Good Players Never Drink?

CurvedCue

CurvedCue

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Since joining a league the temptation to drink while playing has never been stronger. I have finally decided not to drink during league games. You never see the pros drink while playing. And I rarely see the better league players drink. So clearly, if you want to be at your best you should be a teetotaler.

Has anyone else had to battle this problem?

I am a casual drinker and do love my beer. Which makes abstaining even harder.

Then again, I never drink while at the gym or swimming either.

I wish we could associate pool playing with things that were healthy rather then always putting it side by side with alcohol and chain-smoking and sunless, dank, depressing cave-like dwellings filled with loathsome worms, gruesome gnomes and hideous witches. (Excuse the decorative lingo :D)

Like wouldn't it be so cool to have a pool parlor that served power shakes and smoothies and high quality cappucinos? And the sun shined through and pretty damsels in white dresses with flowers in their blonde hair brought you organic free-range turkey or vegetarian burgers, instead of atrocious greasy junk that barely passed for food?

Sorry, I guess I went off on a longtime fantasy. :p
 
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CurvedCue said:
Since joining a league the temptation to drink while playing has never been stronger. I have finally decided not to drink during league games. You never see the pros drink while playing. And I rarely see the better league players drink. So clearly, if you want to be at your best you should be a teetotaler.

Has anyone else had to battle this problem?

I am casual drinker and do love my beer. Which makes abstaining even harder.

Then again, I never drink while at the gym or swimming either.

I wish we could associate pool playing with things that were healthy rather then always putting it side by side with alcohol and chain-smoking and sunless, dank, depressing cave-like dwelling filled with loathsome worms, gruesome gnomes and hideous witches. (Excuse the decorative lingo :D)

Like wouldn't it be so cool to have a pool parlor that served power shakes and smoothies and high quality cappucinos? And the sun shined through and pretty damsels in white dresses and flowers in their blonde hair brought you organic grassfed turkey or vegetarian burgers, instead of atrocious greasy junk that barely passed for food?

Sorry, I guess I went off on a longtime fantasy. :p
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I am not a pro so I don't really give a damn what they do. I am however the top player in our local BCA league and I drink whiskey every week chased with beer. If I were not to do this I would still be the top player, probably by a slightly wider margin. If you like to have a few beers on league night then do it unless you drink too much and feel it's robbing you of the thrill of victory. I usually eat French fries too for the only time during the week. And they are delicious!! I love defeating the water and coffee crew too.

JC
 
I've been playing a looooonng time.

When I was younger, any competition whether it be league, tournament or gambling was played for one reason: to win. I never drank while I was playing.

Now, league play has taken on more of a social setting to be with friends and having fun so I'll have one or two while catching up on the weekly gossip with my team mates depending on the ability of our opponents.

If we are playing a tough team, I'll buckle down and hold the drinking to a minimum.

My attitude has changed over the years from "win, win, win" to " screw it, if it isn't fun, why bother?".



Stones
 
League is supposed to be fun. At least its supposed to be for me.

I take it seriously enough.I keep my drinking to a minimum until I play my match, but I will have a beer or two.

There certainly are many others who take it further.
 
makes it hard for a room owner to want you in there if your not drinking since thats the only way they make money.

drink but dont get drunk

simple
 
Rabbit said:
makes it hard for a room owner to want you in there if your not drinking since thats the only way they make money.

drink but dont get drunk

simple
Click to expand...

Even as a former room owner this sentiment has always puzzled me. Is there no margin on water, juice, coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages?
 
Some guys play better with a little buzz, some don't. No one plays better stupid drunk but I wouldn't deny yourself a couple beers while playing for the sake of appearances.
 
VIProfessor said:
Even as a former room owner this sentiment has always puzzled me. Is there no margin on water, juice, coffee and other non-alcoholic beverages?
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Huge markup on fountain sodas everywhere.
Cost $2.25 a soda where I play, has to be more profit there then a bottle of beer that runs $2.50/$3.50

Ice tea $1.75

Whiskey, shots, mixed drinks, now that's another story, that's a money maker
 
Plenty of pros drink. You should attend a tournament, if you want to see proof.

More than a few people drink before going to the gym too.

I am pretty much with Stones: I used to keep it clean and chase the cash, but now I'd rather have fun. And I am not sure there is a measurable skill difference either, as long as I not get plastered.

There are certainly examples to support either side of the drink/ don't drink argument. Some people play better with a lotta booze in 'em, some people don't. That doesn't affect our choices for ourselves.
 
Whats not been said is that for many people, me included, when you drink a couple of drinks, you want a couple more!

If I am watching a couple of threes play hit the ball into the rail for 36 innings, I damn sure need a drink.

This issue is but one reason I don't care for formats where you play all your games at one time. I do like formats where the team plays sets of five of our players against five of theirs, rinse and repeat.

Then, you play as a team.
 
Was watching a match between Buddy Hall and Keith McCready US Open 9 Ball. Between racks Keith would be seen sippin on some beer. Guess who was the victor... Mr. McCready. I think if it loosens a player up, it can't hinder there game.
 
I agree that alternative beverages/snacks need to be served in pool halls/bars. I normally drink water when playing. I drink alcohol every once in a while but I feel that for me it is a risk. My game isn't to the level I want so I don't want a chance of taking anything away from it. So to all those bars out there, go ahead and be different, offer something the others don't!!
 
CurvedCue said:
Since joining a league the temptation to drink while playing has never been stronger. I have finally decided not to drink during league games. You never see the pros drink while playing. And I rarely see the better league players drink. So clearly, if you want to be at your best you should be a teetotaler.

Has anyone else had to battle this problem?

I am a casual drinker and do love my beer. Which makes abstaining even harder.

Then again, I never drink while at the gym or swimming either.

I wish we could associate pool playing with things that were healthy rather then always putting it side by side with alcohol and chain-smoking and sunless, dank, depressing cave-like dwellings filled with loathsome worms, gruesome gnomes and hideous witches. (Excuse the decorative lingo :D)

Like wouldn't it be so cool to have a pool parlor that served power shakes and smoothies and high quality cappucinos? And the sun shined through and pretty damsels in white dresses with flowers in their blonde hair brought you organic free-range turkey or vegetarian burgers, instead of atrocious greasy junk that barely passed for food?

Sorry, I guess I went off on a longtime fantasy. :p
Click to expand...
It would depend on the kind of team you play on. For most it is a night out and if they can't have a beer and have some fun who needs it. For other who take it more seriously, they need to be playing with people like themselves.
 
CurvedCue said:
Since joining a league the temptation to drink while playing has never been stronger. I have finally decided not to drink during league games. You never see the pros drink while playing. And I rarely see the better league players drink. So clearly, if you want to be at your best you should be a teetotaler.

Has anyone else had to battle this problem?

I am a casual drinker and do love my beer. Which makes abstaining even harder.

Then again, I never drink while at the gym or swimming either.

I wish we could associate pool playing with things that were healthy rather then always putting it side by side with alcohol and chain-smoking and sunless, dank, depressing cave-like dwellings filled with loathsome worms, gruesome gnomes and hideous witches. (Excuse the decorative lingo :D)

Like wouldn't it be so cool to have a pool parlor that served power shakes and smoothies and high quality cappucinos? And the sun shined through and pretty damsels in white dresses with flowers in their blonde hair brought you organic free-range turkey or vegetarian burgers, instead of atrocious greasy junk that barely passed for food?

Sorry, I guess I went off on a longtime fantasy. :p
Click to expand...

Personally I would be more concerned with my ability after 2 cappuccinos than after 2 beers. I would rather my nerves be slightly relaxed or depressed than jittery. But, to each their own.
 
This is probably just me, and I may not fall into the "good player" category LOL, but it seems that even if I have ONE beer, I lose.

Not sure why, but I've kept track and it's almost 100% true for me. I only remember winning once after drinking during a match. Coffee, I win, beer I lose.
 
You can have a drink or two and not be drunk... I play my absolute best with two Crown Royal and water drinks in my belly. Just makes me happy...

If you get drunk, you won't play your best. I don't care one way or the other, I play league to have fun. I don't care about the score all that much. I always seem to feel like I won, if I had fun. :eek::thumbup:

"I do play betterer when I'm soberer than if I'm drunker though." >>>exact quote from last year, from one of my teammates.

Have fun, play pool,

best,

Justin
 
Back in the 80's when we started playing league and tournaments, we certainly had our share of booze. Since we were all single, our team would practice all hours and of course drink also. The 90's saw us getting married and the practices quit, but, we had good times having some drinks as a designated driver was used as we rotated. Since about 2000, maybe a drink here or there on league night, no big deal as a few of my team mates now don't drink at all. Myself, at tournaments, whether it's a local, regional, state or VNEA's International tournaments, I can get a drink and nurse it through a three hour match as I usually have a bottle of water there also. I don't drink between matches and don't drink when I practice, so, kind of feel as I control the nerves. For myself, I can be to relaxed and need to boost up that anticipation nerves before the match, then find that balance. Now that I'm in my early 50's I'm naturally getting more shakes than nerves, LOL, but, still have the patience as if I'm nerved at a shot, I can pull up, walk around the table and take some breaths and get back into the shot when I'm ready. I've known many players who feel they can't shoot unless they are into several drinks and one thing has stayed for the most part, pretty consistent, I don't see them on Sunday Finals day as I've been shooting Sunday's for a long time, more with controlled drinking than with hammering them down.
 
Bardtj said:
Was watching a match between Buddy Hall and Keith McCready US Open 9 Ball. Between racks Keith would be seen sippin on some beer. Guess who was the victor... Mr. McCready. I think if it loosens a player up, it can't hinder there game.
Click to expand...

I have the Accu-stats DVD of that match plus I was there in person and Keith had a swallow of Bud between games and it didn't appear to hinder his game at all. For me, I've found over the years of playing that having a beer while playing makes it more enjoyable, but the more I used to drink the more my game suffered. I play in a local 9 ball league and Im ranked as a AA player (AA against AA race to 9) and if I want to win I have to wait until I play my match to have a beer. The guys I play against are serious players and you have to bring your A game to beat them and sometimes that isn't enough. So sociable drinking has to wait until the match ends to give yourself the best chance to win. In a sociable league like the APA it's about having a good time so having a beer or a mixed drink just adds to the enjoyment.

James
 
Its funny you bring up the pool room potentially offering healthy options. The league I participate in is here in sunny Southern California where people are into taking good care of themselves. If the pool room did offer veggie burgers, kale, tofu, etc...I think those items still would struggle to make $$$ for the room owner.

People just don't associate being in a dark pool hall at night with healthy lifestyle choices.

If your alternate universe where there are bright windows and healthy menu options were to exist anywhere, it would be here in LA. Bright, sunny days, beautiful girls, and people into being fit and healthy.

Myself, I enjoy tipping a couple of cold ones back while hanging out with pretty LA girls and running out on occasion. Life ain't all that bad when a man can do that.
 
Not many pro players in one on one sports drink anymore. In the days of the winning super bowel Jets I use to live a few blocks from Jerry Philbins club in Amityville, NY and went there often. The Jets in those days trained on booze, as did most of the Yankees. More players today take care of their bodies and have much longer productive careers. Johnnyt
 
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