I think you did good not blowing a gasket.
But just as food for thought here's something I wrote on a mythical NG four or five years ago:
Rather than look upon the other person's behavior, comments, ability to get under your skin, etc., as something *you allow* to raise your blood pressure, step back and look upon their behavior as a challenge -- a hurdle for you to zero out and overcome. In other words: strive to become untouchable. Become bulletproof.
I use to play a fellow who would chatter to the rail birds non-stop, mostly while I was shooting. He'd laugh, tell jokes, sing nursery rhymes (not kidding) all in a loud, rasping and annoying voice. Even while he was shooting, he'd be laying it on thick about how strong I played, the trap I put him in, how he couldn't possibly beat me, blah, blah, blah. I mean, this was nonstop -- the guy was a real asshole. At first, his act was impossible for me to fade. But finally, I made up my mind to let him have at it, and see if I could rise above it and zero out his sharking; zero out the distractions; zero him out; and most importantly, zero out his wallet and put his money in my pocket.
And I finally got there. Since then, I've had people sneeze/cough while I was in mid-stroke; played other bullshit artists that keep up a steady stream of noise while you're shooting (while of course, they get dead silence while they're at the table), and have managed to remain unaffected and even not noticed my opponent's occasional ill-timed allergy attack.
I'm not saying it's easy, or that you should have to put up with this kind of baloney in the first place -- but it happens. And just as all the noise and snide comments sometimes ends up being part of the arsenal your opponent flings at you, an attitude and state of mind that zeros out that weapon -- rendering it impotent -- should be a part of yours.
In a similar vein:
Here's the biggest key to improving your concentration: realizing that it is an element of your game that you, and you alone, control and must take responsibility for.
Others will disrupt it -- knowingly or unknowingly -- but it is up to you to accept responsibility for how well you concentrate. You need to look on your ability to concentrate at the pool table as something important to work on, practice, and improve, as much any draw shot, bank, or position play that's been giving you trouble. The trick is to not get annoyed at anyone but yourself for things that disrupt your concentration and to look upon those elements as challenges that you should, and can, overcome.
Don't get mad at your opponent, the railbirds, or the barmaid -- get mad at yourself and make up your mind that you will do better.
Lou Figueroa
