Catbird Seat

J

jjinfla

Banned
Okay, it happened again last night. I find myself playing above my head and manage to win all my matches and end up in the catbird seat. Then I find myself sitting and waiting. Sitting and waiting. And of course the owner closes the tables so I can't warm up.

Then the guy who moves up in the losers bracket has been playing continuously and is all warmed up.

So after sitting around for over two hours when I go to play, I am cold, tired and completely forget how to play. Easy outs turn into fiascos. And I miss shots that I should make 98% of the time.

It's just the local bar tournament, no big money involved, so I don't feel any pressure there.

What's the solution? how do you guys handle the long waits? Or is this just another handicap us old guys have to deal with?
 
Tough one, being in a bar and not a PHall...

You could ask the proprietor to leave one table open as a challenge table, doesn't sound like you expect that to be possible though.

Two options: First, you could ask your opponent to let you hit some balls to warm up before the start of your match. Remind that you have been sitting...

Second, you can use one of the closed tables to check your stroke. Line up the cue above where the cloth meets the hand-rail and stroke it like you do (baby) when you play. Whether you only use 2-3 or 10+ starting strokes, use the same frequency. You can look down at your cue when you stroke and monitor the straightness as it moves.

Or you can be a jerk and: go to bathroom, get beer, get paper towel, get water, study shot too long, wash hands, apologize, repeat. Won't help you warm up, but revenge might be worth more than $...

-pige
 
Sounds to me like you may need to stay mentally focused. Sometimes it helps to read the paper, or a book.

During a tournament if I start chattering with friends too much between matches, I have a tougher time getting back in the groove and re-focusing on my new match.
 
Coming to the table cold and playing someone from the loser's bracket who has been continually playing and is all warmed up is a hardship. Some venues do not afford an extra table to be used for practice as one waits those numerous hours sometimes to shoot their next match.

Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can seize a table where a match has just concluded and warm up. Occasionally, you may ask the TD how long, and if you know you have a 2-hour wait, you could politely request a 5- or 10-minute warm-up on the next available table before your match.

ManlyShot
 
I know this effects many players. I agree, you should request that you get 10 minutes to shoot some and get warmed up, especially if you've been sitting for more than 2 hours. I do what I can to relax between matches, have a coke, talk to someone about something other than pool, read a magazine/paper, take a little break in the action, watch someone elses match, or drop in my 50cents and shoot a few balls around alone. If you get that cold while waiting, I would give up a couple bucks on the pay table and get my stroke back in line!

Zim
 
Time between matches can make or beak you. In the tornaments that don't have scheduled match times, where you can't leave or go to far. I will sit away from other people and listen to some music that keeps my mood up on my walkman. I've found that doing anything but watching the other matches will keep you from being burnt.

As for players that have found another gear playing several matches in a row, good luck finding a way to break that. I recently played in one where CW had just played 4 matches in a row. I lost the flip and it was 3-0 before I got to the table. I creeped in a few to end the set losing 9-5. I could never get out of 1st gear after the wait and starting that far down. All I could do was say good set and luck.

I wish I knew the answer to this age old question.
 
Yeah I just moved cities and one of the bars I have started going to has good pool tourneys 5 nights a week with solid players. At first I didn't know anyone and kept to myself slowly getting to know everyone. This made me focused on the tables, even in between matches. I won 5 out of the first 6 I played...placed in the other one. Since then I have gotten to know everyone and there is always someone chatting to me and I haven't been as focused. Only won 2 out of the last 9.

I can tell now that my concentration has went into the toilet...and now that you bring it up I will re-evaluate how I have been playing and rectify it. Thanks.

As far as sitting on the point...you just have to be mentally prepared...if nothing else play safes until you confidence your way back into stroke by playing tough. Should only take a few shots to get it back.
 
jjinfla said:
Okay, it happened again last night. I find myself playing above my head and manage to win all my matches and end up in the catbird seat. Then I find myself sitting and waiting. Sitting and waiting. And of course the owner closes the tables so I can't warm up.

Then the guy who moves up in the losers bracket has been playing continuously and is all warmed up.

So after sitting around for over two hours when I go to play, I am cold, tired and completely forget how to play. Easy outs turn into fiascos. And I miss shots that I should make 98% of the time.
Click to expand...
That's terrible! I believe this is all Charlie Williams fault.
 
I used to have the same problems in tournys you are talking about. Then I started playing 14.1. You have to teach yourself how to get into a good flow quickly. It's tough watching someone hit you with a 50 or 75 then play you safe. Now it's your turn, maybe down a bunch of balls, in a tough spot, and expected to perform cold. Normally when I come to the table cold I"m a little more deliberate, less likely to shoot at a low percentage shot, and you MUST be thinking "What do I have to do in this situation to give myself the best chance of winning!". Coming from a 9-ball background, this was the toughest part of straight pool to get used to, but it was well worth it in the long run.......Gerry
 
I didn't see where anyone mentioned making sure the TD doesn't have you play the 'catbird' seat match until the loser from that match is needed. That way you only have to wait for the one match until you play again....That is the only way the scheduling of matches can help with that problem that I know of.....
 
This has happened to me many times. If there is no available table to warm up before the match, I head to the bathroom and stretch my triceps, biceps, and shoulder of my stroking arm for about 2-4 minutes. After I do that, I put both of my hands under running warm/hot water for another 2 or 3 minutes. This keeps my bridge hand from aching, and allows me to relax my grip hand easier so I don't tighten up. The stretching kind of warms up my arm, so it doesn't feel like a block of ice. Try this, it might help you alot.
 
Re: Re: Catbird Seat

Gremlin said:
Hello Jake,

The answer is to do away with double elimination. Pool will never become an olympic sport unless they drop the double elimination.
The Akita Games proved that. LOL Single elimination!

Double elimination is not fair to the winner side or the fans who have to wait and watch loser side matches between people who should be on there way home.

It is unfair to the winner side players to have to beat the same player twice. Everyone should only get one chance for there money. Hey, you weren't seeded were you with 10 UPA byes? LOL

Cheers,

Gremlin
Click to expand...

I guess double elimination is popular because basically pool is probably the only game where you can lose without ever getting a chance to play. Even if the guy doesnt break and run out the match, if you draw a guy who is playing lights out, then they shut you down basically. You dont really get a chance, either because your always locked up when you come to the table, or the guy is putting 3 or 4 packs every time it's his inning. I suppose they used double elimination when this happened to alot of people, and they got tired of paying $100 to enter a tournament to lose the lag and rack the balls 9 times. Double elimination kind of gives the guy who got smoked a chance to make a comeback on the other side of the bracket and beat the person who never gave him a chance the first round.
 
jjinfla said:
Okay, it happened again last night. I find myself playing above my head and manage to win all my matches and end up in the catbird seat. Then I find myself sitting and waiting. Sitting and waiting. And of course the owner closes the tables so I can't warm up.

Then the guy who moves up in the losers bracket has been playing continuously and is all warmed up.

So after sitting around for over two hours when I go to play, I am cold, tired and completely forget how to play. Easy outs turn into fiascos. And I miss shots that I should make 98% of the time.

It's just the local bar tournament, no big money involved, so I don't feel any pressure there.

What's the solution? how do you guys handle the long waits? Or is this just another handicap us old guys have to deal with?
Click to expand...

If you love pool as much as I do, being on this forum suggests that you do, then don't dwell on the wait or getting cold. Try to get enthused that you're getting a chance to play again. I know this is a stretch when it's 10 or 11 at night and you got up at 5 that morning and will have to get up at 5 again but it's the best advice I can offer. Try to get excited at the prospect of being able to play again.

I have to get up at 5 every morning and I played last night in a tournament. I got a bye in the first round, won my second match and wated until about 10:00 for my last match. I had to spot a guy 3 games to 5. I shot my way to the hill and lost. I didn't get home until almost midnight. Right now I'm nursing a ferocious headache with a muffin and coffee. Join the club!
 
Yeah Rick- that is the worst. I have the same problem with my schedule and playing in tourneys. For the last two months I had been getting up at 4:30 to get to work by 6:00..work until 5 and drive fast to get to the tourney at 7:00...play until Midnight or so and then try and do it all the next day. By Friday I am like a walking Zombie...then can't rest all weekend cause the biggest tourney in the area is Saturday night. It is a big trade off of sleep for the opportunity for a decent payday each night. I get mad at myself if I don't win or get 2nd cause I feel my sleep is worth whatever the 3rd and below prize money is.
 
Well itis good to see that I am not the only person with this problem. I will have to try some of the above suggestions and see what happens.

I see that Charlie Williams wont the Florida Men's Pro Tournament this past week by coming up through the loser's side. And they mentioned in the previous four stops the final winners all came from the one loss side. So itlooks like I am in good company.

Hey, maybe I should just lose a game and come up in the losers bracket. NOT.

Jake
 
pro-player said:
This has happened to me many times. If there is no available table to warm up before the match, I head to the bathroom and stretch my triceps, biceps, and shoulder of my stroking arm for about 2-4 minutes. After I do that, I put both of my hands under running warm/hot water for another 2 or 3 minutes. This keeps my bridge hand from aching, and allows me to relax my grip hand easier so I don't tighten up. The stretching kind of warms up my arm, so it doesn't feel like a block of ice. Try this, it might help you alot.
Click to expand...

That is the wisest post in this thread. It's not your stroke - you're good enough to make the finals of a damn tournament - it's your muscle activity. You're not getting any.

Me myself, I do isometric exercises, sitting in the chair. It's easier on my sorta-aging muscles, and it sends a clear signal to those around me that I'm going to be ready for the next opponent.
 
My strategy pretty much works itself automatically....

I suck so I go to the losers bracket and play all night long.
 
These posts all seem to be from those "sitting in the cat-bird seat". These are the same players that aren't complaining when THEY are coming thru the "B side".

In all the little ($10 entry) tourneys that go on, realistically there are only 10 % of the players that have a bonifide chance of winning. Most of the entries are there for the social aspect of the tourney and the chance to play a variety of players, maybe knocking off a "name player".

I think its fantastic when a lower ranked player ends up winning some money in these tourneys. They are excited and thrilled. Winning these tourneys are pretty ho-hum to the better players.

Finally, regarding the late nights, my experience has shown that in more than 90% of the cases, the finals are never played. The finalists agreed to split 1st and 2nd and can then go home earlier.
 
"What's the solution? how do you guys handle the long waits? Or is this just another handicap us old guys have to deal with?"

Don't see the problem. Guzzel a lot of beer, have a good time, flirt with the girls, whatever. Then gracesously accept 2'nd place money, congratulate the winner, and make everybody think what a good guy you are. Least you have an excuse that way. :)
 
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