I agree that there is a grain of truth in there somewhere. However, multiple times I saw his opponent foul against him and if he isnt paying attention to his game ......
Weird things players do .....
- Thread starter tim913
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JoeRandom11
Member
yeah, good point. All in all, it doesn't sound like a smart way to play to me but oh well
MurrayNevada
Well-known member
Lassiter did this against Cisero Murphy during a tournament at the Golden Cue in Queens, NY in 1966. It seemed to unnerve Murphy and Lassiter won the tournament.
Was told a long time ago to not watch your opponent as it could contribute to falling out of rhythm.
Not sure about this but I'll never reach his level of play either.
Its nearly impossible to do when playing a slow player. By the time I can't stand it any longer, I'm glancing over to see what in the heck is taking so long seems its the exact moment he's taking the stroke. Crap!! Wasn't supposed to see that.
Some folks may not be aware that the reason for such marks/dots has to do with defining the position of the shaft's grain regarding maximal/minimal flexing of the shaft upon impacting the CB.
Experienced players with a very sensitive feel (virtually all top amateur and pro players) use that info to optimize the results of most of their shots.
Of course, with multi-segmented laminated shafts the issue of grain direction disappears proportional to how many (or few) segments the manufacturer designs for its shaft products.
Also to comment on certain expert players from the US and abroad who routinely begin rehearsal aiming with the tip placed way at the bottom of the CB (no matter where they eventually strike it), many of them -- including Mizerak -- have conveyed that they initially like to see the largest amount of CB relative to the OB they're viewing.
Arnaldo
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... Endorsed by Earl…….
When fully armored for battle, Earl is carrying an extra 43 pounds of equipment. But how did we forget Earl up to now?
When fully armored for battle, Earl is carrying an extra 43 pounds of equipment. But how did we forget Earl up to now?
L.S. Dennis
Well-known member
I remember ‘Hotel Al’ he used to love to ride that 9 ball!Does "air stroking" count as a weird and useless affectation?
Wrapping a paper towel around the stick in the bridge hand. This actually works pretty well but looks goofy.
Bill Hawkins was a top US 3-C player. He played side spin with a lot of swoop across the ball.
I'd put slip stroke in the weird and useless category, but others seem to like it.
Holding a piece of chalk at all times in the bridge hand. Lou Butera use to do this for speed.
Using inside english on nearly every shot. A friend of mine said it was much easier to aim shots like this. Of course, position suffers.
As noted above, I have also seen a player who intentionally looked anywhere but at the table when seated. I've been tempted to do that for opponents I just can't bear to watch, and maybe that's why he did it, but it is also distracting to some opponents.
Lassiter used to nap when seated.
I've told about "Hotel Al" before. He was in the bottom quarter of players in a local handicapped nine ball league. He was unique among his equals in realizing that he didn't play runouts as well as Earl. He knew there was no percentage in his making the 1, 2 or 3. He would try to ride the nine (smash a ball towards the nine hoping for luck) on most of his shots. When/if he played to pocket a low ball, it would be to maybe get position on a smash-and-pray shot.
I think Rodney Morris endorsed the shaft weight, too.
soyale
Well-known member
In many of the accustats videos, i see what seems to be the majority of top players shake their heads in disgust whenever they make a mistake.
It happens so often that it got me thinking about whether it was a natural response or just a subtle way to show your opponent and the audience that “i expect better from myself than that”, or “i shouldnt have made that mistake, im better than that.”
I frequently watch these matches in volume and i started seeing it so much that i decided i didnt want to be that guy. Take your lumps and move on.
Yet, there i am, sitting in a chair by myself with nobody looking at me, shaking my head at myself.
I cant help but wonder if its some sort of automatic human physical response to error, clearing away all the trash so to speak.
Not terribly weird, just something i’ve been thinking about recently and this thread seemed a good place to put the thought.
It happens so often that it got me thinking about whether it was a natural response or just a subtle way to show your opponent and the audience that “i expect better from myself than that”, or “i shouldnt have made that mistake, im better than that.”
I frequently watch these matches in volume and i started seeing it so much that i decided i didnt want to be that guy. Take your lumps and move on.
Yet, there i am, sitting in a chair by myself with nobody looking at me, shaking my head at myself.
I cant help but wonder if its some sort of automatic human physical response to error, clearing away all the trash so to speak.
Not terribly weird, just something i’ve been thinking about recently and this thread seemed a good place to put the thought.
Maybe it's just me,but I see way more players doing this than not.
What I mean here is a subtle shift of the cue in a player's grip hand AFTER the shot,but it LOOKS to me like the player is doing it as a little tribute to themselves,like they are saying to themselves "good shot" after every make and/or successful position execution by doing this little hand flip.
This is so common that even an all-time great like Buddy does it,or at least it looks like that to me. Tommy D.
What I mean here is a subtle shift of the cue in a player's grip hand AFTER the shot,but it LOOKS to me like the player is doing it as a little tribute to themselves,like they are saying to themselves "good shot" after every make and/or successful position execution by doing this little hand flip.
This is so common that even an all-time great like Buddy does it,or at least it looks like that to me. Tommy D.
We have a player that comes around every now and then, a short and dumpy older guy. When I say older I mean older than me. He's probably pushing late 60's if not 70. Very nice and friendly guy, and you can tell he loves the game.
Anyway, part of his psr for every shot involves unusual practice strokes. He sets up left of the cb and takes a few practice strokes, watching his grip hand and cue movement. Then he sets up to the right of the cb and does it again. Then he finally addresses the cb and plays the shot. He misses a lot.
Anyway, part of his psr for every shot involves unusual practice strokes. He sets up left of the cb and takes a few practice strokes, watching his grip hand and cue movement. Then he sets up to the right of the cb and does it again. Then he finally addresses the cb and plays the shot. He misses a lot.
I met a guy here in Chicago 20-some years ago who was making and selling those things. Never caught on far as I know.
pj
chgo
Pool Hand Luke
Well-known member
I catch myself pointing the pinky finger of my closed bridge hand up in the air instead of keeping it on the table. I see it right in front of me but shoot anyway. It really does nothing to affect my shot, but I can see where someone might find it weird.
A lot of players have a twitching finger on their bridge hand. People ask if they should try that to play better.
Yeah, I'm sure I have a whole vault of them somewhere. lolLately I seem to have been saving all my good shots for later.
If the bridge is with the left hand and it's the ring finger moving with some kind of repeatable motion or "quirk",the late George Fels said that is a right brain/left brain thing,with the side of your mind controlling unconscious behavior,or "dead stroke" gear,simply seeking a little comfort in that hand. He REALLY knew his shit on this subject. Tommy D.
As noted in another thread just now, Tony Annigoni when facing a power shot into a corner pocket on a drop-pocket Gold Crown would make sure that there were exactly two balls in the pocket even if he had to move balls to the pocket.
SlateMan
Registered
To join your earlier point and this one......
If I showed up to a pool hall with all this crap on my hands I could name the price of my game. (I would then lose all of my money).
This reminded me of Tin Cup!
SSDiver2112
2b || !2b t^ ?
We always here about the importance of the pre-shot routine, stay down, don't jump up after the shot...
But there is this guy on one of the teams I play that boldly defies all conventionalities. He just walks up and shoots. After ball contact his cue swings up followed by his whole body in a crazy contortion. It's like watching Happy Gilmore shoot pool. Stay back or you could loose an eye. It is such a wild and seemingly out of control shot process, but he is remarkably accurate.
But there is this guy on one of the teams I play that boldly defies all conventionalities. He just walks up and shoots. After ball contact his cue swings up followed by his whole body in a crazy contortion. It's like watching Happy Gilmore shoot pool. Stay back or you could loose an eye. It is such a wild and seemingly out of control shot process, but he is remarkably accurate.