So, I have seen several folks using my big match as an example of CTE not working. Or better said if that's what CTE does for a guy then you had better not fool with it.
I want to say that I used CTE on pretty much every shot where I was attempting to bank a ball or shoot directly to the pocket.
I shoot fast and I acquire the visuals quickly in my normal day to day no pressure playing. This causes me to miss the perfect alignment on shots that I shouldn't miss because of being a little too loose on with the focus. Couple that with a form that is not ideal and the problem is compounded.
Now multiply that under the emotional pressure of facing not one but three "enemies" with a aggregate of 20+ years of harassment by them coming to a head, having been made the poster boy to carry CTE's torch into this battle AND putting up my own $10,000 plus all the money I spent getting ready for the match and on the stream. And coupled with being on stream in the AccuStats arena being filmed by a man whose videos I grew up on.
I screwed up.
It's that simple. From scheduling it just two days after the expo, to going on a multi-state odysee selling cases, to not using the time I did have effectively, I screwed up in my preparation and came into the match mentally weak.
The result was that I played faster than normal, I had very little real motor control over my limbs, dogging the speed, dogging the aim, dogging the stroke, dogging the decisions. In other words I played about as bad as I could possibly play under those conditions.
My opponent also didn't play great but what he did do was stay totally calm and unflappable. He took the time to assess each situation and played every shot carefully and cautiously and mostly pretty good. Mistakes from him were at times a surprise to me while mistakes from me were expected and successful shots became a surprise.
CTE was not the problem, in fact I credit CTE with helping line me up on all the pressure shots I did make. The rest of my game was the problem, what is between my ears was the problem.
And this is what those of us who advocate for CTE as an aiming method have said all along, aiming is but one part of the game. There is a lot more to it and while I of course knew that going in, I certainly know it expensively now.
A focused and calm CTE user is a deadly weapon on the pool table. A frenetic and angry CTE user is a maniac with a laser beam.
I screwed up by not giving the best account of CTE/ProOne but in the end I only lost a 9 hour match by three games. I am down but not out. I may never get a title shot again but you can all believe I will be asking for one. And the second one will look a lot different than the first.
I want to say that I used CTE on pretty much every shot where I was attempting to bank a ball or shoot directly to the pocket.
I shoot fast and I acquire the visuals quickly in my normal day to day no pressure playing. This causes me to miss the perfect alignment on shots that I shouldn't miss because of being a little too loose on with the focus. Couple that with a form that is not ideal and the problem is compounded.
Now multiply that under the emotional pressure of facing not one but three "enemies" with a aggregate of 20+ years of harassment by them coming to a head, having been made the poster boy to carry CTE's torch into this battle AND putting up my own $10,000 plus all the money I spent getting ready for the match and on the stream. And coupled with being on stream in the AccuStats arena being filmed by a man whose videos I grew up on.
I screwed up.
It's that simple. From scheduling it just two days after the expo, to going on a multi-state odysee selling cases, to not using the time I did have effectively, I screwed up in my preparation and came into the match mentally weak.
The result was that I played faster than normal, I had very little real motor control over my limbs, dogging the speed, dogging the aim, dogging the stroke, dogging the decisions. In other words I played about as bad as I could possibly play under those conditions.
My opponent also didn't play great but what he did do was stay totally calm and unflappable. He took the time to assess each situation and played every shot carefully and cautiously and mostly pretty good. Mistakes from him were at times a surprise to me while mistakes from me were expected and successful shots became a surprise.
CTE was not the problem, in fact I credit CTE with helping line me up on all the pressure shots I did make. The rest of my game was the problem, what is between my ears was the problem.
And this is what those of us who advocate for CTE as an aiming method have said all along, aiming is but one part of the game. There is a lot more to it and while I of course knew that going in, I certainly know it expensively now.
A focused and calm CTE user is a deadly weapon on the pool table. A frenetic and angry CTE user is a maniac with a laser beam.
I screwed up by not giving the best account of CTE/ProOne but in the end I only lost a 9 hour match by three games. I am down but not out. I may never get a title shot again but you can all believe I will be asking for one. And the second one will look a lot different than the first.
