Hairy call: 9 ball tournament

[Bambu]

2 guys playing in a 50 man 9 ball tournament:

Its 2 am, and one player needs to go to the bathroom late in the match. So his opponent says you cant do that, you already went before! Tour director comes over and allows the player to go to the bathroom, but he is still pissed off the other guy would want to win that way. Player returns from the bathroom and breaks the balls. The other guy pushes out but does not call a push. Bathroom guy picks up the cue ball because after his lame call, he doesnt like the other guy so much anymore. His opponent says f that, I did call a push out.....so now I get ball in hand because you picked up the cue ball after my push. If either guy gets ball in hand, the next 2 safeties look super easy and this game could decide the match. Tour director comes over again, may or may not notice this.

What do you guys think would be a fair call here?

 

[easy-e]

2 guys playing in a 50 man 9 ball tournament:

Its 2 am, and one player needs to go to the bathroom late in the match. So his opponent says you cant do that, you already went before! Tour director comes over and allows the player to go to the bathroom, but he is still pissed off the other guy would want to win that way. Player returns from the bathroom and breaks the balls. The other guy pushes out but does not call a push. Bathroom guy picks up the cue ball because after his lame call, he doesnt like the other guy so much anymore. His opponent says f that, I did call a push out.....so now I get ball in hand because you picked up the cue ball after my push. If either guy gets ball in hand, the next 2 safeties look super easy and this game could decide the match. Tour director comes over again, may or may not notice this.

What do you guys think would be a fair call here?

It would be fair to call them both crybabies. What's wrong with people?

 

[Atlatlien]

Was the director there to rule on if he called the push? Not a push if he didn't it. BIH for the bathroom guy, IMO.

 

[Bambu]

Was the director there to rule on if he called the push? Not a push if he didn't it. BIH for the bathroom guy, IMO.

Nah the TD didnt see the incident. He could only react based on instinct, and the rules I suppose.

 

[Maniac]

2 guys playing in a 50 man 9 ball tournament:

Its 2 am, and one player needs to go to the bathroom late in the match. So his opponent says you cant do that, you already went before! Tour director comes over and allows the player to go to the bathroom, but he is still pissed off the other guy would want to win that way. Player returns from the bathroom and breaks the balls. The other guy pushes out but does not call a push. Bathroom guy picks up the cue ball because after his lame call, he doesnt like the other guy so much anymore. His opponent says f that, I did call a push out.....so now I get ball in hand because you picked up the cue ball after my push. If either guy gets ball in hand, the next 2 safeties look super easy and this game could decide the match. Tour director comes over again, may or may not notice this.

What do you guys think would be a fair call here?

This is just me, but I would give the non-bathroom guy BIH here. Number one, I NEVER would have picked-up the cueball in that situation without asking the opponent if I had BIH. Number two, the bathroom guy should have asked if the (what SHOULD have been obvious) shot was a push-out or not.

IMO, the bathroom guy let his disdain for the non-bathroom guy get the best of him and he acted rashly and with malice of forethought.

Maniac

 

[cleary]

2 guys playing in a 50 man 9 ball tournament:

Its 2 am, and one player needs to go to the bathroom late in the match. So his opponent says you cant do that, you already went before! Tour director comes over and allows the player to go to the bathroom, but he is still pissed off the other guy would want to win that way. Player returns from the bathroom and breaks the balls. The other guy pushes out but does not call a push. Bathroom guy picks up the cue ball because after his lame call, he doesnt like the other guy so much anymore. His opponent says f that, I did call a push out.....so now I get ball in hand because you picked up the cue ball after my push. If either guy gets ball in hand, the next 2 safeties look super easy and this game could decide the match. Tour director comes over again, may or may not notice this.

What do you guys think would be a fair call here?

To me, I don't think a push shouldn't have to be called. Maybe by rule it does... but if I'm playing someone and its an obvious push, I'm not going to say anything no matter what the score is. If they were clearly attempting to contact the lowest ball, then its a foul...

But if you push (called or not) and they pick up the cueball, it is a foul and ball in hand. Sounds to me like its just a mess of a match and it was more about being mad at each other than anything.

 

[Maniac]

Was the director there to rule on if he called the push? Not a push if he didn't it. BIH for the bathroom guy, IMO.

But....the non-bathroom guy can CLAIM he called a push (if there were no witnesses present). Then, it's his word against the opponents word and in most cases, call goes to the shooter.

Maniac

 

[TheThaiger]

Who cares, but what's the rules for bathroom breaks? I play a guy who goes to the bog as soon as I start to run a few racks together, and is gone for ages. Blatant sharking tactics.

Is there a rule, official or not?

 

[cleary]

Who cares, but what's the rules for bathroom breaks? I play a guy who goes to the bog as soon as I start to run a few racks together, and is gone for ages. Blatant sharking tactics.

Is there a rule, official or not?

Most tournaments will give each player 1 break per set and you can only go if its your shot at the table.

 

[Bambu]

To me, I don't think a push shouldn't have to be called. Maybe by rule it does... but if I'm playing someone and its an obvious push, I'm not going to say anything no matter what the score is. If they were clearly attempting to contact the lowest ball, then its a foul...

But if you push (called or not) and they pick up the cueball, it is a foul and ball in hand. Sounds to me like its just a mess of a match and it was more about being mad at each other than anything.

I think you guys are right, both players over reacted. Bathroom guy should have confirmed BIH before picking up the ball, thats where he went wrong. (Plus it was a lame call.) The thing is, dont you have to call a push in a tournament? I know I have seen guys shoot the wrong ball plenty of times. If its 10 ball and I dont call a safety, dont I have to shoot again because I didnt call it? Or are you supposed to let shit like that go?

 

[cleary]

Or are you supposed to let shit like that go?

Exactly, just let this shit go. The more you let it bother you the more you are sharked. Its only a "move" if it works. In pool, all you hear about is how someone is sharking or pulling a move... but to me its either an excuse for losing or you just let things get to you. If you think they are trying to shark you, you're paying too much attention to them and not your game.

 

[Bambu]

Who cares, but what's the rules for bathroom breaks? I play a guy who goes to the bog as soon as I start to run a few racks together, and is gone for ages. Blatant sharking tactics.

Is there a rule, official or not?

Not sure what the rule is on that. Its not an official tour like joss or predator. But I have seen guys walk out for cigarette breaks in the middle of a match, take a long time and tell the TD to go F himself. Guy still gets to play. Calling that on someone is lame anyway, regardless of the rules. Unless I thought you were a liar and just wanted to ice me by taking forever, I wouldnt want to win that way.

 

[Aaron_S]

If I am playing in a tournament, I announce loudly and clearly that I am pushing out, and then look for the nod from my opponent. It doesn't cost any extra to play the game properly, and it eliminates a hell of a lot of potential problems.

I don't know what I would do in this situation as TD. Would be interesting to hear from Jay or someone with experience. If neither player can agree on what happened or should happen, I guess I don't see any problem with making them lag for break and start the rack over. Player A may have been in the wrong for not making his pushout intention clear enough, and player B may have been in the wrong for picking up the cueball, so lagging for the break might be a fair way to hit the reset button.

I have no problem with exceptions being made for bathroom breaks. A guy could have bladder or prostate issues - who knows.

Aaron

 

[Bambu]

Exactly, just let this shit go. The more you let it bother you the more you are sharked. Its only a "move" if it works. In pool, all you hear about is how someone is sharking or pulling a move... but to me its either an excuse for losing or you just let things get to you. If you think they are trying to shark you, you're paying too much attention to them and not your game.

Well said cleary. But do you show your opponent the same respect even after he tries to call lame shit on you? Say were playing 9 ball but you gotta call the 9 ball. If I dont call it are you still gonna let that go even after I tried to call some stupid crap on you earlier? I'm the nicest guy in the world until you show me you dont deserve my respect.

 

[Neil]

...........

 

[Bambu]

A case could also be made for unsportsmanlike conduct against the guy that picked up the cb. What I would do, is ask the guy if he called a push. If he says yes, and what he did was obviously a push, I would give it to him. Then, I would warn both players to play nice, and sit down and watch their match.

If it wasn't obvious that it was a push, I would have them rerack and play the game over with me watching. If it was obvious that it wasn't a push, I would give BIH to the other guy that picked it up.

Bottom line is, both players "broke the rules". You have to say push loud enough for your opponent to hear it, and you can't just pick up the cb. The second bathroom break showed that the TD isn't a stickler for the rules, so you can't really push the rule book on him.

Good point neil, the TD showed his style earlier. Bathroom guy should have known better, and not picked up the ball. Aside from that though, do you make calls that you otherwise would not, on a player who has attempted lame calls on you?

 

[cleary]

Well said cleary. But do you show your opponent the same respect even after he tries to call lame shit on you? Say were playing 9 ball but you gotta call the 9 ball. If I dont call it are you still gonna let that go even after I tried to call some stupid crap on you earlier? I'm the nicest guy in the world until you show me you dont deserve my respect.

I agree and I'm the same way. I like called 9 ball rules, but don't think you should have to say anything if its totally obvious. But when someone tries to call that sh*t, I make sure they know they are trash... but I also don't think two wrongs make a right.

Here is what I would do if someone did the "called 9ball, you didnt call it even though it was obvious" thing against me.... After I pocketed the 8ball, I would walk over the the obvious pocket that I'm shooting the 9ball in, get real close to it and make eye contact with the douchebag I'm playing and SCREEEEEEAMMM... I'm going to put the 9ball in here!!! ...as Im pointing to the pocket. Then kiss the pocket and walk over and make the shot. Just to be a d*ck and make sure they know I think they are a d*ck. I'm not going to call it on them, just make them look stupid. That's just an example of one of the many things I would do. I've got a whole laundry list of ways to make people feel stupid.

 

[Neil]

..............

 

[TheThaiger]

Depends on his intent, and his attitude in general. Usually not, but there is always that one clown....... in his case, I will take the rule book and make it destroy him.

example: I once was playing a guy call shot, call pocket. I had a ball 1/16" from the rail, and it touched the rail and then went in the pocket. He called it a bank shot! He wanted to be adamant about it, so I said fine, we will play by your rules, but you aren't going to like it!

His next shot hit the angled portion of the rail as it went into the pocket, I called a bank shot on him, that part is still part of the rail, and you hit it, so it's a bank shot. Needless to say, I destroyed him with his own rules.

{Needless to say, I had the last laugh}.

 

[purpdrag]

This is a tough call, but I think the bathroom guy should have called the TD over again right away and NOT picked up the cue ball claiming BIH. Once he picked up the cue ball without getting a ruling first, if I were the TD I would give BIH to the non bathroom guy.

Also, I like the comment that said the fair call is that they are both douchebags.