All this talk of sweet, sweet strawberries and bar-b-cueing lambs has made me hungry. Time for brunch.
Player better players is not any fun.
Playing players that are worse feels great.
When they are worse its more relaxing and taking chances is easier.
When playing better players, every shot is stressful because the price of missing is much higher.
Just ranting
Bro you went right of the deep end. Nowhere in there did I read he was calling you stupid. He is right. You will not improve in the way that you need to improve in order to be the better player if all you want to do is take flyers with less risk of selling out. You can infer what you want from but it is the simple truth.Is that a way of saying I am stupid.
I felt stupid after that comment.
Its like I don't know the correct shot to play, so that immediately makes my style of playing pool wrong.
Playing chance shots is wrong. You make it feel like a math class, with only one way to win, your way. I hated teachers like that.
Then youre doing it wrong.
There is an old Buddhist proverb about a man being chased by a tiger through the forest.
The tiger chases the man off the edge of a cliff, and he slips down, catching himself on a vine. As he is hanging, the tiger lurks above him, growling and swiping at him.
He looks down, and sees another tiger, equally eager to have him for a meal should he fall.
Then he notices a strawberry on a vine within his reach. He reaches out and takes the berry. He eats the berry and smiles, thinking this is the sweetest strawberry he has ever eaten.
Many have interpreted the proverb to mean that the tiger who chased him off the cliff is the past. The tiger waiting below him, the future. And no matter what they hold for you, you should live in and enjoy the moment.
Now, that is all horseshit. It is about mans foolishness in the eye of danger. His willingness to give into the pleasure of eating the berry, and disregarding that he would be better served dealing with the situation at hand and trying to save himself.
But that doesnt lend itself to a feel good moment.
Quit chasing the easy happy, and learn to chase the thrill of trying to get better and win, knowing that it will not be easy, and might not seem as fun or as tasty as the strawberry.
But in the end, the happiness you will have by playing better will serve your purpose better than a brief indulgence.
Grasshopper. :thumbup:
Player better players is not any fun.
Playing players that are worse feels great.
When they are worse its more relaxing and taking chances is easier.
When playing better players, every shot is stressful because the price of missing is much higher.
Just ranting
One can learn a lot watching better players... I'm a much better recreational banger for having done so.
Oh. I'm still very low on the totem pole. But I have gained knowledge of what they're doing as they beat my brains in. :wink:
The beauty of competitive pool is in mastering the discipline of choosing the correct shot every time, not in being able to execute chance shots.
Romanticizing a loss is not why I play in my pool league.
The theory of getting better? Everyone can be great, but some people are just naturally better. I know my limits, I can pick up new habits, but get better, that is just a line to keep me a repeat customer.
When I play pool winning is more fun than losing. Sometimes it doesn't matter if I win on luck or skill, a win is a win.
Playing better players they will always be out there. I just prefer to play weaker players.
The idea that there is only one correct way to play pool I am strongly against.
I am not a pro, I do not compete in tournaments, I play league pool. I can't get any better, my skill level topped out years ago. I am hardly better than a D+ or a 6.
I don't want to go to league pool thinking I am back in school trying to do schoolwork the way the teacher wants it. I just want to play the shots I like, win as much as I can and avoid losing as much as I can.
Some of the comments shared on the thread remind me of when smarter people say I can do things they can. Like people that can dunk a basketball, I can't do that. Some people can learn to player better, I can't do that. Some people can play like the top pros and break like the top pros.
Reality check for me is, I can't do what those people can do.
Romanticizing a loss is not why I play in my pool league.
The theory of getting better? Everyone can be great, but some people are just naturally better. I know my limits, I can pick up new habits, but get better, that is just a line to keep me a repeat customer.
When I play pool winning is more fun than losing. Sometimes it doesn't matter if I win on luck or skill, a win is a win.
Playing better players they will always be out there. I just prefer to play weaker players.
The idea that there is only one correct way to play pool I am strongly against.
I am not a pro, I do not compete in tournaments, I play league pool. I can't get any better, my skill level topped out years ago. I am hardly better than a D+ or a 6.
I don't want to go to league pool thinking I am back in school trying to do schoolwork the way the teacher wants it. I just want to play the shots I like, win as much as I can and avoid losing as much as I can.
Some of the comments shared on the thread remind me of when smarter people say I can do things they can. Like people that can dunk a basketball, I can't do that. Some people can learn to player better, I can't do that. Some people can play like the top pros and break like the top pros.
Reality check for me is, I can't do what those people can do.
Just stay home and you'll be fine....
I understand. But look at this way.... Let's say a skilled player is running out against you. I'm not saying you should take notes and feel like you're getting an education you aren't really wanting. I'm just saying you should watch. I'm not even suggesting that this will teach/show you the "correct" way to do anything. But if there's a certain position shot you struggle with consistently, you might see this player do something completely different with the shot, something you can certainly do but just never thought about that particular option. At least with this type of mentality you could walk away from that table with something more in your head than just another loss.
Being the captain of 2 teams I always throw myself against the other teams best when I can.. other than a few acting like dechaine when I rack 9 ball I really enjoy playing the better players. Some of those guys must have microscopes for eyeballs complaining about cracks that I cant seem to never see....other than the occasional rack that will not stay tight no matter what.
9 's are notorious for complaining about racks. A few 8 's do also. Most 7's and below hardly ever complain but there is a 5 and a 4 who are as bad as any 9 about complaining. Me ? I never check a rack ...probably why my break sucks lol.
If you already have this perspective, then what is there to get mad about when you play a better player? You know you're a D+ with no chance of improvement, so why get mad when you miss a ball? You know they are supposed to run out, so why get mad when they run out? Nobody likes to lose, but I don't understand where the anger is coming from...
Then you are defeated before you even approach the table. Maybe other things in life too.Reality check for me is, I can't do what those people can do.
Never get mad.
Get even.
Then get at least ONE game ahead and STAY there!!
For just table time I'd play someone all night long that can beat me to death!!
What a great opportunity to observe, maybe ask questions and learn more stuff, how other better players think during a game.