What's the best compliment you've ever received about your pool game?

Flex

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
I'm not referring to the "Hey, he's a champ, he's a hustler, watch out for him" type of comment, but the one coming from someone who you respect for their game or their gamble or their knowledge of pool.

Here are a few I've received:

* "Hey, you're old school..."

* "That stuff about him traveling is a bunch of bull. He's been taking lessons from some champion somewhere."

* "You're dangerous."

* "You're a student of the game."

* "He's an animal."

* "He just knocked so-and-so out of the tournament."

Each of those were said at different times. Not the kind of stuff to make somebody's head swell, no doubt about it, but subtle encouragement like that goes a long way.

How about you, what kind of compliments or comments have come your way that encouraged you?
 
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I think it was a couple months ago. I was having a friendly gambling match against a friend of mine who I gambled with off n on, nothing serious just 10/20$ sets.


Well we're playing on a 9ft, which makes it more interesting :) and I come outa the gate guns blazing and just kill him the first set 5-1, and then i lose 5-4, then win 5-1, then lose again 5-4 when he makes a crazy bank on the 9ball when the CB is deep in the corner pocket.

Well the whole time, If i had any type of shot on a ball i was doing kick safes, making shots from all over the place, and almost running everything out, or giving him those hard bank or cut shots.

He looks at me after the second set, when he barely beats me and says " So when in the hell did you get so good? "

I look at him and just giggle like a lil kid on christmas and reply " I dunno, it just kinda happend "

What happend was I was going to another pool hall and practicing on thier 9ft Diamond Pro-ams for about 2months straight, and that nite we was playing on 9ft GC's with bucket pockets.
 
There are two comments/compliments that have really encouraged me.

The first was from a Hall of Famer who said to me, "You've got all the tools you need to be a top player. Now just get out there and play!"

The second was from someone who is just a casual player--a local jazz musician that I sit in with from time to time. After doing a gig at my pool hall (Yes, we used to have weekly jazz at a pool hall--it's a long story!) he had been watching me play for about a half-hour, and when I was finished he came up to me and said, "I had never looked as pool as being art, but you changed my mind tonight. I saw discipline, logic, and creativity on the table tonight, and it was a beautiful thing to watch. Thank you very much!" I will carry that compliment to my grave!
 
Buddy Hall once told me that I would be just about unbeatable on a bar table if they weren’t in bars. He said, “Your problem is that you start celebrating before the game is over.” Johnnyt
 
StormHotRod300 said:
I think it was a couple months ago. I was having a friendly gambling match against a friend of mine who I gambled with off n on, nothing serious just 10/20$ sets.


Well we're playing on a 9ft, which makes it more interesting :) and I come outa the gate guns blazing and just kill him the first set 5-1, and then i lose 5-4, then win 5-1, then lose again 5-4 when he makes a crazy bank on the 9ball when the CB is deep in the corner pocket.

Well the whole time, If i had any type of shot on a ball i was doing kick safes, making shots from all over the place, and almost running everything out, or giving him those hard bank or cut shots.

He looks at me after the second set, when he barely beats me and says " So when in the hell did you get so good? "

I look at him and just giggle like a lil kid on christmas and reply " I dunno, it just kinda happend "

What happend was I was going to another pool hall and practicing on thier 9ft Diamond Pro-ams for about 2months straight, and that nite we was playing on 9ft GC's with bucket pockets.
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Not to mention you got that kick ass Gilbert J/B now, eh? LOL.... ;) :p
 
Well not rising to the level of some of the previous posts this is my little story...
Playing a very good player, probably the best in the room we play in. He beat me pretty good, hardly gaving me a trip to the table. Afterward, I kind of jokingly said something about his not letting me play. His response was that I play too well and he wasn't going to take the chance. I took more pride in that loss than I would in beating up on some lesser player. Of course, in the end it was still a loss.
I'm always insulted when somebody I play takes the game too casually and visa-versa.
 
Here's a couple.....

The difference between you and everyone else in here is you have desire...(from one of the better local players at a tourney)

Oh Sh!t I have to play him??? First draw and I'll be at the one loss side..(from a tourney player who shoots better than me)

I couldn't let up, if I let him get loose he'd run away with it (APA6 after beating me (APA4) in a league match)

McCue Banger McCue
 
Ginky's said "You have a mind for the game."

I've also received compliments from bangers that made sense. Things like, "Your body is always in the same position on every shot!" Which is not nearly as true as I would like it to be, but it does reflect the work I put into it. Or... you play like a machine, or something.

A local pro has said "You are already a great player, everything just needs to come together now."

And Tony once saw me practicing with a notepad on the table and said "That's what I used to do. You're on the right track."


The second of those comments was probably the most heart warming because he's helped me more than anyone up to this point. His name is Roland Aravena.

P.S. A bunch of girls have said I look hot playing pool...:D :D :D Vanity, vanity, vanity. :rolleyes:
 
Playing in a bar...

I don't miss too much on the 7 ft bars tables...and my opponent once told me that, "Hey dude, you should go professional...you would make thousands.".

Although a compliment...it was obviously a bit on the naive side...and I got a good laugh from that one...
 
It was league night and my opponent broke and dropped a solid, but opted for the stripes. He made ond and missed. I step up to the table and run the rest and win. Then he just said:
"Holy shit, Stew.... no seriously WTF?!"

I couldn't help but laugh..

Then once I was practicing before league and apparently a female friend of one of my pool buddies was watching me play. I was doing pretty well and then I missed really hard bank. I see the girl mention something to my pool buddy, Leo, and he says, "She says she's been watching you for 5 minutes and you haven't missed once. She thought you were the best person she'd ever seen. But then you missed one and now she thinks you SUCK."

Both comments are laughers but I'll remember them always cus they made me feel good. :D
 
Last year was my first year playing again after a 25 year layoff and I played in a weekly 8-Ball tournament for most of the year. The top dog in this tournament kinda of took a liking to me and we became friends, I won 1st place on the final week and had my name engraved on the trophy and he came in 3rd. He came over and pronounced me "Top Dog" while the other good players were kind of irritated that the new guy won.

We are a little more than half way through this years season for the same tournament and my "in the money percentage" is 77%, the next best percentage is 56%. I'm not the new guy anymore and they all know they have their hands full when they draw me on Sundays. It's a good feeling and the compliment from the old "Top Dog" was much appreciated when he said it to everyone. If and when another new guy comes in and knocks me off my perch I intend to be as gracious as my new friend was last year.

BK
 
A few I've received include:

  • He's extremely consistent
  • (One player to another on league night) Better bring your "A" game
  • He's a real nice guy off the table, but a total pool playing pr-ck on the table

Personally, I liked the last one the best. It was said to mean that I'll play safe or take my time and run out, but whatever I do, it'll be deliberate.
 
A couple compliments that stand out are:

Tim Tweedell: "Did you just see that f****** break!!! She breaks better than the boys!"

Dan Louie at the old 211 in the early 90's: "I ought to take you with me to break for me." (Since then his break has improved 100% and mine has gone down. :( )

JD: "She sure shoots straight!"

I think one of the biggest compliments I got was at the IPT and had a tough runout where I had to play an intricate speed shot with only a couple inches to play shape on a short side 8 ball and John Schmidt was watching. When I did it, the whole crowd he was sitting with cheered me on, and later he told me how good I played. Now those are words I will take to the grave! :D
 
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The best compliment that I ever got was physical instead of verbal. Do you guys know the pro player from Japan named Takahashi? Anyway, he came to our place and was doing exhibition/challenge matches with whoever paid the cash. He was wiping the floor with everyone too. Doing all kinds of crazy shots, cutting paper thin balls, going 3 and 4 rails for perfect position. It really was a site. Anyway, when my time came up I didn't lay down on him because he's a pro. I played my game and had him down 3-1 and he started playing safties on me. Really good safeties. I got up to hill hill with me breaking. I ran out to the 7, missed postion on the 8 and left myself a corner bank. I jawed the pocket and he finished the game out. I can not sit here and say that I play on the same level that he does. He'd beat me like a red headed stepchild if we met in tournament play, but when he started playing safe on me that really boosted my confidence. Same thing happened with Rudolfo Luat a couple months back when he was here. I only got 4 games off of him in a race to 7 but he played safe when that's what the smart move was instead of showing off like he was doing with everyone else. Made me feel good.
MULLY
 
Someone once told me that they liked my game because I made it so easy for them! That's nice, right?

Then another time, this one guy said that he liked my money more than anyone else's and that's why he played me all the time. Didn't think much of it at first but in retrospect, that was really nice.
 
A young good player, who had been playing in what I call the "kiddie" poolrooms (no booze, lots of video games, etc.) where he was the big fish in the little pond, started coming in to the pool room where some of the better players in the city hang out.

His first time in our weekly tournament, I pull him the first round and spank him, 5-0. Apparently, he was not accustomed to losing and as he walked away from the table, he vocalized his view of the situation.

He said, "I can't believe I lost to an old fart like that.", loud enough for some of the other players to hear it.

One of the other players, who I really don't get along with, said, "Kid, let me tell you something about that old fart you just played. He's forgot more about pool than you'll ever know about it!"

Nice compliment, especially coming from someone I really don't get along with.

Since then, the kid and I have become pretty good friends and he jumps on me to practice now every time he sees me.
 
mullyman said:
The best compliment that I ever got was physical instead of verbal. (snip)
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Me, too. I've had several that I can remember right now...

I've told this one before. I was running out an 8 ball table in league and just as I was stroking the 8, my opponent's girlfriend flicks her crank lighter with a 5" flame. I missed. She must've thought me to be one of the best ever, imho.

Another time, I had my opponent following me around the table as I shot. She was no more than one foot from me the whole time. She must've thought me to be one of the best ever, imho.

Another time I was going to pot the 8 and my opponent moved over so he was standing in my line and moved about to attempt to distract me.as I shot in the 8. He must've thought me to be one of the best ever, imho.

Another time, a bar owner falsely accused me of cheating when I potted a tough ball. He was trying to take me out of my game, but it didn't work. He must've thought me to one of the best ever, imho.

Oh, once I even had a guy say I should play poker because I was so cool and collected at the table...just before his friend started talking to me as I was shooting. They must've thought me to be one of the best ever, imho.

Jeff, OK, but not one of the best ever, Livingston
 
The best compliment is when no one wants to play me anymore (just playing for fun).

Or if there are 2 or 3 balls left on the table and my opponent scratches giving me ball-in-hand, then he concedes the game. (Basically telling me I am 100% sure to runout.)
 
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