The nasty effects of trick shots on espn

P

PocketPoint

Banned
Now I am no great player mind you....

But I went to a local college that has a pool room. I play several people, now I don't expect them to play that great, but it was just ridiculous.

These guys cannot make more than 2 balls at a time, yet all they are worried about is jumping and masse's. The funny part is that they can't do either.

For example, one guy says he prefers to play on a particular table because he can "masse better" on that table. Yet he can't make 3 balls in a row.

Another says he has a special masse cue. Yet he could not execute a masse shot 1 in 1000 tries.

This one guy tells me that he tries to pocket a ball on every shot, no matter the difficulty. He'll try to kick 3 rails at a ball, and bank it in the opposite corner. He comes with these elaborate explanations of how he will make the shot, but it just makes no sense.

I am just in awe, and I actually now refuse to play anyone there. It's worse than playing bar rules 8-ball.

I'd like to blame espn for showing primarily these trick shot events. How else could these guys get such a skewed view of pool?
 
PocketPoint said:
Now I am no great player mind you....

But I went to a local college that has a pool room. I play several people, now I don't expect them to play that great, but it was just ridiculous.

These guys cannot make more than 2 balls at a time, yet all they are worried about is jumping and masse's. The funny part is that they can't do either.

For example, one guy says he prefers to play on a particular table because he can "masse better" on that table. Yet he can't make 3 balls in a row.

Another says he has a special masse cue. Yet he could not execute a masse shot 1 in 1000 tries.

This one guy tells me that he tries to pocket a ball on every shot, no matter the difficulty. He'll try to kick 3 rails at a ball, and bank it in the opposite corner. He comes with these elaborate explanations of how he will make the shot, but it just makes no sense.

I am just in awe, and I actually now refuse to play anyone there. It's worse than playing bar rules 8-ball.

I'd like to blame espn for showing primarily these trick shot events. How else could these guys get such a skewed view of pool?
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Just wondering, did you ask them? Not busting you, just curious.
 
[/QUOTE]"I'd like to blame espn for showing primarily these trick shot events. How else could these guys get such a skewed view of pool?[/QUOTE]


They are just having fun. It's ok for people to have fun you know.
 
I agree that they are having fun. But to a player that is trying to learn the game it be very frustrating.
 
Sounds like you are just picking the wrong place to play. Probably has the same 3 ppl kicking the ball around all day, and are just messing around rather than playing "serious" pool (or don't know any better). There was a rec room where I went to school and I never played there b/c I figured there might be similar shannanigans... fun for them but probably not for me.

ESPN trick shot shows didn't invent masse or 5 rail kicks, don't shoot the messenger!!
 
Well it's come to the point where if they ask me to play, I say no thanks.

I practice there because they have diamond tables.
 
This is the same exact thing that is happening at the pool room at my university. I play some of the "better" players in the room, and the moment I play a simple snooker safety they try and masse the ball around. I never try and stop them because I know I'll get ball in hand:grin:. Although just the sound of them slamming the ball into the slate irritates me. I am also the only player in the room that plays safeties. All the other players just try to run the balls, no matter how low their percentage of actually doing that is. What irritates me is on the rare instance I see a person practicing trick shots, they make a few very simple ones, throw their house cue on the table, and prance out of there like they're hot sh!t. I too blame ESPN.
 
PocketPoint said:
Now I am no great player mind you....

But I went to a local college that has a pool room. I play several people, now I don't expect them to play that great, but it was just ridiculous.

These guys cannot make more than 2 balls at a time, yet all they are worried about is jumping and masse's. The funny part is that they can't do either.

For example, one guy says he prefers to play on a particular table because he can "masse better" on that table. Yet he can't make 3 balls in a row.

Another says he has a special masse cue. Yet he could not execute a masse shot 1 in 1000 tries.

This one guy tells me that he tries to pocket a ball on every shot, no matter the difficulty. He'll try to kick 3 rails at a ball, and bank it in the opposite corner. He comes with these elaborate explanations of how he will make the shot, but it just makes no sense.

I am just in awe, and I actually now refuse to play anyone there. It's worse than playing bar rules 8-ball.

I'd like to blame espn for showing primarily these trick shot events. How else could these guys get such a skewed view of pool?
Click to expand...

Good f'ing grief. Can't people just bang some balls around and have a good time? Do we all have to aspire to be Efren Freaking Reyes?? Who the hell cares if some guys are hitting some balls around and trying to make shots that they have no shot at sinking. Seriously, you're so sickened by this travesty on a pool table that you have to leave?

I know this may come as a shock, but some people just like to go out and have a good time instead of grinding six straight hours of drills. We actually WANT college kids to have a good time playing pool. They are the ones that will lower the average age of the pool player from the octogenarian crowd.

The trick shot shows are stupid, but it is attitudes like yours that will make sure pool never becomes mainstream. Go find a pool table with your triple shimmed pockets, enjoy playing some "serious pool" and stay as far away as possible from anyone who looks like they're enjoying themselves.

/rant
 
You two dudes blame Speed pool on ESPN also, when someone shoots to fast and misses??? Come on man, you take your pool playing more serious then they do so, find someone else to play with but, blaming ESPN Trick Shots for their bad play?? If that's the case, ESPN Trick Shots invented 65% of APA players. Just saying.:confused:
 
if they play as bad as they are being made to sound then they for sure can not execute jump and masse' shots without damaging the table surface imop........this should not go on and its the main reason why many places have jumps and masse' shots are not allowed signs on the walls........

its not for the experienced player that can do this, its for the goof balls that are trying to sprint before they can even crawl......

i'm all for fun the game is fun but if some banger comes to my house and starts practicing jumps and masse's and is cutting my cloth up i'll either slap him or throw hiss butt out if he don't stop the crap immediately, if i owned the pool hall they would be told to stop just the same or they could leave if they were cutting the cloth all up, and especially on the vertical masse' i see beginners do this ALL THE TIME, why b/c they hit the living chit out of it when you have to caress it mostly.

-grey ghost-
 
Some people are serious players and some are not. You should find some more serious players to play with. Find someone who is better than you that will play you $2 a game 9-ball or something, but ya, your not gonna have any fun playing with guys like that if your trying to get better. If there is no one that you want to play in the pool hall, play by yourself, where headphones so the jackasses don't distract you as much, you get to shoot twice as many shots when you play by yourself, forget about them. But the pool halls do need people like them, cause theyre the ones that come in in groups and spend a bunch of money on beer and food that keeps the pool hall open.
 
You don't like to play with their kind? I'll bet all the bangers up there think you're a snob. Loosen up a little, Jeez!!!
 
greyghost said:
if they play as bad as they are being made to sound then they for sure can not execute jump and masse' shots without damaging the table surface imop........this should not go on and its the main reason why many places have jumps and masse' shots are not allowed signs on the walls........

its not for the experienced player that can do this, its for the goof balls that are trying to sprint before they can even crawl......

i'm all for fun the game is fun but if some banger comes to my house and starts practicing jumps and masse's and is cutting my cloth up i'll either slap him or throw hiss butt out if he don't stop the crap immediately, if i owned the pool hall they would be told to stop just the same or they could leave if they were cutting the cloth all up, and especially on the vertical masse' i see beginners do this ALL THE TIME, why b/c they hit the living chit out of it when you have to caress it mostly.

-grey ghost-
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I agree. I'm all about the longevity of the playing equipment, and these people certainly aren't helping. Don't get me wrong, there are holes and burn marks all over these tables, and it's most likely from year after year of these people. All of these kids are bangers. They fail to realize that they need a somewhat decent stroke in order to execute these trick shots and masse's. Trying to sprint before they can even crawl is the perfect saying for it.
 
I see this as nothing but an opportunity to increase your skill at safety play. Knowing that your opponent is going to 4 rail kick/jump/masse .. when they don't have the skill to do any of those things ... would just make me safe the heck out of any shot I had that wasn't a sure thing.

I'm assuming money isn't involved, cause I know if I was betting against people like this I would love it! Once again, assuming you aren't betting against these "wanna be trick shot artists" hehe...

Eventually, without your having to say a word, they will realize that playing risk shots and losing every game maybe isn't the way to go. If they don't realize, who cares? It still gives you a chance to practice a very important part of your game. Instead of complaining, look at it as an opportunity to learn what not to do and to practice what you need to practice ... you can't change other people and not everybody has to act the same way you act.

I just thought of another possibility, and that is you are complaining because you are losing games to the people that are going for these crazy shots ... which either makes them very good, very lucky, or makes you very bad, heh.
 
PaulieB said:
I see this as nothing but an opportunity to increase your skill at safety play. Knowing that your opponent is going to 4 rail kick/jump/masse .. when they don't have the skill to do any of those things ... would just make me safe the heck out of any shot I had that wasn't a sure thing.

I'm assuming money isn't involved, cause I know if I was betting against people like this I would love it! Once again, assuming you aren't betting against these "wanna be trick shot artists" hehe...

Eventually, without your having to say a word, they will realize that playing risk shots and losing every game maybe isn't the way to go. If they don't realize, who cares? It still gives you a chance to practice a very important part of your game. Instead of complaining, look at it as an opportunity to learn what not to do and to practice what you need to practice ... you can't change other people and not everybody has to act the same way you act.

I just thought of another possibility, and that is you are complaining because you are losing games to the people that are going for these crazy shots ... which either makes them very good, very lucky, or makes you very bad, heh.
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No. The reason I cannot lose is because you could give them ball in hand on the 8 and 9 and they wouldn't get out. It has nothing to do with how good or bad I play. They simply lack ANY knowledge of how to play. It's like playing against an animal that is just randomly firing at the balls.

These guys also take a pool class at the college, but it apparently has helped them none.

I don't find any enjoyment in playing any type of game for fun, unless it's with a girl!
 
PocketPoint said:
No. The reason I cannot lose is because you could give them ball in hand on the 8 and 9 and they wouldn't get out. It has nothing to do with how good or bad I play. They simply lack ANY knowledge of how to play. It's like playing against an animal that is just randomly firing at the balls.

These guys also take a pool class at the college, but it apparently has helped them none.

I don't find any enjoyment in playing any type of game for fun, unless it's with a girl!
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I know it's frustrating, but I just take it as a chance for them to put you in difficult situations that you need to get yourself out of. No two racks are ever the same!
 
I agree with PoolSnark. It's these kids in the colleges and elsewhere that will hopefully bring pool back in a much needed way. Only the youth of today can do that. times are and have changed and the sport needs this "new blood". Check out the new game "WitchBall" on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSZsTrkDcYg. It is totally unique and adds much more excitement to the game of billiards. It's the youth and new creations of games that will continue to grow the sport of billiards. Look at Texas Hold EM, the card industry was basically sunk, tired of playing the same old 7 stud, 5 draw, black jack, etc. Then out of no where came TXM. Now the sport is out of control. If it had not been for someone who had a vision to change the sport, it would not be here today. I wonder if TXM was implemented from a young man or if some older seasoned man developed it?
The point here is to not criticize these young, creative, fun loving minds of today. We should embrace them. Let them have fun the way they want. And maybe, just maybe, they will find a way to bring pool back into the main stream world again. The sport of billiards is a beautiful and most challenging sport and needs to be recognized for that alone.
 
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