I Knew This Was Going To Be A Rough Match.....

[Black Cat 5791]

Okay since tomorrow is Valentines Day my Team Captain decided to get with our opponent for tomorrow and see if they would like to Pre Play our 9 Ball Match today, which would allow both Teams the night off to spend time with their significant other tomorrow. Great idea by the way.

So I had the pleasure of playing the last match which wasn't the issue, the problem started when they called the two of us up for our match. I got up put my cues together not rushing mind you but prepared myself to play. I went to the table and cleared all the balls off the table from the last match. In doing so I grabbed the 9 Ball and I think the 4 Ball both at random, put the 9 on the right side and I took the 4 on the left prepared to lag. Mind you all this time my opponent is nowhere to be seen, after what seemed like 5 minutes or more he pops in from outside. He then took his coat off, then his hat, comes to the table and proceeds to take off a sweat shirt. Then he comes to my right side, I extend my right hand to shake and wish him good luck, he does shake my hand but then starts going to through the ball tray to get another ball other than the 9 Ball which I had already placed on the table for him and looks for the 5 Ball stating he didn't think he could lag with the 9 Ball, which I replied you an lag with any ball other than the Cue Ball, he say's he didn't know and wasn't sure. Meanwhile internally I'm seething.

So he win's the lag, I was so anxious at this point I hit the OB to hard. So the Match Starts we split the 1st. 3 Racks fairly evenly on points, so at 1 point some playing on the table beside us sit's on our table in between shot's on their table, which I yell at the Guy to get his ass of the table, my opponent is taking 2-3 minutes to rack when it's my turn to break. Taking 1-2 minutes to Break.

So I finally got pissed and said I quit, it ain't worth it. Everybody started yelling at me to finish the match, like I was the 1 holding it up to begin with.
I did win the Match but playing like this is very frustrating to me.

Am I being to picky and expecting too much from people?

~ Black Cat ~

 

[MahnaMahna]

Fvcking league players.

 

[daphish1]

Okay since tomorrow is Valentines Day my Team Captain decided to get with our opponent for tomorrow and see if they would like to Pre Play our 9 Ball Match today, which would allow both Teams the night off to spend time with their significant other tomorrow. Great idea by the way.

So I had the pleasure of playing the last match which wasn't the issue, the problem started when they called the two of us up for our match. I got up put my cues together not rushing mind you but prepared myself to play. I went to the table and cleared all the balls off the table from the last match. In doing so I grabbed the 9 Ball and I think the 4 Ball both at random, put the 9 on the right side and I took the 4 on the left prepared to lag. Mind you all this time my opponent is nowhere to be seen, after what seemed like 5 minutes or more he pops in from outside. He then took his coat off, then his hat, comes to the table and proceeds to take off a sweat shirt. Then he comes to my right side, I extend my right hand to shake and wish him good luck, he does shake my hand but then starts going to through the ball tray to get another ball other than the 9 Ball which I had already placed on the table for him and looks for the 5 Ball stating he didn't think he could lag with the 9 Ball, which I replied you an lag with any ball other than the Cue Ball, he say's he didn't know and wasn't sure. Meanwhile internally I'm seething.

So he win's the lag, I was so anxious at this point I hit the OB to hard. So the Match Starts we split the 1st. 3 Racks fairly evenly on points, so at 1 point some playing on the table beside us sit's on our table in between shot's on their table, which I yell at the Guy to get his ass of the table, my opponent is taking 2-3 minutes to rack when it's my turn to break. Taking 1-2 minutes to Break.

So I finally got pissed and said I quit, it ain't worth it. Everybody started yelling at me to finish the match, like I was the 1 holding it up to begin with.
I did win the Match but playing like this is very frustrating to me.

Am I being to picky and expecting too much from people?

~ Black Cat ~

Was it a move or the guy trying to give you a good rack on a sh#tty table? Maybe you're too good and should only play people for $1000 sets and they can take as long as they want to rack.

Seriously, its just a game. Don't sweat the small stuff. If you don't have fun quit.

 

[Allen Brown]

Even though you won the match your opponent really won. He got in your head BAD. He knew what he was doing and it worked. When you, or one of your team mates, has to play this guy again you will be talking about the match you played tonight and your focus will be all out of whack. You will probably never win another match against this player because of tonight; unless you get this night out of your head and just chalk it up as a victory....nothing more and nothing less.

 

[Cornerman]

And now a word from our sponsors: GearBubble


Freddie <~~~ get you some

 

[Celophanewrap]

Am I being to picky and expecting too much from people?

~ Black Cat ~

Yes, and yes.
If I recall correctly you're an APA league player. I don't think I remember a night where someone wasn't waiting for a match to begin while someone was on a smoke break, or someone was in the bathroom or trying to order a drink, for the most part we have learned to put up with it. I'd be willing to bet you have too, but we all have our moments, sounds like you were having one. and.......
It also sounds like you were expecting someone to be as dedicated and serious as you are. I have found that it's a pretty good thing for me to be as serious and dedicated as I am but the most I've come to expect is for opponents to respectful and polite during the match.
People get involved in leagues for different reasons and my reasons are rarely the same as the next persons, it's a diverse group that plays pool in leagues, I'm sure you just had other things on your mind, it happens, don't beat yourself up for it

 

[john coloccia]

but then starts going to through the ball tray to get another ball other than the 9 Ball which I had already placed on the table for him and looks for the 5 Ball stating he didn't think he could lag with the 9 Ball, which I replied you an lag with any ball other than the Cue Ball, he say's he didn't know and wasn't sure. Meanwhile internally I'm seething.

So he win's the lag, I was so anxious at this point I hit the OB to hard.
....
....
....
Am I being to picky and expecting too much from people?

With all due respect, it doesn't take much to get you seething. I personally can't imagine caring one way or another what ball my opponent wants to lag with. You let this minor little detail burn you up inside and piss you off to the point that you couldn't lag? Then you quit the match because he didn't rack fast enough? You're very lucky. I would have held your feet to the fire and accepted your concession tantrum on the spot, no backsies.

My wife is a psychologist, and a very good one. Occasionally she gives her husband good advice too: "Assume good intentions." That's some very good advice right there. It's amazing how your outlook changes when you simply give people the benefit of the doubt and just assume they mean well until you know for certain they don't. Slow rack, fiddling in their seat when you're down to shoot, whatever. Just assume they mean well, smile and get to work. League players, for whatever reason, seem to be in a bad mood a lot. Don't confuse serious for grumpy. I'm very serious about my playing, but I don't let any of this crap bother me. Fiddling around, distracting me? Whatever...I get up and start over, reexamine the table, the whole bit. No skin off my back. I'll do it even better the second time. Slow rack? Whatever...I clean my shaft, burnish the side of my tip, nice and leisurely. When he's done racking, he can sit there and watch me finish my routine...I'll be done when I'm done. I smile, stay in a good mood, play my own game (not his) and if someone beats me I happily and sincerely congratulate them for beating a tough opponent.

Anyhow, as I've said elsewhere on this site, I'm not the shooter I used to be after taking about 10 years off, but I'm older and more mature now, and my head game is better than ever. You can't be blowing matches because a guy wants to lag with a solid ball. You have to get that temper under control. Even if you're not being too picky and you're 100% right to be upset, you STILL need to get the temper under control because it's probably costing you matches. Just sincerely try what I wrote one night and see if it makes a difference.

 

[JoeyM]

One of the best examples was by Earl Strickland. The time the water bucket fell out of the ceiling and came crashing down in the bleachers. He stopped, looked over, then right back into his routine. He ran the rack while everyone else was scurrying around trying to find out what happened. After the game was over, then he looked around and found out what happened. Great example of being focused on the task at hand and not letting distractions get in your head.

 

[philly]

A good part of winning any match is staying within yourself. My opponents used to bother me sometimes, especially slow players. What I do now regardless of who my opponent is always sit when my opponent is at the table with my stick NOT in my hands, wait for my opponent to settle or sit down before I get up, go the piece of chalk furthest away from my shot while surveying the table, and then go about my business. My pre shot routine starts when I sit down and it keeps me within myself and not thinking about what my opponent does.

 

[BmoreMoney]

Okay since tomorrow is Valentines Day my Team Captain decided to get with our opponent for tomorrow and see if they would like to Pre Play our 9 Ball Match today, which would allow both Teams the night off to spend time with their significant other tomorrow. Great idea by the way.

So I had the pleasure of playing the last match which wasn't the issue, the problem started when they called the two of us up for our match. I got up put my cues together not rushing mind you but prepared myself to play. I went to the table and cleared all the balls off the table from the last match. In doing so I grabbed the 9 Ball and I think the 4 Ball both at random, put the 9 on the right side and I took the 4 on the left prepared to lag. Mind you all this time my opponent is nowhere to be seen, after what seemed like 5 minutes or more he pops in from outside. He then took his coat off, then his hat, comes to the table and proceeds to take off a sweat shirt. Then he comes to my right side, I extend my right hand to shake and wish him good luck, he does shake my hand but then starts going to through the ball tray to get another ball other than the 9 Ball which I had already placed on the table for him and looks for the 5 Ball stating he didn't think he could lag with the 9 Ball, which I replied you an lag with any ball other than the Cue Ball, he say's he didn't know and wasn't sure. Meanwhile internally I'm seething.

So he win's the lag, I was so anxious at this point I hit the OB to hard. So the Match Starts we split the 1st. 3 Racks fairly evenly on points, so at 1 point some playing on the table beside us sit's on our table in between shot's on their table, which I yell at the Guy to get his ass of the table, my opponent is taking 2-3 minutes to rack when it's my turn to break. Taking 1-2 minutes to Break.

So I finally got pissed and said I quit, it ain't worth it. Everybody started yelling at me to finish the match, like I was the 1 holding it up to begin with.
I did win the Match but playing like this is very frustrating to me.

Am I being to picky and expecting too much from people?

~ Black Cat ~

I am just curious as to what you were thinking when he changedoes the ball out. I truly can't imagine why anyone would care what ball their opponent used as a lag ball let alone getting that upset about it. Did you perceive the switch as an attempted move against you or something ?

 

[eddie8842]

One of the best examples was by Earl Strickland. The time the water bucket fell out of the ceiling and came crashing down in the bleachers. He stopped, looked over, then right back into his routine. He ran the rack while everyone else was scurrying around trying to find out what happened. After the game was over, then he looked around and found out what happened. Great example of being focused on the task at hand and not letting distractions get in your head.

must be the earl of yesteryear
more recently earl gets bothered by everything, even the side pockets have started getting to him to the point where he wants to get rid of them lol

 

[eddie8842]

as for the OP, i can't imagine gettin pissed over which ball he chooses to lag with, it's just league, take it easy, no seething necessary
i think most league players that don't take pool seriously are slow to begin with
but if i thought he was slow racking and slow breaking on purpose
i definitely would never let it get to me 'cause that's what your opponent wants, to get in your head
never let them see they've gotten to you or else it'll never stop, they got to you once and they'll want to do it again
just beat them cool and calm, shake hands afterwards, get on with your day
for me the real pool playing starts when i'm done with league, at the money games

 

[sonny_burnett]

This your first league dude?

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[PETROBOY]

More importantly did he place the chalk blue side up? Every time I have to wait for a player I use it as fuel for beating them bad, It doesn't bother me but makes me focus more. As for switching balls to lag some people don't want to hit striped balls and that's fair, let them lag with a beach ball it won't matter if you channel all that into focus and will to win.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Black Cat 5791]

Well let me say thanks for the replies so far, some positive, some negative but I did ask for an opinion

Well the thing with switching out the ball bugged the hell out of me because, the Team Captain of his Team real nice guy by the way, brought in his own personal set of Balls to play the Match with which are the Balls that were on the Table. So when my Opponent decided he wanted a different ball, rather than going to the side of the and taking one from the other 7 that were left there, he takes the good ball and throws it in the ball tray at the end of the table with all the Dirty Bar Balls. So that meant that I had to fish it out. Also, mind you he didn't want a different ball for preference he wanted it because he was under the impression that he couldn't lag with either the 8 or 9 Ball. I was more upset with the fact that I'm standing around waiting for this guy verses getting the match started. Had he simply been the courteous and said hey I'm going to run and grab a smoke there wouldn't have been an issue, the fact is no one knew where he was. That's what started this whole thing off.

Everything else was just annoyance, because I found it unnecessary. Caressing the Rack, Twirling the Rack, Switching the Ball Positions in the Rack repeatedly, I viewed it all as a Stall.

Even when it was his Break he'd be at the Scorer's Table checking and re-checking the Score. It's not Rocket Science. Again a Stall Tactic. Get down to Break position the CB, re-position the CB 2-3 times, Again Stall Tactic's.

At one point he dumped all the Ball's into the Ball Tray by hitting the Lever on the Ball collector on the side of the Table, rather than removing the Balls from the Side of the Table like it's always done. Now all the Balls are mixed up, more time again Stall Tactic.

So my solution was forfeit the match, because I feel if it's that important to do all these things then it wasn't that important to me to finish he could have the win.

But, after I made a BIG DEAL about all of it, he miraculously stopped all of it and the match ended very quickly, I broke and ran the next 2 racks and that was it.

This is my 16th year playing league, I've seen it all. I just don't put up with all the BS that goes on. Have your Team on Time, Have your Players Ready when it's their Turn, Be Courteous to your Opponent, Know the Rules. If it's a whole bunch of crap going on I don't have to play, I guess I can have a Bad Temper as one Respondent put it, But I just like to get the same Respect that I give. Everyone that knows me, knows this.

There are times though that I wonder do I expect to much from other people and should I just look the other way.

~Black Cat~

 

[john coloccia]

There are times though that I wonder do I expect to much from other people and should I just look the other way.

~Black Cat~

Yes, because bad temper, good temper, justified or not, once someone is under your skin, you've lost the head game. If your opponent is wasting his own time and energy trying to throw you off, and you don't let it happen, then YOU'VE won the head game. You focus on the game, let him focus on the theatrics.

This is one of those things that you're 100% in control of. In fact, it's the only thing you're 100% in control of, so why not control it instead of worrying about who's right and who's wrong? Did I over react? Is that a shark? Worry about pocketing balls instead. The rest is just a side show.

That's my only point.

 

[JoeyM]

must be the earl of yesteryear
more recently earl gets bothered by everything, even the side pockets have started getting to him to the point where he wants to get rid of them lol

Found it.


http://videocaa.org/watch/m7Pr93Tr_oI/Pool+blooper+Earl+Strickland.html

 

[Black Cat 5791]

Found it.


http://videocaa.org/watch/m7Pr93Tr_oI/Pool+blooper+Earl+Strickland.html

Great Video, Thanks for Posting!!!

~Black Cat~ :grin:

 

[Black-Balled]

must be the earl of yesteryear
more recently earl gets bothered by everything, even the side pockets have started getting to him to the point where he wants to get rid of them lol

He might be a little off-center about some things, but he is full-on spot-bang yes right about the side pockets,
.

Let's seal them &^}ers up. They are not needed.

 

[Shannon.spronk]

This kind of reminds me of a guy I have played against in league quite a few times. The first time that we played he was running out and then scratched on his last ball. I get up and am about to start shooting and he is slamming his cue on the ground and says the F word a few times. He eventually quits and I am running out. I give myself a good shot on the 8 and he starts slamming his stick again. I stand up and wait for him to quit. He does then I get down again and he does it again. I just stay down and fire it in.

After the game I told him that what he was doing was completely unnecessary. At first he argued then he apologized. He is a pretty decent shooter. Upper level B player. I have never at any other time seen him act anything like that. It does seem though that our first game still haunts him. Whenever we have played since I have won and it is almost always after he makes a very uncharacteristic mistake.

Moral of the story is: Don't beat yourself. Make your opponent beat you.