Earl on time clocks and extensions
- Thread starter L.S. Dennis
- Start date
9 Ball was at its peak (commmercially) in the 00s the last time Matchroom had the World Championship - 100k for the winner and no shot clocks. It's on the up again now, with shot clocks. I don't see any clear evidence for either preference but suspect that not many viewers would be lost once in a blue moon when a player creates a bit of tension and has the commentators talking softly while taking 4 minutes to decide on a shot.
I think he meant is as an expression. He said "women and children" and also something like "every person on a street corner". In other words, I don't think he was saying women can't be as good as men in pool if they trained for it (like Siming). I think he meant it more like the military expression of don't kill "women and children" because they are weak and non-threatening in the context of war. Whereas if you had a female marine, she would absolutely be threatening because she was trained as a soldier. He meant anyone can win a match playing 9 ball (without training) because it's lucky. (Which I personally strongly disagree with).
That's just my interpretation, don't shoot the messenger
Zerksies
Well-known member
I don’t wanna hear that BS, half you people in this place are all sandbagging to get a free trip to Vegas. Or playing with very favorable spots in your favor.
I’m playing a guy straight up gambling who should have probably spotted me a ball or two at the time. Now this guy is a speed demon, who if took 10 seconds for a shot was a long time. On average I’m about 20 seconds per shot. It’s not like I’m sitting there for about 10 minutes. No I’m holding out a full 30 seconds to break his tempo. And I didn’t come up with that strategy I learned it from a pro that said try this to get in his head.
You’re right. It’s more than 90%.
I have played a LOT of pool for 30 years and have mixed it up with a wide range of players from amateur to pro. I have NEVER once heard anyone suggest playing slow deliberately to throw their opponents off their game.
What i have heard are players talking about not feeling pressured to speed up just because their opponent plays faster. But that is all about playing their best, not sharking.
It’s like dumping matches. It does happen, but about 1/1,000th as often as it gets talked about or speculated about on this forum.
The truth is that the quick players who complain about slow players are simply using talk of sharking as an excuse to justify their hostility.
If you believe slow play is bad for pool, fine. If you believe a shot clock will help grow the game, fine. But make your arguments based on reality, not on an entitlement to have everything the way you want it or on a fictitious deliberately slow playing conspiracy.
Breath, in and out...
So what you just described was totally different than your first post.
In your initial post you said slow play was a strategy, and still I say no...
Now if you ment to say you play at your own pace, I say yes you should...
Zerksies
Well-known member
I’ve played slow deliberately to break a speed daemons tempo. There’s more to pool then just hitting balls on the table, there is a whole mental aspect as well, I’m just trying to get into their head. They do this in other sports with timeouts or some other manipulation, it’s not cheating it’s strategy. I’m not standing in front of the guys shot, or sharking him. I’m slowing down the pace of the game to my tempo. He plays better going faster. I’m trying to bring him to my speed. Others people have said I’m playing my pace regardless of the other persons speed.
Zerksies
Well-known member
Strategy to win the game. They use timeouts in other sports to do the same thing. It’s Sunday and they do this in football all the time.
If you are not playing at your natural pace, you are being a NIT!
AND ALL THE POOR PLAYERS WAITING FOR THEIR MATCH SUFFER
In football it is a team sport and icing people is still a Nit move (not used in Hockey)
In pool other players await your match to play.
I remember back when Dick Lane was reputably the ‘world‘s slowest’ (especially at 14.1). But, when they established a time clock for tv matches, he played as fast as everyone else.
Putting "someone on ice", by deliberate slow play is one of the reasons why pool has a such a shitty reputation. How about beating someone purely by your skill and strategy on the table?
When I first started playing American Pool, I once had a highly respected pro spend the entire match wandering off and chatting to people while it was my turn. Being inexperienced, I was politely waiting around each time for him to come back, so I could shoot. After the match, he said "I saw that you were playing well, so I decided to throw you off your game by slowing you down". I immediately lost all respect for that player.
For the record, he beat me 7-2 and I learned a valuable lesson.
When I first started playing American Pool, I once had a highly respected pro spend the entire match wandering off and chatting to people while it was my turn. Being inexperienced, I was politely waiting around each time for him to come back, so I could shoot. After the match, he said "I saw that you were playing well, so I decided to throw you off your game by slowing you down". I immediately lost all respect for that player.
For the record, he beat me 7-2 and I learned a valuable lesson.
Wondering around and chatting is a completely different thing than taking your time shooting.
As for myself I don't mind if someone takes their time. I play my own pace no matter who I'm playing. I do find that if I'm having a good night and shooting well I seem to play faster and it tends to bite me at some point.
I am totally fine with people taking their time, if that is their pace.
Some posters on here and many pool players have a win at all costs mentality. "I play slowly to break a speed demons tempo". I see that as someone who is not equipped to beat someone by skill and has to resort to other tactics. I feel sorry for people like that.
L.S. Dennis
Well-known member
Still say 25 second time clock on all shots and 4 extensions per match! Like Grady used to say if a player can’t figure out what to shoot in (fill in the blank) that player has no business at the table.
I tend to adopt the spd of the player I'm matching up against. They go slow, I go slow. They pick up the pace or simply play quicker, so do I...
Some opt to let the spd of their opponent phase them. I prefer to beat them at their own game.
Played in a tourney a while back and during one set of 8 ball the average shot time was hovering around the 1min mark. That's incredibly slow but that was the pace of play and rather than let it effect me I simply let my opponent enjoy what he was suffering everyone else through. Very next set was against a guy that liked to shoot around <30sec pace. I matched his rate and it was the quickest kill of the day.
Much ado about nothing imo.
Regarding shot clocks and extensions... I think 30s is fine, and a cap for a set would be awesome
Some opt to let the spd of their opponent phase them. I prefer to beat them at their own game.
Played in a tourney a while back and during one set of 8 ball the average shot time was hovering around the 1min mark. That's incredibly slow but that was the pace of play and rather than let it effect me I simply let my opponent enjoy what he was suffering everyone else through. Very next set was against a guy that liked to shoot around <30sec pace. I matched his rate and it was the quickest kill of the day.
Much ado about nothing imo.
Regarding shot clocks and extensions... I think 30s is fine, and a cap for a set would be awesome
Pool is going trending to less and less on the time clock. Earl isn't far off in my opinion.
agreed. changing the game pace to suit you instead of your opponent is used in basketball, hockey, and other sports as a legitimate strategy. There is no reason not to try to gain an advantage if you do so legally.
Zerksies
Well-known member
Some of these people don’t understand a concept that is not in a YouTube video