Taming the Beast

jaybanthony

jaybanthony

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This weekend I had a big melt down, lost my temper big time. I was in the middle of a tight Straight Pool match, I needed 6 points and my opponent needed 3, he missed his break shot and left me with good position to open up the balls a bit. the ball was almost hanging from the lower right corner pocket and I had a slight angle on the shot, went for it, made it but scratched in the side pocket......how the heck could I have planned for a scratch in the side pocket when I'm hitting the bottom of the stack?. I lost it at that point and pulled a "Strickland", I slammed the head of my cue on the ground then picked it up and threw it up against a wall. I can't remember the last time I was this upset, Obviously I should have kept my cool.


Pool can be an extremely frustrating game at times. I'm a competitor and I don't enjoy losing, I know my actions were wrong but that doesn't make me a sore loser. I simply got frustrated and lost my cool, happens to the best of us. I have to sit back and analyze my mistakes so that this never happens again....the game should have never been so close. That's obviously easier said than done, hard to keep your emotions under control during heated battle. The Beast within us is always looking to rear its face, need to find a way to use it to help my game instead of losing my temper.

I'm curious to hear from the Pool world regarding one's temper as it relates to the game. How do you all deal with the frustrations that come up? Please feel free to comment.

P.S.....Congrats to Mika for winning the Masters 10 ball championship - hopefully he gets his money.


Great Pool and Success,
Jay
http://mypooljourney.blogspot.com/
 
It happens to the best of us. I have made some floors and walls a little less perfect as well. You just have to swallow it. Easier said than done, obviosuly. The key is to remain cool and concentrate on your breathing, set up, and all that and then it won't build up into a javelin contest. Keep shooting and good luck to you.
 
I've been feeling a lot more frustrated when I play poorly as of late. It has been a difficult exercise to maintain my cool. Fortunately I haven't let go like you did, the worst I'm doing lately is disparaging myself (sometimes with some colorful language) after a particularly bad shot.

I spent most of yesterday afternoons session at the pool room trying to contain myself, and not even saying anything after such a miss. I'm trying to limit myself to one or two words, spoken softly, at the most. None at all is the goal. Act like I'm under control, and maybe I'll actually "get under control."

I feel for you. It's difficult to master. But very important. We'll get there...
 
I'd say that made you a sore loser that night.. I hate to lose too but rarely show any emotion while at the table.. I may tore up inside but you'd never know it..

Having said that, there is hope for you since you are man enough to admit that you made a mistake.. It's a growing process, I have not always had my current frame of mind.. Having battled life threatening diseases has given me a new perspective.. I've learned that it's just pool.. I'll always give 110% but in the end, it's just a game and don't get that worked up over it, win or lose.

Peace, JoeyK
 
Showing even slight frustration, let alone a temper tantrum, is fuel for your opponent.

You are hereby ordered to watch 3 hours, non-stop, of any Ralf Souqet pool match of your choice. Study him.

Always try to learn from the absolute master. :thumbup:

Best,
Brian kc
 
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It happens to the best of em. I've seen people with 3 broken shafts in their case, people who broke their sticks after missing one shot and ones who just played it calm until they left the hall where they used a $1500 cue as a javelin in the parking lot.

I can't really add to this list outside of not being able to own a bumperless Hoppe.
 
Don't lose your passion

I'm known as a pretty cool guy under heat..win or lose.
But I have to confess I lose it...if only rarely.
Coming back after a 7 year break I fought a guy for a shot and then
missed it.Playing on table one at my favorite pool hall.....
Set my cue down on table two....it landed on table three:yikes:

Since I've been a kid...been telling my friends to GET MAD BEFORE YOU MISS
After you miss is too late
This way your passion becomes positive energy
 
OP - go play 100k hands of No Limit Holdem on pokerstars. I have seen so much BS crazy insane crap, I have become numb to all kinds of variance in real life, including pool. Your scratch was just variance - but going on tilt over it is guaranteed bad for your bankroll.
 
You look at your cue after and think, this is going to cost me.
If there is any damage to your cue and you don't get it repaired, every time you play with it you are going to remember what you did
to make it that way. It will get into your head and your game.

Bruce Lee in the movie, Enter the Dragon.
Someone was breaking boards. Bruce says, "boards do not hit back".

Also, you showed that part of yourself to the other players in the room.
What are they going to think of your game now, or you as a person?
 
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Also, you showed that part of yourself to the other players in the room.
What are they going to think of your game now, or you as a person?[/QUOTE]



They're going to think I'm human.
 
Temper tantrums are a sign of immaturity.

My guess is pool is not the only venture wherein you lose it.

It's either you control it... or it controls you.

The choice is yours.
 
My friends daughter was playing the last game of a league match, shooting at the 8 ball and made it but the cue scratched. This was for going to Vegas and her team all turned around and would not talk to her so on the way home she opens up the window to her car and throws a $1,000 schon cue onto the highway.
 
Hahaha!

Now scratching the cue on the 8 is human. Her team mates turning their backs on her was not. Either way, I wish I was the one driving behind the car when the Schon went air mail.
 
cesarmorales said:
My friends daughter was playing the last game of a league match, shooting at the 8 ball and made it but the cue scratched. This was for going to Vegas and her team all turned around and would not talk to her so on the way home she opens up the window to her car and throws a $1,000 schon cue onto the highway.
Click to expand...

I would have sold the schon and bought a cheap players cue to destroy....and still had $950 to ease the sting. :)
 
In my younger and angrier days.. .I use to ask how much for a House Cue. I would spend up to $20 for the worst one in the room.

When I got mad.. and I usually did. I would take that house cue and lean it up against the bar box and Kick it into very small pieces. Clean up my mess and leave all my frustrations behind. I must have did this little stupid routine 10 or 12 times. :(:embarrassed2:
 
If you lost your temper that bad, you must have been playing for some big money. If you got that mad playing for free you are completely ridiculous. I curse when I play, but that's about it. Even when I lose a good chunk of change. I always respect the equipment. I would never throw my cue, as it would disrespect the time and effort the cuemaker (Keith Josey) put into it.
 
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