Apparently Everyone Plays Well Enough

J

JerzyJoe

Registered
In the over 30 years that I've been around the sport of pool I've heard over and over again "I used to be really good". In fact if I had a nickel for every time I've heard that statement I could retire wealthy.
Well, frankly, I can understand the sentiment, but I've seen and continue to see that those making this statement are victims of their own fate. Myself included.
Yeah, I used to be a better player than I am now. My vision was sharper, my attitude was better and my elbow was looser. I wasn't as concerned about losing, Hell in my mind I couldn't. I knew everything about the game. Nobody could teach me anything.
But now I'm a 49 year old guy that has to wear glasses to read the newspaper. I don't get to practice or play as often as I'd like. I'm distracted by my day to day life when I do get the chance to play and I live my "Pool life" vicariously through the players I watch play on ESPN and the internet. These days I take great pride in "never missing a shot" while I'm watching other players, pro or amateur. I know what they're supposed to do, what ball they should be playing and the english they should be using, all the while knowing I'd have the odds against me if I were at the table.
This isn't a bad thing though.
I still get out there and try. I'm still willing to learn.
And that's where the system breaks down in most cases.
Poolplayers are sometime a very stubborn breed.
The up and coming player often has too much self-confidece, the older-more experienced player thinks nobody can teach them anything, pride sometimes gets in the way, there's so many factors.
I've always felt that pool is like life, you can never learn too much about it. In fact I tried to impress upon my daughter to learn some new thing everyday, however insignificant it might seem, because life is a learning experience.
Let me know if you agree.
 
JerzyJoe said:
In the over 30 years that I've been around the sport of pool I've heard over and over again "I used to be really good". In fact if I had a nickel for every time I've heard that statement I could retire wealthy.
Well, frankly, I can understand the sentiment, but I've seen and continue to see that those making this statement are victims of their own fate. Myself included.
Yeah, I used to be a better player than I am now. My vision was sharper, my attitude was better and my elbow was looser. I wasn't as concerned about losing, Hell in my mind I couldn't. I knew everything about the game. Nobody could teach me anything.
But now I'm a 49 year old guy that has to wear glasses to read the newspaper. I don't get to practice or play as often as I'd like. I'm distracted by my day to day life when I do get the chance to play and I live my "Pool life" vicariously through the players I watch play on ESPN and the internet. These days I take great pride in "never missing a shot" while I'm watching other players, pro or amateur. I know what they're supposed to do, what ball they should be playing and the english they should be using, all the while knowing I'd have the odds against me if I were at the table.
This isn't a bad thing though.
I still get out there and try. I'm still willing to learn.
And that's where the system breaks down in most cases.
Poolplayers are sometime a very stubborn breed.
The up and coming player often has too much self-confidece, the older-more experienced player thinks nobody can teach them anything, pride sometimes gets in the way, there's so many factors.
I've always felt that pool is like life, you can never learn too much about it. In fact I tried to impress upon my daughter to learn some new thing everyday, however insignificant it might seem, because life is a learning experience.
Let me know if you agree.
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I used to be really good....back when I was 49! :)
 
I was so good I put myself though college. Oh nevermind I didn't go to college....but that was the plan. Johnnty
 
I've found that it's the one's that say they use to play better before their eyes went and they got to play more than once a month so need a ton of weight now that you have to watch out for. Johnnyt
 
It's the same deal in the gym- everybody used to lift more weight, do more pull-ups, leg-press a Volkswagen, etc...- and no matter how much you can lift (even if you're lifting way more then them) they ALWAYS used to be stronger than you.:p

The older you get, the better you were...;)
 
jay helfert said:
I used to be really good....back when I was 49! :)
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I was going to put myself through college with my pool
winnings, instead I put myself through shear torture!!
 
I can't make ball in hand with 3 tries

Johnnyt said:
I've found that it's the one's that say they use to play better before their eyes went and they got to play more than once a month so need a ton of weight now that you have to watch out for. Johnnyt
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Good call Johnnyt, i would rather play a self professed champ than someone that never plays or says he sucks he needs weight.

I only need the last 8 and breaks with 4 ball in hands per rack.

M.C.
 
I dunno? I'm 41 and playing the best I ever have. I think the biggest difference now is I can pull back on the reigns and show some patience. Years ago I shot at anything right or wrong, I was gonna show the world what I could do wth the cueball. I know what my game is capable of, and I can admit there are a few shots that are SLIGHTLY less of a percentage! :D

oh yea,....I'm startin to notice print gettin a little blurry too!:mad:
 
JerzyJoe said:
....
But now I'm a 49 year old guy that has to wear glasses to read the newspaper. I don't get to practice or play as often as I'd like. I'm distracted by my day to day life when I do get the chance to play and I live my "Pool life" vicariously through the players I watch play on ESPN and the internet. These days I take great pride in "never missing a shot" while I'm watching other players, pro or amateur. I know what they're supposed to do, what ball they should be playing and the english they should be using, all the while knowing I'd have the odds against me if I were at the table....
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Let me see, I'm 62 now and the best I've ever been which maybe isn't that good. When I was 21 I was in the service and too bummed out to give a s**t about anything except counting days until I got out. When I was 25, I was in college, too broke and enjoying life too much to a worry about pool, though I played now and again. From 31 to 56 I was busy raising 4 boys and trying to keep them feed and clothed and got out to play maybe twice a year. About 6 years ago I got a bonus and bought a pool table, the rest is history. I'm sure a lot of guys here would blow me off the table, but I'm the best I've ever been and sometimes play at a 'B' level, though I'm not certain what a 'B' level is.
Maybe I could have been better if I played younger, but who really knows. All I know is it wasn't the right time or place for me to be expending my time over a pool table before and now it is. Whereever we are, whenever we're there, is the right time and place even when it sucks.
That said, I'm sure pissed I screwed up those 3 shots last night which cost me 3 racks.
 
I am surprised at how many people on AZB claim to be "A" players.

It almost seems like everyone here is capable of putting a 3-4 pack on someone at will
 
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SJDinPHX said:
I was going to put myself through college with my pool
winnings, instead I put myself through shear torture!!
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That got a laugh out of me.. Good one.
 
The Older I Get-The Better I Used To Play

Lots reasons and excuses and rationales for not playing well at any age.

However, I do believe that if a player has a REALISTIC appraisal of his/her game they can still be competitive and enjoy playing. If someone keeps shooting shots that are low percentage for their current skill level, thats not old age contributing to missing, its just not thinking.

Play lots of "ghost" games and force yourself to be honest and acknowledge what your skill level really is and then play/gamble accordingly.
 
I know exactly what you are saying. The wrong thing to tell anyone is that you play pool. Than the story starts, LOL When I was young, I played>>>and the story goes on, than the story gets to where they are talking nuts and bolts about the game and they have no clue about what they are talking about. You what, you put high, low english on the ball and sucked it back. LOL
 
BPG24 said:
I am surprised at how many people on AZB claim to be "A" players.

It almost seems like everyone here is capable of putting a 3-4 pack on someone at will
Click to expand...

Hmm, I guess us older players don't think in terms of 3-4 packs, we think in terms of 3-4 racks, straight pool that is. :)

Anyway, there is a good thing about aging and playing pool. There still exists one of the best pool games around for us to play well at. One Hole, :)
 
Hey Fellow Floridian...I don't think I used to play better, but I was fearless and confident (that comes with youth), could see better, and had the stamina to play for hours.
Today I think I know so much more, don't always trust myself and can't see for dodo. But, I think I'm techinally better now and still feel I'm always learning.
 
I played well enough to hold my own against most of the players that came into our hall, until my back decided to go on permanent vacation. Now, I'd be happy just to get back to that point. But I'm gonna play anyway.
 
I enjoy trying new things with my pool game all the time and believe that I have been consistently improving because of it. Even though the big 4-0 is coming up for me this year, I believe I am playing the best I ever have which according to my peers is pretty good. Part of it is because I know that I can beat a lot of younger players because when I talk to them they say things like 'my stroke is what it is and I won't ever change it' or 'I only play <insert game of preference here> and think it is the best of all games'. I can't beat these players because I am a better shot maker, I beat them because I make better decisions as I see possibilities that people who only play one type of game and therefore limit their knowledge overlook. I keep the rack simple and do not overextend myself while the shooters recover from bad position they should have never been in in the first place with excellent shot making most of the time; it is the other times that I capitalize on to overcome their advantage over me.

If you were to see me play today and compare it to the same time last year even, you would see two subtly different styles with the newer me being more consistent due to the fact that I am willing to try and incorporate new ideas into how I play the game.

I could go on, but if your reading this message you are either in my camp and agree completely and I am preaching to the choir or you are that stubborn person who is going to continue to stick to your guns and ignore what I am trying to say. If you are the latter, then I can only pity you because you will never know what your true potential will be. If your in the middle ground, I hope that you will listen to what the fine members of this forum say on an every day basis about improvement and try to use that knowledge to become a better player.
 
I think it's all related to how we all calibrate our level/ability based on our absolute best game. When I look at a player I'm thinking about matching up with, one of the most common mistakes I usually make is to evaluate my chances of beating him based on my perception of my level of play, and it's really easy to over estimate your ability simply because you can never forget that night three years ago when you ran a six pack.
dave
 
Tokyo-dave said:
I think it's all related to how we all calibrate our level/ability based on our absolute best game. When I look at a player I'm thinking about matching up with, one of the most common mistakes I usually make is to evaluate my chances of beating him based on my perception of my level of play, and it's really easy to over estimate your ability simply because you can never forget that night three years ago when you ran a six pack.
dave
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Ain't it the truth. It is like anything, sports, work, sex, whatever. You remember that one night (or day, or moment) when the stars aligned and everything just worked. It is very easy to forget the nights when the stars were waaaaay out of alignment.
 
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