tips on dealing with haters?

[HawaiianEye]

I could prob BARELY beat the ghost with BIH on a valley barbox. Not even the diamond. I would lose badly on a 9' with tight pockets. But if I didnt have to make them in rotation and just run 9 balls straight pool style I'd beat the ghost race to 7. Like I said I'm not as good as yall think. Just slightly better than the best players there. But the only one who can run the table all night, everyone else loses after 4-5 games. If I put together a 2 pack ( 8-ball ) on a 7' it's a big deal for me and I'm happy. 1 break and run is nothing though. 1 in 5-6 games I come up dry on a break. That should give you an idea.

Make up your mind. This is what you said in your INITIAL post when you started the thread:

"My speed: semi-pro on a good day if I get a lucky roll here and there."

You sound like maybe you are a C-player, at most, playing in a joint full of drunken bangers and women.

I would love running into you in a bar game.

 

[jimmyco]

Who tends the bridge when you are out all night?

 

[nicksaint26]

This guy goes from "semi pro" to ecstatic when he runs a 2 pack on a Valley barbox. What a joke lmao.

 

[Mustardeer]

Make up your mind. This is what you said in your INITIAL post when you started the thread:

"My speed: semi-pro on a good day if I get a lucky roll here and there."

You sound like maybe you are a C-player, at most, playing in a joint full of drunken bangers and women.

I would love running into you in a bar game.

I beat UPA 9's at tourneys all the time. I beat a semi-pro at tourney ( race to 3 ). Another semi-pro race to 1. I played an elite pro you all know and got killed. Definitely not a C player but far from a pro. I've never met an amateur who could easily dominate me on a 7' but I'm sure they are out there. Like I said there are B player regulars there not just bangers. Lots of players can really shoot they just don't understand the game. Honestly I've very beatble they just end up dogging a ball because the pressure is too much. If they miss they know I'll run out and they'll have to wait an hour to play again. They're also dying to beat me so the place can errupt in applause. Their mental game is weak but some of those regulars have a really smooth intimidating stroke.

 

[onepocketron]

Sorry, but it’s a dick move to dominate the only table just because you can (among bangers, no less). Limit yourself to a few wins in a row and then give up the table and get in line with everybody else. Might even make some friends.

pj
chgo

What he said.

 

[9Ballr]

Good points. But I think you guys misunderstood:
I'm not as good as you guys think. ANY pro would destroy me race to 5.

Most pros would do that with a most people on here.
Not a good way of making a u-turn and trying to now convince us of how 'bad' you are after all your self promotion in the first post.

It's very simple, people seem to not like you at the bar or the fact that you are hawking the table all night long.

Why are you trying to push your self on them if they don't like you?

Why would you not want to play players at your level?

There's no honor or pride in beating people who are half your strength.

 

[Swighey]

I’ve run tables from opening to closing but this is a very rare occurrence. Most bars I’ve been to have opening hours that are far too long for this to happen. The best players in the world would struggle to do this as any decent banger can occasionally win a single rack in two visits at any time. So I think you are overstating this. You run and hog the table for a long time much of the time? - is this what you mean? Probably. Get over it, “haters” are not “ hating”. If someone refuse to shake your hand it’s no big deal. In any kind of competition a person who refuses to shake your hand just because they lost with no other justification is a scumbag and if they are known for doing it just because they lost then the word that gets around should have them banned from competing - but in a bar playing winner stays it is really no big deal. Everyone celebrates when you lose? Great, celebrate with them (in as non egotistical way as possible, not always easy as some people mistake being nice for being arrogant but it does work most of the time).

My two cents: go to the same bar some nights and don’t play pool - get to know people and get them to know you in a different light. They will then start asking you for advice about how you would have played a shot and you can also just watch some games from a neutral point of view - you can learn a lot from this because believe it or not some people who hardly ever play pool are actually very good at it but lose because they make brainfart mistakes or rookie errors.

I’m actually with you a bit here - playing the shortest races possible adds a different kind of pressure and is actually good for your game. But, you must play tournaments with their actual races to become a better, and happier, player. Playing winner stays any good player will have nights when he or she owns the table - it’s not easy to do because rolls and “lucky” bangers can take you out, but it is something that all good bar players will achieve often enough for them to believe their own hype simply because when you are on form against far inferior players and get the rolls against lesser still good players those nights just come together sometimes.

And if you really do run the table “from opening to closing” talk to the bar owner or manager and once every month or two weeks or whatever turn up at opening time and play that the first person to beat you gets a free bucket of beer or something. Any bar that refuses to that is committing commercial suicide if you are as good as you appear to be.

 

[jrctherake]

I could prob BARELY beat the ghost with BIH on a valley barbox. Not even the diamond. I would lose badly on a 9' with tight pockets. But if I didnt have to make them in rotation and just run 9 balls straight pool style I'd beat the ghost race to 7. Like I said I'm not as good as yall think. Just slightly better than the best players there. But the only one who can run the table all night, everyone else loses after 4-5 games. If I put together a 2 pack ( 8-ball ) on a 7' it's a big deal for me and I'm happy. 1 break and run is nothing though. 1 in 5-6 games I come up dry on a break. That should give you an idea.

To me, the following will give you an idea of your rank:

Equipment
Table = 9'
Corner pockets = 4.25" to 4.5"
Rack = magic rack


Rules
Ball in hand after break
No pattern racking
Balls on break stay down
Slop does not count and is loss of game
Scratch is loss of game, even on break
Race should be to 7 or more
Foul on object ball is loss of game
Shots should be shot in timely manner......~45 seconds or so.
9 doesn't count on break or on ball in hand shot


Ghost race to 7

C- player 2 ghost 7
C player 4 ghost 7
C+ player 6 ghost 7
B- player 7 ghost 6
B player 7 ghost 4
B+ player 7 ghost 2
A- player 7 ghost 1
A and above 7 ghost 0

Again, that is just my opinion of how different levels of players should stack up against the ghost.

Rake

 

[Mustardeer]

To me, the following will give you an idea of your rank:

Equipment
Table = 9'
Corner pockets = 4.25" to 4.5"
Rack = magic rack


Rules
Ball in hand after break
No pattern racking
Balls on break stay down
Slop does not count and is loss of game
Scratch is loss of game, even on break
Race should be to 7 or more
Foul on object ball is loss of game
Shots should be shot in timely manner......~45 seconds or so.
9 doesn't count on break or on ball in hand shot


Ghost race to 7

C- player 2 ghost 7
C player 4 ghost 7
C+ player 6 ghost 7
B- player 7 ghost 6
B player 7 ghost 4
B+ player 7 ghost 2
A- player 7 ghost 1
A and above 7 ghost 0

Again, that is just my opinion of how different levels of players should stack up against the ghost.

Rake

No good. If you trully understand barbox 8 ball you can easily beat most center ball players with good stroke and no understanding of strategy and patterns. Playing 9-ball against the ghost is a totally different beast. You don't have to let your stroke out on a barbox playing 8 ball. Rotation on 9' is a completely different game. 8-ball on 7' is my specialty. Besides this is off-topic, I was just asking if there was a magic trick to deal with haters. Everything you guys mentioned I've already tried. Not all dislike me there. Many love me there but about 5-7 people straight up hate me, I'm not exaggerating.

 

[Mustardeer]

If I'm not playing, haters want nothing to do with me. They won't talk to me. If I'm playing them some won't speak to me, some will say a word or two if they have to. They might say something rude or they'll flip me off. Some talk down to me. If anybody ever gets close to beating me there are like 3 haters turn up and start coaching him or her and provide emotional support. Here's the thing, a few players who are ok shooters are very attractive young women so some regulars who are normally cool with me are not when these girls are around because they are hoping to hook up with them. Also every single guy there kisses these girls's asses I'm the only one who doesnt. I'm there to play pool I treat everyone the same. I'm friendly but I don't kiss ass. No special treatment. Get what I'm saying? To be honest these girls feel like it's their place and I feel like it's my place. Sounds silly but it is what it is. I have my clique they have their clique.

I'll give you an example. One new hater didnt understand call pocket rules. We already disliked each other at that point. She makes her ball off my ball and sits down. I say it's your shot. She says she didnt call it off my ball. I politely explain ball in hand rules are call pocket. She goes, "you mean I can touch your balls?" ( she doesnt realize what she's saying ). I smile but don't respond. She goes "can I touch your balls?!". I say you can't touch my balls but you can touch those balls. She goes "that's disgusting no woman ever wants to hear that from you". ( not sure if it's relevant but this particular hater is extremely unattractive no guy in there would ever date her ). She then goes behind my back and tells everyone I told her she can't touch my balls. She told like 20 people. That's the type of stuff I'm dealing with there. So I don't talk to them there, just come to shoot and hang with buds I trust.

 

[logical]

This has turned into an After School Special episode suddenly.

Pool at a bar should be fun with friends. To go there alone for 6 hours of drama with people that don't lime you is kinda sad.

 

[Dead Money]

Just curious how you guys deal with this.

My speed: semi-pro on a good day if I get a lucky roll here and there. Won lots of tiny tourneys.. No issues at tourneys but they take too long so stopped doing them.

Mostly play at this pool bar, mostly bar and league players. All ages, sexes, etc. Mostly hipsters, millennials and radical feminists. One barbox, winner gets to keep the table. Bca rules. Always a really long line to play but everyone waits and everyone wants to run the table.

There have been many nights where I run the table from opening to closing. If I lose, people literally celebrate and make a scene. ( A lot of railbirds at this bar ). I'm not talking about action we play for nothing.

I try to shake everyone's hand, no ego, I smile after each game, basically I try to be as cool as possible with everyone. Some are really respectful, lots of compliments. But. Some regulars straight up hate me. Mostly girls who play center ball and shoot at everything. People who barely know me or don't know me at all would come up to me and say really disturbing disrespectful things. Many regulars don't shake my hand after. Usually female players but men too. These are people who waited an hour and a half to play, took 1 shot and got off the table. Then waited another hour to play and I broke and ran out on them. ( it's always a race to 1 winner breaks ). I've had people flip me off, refuse to shake my hand etc. I've seen it all. The worst is when they don't say much but I can feel the hate. It's definitely real, not in my head. I used to care to figure out why they hate me but try not to even think about it.

Is this normal and is there anything I can do to convert haters into regular people?

Or do I just ignore this? I tried everything. I used to give up the table to the biggest haters but that didn't solve anything. Tried kissing their ass, that didn't work either. Tried talking it out, that didn't work either. I refuse to lose on purpose to make someone feel great. Any tips? People generally like me outside of the pool scene. Also some of the regulars who are really cool with me are turning on me because a lot of haters talk a lot of trash behind my back, who knows what rumors they are spreading... Fyi I have a big heart and those in my life who know me well love me.

You are a big ole fish eating up a bunch of guppies and their quarters. Time to head to a more challenging venue!

FWIW is this post a parody rip on the one similar to it from a week ago??

 

[marek]

I will be as polite as possible with my advice: if you are always winning then you are playing at the wrong place. And yet you still wonder why some of the patrons hate you? Well first you should understand that the fact they hate you stems from your own behavior and also it is just your problem that it bothers you (that they hate you),they are perfectly fine hating you. Thats also the very reason why you will fail spectacularly trying to change their mind without changing your own behavior first. Basically you are bringing very competitive mindset to the very social enviroment - unless you change that you have to be ready for haters and very deservedly so..

 

[Mustardeer]

I will be as polite as possible with my advice: if you are always winning then you are playing at the wrong place. And yet you still wonder why some of the patrons hate you? Well first you should understand that the fact they hate you stems from your own behavior and also it is just your problem that it bothers you (that they hate you),they are perfectly fine hating you. Thats also the very reason why you will fail spectacularly trying to change their mind without changing your own behavior first. Basically you are bringing very competitive mindset to the very social enviroment - unless you change that you have to be ready for haters and very deservedly so..

I don't know, you might have a point, I'm not sure competitiveness is it. I'm very relaxed during games and 95% of the time between shots I'm chilling, chatting with friendly railbirds and appear to be having fun (5% of the time, if I smell danger I go into semi-tournament mode and dont f-around until I'm out ). Meanwhile the hater who is trying to beat me is always focused like his or her life depends on it. They are playing too tight.. If I end up losing I'm always cool about it, I smile etc. If they lose they get really upset and have no problem showing it. So I don't think it's competitiveness. There are a few guys who are close to my speed but they are not hated, so I'm doing something wrong still not sure what. It doesnt really bother me just curious what it is.

 

[Tony_in_MD]

I have to ask how old you are because this stuff sounds like life in Middle School.

:groucho:

If I'm not playing, haters want nothing to do with me. They won't talk to me. If I'm playing them some won't speak to me, some will say a word or two if they have to. They might say something rude or they'll flip me off. Some talk down to me. If anybody ever gets close to beating me there are like 3 haters turn up and start coaching him or her and provide emotional support. Here's the thing, a few players who are ok shooters are very attractive young women so some regulars who are normally cool with me are not when these girls are around because they are hoping to hook up with them. Also every single guy there kisses these girls's asses I'm the only one who doesnt. I'm there to play pool I treat everyone the same. I'm friendly but I don't kiss ass. No special treatment. Get what I'm saying? To be honest these girls feel like it's their place and I feel like it's my place. Sounds silly but it is what it is. I have my clique they have their clique.

I'll give you an example. One new hater didnt understand call pocket rules. We already disliked each other at that point. She makes her ball off my ball and sits down. I say it's your shot. She says she didnt call it off my ball. I politely explain ball in hand rules are call pocket. She goes, "you mean I can touch your balls?" ( she doesnt realize what she's saying ). I smile but don't respond. She goes "can I touch your balls?!". I say you can't touch my balls but you can touch those balls. She goes "that's disgusting no woman ever wants to hear that from you". ( not sure if it's relevant but this particular hater is extremely unattractive no guy in there would ever date her ). She then goes behind my back and tells everyone I told her she can't touch my balls. She told like 20 people. That's the type of stuff I'm dealing with there. So I don't talk to them there, just come to shoot and hang with buds I trust.

 

[eihi]

It seems you don't really want advice reading through the thread. Good luck with your "haters"

 

[Mustardeer]

I have to ask how old you are because this stuff sounds like life in Middle School.

:groucho:

I'm in my 30s. It's definitely high-school drama lol. I never get involved with silly stuff like this but being a stubborn guy that I am I refuse to let a few trashy characters muscle me out. I've been going there about 15 years longer than these haters.

 

[DJSTEVEZ]

Is this normal and is there anything I can do to convert haters into regular people?

Or do I just ignore this? I tried everything. I used to give up the table to the biggest haters but that didn't solve anything. Tried kissing their ass, that didn't work either. Tried talking it out, that didn't work either. I refuse to lose on purpose to make someone feel great. Any tips? People generally like me outside of the pool scene. Also some of the regulars who are really cool with me are turning on me because a lot of haters talk a lot of trash behind my back, who knows what rumors they are spreading... Fyi I have a big heart and those in my life who know me well love me.

SO let me get this straight, you describe your self as semi-pro and you're playing a bunch of bar patrons on a bar box, dominating it regularly,
and you need advice to handle the haters?

QUESTION: why not play & dominate at an Elementary that has a Pool table school instead? Oh wait, they're probably closed at that time of night.
You don't need a road map, protractor or a slide rule to figure this one out guy.

Look to Seinfeld for clarity https://youtu.be/7t8xwpW8gJQ and remember what the children did to Kramer.
And as far as tips, I prefer Kamui clear, medium.

 

[logical]

SO let me get this straight, you describe your self as semi-pro and you're playing a bunch of bar patrons on a bar box, dominating it regularly,
and you need advice to handle the haters?

QUESTION: why not play & dominate at an Elementary that has a Pool table school instead? Oh wait, they're probably closed at that time of night.
You don't need a road map, protractor or a slide rule to figure this one out guy.

Look to Seinfeld for clarity https://youtu.be/7t8xwpW8gJQ and remember what the children did to Kramer.
And as far as tips, I prefer Kamui clear, medium.

I thought of the Kramer story too but was too lazy to put it together...thanks. Perfect analogy.


Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Black-Balled]

I doubt many readers/ responders 'think you're that good'. Lots of us have been, are or could be in your situation: like a high schooler playing basketball with elementary schoolers.

Additionally, we all know how 8-ball is played.

Your sense of accomplishment is distorted by playing in the venue you are frequenting. Big fish, little pond kind of thing...but maybe it is that ego boost you need.

Good points. But I think you guys misunderstood:
I'm not as good as you guys think. ANY pro would destroy me race to 5. There are at least 2-3 players on any night that are almost as good as me but I still beat them. It's even harder to play random bar players sometimes because if my break is not working it's not like they are running to the 8 and leaving me a wide open table- I have to navigate through traffic and if I'm going for it I have to get out because even the random player with the weirdest stroke can catch a few lucky rolls and run 6 balls on a barbox. So it's actually challenging to run the table all night. I try not to play too many safeties to move the line quickly unless im playing a strong player and I dont wanna take chances. I used to get emotionally exhausted by the end of the night and finally learned how to not hyperfocus for hours. I really mastered that Effen / Shane chill state of mind calmly walking around the table vibe. It helped my game a lot.. I never choke. Why I play there? A LOT of people watch which makes it more fun than doing drills at an empty pool room. I'm in pressure situations all the time with people sharking me, screaming, etc so it helped my mental game a lot and this place keeps making me better because I'm not playing people I'm playing the table. I try not to have many break and runs but once they shot I'm playing the ghost and it's still challenging. I can make the shot and have the cb break up the cluster but w no insurance ball I might get hooked, I'm still not that good. I don't care who you're playing running the table for 5-6 hours is challenging for any non-pro if you don't believe me try it. It's not a walk in the park because you cant lose focus, one mistake and you're done.
I tried offering advice I don't do that anymore unless I know them well, some get really upset especially if they really suck.
Also it's not like peole come there to play casually w friends. These are pool junkies who suck at pool who come there to run the table. THEY WANT TO TAKE ME DOWN desperately. They wait an hour for a chance to beat me. If I give up the table the next guy in line is bumbed out he didnt get a chance to beat me. Also some really love me in there im like a little rockstar to some but the haters are the worst. Also I tried playing with one hand once and that was a disaster she started screaming at me and said I was being extremely rude and disrespectful and she said that's why nobody likes you because you're a piece of sht. Then she moved all the balls around and walked away. I laughed it off and few came up to me and and said she was crazy but that's he type of stuff I deal with there on the regular. A few asked me to train them, since Im not a pro I dont charge but I dont train people anymore because I took this one guy from beginner to strong amateur then he decided he was better than me and didnt want any more tips and kept trying to play me for money. I told him he wasnt ready he insisted. I took his money now he doesnt want my help anymore and it's a little weird we're not as cool.. Anyway, sorry I'm rambling.. I guess any scene once you're in the spotlight there will be drama. I don't do big tourneys because I don't want to get sucked into training 7hrs / day, w/out that you cant win because I'd have to play champs- I dont wanna make pool my life I rather make easier money elsewhere. Pool money is hard money. Oh the reason most haters get upset because they all think they are the ones who are gonna beat me and they focus and try really hard but I always win. Not sure what they are thinking I don't think they understand pattern play, being on the right side of line etc so they dont understand why they are losing and get angry. I cant be the only one dealing with this, do you guys not know what im talking about? Sometimes I wonder how everyone loves the SVBs but a lot of pros prob secretly hate him, Jason Shaw can't be his only hater. I always say I got lucky when people compliment me that's the only thing that seems to work, it chills people out. Also I really hate losing, maybe that's why I don't play real tourneys.