It it uptight to be worried about teams buying each other drinks in league?

CreeDo

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
This situation came up the other night, and I was wondering what other people think of it.

During playoffs the other team was doing shots and they included the player on our team.
In my heart I don't think they were trying to do anything dirty like trying get him drunk.
Their own player was taking shots too. I think it was just a friendly gesture.
They're all pretty good friends.

Still, I just didn't feel good about it. Like even though they had good intentions it could screw up
the outcome of the match... because some people hold their drinks better than others,
and some people have trouble turning down a free drink (either cuz they have a little trouble
with drinking or they are overly worried about appearing rude).

It ended up not mattering so don't think this is sour grapes, our player shot fine.
Their player had some weird errors like tapping the CB during warmup strokes,
so maybe the shots affected him.

My thinking is, probably players should just not buy each other drinks in important matches.
It sucks to have to worry about whether alcohol affected the outcome of the match.

But being a non-drinker I'm not always objective.
I can certainly understand the argument that everyone's a grownup and makes his own choices,
so maybe offering drinks is no big deal.
What do you think?
 
If your teammate bought his own drinks, would you have cared?

Personally, I wouldn't have minded if it happened on my team. If my teammate got loaded and couldn't shoot straight, I'd be pissed but not because of how he got his drinks, simply that he went overboard.
 
The way i look at these things, it's for fun. I would drink with my friends, to be honest, I find a drink loosens me up more. I've played against people that are friends, we chat, we goof, we are friends. A single game against each other will never make us "frenemies". I worry less about mechanics and just stroke it, when I have a drink or two. I tend to play better, because I'm an uptight arse (mentally).

I think you're overreacting, but if it bothers you, work on ground rules for your team.
 
CreeDo said:
This situation came up the other night, and I was wondering what other people think of it.

During playoffs the other team was doing shots and they included the player on our team.
In my heart I don't think they were trying to do anything dirty like trying get him drunk.
Their own player was taking shots too. I think it was just a friendly gesture.
They're all pretty good friends.

Still, I just didn't feel good about it. Like even though they had good intentions it could screw up
the outcome of the match... because some people hold their drinks better than others,
and some people have trouble turning down a free drink (either cuz they have a little trouble
with drinking or they are overly worried about appearing rude).

It ended up not mattering so don't think this is sour grapes, our player shot fine.
Their player had some weird errors like tapping the CB during warmup strokes,
so maybe the shots affected him.

My thinking is, probably players should just not buy each other drinks in important matches.
It sucks to have to worry about whether alcohol affected the outcome of the match.

But being a non-drinker I'm not always objective.
I can certainly understand the argument that everyone's a grownup and makes his own choices,
so maybe offering drinks is no big deal.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

Just because the drink is offered doesn't mean it must be consumed. We all make our choices. If you prefer your teammates don't drink during matches then discuss it with them and make your choices of team accordingly.

just my $.02

Ken
 
CreeDo said:
This situation came up the other night, and I was wondering what other people think of it.

During playoffs the other team was doing shots and they included the player on our team.
In my heart I don't think they were trying to do anything dirty like trying get him drunk.
Their own player was taking shots too. I think it was just a friendly gesture.
They're all pretty good friends.

Still, I just didn't feel good about it. Like even though they had good intentions it could screw up
the outcome of the match... because some people hold their drinks better than others,
and some people have trouble turning down a free drink (either cuz they have a little trouble
with drinking or they are overly worried about appearing rude).

It ended up not mattering so don't think this is sour grapes, our player shot fine.
Their player had some weird errors like tapping the CB during warmup strokes,
so maybe the shots affected him.

My thinking is, probably players should just not buy each other drinks in important matches.
It sucks to have to worry about whether alcohol affected the outcome of the match.

But being a non-drinker I'm not always objective.
I can certainly understand the argument that everyone's a grownup and makes his own choices,
so maybe offering drinks is no big deal.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

Last BCA 8 ball season I played on teams in two different cities. When the regional tournament came I had to choose a team to play with. With almost 100 teams there we ended up playing my other team our second match. Before the match myself and a player from the other team (my other league team mate) went out to his truck and had a drink of whiskey. The amount we consumed would definitely be in the plural "Shots" category. At the end of the match it was tied 12-12 and he and I were playing the case game. Neither of us had lost a game yet, we were both 4-0 in the match. I broke dry and he ran the table. I strongly feel if he hadn't gotten me drunk before the match I would have won that game!:rolleyes:

JC
 
JC said:
Last BCA 8 ball season I played on teams in two different cities. When the regional tournament came I had to choose a team to play with. With almost 100 teams there we ended up playing my other team our second match. Before the match myself and a player from the other team (my other league team mate) went out to his truck and had a drink of whiskey. The amount we consumed would definitely be in the plural "Shots" category. At the end of the match it was tied 12-12 and he and I were playing the case game. Neither of us had lost a game yet, we were both 4-0 in the match. I broke dry and he ran the table. I strongly feel if he hadn't gotten me drunk before the match I would have won that game!:rolleyes:

JC
Click to expand...

E0GRO.gif
 
CreeDo said:
But being a non-drinker I'm not always objective.
I can certainly understand the argument that everyone's a grownup and makes his own choices,
so maybe offering drinks is no big deal.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

I'll just add something that makes no difference, but just to add some story. Bear in mind I drink throughout league tournament and AZ posting...

I played on a team that my team captain got trashed every night and more so during regional or state tourney. It cost us.

I had the unenviable task of kicking the team captain off his own team.

I don't care what anyone does. But, if it affects the team, the team should say something.

Freddie <~~~ and he thanked me
 
If you receive a drink from an opposing player, there's nothing that says you have to slug it down. Take sips only between games and you should stay solid.

When I was playing in local pool halls in Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, etc. I simply told everyone that offered a drink, that I was allergic to alcohol. ;)
 
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when i have captained teams i have always made it clear to my players that getting drunk at important times (play offs, matches that can change the standings) is out of the question. you can have a drink to settle your nerves, but get trashed and lose and you might as well not show up anymore because your not playing.
alec baldwin's character in glengary glenross said it best, "coffee's for closers". having a few too many is for winners. not for those who haven't played yet.
i'd like to add that i am half irish and have a history of having too much to drink and showing my ass. however, i have never done it playing in league, or tournaments or gambling. and i have never done it when i was working.
 
Beyond the obvious about not getting stupid drunk, it depends on how things are in your league.

If your league is like ours, we pretty much all get along well with each other, and consider each other friends. We spend time together a couple nights a week, anywhere from 6 - 12 teams in the same room, its pretty cool. Some folks play on different teams on different nights, and as teams break up and/or restructure, folks end up playing with many of each other over the years. So having drinks together isn't unusual in our world, in fact it would be unusual were it not to happen occasionally.

However, if the league in question is not all that friendly, it might become an issue. You know, a league where borrowing the other teams bridge is frowned upon, that sort of thing.

I'm glad ours is the former, not the latter. Not regarding the drinking, per se, but the atmosphere that wouldn't make it a big deal.
 
I don't see anything wrong with sound one shot with a friendly opponent just for fun.

But after that, it's time for the business at hand. Play the match.

After the match, they can slam as many as they want.

With that being said, league play should be a fun thing. But there is a time during league to have fun and a time to get to the matter at hand.

Priorities need to be pre-determined. Just tell your player that to drink with teammates or opponents is fine but needs to be curtailed when its time to play.
 
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Sounds like I was maybe being too uptight.
We did actually advise him to stop after the 2nd shot, and save the third one for after the match.
And that's what he did.

I guess offering the drink is fine, since it's 100% his choice to take it or not,
I was just thinking there are cases where once the drink is offered,
it kind of puts pressure on someone to accept it,
and it would be better to just not put them on the spot like that.

Not offering also makes sure there's no "asterisk" on the scoresheet,
and nobody can start making accusations.
Like, I personally think it was 100% innocent, but some of my teammates might be more cynical.

Anyway, thanks for the reality check everyone.
 
JC said:
Last BCA 8 ball season I played on teams in two different cities. When the regional tournament came I had to choose a team to play with. With almost 100 teams there we ended up playing my other team our second match. Before the match myself and a player from the other team (my other league team mate) went out to his truck and had a drink of whiskey. The amount we consumed would definitely be in the plural "Shots" category. At the end of the match it was tied 12-12 and he and I were playing the case game. Neither of us had lost a game yet, we were both 4-0 in the match. I broke dry and he ran the table. I strongly feel if he hadn't gotten me drunk before the match I would have won that game!:rolleyes:

JC
Click to expand...

...you drank so much that you dry broke?
 
CreeDo said:
This situation came up the other night, and I was wondering what other people think of it.

During playoffs the other team was doing shots and they included the player on our team.
In my heart I don't think they were trying to do anything dirty like trying get him drunk.
Their own player was taking shots too. I think it was just a friendly gesture.
They're all pretty good friends.

Still, I just didn't feel good about it. Like even though they had good intentions it could screw up
the outcome of the match... because some people hold their drinks better than others,
and some people have trouble turning down a free drink (either cuz they have a little trouble
with drinking or they are overly worried about appearing rude).

It ended up not mattering so don't think this is sour grapes, our player shot fine.
Their player had some weird errors like tapping the CB during warmup strokes,
so maybe the shots affected him.

My thinking is, probably players should just not buy each other drinks in important matches.
It sucks to have to worry about whether alcohol affected the outcome of the match.

But being a non-drinker I'm not always objective.
I can certainly understand the argument that everyone's a grownup and makes his own choices,
so maybe offering drinks is no big deal.
What do you think?
Click to expand...

I think your a little uptight and need to let people live their own lives. Like another poster said , if he buys his own drinks what is the difference. He is a grown man and can make his own decisions.
 
I find it much more effective to take the team captain outside just before the last round of the match, and get him all smoked up.
Talk about breaking dry, after smoking a bowl of Train Wreck you hope the other team is buying drinks,
and it's also tough to shoot while slamming a bunch of hot wings & nacho's.
 
Jesus Christ the other guys bought an opponent a drink and that's cause for concern?

Considering how many league players are rude, shark, and do all sorts of underhanded crap to mess with opponents it seems completely nuts to question a friendly gesture like buying someone a drink.


Leagues really do bring out the worst behavior and people.
 
Drinks

I like to drink when I shoot, and usually heavily. But I pace myself until after my match(s) (usually, lol). I'll have a few beers, but I never do shots before I play, and turn them down all the time. I get the usual perplexed looks, but anymore everyone knows that I wont do them until after (if at all) so it isnt a big deal... I think it's pretty standard practice to buy others, especially regular friends, a drink or shot. I know a lot of players do not drink, so they may not understand entirely, but for many who do, league night is more than a night to play pool, its also a good excuse to go have a few drinks with friends, relax a bit, and unwind... As a team captain for all the teams I play with, I know what players like to drink and try to shoot them early if I have to. It sux sometimes when it hurts any strategy you may want to try and use, but I know who they are and what they bring to the table before I put them on my team...:smile:
 
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