Listening to IPOD whilst playing???

H

Heckler

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just wondering what people think about the growing the number of players I see wearing Ipods at tournements?....

Should it be allowed?

Does it help keep you focused?

If so what music do you listen to?

A friend mine who does this claims that it calms his nerves and whilst he doesnt play it too loud it also helps him set a steady pace??
 
I have seen many players around here in tourneys do this. They are respectful however in the fact that they keep it real low and if you need to ask or say something to them they can here and respond. I believe it is ok. Actually I have another thread about being really, really nervous in the very begining of tourneys so I will try practicing with one now and see if it calms my nerves. Final though? I say ok if reasonable and respectful.
 
Yeah I havent played in a "proper" tourney for a couple of years now but this weekend am playing in the 10k added event in Kelowna so was thinking about using one....gona practice with it for a few days first though.
 
I have no problem practicing with one, but I do not see any reason people should be able to play with one. Pressure and nerves are part of the game, IPOD's should not be the answer to calming them. If you want, practice with one and get a rhythm, them hum in your head while you play. The match is a competition between one person and another, an IPOD distances you from having to notice that other person. That is suppossed to be accomplished through focus. It just seems a little juvenile to me, and I am not that old.
 
it drives your opponent nutz, which is so bizarre because only you can hear it. imo, it reflects on the lack of focus of the opponent that it would bother them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,etiquette or not. it's like, some players don't like playing others who wear caps.
 
It drives them nuts because it is fairly ignorant. Could you see a PGA golfer or any other athlete for that matter wearing one. None of their professions would ever allow it. We ask why pools image is not that great, yet we want to play others while wearing our IPOD's. You might as well shoot with your pants hanging low enough for everyone to see your underwear as well. It is simply poor etiquette, and suggests a lack of class and respect. We continually see this in the current generation. Disregard for how things have been, pushing to do things however they see fit. Just seems like another example of it.
 
I have no problem with it as long as the volume is not cranked up and the person wearing it can still communicate with his/her opponent or official. I'm not going to have a conversation with them anyway during play. As far as them not doing it in the past.. I'd say it's most likely because MP3 players are new. They used to smoke cigarettes during match play.. how did that affect an opponent who was a non-smoker? Or players that talk it up or talk to the crowd during a match.. all a distraction if you let it be.

If you walked into a money game with two people playing you didn't know.. and one was wearing an IPOD would you put your money on that person? Is it making that much of a difference? If it automatically made you a better player everyone would be wearing one. Just my opinion. But I've been known to be wrong. :D
 
"... you need to TELL me that it's frozen... huh? you did? well, I didn't hear it"
 
I really don't care if someone wears an ipod. At least with music playing in their ears, it will keep their mouth shut while I'm shooting.
 
By way of some perspective would just mention that under both of the main controlling bodies for Uk style pool the wearing of any earphone connections during a match is forbidden. For the first offence in the match a foul is awarded and a warning given, a second offence means loss of match and disqualification from the event.

Some complaining parties have in the past raised the possibilty of coaching being surreptiously given by this method. Personally I think that's a bit far fetched but can nevertheless see where they're coming from. Personally it would make no difference to me if my opponent wanted to do it but it does seem a sloppy way of conducting yourself during an event and on the balance of things perhaps it should be forbidden by the applicable rules.
 
Last edited:
mantis99 said:
It drives them nuts because it is fairly ignorant. Could you see a PGA golfer or any other athlete for that matter wearing one. None of their professions would ever allow it. We ask why pools image is not that great, yet we want to play others while wearing our IPOD's. You might as well shoot with your pants hanging low enough for everyone to see your underwear as well. It is simply poor etiquette, and suggests a lack of class and respect. We continually see this in the current generation. Disregard for how things have been, pushing to do things however they see fit. Just seems like another example of it.
Click to expand...
First, how is it ignorant? Silly I can understand, but ignorant?

Second, why does everyone always make this logical leap from things amateurs do to what pros do? And why are those things always the reason that pool isn't picked up by major sponsors?

And third, your argument is an Appeal to Tradition, which is logically invalid.

I really don't care either way what you do with your ears while you're playing. If something causes you to foul where you otherwise wouldn't have, that's your problem.

The one thing that does bother me though, and this is with poker too, is that it's hard to tell what the earphones are attached to. These days it could be a cell phone, with someone coaching you on the other end. Obviously that's not right. But I don't buy the whole "People didn't do it in the past" argument.
 
arsenius said:
First, how is it ignorant? Silly I can understand, but ignorant?

Second, why does everyone always make this logical leap from things amateurs do to what pros do? And why are those things always the reason that pool isn't picked up by major sponsors?

And third, your argument is an Appeal to Tradition, which is logically invalid.

I really don't care either way what you do with your ears while you're playing. If something causes you to foul where you otherwise wouldn't have, that's your problem.

The one thing that does bother me though, and this is with poker too, is that it's hard to tell what the earphones are attached to. These days it could be a cell phone, with someone coaching you on the other end. Obviously that's not right. But I don't buy the whole "People didn't do it in the past" argument.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you. Also, the "professional players" in poker you see on tv some of them wear sun glasses inside and they do this to avoid revealing their "tell". Sunglasses, inside, on national tv? Get the point Mantis99?

I think it should be allowed in localized tourneys. Like the ones you play in at your favorite hall. I could agree it's not proper etiquette if you were playing in the Turning Stone tourney or on tv but whats so wrong at a local level if it's not loud and you could still communicate with the person if need be? It's not like its cheating, or making the player better, or hindering anything else having to do with you.
 
Last edited:
Yes & No................

mantis99 said:
Pressure and nerves are part of the game, IPOD's should not be the answer to calming them.
Click to expand...

Then neither should the use of alcohol, drugs; recreational or not. Yet it happens all the time. Someone sneaks off in between matches, does what they need to do then comes back and plays a match. Or someone drinks a few drinks to steady themselves and them plays.

I do not condone the drug use at all! However, if someone has a drink to relax them or needs the use of an Ipod, I see no problem with it.

I use one and I will give you my reason. I have super-sensitive ears and can hear a cricket break wind on the other side of the poolroom. So, any conversation around the table I can hear and I might want to be in on it. So, it, in turn, distracts me from the shot at hand.

JMO

JMD in VA
 
I have on occasion used an ipod while practicing. It helps drown out the lousy music selection of the kids at the local pool hall. :rolleyes:

So far I've never tried to use one during a tournament match, but I definitely wouldn't have a problem with someone who did.

I've never understood the mentality of "if I don't like it, even if it's not hurting me or anyone else, it shouldn't be allowed."

So by that logic if I find the color orange ugly bright and distracting then you shouldn't be able to wear anything orange?! :confused:
 
mantis99 said:
I have no problem practicing with one, but I do not see any reason people should be able to play with one. Pressure and nerves are part of the game, IPOD's should not be the answer to calming them. If you want, practice with one and get a rhythm, them hum in your head while you play. The match is a competition between one person and another, an IPOD distances you from having to notice that other person. That is suppossed to be accomplished through focus. It just seems a little juvenile to me, and I am not that old.
Click to expand...

Hmm I always thought in an ideal situation it was just you against the table... not against drowning out some idiot who thinks making a stupid comment will throw you off your game. Sounds like you are a little sour because it's negating some of your shark moves.

I may have to start using my iphone more often now seeing how it may get inside the head of my opponent and annoy the piss out of him. I may even use it as a phone and have DCP give me instructions on some shots... who knows?
 
I really don't care.....

I went to Valley Forge this year intending to wear my iPod......I remember when BJ Ussery won the Open Amateur event two years ago.....he used actual headphones (not the little iPod ones either....but big over-the-head, over-the-ears headphones). Anyway I'm getting ready to play my first match and it's starting late because the match on my table wasn't finished yet.....I'm jamming to some John Mellencamp (volume very low, I can hear you if you talk to me etc.)......and one of my friends gets my attention and says "At the meeting this morning....it was stated that you couldn't have iPods or headphones etc.). Well I immediately took it off.........I didn't want to be disqualified. But as it turns out, I played like a beginner and lost anyway.........but in general, I do not have a problem with my opponent wearing one.......and I really do think I would wear one if allowed. It just blocks everything out and lets me concentrate on the table........and it prevents you from hearing the "intentionally spoken shark comment"....you know, the kinds where your opponent or your opponent's supporters say crap like "he ain't gonna make it..." and they act like you're NOT supposed to hear it.....but you know sure as hell they want you to hear it.......that I think is the main benefit of wearing one.........
 
deaf or I-pod

I personally don't use a music device when I'm playing. Well, I shouldn't say I don't because I have. To me I don't care if a person uses one or doesn't. I don't think you can use the logic that you need to be able to communicate with the shooter in case he fouls. Last I checked the hearing impaired have never been barred from compitition.

On another note, I once used headphones in a league match against an opponent I had a bad history with. He was notorious for sharking and in general he was a complete A-Hole.

The thing with this situation that still makes me howl with laughter is I didn't even have it turned on. In fact I had taken the batteries out. I could hear him complaining bitterly to his teammates that I was cheating and it shouldn't be allowed.

After I won I took the battery cover off and showed him. He turned about this purple ----->:(

I think someone else hit on it in an earlier post. headphones may not give someone an advantage for normal play, but they do limit the ability for an opponent to shark you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top