Ask Keith McCready

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KingCarem said:
Can you tell us what your practice routine is? How long do you practice per day or per week, and a quick summary of the drills you work on?

KingCarem, when practicing, these are a couple of drills that I do. I start using my left-hand englishes, my right-hand englishes, my force follows, and my draw shots. Those are the drills that I work on the most. If I'm in the mood to practice, I usually do these drills for a couple of hours, and actually, if you did these a couple hours a day, every day, your game would improve.

When I practice all the time, I would hit anywhere from 2,000 to 4,000 balls a day. That's a lot of balls, but that's really the right way to do it. If you can't hit that many balls, you should at least try to hit a thousand balls a day. That's a good number to work with.
 
Re: "Porfessor's" Ring Game

hemicudas said:
We sure missed having you and Jen at the Ring Game Sat. night Keith. It was a "Barn Burner". Jimmy Reid couldn't make it at the last minute and I'm sure you heard, Danny Basavich lost 25 in a row from the git-go. Danny did win the tournament to ease the pain a bit. We look forward to seeing you guys at the the spring Ring Game.............$Bill

Hemicudas, I read that the Professor's ring game down there in Starksville, Mississippi, turned out to be a success.

I have played in ring games before and gone six or seven hours without even hitting a ball. I know how Danny feels, but it happens. I'm glad to hear, though, that he won the pool tournament and it wasn't a total loss.

As far as Jamie goes, Jamie plays good, too. He deserves to win. I've gambled with him before, and he's always real hard to beat. Was thinking about coming down there and playing him, but seeing as so he busted that ring game, I might need a spot.

Tell the Professor to reserve my spot for the spring ring game. You can count on me being there.
 
As a local player at Southern Billiards I'll be looking foward to seeing you there in the spring. There was a lot og action in the room this time, there should be even more with you there.
 
Spring Ring Game

Glad to hear you'll be here Keith. When Jimmy Reid hears you are going to be here I'm sure he will make it this time too, for sure.

As you know, Jimmy is a great player and no one on earth has had more luck in Ring Games than Jimmy. As a matter of fact, he has won every Ring Game that I personally have seen him play in. Mike and Buddy can attest to that.

Keith, is there any Pay-Ball action anywhere any more? The old Greenway in Baton Rouge use to have the best Pay-Ball action in the country.
 
Hey Keith there is an arguement in another thread that it is possible to cut a ball 90 degrees without a masse shot. is that true? Ive seen some guys do some super thin cuts, but don't know if they were 90 degrees. I think if my eyesight were a bit better i just might have the confidence to try it, but not until I get laser eye surgery :)
 
and by the way, when do you ever plan to come by hard times in bellflower? I have a friend who wants to see you play in person.
 
Keith, I've noticed that alot of pros are sponsored by companies usually within the pool industry, approximately how much dough do these sponsors shell out to help professional players? It's obviously very hard to make a living at the game nowadays and I was just curious to find out what the financial aid is like for pro players, I heard Fong Pang Chao is sponsored for $100,000 a year, do you have any idea if this true?

Thanks ahead of time,

Sniper
 
sniper said:
Keith, I've noticed that alot of pros are sponsored by companies usually within the pool industry, approximately how much dough do these sponsors shell out to help professional players? It's obviously very hard to make a living at the game nowadays and I was just curious to find out what the financial aid is like for pro players, I heard Fong Pang Chao is sponsored for $100,000 a year, do you have any idea if this true?

Thanks ahead of time,

Sniper


Sniper,

I am not sure you will get a direct response to your questions becuase it would really be bad form for Keith to discuss anything he knows about other people's private business. I also doubt he'd be willing to discuss his own situations for the same reason. This is a touchy subject for a lot of people. It is a questions that has already been asked of other pros on the forums but so far none have responded with any answers. Keith is one of the nicest guys your could ever meet and it is exactly for that reason that I would not expect an answer from him. I'm sure you understand.

vicki
 
Keith,
Vernon Elliott (Bernie) is a friend of mine. I told him of your comment about playing him in Knoxville. He got a kick out of hearing that it was mentioned on the "internet". He has a lot of good stories. Recently he suffered a stroke that paralyzed his left side so, regrettably, his playing days may be over. Best of luck to you in the future.
Doug
 
LastTwo said:
Hey Keith there is an arguement in another thread that it is possible to cut a ball 90 degrees without a masse shot. is that true? Ive seen some guys do some super thin cuts, but don't know if they were 90 degrees.

LastTwo, it is possible to cut a ball 90 degrees without a masse shot. Actually, if you hit the ball with a good stroke, center cue-ball, the object ball sometimes will cut more, hitting the object ball as thin as you can. Takes a lot of practice, though.

I haven't been back to Belflower in a while. Hard Times has always been one of my favorite pool rooms. I have a lot of friends there.

I've been playing a lot of pool out here on the East Coast. There's quite a few tournaments and tours going on. I will be going to the Glass City Open in Toledo, Ohio, November 12-14, and the next big tournament will be the Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky.

Tell Brook I said hi and hope to see you all in the near future.
 
Doug said:
Vernon Elliott (Bernie) is a friend of mine. I told him of your comment about playing him in Knoxville. He got a kick out of hearing that it was mentioned on the "internet". He has a lot of good stories. Recently he suffered a stroke that paralyzed his left side so, regrettably, his playing days may be over.

I'll bet Vernon has as many stories as I do, or more. He's always been a funny guy and a hell of a player. He was never, ever afraid to step up to the plate and bet his dough, which a lot of the pool players lack nowadays. I always will have that respect for him.

I can remember being in Detroit and I was watching him play for big money. Big money never distracted him. Matter of fact, the higher they stacked the chips, the better he shot.

Doug, please give Vernon my regards and wish him well.
 
sniper said:
Keith, I've noticed that alot of pros are sponsored by companies usually within the pool industry, approximately how much dough do these sponsors shell out to help professional players? It's obviously very hard to make a living at the game nowadays and I was just curious to find out what the financial aid is like for pro players, I heard Fong Pang Chao is sponsored for $100,000 a year, do you have any idea if this true?

Sniper, I really don't know the business part of a lot of the players' sponsorships. I know they get some money, entry fees paid and hotel bills.

I'm lucky enough to have a sponsor who pays all of my expenses, drives me to the front door and puts me in bed at the same time, my girlfriend Jennie.
 
Keith McCready said:
LastTwo, it is possible to cut a ball 90 degrees without a masse shot. Actually, if you hit the ball with a good stroke, center cue-ball, the object ball sometimes will cut more, hitting the object ball as thin as you can. Takes a lot of practice, though.

I haven't been back to Belflower in a while. Hard Times has always been one of my favorite pool rooms. I have a lot of friends there.

I've been playing a lot of pool out here on the East Coast. There's quite a few tournaments and tours going on. I will be going to the Glass City Open in Toledo, Ohio, November 12-14, and the next big tournament will be the Derby City Classic in Louisville, Kentucky.

Tell Brook I said hi and hope to see you all in the near future.

Thanks for the info Keith, there is another thread going on sounds like a circus. I was pretty sure you can cut that thin, I've seen some people pull off some pretty nasty cuts that didnt look possible, made me believe that lots things are possible.
 
LastTwo said:
Thanks for the info Keith, there is another thread going on sounds like a circus. I was pretty sure you can cut that thin, I've seen some people pull off some pretty nasty cuts that didnt look possible, made me believe that lots things are possible.

Keith, I was shown by a writer of a book, Koheler, that this is not possible, that most of the time you think you cut 90, you actually cue 78 to 80 degrees. Few people know how to even set up a 90 degree shot. If you get one really set up, the cut is so thin, you can barely move the ball less than a foot. To make a 90 degree cut, you have to jump the cue ball so it lands higher up on the object ball with loaded running, it then will force throw the ball in.
The guy wrote the Science of pocket billiards, so if you do not believe it, argue with him, I saw it proved, I could not believe it either.
 
Hey bigbopper,
I can cut a ball on a 6x12 putting the ball on the 7 spot and the cue ball on the 3 spot or closer to the rail. Set it up with Koheler and when you both agree it can't be done let me know and I'll come bet what you want.
Steve
 
stevelomako said:
Hey bigbopper,
I can cut a ball on a 6x12 putting the ball on the 7 spot and the cue ball on the 3 spot or closer to the rail. Set it up with Koheler and when you both agree it can't be done let me know and I'll come bet what you want.
Steve

That 3 spot shot to the 7 spot is about 83 degrees, so you are both right :D

See how deceiving angles can be?

Cheers - 8ballbanger
 
Steve, as you can see, some people don't know where the 3 spot is, lol. Tell him again, 3 spot is on the left side of the table. He's cutting the ball to the LEFT pocket, not the right. That is OVER 90 degrees........I'm in Steve,,,,but you better spin the hell out of the ball, LOL>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
Last edited:
Question about the Color Of Money

Keith, My dad has told me a few stories about you and sigel with Tom Cruise.

He said Tom Came in the Old Pool Room in Norfolk during the Open. Sigel happened to win that years open and met with Tom and taught him.

Did Sigel do some playing with Tom in my dads poolroom?

How did you get involved with the movie?

Were they watching you and say " I gotta have this guy"?

Please explain...

Thanks
Brady

The "KID" said he'll take the 4 out.

Was just a little young at that time to know what was going on but was always curious.
 
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