Funny, but (oh and I agree with your entire post) I always had a problem with movement while shooting in the league, especially from my teammates checking if balls go by one another while I am down to shoot. It didn't take long after stopping league play and playing tournaments to where nothing bothers me when I am shooting. I think it is being in situations where it isn't such a big deal anymore that gets it out of your head.
APA Sharking Question
- Thread starter Zphix
- Start date
Funny, but (oh and I agree with your entire post) I always had a problem with movement while shooting in the league, especially from my teammates checking if balls go by one another while I am down to shoot. It didn't take long after stopping league play and playing tournaments to where nothing bothers me when I am shooting. I think it is being in situations where it isn't such a big deal anymore that gets it out of your head.
Sounds like poor etiquette, on your part.
A couple of weeks back during a 9-ball tournament I dogged the 9 twice in consecutive racks while I was on the hill, with the last rack being hill-hill. Of course I ended up losing the match. Both times my opponent was up from his chair fiddling with his cue case in my peripheral vision. He didn't break down his cue, but he was acting like he was preparing to get his stuff ready to exit. And both times I missed the 9.
In no way did his actions affect my shot, and I blamed my misses entirely on my lapses in concentration. At least that's what I thought at the time, so I was furious at no one but myself. But it was only hours after the match that I became consciously aware of his actions while I was shooting. At best he had extremely poor etiquette. At worst he intentionally sharked me. (Considering he was a better and more experienced player than me, I'm thinking it's the latter.) Who knows, maybe at least subconsciously his actions did affect my shots.
If I were in the situation again and my opponent did actions that were similar, I would get up from my shot and ask him if he conceded the match. I wouldn't take any chances, especially on such close matches.
I still should have made those 9s. Now I'm made at myself all over again, lol.
If you were that sure, you should have conceded the rack as soon as you got up.
Then you should have definitely conceded if you were sure she was going to make it.
If she is saying you sharked her by walking by the table it means she wasnt focused enough. it was a straight easy shot to the side pocket, she relaxed got careless and when she missed of course she needed an excuse. I hate this excuse because everyone is playing in a bar with music blaring and people walking by all the time. Thats why when you are not comfortable with a shot or whats going on around you it is up to stand back up and readjust. If you are down on the shot and focused you shouldnt be paying attention to what is going on around you. you should only see your hand, shaft, Cue ball, Object ball, and pocket,
Interesting from a couple of different perspectives.
I think intentional or not you committed sharking. But something I've come to realize playing APA is that you have to be aware of your environment. If she saw you moving and lost focus then she should have stopped and given you "the look" until you had finished the seven basic ballet movements and moved from her field of vision. The she should have adjusted and reset, rechalked and refocused then shot. When I've had that happen in the past, if I know you're trying to walk up on my shot or something else like that and it obvious and everyone else knows it too, I've gone as far as to stop and lay my cue on the table and go to the restroom or the bar or leave the area to get out of your line of sight until you are done and have sat back down or come to a rest. We can continue that pattern as often as we have to.
I think some people like to try and show a certain amount of mental toughness and refuse to stand up or readjust after something makes them lose focus, as if to say "you can't rattle me" but then they miss and blame you.
I think you sharked, she thought she could overcome it but didn't.
Lets' not forget also that it was a kind of a tough shot (CB on the rail?) and you were a convenient excuse if she missed.
You should have remained still and silent, she should have stopped and refocused.
You're both to blame
I think intentional or not you committed sharking. But something I've come to realize playing APA is that you have to be aware of your environment. If she saw you moving and lost focus then she should have stopped and given you "the look" until you had finished the seven basic ballet movements and moved from her field of vision. The she should have adjusted and reset, rechalked and refocused then shot. When I've had that happen in the past, if I know you're trying to walk up on my shot or something else like that and it obvious and everyone else knows it too, I've gone as far as to stop and lay my cue on the table and go to the restroom or the bar or leave the area to get out of your line of sight until you are done and have sat back down or come to a rest. We can continue that pattern as often as we have to.
I think some people like to try and show a certain amount of mental toughness and refuse to stand up or readjust after something makes them lose focus, as if to say "you can't rattle me" but then they miss and blame you.
I think you sharked, she thought she could overcome it but didn't.
Lets' not forget also that it was a kind of a tough shot (CB on the rail?) and you were a convenient excuse if she missed.
You should have remained still and silent, she should have stopped and refocused.
You're both to blame
eyes track movement.....so moving when someone is shooting is a quite effective move to get their eyes off the ball, and onto you....i dont do this because i have some class and ethics.....saying standup, readjust etc. is like saying its ok for me to screw up your comfort zone, and be unethical and low class and win anyway you can...i personally dont agree with that message....they need to put the posters back up in the pool halls about pool etiquette, and then maybe the average knucklehead wont be quite so clueless.
if the knucklehead that started this post, did that at golf tournament there wouldnt be any debate about what kind of idiot he is.
have some class people, fake it if you gotta.
Of course you *should* pay attention only to the pool balls you are shooting. Likewise, because this is the case for both you and your opponent, you should not provide additional distractions. As stated there are enough people moving around in the background. So let that be distraction enough. If you want to claim to have good etiquette, *don't add to the distraction*.
This is very simple. Yet your post here is very short sighted, so to speak. Its a simply matter of respect. Some people just don't have what it takes to be respectful.
KMRUNOUT
"Both to blame". Not accurate. She is to blame for missing the shot. The OP is to blame for being disrespectful. Which would you rather be responsible for?
KMRUNOUT
This was not stated in your original statement.
You conceded the match when you got up your chair.
Like so many others have said, you should have stayed put until it was your turn. There is nothing your captain "needed to give you" that couldn't wait another 30 seconds. If you really had to have it right then, your captain could have brought it over to you, but unless it's advice for your next shot, I can't imagine anything being that urgent. If you are sitting still waiting for your turn, it will never be your fault if your opponent felt sharked, it would be your captain's fault, or the waitress' fault, or the jukebox's fault.
Etiquette is to stay seated and still while your opponent is shooting. Anything else that is going on around you is environmental and is beyond your control. If you happen to be in their line of sight, don't move out of it. Just sit still. By being "respectful" and moving, you are putting thoughts into their head. You may have good intentions, but it can be distracting, especially for the weaker players.
Etiquette is to stay seated and still while your opponent is shooting. Anything else that is going on around you is environmental and is beyond your control. If you happen to be in their line of sight, don't move out of it. Just sit still. By being "respectful" and moving, you are putting thoughts into their head. You may have good intentions, but it can be distracting, especially for the weaker players.
You're right, it was two distinct actions neither have much to do with the other, but with both parties refusing to take responsibility for the game being extended another inning or two.
I'd rather be responsibility for neither, but forced to choose I'd rather be the shooter. Being the shooter I am the one in control. As the shooter I really can't point the finger at the sharker. Whatever happens next is dependent on what I do. If I let the sharker have max effect on me, well then that's on me. The sharker can walk, bend over pull pants down, pour beer on their head, or whatever, if I allow that to jack me up then that's my fault.
Don't put up with it.
Whenever someone distracts my attention from
the shot I stand up, smile and stare at them. I don't
get back down until they are done looking at the shot,
combing their hair, kissing their girl friend, adjusting
their under garments, counting the money, scratching
their ........, or whatever. I do this not because their
actions ruin my concentration but so that it focuses
attention on them and what they are doing. It also
demonstrates to them that whether intentional or not
nothing is going to happen until they finish whatever
they are doing.
Joe
Whenever someone distracts my attention from
the shot I stand up, smile and stare at them. I don't
get back down until they are done looking at the shot,
combing their hair, kissing their girl friend, adjusting
their under garments, counting the money, scratching
their ........, or whatever. I do this not because their
actions ruin my concentration but so that it focuses
attention on them and what they are doing. It also
demonstrates to them that whether intentional or not
nothing is going to happen until they finish whatever
they are doing.
Joe
Nobody likes to blame themselves for missing a easy shot, right? It seems obvious that she was trying to place the blame on you. Talking to your captain between shots is not against the rules. Sometimes people will walk in front of shots. It happens. If anybody has poor sportsmanship it should be her.