Shameless bragging about meager accomplishments...

[Andrew Manning]

...is what I started this thread to do.

Last night I hit a streak of really good shooting for me. I got to the pool hall a couple hours before leagues to practice. I hit some balls for a while and broke and played both sides of a few racks of 8-ball to warm up. Another guy from the league arrived, we started playing some 1-pocket.

I broke and made a very good 1-pocket break for once (I'm NOT an experienced 1-pocket player), my opponent messed up a safety attempt, and I ran 6 balls, with the stack starting out mostly intact. That's about 4 more than I can expect to consistently achieve. I won three straight racks of 1-pocket, was starting to feel good about my night.

My match starts (APA 8-ball, I'm a 6, playing against a 5), and in the first game I dog a ball and my opponent runs 8-and-out on me. Not a great omen. The next game had a few safeties go back and forth, and I came out on top, winning the break.

I broke and ran the next rack (quite rare for me in match play), had a dry break, my opponent missed, and I ran out the next rack! That's a two-pack, except for the dry break part! Totally a big accomplishment for me, even though there are plenty of posters on here who do better than that on a daily basis.

Later in the night, I was shooting some more 8-ball on the league tables after the matches had mostly ended, and I had a streak of 5 or 6 games where I ran at least 5 and out in every game, many of them dealing with some ugly traffic. It was just one of those nights where you really feel like you're making progress. I'm sure next time I play I'll find out how misleading that feeling is.

-Andrew
(edit: this was all on 9-foot tables, by the way; don't read APA and think bar-box.)

 

[Flex]

...is what I started this thread to do.

Last night I hit a streak of really good shooting for me. I got to the pool hall a couple hours before leagues to practice. I hit some balls for a while and broke and played both sides of a few racks of 8-ball to warm up. Another guy from the league arrived, we started playing some 1-pocket.

I broke and made a very good 1-pocket break for once (I'm NOT an experienced 1-pocket player), my opponent messed up a safety attempt, and I ran 6 balls, with the stack starting out mostly intact. That's about 4 more than I can expect to consistently achieve. I won three straight racks of 1-pocket, was starting to feel good about my night.

My match starts (APA 8-ball, I'm a 6, playing against a 5), and in the first game I dog a ball and my opponent runs 8-and-out on me. Not a great omen. The next game had a few safeties go back and forth, and I came out on top, winning the break.

I broke and ran the next rack (quite rare for me in match play), had a dry break, my opponent missed, and I ran out the next rack! That's a two-pack, except for the dry break part! Totally a big accomplishment for me, even though there are plenty of posters on here who do better than that on a daily basis.

Later in the night, I was shooting some more 8-ball on the league tables after the matches had mostly ended, and I had a streak of 5 or 6 games where I ran at least 5 and out in every game, many of them dealing with some ugly traffic. It was just one of those nights where you really feel like you're making progress. I'm sure next time I play I'll find out how misleading that feeling is.

-Andrew
(edit: this was all on 9-foot tables, by the way; don't read APA and think bar-box.)

Where were you playing?

 

[ShootingArts]

one negative comment about your post!

My negative comment is about your last line. Never say anything self-depreciating! You may know how humble you are or ain't but your subconscious doesn't and your subconscious is what has final say about how you play.

It took me awhile but I learned to make no bones about coming to do my best and coming with the intention of winning. I say nothing or I might make a light comment, "Hey, hey, hey, I'm here to play!" however I never make the negative comments you hear so often. Also, I don't stick around people bellyaching about anything to do with conditions, it will affect your thinking.

Hu

...is what I started this thread to do.

Last night I hit a streak of really good shooting for me. I got to the pool hall a couple hours before leagues to practice. I hit some balls for a while and broke and played both sides of a few racks of 8-ball to warm up. Another guy from the league arrived, we started playing some 1-pocket.

I broke and made a very good 1-pocket break for once (I'm NOT an experienced 1-pocket player), my opponent messed up a safety attempt, and I ran 6 balls, with the stack starting out mostly intact. That's about 4 more than I can expect to consistently achieve. I won three straight racks of 1-pocket, was starting to feel good about my night.

My match starts (APA 8-ball, I'm a 6, playing against a 5), and in the first game I dog a ball and my opponent runs 8-and-out on me. Not a great omen. The next game had a few safeties go back and forth, and I came out on top, winning the break.

I broke and ran the next rack (quite rare for me in match play), had a dry break, my opponent missed, and I ran out the next rack! That's a two-pack, except for the dry break part! Totally a big accomplishment for me, even though there are plenty of posters on here who do better than that on a daily basis.

Later in the night, I was shooting some more 8-ball on the league tables after the matches had mostly ended, and I had a streak of 5 or 6 games where I ran at least 5 and out in every game, many of them dealing with some ugly traffic. It was just one of those nights where you really feel like you're making progress. I'm sure next time I play I'll find out how misleading that feeling is.

-Andrew
(edit: this was all on 9-foot tables, by the way; don't read APA and think bar-box.)

 

[Billy_Bob]

Good Job!

I won last night too - birds of a feather flock together. (Shameless plug for myself!)

 

[BRKNRUN]

I agree with the above statement...When someone asks how you are playing you should always say "I am playing good" ...You can throw in that you are working on a specific part of your game, but that is not negative...It just means you are working on improving your already good game...

I have been told that when you answer with negative comments about your game...it carries to your actual play because you are setting your own expectations prior to your next opportunity at the table....

I tend to believe that this plays a role in self confidence at the table...


BTW...Just so I can get in on the Shameless Bragging....

I once beat a guy that beat another guy that beat Jessie Bowman (so I am told) that is labled as on of the best players around on a bar box....(also so I am told)...so indirectly, I beat one of the best in the world....

Not bad for a hack pool player....Now where is Efren????

 

[BillYards]

BRKNRUN:

Whoa, Dude! Please be careful! Don't you know that any posts about anyone beating Jessie causes a major ruckus!

Shhhhh! Let's hope nobody reads it... and be more careful in the future!

 

[BRKNRUN]

BRKNRUN:

Whoa, Dude! Please be careful! Don't you know that any posts about anyone beating Jessie causes a major ruckus!

Shhhhh! Let's hope nobody reads it... and be more careful in the future!

LOL.....Hey I like a good Ruckus......Hey if he wants a piece of me he can have me...I will play hime 10 ahead on either table straight up for table time and lunch at sizzler any time he is ready... "We goin Sizzler...We goin Sizzler..."

 

[Gregg]

Totally a big accomplishment for me, even though there are plenty of posters on here who do better than that on a daily basis.

-Andrew
(edit: this was all on 9-foot tables, by the way; don't read APA and think bar-box.)

Running a rack of balls, let alone close to two, for the general public, is like watching someone walk up a flight of stairs on their hands. Nice job on your great accomplishment, and good shooting!

 

[supergreenman]

...is what I started this thread to do.

Last night I hit a streak of really good shooting for me. I got to the pool hall a couple hours before leagues to practice. I hit some balls for a while and broke and played both sides of a few racks of 8-ball to warm up. Another guy from the league arrived, we started playing some 1-pocket.

I broke and made a very good 1-pocket break for once (I'm NOT an experienced 1-pocket player), my opponent messed up a safety attempt, and I ran 6 balls, with the stack starting out mostly intact. That's about 4 more than I can expect to consistently achieve. I won three straight racks of 1-pocket, was starting to feel good about my night.

My match starts (APA 8-ball, I'm a 6, playing against a 5), and in the first game I dog a ball and my opponent runs 8-and-out on me. Not a great omen. The next game had a few safeties go back and forth, and I came out on top, winning the break.

I broke and ran the next rack (quite rare for me in match play), had a dry break, my opponent missed, and I ran out the next rack! That's a two-pack, except for the dry break part! Totally a big accomplishment for me, even though there are plenty of posters on here who do better than that on a daily basis.

Later in the night, I was shooting some more 8-ball on the league tables after the matches had mostly ended, and I had a streak of 5 or 6 games where I ran at least 5 and out in every game, many of them dealing with some ugly traffic. It was just one of those nights where you really feel like you're making progress. I'm sure next time I play I'll find out how misleading that feeling is.

-Andrew
(edit: this was all on 9-foot tables, by the way; don't read APA and think bar-box.)

Yup, that describes my wednesday night completely. I started out not missing a shot before league starts, during league, I played great with mediocre results, 2 out of 3 matches. Then afterwards I had a great night
playing my teammetes.

Lately, I seem to have a few things in my game coming together all at once, I'm sighting the balls different, in a more 3 dimensional way if that makes any sense, and I'm still making some adjustments because of it. I'm not winning as many games right now as I was before I changed things, but I feel like my game is more solid and it's going to take me past the level I was at before. My strategies and patterns have really improved over the last year.

 

[ScottW]

Yay boasting! I guess I'll jump in -

Last Thursday in league, I shot like utter ASS. It was embarassing. The worst I'd shot in a year, I'd wager. Ball in hand on the 8, and roll the cue ball right in after the 8. WTF?

A few days later on Monday, I met up with this guy I'd met recently for a bit of coaching. We spent an hour working on my bridges, my stance, my stroke, etc. My neck and shoulders were getting sore by the end of it, I was standing in such a lower position than normal, craning my neck up more, etc.

I've recently started going to a town nearby for a couple of weekly bar-table tournaments - bar rules, one-game matches (double elim) - mainly locals at $5/head. Very informal, fun crowd. Tuesday, I miss winning by one eight-ball bobble in the side - Wednesday, I win. Another $130-ish into my pool fund between the two

Last night (Thursday), League night again. I end up playing a five (I'm a six, APA) and go 5-1 on the guy. I had two break-and-runs set, but missed one crucial shot in each to blow it - but I did get one eight-ball run on my opponent after his one chance at breaking.

Tomorrow, I play in a bracketed tournament series (APA 2-4 in one bracket, 5-7 in the other). That'll be the real measure of how well these stance/stroke changes are helping, methinks.

 

[twilight]

Well I think i'll jump in on this too. After 4 years off from playing pool, I got back to playing once a week in January. Two weeks ago, I broke and ran my first 9 ball rack in 4 years. Ha only took 2 months. Meager accomplisment I know.

 

[pharaoh68]

Since we're bragging...

A couple of months ago, I was playing a friend at $50 a set. I was down 6-5 in the first set (going to 7) when I snapped a 9 ball to put me on the hill. Then, I broke and ran out.
The next set I started by running the next four racks off the break. So that's 5 break and runs and one snapped 9 totalling 6 unanswered racks!!!

Ironically, we ended breaking even for the night!

Not too shabby considering I suck at pool!