In all of sports I am told nothing is more loved than a comeback. The underdog fighting against all odds, the little guys with the big hearts so to speak. What is it about these comebacks that make them so special. What defining factor makes people stand up and shout for that person or that team? Is it heart and if so what is it about heart that makes it that much more appealing to the masses?
The first thing most people think of when they think of heart is love. Now please dont mistake me for writing about the fancy pants poem crowd who love love love with their mind bodies and souls. That is not the point I am trying to make. However if love plays a factor what kind of love?
For most of us pool is a sport that we love. That love however for most of us is staggered at best. For the masses the Dave and Busters crowd if you will it is simply an affair, a lusting. Something to be toyed and played with like a dog with a bone or a childhood romance where a peck on the cheek can grant you an affectionate giggle.
For others it is a marriage whether of love or convenience. A life long relationship that is set with compromises and realizations. Perhaps realizing you are not going to be a professional pool player any time soon. The compromise that says Im going to keep my nine to five job or any job for that matter and give up the dream of being the best and settle for the daily grind. Now I wont make it sound like marriage is such a terrible thing, there are perks of course as well. Going to your local pool room whenever you wish, playing in tourneys of any kind really aside from invitationals and even then for certain tourneys of that magnitude there are qualifiers. This marriage I will also extend to League players as well whether it be BCA APA ACS and the like as they too have a vested interest and for some leaguers that I know and knew it was till death did they part.
Now there is one other love, the one all of us strive for, "great love". I have seen this love first hand both in my life and on a pool table. A friend of mine recently has been working towards his resurrection focusing on rising up from a long long sabatical from pool. He has been playing phenomenaly well as of late and I wonder if it is this great love that drives him. This quiet will, a silent determination that drives him. Perhaps it is a love of challenge, or even love of the win but I do know for him it is a great love and shows every time he picks up a stick. His stamina for bettering himself at this simple game of sticks and balls is inspiring. I have seen him miss a two foot hangar so deep in thought analyzing and laugh it off yet miss a seven foot blind reverse cut and come down on himself harder than anyone possible. That dear readers is love.
One thing however is for certain it is a love of the game that keeps us all coming back. Me personally I love learning, I love watching and I love playing. Anything whether it be nine ball, eight ball, 3 cushion, and now my new obsession straight pool.
Im not really sure where I was supposed to go with this, perhaps it is a reminder that pool is a game for most of us and to enjoy it. To play it each day with love. To look at it for what it is and say you know what today is going to be a good day. For that time that you are playing all you need to focus on is the table the balls your cue and that always present little bit of luck.
Keep shooting well guys.
Charlie
P.S. thanks for putting up with my preachy rantings lol.
The first thing most people think of when they think of heart is love. Now please dont mistake me for writing about the fancy pants poem crowd who love love love with their mind bodies and souls. That is not the point I am trying to make. However if love plays a factor what kind of love?
For most of us pool is a sport that we love. That love however for most of us is staggered at best. For the masses the Dave and Busters crowd if you will it is simply an affair, a lusting. Something to be toyed and played with like a dog with a bone or a childhood romance where a peck on the cheek can grant you an affectionate giggle.
For others it is a marriage whether of love or convenience. A life long relationship that is set with compromises and realizations. Perhaps realizing you are not going to be a professional pool player any time soon. The compromise that says Im going to keep my nine to five job or any job for that matter and give up the dream of being the best and settle for the daily grind. Now I wont make it sound like marriage is such a terrible thing, there are perks of course as well. Going to your local pool room whenever you wish, playing in tourneys of any kind really aside from invitationals and even then for certain tourneys of that magnitude there are qualifiers. This marriage I will also extend to League players as well whether it be BCA APA ACS and the like as they too have a vested interest and for some leaguers that I know and knew it was till death did they part.
Now there is one other love, the one all of us strive for, "great love". I have seen this love first hand both in my life and on a pool table. A friend of mine recently has been working towards his resurrection focusing on rising up from a long long sabatical from pool. He has been playing phenomenaly well as of late and I wonder if it is this great love that drives him. This quiet will, a silent determination that drives him. Perhaps it is a love of challenge, or even love of the win but I do know for him it is a great love and shows every time he picks up a stick. His stamina for bettering himself at this simple game of sticks and balls is inspiring. I have seen him miss a two foot hangar so deep in thought analyzing and laugh it off yet miss a seven foot blind reverse cut and come down on himself harder than anyone possible. That dear readers is love.
One thing however is for certain it is a love of the game that keeps us all coming back. Me personally I love learning, I love watching and I love playing. Anything whether it be nine ball, eight ball, 3 cushion, and now my new obsession straight pool.
Im not really sure where I was supposed to go with this, perhaps it is a reminder that pool is a game for most of us and to enjoy it. To play it each day with love. To look at it for what it is and say you know what today is going to be a good day. For that time that you are playing all you need to focus on is the table the balls your cue and that always present little bit of luck.
Keep shooting well guys.
Charlie
P.S. thanks for putting up with my preachy rantings lol.
