Wouldn't that be considered "Doping" in tournaments? Over here in Europe, we're not even allowed to drink a single beer during tournaments.
What Happens to Your Stroke at a Certain Age?
- Thread starter ChrisinNC
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Wouldn't that be considered "Doping" in tournaments? Over here in Europe, we're not even allowed to drink a single beer during tournaments.
IMO no more than the high blood pressure, thyroid and allergy medication I take every day.
Most of my tournaments anymore are local pool room tournaments where drinking is allowed. While I enjoy a cocktail or beer, I do not drink while playing pool, either gambling or in a tournament because it impairs my game. If I thought it would help, I would drink.
Drinking is not allowed in our pro tournaments as far as I know.
I see. Here they say if you drink one or 2 beers it may calm you down enough to be considered doping. I don't subscribe to that theory for me personally. I think I play worse - at least after the second beer.
There are no drug tests, AFAIK. However, if they see you getting a beer at the bar that might be your last game during the tournament. I don't know if anyone ever had to take a drug test but chances are if they know that you take anything considered outside the rules they might.
I doubt that all people would be considered "clean" in that regard. But I personally try not to break any rules. The same as I call my own fouls during play even if the opponent didn't see them. It's a matter of personal pride, I guess. Others might call it plain dumb.
P.S.: Never heard of a rule against nicotine or caffeine. I doubt that serious amounts of caffeine would help your gameplay. Nicotine is certainly not illegal. I am a smoker. I go outside every two hours or so. But you might call it doping cause a smoker sort of needs it
(I seriously doubt though that it makes me a better player than a non-smoker)
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There are no drug tests, AFAIK. However, if they see you getting a beer at the bar that might be your last game during the tournament. I don't know if anyone ever had to take a drug test but chances are if they know that you take anything considered outside the rules they might.
I doubt that all people would be considered "clean" in that regard. But I personally try not to break any rules. The same as I call my own fouls during play even if the opponent didn't see them. It's a matter of personal pride, I guess. Others might call it plain dumb.
P.S.: Never heard of a rule against nicotine or caffeine. I doubt that serious amounts of caffeine would help your gameplay. Nicotine is certainly not illegal. I am a smoker. I go outside every two hours or so. But you might call it doping cause a smoker sort of needs it
I think any drug one likes and uses for normal living works for pool, too.
Remember when cigarettes were common inside bars and pool halls. Nicotine is a calming drug for sure. Coffee does keep you awake which would be an advantage in those long matches.
My thoughts on drug use in any sport is go ahead and do it. The negative effects, if any, will show up soon enough and the non-users will survive and win more. Also, in more physical sports that require speed and power, go ahead and use there, too. If you don't, the crowd will soon be faster and more powerful than you as they use whatever. If those in the crowd are better than those on the field of play, who would watch? I think all those types of help, including the coming robotic-type help folks will be able to buy cheaply, will change all sports dramatically. Better eyes, etc. How can a rule stop what people use for everyday life, not to mention whatever activities they do for fun?
Jeff Livingston
Luckily I'm not 60+ yet, but the first person that comes to my mind is Lou Butera. He was my wife's favorite player, because she also suffers from Parkinson's disease. Legs, arms cramp up and nonstop tremors, some suffer the disease more than others. I tried talking my wife into working with Karen Corr, but her heart is no longer into the game. I believe it all comes down to how much heart you have in the game as you get older.
I think Lou was 78 years old when he passed. He was about 70 years old in this video. https://youtu.be/k79m0-4q_Rs
Not too sure Scott. I was there for the BCAPL in 2013. I live in Centennial and was hanging out with Jeff ( A&E custom cues) at his booth in between matches. Did we meet there maybe or did we have a match?
Sorry about your rotator but you'll be back in action soon and better than ever.:thumbup:
Watch this video and wait for the next one. It features Lou playing a match against Boston Shorty with Johnny Ervolino doing commentary along with Scott Smith. Classic stuff!
For myself, I can say that's the last of my problems. As long as I continue to strive to my play my best, even when practicing by myself, I never get bored with playing this game. Frustration that I can't play the way I'd like to or used to - now that's a different issue!
That was definitely worth the watch. Thanks
Scott, good luck with your recovery! I can tell you from first hand experience, it takes discipline and patience with your shoulder rehab and recovery. I had shoulder replacement surgery in March of 2016. On a followup visit with my surgeon after 1 year and again after 1-1/2 years post-op, I explained to him that despite still doing my exercise regimen numerous times weekly, I was not satisfied with my shoulder - that I couldn't play more than a few hours 2-3 days a week without it bothering me and causing me to stop and rest a few days until it felt better again. He told me that improvement following a shoulder replacement is usually very minimal after 1 year, which was very discouraging to hear.
I can now report that starting around the 21-22 month post-op mark I've experienced a huge improvement - to where I can now play 4-5 times a week, for longer periods, pain free! Strangely, I really thought once my shoulder allowed me to play more, I could really get my game back again. I've found out that has not been the case for me, one reason I started this thread. It's apparently going to take as much hard work and patience to get my game back as it took to recover from my surgery, at least I'm hoping that's the case!
I do about 3 or 4 Yoga stretches for my shooting shoulder.
It made all the difference in the world. Just a few seconds on each and I'm pain free now and good to go. If I stop midway in any of my sessions and do a few streches, I can last a long time without shoulder discomfort.
fwiw,
Jeff Livingston
It made all the difference in the world. Just a few seconds on each and I'm pain free now and good to go. If I stop midway in any of my sessions and do a few streches, I can last a long time without shoulder discomfort.
fwiw,
Jeff Livingston
You mean once you have done LOTS of PT. That is as important as the actual surgery. Don't even think about cheating it, not even for a second
Lol. If they checked for any substances here, there would not be a pool hall in a 1000 mile radius. Pool is one of the few sports you can drink while playing.
Heck, in our amateur state tourney, they have a Friday night "happy hour" where the tournament officials buy the keg and all players drink free for 2 hours
And beer is on sale for all 5 days of the tourney, inside the pool playing area.
My hardest mission is keeping team mates away from the beer stand, but I'm usually unsuccessful in that endeavor.
I'm sure IL is no different from most other state tourneys.
re: Lou Butera video: and magically, the 7-ball which doesn't pass becomes the 4-ball on the 2nd-to-last shot...
rtrdriver...Nope, I guess it's a different guy. I did a video analysis with an OTR driver from Pueblo. My teaching partner Randyg and I teach 5 days of free lessons at the BCAPL..
Thanks about the operation. It's now been 8 days...still in pain...still no pool...except one handed.
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Thanks about the operation. It's now been 8 days...still in pain...still no pool...except one handed.
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
When I retired at 67 I thought that I would take up the game again seriously .We have 3 nine foot tables in the community and that helps. I thought that I might get back in stroke and be maybe 80% of what I used to be 20-30 years ago. It went that way for about three years and then the caliber of competition picked up and I also reluctantly joined a VNEA league on Monday nights. Competition produced pressure, it took me about another two years to deal with it. Last year and a half my skills improved. I am playing better than I did 25 years ago. I am in a 222 member league and am currently in the low 20's ranking. Attitude and positive thinking is the key to improvement I believe. I am lucky that although I have physical problems they don't interfere with my game. I play 5-6 days a week for about two hours a day. Whenever I feel that my game is losing something I switch cues and that gets my awareness up and running. Since I currently own about 100 cues I don't have to worry about losing interest. Lasik surgery and not drinking helps also. Will be doing a West Coast Challenge in Orlando in April. Should be interesting. By the way I watched Ray Martin on YOUtube when he was well along in years and was very good. Don't quit, don't surrender.
I'm 67 and have played since I was a kid, but i've played fairly seriously for only the last decade or so. So the effects of ageing are of concern to me.
I'm convinced that pool is 90% mental - and the other half is skill. (Thank you Yogi Berra.)
I can't see as well as I once did, so I take more time to aim the shot. Eventually something "clicks" inside my head and I pull the trigger.
If I shoot before the "click", I miss. If I wait, I generally make the shot. Almost no matter what the shot is, if I wait for it to register mentally, I'll make it. I can ditch my glasses and - if I wait until the shot "clicks" - I'll still make it. I can't SEE it very well, but I still make it.
That tells me that - once you get your fundamentals down - you just need to FOCUS and your reptilian brain will take over. Keep telling yourself that you can make this shot, and you will make it.
At the moment, my "click" only takes 5-10 seconds. I'm guessing that it will take longer as I age and my misspent youth catches up with me.
(But hey - making my opponent wait a day or two on each shot might yield a tactical advantage. Particularly if I make the shot after all that time....)
I'm convinced that pool is 90% mental - and the other half is skill. (Thank you Yogi Berra.)
I can't see as well as I once did, so I take more time to aim the shot. Eventually something "clicks" inside my head and I pull the trigger.
If I shoot before the "click", I miss. If I wait, I generally make the shot. Almost no matter what the shot is, if I wait for it to register mentally, I'll make it. I can ditch my glasses and - if I wait until the shot "clicks" - I'll still make it. I can't SEE it very well, but I still make it.
That tells me that - once you get your fundamentals down - you just need to FOCUS and your reptilian brain will take over. Keep telling yourself that you can make this shot, and you will make it.
At the moment, my "click" only takes 5-10 seconds. I'm guessing that it will take longer as I age and my misspent youth catches up with me.
(But hey - making my opponent wait a day or two on each shot might yield a tactical advantage. Particularly if I make the shot after all that time....)