Has the Parade Passed By

[lfigueroa]

I think, a decade or two ago, I always felt I had a chance against the big dogs when playing my best shortstop quality game -- maybe not to win but to be semi-competitive and win a couple of games.

But now, the ball striking by so many of the players has become so good I wonder if your slightly better than average guy has any chance whatsoever against many of the guys out there nowadays. I recall an Accu-Stats tape (yes, tape) during which Danny Dilberto laments: in the old days the young guys would dog it against a better player. They don't dog it anymore.

Lou Figueroa

 

[measureman]

When I played my best short stop speed I played a lot of pool with Neptune Joe Frady getting the 8 in 9 ball and holding my own.
At that time Joe was one of the best around.
Now watching this current group I would have to say no way I'm winning with the 8.
I feel your pain.

 

[3kushn]

I'm too old to think about being a champion.
I believe I'm playing better than ever @ 68.

 

[fjk]

Yeah, I agree. When I was at my best (early 1980s), I used to sneak a set off one of the top guys now and then. Now, I think Filler could play me 8 hours a day for a month without letting me win a race to nine.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

I'm too old to think about being a champion.
I believe I'm playing better than ever @ 68.

As you age you heal slow from
Injury, can not keep up people 1/2, or 2/3 your age.

Life sucks, but that is life.

 

[Fatboy]

The gap is defiantly wider than ever.

Well said Lou


Best
Fatboy

 

[JusticeNJ]

Life sucks, but that is life.

Amen, Coco.

Deep thoughts by CocoboloCowboy.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Amen, Coco.

Deep thoughts by CocoboloCowboy.

Young guys can play pool for 36 hour plus with out a nap, sure they may have some pill to help staying awake.

As you age you just can not keep up for long period of time with young guns.

Same reason you must retire from some job at certain age. Like Federal Law Enforcement 57, and out, it a young person profession.

 

[jasonlaus]

Young guys can play pool for 36 hour plus with out a nap, sure they may have some pill to help staying awake.

As you age you just can not keep up for long period of time with young guns.

Same reason you must retire from some job at certain age. Like Federal Law Enforcement 57, and out, it a young person profession.

BS. That whole "pills" thing is complete BS, I can still play 20hrs or more and I've been drug tested over 30 years for work.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

BS. That whole "pills" thing is complete BS, I can still play 20hrs or more and I've been drug tested over 30 years for work.

Not saying how many people use pharmasudicals, but some people do.

Then you have the guy who do hard alcohol, or beer. It had no effect on them.

Me I can have one beer, if the number become two. I get sleepy.

I know personally I don’t see as well at night, as I did 20 years ago,

Sorry but age does take role on body, and in my case I think of getting glass for Pool to see ball edges better.

 

[mrpiper]

I can usually run 2 of 10 racks in 8 ball, and 3 or 4 of 10 in 9 ball. Not necessarily in a row. If I break, I might win a rack or two if I am really on my game, but I have no faith I could ever string together a win against any of the folks I recently watched on the live feed from Al at Turning Stone! Now way! But I am glad to see people play at that level. I think that is what attracts people to the game and grows the sport.

 

[gregcantrall]

As you age you heal slow from
Injury, can not keep up people 1/2, or 2/3 your age.

Life sucks, but that is life.

Lol, I remember playing football in highschool. Getting beat up Friday night and then being ready to do it again in a week. Yikes can't imagine how long those kind of hits would put me down now.
My theory is, just shorten the race. Anything longer than to 3 require a nap time.

 

[fjk]

When I played my best short stop speed I played a lot of pool with Neptune Joe Frady getting the 8 in 9 ball and holding my own.
At that time Joe was one of the best around.
Now watching this current group I would have to say no way I'm winning with the 8.
I feel your pain.

That's some high level pool hanging with Joe Frady with just the 8. In his prime, Joe didn't have to lose to anyone.

 

[HawaiianEye]

Young guys can play pool for 36 hour plus with out a nap, sure they may have some pill to help staying awake.

As you age you just can not keep up for long period of time with young guns.

Same reason you must retire from some job at certain age. Like Federal Law Enforcement 57, and out, it a young person profession.

I can still play 36 hours.

I am just getting my second wind about then.

 

[Johnny Rosato]

Greatest stories hanging around in a pool hall are only surpassed by those heard hanging
around in a truck stop.

 

[middleofnowhere]

I think, a decade or two ago, I always felt I had a chance against the big dogs when playing my best shortstop quality game -- maybe not to win but to be semi-competitive and win a couple of games.

But now, the ball striking by so many of the players has become so good I wonder if your slightly better than average guy has any chance whatsoever against many of the guys out there nowadays. I recall an Accu-Stats tape (yes, tape) during which Danny Dilberto laments: in the old days the young guys would dog it against a better player. They don't dog it anymore.

Lou Figueroa

The players playing today are the best who have ever played the game, period.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

When I played my best short stop speed I played a lot of pool with Neptune Joe Frady getting the 8 in 9 ball and holding my own.
At that time Joe was one of the best around.
Now watching this current group I would have to say no way I'm winning with the 8.
I feel your pain.

What was it that Charlie said to Eddy in Sarah’s apartment,
“Getting old Eddy”

 

[ShortBusRuss]

Well, I still can dab it a bit in my mid--to-late forties when I practice, at least in One Pocket. Led Scott Frost 6-0, 5-0 in back-to-back games at Derby the last time I went, and only got blown out due to dogging strokes at the end of those runs. And I lost to Morra 3-2 a few years back, despite a complete and utter inability to finish him off due to practicing on a Red-Label Diamond (so, couldn't bank cross corner to save my life, because of getting too used to speed-dependent cross corners..). Put a 4-pack on Joey Gray in the 9 ball the same year I played Morra. I put heat on Anthony Meglino the year he got a top ten in the One Pocket (Same year I played Frost, Anthony actually beat Frost right after he beat me..). Played a 700 Fargorate 8 ball in German Oberliga a few weeks ago, and lost 7-5, and really left a few opportunities on the table. Plus, absolutely no effort to work on my stroke and break in the past year or two, really. And especially no effort to practicing the 9-on-the-spot break. Which puts me at a distinct disadvantage in Germany. Still, I have a .500 win rate against Oberliga players this season.

I am more focused on losing some weight before I really put much more effort into my game, so there's that. I have lost ~40lbs through simply dropping sugar and carbs, and I am sure once I actually start doing cardio and weightlifting once it gets warmer, I will achieve a "fighting weight", and be able to put more effort into my game for another run at Derby.

My results tell me that if I just put in the work, I would probably get the results. I have decent results against very good players, despite not really putting much effort into the game currently. For someone turning 47, I am happy with that, for now.

 

[Shuddy]

Look after your back, everyone. Eyesight can be helped with surgery, glasses, etc. Focus can be helped with a little mindfulness practice, meditation, etc. I regularly have to stop playing for a week or more when my back is bad, and the solutions are often complex, varied, and not permanent.

 

[sjm]

I'm not completely sure that today's best would have beaten guys like Lassiter, Varner, Sigel and Strickland, but what I am sure of is that for every really straight shooter there was back in the day, there are five today.

Back in the day, anyone who played at about Fargo 675 speed had a chance to beat many of the elite, and we tended to call such players shortstops. Today, the shortstops play to about 720 and those with Fargo under 720 are dead money in any major event. Take a look at the recently competed Derby City 9-ball, with their respective Fargo ratings:

1st Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz 821
2nd Josh Filler 830
3rd Roland Garcia 798
4th Mario He 802
4th Jayson Shaw 822

The weekend before, at the Arizona Open:

1st Fedor Gorst 824
2nd Roland Garcia 798
3rd Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz 821
3rd Mieszko Fortunski 788

Cinderellas need not apply anymore when real prize money is up for grabs. Yes, it's that tough right now to take down the big names and few are proving up to the challenge. Anyone under Fargo 750 has almost no chance to make any real money at pro pool.

Yes, the parade has passed by.