Having the Killer Instinct.(?)
- Thread starter Fast Lenny
- Start date
rackmsuckr said:
Linda;
Listen to your husband, I know its hard, but sometimes we men have it right. Play to win every game without concern for anything other than your next shot. Sympathy is for losers, and players that don't want to get better. Every game is a contest, take is seriously, like you are playing for your next meal. I know you and Mike take playing seriously, so anything else would be a waste of your time. The occasional league player or fun player can look at it differently. But I am going to bet that when you lose a game you should have won, it burns your ass. The remedy is to step on the opponents throat until they are dead. That does not mean be disrespectful or discourteous, ala Earl, but a state of mind. Heart comes from being able to do the above, even when you are losing, and that approach to every game is what builds heart. Ask Mike how much sympathy Cole and Denny gave the other players at Cochruns. Or, be a fun player.
Mike
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Deadon said:
Thanks Mike. I will try to work on it. I do hate losing when it could have been avoided!
Tom In Cincy said:
Tom In "Cincy",
Well, as usual, I find myself agreeing with your very perceptive comments (despite your obvious difficulties with geography
).I have met quite a few top players, and find that it is their RELENTLESS reliance and focus on their routine and fundamentals (each and every shot and game, no matter how apparently easy it may seem) that takes them to the top. You can have heart, and a killer instinct, and still be a banger - you need to refine the skills to get to the top. Proper "mental game" is necessary to avoid shooting yourself in the foot; but that mental game will not make you a world-beater if you don't have the physical game.
I do see how many people will see this relentless attitude and call it a "killer instinct", but it is not enough to say you want to "kill" the opponent; you need the skill set and the ability to use it to your maximum capability to succeed in "the kill." It is this attitude to relentlessly use your very best stroke and shot planning that sets the professional level players apart.
I see many of my acquaintances make excuses for losing - they vary from "I just didn't try hard enough" to " I felt sorry for the opponent " to " well, we weren't playing for enough money." In the end I always see it as they were either unlucky or they weren't good enough. Too many players judge their games by their ability to execute tough shots, or on the outcome of a game that might involve a lot of luck; rather than on their consistency in making the tough AND easy shots. It's the consistency that is a b!tch to attain; and there are PLENTY of excuses I can think of when I fail to achieve it.
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Here's another thought. If you don't want to take their money, then don't. I have played guys and won, then said "just get the time, and we'll call it even" You can play as hard as you want, but not feel guilty that your going home with his rent money. Kind of a win win thing...
Gerry
Gerry
Gregg said:
to me, "killer instinct" is a characteristic of great players, and not the same as "heart".
"killer instinct" is what great players bring out when they have someone on the ropes. you can't have killer instinct and be a loser. the two, killer instinct and loser, are mutually exclusive because implicit in the term is the ability win,,,to put someone away.
"heart" is something anyone can have,,,winner or loser.
It's attitude, a learned behavior, not instinct. Instinct is something you're born with. Can't change that.
There's a lot of ways to change your attitude. But it will only stick if it is integrated honestly with your major goal in life, imho.
What's your major goal, and why does the specific shot you're letting up on, fit into that goal? If letting up on the shot fits your current goal (and you really don't like that), then change your goal, thus changing your attitude, thus changing your shot.
fwiw,
Jeff Livingston
There's a lot of ways to change your attitude. But it will only stick if it is integrated honestly with your major goal in life, imho.
What's your major goal, and why does the specific shot you're letting up on, fit into that goal? If letting up on the shot fits your current goal (and you really don't like that), then change your goal, thus changing your attitude, thus changing your shot.
fwiw,
Jeff Livingston
Winners do what losers wont.
Banks
Banned
I need a what?
I don't think any "killer" instinct is needed when you're already a killer. I found out quickly in league play that if I give someone even 1 game, that could turn into a match lost, so I stopped letting up at all in league. Playing with friends or in the bar against people that could finish 5 racks in an hour, sure I'll let up. I've started playing no-straight-shots against the easier barfly folks. My kicks, caroms and combos are improving, though it does get frustrating after a while when you've passed up a dozen easy outs to try to get a ball in unconventionally.
Either way, if you're playing a serious game, don't let up. If you're just out to have fun or kill some time, do whatever you want. Just as you may start out 5-0 in a race to 6, your opponent can come back in the exact same way if given the chance - always keep that in mind.
I'd rather see somebody try and lose than to see somebody throw a game and end up losing their match.
I don't think any "killer" instinct is needed when you're already a killer. I found out quickly in league play that if I give someone even 1 game, that could turn into a match lost, so I stopped letting up at all in league. Playing with friends or in the bar against people that could finish 5 racks in an hour, sure I'll let up. I've started playing no-straight-shots against the easier barfly folks. My kicks, caroms and combos are improving, though it does get frustrating after a while when you've passed up a dozen easy outs to try to get a ball in unconventionally.
Either way, if you're playing a serious game, don't let up. If you're just out to have fun or kill some time, do whatever you want. Just as you may start out 5-0 in a race to 6, your opponent can come back in the exact same way if given the chance - always keep that in mind.
I'd rather see somebody try and lose than to see somebody throw a game and end up losing their match.
D
Danny Harriman
Guest
Hello Lenny
I read your post and I must say that for me it is definitely a necassary evil to match up and or gamble, there is a time and a place for two player's of somewhat equal ability to play for money. However keep in mind that being a student of the game must be our first priority, I know of a player who feel's if the game is too much in his favor he will insist that his opponent takes more weight, if the opponent decline's his offer because of pride he quit's winner. This way of competing show's that the person offering to change the game has plenty of gamble and would like to test themselves because maybe he feel's like he is having a great day, I might add that it show's a considerable amount af class also. I also like the move because it's not really showing pity as much as it is about 'the game', so if you ever run into someone who begin's to get the better of you and offer's to make an adjustment I would allway's take them up on their offer or else they may get bored and you could lose a player - which bring's us back to the money hmmm. I think where gambling can go wrong is when you try to make a lifestyle out of it, I used to look up to a certain one pocket player from the 70's untill he put the bite on me. I saw a champion become a mooch who hustled everyone around them and would do whatever it took to make the gas $, once he got all he figured to get from you he's done talking to you and makes up some excuse as to why he does not like you anymore. I hope I was able to shed some light on your quandary.
Sincerely, Danny Harriman
I read your post and I must say that for me it is definitely a necassary evil to match up and or gamble, there is a time and a place for two player's of somewhat equal ability to play for money. However keep in mind that being a student of the game must be our first priority, I know of a player who feel's if the game is too much in his favor he will insist that his opponent takes more weight, if the opponent decline's his offer because of pride he quit's winner. This way of competing show's that the person offering to change the game has plenty of gamble and would like to test themselves because maybe he feel's like he is having a great day, I might add that it show's a considerable amount af class also. I also like the move because it's not really showing pity as much as it is about 'the game', so if you ever run into someone who begin's to get the better of you and offer's to make an adjustment I would allway's take them up on their offer or else they may get bored and you could lose a player - which bring's us back to the money hmmm. I think where gambling can go wrong is when you try to make a lifestyle out of it, I used to look up to a certain one pocket player from the 70's untill he put the bite on me. I saw a champion become a mooch who hustled everyone around them and would do whatever it took to make the gas $, once he got all he figured to get from you he's done talking to you and makes up some excuse as to why he does not like you anymore. I hope I was able to shed some light on your quandary.
Sincerely, Danny Harriman