Thoughts on wearing an ipod

CreeDo said:
I've thought the same way about poker.

So would you demand shane turn up his hearing aid?

The way I see it, it's not like some guy starts with normal concentration and then uses the ipod to jack it up to super concentration. It's a guy who can't get normal concentration because for some reason this sport is closely tied to jukebox music. So he needs a little assistance to overcome that problem... and get back to his normal level of focus. The ipod just lets him play his A game. It doesn't turn a B player into an A player.

If you don't like music when you play, the ipod probably wouldn't do a thing for you. It might even hurt your concentration. So it's not fair to make it out like it's some kind of performance enhancer when most people don't get any benefit from it.
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Of course I wouldn't demand Shane turn up his hearing aid, his natural state of being is without it and I'm against artificial enhancements.

If a person has subpar concentration that really is their problem, and something he or she should work on.

As GreyGhost mentioned, players do use ipods sometimes as a crutch. Even if only some people get any benefit, it still shouldn't be allowed. Bill Werebeniuk use to down 18 pints of beer over the course of a match because he had a benign essential tremor. The much alcohol would put most people on the floor, but it was performance enhancing for him. I believe he was barred from consuming it during the match at some point in his career.
 
Beer:30 said:
I see where you're coming from but there is a certain level of communication required when playing competitively. I respect my competitor enough to pay attention when they are shooting and to listen to them when they need to communicate with me. I expect the same. I find it incredibly frustrating having to repeat myself two or three times because someone isn't paying attention or can't hear. It distracting. If I can't effectively communicate I'll quit trying because they really aren't either. I guess it comes to down the fact that I put a lot of attention into my game and my opponent while playing. It puts me off when I don't get the same in return. I perceive that as a mutual respect issue.
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You know what I find distracting?

People who feel the need to communicate with me during a match. 9ball requires no jibber jabber during, between shots or while the match is taking place.

If there is something important to say about the match that is relavent then the ear buds are removed and a conversation insues. Trust me, IT IS THAT SIMPLE!
 
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Cameron Smith said:
Of course I wouldn't demand Shane turn up his hearing aid, his natural state of being is without it and I'm against artificial enhancements.

If a person has subpar concentration that really is their problem, and something he or she should work on.

As GreyGhost mentioned, players do use ipods sometimes as a crutch.
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Well, the point I'm making is... from what I've heard he chooses to keep the aid turned down to help him tune out distractions.

If you want ipod users to learn to play with all the distractions... why wouldn't you expect shane to keep his aid turned up, so he is also forced to deal with all the distractions? I guess because shane's hearing is his natural state, he was born with it. Maybe some ipod users were also just born with their subpar concentration.

--- To be honest, that's not my thinking on this anyway. Just thought the idea was worth pointing out. My feeling is, I don't care if it's truly a crutch or not. If it bites him in the ass later, that's his problem, not mine. My problem is winning the match. If he outplays me, I can't and won't use his ipod as my excuse for losing.
 
CreeDo said:
Well, the point I'm making is... from what I've heard he chooses to keep the aid turned down to help him tune out distractions.

If you want ipod users to learn to play with all the distractions... why wouldn't you expect shane to keep his aid turned up, so he is also forced to deal with all the distractions? I guess because shane's hearing is his natural state, he was born with it. Maybe some ipod users were also just born with their subpar concentration.

--- To be honest, that's not my thinking on this anyway. Just thought the idea was worth pointing out. My feeling is, I don't care if it's truly a crutch or not. If it bites him in the ass later, that's his problem, not mine. My problem is winning the match. If he outplays me, I can't and won't use his ipod as my excuse for losing.
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You do know that tournament directors have told SVB to have his hearing aids turned up as it is an unfair avantage to be able to play in silence.
 
ShootingRazbone said:
You know what I find distracting?

People who feel the need to communicate with me during a match. 9ball requires no jibber jabber during, between shots or while the match is taking place.

If there is something important to say about the match that is relavent then the ear buds are removed and a conversation insues. Trust me, IT IS THAT SIMPLE!
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Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not a chatterbox. The only talking beyond the game is a compliment on a nice shot on their way to their seat. I'm not saying my way is the only way. I have more issues with people that do have earbuds in than those that do not. Doesn't mean that people aren't capable of listening to mp3 players and playing a good game. They are just in the minority in my experience.
 
Richardson said:
You do know that tournament directors have told SVB to have his hearing aids turned up as it is an unfair avantage to be able to play in silence.
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I did not! That's really surprising.

First, are they gonna take it out and check? Second, isn't it his right to not wear one at all and just play "as god made him"? I mean he wears it to make his life easier, but there's no law that says he has to. Would they ban him from playing if he refused to put it in? That hardly seems fair.

Do you know of any specific TD or tournament where this happened?
 
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