Out of retirement

V

voiceofreason

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is a bit of a pat on the back thread but I hope I will be forgiven..

I gave up pool about 6/7 years ago. If I am honest, I had stopped loving the game some years even before that and was really only going through the motions..

Anyway.. A change of "circumstances" (we shall call it) at the beginning of the year and I am back swinging again. I love the game more than I ever did and playing better than I have in years too. I finished second out of 150 odd players in the league's performance averages for the summer season (the only player above me is a retired professional) and last night I played in my first knockout tournament in years (it is for the top 32 players in the league only) and breezed through the first two rounds without dropping a rack. Quarter finals are next week and I know that I am feared in the draw.

It's only a local league and I'm not trying to big myself up but I am pleased with my results if not entirely happy with my form. I'm not a great player really, just a decent stick by local standards. Just buzzing about the game again. Loving it again.

Sorry I wasted six years...

Buzzing..
 
voiceofreason said:
If I am honest, I had stopped loving the game some years even before that and was really only going through the motions..
Loving it again.Sorry I wasted six years...Buzzing..
Click to expand...

Exactly what did you stop loving?
the feeling of accomplishment of a run?
the challenge every game presents?
The shenanigans of Hustlers trying to throw you off your game?
The feeling of being in such a zone, that you shake the wrong guy's hand thinking you were playing him after you run the rack?
 
So what were you doing for 6 years?

Eating Kidney pie and watching the world go by.

Or drinking tea, eating crumpets and playing with the strumpets.

Bloody Hell, its about time you put a stick back in your hand.
 
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Blue Hog ridr said:
So what were you doing for 6 years?

Eating Kidney pie and watching the world go by.

Or drinking tea, eating crumpets and playing with the strumpets.

Bloody Hell, its about time you put a stick back in your hand.
Click to expand...

LOL...

Darts and Poker...

Made a few quid at poker actually!
 
Good on ya mate! Be sure and watch the Mosconi cup,

some American royalty will be there The Earl of 9ball

Good luck with your return sometimes a layoff will raise your game to a new level!
 
gesan said:
Good on ya mate! Be sure and watch the Mosconi cup,

some American royalty will be there The Earl of 9ball

Good luck with your return sometimes a layoff will raise your game to a new level!
Click to expand...

Been watching a lot of pool on the telebox recently.. The interweb is full of it..

Been to the Mosconi Cup to watch it live three times. English pool worlds in 2002 as commentary for Eurosport. 9 ball Worlds at Cardiff as press - the year Earl won it. Been lucky over the years in that..

Earl is my favourite US player. His return to the Mosconi cup the same year I returned I took as an omen actually. Ha Ha Ha!
 
voiceofreason said:
This is a bit of a pat on the back thread but I hope I will be forgiven..

I gave up pool about 6/7 years ago. If I am honest, I had stopped loving the game some years even before that and was really only going through the motions..

Just buzzing about the game again. Loving it again.

Sorry I wasted six years.

Buzzing..
Click to expand...
I feel like I'm reading my own life story on this post. I'm almost in the same boat except I can't bring myself to joining a league when asked or playing a $5 tournament. I've completely lost the love of those things.

But you might have inspired me to really take that next step back in the game.

Freddie <~~~ baby steps
 
Cornerman said:
I feel like I'm reading my own life story on this post. I'm almost in the same boat except I can't bring myself to joining a league when asked or playing a $5 tournament. I've completely lost the love of those things.

But you might have inspired me to really take that next step back in the game.

Freddie <~~~ baby steps
Click to expand...

Do it bud... What is the worst that can happen?
 
By the way.. one of the reasons I gave up was as a result of an ultimatum from the other half. This January we split up so @@@@ to her now..

And as I said.. I missed it..

And my current partner doesn't have the paranoia the other one did either and loves that I love it.
 
Whatever the reasons for shelving a hobby for a while happens all the time. Most of the Azer's here love the game as each rack is different, but, I've had times when things in my real world wants to take over the concentration, the extra will and the love of the game, but, the players and team mates out weigh the other things and I've found in those times when I practice, even if it's very limited, I have to put just sit and work on effort. After each practice game when I have issues around me, I evaluate my effort. Did I take that walk around the table, did I stick the cue ball, so on and so on. I've never really been burned out, but, have adjusted my practice some times on effort. When issues are not there and you can separate those things and just have fun, be a sport, have some laughs, the game is fun and actually seems much easier. I've been lucky to be on some very good teams and have had a few moments at the highest of amateur pool, but, have loved the game when we are completely having a great time at the tournaments with good people. Good Luck and it seems the game has been waiting for your return. Good Luck Again,
 
voiceofreason said:
This is a bit of a pat on the back thread but I hope I will be forgiven..

I gave up pool about 6/7 years ago. If I am honest, I had stopped loving the game some years even before that and was really only going through the motions..

Anyway.. A change of "circumstances" (we shall call it) at the beginning of the year and I am back swinging again. I love the game more than I ever did and playing better than I have in years too. I finished second out of 150 odd players in the league's performance averages for the summer season (the only player above me is a retired professional) and last night I played in my first knockout tournament in years (it is for the top 32 players in the league only) and breezed through the first two rounds without dropping a rack. Quarter finals are next week and I know that I am feared in the draw.

It's only a local league and I'm not trying to big myself up but I am pleased with my results if not entirely happy with my form. I'm not a great player really, just a decent stick by local standards. Just buzzing about the game again. Loving it again.

Sorry I wasted six years...

Buzzing..
Click to expand...

I have lost my interest in the game to a degree. I haven't really played much in the past 4 or 5 years. Prior to that was a period of 8 plus years I played atleast 5 days a week and a lot of weeks I played everyday. A majority of those days I spent just practicing by myself to stay in stroke. During that time I travelled all over the country to see poolrooms, watch major tournaments, sit ringside to some big gambling matches, and played in a few little tournaments myself.
Now I play maybe once a week at most and can go weeks if not months without hitting a ball.

But the other night a buddy asked me over for a few beers and in his basement next to the bar is a 9' gandy. Most of that group of my friends don't know how big pool was for me for a long time.
Well he had also invited one of his neighbor over who brought his 2 sons. The youngest (about 10 or 11) went right for the pool table. After a few games with his older brother they quit. So I went over picked up a stick and hit a few balls and he came right over and wanted to play. After giving this kid a few pointers on his bridge and stance he went from shooting balls into the rail to being able to make straight in shots with easy to actually having a 4 ball run.
Seeing the spark for the game in that kids eye got me excited about the game again and I have played twice this week and plan on playing more next. I doubt I will ever get back to playing everyday but is was good to feel that love for the game again.
So welcome back and I think most of us have left and come back many times.
 
voiceofreason said:
Do it bud... What is the worst that can happen?
Click to expand...

I guess the worst that can happen is that I don't have fun and end up berating myself mentally. It's a Bob Fanscher type of thing. I need to figure out how to have fun at this game again.

I've been hitting the pool hall a couple times a month the last few times. There are just too many a$$holes, new and old. And when I walk in, unfortunately I probably raise the number.

Freddie <~~~ getting there
 
"Welcome back.
Your dream was your ticket out (of your relationship)

Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about. (pool rooms and good friends)

Well the names have all changed since you've hung around, (new players)
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around." (desire to get pool out of the doldrums with some improvement)

Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Back here where we need ya (Back here where we need ya) (billiard industry)

Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've hot him on the spot, (The Pearl at the Mosconi cup) welcome back,
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back..................."

((Lyrics to: Welcome back, Kotter))
 
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Hey congrats ^^ Sometimes the answer to "it's pool or me" boils down to
"pool it is then."
 
voiceofreason said:
This is a bit of a pat on the back thread but I hope I will be forgiven..

I gave up pool about 6/7 years ago. If I am honest, I had stopped loving the game some years even before that and was really only going through the motions..

Anyway.. A change of "circumstances" (we shall call it) at the beginning of the year and I am back swinging again. I love the game more than I ever did and playing better than I have in years too. I finished second out of 150 odd players in the league's performance averages for the summer season (the only player above me is a retired professional) and last night I played in my first knockout tournament in years (it is for the top 32 players in the league only) and breezed through the first two rounds without dropping a rack. Quarter finals are next week and I know that I am feared in the draw.

It's only a local league and I'm not trying to big myself up but I am pleased with my results if not entirely happy with my form. I'm not a great player really, just a decent stick by local standards. Just buzzing about the game again. Loving it again.

Sorry I wasted six years...

Buzzing..
Click to expand...

They weren't wasted if you gained a new love for the game.
I believe playing when you are not happy with the game is actually detrimental.
Welcome back !
 
Cornerman said:
[...]
There are just too many a$$holes, new and old. And when I walk in, unfortunately I probably raise the number.

Freddie <~~~ getting there
Click to expand...

Aw man, Freddie -- I thought your last name was pronounced "Agg-near" not "Ass-near." :p

Kidding aside, I know this feeling well -- of "breaching the amniotic sac of a$$holeness" as soon as you walk through a poolroom's door. You're afraid to "get any on ya" while you're there.

Earlier in my I.T. career, I had put my cues down permanently, and pushed them to the back of a closet, for 14 years. Part of the reason was because I was fresh out of the military (Navy), and just landed a job with my first post-military-stint civilian employer, so the focus was on my career. (I was in my "roaring 20s" back then -- full of p*ss and vinegar -- and had the typical 20-year-old "gonna prove myself and stomp some heads climbing the company ladder" chip on his shoulder thing.) But part of it was also the fact I was tired -- just tired -- of the whole pool way of life, and the characters that "infest" (infect) what I considered to be an otherwise beautiful sport.

It was only one day when I was at home, bored, going through some old albums with pictures when I used to hang out at the old Q-Masters in VA, that I started to get that itch again. I went out that night and shot my first game of pool in 14 years at a really trendy pool hall, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I made the commitment then on, that if I start to get that uneasy feeling about any of the characters in pool that I may bump into, that instead of doing the silly (and easy) "all or nothing" extremist approach by abandoning pool, I would instead just turn around and walk away. Go somewhere else. It doesn't make sense to let a dirty environment or certain characters cause you to go away from the sport you love.

It doesn't have to be pool, btw, either. Same thing happened to me with music, where I'd abandon playing my bass because the sheer number of boneheads that infect the music world just totally jilt me. No more. As I get older, I realize the important things in life are family, good people, living a healthy life / being a good human being yourself, and doing the things you love -- hopefully with family & friends. Don't let others influence your inherent love for doing certain things. There's a reason why you once loved to do something. Try to find that love again, but install a filter to keep the bad elements out.

Hopefully some inspiring words,
-Sean
 
boradriver said:
I have lost my interest in the game to a degree. I haven't really played much in the past 4 or 5 years. Prior to that was a period of 8 plus years I played atleast 5 days a week and a lot of weeks I played everyday. A majority of those days I spent just practicing by myself to stay in stroke. During that time I travelled all over the country to see poolrooms, watch major tournaments, sit ringside to some big gambling matches, and played in a few little tournaments myself.
Now I play maybe once a week at most and can go weeks if not months without hitting a ball.

But the other night a buddy asked me over for a few beers and in his basement next to the bar is a 9' gandy. Most of that group of my friends don't know how big pool was for me for a long time.
Well he had also invited one of his neighbor over who brought his 2 sons. The youngest (about 10 or 11) went right for the pool table. After a few games with his older brother they quit. So I went over picked up a stick and hit a few balls and he came right over and wanted to play. After giving this kid a few pointers on his bridge and stance he went from shooting balls into the rail to being able to make straight in shots with easy to actually having a 4 ball run.
Seeing the spark for the game in that kids eye got me excited about the game again and I have played twice this week and plan on playing more next. I doubt I will ever get back to playing everyday but is was good to feel that love for the game again.
So welcome back and I think most of us have left and come back many times.
Click to expand...

Not trying to be a smart ass but why would you be here on a pool forum if you don't play pool? Don't they have a forum for whatever it is you spend your time doing now?

JC
 
Love to hear players coming back to the game. Most when they comeback play as they did before after a few solid weeks of playing or better. Most relax more and focus more after stepping away from the game for a long period of time. Glad to hear you're back. Johnnyt
 
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