Poor etiquette or sharking?

Nothing screws with someone trying to shark you than totally ignoring them.

I have broken into laughter and when they ask what's so funny reply " your childish attempt to distract me. "

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So when you were ignoring them, you started laughing at them? These messages are mixed.
 
What if there was another team or player next to you then what? Who would you call to make them stop? [/QUOTER]

This was my first thought....

I'm easily distracted myself, so I get it. You simply have to find a way to ignore him (or any opponent) and focus on your turn at the table.

Easier said than done, I grant you. Too bad that he has to be that way....
 
The guy is an ass and yes it is a shark. This, among other things is why I don't get involved in APA. Too many similar stories.

Right.... because the APA encourages sharking and bouncing cue balls.

Where do morons come up with this?
 
I was never happier as a pool player than when I dumped APA.
No more leagues and just absolute freedom. I can play when I want and not play when I don't want to.
The game went back to the game I fell in love with years ago when I quit APA and actually all league playing in general.

NICE! I am going to have to review my APA contract as I didn't realize there were stipulations in there that constricted my freedoms as to when I could play and when I had to play even if I didn't want to.

That is good information to have so I can look out for this type of trap the next time my contract comes up for renewal on December 31st of this year.
 
ask him if he wants you to bounce the ball up his ass? :rolleyes:

Funny, and something many of us have sympathy for.
But this response has a serious flaw.

A fair set of rules allow a 98-pound weakling to compete on equal terms with the toughest
guy in the world.
Full contact pool isn't for all of us.

I think any league or tournament should have a rule that hitting a ball on another table
while playing a match is loss of game.

...and use of a cell phone, even if it just rings, loss of game
 
The moment your opponent does something you don't like is the moment when you've been sharked.

My advice is to recognize the shark, then totally ignore it.

Your goal is to focus on your game only.

If you allow your opponent to control your thinking, you've already lost.

Focus on your game.

Shoot safe,

John
 
You don't have to find a way to ignore him. You have to find a way to stop him!

I'd walk right over to the L.O. and tell him what the problem is. You don't have to say one word to your opponent. Let the L.O. handle it. And if the L.O. asks you if you asked him to stop, tell him no, that's why you came to him (or her) because the situation requires an authority to make a ruling and avoid a confrontation.
 
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You don't have to find a way to ignore him. You have to find a way to stop him!

I'd walk right over to the L.O. and tell him what the problem is. You don't have to say one word to your opponent. Let the L.O. handle it. And if the L.O. asks you if you asked him to stop, tell him no, that's why you came to him (or her) because the situation requires an authority to avoid a confrontation.

Good advice for those sans testicles. A real man will calmly explain to the opponent that is it bothersome and rude.

Not every situation requires crying to the authorities. I've made some great friends by working through conflicts at pool tourneys. Had I just run weeping to the operator, I wouldn't have those friends.
 
The OP stated the guy was "banging" a cue ball around on the next table...I'm taking it that he wasn't shooting with his cue...rather that the cue ball was being treated like a basketball. The first wouldn't particularly bother me...the latter on the other hand is poor etiquette the first time and sharking when advised it bothered the OP...IMO.


You don't have to find a way to ignore him. You have to find a way to stop him!

I'd walk right over to the L.O. and tell him what the problem is. You don't have to say one word to your opponent. Let the L.O. handle it.

I completely agree. Why should unsportsmanlike behavior have to "ignored" rather than stopped? It's sad that people have to be "asked" to use "manners" nowadays...and that's now seemingly the social norm.
 
BCA rules 16.6 Unsportsmanlike Conduct

The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgment of the conduct. Among other penalties possible are a warning; a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of a three-foul sequence if applicable; a serious-foul penalty; loss of a rack, set or match; ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes
(a) distracting the opponent;
(b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
(c) playing a shot by intentionally miscuing;
(d) continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended;
(e) practicing during a match;
(f) marking the table;
(g) delay of the game; and
(h) using equipment inappropriately.

I think (e) covers it. Happens in the local league that I play in, think it's a total lack of class to do. Don't know how APA handles it.
 
It's both, poor pool etiquette and sharking as well. There are rules against things like this.

ANYTIME, I encounter my opponent attempting to hit balls on another table, I immediately tell them in a nice voice, "You can't PRACTICE while you are playing a match!". If they say it isn't in the rules or some other silly thing, I tell them in a loud enough voice for more than just him to hear, "Then you don't know anything about the rules of pool."

That usually dissuades them from attempting to distract me further but if they attempt other or further distractions, I address that as well.

The absolute worst thing you can do when something is distracting you is to try to ignore it. At least that's what the Sports Psychologists have taught me.

Sometimes, you can use the distraction to motivate you to focus even more and that's fine, but it is my belief that a sharking opponent needs to be embarrassed at the very least if he doesn't immediately stop the distracting.

I've embarrassed professional pool players when they didn't act like gentlemen when I asked them to correct their behavior so I don't mind doing the same for league players or anyone else.

The main thing is be resolute with your decision to denounce the distraction and accept nothing less that decent behavior from your opponent. It is imperative that YOU are not embarrassed for calling them out. Any guilt on your part will hamper YOUR ability to play well. I used to be self conscious about calling them out but no more. Life is too short to put up with any shenanigans at the table, intentional or unintentional.

If my opponent is a really nice guy and just doesn't know better, I will be very patient and nice and explain why I don't tolerate that type of behavior (besides it being a rule). If they want proof about it being a rule, I tell them to please go get a ref.

JoeyA

APA bylaw in Vegas: SPORTSMANSHIP: Participating in the APA League is supposed to be fun. Cheering for your team members is recommended and encouraged. However, heckling, jeering, interrupting, distracting, cussing at, or screaming at your opponent (to deliberately cause a disruption), opposing team members, Division Reps, the League Operator or any APA official is a show of poor sportsmanship and will NOT be tolerated.
 
Arrange the table to your liking with your hand. Continue to shoot after you miss. He'll pay attention to the game more once he sees all that out of the corner of his eye.
 
Also BCA RULES:
1-8 No Practice Allowed During Match (Tournament Play Only)

1. It is a foul if you practice at any time during your match, including during time-outs and periods of suspended play. "Practice" is defined as any stroke or shot that is not a part of your match, taken on any table at the event venue. (AR p. 81) 2. During a match, if the first offense of a practice foul occurs between games there is no penalty applied, but a warning will be issued. For second and subsequent offenses between games during a match, the offended player: a.

JoeyA




BCA rules 16.6 Unsportsmanlike Conduct

The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgment of the conduct. Among other penalties possible are a warning; a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of a three-foul sequence if applicable; a serious-foul penalty; loss of a rack, set or match; ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes
(a) distracting the opponent;
(b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
(c) playing a shot by intentionally miscuing;
(d) continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended;
(e) practicing during a match;
(f) marking the table;
(g) delay of the game; and
(h) using equipment inappropriately.

I think (e) covers it. Happens in the local league that I play in, think it's a total lack of class to do. Don't know how APA handles it.
 
During my last APA match while I was shooting my opponent insisted on banging a cue ball around on the table adjacent to our match table. I told him about it at one point, and that it was distracting when I was down on the shot. I don't think he got it though as the behaviour continued. Is there anything in the rules about this?


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If he is doing this ALL match wait until he is shooting and take the cue ball off the adjacent table and stash it over by your case and stuff. Works best if his back is turned when you do it.
 
Ask him to come over and watch the shot in case you foul. Seriously, at a properly run HLT, there is a designated chair for opponent to sit in. Should be used in regular league matches.

That's a wonderful suggestion and much better than mine ... which was to bring in cymbals and bang them together while sitting on an adjacent table while he shoots.
 
Good advice for those sans testicles. A real man will calmly explain to the opponent that is it bothersome and rude.

Not every situation requires crying to the authorities. I've made some great friends by working through conflicts at pool tourneys. Had I just run weeping to the operator, I wouldn't have those friends.

Oh, I see. So you start by telling him that his actions are bothersome and rude, and the conflict ends with him becoming your great friend.
 
Oh, I see. So you start by telling him that his actions are bothersome and rude, and the conflict ends with him becoming your great friend.

Yup. Might help that I'm polite while doing it. Granted, you might not assume that from my last post.

My two best friends were made through conflicts at pool tourneys. One when I was running the tourney and we ended up toe-to-toe yelling at each other at the end for about ten minutes after which we simultaneously offered to buy each other a beer. The other was a disagreement on a foul--I called it on him, he disagreed, but backed down, I insisted that we discuss the situation and resolve it like men...either we agree what happened or re-rack the game. There is no insulting or being unreasonable, it is simply firmly standing up for what you believe.

In the case that the OP stated, I'd probably say, 'I know you probably don't realize it and maybe it isn't something that would bother you, but it is generally considered rude and disrespectful to play with balls on another table during a match.'

It might be hard for you to understand, but there are a lot of men who respect people who can calmly and firmly address situations. It is a way in which mutual understanding is reached. Most of the people I choose to hang around with are this way. Those are the people I like. My close group of 6-7 friends play a non-handicapped cash league together, we have BBQs together, we fish and camp together. We are all like this. When we show up to a bar tourney, most of the other players come over to us to say, 'hi,' and talk to us. We are remembered and welcomed by the staff and other players after being most places only once. This is because people know that with us there, crap like the OP's statement will be addressed without it elevating to physical engagement. I've had people ask me to watch shots that my best friend was taking because they know that I will call it correctly...and that my friend would lose respect for me if I didn't.

BTW, I've been close friends with these people for eight years...and I'm still the new guy.
 
During my last APA match while I was shooting my opponent insisted on banging a cue ball around on the table adjacent to our match table. I told him about it at one point, and that it was distracting when I was down on the shot. I don't think he got it though as the behaviour continued. Is there anything in the rules about this?


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You're not focused if you let this bother you. I would suggest you take care of business at the table and you'll be better off in the long run.
 
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