Mike Sigel shares "the Key" he learned from Irving Crane in Dallas Texas

Did they call him "Big Bob"? ....or was that Bob Ozzburn? He lived in Florida when I met him, but was from up around that same area...I think anyway.

He is big (tall), and he is Bob, whether they called him Big Bob I don't know lol.. And he did live in Florida. But he is originally from Danville, VA

The only pic on the net I see of him.
25f8.jpg
 
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I hung around Bob a lot when I lived in Tampa Florida.

He is big (tall), and he is Bob, whether they called him Big Bob I don't know lol.. And he did live in Florida. But he is originally from Danville, VA

The only pic on the net I see of him.
25f8.jpg

Yes, I hung around Bob a lot when I lived in Tampa Florida. He showed me some things about one pocket, and I knew he played snooker at a high level.

I thought his name was Ozzborne because we called him "OZ" - at least in Tampa. Buddy Hall was living there at that time as well.....I was in a good spot to learn, that's for sure.

We practiced at BAKERS BILLIARDS if anyone remembers that iconic pool hall.
 
In time teaching DVDs will be dinosaurs.

I hear that they are working on a Chalk where you only have to chalk your cue once a year and all the balls will automatically go in.

Google Glass will do that for you or its soon to come.
 
In time teaching DVDs will be dinosaurs.

I hear that they are working on a Chalk where you only have to chalk your cue once a year and all the balls will automatically go in.

Google Glass will do that for you or its soon to come.

Funny as hell to me to watch people part with their hard earned for all this nonsense just to poke a ball with a stick, yes it is that simple. I really don't know why they seem to need this validation in the quest for the grail. All you need to know is freely available on the web, mumbo jumbo free.
 
Here guys, try this - lead foot ( right for right handers) pointing 30 degrees away from shot line (heel on line), upper body 30 degrees from shot line (to put your right shoulder directly behind your head, with your head close to your left shoulder). This is what a snooker coach would recommend.
 
I ran into Bob Ogburn (Ozborn--road name) in Balitmore back in 78 while traveling around with Jim Healdrth. Four of us moving around taking spots off...He took me over to where Rempe and Segal were practicing for the up coming World Straight Pool Tourny.
When Segal was young he traveled with Bob a lot--great Gent and could play a good high gear...
 
Here guys, try this - lead foot ( right for right handers) pointing 30 degrees away from shot line (heel on line), upper body 30 degrees from shot line (to put your right shoulder directly behind your head, with your head close to your left shoulder). This is what a snooker coach would recommend.

ssshhhhh!!!! This is supposed to be secret info known only to the very elite pros! Us mere bangers aren't supposed to have a clue how to play!
 
ssshhhhh!!!! This is supposed to be secret info known only to the very elite pros! Us mere bangers aren't supposed to have a clue how to play!

It's called Come Hither Marketing(TM). As in, "Want to immediately play better? Come hither [with your wallet]."

Actually, now that I think about it, if the opportunity weren't there, the marketing would've dried up long ago. Like Slasher said a couple posts above, it's a shame folks part with their hard-earned so easily.

-Sean
 
The 31 Degree Rule

Here guys, try this - lead foot ( right for right handers) pointing 30 degrees away from shot line (heel on line), upper body 30 degrees from shot line (to put your right shoulder directly behind your head, with your head close to your left shoulder). This is what a snooker coach would recommend.

That's great advice for snooker, but for pocket billiards it's 31 degrees. ;) There's a technique that Mike shared to create the perfect angle.... it's not taught by any "teacher' .......yet........TOI-31 will be coming soon to a theater near you. :groucho:

'The Game is the Teacher'

great-1.jpg
 
Bob has a great sense of humor and was a "true road player".

I ran into Bob Ogburn (Ozborn--road name) in Balitmore back in 78 while traveling around with Jim Healdrth. Four of us moving around taking spots off...He took me over to where Rempe and Segal were practicing for the up coming World Straight Pool Tourny.
When Segal was young he traveled with Bob a lot--great Gent and could play a good high gear...

I thought his last name was "OZBORN" - I used to like listening to him tell "road stories" with that deep voice down Charlies "One Pocket Club" in St. Petersburg....he has a great sense of humor and was a "true road player".
 
Yes, I hung around Bob a lot when I lived in Tampa Florida. He showed me some things about one pocket, and I knew he played snooker at a high level.

I thought his name was Ozzborne because we called him "OZ" - at least in Tampa. Buddy Hall was living there at that time as well.....I was in a good spot to learn, that's for sure.

We practiced at BAKERS BILLIARDS if anyone remembers that iconic pool hall.

here is a video of Bob. Damn good!
http://www.propoolvideo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=27
 
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Could you make that larger please, it's difficult to see. :groucho:

The visual line is established ABOVE THE BALL.....before you get down on the shot.

The "trick" is to know how to come down on the shot correctly. Only the champion players do this as well as possible. It can be taught, but takes 3 weeks to incorporate.

I've been working on the bolded part above for the last month. After fighting inconsistency for many years like we all do, I finally settled on this for the answer after long hours of work on my game.

I realized, when my visuals were working, I was a ball making machine. The next night I was at best, playing to about 75% of my ability. What happened in 24 hours? I just never learned from the git how to develop my approach and how to correctly get down on the ball.

I just watched the Keith and Mike show from 1993 and noticed how quickly they move into the shot line from all different directions. There's little pre shot routine and quite a bit of movement before, during, and after the final stroke. Still, they came down on the shot the same way every time. Their incoming alignment varied, but they quickly picked up the shot line and kept their alignment.

My stroke was all over the place some nights and I figured out it was my subconscious trying to steer the cue ball. My alignment was slightly off and I was correcting for it by compensating with my pool brain. When I come down on the shot correctly, my stroke feels solid and I hit the cue ball where I need to hit it.

I was too wrapped up in a PSR to realize I just needed to get down better on the cue ball. I practice by getting down on the shot with my cue off to the side and then bringing it onto the shot line, so it doesn't influence my aim. After all these years of playing, I finally "see" what I need to do! :grin:

Best,
Mike
 
That's great advice for snooker, but for pocket billiards it's 31 degrees. ;) There's a technique that Mike shared to create the perfect angle.... it's not taught by any "teacher' .......yet........TOI-31 will be coming soon to a theater near you. :groucho:

'The Game is the Teacher'

great-1.jpg

Yessir, pool requires you to open up your angles a bit more haha.

Every pool player has their "secret" technique... I'm glad more players are opening up about them.

It's all great for our sport :).
 
This move "clears the hips" so you can look at the line of the shot squarely

The "trick" is in how the head comes down on the ball. It's done by making the LOWER BODY go back to make the head to down. For a visual example, it's like putting your fist out in front of you pointing up.....then move the fist down by moving your elbow up.

This move "clears the hips" so you can look at the line of the shot squarely and still get the right hip out of the way as you go down to the ball. If you don't do it this way you will have trouble getting the hip to "clear".

...then you will have to start with the cue to the right of your vision center, and this makes it difficult to go straight down on the true "line of the shot".

This may be difficult to follow, although it's the one technique that makes a HUGE difference in how you play the game.....it makes it SO much easier. I would say I would put it on video, but the "natives" would get upset thinking I might be trying to make $10. ;) 'The Game is the Teacher'


I've been working on the bolded part above for the last month. After fighting inconsistency for many years like we all do, I finally settled on this for the answer after long hours of work on my game.

I realized, when my visuals were working, I was a ball making machine. The next night I was at best, playing to about 75% of my ability. What happened in 24 hours? I just never learned from the git how to develop my approach and how to correctly get down on the ball.

I just watched the Keith and Mike show from 1993 and noticed how quickly they move into the shot line from all different directions. There's little pre shot routine and quite a bit of movement before, during, and after the final stroke. Still, they came down on the shot the same way every time. Their incoming alignment varied, but they quickly picked up the shot line and kept their alignment.

My stroke was all over the place some nights and I figured out it was my subconscious trying to steer the cue ball. My alignment was slightly off and I was correcting for it by compensating with my pool brain. When I come down on the shot correctly, my stroke feels solid and I hit the cue ball where I need to hit it.

I was too wrapped up in a PSR to realize I just needed to get down better on the cue ball. I practice by getting down on the shot with my cue off to the side and then bringing it onto the shot line, so it doesn't influence my aim. After all these years of playing, I finally "see" what I need to do! :grin:

Best,
Mike
 
That's "BIG BOB" alright, he shot a "pretty good stick"....I've never seen that site before, what is ProPoolVideo.com?

I dont think the main link works anymore, but you can click on this:
http://www.propoolvideo.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=4&Itemid=27
It was a lot of of various FL tour stuff. Back when the big names used to come play.
Also some stories, commentary in the old school section. It is worth a look around for sure. Some videos of D. Hatch going off with some close to perfect pool.
 
That's great advice for snooker, but for pocket billiards it's 31 degrees. ;) There's a technique that Mike shared to create the perfect angle.... it's not taught by any "teacher' .......yet........TOI-31 will be coming soon to a theater near you. :groucho:

'The Game is the Teacher'

great-1.jpg

Before you go making blanket statements like that, perhaps you should first find out just what the "teachers" are teaching. You just might learn a thing or two or three, or a hundred. ;)
 
.from a Pro Pool Perspective we always have to laugh

Yessir, pool requires you to open up your angles a bit more haha.

Every pool player has their "secret" technique... I'm glad more players are opening up about them.

It's all great for our sport :).

Wow, it's so nice to see someone with a sense of humor and a good attitude. Thanks, for that, it's few and far between on here.

Mike Sigel and I were joking about this and that's how the 31 Degrees came up....his humor is "high level" because he understands pool from so many angles - Player, Promoter, Cue Maker, DVD Producer, etc......from a Pro Pool Perspective we always have to laugh to keep from taking this stuff too seriously.

Best Regards, my friend....

'The Game is Our Teacher'

15sp-01l.gif
 
The "trick" is in how the head comes down on the ball. It's done by making the LOWER BODY go back to make the head to down. For a visual example, it's like putting your fist out in front of you pointing up.....then move the fist down by moving your elbow up.

This move "clears the hips" so you can look at the line of the shot squarely and still get the right hip out of the way as you go down to the ball. If you don't do it this way you will have trouble getting the hip to "clear".

...then you will have to start with the cue to the right of your vision center, and this makes it difficult to go straight down on the true "line of the shot".

This may be difficult to follow, although it's the one technique that makes a HUGE difference in how you play the game.....it makes it SO much easier. I would say I would put it on video, but the "natives" would get upset thinking I might be trying to make $10. ;) 'The Game is the Teacher'

It took a little while to translate your analogy, but it's simple once you get it. In fact, something's gotta be wrong because it feels too comfortable. :grin-square:

I was looking for a way to consistently control the position of my head as I moved down into the shot. I tried to do it with different head and shoulder alignments, but they were tough to ingrain with different shots. Leaning over the table, jacking up, shooting off of the rail, all change your upper body positions and make it hard to keep the head over the shot in the correct alignment.

I don't know why I didn't think of using the lower torso/hips to pull the upper body down into position. They are more stable and less prone to last second changes as you move into the shot line.

I need to go back to the video now, and study some top players to see this movement that was right in front of my eyes all this time. I just didn't realeyes it! Thanks for the great tip! Shaved months off of the learning curve for me.

BTW...a pro friend of mine read your post about the 31* body positioning/stance reference and called me. We want the full report asap! :cool: :smile:

Best,
Mike
 

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