Question: cell phone usage during play

inside_english

inside_english

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How would you feel if your opponent carried on a phone conversation for at least 30-45 minutes during play? This happened to me recently. It was not a match, gambling or a tournament. We were just practicing 9-ball one Friday night.

This bothered me. I felt he was being disrespectful. Some of you may say, "Well, who cares?" If it hurts his game all the better for you.

I can see that point. But I am one of those who feels if he is playing someone that person should devote his full attention to the play at hand, practice or not.

To be honest, this person was very soft-spoken and I could barely hear his conversation (which is unusual for most cell-phone users), but the fact that he was doing this during play irritated me a little. I won't be asking him to play anytime soon because of it, even though he is a nice guy.

Guess I'm too picky.

One could also argue that I should have been focusing harder on my game instead of letting this play with my head. But where is the line for your opponent to respect the fact he is playing someone else?

It's 2009...got a whole new list of gripes...:)
 
Casual play, sometimes takes the backseat to personal issues and life. If a guy was constantly on the phone every time we played, something's up and he's just being disrespectful. Otherwise, something important might've genuinely come up and demanded his attention.
 
If you feel that it was a bit disrespectful, I'd just mention it to him in a polite way. More of asking a question like, "Is something wrong?" or "Is everything ok?" rather a rude, "Get off the phone."

If we were close friends or buddies than I'd tell him politely. That's my 2 cent. Other than that, one of my own is people trying to talk to me while I am taking a shot or saying something to me all of a sudden like "Stripes!" etc. I need to concentrate when I take a shot because I'm a newbie, so I don't like it when they do silly stuff like that.

Most of the time, it is others who I don't want to shoot with that does that, because they don't respect the sport. My best friend is one person I absolutely hate shooting with, because he doesn't take the sport serious and just shoot to shoot. Anyhow, happy shooting!

Chino
 
inside_english said:
How would you feel if your opponent carried on a phone conversation for at least 30-45 minutes during play? This happened to me recently. It was not a match, gambling or a tournament. We were just practicing 9-ball one Friday night.

This bothered me. I felt he was being disrespectful. Some of you may say, "Well, who cares?" If it hurts his game all the better for you.

I can see that point. But I am one of those who feels if he is playing someone that person should devote his full attention to the play at hand, practice or not.

To be honest, this person was very soft-spoken and I could barely hear his conversation (which is unusual for most cell-phone users), but the fact that he was doing this during play irritated me a little. I won't be asking him to play anytime soon because of it, even though he is a nice guy.

Guess I'm too picky.

One could also argue that I should have been focusing harder on my game instead of letting this play with my head. But where is the line for your opponent to respect the fact he is playing someone else?

It's 2009...got a whole new list of gripes...:)
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Unless it is an emergency, IE, Death or Dismemberment, and the person is playing a tournament they should forfeit that match, NO CELL PHONES SHOULD BE TURNED ON DURING PLAY.

I have seen players who have others (backers) call them at certain times that are critical as a sharking technique designed to try get some out of the game they are playing at that moment. If a Backer leaves the room and you are up at the table kicking ass and your opponent's cell phone starts ringing just continue to shoot and kick his ass!!!!!:smile:
 
I agree with Manwon just keep playing and kicking butt ... I lump these people into the same class as those that take forever to shoot .... Patience is a virtue and I refuse to let them bother me ...
 
manwon said:
Unless it is an emergency, IE, Death or Dismemberment, and the person is playing a tournament they should forfeit that match, NO CELL PHONES SHOULD BE TURNED ON DURING PLAY.

I have seen players who have others (backers) call them at certain times that are critical as a sharking technique designed to try get some out of the game they are playing at that moment. If a Backer leaves the room and you are up at the table kicking ass and your opponent's cell phone starts ringing just continue to shoot and kick his ass!!!!!:smile:
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I'm with you on this last monday night when I was playing league one of my teamates was at the table waiting because her opponent was chatting on his cell phone during his time to shoot and I thought it was rude as hell .
 
Cmon people, he was talking about casual play. No point in sharking in a game without bets or anything to gain.

Side note: Nothing short of poisoning me will affect my play. Standing in front of the pocket Im shooting into only increases my accuracy because you're giving me a larger point of reference which I like. The place I play is my University rec room, which is a bowling alley with some tables in an adjacent room. There are TVs all over the friggin place and loud music booming all the time. Usually stuff from Ministry of Sound or some country stuff. I started out over there, so basically nothing bothers me now. When I take a shot, my eyes kind of glaze over and cross a bit, and the world around me becomes blurry and all I hear is white noise.
 
manwon said:
Unless it is an emergency, IE, Death or Dismemberment, and the person is playing a tournament they should forfeit that match, NO CELL PHONES SHOULD BE TURNED ON DURING PLAY.

I have seen players who have others (backers) call them at certain times that are critical as a sharking technique designed to try get some out of the game they are playing at that moment. If a Backer leaves the room and you are up at the table kicking ass and your opponent's cell phone starts ringing just continue to shoot and kick his ass!!!!!:smile:
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Manwon, that profile pic has got to be the ugliest on the Web...:)

I played this guy twice in as many weeks, just banging them around on a Friday night, and he was on the phone both times. I have been around long enough to know when a guy is making, or getting a booty call. The pig in me sayd "more power to him, get that action no matter what", but the poolplayer in me wants to say, "would you play any better with that bluetooth shoved up your ***?"

I hung in there for about 20 games then I politely quit, and proceeded to play 1P with someone else for cash, which is always preferable...:)
 
Interesting

I would NEVER talk on a cell phone during a match. Tournament or in action.

That's wasn't what the original poster asked. They we're just practicing or playing around for nada. In this case a call or 2 wouldn't bother me at all, unless they became 5+ minutes long. Then I would, like someone else mentioned, ask if everything was OK. I have been in this situation and been the one on the phone. Either way, If a call is gonna take that long, one or the other should gracefully bow out and let someone else shoot. IMO.

Ray
 
At the western BCA championships tournament in Oregon this last October, it was constantly announced that anyone using a cell phone during play would suffer a penalty of ball in hand to his opponent. I thought that to be reasonable.

But for casual play, just hanging out in the hall or a bar? I have no problem with cell phone use...especially if the phone is used in a manner that it doesn't disturb play on nearby tables.
 
If you two were just practicing then when you miss....keep shooting. If he says something just say, "oh well I figured since you're busy talking on the phone I'll just keep practicing".

During a tournament it should be forfeit of match. If it's a money game just say to turn off the phone before ya start playing.

For a major tournament the announcer should tell the crowd that if your cell phone rings you will be kicked out....no questions asked. I'd actually like to see a security person come buy, grab the phone and smash it into a million pieces.
 
Not just cell phone, but any electronic device used during a play or match is just in poor taste IMHO. Cell phones should be put on silent mode and left in your case, purse, car or somewhere out of eyesight and earshot. When the match is over, is the only appropriate time to use it. IPOD's and other headphones are not to be tolerated when I am involved in a match. When I am playing someone, I give them my full attention and respect and I expect no less in return.
 
I would consider it rude and especially annoying if it slowed down the game.

But most likely the friend sees nothing wrong with it, so like you said, you can just not play next time.
 
The two most egregious acts in pool, IMHO.
1) Cheating or refusing to acknowlege a foul.
2) Cell phone use while the opponent is waiting.
 
Everyone I play with turns their phone off during play and on Silent when they are just watching.

It's a matter of respect.
 
Just thought I'd share. On Friday night I was at a local bar where we were celebrating our friends who just returned from Afghanistan. Yesterday I found out that a fight broke out between two guys playing pool, one Airman and one local regular. The fight started because the Airman was on his phone and the local wanted him to play. The Airman hit the local with a beer bottle and the local fell and hit his head on the pool table, which knocked him unconscious. When he hit the ground, the Airman continued kicking him until somebody stopped him. The local died in the hospital a few hours later. Two lives were ruined this weekend because of talking on a cell phone while playing pool. True story.
 
Depends on the situation, once in league play my opponent was a doctor who was on call and had to take a 30 min call.
 
The Phone

easy-e said:
Just thought I'd share. On Friday night I was at a local bar where we were celebrating our friends who just returned from Afghanistan. Yesterday I found out that a fight broke out between two guys playing pool, one Airman and one local regular. The fight started because the Airman was on his phone and the local wanted him to play. The Airman hit the local with a beer bottle and the local fell and hit his head on the pool table, which knocked him unconscious. When he hit the ground, the Airman continued kicking him until somebody stopped him. The local died in the hospital a few hours later. Two lives were ruined this weekend because of talking on a cell phone while playing pool. True story.
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Don't blame the cell phone brother!

Anyone that was that sensitive, will be going off on something............ and soon. He could be suffering from PTSS or one or both of them might just be a$$holes.

Ray
 
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it bothers the hell out of me! i feel your pain. can't help but feel disrespected when someone decides talking on the phone is more important than what they have going on right in front of them
 
poolplayer2093 said:
it bothers the hell out of me! i feel your pain. can't help but feel disrespected when someone decides talking on the phone is more important than what they have going on right in front of them
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You could use a t-shirt like this...


 
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