Pool players losing touch with reality (long)

P

predator

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi guys! Do you know a player who thinks he's much better than he really is? And is full of excuses when he gets defeated? Yes, we know them all, but imagine playing for small stakes against such guy almost every day...

My and my clubmates are not gamblers by any stretch of imagination. But, in search for a better and stronger mental game we have agreed to play sets for small stakes. Always for fixed amount, no spots, just normal 9ball races to seven.

I regularly play against this one guy who has far more experience than me and is much higher ranked in our national league. But, I beat him most of the time nowdays. That couldn't have happened let's say 2 years ago. So where's my problem you may ask?

Well, every time he loses he says that he's horrible nowdays, only plays 15% of his real speed, and that he can't motivate himself. Then he starts his old war stories on how he ran many racks agains top players, how great he was, etc...:rolleyes:

Just a few hours ago we played two sets...I won by 7-5 and 7-6, being 3 racks down in each set. He was really pissed off, probably because he had a significant lead in both sets.

He starts with his usual excuses, but this time says something which I believe is slightly out of line: "at my normal speed, you couldn't win more than 3-4 racks against me."

I smile and respond with: "Really? You seem to forget that I can also raise my game, especially if you raise yours...neither of us played well today, that can change tomorrow...".

He says: "No, I don't think you could respond to that kind of game. You can play like a champ for one set, and than after that your game turns to shit. You see I used to run 5 racks. And I also beat many players far above your speed."

Me: "Well, I'm not a pro so shoot me. And you seem to forget that you ran those 5 racks JUST ONCE in your lifetime. That's not your normal game. Deal with it. You're delusional!"

He says: "I don't know what's wrong with me when I play nowdays. When I practice everything is fine. Yesterday night I threw 9 balls on the table and ran out. I did it ten times without any trouble."

Me: "10 times in a row??? Surely you meant in a session..."

He says: "No, a 10 pack with no breaks. It wasn't a big deal."

Me: "Come on man, you're full of it. There's no way you can do that..."

He says: "Of course I can run 10 open racks in a row with ball in hand. Why won't you believe me???"

Me: "Because such a feat would be a challenge for a pro player, which you are not. You don't have that kind of game. 90 balls in rotation without missing?:eek: Are you mad? The game of 9ball is a bit more difficult than that..."

He says: "I still don't get why won't you believe me?"

Me: "Look now, I'll gladly give you my whole pay check if you run 10 racks like that in front of me."

He says: "Ok."


I think he actually believes he really ran 10 open racks. How can I make him see the light?:confused:

This whole gambling affair will not turn out well I'm afraid. Sooner or later he will ask to raise the stake. I will not be able to say no to that. And if I beat him for larger stake which I probably will, he will get into serious trouble with his wife. I actually like the guy, we're friendly. He's quite OK when he just hangs around...we all listen to his stories about how great he was once...:)

Do any of you know such a player?
 
Sure...he ran 10 racks out with ball in hand I bet. The table was set up like this the whole time..but it can be done. :D :D

http://cuetable.com/WeiTable/

START(
%AD5G1%BF4E8%CD9W9%DG5Y5%E[3Y2%Fo0Y7%Gq7V8%Hq6G3%I\3F1%Pg9V9

)END

These people are everywhere. I just smile and continue to run out on them. Don't let it affect your game, use it as a springboard to really want to stick it to him. And continue to do so until you get his due respect.
 
Sounds like fun to me. Just keep beating him and tell him you're ready for his A-game whenever it shows up.
 
Predator,
Consider yourself lucky. This guy is still playing. Most of these guys are riding the bench. Cut him some slack; he is just nuts, that's all....:)
The same guys populate the golf links...:)
 
Maybe he hasn't had enough real stong competition to judge his own speed. I like to play pros every once in a while when my head gets too large. I often find reality sitting right along with me in the chair.

Chris
 
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I've met many such players over the years. Delusional, perhaps, but that's not really what's important. What really matters is that this guy has set himself up to enjoy pool less than he ought. Those that live in a world where anything short of their best game will aggravate them will always enjoy pool far less than the guys who, on average, expect their average game. Such players are not to be confused with or admired as perfectionists, but pitied as being plagued with a quality that will make pool less fulfilling for them.

Whether he ran a four pack or a ten pack against the ghost doesn't really matter. The fact that he could only deal with defeat by summoning and boasting of memories of his finest day speaks volumes.
 
predator said:
Yesterday night I threw 9 balls on the table and ran out. I did it ten times without any trouble."

Me: "10 times in a row??? Surely you meant in a session..."

He says: "No, a 10 pack with no breaks. It wasn't a big deal."

Me: "Come on man, you're full of it. There's no way you can do that..."

He says: "Of course I can run 10 open racks in a row with ball in hand. Why won't you believe me???"

Me: "Because such a feat would be a challenge for a pro player, which you are not.
Click to expand...
Oh, I can do this all the time.

And by "all the time," I mean once. And by "ten racks," I mean two or maybe three and quit before I scared myself.

Fred <~~~ doesn't think he's much better than "sucks"
 
TATE said:
Maybe he hasn't had enough real stong competition to judge his own speed. I like to play pros every once in a while when my head gets too large. I often find reality sitting right along with me in the chair.

Chris
Click to expand...

I find that when I lose to a pro (Larry Nevel) I feel as though I play a better game then when I loose to someone who shoots around my speed, does that make any sense? A couple weeks ago I was shooting an amature tourny and played horribly, so after not winning a match I went over and started racking for Larry, I say racking because I was basically just watching him run out on me, but when I did get to shoot I felt I was doing the best I could, even when I missed.
 
predator said:
Hi guys! Do you know a player who thinks he's much better than he really is? And is full of excuses when he gets defeated? Yes, we know them all, but imagine playing for small stakes against such guy almost every day...

My and my clubmates are not gamblers by any stretch of imagination. But, in search for a better and stronger mental game we have agreed to play sets for small stakes. Always for fixed amount, no spots, just normal 9ball races to seven.

I regularly play against this one guy who has far more experience than me and is much higher ranked in our national league. But, I beat him most of the time nowdays. That couldn't have happened let's say 2 years ago. So where's my problem you may ask?

Well, every time he loses he says that he's horrible nowdays, only plays 15% of his real speed, and that he can't motivate himself. Then he starts his old war stories on how he ran many racks agains top players, how great he was, etc...:rolleyes:

Just a few hours ago we played two sets...I won by 7-5 and 7-6, being 3 racks down in each set. He was really pissed off, probably because he had a significant lead in both sets.

He starts with his usual excuses, but this time says something which I believe is slightly out of line: "at my normal speed, you couldn't win more than 3-4 racks against me."

I smile and respond with: "Really? You seem to forget that I can also raise my game, especially if you raise yours...neither of us played well today, that can change tomorrow...".

He says: "No, I don't think you could respond to that kind of game. You can play like a champ for one set, and than after that your game turns to shit. You see I used to run 5 racks. And I also beat many players far above your speed."

Me: "Well, I'm not a pro so shoot me. And you seem to forget that you ran those 5 racks JUST ONCE in your lifetime. That's not your normal game. Deal with it. You're delusional!"

He says: "I don't know what's wrong with me when I play nowdays. When I practice everything is fine. Yesterday night I threw 9 balls on the table and ran out. I did it ten times without any trouble."

Me: "10 times in a row??? Surely you meant in a session..."

He says: "No, a 10 pack with no breaks. It wasn't a big deal."

Me: "Come on man, you're full of it. There's no way you can do that..."

He says: "Of course I can run 10 open racks in a row with ball in hand. Why won't you believe me???"

Me: "Because such a feat would be a challenge for a pro player, which you are not. You don't have that kind of game. 90 balls in rotation without missing?:eek: Are you mad? The game of 9ball is a bit more difficult than that..."

He says: "I still don't get why won't you believe me?"

Me: "Look now, I'll gladly give you my whole pay check if you run 10 racks like that in front of me."

He says: "Ok."


I think he actually believes he really ran 10 open racks. How can I make him see the light?:confused:

This whole gambling affair will not turn out well I'm afraid. Sooner or later he will ask to raise the stake. I will not be able to say no to that. And if I beat him for larger stake which I probably will, he will get into serious trouble with his wife. I actually like the guy, we're friendly. He's quite OK when he just hangs around...we all listen to his stories about how great he was once...:)

Do any of you know such a player?
Click to expand...
Is he your friend? If so let it go.IMHO Don
 
bruin70 said:
every player i know thinks his best game is his average game.
Click to expand...


Not "All" of um, Bruin but your's is a true statement otherwise. It is amazing how much money a smart player or even shortstop can and has made when he plays within him own game.

In the 70s the acknowledged top bumper pool player on earth was a guy named Marcus Collier. Marcus was a very good pool player too. He made tons of cash playing the bump table in the bars at night and would donate most of it back in the pool rooms the next day giving up the nuts and trying to out run them. His way of matching up was to figure if he played his best game, what could he give, or on occasion get from, this guy. If you were smart you wanted to be in with Marcus at night and on the other end the next day. Many others were the same way then as they are now.
 
despotic931 said:
I find that when I lose to a pro (Larry Nevel) I feel as though I play a better game then when I loose to someone who shoots around my speed, does that make any sense? A couple weeks ago I was shooting an amature tourny and played horribly, so after not winning a match I went over and started racking for Larry, I say racking because I was basically just watching him run out on me, but when I did get to shoot I felt I was doing the best I could, even when I missed.
Click to expand...

I think what you're saying makes a lot sense. I've always found that when I play a better player I raise my game. I think it's just a natural thing, you know you have to concentrate harder & make every shot count! The trick is to keep that same mindset in every game, whoever you play. Not easy!

I play a friend every week, just for the fun of the game. He's beaten me once so far in the 5 months we've been playing. Sometimes it's hard to play as mean as I would if it were a match. Tonight I came up with a new idea to keep me playing hard. I figured the more shots he had the more he could mess up my run out opportunities. It worked very well, made me think more about each shot & made it harder for him. I know it sounds horrible to beat up on a pal but he'd much rather I did that than go easy on him. Besides, it seemed the more I went for it the better he played too! I think we both raised our games.
 
predator said:
Hi guys! Do you know a player who thinks he's much better than he really is? And is full of excuses when he gets defeated?
Click to expand...

I know a guy like that. I see him every time I look in the mirror!
 
UWPoolGod1 said:
Sure...he ran 10 racks out with ball in hand I bet. The table was set up like this the whole time..but it can be done. :D :D

http://cuetable.com/WeiTable/

START(
%AD5G1%BF4E8%CD9W9%DG5Y5%E[3Y2%Fo0Y7%Gq7V8%Hq6G3%I\3F1%Pg9V9

)END
Click to expand...

Even with balls set up like this he would mess up after 3 or 4 racks and would probably say that racks were not challenging enough for him, that he lost concentration, bla bla...:rolleyes:

What bothers me is when he said that my game brought his game down. So I said ok and proposed that in future we both try to play the ghost and the winner is the one who has better runout percentage. Surely I cannot bring his game down just by watching him?? Of course he claims to have beaten the ghost 'many times'.

Once this guy really was a class or two above me. Nowdays not only me, but some of the other guys can beat him as well. He just can't take that.
 
Just tell him that every dog has his day. Either this is your day or his day is over. Let him work that one out.
 
I can almost sympathize with your friend. When I was a kid, I was a world beater. I could run balls and make shots effortlessly. The guy who owned the pool room where I grew up used to back me up against all locals in bank pool. Then something happened that caused me to lose my eye. I think it had something to do with the fact that I started to wear glasses. Anyway, I walked into the pool room one day after being away for a while and I couldn't make a shot. And, I couldn't recognize a dead bank if it bit me in the a$$. Guys who I used to spot 25-30 points in straight pool were beating me. I tried to come back, but I couldn't. So, disgusted and humiliated, I quit.

But a few years ago, 38 years after quitting, I took the game up again. I work a lot on my game and am happy with the fact that I keep getting better. I try not to think of the fact that I can't play near as well as I could back in the 60's. I don't think that matters. All that matters for me is the game I bring into the pool room now. I don't make excuses. I don't bore people with tales of how good I used to be. I just try like hell to destroy them now. :D :D :D
 
In the words of Burt Gordon (from the movie "The Hustler"), "....stay with this kid.....he's a loser!"

Southpaw
 
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