I used to do that with my Richard Black. It was a double-george 4pt Hoppe with ivory ferrules. Had a few guys that loved it and i'd get jellied pretty good if they won. Wish i'd never sold it, went to his shop in Houston and ordered one on the spot. The cue with 2shafts AND a Fellini was a whole 375bux in 1983.
How To Get A Really Good Player
- Thread starter Sharivari
- Start date
Can't remember the player now but somebody smashed their cue, borrowed one to keep playing, smashed it, and tried to borrow another!
Speaking of smashing cues, a player often broke his shaft across the table rail when he lost. I saw him break three or four. One night his aim was a little off and it was the butt he shattered, a very nice butt! He spent the next fifteen minutes picking up every crumb of the cue he could find so he could send it back to the builder to be repaired. He might have had a similar one built but that one would never be repaired!
I just had a cheap moochie back in the day but I cared for it like it was gold and wouldn't loan it out to anyone but a close friend that cared for their cues as carefully as I took care of mine. A crazy thing I have never seen before or since, my much loved older brother came home on leave from the army. He didn't understand that pool had became much more than a game to me. We were playing on my home table and passing my nicest cue back and forth since I only had one of that caliber. Before I could tell him not to, he reached out and tapped a ball with the end of the shaft to send it to the other end of the table. It wasn't a hard hit so maybe it was something waiting to happen but when he did that two inches snapped off of the end of my shaft. This was the stick that I was highly tuned to, my magic weapon.
I wasn't exactly mad at him but I was furious that my weapon of war had been destroyed. That cue had won me many times it's cost and I valued it in proportion to what it had won. He didn't understand. When I explained to him he was more than willing to buy me another. I realized he was sincere but you can't buy a thousand hours or more of experience with a cue. It was very rare I let anyone even handle my cues after that, much less play with one.
Hu
Perhaps if you'd have started training at an early age, lost weight or never gained it, if that's possible, it could happen, yes. A man's got to know his limitations.No matter what I do I’ll never win a marathon, explain that please.
best Fatboy
Thank goodness for us he didn't!!
I’ve weighed 205-260 my whole life. I’m 6’1” now I was 6’2”. I’ve never ran a mile in my life, I was fit and trained for 20 years until back problems took me away from the iron pile.
I couldn’t ever bench more than 310 pounds. Which is a weak bench for my size. I’ve never been strong or athletic which reinforces my point:
Can’t train in what God left out
Sure there are exceptional people or people who can and do over come adversity. But an average 5’ tall person isn’t gonna dunk a basket ball-ever.
We can applaud the less fortunate on some remarkable achievements. But on average most people are average at best. Sheer will and determination isn’t always going to prevail and make champions out of average men. World doesn’t work like that.
I can’t spell, why is that? Not sure. My mom had a horrible vocabulary and very little education and could spell anything and everything.
We all have gifts and talents. The lucky identify them early in life and utilize them and leverage what talents they have to persue their dreams and goals. Some people never find what they are good at and have average lifes.
Best
Fatboy<——my biggest fear is being average. I also know what I can’t do, I’d love to be able to spell-ain’t gonna happen
I work with kids and teenagers in my club for some years now and if you want a recipe for getting good players:
Don't start with pool at a very young age.
I think from 5-10 it is important to develop a healthy child.
Healthy food, lots of outside activities and other sports where they get a feeling for their body. Doesn't matter if they play soccer, track and field, basketball, swimming etc.
It doesn't hurt if they get their first feeling for competition, losing, winning and a general feeling for practice and patience.
From 10-12 is a good time to develop the feel and love for the game. However it is important to have a few other kids around to play and practice with. Otherwise they get drawn to other sports easily.
Between 12 and 16 or 18 the big steps are made and where natural talent and work ethics kick in.
Now it is important to have a few good players around, who the teenagers can learn from and compete against. It is also important that the parents support the teenagers, drive them to the practice sessions, tournaments, leagues etc.
This is the time you loose a lot of the most talented kids, because of the many other things in life. School, work, boyfriends, girlfriends...or just teenagers being teenagers.
If everything falls into place, you end up with a very good player.
Not a Shane or Filler, because there is no recipe for finding World Champions.
Don't start with pool at a very young age.
I think from 5-10 it is important to develop a healthy child.
Healthy food, lots of outside activities and other sports where they get a feeling for their body. Doesn't matter if they play soccer, track and field, basketball, swimming etc.
It doesn't hurt if they get their first feeling for competition, losing, winning and a general feeling for practice and patience.
From 10-12 is a good time to develop the feel and love for the game. However it is important to have a few other kids around to play and practice with. Otherwise they get drawn to other sports easily.
Between 12 and 16 or 18 the big steps are made and where natural talent and work ethics kick in.
Now it is important to have a few good players around, who the teenagers can learn from and compete against. It is also important that the parents support the teenagers, drive them to the practice sessions, tournaments, leagues etc.
This is the time you loose a lot of the most talented kids, because of the many other things in life. School, work, boyfriends, girlfriends...or just teenagers being teenagers.
If everything falls into place, you end up with a very good player.
Not a Shane or Filler, because there is no recipe for finding World Champions.
Dude, you're anything but average. Please.I’ve weighed 205-260 my whole life. I’m 6’1” now I was 6’2”. I’ve never ran a mile in my life, I was fit and trained for 20 years until back problems took me away from the iron pile.
I couldn’t ever bench more than 310 pounds. Which is a weak bench for my size. I’ve never been strong or athletic which reinforces my point:
Can’t train in what God left out
Sure there are exceptional people or people who can and do over come adversity. But an average 5’ tall person isn’t gonna dunk a basket ball-ever.
We can applaud the less fortunate on some remarkable achievements. But on average most people are average at best. Sheer will and determination isn’t always going to prevail and make champions out of average men. World doesn’t work like that.
I can’t spell, why is that? Not sure. My mom had a horrible vocabulary and very little education and could spell anything and everything.
We all have gifts and talents. The lucky identify them early in life and utilize them and leverage what talents they have to persue their dreams and goals. Some people never find what they are good at and have average lifes.
Best
Fatboy<——my biggest fear is being average. I also know what I can’t do, I’d love to be able to spell-ain’t gonna happen
If you'd have started training earlier, at a very young age, like many foreign powers do with their children, who knows where or what you may have excelled in dude. You might be a world class pole vaulter or tiddlywink champ.
None of this backgammon hustlin.
If I'm 5 feet tall, basketball would be the last sport I'd want to play. If I didn't understand that myself, I would hope somebody would mention it to me.I’ve weighed 205-260 my whole life. I’m 6’1” now I was 6’2”. I’ve never ran a mile in my life, I was fit and trained for 20 years until back problems took me away from the iron pile.
I couldn’t ever bench more than 310 pounds. Which is a weak bench for my size. I’ve never been strong or athletic which reinforces my point:
Can’t train in what God left out
Sure there are exceptional people or people who can and do over come adversity. But an average 5’ tall person isn’t gonna dunk a basket ball-ever.
We can applaud the less fortunate on some remarkable achievements. But on average most people are average at best. Sheer will and determination isn’t always going to prevail and make champions out of average men. World doesn’t work like that.
I can’t spell, why is that? Not sure. My mom had a horrible vocabulary and very little education and could spell anything and everything.
We all have gifts and talents. The lucky identify them early in life and utilize them and leverage what talents they have to persue their dreams and goals. Some people never find what they are good at and have average lifes.
Best
Fatboy<——my biggest fear is being average. I also know what I can’t do, I’d love to be able to spell-ain’t gonna happen
Maybe I'm better suited as a jockey or Lithuanian midget porn star.
ah, the word 'average'. The great get out of jail free card of arguments. Thought I slipped into a fargo thread for a moment there...lol. You even doubled down on the average within the same sentence. Most don't commit that heavily.
You can most certainly can train in [insert your preferred deity] left out. The effort to do so is inversely proportional to what is "natural". We can start applying 'what ifs' to that claim and either prove or disprove it's validity. Like stating that someone without legs couldn't dunk on a regulation basketball net.
Natural talent is merely a head start. Someone committed to performing regardless of their short comings, can overcome that advantage.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
I'm with TheJV on this one, talent is massively overrated for pool, especially if the bar is 'really good player'. Morro Paez reached the world 9b final and nobody would accuse that man of being naturally talented. He beat Earl in the semis, who is on a short list of the most naturally talented players of all time.
I will submit that at the very top level, talent just has a higher ceiling and the top guys are all very talented. That said, I think the ceiling for a hard working less talented player is still well into the 700s in fargo, which is miles beyond merely 'really good'.
I think all that is required to become very good is a good base of knowledge, clarity on one's technique, and the sheer will to practice with purpose for many hours. Of these 3, I think clarity on technique is the most difficult because of all the conflicting pieces of advice from master players and instructors who are teaching different stroking methods. Guys in the middle ranks can get trapped in perpetual tinkering mode. I've even seen 'really good' players around 700 fargo fall victim to this and never really get the appropriate confidence in their game for the level they can play at because they would always wonder "what if I try that tidbit of advice, maybe I'll be better then". I recently helped a friend through this after his game was sent into disarray following some sessions with with top players and even a former world champion telling him different things. Once he was forced to get clear on what works for him and why, he committed fully and is playing at as high a level as in his prime when playing much more often.
FWIW, clarity on technique is one advantage 'naturally talented' guys have because they don't question their technique, they just do what they do and the balls obey. They don't care if what they do doesn't match whatever you can find in a textbook as long as it works for them. The player I mentioned above would never be accused of being naturally talented when he was starting out and he still managed to become a century threat every time he's at the snooker table. So ye, talent is way over rated, especially if the bar is 'really good'.
I will submit that at the very top level, talent just has a higher ceiling and the top guys are all very talented. That said, I think the ceiling for a hard working less talented player is still well into the 700s in fargo, which is miles beyond merely 'really good'.
I think all that is required to become very good is a good base of knowledge, clarity on one's technique, and the sheer will to practice with purpose for many hours. Of these 3, I think clarity on technique is the most difficult because of all the conflicting pieces of advice from master players and instructors who are teaching different stroking methods. Guys in the middle ranks can get trapped in perpetual tinkering mode. I've even seen 'really good' players around 700 fargo fall victim to this and never really get the appropriate confidence in their game for the level they can play at because they would always wonder "what if I try that tidbit of advice, maybe I'll be better then". I recently helped a friend through this after his game was sent into disarray following some sessions with with top players and even a former world champion telling him different things. Once he was forced to get clear on what works for him and why, he committed fully and is playing at as high a level as in his prime when playing much more often.
FWIW, clarity on technique is one advantage 'naturally talented' guys have because they don't question their technique, they just do what they do and the balls obey. They don't care if what they do doesn't match whatever you can find in a textbook as long as it works for them. The player I mentioned above would never be accused of being naturally talented when he was starting out and he still managed to become a century threat every time he's at the snooker table. So ye, talent is way over rated, especially if the bar is 'really good'.
Well said. Kudos!!ah, the word 'average'. The great get out of jail free card of arguments. Thought I slipped into a fargo thread for a moment there...lol. You even doubled down on the average within the same sentence. Most don't commit that heavily.
You can most certainly can train in [insert your preferred deity] left out. The effort to do so is inversely proportional to what is "natural". We can start applying 'what ifs' to that claim and either prove or disprove it's validity. Like stating that someone without legs couldn't dunk on a regulation basketball net.
Natural talent is merely a head start. Someone committed to performing regardless of their short comings, can overcome that advantage.
Naturals won't work as hard bcuz it goes against their faith in their abilities. Partly ego, partly they know. So why push?? It's already there said the rabbit who took a nap, while the tortoise, well, you know.
Certain things have come at great ease for me in life, other things I struggled with to the point of failure.ah, the word 'average'. The great get out of jail free card of arguments. Thought I slipped into a fargo thread for a moment there...lol. You even doubled down on the average within the same sentence. Most don't commit that heavily.
You can most certainly can train in [insert your preferred deity] left out. The effort to do so is inversely proportional to what is "natural". We can start applying 'what ifs' to that claim and either prove or disprove it's validity. Like stating that someone without legs couldn't dunk on a regulation basketball net.
Natural talent is merely a head start. Someone committed to performing regardless of their short comings, can overcome that advantage.
It’s a curious study, how can some some people do things with ease while others can’t get there? Why is that?
Shaq has a huge edge in basketball because of his size. Mike Tyson has hands 2X the size of mine (I used to know Mike), Filler clearly shoots straighter than most. Why can some people sing and others can’t?
A level of excellence can be obtained with a few years effort in most endeavors by most people if they really apply themselves to what they are looking to achieve.
So let’s go down the Fargo rabbit hole….why not? No matter how many balls I hit, equipment, training all perfect conditions I’d never be a 800 speed player period. Not even for a race to 11. It just isn’t there. Why? And why can some guys play a few years and get there? I don’t know. Never been able to figure it out.
I’ve had super human success at one thing in my life and like Paul Newman said in COM “Rich can come easy, Rich can come fast, if you have a area of excellence in your life” I think that was the line he used. Even if I don’t have the quote precisely correct it’s factually correct. I’ve seen it happen to many people who were lucky enough to find their “excellence”.
So we have rating systems to apply data to someone’s pool game now, it’s not just $ anymore. Used to be the guy with the most was the best! Remember that line? Now it’s a point system? Way too many milk drinkers for me……
Anyways I’m done talking about this for today it’s 1130 at night at the current location of Fatboy. And I’ll live to talk another day.
One thing I will add, just popped into my brain. SVB has worked harder than any top player I’ve ever known. When talent goes to work, nothing beats that! Pretty cool. Not my saying but I heard a top pro body builder say that years ago. He won the Olympia after he said that. Doesn’t get any higher in that game.
Best
Fatboy<———never could bench over 3 plates and a 10 on each side. All show and no go at the gym-my saying. I was the weakest big guy ever.
I’m helpless at basketball. I couldn’t throw the ball far enough to reach the basket. My porn career would be a crime most anywhere based on looks alone…/
billiards_watch
Well-known member
Well your sense humor is great.I’m helpless at basketball. I couldn’t throw the ball far enough to reach the basket. My porn career would be a crime most anywhere based on looks alone…/
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
That easy path may be a pitfall for many with natural talent but not all fall victim to it. SVB was a natural talent born into a pool playing family and he still ended up being one of the hardest workers on tour.
Hard work beats talent when talent refuses to work hard. But when talent works hard u get monsters like SVB and the others at the top.
I’ve weighed 205-260 my whole life. I’m 6’1” now I was 6’2”. I’ve never ran a mile in my life, I was fit and trained for 20 years until back problems took me away from the iron pile.
I couldn’t ever bench more than 310 pounds. Which is a weak bench for my size. I’ve never been strong or athletic which reinforces my point:
Can’t train in what God left out
Sure there are exceptional people or people who can and do over come adversity. But an average 5’ tall person isn’t gonna dunk a basket ball-ever.
We can applaud the less fortunate on some remarkable achievements. But on average most people are average at best. Sheer will and determination isn’t always going to prevail and make champions out of average men. World doesn’t work like that.
I can’t spell, why is that? Not sure. My mom had a horrible vocabulary and very little education and could spell anything and everything.
We all have gifts and talents. The lucky identify them early in life and utilize them and leverage what talents they have to persue their dreams and goals. Some people never find what they are good at and have average lifes.
Best
Fatboy<——my biggest fear is being average. I also know what I can’t do, I’d love to be able to spell-ain’t gonna happen
You ain't average!
Anybody seen Anatoly on YouTube?