"Pool Gods" who plot against you....

8-ball Rat

8-ball Rat

I'll eat you alive.....
Silver Member
All,

I have been on the boards for just over two years...and have read my fair share of "advice wanted" threads.....but I just need to throw this out there.

Have you....regardless of what speed you play at....had a night where everything was lined up AGAINST you? You know....one of those days where your stroke was off, the feel of the cue was off, your stance was off....and you felt fortunate if you dropped a ball, whether you s#!t it in or not?

Last night, a close friend and I went out to play....and I, for the life of me, couldn't play a lick. Granted...I'm not getting my pro tour card anytime soon...but I'd like to think I don't completely suck. Last night, however...I was ashamed to call myself a player. I would've had a VERY hard time matching up against a banger, for the love of God.

Has this ever happened to ya'll?

More importantly...how do you go about putting that kind of nightmare out of your head, and get back into the game?

If you have some advice, a story, or a theory...feel free to share. I'd love to put that fiasco behind me.

FWIW - I'm going to do some DVD-R recording tonight, and may throw it up on YouTube. That might help with some solid advice, and help me crawl out of the hole I dug last night.

Thanks ya'll.

Mark
 
Hello Mark,

Don't feel too bad, this happens to me ALL the time. I've just learned to live with it. Sorry, I have no advice...


B.
 
That's the way I was shooting the day I met you in Annapolis to buy that el cheapo McDermott. I just put it out of my mind, and start fresh the next day. You can't dwell on the past. Just get up and play your game, this too shall pass...

Banger
 
8-ball Rat said:
All,

I have been on the boards for just over two years...and have read my fair share of "advice wanted" threads.....but I just need to throw this out there.

Have you....regardless of what speed you play at....had a night where everything was lined up AGAINST you? You know....one of those days where your stroke was off, the feel of the cue was off, your stance was off....and you felt fortunate if you dropped a ball, whether you s#!t it in or not?

Last night, a close friend and I went out to play....and I, for the life of me, couldn't play a lick. Granted...I'm not getting my pro tour card anytime soon...but I'd like to think I don't completely suck. Last night, however...I was ashamed to call myself a player. I would've had a VERY hard time matching up against a banger, for the love of God.

Has this ever happened to ya'll?

More importantly...how do you go about putting that kind of nightmare out of your head, and get back into the game?

If you have some advice, a story, or a theory...feel free to share. I'd love to put that fiasco behind me.

FWIW - I'm going to do some DVD-R recording tonight, and may throw it up on YouTube. That might help with some solid advice, and help me crawl out of the hole I dug last night.

Thanks ya'll.

Mark
Click to expand...

Same exact thing happen to me last night. I lost $20 to my 10 and 11 year old boys playing about 10 ring games of 9-ball. Plus I was playing not to loose.
 
know yourself

Mark,

It really is as simple as knowing yourself. I know the level I should perform at. When the pool gods do smile my way I don't get too excited about it and when they decide to have a little fun with me I know that it doesn't mean my game has went down so no big deal. Don't let one night get in your head.

Hu


8-ball Rat said:
All,

I have been on the boards for just over two years...and have read my fair share of "advice wanted" threads.....but I just need to throw this out there.

Have you....regardless of what speed you play at....had a night where everything was lined up AGAINST you? You know....one of those days where your stroke was off, the feel of the cue was off, your stance was off....and you felt fortunate if you dropped a ball, whether you s#!t it in or not?

Last night, a close friend and I went out to play....and I, for the life of me, couldn't play a lick. Granted...I'm not getting my pro tour card anytime soon...but I'd like to think I don't completely suck. Last night, however...I was ashamed to call myself a player. I would've had a VERY hard time matching up against a banger, for the love of God.

Has this ever happened to ya'll?

More importantly...how do you go about putting that kind of nightmare out of your head, and get back into the game?

If you have some advice, a story, or a theory...feel free to share. I'd love to put that fiasco behind me.

FWIW - I'm going to do some DVD-R recording tonight, and may throw it up on YouTube. That might help with some solid advice, and help me crawl out of the hole I dug last night.

Thanks ya'll.

Mark
Click to expand...
 
Yes this happens all the time for me anyway. i just got back from a tournament, i played really well. Won my first 2 matches, then i had to play the favorite in the tourn. He B&R the first game, i win the 2nd. then i dogged a straight in 9 to get up 2-1 in my favor. After that i just totaly fell apart, to me its super hard to get my head back together and pull through.
 
All I can say Mark is that it definitely happens to all us mere mortals. It's mental, and I am of the opinion that confidence will usually fix it. Confidence comes from hours playing your game enough to know that you are prepared, and stroking. That helps you go immediately into the near zone, and hopefully straight into the real zone quickly ! That's my $.02.

Hey, by the way. The Jensen is winging it's way back to me early next week with a brand new ultra premium shaft and a maple plug in the butt. Mike says it hits like Ghengis Khan on safari:D ...Tom
 
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Mark,

You and I have played on numerous occasions, and...well......it made me realize why you chose to be a cue collector versus focusing on playing. You pretty much suck. But hey, I'll back you against DrCuesProtege anytime!

You know I'm kidding. You just had a bad night. That is all. OH, and sticking to ONE CUE will help your game elevate as well. I'm still shooting with the "blue bandit" (you know what I'm talking about). I might get out tomorrow to shoot if you have a chance.

Talk soon,
Matt
 
Think it was just an odd day. I played last night also, and both my friend and I unscrewed our cues after half an hour and left. It was that bad....
 
Keep 'em coming, ya'll.

Matt - You're an a$$ !! :) :) I can't make it out tomorrow...we're going Halloween shopping and such with the boys. I see a pirate and Spiderman in my very near future.....

Thanks for the responses thusfar, guys. Nice to see I wasn't alone yesterday. Maybe it's just this weekend that's cursed.

I just came in from an hour on my home table...and I'm shooting just as bad today as I was last night. When I started to feel my neck and face get hot, I decided to quit for the evening. I think I'm gonna put the cues away for a week, and take a breather.

Any "fixes" that come to mind, when you've managed to convince yourself that you can't play the game?? Is it time to take a break for awhile?
 
I have the answer to this age old dilemma, "The good players get all the rolls!" Now, you figure it out.

And here is a major P.S. When you are having a bad night and nothing feels right, try playing with a house cue for 20-30 minutes, then go back to your own cue. Then you tell me if that helped. No this isn't a joke.
 
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Hey Buddy

I offered you free BCA Certified lessons. You could be done now. However, the video analysis thing just might get you some good feedback. I do one when I get a little off and pick right up on what I am doing. The old bad habits have a way of creeping in when you aren't looking. The quality of play of your opponent also helps or hinders what ever the case might be.
Anyway, If there is anything I can do for ya, let me know. One lesson and you will be on your way.
Best of luck to ya my friend.
Purdman
PS: You playing my rack boy ain't gonna do nothing for ya man.
 
jay helfert said:
I have the answer to this age old dilemma, "The good players get all the rolls!" Now, you figure it out.

And here is a major P.S. When you are having a bad night and nothing feels right, try playing with a house cue for 20-30 minutes, then go back to your own cue. Then you tell me if that helped. No this isn't a joke.
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It's actually kinda funny that you say that, sir.....

I picked up a house cue to use last night, after about the first hour. The house cue felt a little better than my cue did....but I still couldn't do much with it. I used two different cues tonight (same weight and balance...different joints and tips)....and neither one felt right....and that's a first, for me.

Maybe pool just wasn't in the cards this week.......
 
thats been happening to me lately.
Last night, out four to eight. Beatern by my chinese brother in law. We play matches to eight (eightball), nine (nineball) And then my Canadian sparring partner beats me three times out of four and he's been playing six months with me. He couldn't hold a cue before.
Last night, I could understand the gods as it was his birthday and we had a restaurant family dinner with spirits prior, so it went his way. He was happy.
A ball goes down off the break. Great. Then goes the black. Great. Then the cueball and we look at each other? Whats the outcome. So its open table, black respotted. But so close to a win.
Or blacks on a bank, a sharp bank on centre pocket and goes from the jaw of one to its opposite pocket for a loss.
Or potting good shots and then having no position on the eight or scratching.
I think I still have ability so I expect the tide to turn my way again but I'm worried that I'm not as bulletproof as I thought I was when playing new players..I have to accept that anyone with things going their way and the flip side of things not going your way swings the event.
 
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8-ball Rat said:
You know....one of those days where your stroke was off, the feel of the cue was off, your stance was off....and you felt fortunate if you dropped a ball, whether you s#!t it in or not?
Click to expand...

You just summed up my my game, in a nutshell.:p

Shows that you really can't take for granted the good nights of playing you had.
 
Lack of quality competition, thats what will destroy your game, its happend to me. Still does. Im basicaly bound by the people I play, and thats no good, so Im taking it abroad. If I dont I fear my game may never get up to speed. My sparring partener moved and I have yet to find someone that can keep my game sharp, its really frustrating, but I know the right player can and will make my time at the practice table worthwhile.


SPINDOKTOR
 
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