'No Time For Negative' from the chair

Jimmy Reid

US Open 9 Ball Champion
‘No Time For Negative’ Lessons - Part 2 By Jimmy Reid
Please someone, give Buddy Hall and Mary Kenniston my number. 772-370-0311 Thank you…

Today’s lesson is the self-speak I use while in the chair, batter’s box or on deck circle as we call it…

In the next lesson I’ll get into the steps I go through when it’s my turn at the table until it’s no longer my turn, as I go through these steps every shot there is no time for negative thoughts to enter my mind...

Some of my, over titles include;
World Classic 8 Ball Champion, $25,000.00 1st Place…
BCA National 8 Ball Champion, with the largest field ever on regulation tables…
World Convention 9 Ball Champion…
U.S. Open 9 Ball Champion, shooting the highest accu-stat match of entire tournament in the finals…
King Of The Ring 9 Ball Champion. The top 12 players in the world invitational, televised event…
Now we’re going to shave years off your learning curve.
“Practice and play my way and you’ll improve every 3 weeks.” Jimmy Reid
“If you can worry, tie your shoe and count to seven, I can make you a champion.” Jimmy Reid
In Part 1 we left off with the best pre game/match routine I use that helps me learn the table as fast as possible. This pre match routine could make the difference in whether you win or lose, don’t take it lightly. Last in this pregame/pre match routine is to practice 1 lag.
“Hold your cue lightly and shoot with a 5 inch follow through.” Larry ‘Boston Shorty’ Johnson
From 1969 to 1990 no one beat me gambling that I didn’t beat them back playing 1 pocket or any kind of rotation on any size table. From 1969 to 1989 I’d gone to every major tournament in the United States that promised a large payday and/or promised a televised event on ESPN.
During these events, before the televised matches I either grabbed the microphone or made a loud speech offering everyone in the world a handicap to gamble with me playing 9 ball or 10 ball.
NO POOL PLAYER EVER BEAT ME BETTING HIS OWN MONEY AGAINST MY OWN MONEY PLAYING 1 POCKET, 9 BALL OR 10 BALL. ALL MY LIFE I BET ALL MY OWN MONEY EVERY TIME I PLAYED. THERE WERE A FEW TIMES I WAS FORCED TO USE A BACKER BUT NOT MANY.

Losing only to Buddy Hall, Billy Incardona, Jimmy Fusco and Mike Sigel in those 20 years. None of them beat me twice and I made every one of them quit gambling against me or as I like to put it, “I made them all unscrew and none of them ever asked me to play again.”
Buddy Hall, who I considered the second best 9 ball or 10 ball player in the world, quit me one set winner with me giving him the call 8 ball on his home court in Tulsa, OK. Buddy had been 3 sets ahead and said man you haven’t missed a ball in 6 hours, I have to quit.
To which I replied ‘okay we’ll play some more tomorrow’ then Buddy said no man I quit you for life, I don’t want to play you any more, I just want to bet on you in case you find somebody crazy enough to play you. This was when Buddy was thin. I love Buddy Hall he’s truly the salt of the earth.
Here’s the first part of my mental approach that took me to the top of my profession.

THE HAND SHAKE;
When I shook hands with someone before the match, every time I played all those years I said “good luck” and meant it because I knew they would need all the luck they could get to have a chance.
Don’t be a board watcher, it makes me laugh to hear how weak great players are after looking at the draw. Actually getting themselves psyched out or in depending on their draw.
Don’t be a name watcher. No matter how a person spells their name, when it’s your turn enjoy the challenge of you against the table, take control of that table and keep it. Your opponent can’t do anything to you from his chair. You’re playing pool not tennis.

Scott Smith was without a doubt the best tournament director in my lifetime and I’ve played in tournaments all over the world. I used to give Scott $50 before the tournament started in the 80s, 90s and 2000s under the condition that he would just tell me when I played next.

Also, I would always ask Scott to please schedule all my matches at night (prime time) to which Scott always said he’d see what he could do but he always played it straight, no favoritism just a call to my room or in person telling me when I played.
My reason for this is that sometimes I would be playing someone I liked who needed money badly after having been beaten on the road and I was afraid I would feel sorry for them.

Man I love the pressure that hundreds of spectators, TV Cameras or gambling for large sums of money add to the game.
Today I’m going to tell you how to talk and think to become a champion. Players have gone against my rules and won but none of them play good betting high with their own money. Oh I guess they can beat players of the same ilk but I’ll have a paddle for them.
IN THE CHAIR;
I scuff my tip if necessary and make sure its holding chalk well, no almost see through spots allowed.
I say to myself. My next inning I’m going to run the set out or at least take control of this table and keep it until the match is over. While in the chair my thoughts are always the same no matter the score, ahead or behind 10 / 0 racing to 11 it never mattered to me.
My Thoughts;
I’m going to run the set out, repeat it over n over. We’re drawn towards what comes out of our mouth.

‘I’LL SHOW EVERYONE THE MOST RELAXED, COORDINATED AND INTELLIGENT PLAYER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN’ (In my room getting ready to play, during and before practice, when I take a break this is the same thing I say to myself while looking in the bathroom mirror).
‘I’LL SHOW THEM HOW MUCH I ENJOY THE CHALLENGE OF ME AGAINST THE TABLE.’

I’ll walk with a brisk step and be all business, I will go through my ‘No Time For Negative’ steps that force me to play good and no matter the outcome, I can always be proud of the way I played.

In your daily life and at or between tournaments;
Don’t associate with players who always talk about or make fun of people who faltered under pressure, players who say things like ‘he dogged it’ or ‘he choked can be a very negative influence, they make themselves incapable of beating anyone under pressure situations.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that when players talk like that, I’ll tolerate a little of it but if it turns into a feeding frenzy I’ll leave.
I’ve noticed that players who use that terminology have the tendency of associating those words with everything in life - like they missed a parking spot or ordered the wrong food and say man I dogged it, I missed that parking spot or oh man I really dogged it, I should’ve ordered what you ordered.

AVOID ANYONE WHO TALKS THIS NEGATIVE CRAP, THEY MIGHT BE A LOT OF LAUGHS BUT LIKE I SAID EARLIER WE’RE ALL DRAWN TOWARD WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.
Until next time when I’ll teach you the in action at the table self-speak that I use. Jimmy
 
Great advice, Jimmy, and I enjoyed the read! :smile:

I hope when time allows that you write about "addressing the table." That's a great little piece of your advice right there. It's so easy to do, to take that extra second before pulling the trigger, and it will definitely enhance one's chances to succeed. :cool:

It sounds easy, addressing the table, but there's a few tips that I remember you shared with Keith that really helped him at the Open one year. :wink:
 
Oh man! Shivers. Reading this from the best. Some will read this and think it's cool.

Others will hear it and understand it.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is as good as it gets.

Jimmy, thank you.

Thank you.

-Blake
 
Please someone, give Buddy Hall and Mary Kenniston my number. 772-370-0311 Thank you…
Please, if anyone here has a more direct contact, please pass on this message from Jimmy, to Buddy and Mary. This may be of the utmost and urgent importance to Jimmy.

Thank you.
 
Last edited:
Mary posts on AzBilliards from time to time as "Nightmare." I will send her a PM (private message) with the link to this thread. :)
 
I loved this post Jimmy. Great info. I was talking to a guy last night and he asked me what I thought was the difference between great short stops and pro's is. I told him that at some point, when 2 people reach a certain level of skill it is the one with a positive attitude and strong mental focus that will come out on top.

I have never the pleasure of seeing you play live but from what I have read and heard about you I think you're the kind of player I would like to be around. Thanks for your contributions.
 
jimmy thanks for sharing the outlook amd insight of a champion:thumbup:
 
Good stuff Jimmy, looking forward to reading more. :)

I think positive thinking is key to not just pool, but MOST things in life. Many people see karma in daily life, but I think a lot of that is just that when you have the right mental attitude things tend to turn out well for you. Dale Carnegie's book talked about this and it is interesting to see you have followed the same thing in pool.

Again, looking forward to reading more.


By the way, it was nice speaking to you on the phone a little while back,those Tacoma Whitey stories were great. God bless and hope you are doing well. -spider
 
Great Stuff Here

The biggest boost in my game, by far, came after getting Jimmy's No Time For Negatives tapes in the nineties. I have been around pool for 50 years and his instructional series is simply a game changer.

Haven't spoken to you in along time Jimmy. Wishing you all the best.
 
Jimmy Reid,

This post of yours is the PERFECT EXAMPLE of why you are still THE MAN!

Thank you for what you shared in this post and your videos. You are correct thinking and I'm so happy that you shared this.

Anyone who wants to improve their pool game and who has never purchased your videos is just plain NUTS.

You have the whole package and I'm glad you still have it to share.

God Bless you Jimmy!

(Didn't know you spanked Buddy like that, giving him weight. )
:)
 
Thank you for this Jimmy and for everything you have done and are doing for pool and pool players. I still enjoy your DVDs. Loads of good information in them.
 
Positive

This is great - thank you.

I'll share this with my league team(s) - we keep this currently as our "theme" of sorts. There is a reason to surround yourself with positive people, especially if you are positive yourself. Negative thoughts and actions multiply exponentially. On a team, its a killer.

Again - VERY much thanks for your insight and post.
 
jimmy i sent it to mary a few miinutes ago for you she will call and give it to buddy hope you are doing well last time i seen you was when you were in greenville sc at hoppy's pool room ny blackie was hanging out there back then take care
 
‘No Time For Negative’ Lessons - Part 2 By Jimmy Reid
Please someone, give Buddy Hall and Mary Kenniston my number. 772-370-0311 Thank you…

Today’s lesson is the self-speak I use while in the chair, batter’s box or on deck circle as we call it…

In the next lesson I’ll get into the steps I go through when it’s my turn at the table until it’s no longer my turn, as I go through these steps every shot there is no time for negative thoughts to enter my mind...

Some of my, over titles include;
World Classic 8 Ball Champion, $25,000.00 1st Place…
BCA National 8 Ball Champion, with the largest field ever on regulation tables…
World Convention 9 Ball Champion…
U.S. Open 9 Ball Champion, shooting the highest accu-stat match of entire tournament in the finals…
King Of The Ring 9 Ball Champion. The top 12 players in the world invitational, televised event…
Now we’re going to shave years off your learning curve.
“Practice and play my way and you’ll improve every 3 weeks.” Jimmy Reid
“If you can worry, tie your shoe and count to seven, I can make you a champion.” Jimmy Reid
In Part 1 we left off with the best pre game/match routine I use that helps me learn the table as fast as possible. This pre match routine could make the difference in whether you win or lose, don’t take it lightly. Last in this pregame/pre match routine is to practice 1 lag.
“Hold your cue lightly and shoot with a 5 inch follow through.” Larry ‘Boston Shorty’ Johnson
From 1969 to 1990 no one beat me gambling that I didn’t beat them back playing 1 pocket or any kind of rotation on any size table. From 1969 to 1989 I’d gone to every major tournament in the United States that promised a large payday and/or promised a televised event on ESPN.
During these events, before the televised matches I either grabbed the microphone or made a loud speech offering everyone in the world a handicap to gamble with me playing 9 ball or 10 ball.
NO POOL PLAYER EVER BEAT ME BETTING HIS OWN MONEY AGAINST MY OWN MONEY PLAYING 1 POCKET, 9 BALL OR 10 BALL. ALL MY LIFE I BET ALL MY OWN MONEY EVERY TIME I PLAYED. THERE WERE A FEW TIMES I WAS FORCED TO USE A BACKER BUT NOT MANY.

Losing only to Buddy Hall, Billy Incardona, Jimmy Fusco and Mike Sigel in those 20 years. None of them beat me twice and I made every one of them quit gambling against me or as I like to put it, “I made them all unscrew and none of them ever asked me to play again.”
Buddy Hall, who I considered the second best 9 ball or 10 ball player in the world, quit me one set winner with me giving him the call 8 ball on his home court in Tulsa, OK. Buddy had been 3 sets ahead and said man you haven’t missed a ball in 6 hours, I have to quit.
To which I replied ‘okay we’ll play some more tomorrow’ then Buddy said no man I quit you for life, I don’t want to play you any more, I just want to bet on you in case you find somebody crazy enough to play you. This was when Buddy was thin. I love Buddy Hall he’s truly the salt of the earth.
Here’s the first part of my mental approach that took me to the top of my profession.

THE HAND SHAKE;
When I shook hands with someone before the match, every time I played all those years I said “good luck” and meant it because I knew they would need all the luck they could get to have a chance.
Don’t be a board watcher, it makes me laugh to hear how weak great players are after looking at the draw. Actually getting themselves psyched out or in depending on their draw.
Don’t be a name watcher. No matter how a person spells their name, when it’s your turn enjoy the challenge of you against the table, take control of that table and keep it. Your opponent can’t do anything to you from his chair. You’re playing pool not tennis.

Scott Smith was without a doubt the best tournament director in my lifetime and I’ve played in tournaments all over the world. I used to give Scott $50 before the tournament started in the 80s, 90s and 2000s under the condition that he would just tell me when I played next.

Also, I would always ask Scott to please schedule all my matches at night (prime time) to which Scott always said he’d see what he could do but he always played it straight, no favoritism just a call to my room or in person telling me when I played.
My reason for this is that sometimes I would be playing someone I liked who needed money badly after having been beaten on the road and I was afraid I would feel sorry for them.

Man I love the pressure that hundreds of spectators, TV Cameras or gambling for large sums of money add to the game.
Today I’m going to tell you how to talk and think to become a champion. Players have gone against my rules and won but none of them play good betting high with their own money. Oh I guess they can beat players of the same ilk but I’ll have a paddle for them.
IN THE CHAIR;
I scuff my tip if necessary and make sure its holding chalk well, no almost see through spots allowed.
I say to myself. My next inning I’m going to run the set out or at least take control of this table and keep it until the match is over. While in the chair my thoughts are always the same no matter the score, ahead or behind 10 / 0 racing to 11 it never mattered to me.
My Thoughts;
I’m going to run the set out, repeat it over n over. We’re drawn towards what comes out of our mouth.

‘I’LL SHOW EVERYONE THE MOST RELAXED, COORDINATED AND INTELLIGENT PLAYER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN’ (In my room getting ready to play, during and before practice, when I take a break this is the same thing I say to myself while looking in the bathroom mirror).
‘I’LL SHOW THEM HOW MUCH I ENJOY THE CHALLENGE OF ME AGAINST THE TABLE.’

I’ll walk with a brisk step and be all business, I will go through my ‘No Time For Negative’ steps that force me to play good and no matter the outcome, I can always be proud of the way I played.

In your daily life and at or between tournaments;
Don’t associate with players who always talk about or make fun of people who faltered under pressure, players who say things like ‘he dogged it’ or ‘he choked can be a very negative influence, they make themselves incapable of beating anyone under pressure situations.
Anyone who knows me will tell you that when players talk like that, I’ll tolerate a little of it but if it turns into a feeding frenzy I’ll leave.
I’ve noticed that players who use that terminology have the tendency of associating those words with everything in life - like they missed a parking spot or ordered the wrong food and say man I dogged it, I missed that parking spot or oh man I really dogged it, I should’ve ordered what you ordered.

AVOID ANYONE WHO TALKS THIS NEGATIVE CRAP, THEY MIGHT BE A LOT OF LAUGHS BUT LIKE I SAID EARLIER WE’RE ALL DRAWN TOWARD WHAT COMES OUT OF OUR MOUTHS.
Until next time when I’ll teach you the in action at the table self-speak that I use. Jimmy

Hello Jimmy,
How are you doing today? I gave Buddy Hall your phone number this morning. he said he was going to call you. I hope all is well with you!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
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