Something I noticed at APA last night.

bigshooter

bigshooter

<--vs Chuck Norris on TAR
Silver Member
After playing APA masters last night I wandered into the next room and watched some APA players that could not have been over a 4 on a good day.

I noticed something strange... they were having fun and lots of it.
Can you imagine that? No one was whining about the handicap, accusing someone of sandbagging, looking down their noses at lesser players or ones without a custom cue.

Playing pool and having fun... novel idea.
 
bigshooter said:
After playing APA masters last night I wandered into the next room and watched some APA players that could not have been over a 4 on a good day.

I noticed something strange... they were having fun and lots of it.
Can you imagine that? No one was whining about the handicap, accusing someone of sandbagging, looking down their noses at lesser players or ones without a custom cue.

Playing pool and having fun... novel idea.
Click to expand...

Yep!!!

Maniac (always has fun around a pool table)
 
Not trying to start anything but I think leagues come down to a personal thing. Are you trying to win? Or are you trying to have fun?
 
LHP5 said:
Not trying to start anything but I think leagues come down to a personal thing. Are you trying to win? Or are you trying to have fun?
Click to expand...

I don't know who you are directing your question to, but in pool, as in life, my number one priority is to have fun. Winning is just icing on the cake!!!

If you aren't having fun playing pool because you're not winning as much as you'd like, then you're pissing in the wind and you may as well give it up (not YOU specifically LHP5).

These are only my personal opinions. If you disagree with them, please refrain from name-calling and condescending "cheap-shots". I respect those opinions that differ from mine.

Maniac
 
It's the damndest thing....I can get all pissed at myself for playing poorly, but at the end of the night, I'm hanging with friends (not only.my teammates, but my opponents, too) , doing something I love to do. Why is that such a bad thing?

People that get down on league either A:) don't make friends easily, B:) are in a bad area, or C:) don't wanna have fun. Just my humble opinion.

(And I wanna win, too....big time. Perspective, folks...)
 
God Bless the Unaware

.......and they all got trophies. I have noticed somthing. When I win, I have more fun and when my clueless 4's and 5's win, they have more fun. Huh, weird concept.

GOD BLESS COACH LOMBARDI!
 
Hil-flippin-larious

I nearly spewed beer all over the computer. I posted on that string too and cant believe a whole hall/bar let that happen. Love your sig quote.
 
Fun ? Imagine that ....

justadub said:
It's the damndest thing....I can get all pissed at myself for playing poorly, but at the end of the night, I'm hanging with friends (not only.my teammates, but my opponents, too) , doing something I love to do. Why is that such a bad thing?

People that get down on league either A:) don't make friends easily, B:) are in a bad area, or C:) don't wanna have fun. Just my humble opinion.

(And I wanna win, too....big time. Perspective, folks...)
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Well, I like to win, and I like to play pool too. There is a lot of bashing APA lately, and all I have to say bout it is this:
APA is very popular in up-state NY and New England. There is some DAMN GOOD shooters & players in APA (I lost to a "4" last weekend that'll shoot a "6" anyplace else!) It is not the only game in town, but it is the main draw. A lot of players join just to get some table time to play others (if ya catch my drift).

I can have fun without pool: .... just lemme be that lobster in Dub's avatar ! :smile:
 
League popularity

A lot of locals around the country
don't have a pool room. So if you as
a decent player want to hang out with
other "players" the league and it's
venues replace the pool room. This
may be the reason some places have
very good players participating in
leagues.

Secondly, it is probably easier for some
guys to get out of the house on a weekday
for league pool rather than to go hang out
at the local room. Wifey and all.

Thirdly, league pool offers regular competition
in a form other than money. Players are
trying to win a (free?) trip to Las Vegas.
A goal they can work and play toward.

Another thing that contributes to the popularity
of leagues is the consistency. People are
comfortable knowing 'what is gonna happen
when'. I also think they like knowing that the
rules are gonna be the same as last time.
Familiarity breeds a lot more comfort than it
does contempt. I personally like the "matching up"
process that occurs when gambling, but I can
understand the discomfort it causes in others.

Lastly, the matches are controlled by a third
party, the captain. That makes it possible for
any player, who needs to, to disavow their match.

Just a few ideas on why league play's popularity.

Joe
 
It's different if you're an APA 4... you got zero shot in that league anyway so all the pressure is off and you can just "go out there and have fun" like Cliché Coach would say.

For a 6 or weak 7 it might be a bit less fun because you *might* win if you play your best, but then again you might not. It's disappointing either way... you had a chance and blew it.

Your masters league sounds wildly different than mine, there is nobody under 6 and the atmosphere is very serious all the time. I can't imagine it being fun for anyone.

Guys 'call out' from our masters league like it's a job they hate :P
 
CreeDo said:
It's different if you're an APA 4... you got zero shot in that league anyway so all the pressure is off and you can just "go out there and have fun" like Cliché Coach would say.

For a 6 or weak 7 it might be a bit less fun because you *might* win if you play your best, but then again you might not. It's disappointing either way... you had a chance and blew it.

Your masters league sounds wildly different than mine, there is nobody under 6 and the atmosphere is very serious all the time. I can't imagine it being fun for anyone.

Guys 'call out' from our masters league like it's a job they hate :P
Click to expand...

CreeDo, you've played "up here". How do the 6's and 7's here compare with what you're experiencing now?

If we had a Masters division actively here (they do put together a couple teams for Vegas) I would wanna try it, time permitting and all. I know that I can't really hang with the 7's and most if the 6's, even up, but they aren't so far ahead that it wouldn't be fun, at least to me. I would like the chance to make them beat me.
 
justadub said:
CreeDo, you've played "up here". How do the 6's and 7's here compare with what you're experiencing now?
Click to expand...

Howdy dub - it varies from pool hall to pool hall. Basically it depends on the average strength of everyone who signed up for APA in that room. A seven in TJ's in Waterville would be tougher than a 7 at The Sports Arena in Bangor.

When I was shooting in Brunswick, they made me a seven when I had the skill level of a strong 5 here. That was like ten years ago. I would've had a VERY rough time in my current masters league. Hell, I'm having a rough time as it is :P

But I wouldn't take that to mean they're better players here, it truly depends on the hall... whether it's primarily a player's hall or more a bar. There are guys in waterville and lewiston that would make masters league pretty tough. Maybe in portland too, if kerry hasn't yet turned it into a giant dance floor with a few barboxes.
 
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