I Think I did the Right Thing

NewStroke

NewStroke

Screamin Monkey
Silver Member
My opponent and I were playing a race to 3 in nine ball. It was tied 1 to 1 and he was shooting the 5. He made the 5 and began cueing the 7. I stopped him and told him he was shooting the incorrect ball. He ended up running out and winning the match. I don't feel any regret doing that. How about you guys?
 
NewStroke said:
My opponent and I were playing a race to 3 in nine ball. It was tied 1 to 1 and he was shooting the 5. He made the 5 and began cueing the 7. I stopped him and told him he was shooting the incorrect ball. He ended up running out and winning the match. I don't feel any regret doing that. How about you guys?
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Respect is earned and not giving away.And you Have just earned some.
 
Don't give it a second thought. As a matter fact, in all candor, what you did would be seen as an uncommon rarity in todays modern society. A society so fillled with corruption and deceit that an honest act such as yours would be viewed as being somehow boorish and old-fashioned.
To actually stand there, knowing you were about to have your clock cleaned, and knowing that all who had gathered around were about to witness such utter humiliation is so uncompromisingly courageous, that it is beyond belief.
What you did should be a lesson to us all. A lesson so fundamental to the teachings of our ancestors that it bears repeating today. "If you haven't got anything good to say, don't say anything at all." :thumbup:
 
Personal integrity is becoming more rare every day. It's great to see that you care more about the man in your mirror than winning a match.
 
Let's look at this from the other side for a second...

Shouldn't it be the job of the shooter to pay attention to the balls on the table?

I have been on both sides of this situation before. When it was me shooting and I accidently shot the wrong ball I didn't get mad at my opponent for not telling me that I was about to shoot the wrong ball, I was mad at myself for not paying close enough attention to what I was doing. I do this all the time when I should be shooting the 2 and I accidently shoot the 4 because I have a hard time telling them apart without actually looking at the numbers.

Yeah, Dan is a saint, but I beleive that it should be the responsibility of each individual player to pay attention to what he/she is doing. It's part of the game. In what other game/sport to you tell your opponent that they are about to do something stupid that could cost them the game?
 
NewStroke said:
My opponent and I were playing a race to 3 in nine ball. It was tied 1 to 1 and he was shooting the 5. He made the 5 and began cueing the 7. I stopped him and told him he was shooting the incorrect ball. He ended up running out and winning the match. I don't feel any regret doing that. How about you guys?
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I know that if I had been in your position I would have done the same. Because I also know...that if I didn't say anything, I would have lost the game anyways because I would have lost all concentration just thinking about what I had done and would have spent the rest of the match accusing myself of being a cheater or an ***hole at the least.
 
I couldn't fault a person for handling it either way. I think it is admirable of him to step up and say something, but at the same time I think it is completely acceptable to let a person learn from their mistakes.
I hope some day if you have a lack of focus and are about to make this mistake your opponent returns the favor. But in this day and age I wouldn't count on it!:eek:
 
No question, you did the right thing.

I've done the same thing and felt much better about the results afterward.

P.S. .. I hope you didn't loose too much coin.
 
Karma is a funny thing, especially pool karma. You'll get this repaid to you :) Stand up move, NewStroke :thumbup:
 
Neil said:
I understand your feeling Dan, and, I used to agree with your side of the situation. I now look at it differently. I now look at it the same as not pointing out the lock up safe he has that he didn't see. It's not my job or my place while playing someone to teach them to pay attention to the game. Unless, that is solely why I am playing them, to teach them.

I know there is a lot of controversy on this subject, but, would you also tell them they are using the wrong english, or are about to take the wrong ball when playing 8 ball, that is, the right choice of stripes or solids, but the wrong choice to be able to run out?

I really don't think that this choice belongs in the "honest or not honest" category at all. But, rather, falls in the "pay attention or you lose" category.
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Thank you Neil. At least I'm not the only one here who thinks so.
 
Did you say a race to "3" in nine ball ?

Obviously this set didn't a mean a dang thing so you've already thought about this too much. ;)
 
I shoot the wrong ball all the time because i have the attention span of a 5 year old,one reason i only play for fun.What you did was admirable.I commend you on your self respect.
 
NewStroke said:
My opponent and I were playing a race to 3 in nine ball. It was tied 1 to 1 and he was shooting the 5. He made the 5 and began cueing the 7. I stopped him and told him he was shooting the incorrect ball. He ended up running out and winning the match. I don't feel any regret doing that. How about you guys?
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A friend of mine was playing a final of a big 9ball tournament (with around 3k-5k$ for the first place, I don't remember exactly) and was trailing like 7-1. (EDIT: It was a race to 9.) He had a hangover from the night before... and was not playing well. He was cueing at the wrong ball and his opponent stopped him. Great move from him but my friend cleared the table and ran the last 7 racks out to win the tournament :thumbup:

For myself, it is a question of integrity and I always have and will try to stop my opponent in such a situation.
 
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Stuff like this always comes back to you, next time you may be the one shooting the wrong ball and you will probably get the same nudge to reality from this guy.

I see this happen a lot, at least in my pool room. Usually it's either pointing out that a ball is on the table, or even forgiving a miscue on the break (letting the guy break again). Heck, during the finals of a tournament, I broke a rack that went no-where and the guy who racked it asked if I'd like a re-rack, even though I could have checked it before I broke. We just agreed that if the 9 went, it would be spotted up.

However, I will also say if I was in playing a stranger playing for something (tournament, gambling), I may not do the same.
 
NewStroke said:
My opponent and I were playing a race to 3 in nine ball. It was tied 1 to 1 and he was shooting the 5. He made the 5 and began cueing the 7. I stopped him and told him he was shooting the incorrect ball. He ended up running out and winning the match. I don't feel any regret doing that. How about you guys?
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What's more important to you, the match or your integrity?

That's the answer to your original question. :thumbup:

Jim
 
jimmyg said:
What's more important to you, the match or your integrity?

That's the answer to your original question. :thumbup:

Jim
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Even though I lost, I didn't feel bad at all about it. My thought is what's right is right. I think if I won, I'd be feeling pretty crappy.
 
You did the right thing brother. Pool goes way beyond just winning a set/match,you know what i'm saying. Good rep for you!!!
 
I can see the reasoning behind not telling them, but looking at it strictly from a practical, result-only point of view... you often get some heat and looked down on as a bit of a jerk. Whether that's fair or right is beside the point. You look dishonorable and if you're honest with yourself, you'll prolly feel like a bit of a dink to win that way.

I 100%agree it's their responsibility but I'd rather just tell them and look and feel good about it than not tell them and look and feel bad.
 
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