Here is an interesting question. Is there a pool subculture you and I don't know anything about lurking in the twilight zone of pool and billiards? There was this guy on U-Tube who plays pool in his basement in his bare feet, kicking the cat when she got in the way of his pool playing, and he is routinely running 120 balls playing straight pool. Are there some great trick shot artists we have never heard anything about? Do these guys just perfect their craft in the basements of their homes and never come to the pool halls or venture beyond u-tube? Granted they don't have the poise and polish of a Johnny Archer, but they seem to learn to do some amazing things on their home pool tables by just hitting balls in their basements. Most of the "good" players I know of who have a table in their home, don't even play on the darn things. These guys spend hours learning fantastic trick shots or running out racks. There may be a Mosconi out there somewhere routinely running 400-500 balls. If he exists, I wish he would come out of the woodwork and make himself known to the world. He probably wears his baseball cap on backwards, likes skateboarding and loud rock concerts more than pool, has a crummy beat up pool cue his dad used to use, but never misses a ball on his own table. He would never even consider gambling or himself a pool hustler. I like to believe there is some 21 year old genius who is hiding out and has hundreds of times strung 10 racks together playing 9ball and just laughs at the champions pondering over a "tough shot" on ESPN. What do you think..........??
Is there a secret subculture - an unknown Mosconi Out there?
- Thread starter Mike Haines
- Start date
Me!
I practice 2 hours a day on my home table. Does that count?
Plus I will shoot anyone who wants to challenge me, but not for money! 
I practice 2 hours a day on my home table. Does that count?
Plus I will shoot anyone who wants to challenge me, but not for money! 
the best I ever saw
The best I ever saw went years at a time without picking up a stick and didn't consider himself a pool player.
Hu
The best I ever saw went years at a time without picking up a stick and didn't consider himself a pool player.
Hu
Mike Haines said:
There's probably about 50 guys like this in the Philipines and Taiwan that we've never heard of. And maybe a dozen more in Europe. Only in America do we get the scoop on most young prodigies.
Why not?
I like to believe there is a blind Buddhist monk living somewhere in a monastery who routinely runs hundreds of balls and hasn't missed a shot in over 20 years. But somewhat more seriously, it seems to me that there COULD be an unknown, playing mostly on a table in his basement, who has developed some extreme skills on the pool table. After all, with the Internet, almost anyone can become aware of what are considered pool's great feats, such as Mosconi's 526 ball run. And these days, there are instructional materials aplenty - videos and books out the wazoo. So yeah, maybe there is some autistic pool genius running rack after rack after rack on his dimly lit basement pool table. And wouldn't it cause a buzz if some unknown shows up at the U. S. Open 9-Ball tournament and wins it without ever missing a makeable ball!!!
I like to believe there is a blind Buddhist monk living somewhere in a monastery who routinely runs hundreds of balls and hasn't missed a shot in over 20 years. But somewhat more seriously, it seems to me that there COULD be an unknown, playing mostly on a table in his basement, who has developed some extreme skills on the pool table. After all, with the Internet, almost anyone can become aware of what are considered pool's great feats, such as Mosconi's 526 ball run. And these days, there are instructional materials aplenty - videos and books out the wazoo. So yeah, maybe there is some autistic pool genius running rack after rack after rack on his dimly lit basement pool table. And wouldn't it cause a buzz if some unknown shows up at the U. S. Open 9-Ball tournament and wins it without ever missing a makeable ball!!!
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I have been on a twenty year "lay down." When I expose the speed surpassing Efren, all will bow down. Stick around, I also will play golf better than Tiger. Man, I really like these pain relievers. I can do anything! I'm gonna go outside and run the forty yard dash in under 4.2.
The guy who plays like god in his basement by himself is quite a bit different than the guy playing in a strange room against another Champion whose only desire is to crush him and take every available dime or the guy playing under the lights and camera's of the finals of the Derby or Open.
Just because someone is good at the technique of the game does not mean they are good at WINNING the game. That is a whole other art in itself.
I got a buddy who I have seen put 5 and 6 packs together enough to know it ain't a fluke. But guess what I still ain't betting on him against a guy who plays a ball or two below him but is in heavy action all time.
My buddy Frank once told me the secret to pool:
First you have to learn to make balls.
Second, you have to learn to PLAY.
Finally, you have to learn to WIN.
Just because someone is good at the technique of the game does not mean they are good at WINNING the game. That is a whole other art in itself.
I got a buddy who I have seen put 5 and 6 packs together enough to know it ain't a fluke. But guess what I still ain't betting on him against a guy who plays a ball or two below him but is in heavy action all time.
My buddy Frank once told me the secret to pool:
First you have to learn to make balls.
Second, you have to learn to PLAY.
Finally, you have to learn to WIN.
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I always considered pool a subculture in and of itself.
If you learn to run hundreds on your basement table you are a winner. Gambling is over rated. Johnny Archer says gambling is not necessary to develop your game. Tournament pressure is very, very similar to pressure playing long ghost sets on tight tables at 10, 11, or 12 ball or whatever your skill level or running hundreds in straight pool.JCIN said:
Gambling gives you the added pressure of the money. Fine if you have plenty and won't miss it, but then where is the pressure? If you will miss and need that money there's plenty of pressure for sure. This pressure will not necessarilly lead you on the quickest path to playing pool the way it should be played.
Earl Strickland came in after playing golf one day and I believe he said he shot par on the course. A guy standing nearby asked what he was betting. He said nothing. This guy tells Earl that it didn't mean anything because he wasn't betting and that took all the pressure off. Earl told him it was still just as hard to shoot par whether you're betting or not.
I think he was exagerating though, because of course it's harder when you're betting. But the money is a false extra pressure that is different than the real pressure. The real pressure is the same as it is in a tournament if you are playing to play and do your best and perform for an interested and possibly paying crowd and putting the money out of your mind.
unknownpro
JCIN said:
All good points here. It doesn't mean much when I hear about a guy who is a "practice" champion.
I understand that you value the ability to play under tournament or money pressure more highly than a guy in his basement who might be running hundreds by himself. But Mike's original question is still interesting. Might there be people out there whose physical skills on a pool table are on a par or even beyond the physical skills of tournament and/or back room champions? We all know that playing under money or tournament pressure is a significantly different game from solitary practice, that's not really the point of the original post IMHO.jay helfert said:
It's Different When Someone Is Throwing Punches With Bad Intentions Back At Them
It reminds me of all the boxers dancing around and shadow boxing in the ring, throwing jabs, hooks and uppercuts 100 m.p.h.
Doug
( I've always said, "shoot, anyone can whip up on AIR )
jay helfert said:
It reminds me of all the boxers dancing around and shadow boxing in the ring, throwing jabs, hooks and uppercuts 100 m.p.h.
Doug
( I've always said, "shoot, anyone can whip up on AIR )
you need that experience under pressure
You need experience under pressure. I'm sure of that. Of course I can't explain the baby champions in their teens or the tough kids that don't have to shave yet that are tearing up the gulf coast. I'm sure they wouldn't play nearly so well if they were as smart as we are and knew they needed more seasoning to be a real player.
It is kinda funny. The people that are taking the cream off the top of the local matches seem to be the kids and the older players are getting a taste. The players in their primes that "should" be winning are mostly getting shut out.
The truth is that in a pure shoot out nobody is tougher than a fearless kid. Their eyes are sharp, their bodies aren't protesting the physical strain, and they don't know the meaning of doubt.
Hu
You need experience under pressure. I'm sure of that. Of course I can't explain the baby champions in their teens or the tough kids that don't have to shave yet that are tearing up the gulf coast. I'm sure they wouldn't play nearly so well if they were as smart as we are and knew they needed more seasoning to be a real player.
It is kinda funny. The people that are taking the cream off the top of the local matches seem to be the kids and the older players are getting a taste. The players in their primes that "should" be winning are mostly getting shut out.
The truth is that in a pure shoot out nobody is tougher than a fearless kid. Their eyes are sharp, their bodies aren't protesting the physical strain, and they don't know the meaning of doubt.
Hu
