Tournament players

Wazuela

Wazuela

Future World Beater
Silver Member
Occasionally during league, you might have a player that gets upset and throws a tantrum. Tonight, i played a tournament for the first time and I've never seen so many grown men behave like babies.

I'm a league player.
I play 9-ball in 2 divisions; only because I work nights and can't play in the tournaments we have around here. This week I was on vacation, so I figured I would play at this tournament that is said to be the toughest tournament in town.
Nice format--Race to 3, alternating break, double elimination, $10 entry fee.

After about 20 minutes into it, there was a loud bang from the bathroom area. Apperantly a guy who is said to be a great player, (who "never loses in the first round") lost in the first round and became so distraught about it that he decided to slam the bathroom door as hard as he could. He then proceeded to complain about how bad the tournament is, and said he was going to forfeit his next match. However, he continued to play though.

Another guy, after losing, slammed his cue againt the floor with such force that the ferrule broke off the stick and hit my knee.

I had one guy, who after I beat convincingly, says that these short races are nothing but a coin flip. I get no respect.

Another time in a match I caromed the cue ball off the 7 and into the 9 to win the match, and his response was that it was a dead carom. No "nice shot" or "good game". Once again I get no respect.

One guy I played complained the whole time about how he hasn't played pool in a month and how he would ordinarily beat everybody there. His whining became so incessant, that the tournament director asked him to tone it down. I think he was trying to shark me, but I ended up beating him too.

Out of 30 people, I finished 6th in the tournament, which wasn't bad for my first tournament. I'm happy with the way I played overall. I had no expectations at all. Just wanted to have some fun.

I'm just surprised by the lack of maturity and class by some people.

Thanks for reading. Had to let that out.
 
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You get used to it after a while. I run/play in tournaments and been hearing the same stuff for many years. Here are just a few things to remember that will help ease your discomfort with hearing or seeing all of the BS. First, don't take any of it personal. They're just taking it out on someone other than the actual person at fault: themselves. Secondly, realize that it will interfere with what you're trying to do, play well, if you dwell on what some idiot did or said. There are some players who piss and moan as a means of trying to get in your head. Don't let them. Lastly, try to look at it as entertainment. This will help you develop thick skin which is necessary to becoming tournament numb. I do this all the time and it just provides me with some comic relief. Pool players can be a very entertaining bunch if you choose to look at it that way. Some of the comments and tantrums I've seen have been amazingly well acted and thought out. Very clever stuff. Very rarely is it actually personal of meant with disrespect.
I used the term "tournament numb". This to me is a very important step in becoming all you can be in tournaments. It is when one tournament is just like the next in your mind. It becomes no big deal. The bs is just part of it. No added pressure. Just another night/day out playing pool just trying to do your best. It is when pool actually becomes fun because you enjoy the playing and competition and being around other players. Yet, you don't let all of the other "stuff" besides your play, influence you. Hope this helps.:smile:
 
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dogginda9 said:
You get used to it after a while. I run/play in tournaments and been hearing the same stuff for many years. Here are just a few things to remember that will help ease your discomfort with hearing or seeing all of the BS. First, don't take any of it personal. They're just taking it out on someone other than the actual person at fault: themselves. Secondly, realize that it will interfere with what you're trying to do, play well, if you dwell on what some idiot did or said. There are some players who piss and moan as a means of trying to get in your head. Don't let them. Lastly, try to look at it as entertainment. This will help you develop thick skin which is necessary to becoming tournament numb. I do this all the time and it just provides me with some comic relief. Pool players can be a very entertaining bunch if you choose to look at it that way. Some of the comments and tantrums I've seen have been amazingly well acted and thought out. Very clever stuff. Very rarely is it actually personal of meant with disrespect.
I used the term "tournament numb". This to me is a very important step in becoming all you can be in tournaments. It is when one tournament is just like the next in your mind. It becomes no big deal. The bs is just part of it. No added pressure. Just another night/day out playing pool just trying to do your best. It is when pool actually becomes fun because you enjoy the playing and competition and being around other players. Yet, you don't let all of the other "stuff" besides your play, influence you. Hope this helps.:smile:
Click to expand...
Thanks man. I don't really let too much distract me when I'm playing. I do believe that some players try to take you out of your game by talking BS or complaining. Most of the time it goes in one ear and out the other.

As for getting pissed because of losing, I get pissed when I lose too. But the thing is, I'm not going to show it. I'm one of the most gracious losers you will ever meet.

Don't get me wrong though. While behavior by a few was immature, the majority of the players at this tournament conducted themselves in a "sportsman" like manner.
 
Wazuela said:
Occasionally during league, you might have a player that gets upset and throws a tantrum. Tonight, i played a tournament for the first time and I've never seen so many grown men behave like babies.

I'm a league player.
I play 9-ball in 2 divisions; only because I work nights and can't play in the tournaments we have around here. This week I was on vacation, so I figured I would play at this tournament that is said to be the toughest tournament in town.
Nice format--Race to 3, alternating break, double elimination, $10 entry fee.

After about 20 minutes into it, there was a loud bang from the bathroom area. Apperantly a guy who is said to be a great player, (who "never loses in the first round") lost in the first round and became so distraught about it that he decided to slam the bathroom door as hard as he could. He then proceeded to complain about how bad the tournament is, and said he was going to forfeit his next match. However, he continued to play though.

Another guy, after losing, slammed his cue againt the floor with such force that the ferrule broke off the stick and hit my knee.

I had one guy, who after I beat convincingly, says that these short races are nothing but a coin flip. I get no respect.

Another time in a match I caromed the cue ball off the 7 and into the 9 to win the match, and his response was that it was a dead carom. No "nice shot" or "good game". Once again I get no respect.

One guy I played complained the whole time about how he hasn't played pool in a month and how he would ordinarily beat everybody there. His whining became so incessant, that the tournament director asked him to tone it down. I think he was trying to shark me, but I ended up beating him too.

Out of 30 people, I finished 6th in the tournament, which wasn't bad for my first tournament. I'm happy with the way I played overall. I had no expectations at all. Just wanted to have some fun.

I'm just surprised by the lack of maturity and class by some people.

Thanks for reading. Had to let that out.
Click to expand...

Wow, remind me not to play there. Most places I play tournaments people are great sports.

There will always be the poor sports, but that makes it much more fun to beat them.

Just smile and wave I always say.
 
Just goes with the territory

When I raced horses there were ten or twelve horses that somebody thought should win in every race. After the race there was one winner and every one of the rest would have won except for . . . .

Pool players are often the same way. Sometimes what they say is true, sometimes it isn't, but it doesn't really matter. Performance on a pool table isn't a judged event.

I try not to pay much attention to excess whining or excess celebration. Some people win a first round match and you would think they just won the US Open. That is as annoying as the whining.

Hu
 
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