I pretty much got curb-stomped last night

Texas Prez

Texas Prez

Hook'em...Enough Said
Silver Member
So in league play I was playing someone who has the same exact skill level that I do. We have played before and I have beaten him in our prior matches.

Last night he destroyed me. I am willing to swallow pride and admit this. Yes he did play well and as usual when I lose I say I played badly. But the thing is, I know that I wasn't 100% there. My mind was on other things and I feel like this really had an impact.

How do you find "it" on a night when you know you are not 100%?

...maybe I should take up yoga:rolleyes:
 
Texas Prez said:
So in league play I was playing someone who has the same exact skill level that I do. We have played before and I have beaten him in our prior matches.

Last night he destroyed me. I am willing to swallow pride and admit this. Yes he did play well and as usual when I lose I say I played badly. But the thing is, I know that I wasn't 100% there. My mind was on other things and I feel like this really had an impact.

How do you find "it" on a night when you know you are not 100%?

...maybe I should take up yoga:rolleyes:
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Are you talking about one game or one short race? It swings both ways...

I was playing a guy last night cheap and lost the first set 7-1. I won the next two 7-4, 7-1. Things swing.

If you're mind isn't in the game, do you expect different results?
 
I play in a little bar league and we just won first place!! One night during playoffs I won 6 out of 7 games, the next week I won only one frickin game. I couldn't get in the groove. It happens!!!!!

:rolleyes:
 
1pRoscoe said:
Are you talking about one game or one short race? It swings both ways...

I was playing a guy last night cheap and lost the first set 7-1. I won the next two 7-4, 7-1. Things swing.

If you're mind isn't in the game, do you expect different results?
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It was a really short race (to three) and I guess I didn't expect much...but just because I am competitive I always expect a win regardless of who I am playing...that is just my competitive nature; I know I am not the best but I do believe that I have the potential to beat anybody given I play perfect.
 
Been there and done that just like everyone else!! Still amazes me when it happens though, sometimes there is nothing you can do but 'forgetaboutit!'
Dan
 
Texas Prez said:
It was a really short race (to three) and I guess I didn't expect much...but just because I am competitive I always expect a win regardless of who I am playing...that is just my competitive nature; I know I am not the best but I do believe that I have the potential to beat anybody given I play perfect.
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A race to three is nothing, and hardly determines skill.

I've seen races to seven that were anything but an indicator of skill among pros level shooters as well.
 
We all have good nights and bad nights. He had a really good night, you had a really bad night. Don't sweat it.

And yoga isn't about concentration, it's about strength, balance and flexibility. I started doing it a few weeks ago :) You're thinking more along the lines of meditation, methinks.
 
Texas Prez said:
It was a really short race (to three) and I guess I didn't expect much...but just because I am competitive I always expect a win regardless of who I am playing...that is just my competitive nature; I know I am not the best but I do believe that I have the potential to beat anybody given I play perfect.
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There's no such thing as "getting stomped" in a race to three. It's a coin flip. Anything can happen in a race to three. Saying you got run over in a race to three is like saying your friend tortured you on holes 4-6 on the front nine of a golf course, in my opinion.
 
ScottW said:
We all have good nights and bad nights. He had a really good night, you had a really bad night. Don't sweat it.

And yoga isn't about concentration, it's about strength, balance and flexibility. I started doing it a few weeks ago :) You're thinking more along the lines of meditation, methinks.
Click to expand...

I was wondering if I was going to ruffle any yoga feathers:p I am actually thinking I might look into that...but most likely I'll just run some more
 
Texas Prez said:
It was a really short race (to three).
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I beat a former US Open Champion 3-0 in a 9b race once......

I've beaten a great WPBA player in 10b 3-0 once as well...

Who do you really think the better player is - me or them?

You need to lighten up on yourself, dude. Everyone loses. Everyone has off nights.

How long have you been playing?
 
The classiest move you can make when losing is to suck it up and not make any excuses. Everyone loses once in a while at best! Like Spider said, a race to 3 is hardly a testament to someones true skill level.. JMHO
 
Texas Prez...In one short race like that, ANYONE can win. Likely if you played more short races, with the same person, right afterwards, you'd have your share of wins too. The way champion players win short races, is to imagine that EVERY ball is game ball...then totally focus on that shot.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Texas Prez said:
It was a really short race (to three) and I guess I didn't expect much...but just because I am competitive I always expect a win regardless of who I am playing...that is just my competitive nature; I know I am not the best but I do believe that I have the potential to beat anybody given I play perfect.
Click to expand...
 
I've probably been in the biggest slump I have ever been in for league play. To make matters worse I am putting so much pressure on myself to not lose that I keep doing just that. I think the only thing that will snap me out of this is when I win and not by just edging out, but by playing excellent.
 
ScottW said:
We all have good nights and bad nights. He had a really good night, you had a really bad night. Don't sweat it.

And yoga isn't about concentration, it's about strength, balance and flexibility. I started doing it a few weeks ago :) You're thinking more along the lines of meditation, methinks.
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Scott doing yoga? Ugh. Spare me the image! :p
 
Texas Prez said:
... How do you find "it" on a night when you know you are not 100%? ...
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Don't try to find "it." Consider it a night to observe your own play and your opponent's play. What does each of you do wrong? Which are his best shots? Just try to execute your fundamentals well -- think of it as practice time.

And I agree with the post above that a loss in a race to 3 even at 3-0 may tell you nothing about how you played.

Another idea: make sure you have no excuses to play badly. Are you fit, fed and rested? Do you want to be elsewhere, doing something else? Do you want to beat this person in this match? (A different way to ask the last question is: Do you want to play well?)
 
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I know what you mean, as far as having other thoughts in your mind while you are playing. This might help you....when you go to play a match, you have to give yourself permission to not be occupied by other things. Whether it is family, work, money or whatever, you can tell yourself that for the next 3 hours or so you will be playing pool. You'll get back to other issues afterward. This could help with your focus on executing good fundamentals and allow you to play closer to your potential on a given day.
 
Texas Prez said:
So in league play I was playing someone who has the same exact skill level that I do. We have played before and I have beaten him in our prior matches.

Last night he destroyed me. I am willing to swallow pride and admit this. Yes he did play well and as usual when I lose I say I played badly. But the thing is, I know that I wasn't 100% there. My mind was on other things and I feel like this really had an impact.

How do you find "it" on a night when you know you are not 100%?

...maybe I should take up yoga:rolleyes:
Click to expand...


you really have to be there 100% mentally if you want to preform your best. there was a 2 month stint in my life where i thought i had cancer. i couldn't make a ball to save my life. i'm glad that's over
 
Race to three is like playing three hands of poker, has zero indication of skill. Hate to say why bother even playing, I know why you do. What I don't know is why you haven't gotten a healthy perspective on what this loss indicates about your skills. Indicates nothing. IMO.

LOL. and for future reference, you don't get "curb stomped" in a race to 3. hit & run or sucker punched maybe, curb stomped? NOOOOOOOOOOOO.
 
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I think that is what makes me go crazy...the race to three.. its one of those where a single miss, not even a mistake but just a miss, costs you.

This forum is awesome...it was just one of those times where I lost, got upset about it for no reason, and thus vented....I've been playing long enough to know better but it is still good to get this kind of feedback. Competing for about four years now...and still occasionally forget the day-one stuff; like YOU ARE NOT GONNA WIN EVERY MATCH!!!! haha...lesson learned...again :)
 
Sometimes "it" just ain't there to find. Then you gotta learn how to fade the result of not being able to get "it" up. I"m 65 yrs old. I"ve been there :groucho:

Edit; didn't read the thread... sounds like you have faded it. :thumbup:
 
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