Major Annoyance

[jay helfert]

Here is someting that really bugs me. I play most of my pool in the afternoon. Pretty much the same group of people every day. The room offers a daily special of 3 hours for 5 bucks. You can't get much cheaper entertainment than that. As they come in, each player takes a table. Then they team up and play on one table and when one is shooting the other is banging balls around on the other table. Everyone does it except the straight pool players. We seem to be the only ones who know where they are supposed to be when your opponent is at the table.

I play 8 ball when I don't have an opponant for straight pool. I find it really annoying to have my opponant not even watching what I am doing. Too have to yell, hey, your shot, when I miss. Does this go on everywhere? I don't go to a lot of different rooms so I don't know.

Dave Nelson

I hear you Dave. If I were you, I would tell my opponent before we start that if we play it is on one table only. If he agrees to that, then fine. If not, no game. And if he agrees and starts banging balls anyway, then quit. He'll get the message.

 

[jay helfert]

Most everyone today is on their own agenda. There's very little respect or consideration left in the world today. I grew up playing in a room, that, if you made too much noise and demanded to be the center of attention, you were thrown out for a few days or until you learned how to behave in a pool-room.

The person that owned the room usually had a pool back-round and knew the importance of keeping people in-line. Most of the players in the room were gambling and he couldn't afford to put up with any bull-grap. He needed the business.

A lot of the rooms today are run by non-owners. Especially in the daytime hours. I play in a room that has a lot of people there just for the social aspect. I hate it but I deal with it. I play eight hours for eight dollars. Some things you learn to live with. The price is right.

I've had people banging balls on the next table while I was playing in a major tournament. I guess, my being on the loser's side, at that point, didn't impress the person whacking balls behind me. Like I said, "He had his own agenda."

Don't get me started on cell phones.

I've been on both sides of this coin Tom. One poolroom I hung in (as a young player) was full of kids and was constantly noisy. But I was making a few dollars playing there every day, so I didn't let it bother me.

The poolroom I worked in had all the serious players. If you got out of line in there, you might get slapped. Even if you were just watching, you kept your mouth shut when someone was shooting.

 

[duckie]

During a local 8 ball tourney, my opponent was chatting with some rail bird during my time at the table, not really paying attention to what was going on or when their turn was.

I did a shot into a cluster of my balls and their balls that was close to the rail. I heard the railbird tell her I fouled, meanig I hit their ball first, but honestly, I didn't know one way or the other cause I wasn't looking for it.

Anyway, I was asked if I fouled. Now, there were two ways to answer this question. Nice and politely reply with a "Do I don't think so."

But since the foul was not noticed by them and really had not been invovled in the game, I just smirked and shrugged my shoulders and sat down.

One pissed off opponent, but that got their attention for the rest of the match.