Has Anyone Ever Caught The Rabbit?

Jimmy_Betmore said:
Interesting question. I guess it all depends on each person's idea of what the rabbit is and whether or not it's the same rabbit each time you step to the table or walk into a pool room.

For the record, my understanding of this question is that "caught the rabbit" is a metaphor for "achieve your goal."

So, have I ever caught the rabbit. Yes. Executed the shot I stepped to the table to make... Caught it many times. Those are usually tiny rabbits. But the neat part about those is that if you catch enough of them in a row, they add up to one heck of a meal. Hell, Jayson Shaw caught 832 rabbits in a row not too long ago. And while the majority of those rabbits couldn't have fed a grasshopper on their own, the pile at the end was enough to feed an army and still have leftovers.

Also, I've never considered abandoning this game. I understand why some people do at times, though. Some of those rabbits are elusive as hell and it can be beyond frustrating to touch its tail but still have it get away. But I just love it too much and I have too many amazing memories to ever consider making it a part of my past.
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I think you're correct -- there are all kinds of rabbits out there.

What I originally meant was: playing at the highest level you believe you are capable of given your experience and the amount of time you have to devote to the game. Earlier, in another thread, I asked about consistency and the most common theme of the responses was a general admission of inconsistency. So I thought it was logical to ask if some, a few out there, have achieved a happy level of regular performance.

Lou Figueroa
 
lfigueroa said:
I think you're correct -- there are all kinds of rabbits out there.

What I originally meant was: playing at the highest level you believe you are capable of given your experience and the amount of time you have to devote to the game. Earlier, in another thread, I asked about consistency and the most common theme of the responses was a general admission of inconsistency. So I thought it was logical to ask if some, a few out there, have achieved a happy level of regular performance.

Lou Figueroa
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In that case, I'd imagine some people have caught the rabbit. But for those of us who love this game enough to come on an online forum to discuss it when we can't be playing it, I'd actually kind of doubt it. In fact, I'd hope none of us have. That would mean we've decided that our game is perfect and literally cannot get any better. It would be like having ball in hand every shot or giving prime Efren 10-6 and the breaks and winning 10-0 every game.

Let's face it, we love the game for many reasons. But at its core we love it because of the challenge and highs and lows. If we could just step up the table, snap our fingers, and every ball went exactly where we wanted them to every single time, I think it'd get pretty boring pretty fast. I think anyone who has ever played video games with cheat codes knows exactly what I'm talking about.
 
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lfigueroa said:
In this country it's "inquiring."

Lou Figueroa
you're welcome
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Well Thank You. I still enjoy learning. I have indeed learned something due to you.
My Google search said:
What is the difference between inquiring and enquiring?
Enquire means to ask a question in a general way or in a way that doesn't require an in-depth answer. Inquiry means to ask for information in a formal way, such as in an investigation.
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So uh Thank you for your input.
Just to be clear, "Thank you for your input " was a dismissal I learned in sensitivity training. 🤷‍♂️

Gregory Cantrall
You also are welcome
I do enjoy playing
 
lfigueroa said:
I think most of us here, amateur players, are chasing The Rabbit (cue the "Impossible Dream") looking to consistently play at whatever level we believe is just renumeration for our devotion to the game.

We play, compete, practice... wash, rinse and repeat. We experience the occasional highs, many more lows, and play of such inconsistency we frequently consider abandoning the game we love. But we soldier on, march forward, and persevere.

And so, my question for the few is: have you caught The Rabbit and played, consistently, as well as you always dreamed you'd play?

Lou Figueroa
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I don't know if you intended this, but it's what came to my mind.

When I think of the White Rabbit, I think of Neo in the movie "The Matrix". Of course, Neo takes the red pill, and chooses to pursue a life that values hard truths over popular comfort. In this process, he falls in love and develops unmatched skill in mortal combat with computer programs. His journey, while a lot of things, is not comfortable.

In my humble opinion, there is no catching the white rabbit. The joy is in struggling against hard things. Things easily achieved are not valuable, and to the extent achievement takes place, its cost is comfort.

kollegedave
 
Under the guys....of remaining "on topic".
Further inquiries said:
Brer Rabbit is a fictional trickster rabbit who represents the underdog in African American folk tales. He is a symbol of the idea that a small, clever force can overcome a larger, stronger one.

Origin:
  • Brer Rabbit originated in African folklore
    • African slaves brought the stories to the New World
    • Joel Chandler Harris popularized the character in the 19th century
  • Significance:
Characteristics:
    • Brer Rabbit is cunning and uses his wits to outsmart stronger animals
    • He provokes authority figures and bends social mores
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Grg Cantrall
I love black berries
Picked them as a kid
A dollar a gallon was the going price in the 50s


Ooops almost forgot, "Please don't throw me in the Briar Patch"
 
One last Briar patch story....I promise. Our briar patch was at least 50 yards long and adjacent Weaver creek. We used an old discarded board to trample winding trails to get maximum berries. One morning with another 8 year old companion, we heard a Bobcat kitten mewing. We located the solitary kitten deep within the patch. He was oh so cute. My companion exclaimed, "let's get him!" I immediately grabbed his arm and asked, "Are you CRAZY??? NO! Let's get out of here." I could only imagine the pain of a confrontation with a mad momma bobcat in the middle of a briar patch. 🤷‍♂️ True story. 🤷‍♂️
 
Perhaps my off topic strategy should be brought to a crescendo conclusion....not sure how to add the rim shot though. 🤷‍♂️
Google on Rimshot said:
musicians have been playing this note to either refine their skills, or just highlight a really lame joke.
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🤔
Has anyone ever Puppied a shot? 😉
Greg Cantrall
You Always Hurt the one you love
You always hurt the one you love
The one you shouldn't hurt at all
You always take the sweetest rose
And crush it till the petals fall
 
lfigueroa said:
I think you're correct -- there are all kinds of rabbits out there.

What I originally meant was: playing at the highest level you believe you are capable of given your experience and the amount of time you have to devote to the game. Earlier, in another thread, I asked about consistency and the most common theme of the responses was a general admission of inconsistency. So I thought it was logical to ask if some, a few out there, have achieved a happy level of regular performance.

Lou Figueroa
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I shoot way better than I used to, not as well as I'd like to, and not as well as I think I should. I've caught that rabbit a few times. He tastes excellent, but it's not long before hunger returns.
 
Not me. Occasionally make 6 or 7 balls in a row in rotation. Might bank four straight occasionally. Played over 40 years. Never caught him. Still chasing a little though
 
lfigueroa said:
I think most of us here, amateur players, are chasing The Rabbit (cue the "Impossible Dream") looking to consistently play at whatever level we believe is just renumeration for our devotion to the game.

We play, compete, practice... wash, rinse and repeat. We experience the occasional highs, many more lows, and play of such inconsistency we frequently consider abandoning the game we love. But we soldier on, march forward, and persevere.

And so, my question for the few is: have you caught The Rabbit and played, consistently, as well as you always dreamed you'd play?
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Every once in a while I do.
A few months back, at the local bar, I held the challenge table from 9:30..2:00 AM (closing time) hardly even missing a ball, and making 2 Break-and-runs.

It seems every time I do this, I have no nerves, and am supremely confident.
 
gregcantrall said:
Under the guys....of remaining "on topic".

Grg Cantrall
I love black berries
Picked them as a kid
A dollar a gallon was the going price in the 50s


Ooops almost forgot, "Please don't throw me in the Briar Patch"
Click to expand...

gregcantrall said:
Under the guys....of remaining "on topic".

Grg Cantrall
I love black berries
Picked them as a kid
A dollar a gallon was the going price in the 50s


Ooops almost forgot, "Please don't throw me in the Briar Patch"
Click to expand...
Uncle Remus!!😂
 
kollegedave said:
I don't know if you intended this, but it's what came to my mind.

When I think of the White Rabbit, I think of Neo in the movie "The Matrix". Of course, Neo takes the red pill, and chooses to pursue a life that values hard truths over popular comfort. In this process, he falls in love and develops unmatched skill in mortal combat with computer programs. His journey, while a lot of things, is not comfortable.

In my humble opinion, there is no catching the white rabbit. The joy is in struggling against hard things. Things easily achieved are not valuable, and to the extent achievement takes place, its cost is comfort.

kollegedave
Click to expand...

I don’t speak “Matrix” but I get it.

Lou Figueroa
I think
 
I've only ever had brief moments where the rabbit was firmly in hand. 95% of the time I feel like it's eluding me.
I have talked to people who (for short periods of their life) felt like they had a firm grasp on it. One gentleman explained it to me, saying for months, he "couldn't miss a ball if he tried".
 
Then there was the gal that went by the moniker Rabbit. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to find out how she got that name. 🤷‍♂️ Drats
 
lfigueroa said:
What I originally meant was: playing at the highest level you believe you are capable of given your experience and the amount of time you have to devote to the game.
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Yes and no......

Pool is a lot like golf...but probably even more similar to bowling in this respect.... Golf is a game that can not be perfected...so pretty much impossible to ever achieve your highest level.... In bowling you can bowl a 300 game...so it "can" be perfected but apparently only 39 have ever bowled a "900" series

In pool Earl is probably the only one that has done the equivalent "on paper" of a 900 series....I have heard of gambling where one player ran out the set and then when they ran it back the other player ran out the set....(not sure the names)

I have put together a 4 pack before and felt on top of the world (only to crash back to reality)....I had a perfect night in a 8-ball league one night where I broke and ran my own break and ran out from the opponents break (5 games) and a couple where my opponent broke and ran to keep me from having a perfect night....I would call the perfect night the equivalent of a 300 and the almost perfect night a 299.

I think the best way to statisise it would be the accustat method....first determine your speed....700 - 800- 900 -

I saw some matches where players were 980+.....(I think back in the day they had a side payout for the highest performance #)

My ego tells me I should always shoot 980+......reality is I am probably lucky to average 700-800....hard to really know without tracking that number....it may be shockingly worse for all I know

So I always just looked back on a match or tournament and thought about what caused the outcome.

Some times you just get run over....It is like you got jumped in a back alley and had no chance to ever get on your feet.....not much you can do about that........Most times though I could look back on the sequence of a match and find places where I let my opponent "get up"....collect themselves...grab thier knife and slice my jugular.........Of course I can also look at matches where my opponent let me do the same to them.

I don't play much anymore so just being competative when I do get out....(and not getting jumped).... is pretty much now the goal.

But back when I played more and semi put effort in to get better....(always had a job that came first)..... for brief moments yes......but for me....It was like when I was a kid and blew that perfect giant bubble with the bubble yum.......It always popped almost as quick as I made it.
 
Sheldon said:
I've only ever had brief moments where the rabbit was firmly in hand. 95% of the time I feel like it's eluding me.
I have talked to people who (for short periods of their life) felt like they had a firm grasp on it. One gentleman explained it to me, saying for months, he "couldn't miss a ball if he tried".
Click to expand...
The wild thing about this, for me anyway, is that I didn't know I had it until it had gotten away.
 
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