Craw, we're going to start calling you Mack the Knife.
ran into my old enemy againg tonight, it got ugly.
- Thread starter getsome01
- Start date
Inner mental game..try looking Dave "blackjack" Sapolis up on youtube,he's a regular here and a great guy to talk with on the phone,he could really help you out!
Sorry, guys, the OP can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think it was his confidence that was shattered. When I read his post it seemed to me like his opponent was getting some lucky rolls and his inner demon was his temper getting the best of him. "God, he's so lucky!" "Why doesn't that happen to me" "Am I ever gonna get a break" etc... and by the time you get to the table you're so pissed off that if the 9-ball was sitting in the jaws of the pocket and you were 6 inches from it you'd probably miscue and jump whitey right off the table. HAHA!!!
If that's the case then you just need to realize that those lucky rolls happen for you and against you. Only problem is that we tend to recognize when they're going against us more than when they're going for us. Either that or we tend to magnify the ones against us and skip over the ones going for us. Don't ever think for one second that there aren't times when you're at the table that the guy sitting down is thinking the exact same thing about you "God, he's getting some lucky rolls" and then he starts screwing up and you start thinking you're whipping his ass and get all giddy about how great you are.
Pool can be a heart breaker if you let it. When that inner demon steps up and starts telling you that he's getting lucky etc... you can't let it piss you off. Again, face the fact that it happens to everyone and just try to ride it out. It doesn't last forever, although that's what it seems like. Hehe!!
Man, there have been times when I've been aching to shoot some pool, I get to the pool hall and I can't make a ball to save myself. Instead of getting all frustrated I just mark it down to "It's one of *those* days" and try not to think about it. It sucks if it lasts the entire night but if it does you can probably think back over the last couple of days and find what's screwing you up. Were you lifting anything heavy within the past 3 or 4 days? Eating things you don't usually eat? Getting exercise you don't usually get, or lack of exercise that you usually get? Sleeping funny at all? Man, the list can go on and on but if you really think about it you can find something that may be affecting your stroke, stance, eyesight etc... And that's basically all it is. 9 times out of 10 when you're shooting bad you can probably trace it back to your stance. You're probably not in your best stance, you may feel like nothing is different but it is. Have someone watch you when you're shooting really good, or videotape it and then do the same when you're shooting bad. You'll see it.
Sorry, that last part was way off course, but still food for thought.:thumbup:
MULLY
If that's the case then you just need to realize that those lucky rolls happen for you and against you. Only problem is that we tend to recognize when they're going against us more than when they're going for us. Either that or we tend to magnify the ones against us and skip over the ones going for us. Don't ever think for one second that there aren't times when you're at the table that the guy sitting down is thinking the exact same thing about you "God, he's getting some lucky rolls" and then he starts screwing up and you start thinking you're whipping his ass and get all giddy about how great you are.
Pool can be a heart breaker if you let it. When that inner demon steps up and starts telling you that he's getting lucky etc... you can't let it piss you off. Again, face the fact that it happens to everyone and just try to ride it out. It doesn't last forever, although that's what it seems like. Hehe!!
Man, there have been times when I've been aching to shoot some pool, I get to the pool hall and I can't make a ball to save myself. Instead of getting all frustrated I just mark it down to "It's one of *those* days" and try not to think about it. It sucks if it lasts the entire night but if it does you can probably think back over the last couple of days and find what's screwing you up. Were you lifting anything heavy within the past 3 or 4 days? Eating things you don't usually eat? Getting exercise you don't usually get, or lack of exercise that you usually get? Sleeping funny at all? Man, the list can go on and on but if you really think about it you can find something that may be affecting your stroke, stance, eyesight etc... And that's basically all it is. 9 times out of 10 when you're shooting bad you can probably trace it back to your stance. You're probably not in your best stance, you may feel like nothing is different but it is. Have someone watch you when you're shooting really good, or videotape it and then do the same when you're shooting bad. You'll see it.
Sorry, that last part was way off course, but still food for thought.:thumbup:
MULLY
One other thing. One thing I do to counteract the "lucky rolls" that he's getting is when I see them coming I just stop watching his game. No reason to torture myself. I have plenty of time at the table to plan my runs etc... I don't need to do it from the chair.
MULLY
MULLY
I've met Craig....I call Bull$hit. He kicked his own A$$. He's to tough to let that happen to him.
I am retired US Army and there was a duty assignment that I always wanted only one problem, I had to go to Airborne School which wasn't the worst part, I was afraid of heights!!!!
Every time I was more than about 10 feet off the ground my knee's became very weak and that inner Demon told me that I was going fall. I found out the best way to deal with the guy is to laugh at him, you see fear is a two way street. It can be an a Friend or a foe it all depends how you use the emotion and the energy created by it.
Most people do not realize that fear can make you very alert and increase your concentration. But for any of this to work to have to stand up to your fear and kick it in the ass, once you do this you are in control and that little Demon will never show his face because you are in control.
Well anyway, I went to FT. Benning, Georgia and did graduate from Jump School. The first time I was suppose to Jump I froze at the door of the Aircraft, and the instructor kicked me in the Ass and right out the door
After that I never had a problem dealing with heights or jumping again, I would still get excited but, I was able to control my actions and emotions. I mean I think it is normal to get a little excited Jumping out of a perfectly good Aircraft:smile:
You can do the same thing, first you have to figure out what your afraid of, is it loosing the money, what people will think if you miss, or the others players reputation. Once you are certain what is causing the Demon to show his face and you start to get that feeling just sit down and laugh at yourself. Then stand back up and make the shot, and kick the other players ass, once you do that you have nothing to be afraid of, and sitting down and laughing will more than likely cause your opponent to have a little fear of his or her own.
Good Luck
I am retired US Army and there was a duty assignment that I always wanted only one problem, I had to go to Airborne School which wasn't the worst part, I was afraid of heights!!!!
Every time I was more than about 10 feet off the ground my knee's became very weak and that inner Demon told me that I was going fall. I found out the best way to deal with the guy is to laugh at him, you see fear is a two way street. It can be an a Friend or a foe it all depends how you use the emotion and the energy created by it.
Most people do not realize that fear can make you very alert and increase your concentration. But for any of this to work to have to stand up to your fear and kick it in the ass, once you do this you are in control and that little Demon will never show his face because you are in control.
Well anyway, I went to FT. Benning, Georgia and did graduate from Jump School. The first time I was suppose to Jump I froze at the door of the Aircraft, and the instructor kicked me in the Ass and right out the door
After that I never had a problem dealing with heights or jumping again, I would still get excited but, I was able to control my actions and emotions. I mean I think it is normal to get a little excited Jumping out of a perfectly good Aircraft:smile:
You can do the same thing, first you have to figure out what your afraid of, is it loosing the money, what people will think if you miss, or the others players reputation. Once you are certain what is causing the Demon to show his face and you start to get that feeling just sit down and laugh at yourself. Then stand back up and make the shot, and kick the other players ass, once you do that you have nothing to be afraid of, and sitting down and laughing will more than likely cause your opponent to have a little fear of his or her own.
Good Luck
Good stuff there in red
Yes, I do. Learn to lose graciously. Every loss is a learning experience. I respect opponents who can take a pounding, and disrespect those who can't.
Part of becoming a good pool player is to accept being outplayed, and losing comes with the territory. Losing, in and of itself, doesn't really matter (unless there is a bunch on money riding on the outcome). What matters is you take that loss as motivation to get better and improve your skills. The better player you become, the less rolls matter.
When your skills are up to the test, difficult situations become welcome challenges. If somebody can beat me, rolls or not, they have earned my respect.
Chris
Ps. It does bother me when someone wins only because of good rolls and doesn't recognize it.:wink:
Last edited: