Trying to go Pro.

[jaybanthony]

Sounds like you might be too responsible to be a pro pool player ?




Is that all of a sudden the pre-requisite for being a Pro? not to be responsible?
Maybe that perception is what's wrong with our sport to begin with.
I can't love the game and play it at a high level and still have a life outside of pool?

Forgive me for wanting more out of life.

 

[Masayoshi]

Sounds like you might be too responsible to be a pro pool player ?




Is that all of a sudden the pre-requisite for being a Pro? not to be responsible?
Maybe that perception is what's wrong with our sport to begin with.
I can't love the game and play it at a high level and still have a life outside of pool?

Forgive me for wanting more out of life.

Its not that you have to be irresponsible to be a good pool player, but I would venture to say that ALL the great players have given up EVERYTHING to be good at pool at one point in their lives. For them, family, love, and other interests were secondary. If you think you can reach the same level as people who dedicate their lives to pool without the same amount of dedication, you don't realize how difficult it is to play at that level.

This would be like if somebody said "I want to be rich, but I don't want to work hard, take risks, or go back to school"

 

[Dudley]

Sounds like you might be too responsible to be a pro pool player ?




Is that all of a sudden the pre-requisite for being a Pro? not to be responsible?
Maybe that perception is what's wrong with our sport to begin with.
I can't love the game and play it at a high level and still have a life outside of pool?

Forgive me for wanting more out of life.

That was meant to be a joke...... hence the smilie faces.

Although as with many jokes there is a hint of truth.

I think that in order to reach a high level you must sacrifice something to get there. Otherwise everybody would do it. Most pro caliber players I've met don't live normal lives, theres no room for it in there lifestyle. Don't believe me? ---> ask them.


Dudley

 

[jbayx]

For the guy that wants to go pro...Try this. Dont move on to the next stage until you can master the previous.

1st - Run 1 rack of 9 ball out of every 3 racks from the break
2nd -Take ball in hand and beat the ghost a race to 9
3rd - Beat the ghost a race to 5 without ball in hand
4th - Beat the ghost a race to 9 without ball in hand, if you scratch it costs you 2 games.
5th -Read the book " The inner game of tennis" (Relates alot to pool)
6th -Save $3000 for expenses
7th- Try some pro events!

Remember, Dont move to the next stage until you have accomplished the previous consistently!!

JT

Dude, it dont matter if your playing 1 pkt, banks, straight pool or 9 ball. I have been playing a long time and so have most of the people here that are trying to help you. If you want to get better, you need to start the routine i listed. Its one thing to love with the game but a totaly different one if your trying to become a pro.

Bad rails, unlevel table, heavy cue ball, i miscued, BS rules...Its all part of the game we love. Stop the excuses and start hitting balls!

JT

 

[jaybanthony]

Jbay - I don't recall disagreeing with you. I appreciate all the advice that I've gotten, I'm very grateful. I wasn't making excuses...it was a learning experience for me and I wanted to comment on it, that's all. It was my first tournament of the year and I let the elements get the best of me. It happens. I learned from that and now I can continue to move forward. Thank you.

 

[w9ball]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jaybanthony
There's too much luck involved in the game..That's why I prefer to play straight pool over 9 ball any day, I do however understand that 9 ball is the popular game and the one played in the majority of tournaments but something should be done to make the game about skill so that there can be true separation between the Elite and the Average player.

If 9-ball is so lucky then why do the same 20 guys win all the big tournaments?

 

[w9ball]

You have to play good enough to get lucky, and long enough to take the luck out of it.

 

[w9ball]

Its not that you have to be irresponsible to be a good pool player, but I would venture to say that ALL the great players have given up EVERYTHING to be good at pool at one point in their lives. For them, family, love, and other interests were secondary. If you think you can reach the same level as people who dedicate their lives to pool without the same amount of dedication, you don't realize how difficult it is to play at that level.

This would be like if somebody said "I want to be rich, but I don't want to work hard, take risks, or go back to school"

Steve Mizerak achieved world beater status while working as a teacher.

 

[Masayoshi]

Steve Mizerak achieved world beater status while working as a teacher.

No, he was a world beater long before he was a teacher. He became a teacher because he realized how tough it is to make it as a pool player. He eventually quit teaching anyways because its too difficult to maintain top pro level play and hold a full time job.

 

[realkingcobra]

The debate against this post is that pool, unlike most other sports where there is a "Professional" level, can, on any given day, see a "nobody" take down a past U.S. Open winner (or equivalent). There are so many very good poolplayers in this world that can play a notch above normal in some matches and beat some of the best players in the world of pool. Happens all the time. Seen it with my own eyes, read about it, seen it done on live streams, etc. Now.....if I was to play basketball against Lebron James, I (and anyone else) can GUARANTEE the outcome of that match. Me against Manny Pacquaio (sp?) in the boxing ring, same thing. I could go on with other sports comparisons, but you get the idea. But in pool, anyone that can run multiple racks has a decent chance against the worlds best ON ANY GIVEN DAY, and there are hundreds upon hundreds of players out there capable of doing it. Not so in most other sports.

JMHO, not trying to start a REAL debate here :grin:!!!

Maniac

You're 100% right, that's why the races have changed to shorter races, and the rules have changed to winner breaks.....so that lesser players still have that hope of winning, including the seeding of players.

Lets see the lesser players win in a race to 21, winner breaks, and no seeding of the players, and SINGLE elimination format:grin:...but, that wouldn't really be....fair...now would it:grin:

 

[realkingcobra]

No, he was a world beater long before he was a teacher. He became a teacher because he realized how tough it is to make it as a pool player. He eventually quit teaching anyways because its too difficult to maintain top pro level play and hold a full time job.

aaahh...No, he quit teaching when he got paid for the Miller Lite beer commercial trick shot he did:grin:

 

[AtLarge]

If 9-ball is so lucky then why do the same 20 guys win all the big tournaments?

The element of luck in 9-ball is not significant enough to allow a mediocre player to beat several champions in a row to win a big tournament. But the element of luck in 9-ball is significant enough to be a factor in determining which champion wins a particular event.

 

[Masayoshi]

aaahh...No, he quit teaching when he got paid for the Miller Lite beer commercial trick shot he did:grin:

Well, lets just say he quit because he became able to make a living off of pool in one way or another. Being a school teacher obviously wasn't his top priority

 

[Cue Alchemist]

You are not all that much better than I am. I have done 2-packs in both 8 and 9-ball and have a high run of 30-something (setting up a decent break shot is my bugaboo) in 14.1. I consider myself a C+ player on a good day. I am not even a wart on a real poolplayers ass. I know where I am in the pool world, and it's nearer the bottom of the food chain. However, I will be 58 years old on my next birthday, while at 31 there is still a semblance of hope for you. I am not trying to be negative, nor do I want to bust your bubble, but you have a long, hard road ahead of you. If you work hard and keep your enthusiasm, you may have a shot of reaching your goal. But I must urge/warn you: Pool can be so addictive that I've seen men lose their families over it. Do not fall into this trap!!! I wish you well, my friend.

Maniac

I agree with mamic,I find it hard to understand how you can say you could become a pro when the most you ran is two racks.
It take many years of experience.Im not saying you could not get to the standard your aiming towards.But it will take more hours than your currently puting in.

I started at the age 12, 13 years ago.Wasn't till 2004 my mate brought a table, that I had a Chance to reach decent standerd, I played 9 till 5 went home for tea then back again for the night. I did this for about 8 months solid.I Got to
the point where Could run 5 racks.Anyway it all kind of slowed down down after those 8 months. In 2008
I got the chance to play on the gb9 tour here in the uk.And again my practise went stright back up to 4 or 5 hours a day.

I wouldn't call my self a pro that should only given to the guys who are the best around.

It will take you very long time as poeple have pointed out.I think age is not on your side ,but time will tell whether you still have the drive and enthusiasm to keep the dream alive!!

 

[luckwouldhaveit]

I've only ran maybe a couple of racks of each so far.
High run in straight pool is 36 in a tight pocket table. I'm consistently in the 20's.

I've seen guys come up fast - 100 ball runners and delivering sizable packages within 2 years. Years later they're shortstops, if that. I had a higher run in 10 ball than you had in straight pool within my first 2 years and I'm just a run of the mill player. That's not a knock on you or your progress (which is good), I'm just saying the level of competition is very high and there are a ton of talented players that have improved faster than you and will likely continue to.

If you really want to go pro, you should do this:
step 1 - watch Shane play
step 2 - ask yourself if you want to make your living beating him

 

[Eric.]

No, he was a world beater long before he was a teacher. He became a teacher because he realized how tough it is to make it as a pool player. He eventually quit teaching anyways because its too difficult to maintain top pro level play and hold a full time job.

Yep. Steve's dad had a room in Perth Amboy and Steve was a world class player by the time he was coming of age. I'm not sure that he became a teacher because of Pool. I believe he went to college right after high school, then graduated and began his teaching career. If anything, Pool was a simultaneous career which had nothing to do with his teaching career, and vice versa.


Eric

 

[btoneill]

I once had a dream that I was a professional pool player... Then I woke up in a panic thinking my life had gone to crap! I was SO glad it was only a dream!

Brian