The local CPA LO doesn't do the patch thing. Lucky to get a pin out of him. I'm indifferent about them but I'm sure those players starting out or making a splash with a big success would love to have them.
how are ya'll doing in league ?
- Thread starter lorider
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Rusty in Montana
Well-known member
In our city league we played a young team and we won 13 - 3 sadly I lost 1 game where I beat myself , my new pain pill is starting to help with the arthritis pain and stiffness !
A very good thing ha ha !
A very good thing ha ha !
You'd still have to give me the orange five...if you can find one!!!I suck.
That is all.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming...
I have a ziploc at home with the patches, my GF has a wire keyring chain on her cue case with all of hers on it, all on full display.
Old LO used to send them in each week's scoresheet envelope, but the new LO has gone electronic, so they stopped for a while. Our league rep was supposed to be handing them out, but he didn't. Fast forward a couple months, and now my GF is the "patch bitch" for our league, her name for it, not mine. She carries a big Plano type box with all the patches sorted and will hand them out immediately if we're playing someone that earns one. The rest go in baggies for when we see or play against that team that earned them. System seems to be working pretty good. She's even giving out "my first win" patches to new players.
They really are a big deal for the new players.
Wow, had to dig back double digit numbers of page to dig this thread back up, but here's my gripe.
We have a location in our league that uses a 6 foot valley table with 4 3/4" pockets. Hell, they may even be 5" they're that big. Two teams play out of that location, and they are diametrically opposed in the approach to the game. Both are fun teams to play, seldom any drama, just that one team plays with a strategy, and the other relies on giant pockets and fast cloth on a small table. There are two players in particular that are the most dependent on that "smash and hope" strategy. In the 8-Ball league, their strategy doesn't help nearly as much as in 9-Ball. I have players on my team tell me the week before that they do not want to be matched up against either of these players when we play them. It usually ends up being me that plays one of them, and in thinking back, I'm definitely below 50% in the last couple sessions playing either of these two. This banger strategy is less effective at other locations on less forgiving tables, but it's amazing how frequently balls fall when one of them just blasts away.
Now don't get me wrong, both are decent shooters when they slow down and shoot, they're fairly accurate, but without any cue ball control. But they've decided that they're best option in most instances is to just take a shot a break speed anytime they can catch a piece of the object ball. Our frustration is that on an amazingly consistent basis, this works. In 9-Ball, I'm giving up a lot of balls to either of them, and it doesn't take much for a few (usually more than a few) fluked balls to extend a run, and turn things around fast.
I have had discussions with my team about how sometimes growth is hard, and these two players will force us to learn a different strategy to deal with how we know they are going to play. I say that, but I'll admit that I still have no idea how to combat the use of that faith in randomness and luck on shot selection. It works less effectively when fewer balls are left, and a good defensive shot then works much better, but it defies logic how that smashing and getting 5 cushion kicks ends up happening.
So I'm looking for any suggestions or advice on how to deal with the smashers. I'm trying to keep perspective and stay confident that I'll figure this out, but these losses are frustrating.
We have a location in our league that uses a 6 foot valley table with 4 3/4" pockets. Hell, they may even be 5" they're that big. Two teams play out of that location, and they are diametrically opposed in the approach to the game. Both are fun teams to play, seldom any drama, just that one team plays with a strategy, and the other relies on giant pockets and fast cloth on a small table. There are two players in particular that are the most dependent on that "smash and hope" strategy. In the 8-Ball league, their strategy doesn't help nearly as much as in 9-Ball. I have players on my team tell me the week before that they do not want to be matched up against either of these players when we play them. It usually ends up being me that plays one of them, and in thinking back, I'm definitely below 50% in the last couple sessions playing either of these two. This banger strategy is less effective at other locations on less forgiving tables, but it's amazing how frequently balls fall when one of them just blasts away.
Now don't get me wrong, both are decent shooters when they slow down and shoot, they're fairly accurate, but without any cue ball control. But they've decided that they're best option in most instances is to just take a shot a break speed anytime they can catch a piece of the object ball. Our frustration is that on an amazingly consistent basis, this works. In 9-Ball, I'm giving up a lot of balls to either of them, and it doesn't take much for a few (usually more than a few) fluked balls to extend a run, and turn things around fast.
I have had discussions with my team about how sometimes growth is hard, and these two players will force us to learn a different strategy to deal with how we know they are going to play. I say that, but I'll admit that I still have no idea how to combat the use of that faith in randomness and luck on shot selection. It works less effectively when fewer balls are left, and a good defensive shot then works much better, but it defies logic how that smashing and getting 5 cushion kicks ends up happening.
So I'm looking for any suggestions or advice on how to deal with the smashers. I'm trying to keep perspective and stay confident that I'll figure this out, but these losses are frustrating.
whats the sl of the smash player and whats the sl of the player whos playing them is a good start
i as a 7 had to play a 3 this week, a 3 that i knows a major sandbagger
but she didnt want to win, too worried about moving up so she helped us get a full sweep 75-25
its so hilarious when people lose on purpose thinking if they win theyll go up. ive played my 3 all season on 5-7s and hes hasnt budged
these wannabe sandbaggers take pride and joy in losing on purpose but they arent cashing any vegas checks and arent even going on a regular basis. well done dummy
but she didnt want to win, too worried about moving up so she helped us get a full sweep 75-25
its so hilarious when people lose on purpose thinking if they win theyll go up. ive played my 3 all season on 5-7s and hes hasnt budged
these wannabe sandbaggers take pride and joy in losing on purpose but they arent cashing any vegas checks and arent even going on a regular basis. well done dummy
SeniorTom
Well-known member
Lately I have lost some confidence in myself in league play. My teams schedule has been very tough for the first half of this session's play. It's a no hc league, best players around compete there, and I need to get back a little confidence. Not doing bad, but I can do better.
At first I thought you were talking about a place in Atlanta, that has some some small tables, but then your subject line moved off that note...
Maybe every team should have sandbaggers, to insert into the lineup at certain times, to cool off streaks or thwart the other teams sandbagging...
We used to have a couple 3s in a local tournament & they did play about 3 speed, but their Break in 9 Ball was devastating. Going against them & balancing handicaps, put a regular Player in trouble, because they were known to make a lot of 9 Balls on the break.
Maybe every team should have sandbaggers, to insert into the lineup at certain times, to cool off streaks or thwart the other teams sandbagging...
We used to have a couple 3s in a local tournament & they did play about 3 speed, but their Break in 9 Ball was devastating. Going against them & balancing handicaps, put a regular Player in trouble, because they were known to make a lot of 9 Balls on the break.
Break their spirit by safing the crap out of them. Let'em bang away at 2-rail kicks, most of which are going to be unsuccessful. And when you put in the last ball, roll it into the pocket as slowly as possible.
Standard Valley pockets are 4 5/8”. If the playing surface is 36”x72”, approximately 13% of the rail is a pocket. If multiple balls are hitting multiple rails, that 13% gets to be a pretty big number. I would think this strategy would result in a lot of scratches. If these two players are actually good enough to avoid the scratch, and still get multiple balls moving, you will have to lock whitey up tight.
I'm a 6 in 8 ball, and a 7 in 9ball. The LO had me listed as an 8 in our last 9 ball tricup, but the scorekeeper app still lists me as a 7 for 9 ball.
These two smashers are a 5, and a 3. The 5 has been a 4 and is currently a 5 in 8 ball. I feel those are elevated from what his ability actually is, due to all the home matches they play on such an easy table. Smashing in 9 ball definitely works there, and aside from a scratch, there is no other penalty for just blasting away, so that's what they do.
My last match was against the 5, and it was a 9 ball match, so a 55-38 race.
I start out playing more defense than taking a risky shot or sinking a ball without a good way to get to the next ball. What happens is that he smashes away and changes the layout with every shot. If he doesn't make a ball, he leaves me without a shot, often kicking to get the hit. I finished a rack, then had a break-and-run at one point, and covered the difference in the race at that point. But once either of these two get a little behind, it's like they just give up playing anything but smash shots. Every shot is hit at break speed, and he knocked the cue off the table a couple times, but he flukes balls in almost every time.
There are other factors, and racking ranks big there. I flat refuse to provide anything but the best rack I can give. Far too many of the "questionable integrity" players in the league seem to have trouble giving a tight rack, and I'll point that out a few times in hopes that the gaps will close up, but they don't. I don't fault a 2 or a 3, or even a 4 that gives a loose rack, but that isn't what I'm talking about here. I'm breaking on a completely different rack every time, and if it isn't loose, then it's at some weird angle and not set square on the table.
I realize that an option is to just point out every single time the rack is loose, or crooked, or get someone to watch the shots whenever he smashes something that helps hide the bad hit, but I prefer that we not end up in arguments. I'll also add that while these two and their team have ability, playing in the league is just justification for drinking and getting high and they couldn't care less 10 minutes later. I kind of like them both, from a distance, and they're full aware of their dependance on luck. We do have fun, but it's definitely not a normal night of pool when we play them.
Rusty in Montana
Well-known member
Thank you Rickhem for finding this thread ! I tried looking for it myself a while ago without any success .
I'm only playing on two pool league teams one for city league the other a seniors league , with my arthritis acting up even holding my cue is difficult at best some days , however I'm still in the top ten for both leagues .
As for sand baggers both teams have them as they're there for drinking beer and knocking a few balls around on the table , where I'd rather play to win even if depending on what the weather is doing effects how well I can form a bridge as I'm not a big fan of a open bridge .
Over all both teams are doing fairly well all things considered .
I'm only playing on two pool league teams one for city league the other a seniors league , with my arthritis acting up even holding my cue is difficult at best some days , however I'm still in the top ten for both leagues .
As for sand baggers both teams have them as they're there for drinking beer and knocking a few balls around on the table , where I'd rather play to win even if depending on what the weather is doing effects how well I can form a bridge as I'm not a big fan of a open bridge .
Over all both teams are doing fairly well all things considered .
i havent played these kinds of conditions with big pockets and smash players, i bet its frustrating to say the least
i would just say
if you have to play this guy and he leaves you kicking, just start tieing balls up
start bunching them together, do all you can to make the game a drag. youve got to change the rythm in some kind of way
you cant take any risks when you have the ball, you have to make them all take no risk and play good safes
if you didnt get good on the position, leave the cb on the ball if its on the rail
if youve played any 1pkt, youll start having a feel of how to land the cb on the backside of another ball
Thanks for your thoughts.
I've always looked on playing 9 ball as more of a race or a shootout than the kind of strategic play you get in 8 ball. But in this case, I'm going to have to rethink that, and put that much more into the defense side. I haven't played 1 pocket, but I know the safes you are referring to. I did start out that way, safes and being strategic, and let momentum swing my way, but didn't get back on it soon enough after my B&R. I got overconfident and he closed that gap again.
Once again, it's a matter of discipline.
competitive 9 ball in medium entry tournaments (150 entry) is all about defense it is in no way a shootout because 600fargo level players cant break and run every time or even 70 percent
pro level brn percent even in recent time is under 50 percent
the pros give us unrealistic expectations on the game with the spreads they get on new equipment
the game most of us play is a grindy affair
you dont shoot until you have the advantage of position and layout