show up to matches with a hot glue gun, super duty adhesive tape, nail gun, staples, modeling cement, and the gorilla glue.
Can we stop making this a post about my etiquette because this is actually an isolated incident.
Understand that I became accustomed to this particular league because it's my first league I played in. I see people move around all the time during matches and that's what I came to understand as "okay" and this is the first time I've seen anybody called out on it.
Usually I don't move while my opponent is shooting because I want to watch - and yes I did concede the game because I thought she was going to make her shot but she missed by more than a diamond after I had already walked over to my captain. I got up as she marked her pocket because my team captain waved me over, and she wasn't down on her shot yet so it didn't seem like it mattered.
I guess from now on I'll show up to matches with a hot glue gun, super duty adhesive tape, nail gun, staples, modeling cement, and the gorilla glue.
Can we stop making this a post about my etiquette because this is actually an isolated incident.
Banks
Banned
I have no idea why more young people don't start playing pool.
Give me some of that PI pool atmosphere any day.
I don't understand why that should be conceding the game. Maybe I don't know enough about what happened. In my APA league people get up and sit down throughout the match. Not to shark the opponent but because they need a drink or want to go to the bathroom or whatever. Just because he assumed she would make it doesn't mean he was conceding the game.
I will put out a disclaimer. I do not know how close he was to his captain or his opponent. I do not know if he walked right in front of her shot. At face value it appears to me nothing wrong happened. You are allowed to talk with you team while your opponent is shooting.
You can exhibit all sorts of bad sportsmanship without technically breaking any rules. I checked the APA rulebook...I couldn't find one thing saying you couldn't stand up and start doing a chicken dance in front of your opponent. Yet people somehow still know not to do this. It is surprising and depressing to hear people say what you have just said. You are certainly not alone. Your screen name makes your reply less surprising. If everyone on earth agreed with you, you would still be wrong.
"Sometimes people will walk in front of shots. It happens". Yup, a lot of stuff happens. Some of that stuff is stupid, disrespectful, and easily avoided. The OP's actions fall into that last category. Best outcome for him is to recognize the selfish attitude and learn to be more respectful towards his opponents in the future. That, of course, will require a level of humility that if present to begin with, the situation would probably have never happened. Still I try to keep faith that my fellow man has the capacity to grow.
KMRUNOUT
I have to agree both with you and with other posters on this thread. With them - if you want to concede a game ball then do it, otherwise just wait. With you - I can sympathize with someone who feels sharked, we've all been there but it's poor sportsmanship to lose and then blame your opponent even if the complaint is legitimate.
I remember playing a league match with a pretty easy near straight in shot on the 8 ball. The whole match my opponent sat at a 45 degree angle to a corner pocket. On that shot she was directly in my line of sight and started dancing. I found myself getting annoyed that she didn't know better, but I didn't want to get up on an easy shot and missed. I think my miss was not so much the distraction as letting my own aggravation throw me off.
Taking responsibility for the outcome of your shots is the only way to be able to change the outcome. There's an endless supply of people who will shark you accidentally or on purpose.
I have to blame myself for the miss and know that next time if I want to make the shot I either can't let something like that bother me or I have to stand up; even easy shots can be missed. It only causes bad feelings to complain after the fact.
Lewis
This. Perfectly stated. Nothing more needs to be said. So I won't post again in this thread. Sorry for so many posts so far...this is a real pet peeve of mine. It really demeans the game...there is just no place for that crap in adult life. Does it happen? Of course. Doesn't make it right. In fact, the more one tries to argue that this sharking is ok, the worse a person it makes them. Grow up!
KMRUNOUT
Wait! What's reason #1?
I'm glad to hear you feel this way. Look at it like this: you seem to actually have a concern about *not* sharking. If you keep quiet in your seat, you get three huge benefits. First, you will never be accused of sharking (rationally anyway lol). Second, you will produce a better mental game and will appear more intimidating to your opponents...coming across as a ball pocketing robot with no fear or emotion can be pretty scary. On the flip side I think it really helps to keep your cool too. Third, you will build a reputation as a good sport. I think most people would like to think that about themselves. Its usually nice when *other* people think it too!
Anyway, maybe this thread ended up helping. Good luck in the rest of your pool matches!
KMRUNOUT
Banks
Banned
It makes me a bad person because an APA 4 claims to be sharked because one of the dozen people around the table got up to do something? Your high road here doesn't lead anywhere. This is why people don't care about the game.. too many people take it and themselves too seriously. I've seen people claim others sneezed to shark them, seen people take two minutes on a shot because somebody walked 20 feet away, etc. Pool has too many whiners. This is league, nobody should expect a dozen people to act like statues for 4 or 5 hours while a couple of people knock balls around the table.
I understand - like I said I didn't think this was that big a deal at the time but I do know better than to get up and move around during a match.
I'm not saying that sharking is ok - but I am saying that I don't like my pool etiquette to be attacked based on an isolated incident.
In my head it wasn't a problem whether I was conceding or not - after her team captain came over (she's also the league rep) I offered to give her the first game if it was a legitimate problem but she refused.
#DONE.
Yeah - I don't want to shark whether it's on accident or on purpose.
My dilemma right now is that when I sit down I end up getting inside my head and playing bad so I like to get up and get away from the table when I'm in a match because it helps me keep my mind elsewhere.
Gotta think up another strategy because when I'm in my seat and I notice I start getting in my head I have to keep myself a bit more active to keep my mind from sabotaging me. At least until Colonel finishes these email visualization lessons.