Not that this is a revelation, bit I got a good laugh, first time I've heard that from some ones mouth
i would like to give you and leto some insight on this subject.
its kinda sad to say i myself have uttered those same words my self in my younger days. having played in bars since i was 16 years old it was the only way i knew to play. its a culture thing. its they way a lot of people grow up being taught.
back then i would occasionally encounter some one in a bar that suggested " league rules ". i thought the same way you said that guy thought.
the snode remarks .. jeers... funny faces about the only rules i knew turned me off from associating with them and learning " their way " of playing pool.
as time went by i was watching pool on wide world of sports and was amazed at how well they played. i wanted to learn to play like that. i decided to go to the only pool in town and start to learn all i could. the " serious " players in their made me uncomfortable with the way they acted toward me " a banger " as serious pool players often refer to people that don't know how to play pool " the right way ".
i never went back to a pool hall again . i preferred to stay in my world where people like me played " bar rules ".
one day i was playing a guy in a bar and after i won about 4 in a row he asked me what league i played in. i said none.... i said i have never played league in my life. he asked why not. i said i did not think i was good enough. he said i was better than any one on his team and asked me if i would join.
i did not find out until the night i joined that it was bcapl 9 ball. i hated it because of the slop factor. i soon joined a bcapl 8 ball team. 8 ball was better but again there is still slop because its call your pocket" not call your shot.
the idea that defense is chhcken shit was so deeply ingrained in me it took 2 years before i finally come around to using defense. some bcapl players were friendly but there is still that stigma " bcapl is for serious players " from a lot of people.
i guess from my experience in bcapl is why i staunchly defend apa on here. they make every body feel welcome.
i played bcapl for a year then i quit pool entirely for about 4 years. a girl who is now my g/f got me to join apa 3 years ago. i learned more about english... cue ball control... defense... etc ...etc.. in my 1st 6 months in apa than the entire year i was in bcapl. apa team mates and opponents alike were more willing to teach me things and no one in bcapl would not even think about doing some thing like that.
thousands of bar bangers like i used to be might be willing to convert to serious poo if they were not treated like " bangers"
you may not have laughed in that guys face about his way of shooting pool but i bet your actions told him what you really thought.