What does it take to become a Champion?

[ShootingArts]

gamblers

I made a decision early on that I didn't want to be known. Many more gamblers have done the same. One measure of our success is that we aren't known. Of the top ten players I played in the seventies and eighties the people on this forum have ever heard of two of them. The two well known players including the soon to be world champion aren't the top two players I have played, at least they weren't on the night I played them. Some total unknowns were the best players I have ever played.

I would be very surprised if there weren't people happily scooting around under the radar even today. It isn't nearly as hard as most of you seem to think if you can only control that white ball. A good gambler is a rotten shot, he just gets lucky a lot.

Hu

 

[poolmaster]

I made a decision early on that I didn't want to be known. Many more gamblers have done the same. One measure of our success is that we aren't known. Of the top ten players I played in the seventies and eighties the people on this forum have ever heard of two of them. The two well known players including the soon to be world champion aren't the top two players I have played, at least they weren't on the night I played them. Some total unknowns were the best players I have ever played.

I would be very surprised if there weren't people happily scooting around under the radar even today. It isn't nearly as hard as most of you seem to think if you can only control that white ball. A good gambler is a rotten shot, he just gets lucky a lot.

Hu

Did you ever consider that maybe these great players were only great for money. I
have known very good money players too, but when it came to play in the torney, they
sucked. Some are good in one or the other, very few in both.

 

[pooltchr]

I made a decision early on that I didn't want to be known. Many more gamblers have done the same. One measure of our success is that we aren't known. Of the top ten players I played in the seventies and eighties the people on this forum have ever heard of two of them. The two well known players including the soon to be world champion aren't the top two players I have played, at least they weren't on the night I played them. Some total unknowns were the best players I have ever played.

I would be very surprised if there weren't people happily scooting around under the radar even today. It isn't nearly as hard as most of you seem to think if you can only control that white ball. A good gambler is a rotten shot, he just gets lucky a lot.

Hu

They are still around today. I know one guy who I would back in a heartbeat against any pro, and outside of a few of his friends, and quite a few of his victims, nobody would know him if he walked through the front door. I haven't seen every match he has played, and I'm sure it happens, but I have never seen him lose a match.

Steve

 

[ShootingArts]

I lost 15% of my matches

They are still around today. I know one guy who I would back in a heartbeat against any pro, and outside of a few of his friends, and quite a few of his victims, nobody would know him if he walked through the front door. I haven't seen every match he has played, and I'm sure it happens, but I have never seen him lose a match.

Steve

Steve,

I lost fifteen percent of my matches for years. Over the course of about a year of careful study I found that this was the level along with "getting lucky" that would keep most of the people that saw me play regularly biting. Not that I didn't lose some of those matches in the fifteen percent legitimately but I had to lay down also to keep the loss percentage that high.

I am not surprised at all to hear there are still unknown monsters. I found myself in major battles in the strangest places sometimes. The people might have been traveling warriors or just "one table heroes" that knew that table to perfection but either way they were awesome players on that occasion.

Hu

 

[dabarbr]

Steve,

I lost fifteen percent of my matches for years. Over the course of about a year of careful study I found that this was the level along with "getting lucky" that would keep most of the people that saw me play regularly biting. Not that I didn't lose some of those matches in the fifteen percent legitimately but I had to lay down also to keep the loss percentage that high.

I am not surprised at all to hear there are still unknown monsters. I found myself in major battles in the strangest places sometimes. The people might have been traveling warriors or just "one table heroes" that knew that table to perfection but either way they were awesome players on that occasion.

Hu

Smart man, sounds like you treated it like a business. If one wants to continuously show a dividend that's what needs to be done.

 

[ShootingArts]

Definitely possible

Did you ever consider that maybe these great players were only great for money. I
have known very good money players too, but when it came to play in the torney, they
sucked. Some are good in one or the other, very few in both.

Definitely at least possible they were just good cash players. I find gambling a lot less pressure than tournaments most of the time. One of the great players was also a circle track racer that won in that form of competition so I suspect that he would have fared quite well in formal pool competition also. I don't know, I latched onto him as a gambling partner and took him around with me. The others, I honestly don't know how they would have fared in formal competition or if they ever tried. When you ran across another serious gambler you pretty much assumed he was lying about his name so I didn't pay much attention to names anyway.

Some of them might have played in the larger events but unless you made it on Wide World of Sports where they showed pool about once a year you were pretty much anonymous in those days. The bartender was friendly with me and warned me that Mike Massey was just in there playing on their bar table to prep for a national tournament played on the same tables before I tangled with him but while I remembered the player well I didn't remember his name. I recognized him when I met him years later and remember his name from then. I met Keith McCready at Greenway but we didn't play. I wouldn't know who he was except that he looked much the same when he appeared in The Color of Money a few years later.

When I rate the players that I played I am only rating how they shot when they played me. They might have been on fire or in a slump and of course they were in all different stages of their playing career. You really have to watch someone's game over a period of time to fairly judge their overall speed.

Hu

 

[Art Vandelay]

In response to a previous post of yours suprisingly enough I myself have never even heard of you. I have heard of real known players such as Jimmy "Diamond" Reid, Efren "The Magician" Reyes, Jimmy "The Kid" Wetch, and many others in my time. If you are the great known player like you claim to be you would at the least have a just as well known nickname?? Even though you may play at a professional level you have with your posts that i have seen on this forum more than portrayed a type of player who is obviously looking for whatever action he can get 24/7. I hope it comes your way!

OMG you don’t know who John Schmidt is? Try Wikipedia…here I’ll help:

“John Schmidt was United States Associate Attorney General from 1994 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton…..”

He can also run 400 balls.

I think they call him Mr. 400 or something

He has killed my dreams of ever becoming a world champion pool player. Apparently you have to be born with this special power, the force if you will. I have been playing for 10 years; I’m not even a B player yet.

John, you’re not much of a motivational speaker.

 

[2_Fast_4_Fleas]

ShootingArts you ar definately right about unknown monsters. There have been alot of pro's get busted by them since the beginning of pool. Efren was a unknown for a while and busted many pro's because even though they played close, it affected thier game when he was beating up on them and they didnt know who this guy was and how could he be doing this and no one knows him...it has alot of affect on a mind....even a pro's! most of the people on here seem to assume that if your not on tv that your not a world beater...well as i have always seen it most of the world beaters made money gambling and keeping unknown until they couldnt keep it under wraps anymore, Then had to play tournaments to supplement the income. Every tournament there are new faces comming up and they are knocking down on the doors of upper level pro's trying to make a name for them self. How long ago was donnie mills going unnoticed? it isnt like he just picked up a cue. Mika Wasnt a popular name 2 1/2 years ago like it is today. All of this takes years of practice and doing constant battles in tournaments and gambling to evolve into a champion. You have to have the talent, ambition, drive, motivation, common sense, ability, desire, and help from better players.

 

[donny mills]

They are still around today. I know one guy who I would back in a heartbeat against any pro, and outside of a few of his friends, and quite a few of his victims, nobody would know him if he walked through the front door. I haven't seen every match he has played, and I'm sure it happens, but I have never seen him lose a match.

Steve

Is he an american? If so I'll play him evey week for a long long time... If I lose I'll even throw in my pool stick because I'll retire for a while.

 

[donny mills]

They are still around today. I know one guy who I would back in a heartbeat against any pro, and outside of a few of his friends, and quite a few of his victims, nobody would know him if he walked through the front door. I haven't seen every match he has played, and I'm sure it happens, but I have never seen him lose a match.

Steve

I'll tell em...

 

[highrun26]

i hear this alot

Is he an american? If so I'll play him evey week for a long long time... If I lose I'll even throw in my pool stick because I'll retire for a while.

i hear people say i know a unknown who can beat the pros.
yeah i know some unknown golfers who can beat the pga tour guys lol.
i will back donnie against this unknown.not only that, i would be willing to bet the guys known too top players, hes just unknown to people who work etc.

 

[SUPERSTAR]

Wow, what an interesting thread.

I'm gonna have to go back and figure out who are the snobs that were born with it, and who were the snobs who had to work hard at it.

Cause after reading this thread, that's my question.
What does it take to be a SNOB world champion.

 

[paksat]

In response to a previous post of yours suprisingly enough I myself have never even heard of you. I have heard of real known players such as Jimmy "Diamond" Reid, Efren "The Magician" Reyes, Jimmy "The Kid" Wetch, and many others in my time. If you are the great known player like you claim to be you would at the least have a just as well known nickname?? Even though you may play at a professional level you have with your posts that i have seen on this forum more than portrayed a type of player who is obviously looking for whatever action he can get 24/7. I hope it comes your way!

You don't know John Schmidt?


Welcome to pool bro

 

[crawfish]

well all i can go on is what im told.
ill tell you what ill do.
since you say nobody was barred in your prime.
you tell me who you are,and how old you are and im going to pick some guys your age who ill stake even.i might even let a 70 year old play you.
whats your full name.i can get a line on you easy.
you know why its easy to get a line on some guys.its because they actually won things and were top players.
all you are is hu that talks about how youd play anybody.
family guy is back on and trust me its more important than anything you got to say to me.

I've tried my best to try and like you, John. Just going on what other players you've come into contact with, it's hard to know anything about you really. But, that condescending attitude mentioning Family Guy continually is rather "Ooh look at me, I'm cool" is how it comes across to me, though. Though I've never met you, I know you're a competitor. That I respect. Why can't you let someone make a statement and let it go. It pretty much had nothing to do with you. We are all good at certain things. You, are a pretty good player. Seem to be pretty street smart. Just let it go without trying to "one up it." Even you said pool isn't your whole life. You have had money in the bank and investments. Man, that's great. Other people can be good at certain things too. Uplift that. Praise that like the wannabes praise you in the poolroom.

Good example: In the famous words of Doc, "I know, let's have a spelling contest."

In the very small realm of the pool world, the great players are oohed and aahed about when they walk into the poolroom. Take 98% of those guys and put them into other scenarios, or other realms and they are so outta sorts it would be hysterical. Kind of like putting a poet at a pool tournament. Reverse it, and put a pool player at a dinner meeting with a group of Physics students just sit back and watch. Not all maybe, but 98%. However, since this is a pool forum, we are all allowed to be whomever we wish, and make statements whether others like them or not. Now, I have to go watch Two and a Half Men reruns at work.

Sorry, guys. But, here's another example. I have a great friend from back home, ex-recon marine (job in the military was training hand to hand combat to the Seals), won the 175-195 weight class toughman at 180 four years in a row. Let's just say I've seen him do a few things. But, I was with him at a bar one night when a dude was kind of pushing him a little with the ol' "I know who you are. I was a real badass about five years ago. I probably could've taken you until I hurt my back." My boy's reply: "Man, sorry about your back." Get it?

 

[Gerry Williams]

Actually John - you are the one who sounds insecure. I see no other pro on here that feels the need to tell the world how good they are.

I know you have game - that is obvious - but it doesn't make you better than anyone else on here - remember that, it will serve you well.

your the greatest who ever lived ,is that what you want to hear.
if you played so good everybody on here would know who you are.
honestly your sounding like the most insecure wannabe player ive ever seen.
they said you played good but that i would have beaten you but i knew that already.
you know funny thing is you watch dvds of me not the other way around.
im a top known player your not and never was.get over it bud

 

[donny mills]

They are still around today. I know one guy who I would back in a heartbeat against any pro, and outside of a few of his friends, and quite a few of his victims, nobody would know him if he walked through the front door. I haven't seen every match he has played, and I'm sure it happens, but I have never seen him lose a match.

Steve

I don't know you, but I'm gonna have to bump this thread every day until you either say you are mistaken about this post, or you tell me when this guy and I can play.

 

[JasonCrugar]

Actually John - you are the one who sounds insecure. I see no other pro on here that feels the need to tell the world how good they are.

I know you have game - that is obvious - but it doesn't make you better than anyone else on here - remember that, it will serve you well.

why does everyone feel the need to bust john's balls everytime he posts something or says something to someone that offends him? he handles some of the retarded stuff AZBers toss at him way better than i would if i were him.

 

[JasonCrugar]

I don't know you, but I'm gonna have to bump this thread every day until you either say you are mistaken about this post, or you tell me when this guy and I can play.

GOD **** i like your style lol.

 

[Marvel]

Dr. Bob Rotella, TOP Sports Psychologist to Champions and author of Golf is Not a Game of Perfect makes MANY comparisons to athletes with different types of talent. He refers to "real talent" as something entirely different from "natural talent" and if I read him correctly, he says "real talent" is far more valuable than "natural talent". Your post parallels what Dr. Rotella has to say about talent.

JoeyA

Yeah, I think it's a kind of talent to have the motivation to practice hard.

And in the youth years, when those who practice hard catch up with the 'natural talents', the natural talents more or less quit.

 

[Marvel]

I don't totally agree with this. I think anybody can become a world class pool player (champion) with enough practice, dedication and desire to the game.

The people you said you could show us that practice daily everyday of their lifes are missing something. Maybe they don't have enough of a desire to become world class player or don't want to be a world champion. Just because they practice or play everyday doesn't mean their goal is to become a world champion. Maybe they gave up early or thought they couldn't do it, that right there will destroy someones desire and motivation to improve and to become a better player.

Ralf Souquet is a perfect example of this. He used to be a really good draw in tournaments and he wasn't very good. If everyone had his mindset or motivation in the pool world you would see a shitload of world champions.

Ehem, when was this? When he was like three years of age?