Bar table leagues suck
- Thread starter joe76195
- Start date
not in "playing off the rail" Tony gets the dough and walks off into the sun set!
my buddy Mark (from new mexico) sounds a lot like you. he'll gamble from time to time but basically just loves to play.
I don't care for the league stuff, but, that is just me. Too much bickering and too many ego's.
There is room for both in this world. Pool rooms aren"t that crowded these days.
There are many who play the game and play it real well who are not in love with the game, it is simply a vehicle to make money. I have known a few of them.
To some the game is no fun unless something is at stake. others hate gambling and like some here, hate gamblers. That is just life.
I think if given another 20 years all will come to terms.
Me I liked going to Vegas spending like $1500 ending fourth and getting back $700. I wanted to stay another 8 days, I needed the money!!
But again I fell out of love with the game many moons ago!!
lol... there are a couple kids I know that were like that. Not sure if they play anymore. But yeah, there was a dude from the denver area that started hanging out at my place that could shoot perfect 9-ball in my eyes. Now we're even... the old owner I'm sure was thinking that either I moved up to an A or he moved back down to a B lol. Its a lot more fun now that I can hang with the old-timers and die-hards... just workin on my mental game and trying to perfect fundamentals to hopefully hang with guys like Putnam
My bar league is actually helping a lot with learning to play with distractions and pressure. Leagues are okay in my book.
edit: one thing to add... I take the matches very seriously and I act as though I'm in a tournament. I dont talk, I sit when I'm not shooting, and I tend to look spaced out when I'm concentrating... Everybody says to have fun, but as captain I see numbers and I really just want to win and I feel like an a$$hole for having what would be good manners in a tournament because I'm sure I come off as a jerk since I'm not walking around laughing and drinking while people are playing. THAT itself is an adjustment... good manners at a pool room comes off as "too serious" in a bar. I'm not liking leagues in that respect, but other than that they're, again, okay in my book.
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I seriously doubt it is his first post, just a fake account and someone wanting to start another drama thread!!!
Lol
Lighten up everybody, nobody is going to take your league night away!!!
Some people like league, some people don't, and some are just in the wrong league. I quit playing league over 5 years ago, got tired of the BS, got tired of having to play every week on a certain night. I played leagues for about 16 years, and yes up to 6 teams in a week (2 teams on 2 different nights, 1 team on 2 other nights - that about burnt me out).
Depending on how good you are, and a little if you have been a gambler, especially a fairly big gambler, you get tired of playing novices and newbies.
Yes, you can play advanced leagues, but even they started letting people into advanced leagues that really can't qualify to be in one (to get enough teams and players for the session).
I, now, just play when I want to, which is mostly on the weekends in weekly tournaments and have fun doing so and see a lot of friends.
LOL - and that cheap ring game? I don't know about your ring games, but the guys I play with, if you're 5th or 6th in line, you may not get a shot until about the 10th or 11th game, and then it will probably be a kick shot. So, when you're $80 stuck before your first shot, you know what I mean???
Lighten up everybody, nobody is going to take your league night away!!!
Some people like league, some people don't, and some are just in the wrong league. I quit playing league over 5 years ago, got tired of the BS, got tired of having to play every week on a certain night. I played leagues for about 16 years, and yes up to 6 teams in a week (2 teams on 2 different nights, 1 team on 2 other nights - that about burnt me out).
Depending on how good you are, and a little if you have been a gambler, especially a fairly big gambler, you get tired of playing novices and newbies.
Yes, you can play advanced leagues, but even they started letting people into advanced leagues that really can't qualify to be in one (to get enough teams and players for the session).
I, now, just play when I want to, which is mostly on the weekends in weekly tournaments and have fun doing so and see a lot of friends.
LOL - and that cheap ring game? I don't know about your ring games, but the guys I play with, if you're 5th or 6th in line, you may not get a shot until about the 10th or 11th game, and then it will probably be a kick shot. So, when you're $80 stuck before your first shot, you know what I mean???
You don't understand!
Actually, that was not what I was saying at all.. I do play league and enjoy it quite a bit.. It's all about shooting with my friends and getting to play in the state and national tourneys when I can, to me..
I am not afraid to put a little cash on the line if I have extra but that's not why I love the game.. I love the sport for the competition! Cash is not my motivation but I don't mind playing for a little, either way.
If someone does not want to gamble after a league match, that's their choice, what's the big deal. Many of us have jobs which we have to get up early the next day for, responsibilities, families etc.. Personally, I hit the road after my league matches too. The bashing of the league players is pretty moronic in my opinion. They can enjoy the game any way they want to!
BTW, I don't believe you have to play for the $$ to become a great player. Many of the top European players never gamble, they want to keep the game pure in their eyes.. Some of these are world champions!
Actually, that was not what I was saying at all.. I do play league and enjoy it quite a bit.. It's all about shooting with my friends and getting to play in the state and national tourneys when I can, to me..
I am not afraid to put a little cash on the line if I have extra but that's not why I love the game.. I love the sport for the competition! Cash is not my motivation but I don't mind playing for a little, either way.
If someone does not want to gamble after a league match, that's their choice, what's the big deal. Many of us have jobs which we have to get up early the next day for, responsibilities, families etc.. Personally, I hit the road after my league matches too. The bashing of the league players is pretty moronic in my opinion. They can enjoy the game any way they want to!
BTW, I don't believe you have to play for the $$ to become a great player. Many of the top European players never gamble, they want to keep the game pure in their eyes.. Some of these are world champions!
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Well said Joe...wether people want to league bash or not the bottom line is at least leagues put some money and a lot of attention in and onto pool and thats a huge positive in my opinion...i play league one night a week and enjoy the time out with friends and thats what league is about to me its a social setting not an action room...
that's all well and good, about the european players, but the money bet is more of an added motivating factor. european players, from what i hear, get paid by their country to play well. that's just what i hear anyway. someone correct me if i'm wrong, preferably without being a d*ck about it...
anyway i like watching people in action and every now and again i like to get into the box myself. i've seen plenty of good tournament players dog their brains out for the dough. i've seen people that only play for fun and in tournaments play different patterns than veteran gamblers would. they even seem to shoot balls differently.
Something else about league play that you aren't taking into consideration... when you're playing in a match that decides whether or not your team advances to the next round of a qualifying tournament, or division championship, that's as much or more pressure than any of your small stakes games. (I wouldn't dare compare it to the serious action I read about here, that's a whole other level and a whole other world.)
I've been in the situation several times already, in just over a year of league, where I was playing the deciding match. I've won a few, including twice for the division championship (which also pays, btw) and lost a few, for the right to advance further into the national qualifier tournament. When what you do in a game affects 7 other people and their chances, that is pressure. Big time. Letting 7 other people down because you tighten up or make a bad choice is something that ain't no fun. I'd gladly give up the small stakes $$$ I could/would lose gambling in exchange for not having let my team down.
You can play for stakes other than $$$ that mean something too.
I've been in the situation several times already, in just over a year of league, where I was playing the deciding match. I've won a few, including twice for the division championship (which also pays, btw) and lost a few, for the right to advance further into the national qualifier tournament. When what you do in a game affects 7 other people and their chances, that is pressure. Big time. Letting 7 other people down because you tighten up or make a bad choice is something that ain't no fun. I'd gladly give up the small stakes $$$ I could/would lose gambling in exchange for not having let my team down.
You can play for stakes other than $$$ that mean something too.
Thats another very good point. I've played with guys in leagues that our serious gamblers. I've watched them play stone cold with serious cheese on the line. These same guys choke in a tight league match because there not used to being part of a team and having someone count on them to win. If they lose while gambling they've hurt no one but themselves. There's different pressures.
Playing for money.
I hate bowling so I never joined a bowling league. I love pool so I joined a pool league. Come on down to Oklahoma and we will try to accomodate your gambling. We have great players and I mean some 10 speeds that play in our leagues, and you guessed it some folks complain that these guys are just too good to be playing league pool. Well they are idiots. The only way I get to play this caliber of player is on league night. Don't think I really want to match up with them for money. But if you catch them in the pool hall and they have no action they will actually play some cheap pool with anybody, thats the kind of gamblers I like. Just because nobody would gamble with you does not equate to league pool sucks. Does that mean all league players suck. I don't gamble much but I never lost a game for $100 either and I have played several for that amount. I have never seen a gambler that could not find action. You know what they say. If you can't play pool you have to throw darts and if you can"t throw darts you have to go bowling!! Hope you stay in league pool anyway. OH yeah, other than the gambling did you enjoy playing pool that night?
I hate bowling so I never joined a bowling league. I love pool so I joined a pool league. Come on down to Oklahoma and we will try to accomodate your gambling. We have great players and I mean some 10 speeds that play in our leagues, and you guessed it some folks complain that these guys are just too good to be playing league pool. Well they are idiots. The only way I get to play this caliber of player is on league night. Don't think I really want to match up with them for money. But if you catch them in the pool hall and they have no action they will actually play some cheap pool with anybody, thats the kind of gamblers I like. Just because nobody would gamble with you does not equate to league pool sucks. Does that mean all league players suck. I don't gamble much but I never lost a game for $100 either and I have played several for that amount. I have never seen a gambler that could not find action. You know what they say. If you can't play pool you have to throw darts and if you can"t throw darts you have to go bowling!! Hope you stay in league pool anyway. OH yeah, other than the gambling did you enjoy playing pool that night?
Every year in May (when League ends) I always say "Never Again". Then, September rolls around and there I am back on a Team for another 30 weeks of bangers, obnoxious drunks, crappy tables, nicked-up balls, torn cloth, etc. etc.
I must be a glutton for punishment.
I must be a glutton for punishment.
Yeah leagues should be a place where us real pool players can find suckers to bet!
This just is not right
If you didn't catch it,this was sarcasm.
Hopefully the OP wasted some dumping to try and get league players to gamble.Its been tried before,joining a league to get some easy action but even gomerz know that one.
Hmmmm
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Really, playing for $2 ring game is gonna make you improve..... WOW, you are one high roller and then you complain about nobody playing you !!
Woudn't playing for $2000 be a lot better for your game then ??
What is revolting is some knucklehead trying to hustle me for $5 because he thinks he is some kind of pool stud and he thinks I'm being cheap or I'm broke because I don't want to play his dumb ass. But in reality he really needs the few bucks and I don't. I rather give it to the waitress for bringing over my cold beverages the past few hours .....
You kinda sound like the big fish in a really small pond.... and so you play in a league with some average shooters and now you think you can play some pool.... WOW, we are all so really proud of you. How many tourneys have you won now that you found the secret of becoming great ??
I play in a baseball league, and after the game none of these F***head players from the other team will race me to 2nd base for $10 ?? Stupid idiots will never get better at stealing bases without gambling. I challenge them to try and strike me out after games for $20, again no takers,,, how the heck could they possibly learn how to pitch without a few bucks on the line?? So I just go home and B*tch to my wife about all the sh*tty baseball players that don't want to pay to see a real stud play ball !! Man, life sucks when people won't give me their money...... Maybe I will found a baseball forum to tell everyone my problems and that all baseball players are p*ssies.....
PS: I do play an occasional ring game for cheap after league... but it has nothing to do with anyone trying to get better,,, more of a fun time and bragging rights when you beat your buddies..... maybe you should find some friends !! just a thought.....
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Really, playing for $2 ring game is gonna make you improve..... WOW, you are one high roller and then you complain about nobody playing you !!
Woudn't playing for $2000 be a lot better for your game then ??
What is revolting is some knucklehead trying to hustle me for $5 because he thinks he is some kind of pool stud and he thinks I'm being cheap or I'm broke because I don't want to play his dumb ass. But in reality he really needs the few bucks and I don't. I rather give it to the waitress for bringing over my cold beverages the past few hours .....
You kinda sound like the big fish in a really small pond.... and so you play in a league with some average shooters and now you think you can play some pool.... WOW, we are all so really proud of you. How many tourneys have you won now that you found the secret of becoming great ??
I play in a baseball league, and after the game none of these F***head players from the other team will race me to 2nd base for $10 ?? Stupid idiots will never get better at stealing bases without gambling. I challenge them to try and strike me out after games for $20, again no takers,,, how the heck could they possibly learn how to pitch without a few bucks on the line?? So I just go home and B*tch to my wife about all the sh*tty baseball players that don't want to pay to see a real stud play ball !! Man, life sucks when people won't give me their money...... Maybe I will found a baseball forum to tell everyone my problems and that all baseball players are p*ssies.....
PS: I do play an occasional ring game for cheap after league... but it has nothing to do with anyone trying to get better,,, more of a fun time and bragging rights when you beat your buddies..... maybe you should find some friends !! just a thought.....
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