Got talked into my first league night

[9andout]

I've played in a good number of tournaments in my time but never any league play. Not for any "hater" reasons, just too many work conflicts.
My neighbor (who I shoot with at each of our houses) needed a fill in at the last minute. I had and easy work day and plenty of rest so I agreed.
I wasn't too happy with the experience. 9 ball. I shot pretty well, one break and run and dogged my usual few.
I shot first. Started out great and I could hear complaints about my low initial ranking. Oh well.
We rode together and he shot last. It was a loooong night of just watching. The team was pretty bad. Some players didn't even know what a push out was.
Even worse, one player got pissed when someone tried to explain it to him.
Overall it was a pretty dull night.
I got 4 hrs sleep and went to work.
*It would be nice if these places had an extra (non league table) that you could shoot on while waiting.
This was a local league. The experience definitely didn't make me want to return. They asked me to come back! haha
...
I think the best team events are Scotch Doubles or............Mosconi Cup! lol

 

[measureman]

I spent a couple years playing league.
It's amazing how many players dont know the rules in 8 ball and we all played by the same rules.
And it's so slow.
I quit playing league.

 

[Fatboy]

I spent a couple years playing league.
It's amazing how many players dont know the rules in 8 ball and we all played by the same rules.
And it's so slow.
I quit playing league.

I’ve been playing 40 years, 36 in pool rooms. I’m not sure I’m clear on the rules of 8B

League play isn’t my cup of tea, but it puts cues in peoples hands and they have fun, can’t be bad. I’m just not a team player-why I played pool in the first place.

best
Fatboy

 

[middleofnowhere]

I've played in a good number of tournaments in my time but never any league play. Not for any "hater" reasons, just too many work conflicts.
My neighbor (who I shoot with at each of our houses) needed a fill in at the last minute. I had and easy work day and plenty of rest so I agreed.
I wasn't too happy with the experience. 9 ball. I shot pretty well, one break and run and dogged my usual few.
I shot first. Started out great and I could hear complaints about my low initial ranking. Oh well.
We rode together and he shot last. It was a loooong night of just watching. The team was pretty bad. Some players didn't even know what a push out was.
Even worse, one player got pissed when someone tried to explain it to him.
Overall it was a pretty dull night.
I got 4 hrs sleep and went to work.
*It would be nice if these places had an extra (non league table) that you could shoot on while waiting.
This was a local league. The experience definitely didn't make me want to return. They asked me to come back! haha
...
I think the best team events are Scotch Doubles or............Mosconi Cup! lol

Be honest I haven't even read your story but let me ask, do you hate it yet?

 

[couldnthinkof01]

My condolences.

 

[David in FL]

I admit, I enjoy league.

I know, I know. I don’t understand it either…

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Tried league once, it was like a bad experience. Why get pissed off twice.

 

[Nick B]

Do you feel dirty? How many showers did you take after?

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

League is a good thing for league operator, if they pay out in trophies.

Bowlers like trophies, neighbor ha collection of garage wall. Great for collecting dust.

 

[BarTableMan]

37 years in the APA. 18 trips to Vegas. Numerous local singles and partners wins with cash payouts. League play has been very good to me. Use league matches to get better...not as a way to go to Vegas. Bar box 8-ball has been my life. So much fun!

 

[jasonlaus]

League would be OK if it was on a Friday or Saturday where you could drink with your friends/teammates(I can't/don't drink on work nights) but playing with people you really don't have anything in common with other than pool(or hating Biden ) isn't that much fun.

I played a masters League with Shaun Wilke and we would compete between ourselves to see which of us could beat our opponent by the largest margin, so that added in a little extra fun, but other than that it was kinda boring

 

[jokrswylde]

League would be OK if it was on a Friday or Saturday where you could drink with your friends/teammates(I can't/don't drink on work nights) but playing with people you really don't have anything in common with other than pool(or hating Biden ) isn't that much fun.

I played a masters League with Shaun Wilke and we would compete between ourselves to see which of us could beat our opponent by the largest margin, so that added in a little extra fun, but other than that it was kinda boring

I second that. Tuesday's at work are no fun after a Monday night league. The seven on my team is about a 660 FR. Nobody in the league can beat him unless he is goofing off. He went out to Vegas on Master's Captain 3 man team. He was shocked when he saw Shaun Wilke and several other lower level pros/semi pros out there playing APA. ..oh, and he got his brains beat in...only won one match the entire time out there.

 

[APA Operator]

If you don't get enough from the social aspect of league play to make things like wait times or unknowledgeable players tolerable, you probably shouldn't play leagues.

 

[buckshotshoey]

I've played in a good number of tournaments in my time but never any league play. Not for any "hater" reasons, just too many work conflicts.
My neighbor (who I shoot with at each of our houses) needed a fill in at the last minute. I had and easy work day and plenty of rest so I agreed.
I wasn't too happy with the experience. 9 ball. I shot pretty well, one break and run and dogged my usual few.
I shot first. Started out great and I could hear complaints about my low initial ranking. Oh well.
We rode together and he shot last. It was a loooong night of just watching. The team was pretty bad. Some players didn't even know what a push out was.
Even worse, one player got pissed when someone tried to explain it to him.
Overall it was a pretty dull night.
I got 4 hrs sleep and went to work.
*It would be nice if these places had an extra (non league table) that you could shoot on while waiting.
This was a local league. The experience definitely didn't make me want to return. They asked me to come back! haha
...
I think the best team events are Scotch Doubles or............Mosconi Cup! lol

You didn't say which League it was, so I'm kind of assuming APA. If that is the case, that would explain why some of them did not know what a push out was. I don't think push-outs are allowed in apa oh, except for Masters division.

 

[u12armresl]

I’ve been playing 40 years, 36 in pool rooms. I’m not sure I’m clear on the rules of 8B

League play isn’t my cup of tea, but it puts cues in peoples hands and they have fun, can’t be bad. I’m just not a team player-why I played pool in the first place.

best
Fatboy

The one thing I can tell you about BCA is, DON'T scratch on the break. BIH anywhere. And in a race to one giving BIH, well you know.

 

[pwd72s]

When it's something you do for fun, doesn't matter what it is...if you're having fun, keep doing it. If/when it stops being fun, find something else to do for fun. Seems pretty simple to me. It's a big world out there with many things to choose from.

I've never done league because of age related medical issues causing good and bad days. On bad days I stay home. Would hate having others depend on me being somewhere I couldn't be.

 

[9andout]

When it's something you do for fun, doesn't matter what it is...if you're having fun, keep doing it. If/when it stops being fun, find something else to do for fun. Seems pretty simple to me. It's a big world out there with many things to choose from.

I've never done league because of age related medical issues causing good and bad days. On bad days I stay home. Would hate having others depend on me being somewhere I couldn't be.

One of the rare times pool wasn't fun for me.
Too much down time. Different strokes.

 

[9andout]

You didn't say which League it was, so I'm kind of assuming APA. If that is the case, that would explain why some of them did not know what a push out was. I don't think push-outs are allowed in apa oh, except for Masters division.

A local one. Not one of the big names.

 

[9andout]

I was in a Straight Pool "club" / league before COVID.
At least when your sitting during that it's because there's some great pool being played!
One match and it's your match.
I liked that.

 

[muskyed]

Wife and I have just started our 4th year of league. On the night we play, 2 person teams 16 teams, so very little down time. League is handicapped, first one to their handicap wins. Some nights it could be as little as 6 games, or up to 14 games or so.. There is 8 tables where we play. League is very well run, and we have made great friendships there. Just need to find the right League. Used to play bar leagues from the mid 70sto mid 80s and that was OK also, but with 6 man teams there was always some friction.