Pool Is One Of The Hardest Games

RussPrince said:
Wow this thread is just chalk full of ignorance all around. Couldn't even get through a couple of pages without my brain hurting from all the dumb comments.

I will argue with anyone that pool has BY FAR the steepest learning curve of any other sport or activity. It requires a precision and attention to detail that far surpasses anything else. And I mean anything.

Saying that pool is nothing but point click and shoot is probably the most ignorant thing that's ever been said about pool on this forum. Period
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Well, I for one never said it was point/click... it's a tough game... just not in the same realm of the tough sports to master...

So, it's dumb to think many other sports are tougher to master than pool, but it's brilliant when you say that pool is tougher that EVERY SPORT AND GAME ON THE PLANET :rolleyes:..... LMAO
 
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Never saw a post of yours in this thread. As I said I couldn't even get through a couple of pages. But at least now you're getting it... :thumbup:
 
JB Cases said:
I think that anyone who isn't handicapped can get to world class in pool. However it does require dedication and desire.

John PUHLEEEEEEEEEEZE !..Here you go with the "anyone can be world class" (with dedication) again..Than you end your post with a very factual statement-->>>>

...Pool is tough to master. REALLY tough. It's a game for life. Average players have a lifetime of improvement to look forward to. I think it's fascinating.
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You need to get a grip on reality, and realize that its YOU, JoeyA, and about eleventeen million other 'average decent' player's, who have that "lifetime of improvement" to look forward to !...I know, I know, you are convinced you will magically become 'world class' by March, and rob poor Lou !...I see you have a few 'under-achiever's in this thread, who share your lofty (but distorted) viewpoint :sorry:

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Wow, lighten up people. Pool is great. Pool is tough, it's like chess but the pieces don't always listen.


The funniest thing I've heard on here is picturing Bo Jackson hypothetically snapping cues.

I think some of the posts here are comparing apples and oranges, but it's fun to read so, oh well....

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
 
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SJDinPHX said:
You need to get a grip on reality, and realize that its YOU, JoeyA, and about eleventeen million other 'average decent' player's, who have that "lifetime of improvement" to look forward to !...I know, I know, you are convinced you will magically become 'world class' by March, and rob poor Lou !...Rots'sa ruck wi' dat John ! :eek:

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SJDinPHX,

I'm really UNFAMILIAR with YOUR pool accomplishments and haven't, nor intend to, read the One Pocket Org site to try to figure it out. I'm not saying you can play or not play, but I'd like for you to point out on here just WHO you beat, how MANY times, and for HOW much. Also, could you provide a listing of tournaments you have won (not including any that were 8 person fields at the rec center).

I keep seeing you "belittle" players who aren't "PROs", yet I have NEVER heard of you participating in, placing in, or winning ANY event that comes to mind.

I don't mean for this post to rile you up or ridicule you, I just would like the FACTS.

Aloha.
 
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I don’t know why so many on here and in the poolrooms get so upset with themselves because they can’t run 100+ in 14.1, 4 or 5 racks of 9 ball in a few years in such an easy game as pool. Pool is not easy. IMO pool is one of the hardest games to become a top player in. There are so many things you need to know and be able to do perfectly compared to most other sports and games. This is one thing I’ll never understand about pool. Most people seem to think pool should be a piece of cake to get good at in a very short time, and that is the farthest thing from the truth. Just getting the basics down perfectly takes a lot of time and practice. I’ve played and watched just about every major and semi-major sport and can not think of one that you have to do so many things perfectly right. Johnnyt

In a way you're right but also wrong. It's not hard to play but it is hard to become a master player. Most people tend to over think the game of pool, in all games. Learn the fundamentals, then see where your game takes you. I love the game of pool. Now gambling on pool, now that's a hard thing to learn. To learn HOW to truly match up is an art. Very people master that.
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Finally, someone with some common sense :) Pool has the same difficulty as bowling, the difference, just like pool leagues, many bowlers don't get better because of a lack of interest, lack of effort, lack of cash or just lack of time. Those that play the most, seem to be the best, meanwhile in other sports, at a certain point, you can practice the most, but you just don't have the talent, speed, or strength to compete against the best players.

You can train till you bleed, but if you can't throw a ball very far or can't run very fast, you NEVER will. Yeah, you can increase a little through technique, but guess what, slow guys will always be slow guys, they just might become smarter base runners, but become base stealers, NEVER, EVER, NEVER :)
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Actually the steroid era kind of make the argument incorrect... Players were getting faster and stronger and quickening their reflexes... If a steroid can have such a massive impact on baseball and football I tend to think the difference between the avg Joe and pro athlete is purely physical...

As far as pool goes the dedication and training can move hills but it won't move mountains... I have a friend who took a year and played pool 8 hours a day every single day... With the intent on seeing how good he could get... He had been playing for years and you would think after a solid year of training he should have been able to reach pro speed... I don't know if he even got a ball better..

This is one of the things that hurts pool imho... You have all these league and recreational players who think they could be Shane if they only had the time to put in on their game... It's a crock of BS.... Pool is not like other sports that mimic our normal "play" activities...

We run, jump, throw, tackle and hit pretty naturally as kids... Size, Speed and Strength dictate becoming professional with that skill set.... Is playing offensive guard harder than being a pro pool player? Sure would be for me at 6'2 210 pounds but for the guy that stands 6'7 and weighs 340 I doubt it...

What would you list as the skills required to play pool? What other sports would have similar skill sets? Are all of those skills something you can acquire or do some of them have to exist in your physiological and psychological makeup?

That to me would make a great reality show... Take a bunch of moro.errr players who think all it takes is practice put them in a training facility give them all the instruction possible and document their efforts... At the end of the year each player gets $10k and has to match up against a professional drawn at random player.... I'd bet heavily on the pro every time....

Chris
 
This has been a fun read...Y'all crack me up!!!

Shaun <----jack of many trades master of none...
 
JoeW said:
And you can teach any kid to ride a bike, hit a baseball, or shoot a pool shot in about ten minutes. None of that says anything about what it takes to master the sport.

I think pro players have fewer coaches because of the required mental components that must be learned through trial and error with one's own head. The basic requirements are not difficult ,mastery is another matter. The idea that pro players do not have ongoing coaches says much about the mental game.
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But riding a bike is equal to hitting a pool ball, IMO. Far different from developing the skill in either to approach anything that would assist in determining difficulty.

And I see theRe are lots more pages to this topic...I trust someone has mentioned that we are 'expeRts' in pool. We hardly know other sporTs as well.
 
The Renfro said:
That to me would make a great reality show... Take a bunch of moro.errr players who think all it takes is practice put them in a training facility give them all the instruction possible and document their efforts... At the end of the year each player gets $10k and has to match up against a professional drawn at random player.... I'd bet heavily on the pro every time....

Chris
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That would be a stupid lock bet.

It takes more than a year's worth of dedication to play at the top level.

There's two things that people need to understand. Playing at a professional level and being a professional are two different things. Anyone can learn to play at a professional level, but not anyone can be a pro.

There is nothing that makes a pro player that can't be learned, with the exception of maybe a good memory.

Stroke? Practice straight in shots.

Ball Pocketing? HAMB

Performance under pressure? Stay in constant competition, and play others that are better than you.

Positional Play? HAMB and observe results.
 
Johnnyt said:
Wu is one in a million and natural talent bigtime. Johnnyt
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Maybe. But what your explaining to everyone is that at best since he was 12 years old (tall enough to play on a 9ft table) in 4 years (maybe a year or 2 more) that he was able to out play players with decades of knowledge because of his sheer superior talent?

No. My guess, he just mastered the basics in a short period of time. Made some great shots. Got lucky. Kept his emotions in check. Had laser like focus and concentration. Had fun. And in some way used Wade Cranes advice: On each and every shot make the most of it....(he used to have an audio tape on playing your best pool. Wish i still had a copy of that).
 
Donny Lutz said:
I assume you've achieved some success in at least 50 sports to make this statement.

The reason that there's a limited number of NFL quarterbacks is simply because of the number of NFL teams. If the NFL expanded to sixty teams, do you believe most of them would be unable to find a quarterback?

Golf is very difficult, but strategically it's no where near the challenge of pool. The options on a pool table are almost infinite, and there's no defense in golf.

If you look at the earning potential, it's far easier to make a living playing golf than pool. There are thousands doing so.

If you're talking about simply accomplishments, I'd say bowling is much easier to master than pool...and I do speak from experience here.
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If Phil Michelson knew what golf defenses is he would likely have several more majors
yes because their is so much more money in golf available to the hacks more can make a living at it ,,, bear in mind even these players are products of many yrs of instruction high school and collage x players ,, unlike in pool where many many players are self taught ,, every pro golfer has a coach even the best of the best
That speaks volumes of how hard the game is no reasonable comparison here
In fact pool as less hours of instruction per pro player of any sport
To be honest its laughable to compare the Game of pool to any pro sport

1
 
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HawaiianEye said:
SJDinPHX,

I'm really UNFAMILIAR with YOUR pool accomplishment and haven't, nor intend to, read the One Pocket Org site to try to figure it out. I'm not saying you can play or not play, but I'd like for you to point out on here just WHO you beat, how MANY times, and for HOW much. Also, could you provide a listing of tournaments you have won (not including any that were 8 person fields at the rec center).

I keep seeing you "belittle" players who aren't "PROs", yet I have NEVER heard of you participating in, placing in, or winning ANY event that comes to mind.

I don't mean for this post to rile you up or ridicule you, I just would like the FACTS.

Aloha.
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If you don't want to research my history, that's fine..But I am not about to furnish a resume, or a beat list for you !..If it bothers you so much, there is plenty of info in these archives, you wouldn't have to go to 1P.org

Actually, I only have a problem with people who think learning to play top level pool, (specifically one pocket) is a piece of cake... I have a little thing going, with John Barton, in that regard, and also CJ, with his insisting how EASY a game one pocket is to play. (I guess that's why he never bothered to learn it) :o

There are plenty of guys here on AZB, that know how difficult a game pool is to learn.. I just can't understand why there are so many who compare it with hitting a curve ball, or playing horseshoes !...Why are they on a pool forum ?
Could it be because they are trying to learn why pool didn't come easy to them ? If you don't want me defending that position, just ask Jay Helfert, or Buddy Hall, or John Schmidt, or anyone who really knows pool !

PS..I have to believe the dissenters on this thread, just don't know what they are talking about...John B. should know better, and CJ damn sure does !...They both just love to argue with me ! :p
 
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SJDinPHX said:
If you don't want to research my history, that's fine..But I am not about to furnish a resume, or a beat list for you !..If it bothers you so much, there is plenty of info in these archives, you wouldn't have to go to 1P.org

Actually, I only have a problem with people who think learning to play top level pool, (specifically one pocket) is a piece of cake... I have a little thing going, with John Barton, in that regard, and also CJ, with his insisting how EASY a game one pocket is to play. (I guess that's why he never bothered to learn it) :o

There are plenty of guys here on AZB, that know how difficult a game pool is to learn.. I just can't understand why there are so many who compare it with hitting a curve ball, or playing horseshoes !...Why are they on a pool forum ?
Could it be because they are trying to learn why pool didn't come easy to them ? If you don't want me defending that position, just ask Jay Helfert, or Buddy Hall, or John Schmidt, or anyone who really knows pool !
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Pool ISN'T hard to learn at its fundamental level. Assuming you are teachable and have good eye/hand coordination and full control of your body.

Practice, good coaching, commitment, dedication, etc. will only make that person better. How much BETTER can NEVER be DETERMINED until THAT INDIVIDUAL actually does it.

FWIW, I have NOT met a SINGLE pro who AWES me! I have YET to see ANYBODY do ANYTHING that I would consider OUT OF THE REALM of someone ELSE accomplishing.

I think there are PLENTY of people who could beat some of the PROs HEAD UP on a given day. Just because somebody plays in a Pro event doesn't make them a Pro. How many people sign up for the DCC and the US Open who AREN'T pros?

As a matter of FACT, a friend of mine BEAT Rodney Morris for the Hawaiian Open 9-Ball Pro/AM title about 20 years ago. I think Rodney had to beat him 7-3 in the finals to win. My friend got to 4 before Rodney got to 7. Does that make my friend a PRO? If it does, then I am a SUPER PRO because I used to beat his ass 5 to 1 almost EVERY TIME I played him.

Anybody who can run racks can beat somebody better on any given day. That is the FACTS.

Doing it OVER and OVER and OVER is what separates the TOP Tier from the rest. :)
 
Moving an object toward a vast goal... nee; football, basketball, soccer, rugby, et al
Hitting a round object with a club..... nee; Hockey, Golf and Baseball.
Hitting a round object with another round object you hit with the end of a club.... Cue Sports.

/thread

Have a nice day,

Lesh
 
I said, "One of the hardest games to get to the top". I never said it was the hardest. Of course it's pretty easy for someone to learn how to make balls quickly, but that won't get you to the top W/O knowing and being able to execute the other 100's of things you must know and be able to do to make the top in pool. You can be the best DH in baseball W/O being able to field well or throw well. In pool if you are weak at kicking, playing safe, pinpoint position. or banking you will never make it to the top.

Ask 10 top pros the history of them learning pool and probably 9 of them will say someone in the family was a very good player, someone in the family owned a poolroom with many great players playing in it, or they always had a friend or relative that shot pro speed that they hung with. In their early teens they hung around or went on the road with a few pro players. and last but not least they had natural talent for pool. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I said,
Ask 10 top pros the history of them learning pool and probably 9 of them will say someone in the family was a very good player, someone in the family owned a poolroom with many great players playing in it, or they always had a friend or relative that shot pro speed that they hung with. In their early teens they hung around or went on the road with a few pro players. and last but not least they had natural talent for pool. Johnnyt
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Interesting thought...I wonder.

I only know one father/son team around me that played better than good pool, the deskas.
 
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