Examples of Bad Sportsmanship?

[tatcat2000]

Former world champion playing in a match against another former (or maybe current) world champion: sees that the shot is going to be problematic, and hurries the shot to make sure that no referee is called over. Fouls and continues to shoot. Not a surprise since this player was already known to be scummy, but still disappointing to those who respect the game and the rules.

Even under WSR, if the opponent objected immediately after the shot then I can see the act being penalized as UC. The investigation would be easy enough - as long as the referee can firmly establish that the offender departed significantly from their pre-shot routine on only the shot in question, they're busted. Of course, getting some people to admt to it can be problematic in and of itself. But once the admission is there, I see it as being open to penalty of some sort.

Less likely to get away with it in CSI/BCAPL play. The BCAPL rules specifically address the situation in the Applied Rulings, and define it as UC, leaving the penalty to the discretion of the referee. BCAPL Applied Ruling 1-9 applies:

"In no case may a shooter, regardless of their style of play, intentionally try to get down on a shot quickly in an attempt to prevent an opponent from asking a question or stopping play. It is also not permissible to lead the non-shooter to believe that you intend to play one shot, then quickly adjust and play a different shot without giving them time to request information or stop play. Either of those situations may be treated as Unsportsmanlike Conduct."

Of course, it still depends on the referee's ability to ferret out the correct information after the act and the referee's judgment concerning the act, not to mention the opponent objecting after the act to give the referee a chance to do those things.:smile:

Buddy Eick
BCAPL National Head Referee
BCAPL Director of Referee Training
Technical Editor, BCAPL Rule Book
bcapl_referee@cox.net

Find the Official Rules of the BCA Pool League here:

http://www.playbca.com/Downloads/Rulebook/CompleteRulebook/tabid/372/Default.aspx

* Unless specifically stated, the contents of this post refer to BCA Pool League (BCAPL) Rules only. The BCAPL National Office has authorized me to act in an official capacity regarding questions about BCAPL Rules matters in public forums.
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[Nine ... corner]

Many good examples of poor sportsman like behavior in this post. I believe the worst example and have seen both pros and amateurs do it is breaking your cue out of frustration. Jeez, Louise get a grip on your emotions!

Unrelated to pool but on the theme of bad behavior ... I was once playing a backgammon match and when I rolled double sixes to win a game I was behind in my opponent threw his cup halfway across the room. I was dumbfounded and just said, "Dude ... you really have some issues." :shocked:

 

[master_cueist]

We used to have this kid that played in our room for awhile who became a cash cow for a lot of guys. He was there all the time and always paid his losses and a few times he lost more than he had to me in particular but he always paid the next time he was in, sometimes it was a decent amount a couple hundreds bucks or so. So one day he gets a pretty big spot from a top player here and beats the guy so he gets really cocky and out of nowhere offers me the 7 and out on a barbox for $100 a set. I could hardly contain my surprise and eagerness to get over there and play considering I usually gave him the 7 on a barbox. Several people watched us play and when it was all said and done I was up $1000. Our table time was around $50 a piece and he didn't even have that, so I instantly knew I obviously was not going to get paid that night and told him I would get his table time anyway. I was a little worried but not really considering he had always paid his debts, well a week later he starts getting an attitude about it out of nowhere and starts saying he isn't paying me and didn't think we were seriously playing for that much money, I pretty much wrote it off right there knowing I wouldn't get the money. So another week later to my surprise I get like 4 calls in a matter of 10 minutes with people asking me when I lost a grand to this kid. I kid you not, this guy started telling people he beat me for the money, even people that watched it. He went as far as making a very weak attempt at taking a sample check with no name, address, routing number, or account number and tried to tell people I wrote the check to him and canceled it. This same guy did the same thing to several people around here including my dad for $500 and another guy for at least $800. My dad was the only smart one that kept his cue but it was so badly beaten up he only got a couple hundred bucks out of it.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Even under WSR, if the opponent objected immediately after the shot then I can see the act being penalized as UC. The investigation would be easy enough - as long as the referee can firmly establish that the offender departed significantly from their pre-shot routine on only the shot in question, they're busted. ...

In this particular case, the match is/was available on YouTube or one of the streaming sites, so someone was recording it.

 

[whammo57]

Dear God where do I start? I think one of the most memorable ones for me was during a league 8 ball match. (go figure huh? )

I was a 6 playing a 2 and I was burying this guy every time I didn't have a shot. It was brutal, I had him locked up tighter than mother Teresa's chastity belt. He was getting a bit frustrated when I got on the hill and he still hadn't won a game. I broke and got a good lay out and ran it out for the win.

He walks up to the table and kicks it in the side and smacks himself in the forehead, then turns to me and says "Lucky game!" The he walks into the bathroom and we hear a bunch of noise like he's tearing up the place. Next he comes out of the bathroom yelling at himself and walks right out of the pool hall and I never saw him again. ( I found out later he got banned from the pool room and the league)

The funny thing was my buddy was in the stall in the bathroom while this guy was having his meltdown and comes walking out and says, "Y'all ain't going to believe this, I was trying to take a piss and some guy went nuts in the bathroom. It scared the hell out of me so bad I pissed down the side of my pants!"

Another one I remember didn't involve me playing, I was just sweating the match. I don't remember how much they were playing for but I remember it being enough that I kept my mouth shut while they played.
It was a race to 21 in 9 ball iirc, and my buddy Steve was up 12-2 I think. He was really on a roll and the guy he was playing was doing everything he could to shark Steve. He was doing the ole jingling change in his pocket, coughing at just the right time etc. but none of it was working.

The guy called for a break and went outside for a smoke with some girl. After a few minutes they resumed play. All of the sudden Steve's girlfriend goes crazy yelling at Steve, saying stuff like "you promised you wouldn't do that any more" and "I thought you loved me, I'm tired of this ****". And she storms out of the pool room. Steve was completely gut shot and lost the match badly.

Later I find out that the when the guy went out to smoke he had this girl call Steves girlfriend and say that she has been sleeping with him. It was a mess, I couldn't believe someone would sink that low to win a match. Steve lost his money and his girl with 1 phone call. What a *****.

I am a 6 and I hate playing a 2 or a 3. You have to play them safer than another 6. I have been beaten by them also.

Kim

 

[Bob Jewett]

... I believe the worst example and have seen both pros and amateurs do it is breaking your cue out of frustration. Jeez, Louise get a grip on your emotions! ...

There was a player where I first learned to play who used to break his cue about every six months. I don't think anyone thought of it as unsporting -- just Doug going crazy again. These days though it bothers me to play crazy people who break things.

 

[Blue Hog ridr]

I was playing a person who is normally not a half bad guy but was having a bad game.

My last ball was on the my right side, long rail. I shot it down the rail and brought the cue ball across the table to where the 8 ball was frozen to the rail on my left hand side.

I practice this shot because it comes up frequently.

My opponent picked up the 8 ball and fired into the corner pocket for me.

And then said, "I gave you that game".

And then a lot of carrying on, swearing and ranting for several minutes.

I said, "thanks, I, appreciate it, I needed all the help I could get. Didn't you like the way that I brought the cue ball over for the 8"?

My team mate started in on him and was ready to go knuckle and skull with him. I put my hand on his shoulder and said, "not the time for this, lets go outside for a smoke".

I had nothing to be embarrassed about as I had just pulled off a beautiful
ending to a good game and my opponent just made an ass of himself in front of his team mates, my team and half the other teams in the bar that were in ear shot of his yelling and ranting.

He apologized to me at a later date, but still looking forward to maybe coming up against him this weekend at our year end tourney.

I will have to show him that it wasn't an off chance that I beat him that night.

Myself, I have never gotten that wound up over a loss. I always extend my hand and say, "good game or good shooting Buddy".

Ya missed a couple of easy balls or the table layout wasn't in your favor but carrying the frustration over into your next match isn't going to do you any good.

 

[Nine ... corner]

These days though it bothers me to play crazy people who break things.

As well it should! People that act destructively are certainly not well grounded and you never know how things can escalate from there ... like out in the parking lot. I have no tolerance for these type A-holes ... period.

 

[Nine ... corner]

Myself, I have never gotten that wound up over a loss. I always extend my hand and say, "good game or good shooting Buddy".

Bingo ... Blue Hog has the only rational answer to a loss. :thumbup:

 

[Celophanewrap]

Another one I remember didn't involve me playing, I was just sweating the match. I don't remember how much they were playing for but I remember it being enough that I kept my mouth shut while they played.
It was a race to 21 in 9 ball iirc, and my buddy Steve was up 12-2 I think. He was really on a roll and the guy he was playing was doing everything he could to shark Steve. He was doing the ole jingling change in his pocket, coughing at just the right time etc. but none of it was working.

The guy called for a break and went outside for a smoke with some girl. After a few minutes they resumed play. All of the sudden Steve's girlfriend goes crazy yelling at Steve, saying stuff like "you promised you wouldn't do that any more" and "I thought you loved me, I'm tired of this ****". And she storms out of the pool room. Steve was completely gut shot and lost the match badly.

Later I find out that the when the guy went out to smoke he had this girl call Steves girlfriend and say that she has been sleeping with him. It was a mess, I couldn't believe someone would sink that low to win a match. Steve lost his money and his girl with 1 phone call. What a *****.

American Ingenuity? I hope Steve started banging the girl that made the phone call.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Steve lost his money and his girl with 1 phone call. ...

I would say that Steve came out ahead on the deal.

 

[raypoitra]

bad sportmanship = snoring under the table

heres one, i just got off work at the casino, it was a big concert night, went to the local pub to play some pool, a guy was in there talking smack, so we played a rack of 8ball, i took his $20.. he says lets play again for 50, i take his $50 ... now he wants to play for $100 i say no ill play you for $50... then the name dropping starts......i played svb ... and i played this guy and that guy.... i tell him to either rackem or shut up.... he racks then im shooting and he is going on and on and on about the money he has played for and the players he beat while im shooting ,,,, people are starting to gather around. i miss. then he is talking to the small group while making a couple of ball , still talking shit.. i tell him to hurry the hell up and shoot and quit talking shit, are you gonna play or talk, he is 6'4 250 , he says what the **** you say rushes me with his cue like to hit me with the cue or push me with the cue, i one punch him, boom on the button, he stiffens up like a board , eyes roll back, snoring on the floor. i grab the 50 and head to the bar to get a drink while his fans wake him up. i bet he wont be talking shit and name dropping about that game,lol

that was and will be the only time i lose my cool playing, i felt bad about 20minutes later because that isnt me, i know better. from what ive seen real players dont be name droppping and talking smack...

 

[Tramp Steamer]

One of the most horrendous examples of bad sportsmanship, that I can recall, occurred during a game of One Pocket, not more than three weeks ago.
There I was, preparing to attempt a pesky little two railer to win the game, when a fat woman at the table next to me farted during mid-stroke.
Not only did I miss the shot, but the stench from her sudden explosion of flatulence caused me to hurl my bean burrito lunch onto the pant leg of a guy who was sitting at a nearby table doing the daily crossword. He jumped to his feet, surveyed the puke that was soaking into what appeared to be a fairly new pair of Dockers, and took a swing at me.
Fortunately for me, and being quite agile for a man of my age, I was able to duck the man's roundhouse by quickly jumping rearward and to the side, and out of harm's way. Unfortunately for me, I sidestepped into the fat woman who had started the melee in the first place, knocking her to the floor. The excitement must have been all the poor woman could take because she farted again.
Well, the next thing I remember I was waking up in the parking lot with a splitting headache and no money in my wallet. Evidently that last gas attack was to much for me. The manager told me later that the guy with the ruined pants and the fat woman had left together shortly after removing me from the building.
Kind of makes you think they were working together, doesn't it?
How unsportsman like is that? :smile:

 

[americanfighter]

the worst that happened to me was last summer in the play-offs. our 3 was against their 4 and it was real close one game to win each our 3 had stopped for verification of rules then later called a time out well as soon as the time out was called the other team started arguing that what was the verification of rules was a time out and couldn't have another and as a result we lost.

 

[12squared]

My favorite bad sportsmanship story was when two friends of mine were playing 9-ball many years ago for some jelly on a phony table w/drop pockets. Phony in the way that if an object ball was 1-1 1/2 diamonds away from a corner pocket near the rail, and you had to hit it with speed to draw back the length of the table for example, the ball would most often rattle out.

It was a close set and one of the guys was very close to getting out when he got that phony rattled pocket thing. He ended up losing the set. He was so angry that he started ripping out the drop pockets one at a time and was successful ripping out maybe 3 of them and tossing them against the wall. He left in a huff only to return a few moments later because he forgot his cue. He packed up his cue, ripped out another pocket and left.

Bob Jewett knows the guy if I told him his name, but I don't think he was there.

I have fallen victim to these tables as well losing to someone I spot the 7-ball and never lost, but playing on that equipment I lost, and lost plenty so I understand his rage. But it doesn't make it any less funny; it was hilarious to all but the room owner and the guy who lost.

Dave

 

[poolnoob]

The shot at 17.00


http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/9133941

Mike Immonen was shooting at a ball vs Shane, and had a cluster that was up table, don't remember the tourney they were in. He either just missed the shot, or got a bad hit, and then seeing that the cueball was heading right for the cluster to free it up for shane, he blocked the cueball with his stick. No foul was called for that aside from the ball in hand for touching the cueball, it should have really been a loss of game for that.

 

[plhlolelnlilx]

I was playing a guy one time and i was on the 8 ball. He had only one ball that was kissing the 8 close to the rail. He played safe, so i had to kick at it softly. I missed and since my opponent was on the other side of the table, i grabbed the cue ball before it stopped moving and rolled it towards him. A guy on his team jumped up and said that's game over because i was on the 8 and didn't let the cue ball stop. Apparently, its a rule in APA.

I thought that was pretty poor, especially considering i was definitely not scratching and only grabbed it to roll it to my opponent.

I'm not completely intertwined with the rules of APA but from my understanding, a foul can only be called by either your opponent or yourself if your one of the super honest types. Point being, because it was your opponents teammate that called the foul, the ruling is that it is not a foul.

Tony Drago at the Mosconi Cup a few years ago was about the worst I have seen. And it was during an Earl match of all things. The worst scummy behavior on a grand stage ever. And Tny was not even playing in the match. Absolutely terrible. He should have had two bouncers toss him out on his face, and yet the organizers allowed him to continue.

This didn't have anything to do with Earl's previous behavior did it?

 

[plhlolelnlilx]

On another note... Stories.

We had gotten a few good friends together for a State Tournament 8-Ball teams event and were doing rather well until the final six where we lost our first match. Next thing you know our match on the losers side is coming to a close and we're ahead with a shooter from the opposition tied up in a safe where he can only kick his ball in the side. However, the clearance between his ball, my teammates ball and the rail is so tight that we called a referee to watch the shot.

The gentleman lines up his shot... raises his cue to about 15 degrees +/-... drumrolllllllllllllllll.... he miscues and still manages to slide between the balls and kick his ball full in the face. Referee calls good hit and starts to walk away before our team kindly points out that after he contacted the object ball; neither the cue ball nor the object ball were ever in any danger of coming close to a rail. He insists that the ruling is final and he doesn't care whether or not the shot was legal.

The other team of course accepted his ruling because if that game had continued my teammate was probably 99% to make his last two and push the hanging eight in the corner. I found it to be classless to know that you had done wrong, have it called out and still continue regardless of what a first year dumb ass referee had to say. The tournament director did nothing to solve the problem. Our opponents openly admitted it was terrible call after the match. I spend my remaining time cutting into the referee every time we crossed paths.

 

[Cracktherack]

Howdy Folks,

Let's hear some stories about bad sportsmanship.


Here's one of mine:

I was playing in a small doubles 8 Ball league. Basically, our strategy was to setup balls (and block pockets) for the first several turns. We generally ended up blocking four pockets, and then run the balls out to win the game. The match was to 7 and we won 6 of them.

On dropping the final ball, I reached out to pat an opponent on the back intending to utter some words of "You'll do better next time." You can imagine my surprise when he whips around and slugs me.

Since I was about 12 inches taller than he was, he only managed to land a solid punch on my shoulder. He was lunging at me for more when his buddy got a solid grab on him.

The funny thing - I saw him about a year later and he acted like nothing had happened and was a friendly as you please. Go figure.

For some, that can be the last foolish mistake of the evening. Liquid courage comes in brown bottles, but unfortunately that bravery is short lived.

 

[Cracktherack]

Bingo ... Blue Hog has the only rational answer to a loss. :thumbup:

I agree. Wisdom comes with age. I have seen it in pool, that so many sport such a huge ego, they must throw a temper tantrum when they lose. I prefer to smile when I lose, offer a handshake and tell my opponent that he played well. When you set an example as a gentleman, maybe the younger shooters will notice. Respect is earned when you can show self control in a bad situation.
Blue Hog Rider has my respect.