Need help!!!!

B

budonahog

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is a pretty long thread, so if you don't want to read it, I understand.
I figure someone out there has had the same thing happen to them and maybe found a way to overcome the issue....

Here is what happened...

I played in a tournament this weekend. I don't feel I am a great player but play decent enough. I know there are other players there that I really don't have a chance to beat at this point of time, but I figure it is a good learning experience and hope to improve my game.

I get to the venue early and do some warm ups. Shooting pretty good, stroke feels smooth and making some nice shots and getting position.

First match and I jump out to a 4-0 lead and miss a pretty easy 9 ball. Not a real big deal I figure but it should be 5-0 instead of 4-1. The tide swings a little and the score becomes 4-3. I chalk it up to karma for missing the nine. I end up winning the match 9-7 and feel I played pretty good with some good safeties which is definitely lacking in my game.

Next match, I get a good player that I know I shouldn't beat. I am down 7-2 and then I get an open door on a couple games to get some momentum up on my side. I make some nice shots and also make a couple of good safes and get a little luck to help me out. I am running out the last 4 balls to go hill-hill, and miss a cut on a 9 ball that really isn't a difficult shot, so final score of 9-7 with me on the short side. I don't feel too bad because, as I said, I was an underdog for this match to begin with, and I felt I shot pretty good.

Third match, I get a guy that shoots good, but feel if I am on my game, I should be able to win the match. The first game, the guy breaks, comes up dry. I get to the table and run out down to the 9 ball and have the same cut that I missed in the last game of the last match. Yup, same result.:angry: Now the melt down starts. So mad at myself for missing this shot again, I can't regroup and focus. End up down 3-0, try to pull myself together, but feel my head is going to explode. I was at a point being down 5-0, I wanted to concede the rest of the match. I didn't, but I didn't care about the result of the match at that time either. At this point, I am sooo frustrated with the game, I feel like giving it up.:(

Well, obviously I didn't give it up, because I am here asking for your help. What have you, or someone you know, done to keep the mind from letting this crazy meltdown happen. I am a pretty patient person and let a lot of crap flow off my back. I am not sure if this is different because I somewhat control the outcome with my own skill, or lack there of, but I know for me to continue this journey, I need to control these emotions. Any help would certainly be appreciative.
 
budonahog said:
This is a pretty long thread, so if you don't want to read it, I understand.
I figure someone out there has had the same thing happen to them and maybe found a way to overcome the issue....

Here is what happened...

I played in a tournament this weekend. I don't feel I am a great player but play decent enough. I know there are other players there that I really don't have a chance to beat at this point of time, but I figure it is a good learning experience and hope to improve my game.

I get to the venue early and do some warm ups. Shooting pretty good, stroke feels smooth and making some nice shots and getting position.

First match and I jump out to a 4-0 lead and miss a pretty easy 9 ball. Not a real big deal I figure but it should be 5-0 instead of 4-1. The tide swings a little and the score becomes 4-3. I chalk it up to karma for missing the nine. I end up winning the match 9-7 and feel I played pretty good with some good safeties which is definitely lacking in my game.

Next match, I get a good player that I know I shouldn't beat. I am down 7-2 and then I get an open door on a couple games to get some momentum up on my side. I make some nice shots and also make a couple of good safes and get a little luck to help me out. I am running out the last 4 balls to go hill-hill, and miss a cut on a 9 ball that really isn't a difficult shot, so final score of 9-7 with me on the short side. I don't feel too bad because, as I said, I was an underdog for this match to begin with, and I felt I shot pretty good.

Third match, I get a guy that shoots good, but feel if I am on my game, I should be able to win the match. The first game, the guy breaks, comes up dry. I get to the table and run out down to the 9 ball and have the same cut that I missed in the last game of the last match. Yup, same result.:angry: Now the melt down starts. So mad at myself for missing this shot again, I can't regroup and focus. End up down 3-0, try to pull myself together, but feel my head is going to explode. I was at a point being down 5-0, I wanted to concede the rest of the match. I didn't, but I didn't care about the result of the match at that time either. At this point, I am sooo frustrated with the game, I feel like giving it up.:(

Well, obviously I didn't give it up, because I am here asking for your help. What have you, or someone you know, done to keep the mind from letting this crazy meltdown happen. I am a pretty patient person and let a lot of crap flow off my back. I am not sure if this is different because I somewhat control the outcome with my own skill, or lack there of, but I know for me to continue this journey, I need to control these emotions. Any help would certainly be appreciative.
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Fake it until you make it..... Lots of positive self talk in the chair and anytime you miss a shot imagine it going perfectly several times in a row and focus on that and not the memory of the miss... Parts of the brain won't know the difference from reality and imagined reality......
 
First off, practice that shot! There's gotta be something up with it, whether it be your stance, stroke, something. One other thing I will say is this....when watching pretty much any pro run out these days, if they have a relatively easy cut on the 9 in the corner they will spin the cue ball 2 rails off the bottom rail when shooting it. I don't know why they do it, 99% of he time it's not needed. so that's something else to consider when shooting the money ball. The less spin you need to put on the cue ball the better. The less deflection you have to adjust for the better.
Lastly, if you bend down on a 9 ball (or any ball) and don't feel comfortable....don't shoot it. Get up, chalk, walk around the table, etc. The only one going to miss it is you, so give every ball your 110% concentration, and don't ever think your going to miss. This will seem ridiculous but some shots I imagine shooting and seeing the ball fall before I shoot it. That will help your "I'm gonna miss" attitude.

One other thing......forget who your playing. Thinking I should beat this guy or I won't beat that guy is hurting your game mentally. Your already expecting certain things. It doesn't matter who your playing, it matters HOW your playing and going into a set thinking I can't beat this guy is only going to hinder your true ability. Walk up to that table thinking.....I don't care who I'm playing, I'm here to play my best and win!
 
deadnutz said:
One other thing......forget who your playing. Thinking I should beat this guy or I won't beat that guy is hurting your game mentally. Your already expecting certain things. It doesn't matter who your playing, it matters HOW your playing and going into a set thinking I can't beat this guy is only going to hinder your true ability. Walk up to that table thinking.....I don't care who I'm playing, I'm here to play my best and win!
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This is great advice. Just remember, you are playing the balls and the table, not the person. Once it is your shot at the table, how well the opponent shoots doesn't matter.

That won't help you get back from the melt down factor, but it may help to delay it from kicking in. I've had those moments just as your described, way more times than I'd like to admit. All you can do is let it go. The next game is a fresh start. It's like they say about cornerbacks in the NFL who get burned on plays, you have to have a short memory. :thumbup:
 
If you really want to be a competitor.....

That third match was no gimme, in essence by your own words. Losing it could easily have been in the cards. That's to start off.

It is frustrating when we miss shots that we know we should make. And missing the same shot in different matches makes it hard to swallow.

If it was truly getting to you and you see yourself about to blow, you may as well, take a break, a long break and start doing some positive self-talk, freshening up with a trip to the restroom and coming back to the table with the attitude of, "I WILL DO MY BEST."

Doing your best means not getting down on yourself. It means lots of other things as you well know.

Someone once wrote or said that you can not keep two different thoughts in your mind at the same time. Fill your mind with positive thoughts and replace those negative volcanic thoughts that are hurting your game. The little break with positive self-talk might give you the time to settle back in.

G'Luck and g'shooting.
 
When you allow anger to build, madness takes its toll. Its not like one thing happened and you lost it, there was a cumulative effect that happened. Same thing with running the rack, shoot each shot one at a time....dont allow the pressure to mount with every ball you make.
 
budonahog said:
...

At this point, I am sooo frustrated with the game, I feel like giving it up.:(

Well, obviously I didn't give it up, because I am here asking for your help. What have you, or someone you know, done to keep the mind from letting this crazy meltdown happen. I am a pretty patient person and let a lot of crap flow off my back. I am not sure if this is different because I somewhat control the outcome with my own skill, or lack there of, but I know for me to continue this journey, I need to control these emotions. Any help would certainly be appreciative.
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I've been there. I got so frustrated with my game once that I did quit. I picked it back up later on, only to quit again for other more important reasons. Now, I'm in it for the long haul, for the journey so to speak. Knowing that I'm now in it for the long haul has been a bit liberating. Before I had such unrealistic expectations and when I didn't meet them I just got so very frustrated. I really enjoy the game more now than I ever have and most of my playing time is spent all by my lonesome.

So ask yourself what your long term goal for the game is. Is quitting really an option for you? Decide now if this is going to be a life-long journey. Or at least answer that question the best you can for now, of course knowing that life can throw us all a curve ball or two. If you decide you are in it for the long haul - missing a couple of 9 balls in the November of 2011 really shouldn't set you back that far.

One more thing - figure out why you missed that stupid nineball and never miss that shot again.
:thumbup:
 
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Years ago I used to hear this kind of thing a lot from 8 ball players. They would play great until they got to the 8 ball and miss it by a diamond. If you're missing the case ball a lot, you may need to keep practicing the shots that you missed that ball on. Try to concentrate on a slow back swing on the stroke that you pull the trigger on. Try to make sure you're not moving your upper arm on the trigger stroke. Stan Shuffett told me when I spoke with him at the Open that most missed shots are due to a faulty stroke.
And, try to put the misses out of your mind, easier said than done, I know:rolleyes:
 
I would like to take the time to thank everyone that gave some advice. This great game of ours sure is frustrating sometimes, but it is definately hard to give up. I guess it is back to practicing and trying to harness the emotions.
 
bud,

Let me tell you what happened to me at my bowling league tonight. We're about 10 weeks into our league as of tonight and I have as yet to throw a first-ball gutter ball all season long. Well tonight in my second game about the fourth frame I'm on the approach ready to throw my first ball of the frame and while I'm getting ready to take my first step I, for some reason which I cannot explain, told myself not to throw this ball into the gutter. Well guess what I did? Yep, smack-dab into the channel before the ball even got halfway down the alley. It goes to show you what devastating power negative thinking can have on ones game. As far as missing case-balls, tell yourself that you CAN make this shot and that you do it all the time, but DO NOT let any negativity creep into the pre-shot thought process. I myself like to leave myself a slight-to-medium cut shot on a case ball as it makes me bear down a little harder and not be too nonchalant about it.

I hope you get this rectified soon. I know a few people with this same problem and it drives them nuts too!!!

Maniac
 
Maniac said:
bud,

Let me tell you what happened to me at my bowling league tonight. We're about 10 weeks into our league as of tonight and I have as yet to throw a first-ball gutter ball all season long. Well tonight in my second game about the fourth frame I'm on the approach ready to throw my first ball of the frame and while I'm getting ready to take my first step I, for some reason which I cannot explain, told myself not to throw this ball into the gutter. Well guess what I did? Yep, smack-dab into the channel before the ball even got halfway down the alley. It goes to show you what devastating power negative thinking can have on ones game. As far as missing case-balls, tell yourself that you CAN make this shot and that you do it all the time, but DO NOT let any negativity creep into the pre-shot thought process. I myself like to leave myself a slight-to-medium cut shot on a case ball as it makes me bear down a little harder and not be too nonchalant about it.

I hope you get this rectified soon. I know a few people with this same problem and it drives them nuts too!!!

Maniac
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I agree completely. This recent league session I've taken to actively try to make myself stay positive in my matches, and it has helped me a lot. Many times I'll get down on the shot (usually a tougher shot, or the 8-ball) and say to myself as I address it... "this ball goes in". Sounds silly, but it seems to keep me focused in a positive manner. (Sometimes the ball even goes in, too! :p )
 
Honestly. Buy the book "the pleasure of small motions." It helped my mental game tremendously. Read it and re-read it. It covers the majority of what has been advised in the thread and is specific to pool.

Roy

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
 
Roy Vadas said:
Honestly. Buy the book "the pleasure of small motions." It helped my mental game tremendously. Read it and re-read it. It covers the majority of what has been advised in the thread and is specific to pool.

Roy

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I've read this about three or four times. I got very little out of it. I know some people think it's great but there are others who don't. I keep reading it, hoping I'll harvest some nugget I can use. Kind of depends on whether you are a left brain or a right brain person. Like so many other things, this book isn't for everybody. For me, The Inner Game of Tennis was better and so was Mental Toughness Training for Sports.
 
ya done stepped on your thingie, didn't ya. That'll slow you down, especially on the 9.

But really... in a tourney format, you have the same likelihood of beating someone a ball better than you as you do losing to another person a ball worsr than you. That's tourney pool.

Now, think about those 9s you missed and tell me you aren't gonn have such a lapse again or we will all make fun of you, dog.
As long as you come back stronger, you are on the upswing.
 
budonahog said:
First match and I jump out to a 4-0 lead and miss a pretty easy 9 ball.
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Why did you let up? Was that your game plan? Jump out ahead and go on cruise control? Did you even have a game plan? Ben Hogan once played a US Open and left the 7 iron out of his bag because he knew in advance that he wasn't going to need it.
budonahog said:
miss a cut on a 9 ball that really isn't a difficult shot,
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budonahog said:
run out down to the 9 ball and have the same cut that I missed in the last game of the last match. Yup, same result.:angry:
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Why do you feel this is an easy shot? You missed it three times! That is simply what happened. You can be mad if you want but being mad is not going to make balls. First off, there is no such thing as a difficult or easy shot. All shots are the same and require the same level of focus every time. The only thing that is different is the percentage of the time you make a shot. Some shots have a lower percentage than others. You need to be aware of these percentages all the time. You can't focus more on the hard shots and relax on the easy ones. That path does not lead to consistency. Your focus must be the same on every shot. How much you can focus depends on your stamina. Your ability to focus depends on your discipline.

Suppose you go to the table with 100 shots. 15 will be bad shots. 15 will be good shots. 70 will be average shots. Suppose those shots were marbles. Red ones for bad shots, green ones for good shots and blue ones for average shots. Put them in a bucket and shake them up. Go to the table and pull out a marble. Blue one. Makes sense because statistically that is going to happen 70% of the time. You get a few more blue ones, maybe a green one and then you get a red one. OMG what are you going to do now? Why did I do that you ask yourself? Did the contents of your shot bucket change at all? No.

If you plot those shots on a chart, left to right with the red on the right and green on the left, what you get is a bell curve with a big blue bulge in the middle. The position of that bell curve represents your skill level. Pulling out a red one is nothing more than a statistical event. What happens when you freak out over getting a red one is that the entire bell curve starts to slide to the left until more and more of your average shots are now in your red zone. A shot is just a shot. When it is done let it go. If you hold on to the red ones it will pull your curve towards it.
 
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