What's the deal with pool players? A sport for angry and shitty people it seems

[SamLambert]

There is definitely something going on with pool players.

Everyone just seem to always be so angry when they are missing a shot or having a bad game. You don't see tennis players throwing their tennis racquet or golf club (well, for that one, at least less often!) or break their hockey stick everytime they miss a shot!

It does happen, yes, but it happens so often with pool players, I am a bit in disbelief. I have only been playing for 3 months and I already saw 2 people break their cue and about 5-7 being thrown on the table/ground. I've seen my share of people hitting forcefully the cueball or the 9 with their hand after missing the shot to win the rack. I've even seen someone do a push at break speed! It hit the 9, it flew off table and hit a player on another table! Needless to say the guy was out of the tournament.

And now, I keep seeing these threads on here about people being ripped off by cuemakers and what not.

What's the deal? Why does pool seem to attract all the shitty people?

 

[9andout]

Must be a Canadian thing.

 

[BmoreMoney]

Just keep playing and ull get it, esp if ya miss a duck for the chicken.

 

[Manoman2444]

Just keep playing and ull get it, esp if ya miss a duck for the chicken.

Some funny chit right there!!!

 

[JoeyA]

Well Sam,
It looks like you have found your "out" for not becoming a pro player. It is a difficult road for sure.

What you're saying about people involved in pool is not that unusual but if you're looking for an excuse to not follow through on the Pro Route, you don't need one.

Best to you and yours,

JoeyA

There is definitely something going on with pool players.

Everyone just seem to always be so angry when they are missing a shot or having a bad game. You don't see tennis players throwing their tennis racquet or golf club (well, for that one, at least less often!) or break their hockey stick everytime they miss a shot!

It does happen, yes, but it happens so often with pool players, I am a bit in disbelief. I have only been playing for 3 months and I already saw 2 people break their cue and about 5-7 being thrown on the table/ground. I've seen my share of people hitting forcefully the cueball or the 9 with their hand after missing the shot to win the rack. I've even seen someone do a push at break speed! It hit the 9, it flew off table and hit a player on another table! Needless to say the guy was out of the tournament.

And now, I keep seeing these threads on here about people being ripped off by cuemakers and what not.

What's the deal? Why does pool seem to attract all the shitty people?

 

[SamLambert]

Well Sam,

It looks like you have found your "out" for not becoming a pro player. It is a difficult road for sure.



What you're saying about people involved in pool is not that unusual but if you're looking for an excuse to not follow through on the Pro Route, you don't need one.



Best to you and yours,



JoeyA

I don’t intend to stop because of them, that’s for sure. It just screws up their game and make them easier to beat AFAIK.

 

[Celophanewrap]

There is such a stigma that's attached to mental illness that reasonably few people will actually admit to playing pool, those that will for the most part are proud people.
For myself I can honestly say that prior to snapping any cue or going on a profanity laced rant I check top make sure that I am (first) holding a Bar Cue or someone else's cue and (second) I make sure it's Tuesday so I can go to confession the following day, or check to make sure that I'm at least in some alien pool hall (eh?). Personally, I understand what a good cue costs and I'm not about to damage mine.
While each sport does have it's share of racquet throwing, club bending, stick snapping, potty mouthed malcontents, each sport also has it's share of gentlemen and gentlewomen and as well, I think I would be safe in saying that the entirety of all three sports names have been on both sides of that line. It's just a guess, but I feel safe in assuming that probably last night for the first you cracked the shaft of your Canadian made Falcon cue after you missed a ball in hand on the hill and now you're feeling a little guilty. I'm sure you'll deny it but we know, we've been there. Own it, learn from it, it's OK, a little "Walk of shame" never hurt anyone, you're among friends.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I have only been playing for 3 months and I already saw 2 people break their cue and about 5-7 being thrown on the table/ground.

I haven't seen that much in all my years of playing. Maybe you should find someplace other than the asylum rec hall to play...?

pj
chgo

 

[SamLambert]

There is such a stigma that's attached to mental illness that reasonably few people will actually admit to playing pool, those that will for the most part are proud people.
For myself I can honestly say that prior to snapping any cue or going on a profanity laced rant I check top make sure that I am (first) holding a Bar Cue or someone else's cue and (second) I make sure it's Tuesday so I can go to confession the following day, or check to make sure that I'm at least in some alien pool hall (eh?). Personally, I understand what a good cue costs and I'm not about to damage mine.
While each sport does have it's share of racquet throwing, club bending, stick snapping, potty mouthed malcontents, each sport also has it's share of gentlemen and gentlewomen and as well, I think I would be safe in saying that the entirety of all three sports names have been on both sides of that line. It's just a guess, but I feel safe in assuming that probably last night for the first you cracked the shaft of your Canadian made Falcon cue after you missed a ball in hand on the hill and now you're feeling a little guilty. I'm sure you'll deny it but we know, we've been there. Own it, learn from it, it's OK, a little "Walk of shame" never hurt anyone, you're among friends.

Hah I definitely didn’t! Good guess though!

 

[GoldenFlash]

There is definitely something going on with pool players.
Everyone just seem to always be so angry when they are missing a shot or having a bad game. You don't see tennis players throwing their tennis racquet or golf club (well, for that one, at least less often!) or break their hockey stick everytime they miss a shot!
It does happen, yes, but it happens so often with pool players, I am a bit in disbelief. I have only been playing for 3 months and I already saw 2 people break their cue and about 5-7 being thrown on the table/ground. I've seen my share of people hitting forcefully the cueball or the 9 with their hand after missing the shot to win the rack. I've even seen someone do a push at break speed! It hit the 9, it flew off table and hit a player on another table! Needless to say the guy was out of the tournament.
And now, I keep seeing these threads on here about people being ripped off by cuemakers and what not.
What's the deal? Why does pool seem to attract all the shitty people?

Pool has always attracted 'shitty people' and it always will.
Call it a sport or whatever but it's still just a GAME (and a beautiful game, too) that is dominated by ugly people.
Pool room bums.

 

[Icon of Sin]

Because the public eye players in those sports you mentioned can comfort themselves in their millions.

Pool Players have just as much pressure if not more on them for a shot that is only worth hundreds (if that), that they NEED.

So when you go pro, be prepared to become a hundredaire!!!

Edit to add: Pool doesnt always attract the angry and shitty... it also attracts the naive...

 

[philly]

You meet all kinds in every walk of life. I've played angry guys and some very proper gentleman. That's one of the things I like about the game. We're all originals.

 

[DaveM]

Might be where you're playing. I haven't seen anyone purposely break a stick or an actual fight in a few years of playing. Seen some words thrown about, said some myself, but nothing to what you're describing. As far as the cue makers are concerned, I've never ordered a high end custom cue, but the makers seem to have all of the leverage. I don't think written contracts are the norm. Makes it easier for problems to arise no matter what the business.

 

[Cameron Smith]

This happens in every competitive pursuit. A lot of underlying reasons for this, and I myself have gotten out of hand before I'm ashamed to admit. Never broke a cue or any equipment though, certainly never and would never start a fight. Strangely, in every other aspect of my life I'm fairly stoic and logical, pool/snooker brings the emotions bubbling to the surface. Thankfully I've reduced my reactions to cursing under my breath. I find expanding my repertoire of profanity into other languages helps too!

 

[(((Satori)))]

Might be where you're playing. I haven't seen anyone purposely break a stick or an actual fight in a few years of playing. Seen some words thrown about, said some myself, but nothing to what you're describing. As far as the cue makers are concerned, I've never ordered a high end custom cue, but the makers seem to have all of the leverage. I don't think written contracts are the norm. Makes it easier for problems to arise no matter what the business.

90% of what Sam knows about pool he has learned from reality T.V.:smile:

Gary, Ross, Amy... that's where he is getting it.


His goal is to be on that list within 5 years.

 

[3RAILKICK]

I haven't seen that much in all my years of playing. Maybe you should find someplace other than the asylum rec hall to play...?

pj
chgo

PJ...do you play in pool rooms and beer bars or in sports lounges with a lot of black and chrome decor?


It happens.


ps: The asylum doesn't allow real pool balls. That way, the patient's socks are (generally)not lethal weapons.

The push button electric lighters on the wall create enough carnage.

 

[Prince H]

I think one of the main reasons is that pool is a notoriously singular and fairly selfish game. Think about it like this: At the highest level, the goal is to never let your opponent get to the table unless you have to. This means that the ideal match for any player would be one where the opponent never gets to the table AT ALL; you run out the entire set. So basically, if I come up to you and say "Hey! Let’s go play pool together!" I am REALLY saying "Hey! Let's go play pool together, but I don't want you to actually play...what I really want is for you to watch me run out all day long." I think that the people who are attracted to this kind of game need to have a certain type of brain in order to be willing to deliver (or endure) the kind of match where one player never gets to participate. A game where the ultimate goal is to be the only person playing is bound to attract the type of person who is willing to throw cues and cause tantrums. I also believe this is one of the many barriers to entry for new players; the threat of not being able to participate through no fault of their own besides a bad lag or coin flip.

I have been struggling to think of another game where it is possible that one player simply won't get to participate. Obviously this assumes we are playing winner breaks, which most people do. Can anyone think of another game that is like this?

 

[pwd72s]

Pool is an immensely complicated game that we play for amusement....so we can get intensely angry at ourselves and each other.

 

[BmoreMoney]

This is not uncommon at all. I think its quite entertaining. Some of the better ones are - in my poolroom there was this kid that would come in and every time he played he would lose at least $2k - $3k. He would constantly be buying $2k cues because after every loss he would walk outside the pool room and javelin whatever $2k cue he had at the time onto the roof of building. This would happen once or twice a week, EVERY week for years whenever he was not on the road - until he got hit with 50 years so no more free high end cues on the roof .

Another guy I know used to play at a room right on the beach in FLA. Many times he would miss a shot and calmly walk out of the room, across the beach and promptly launch his cue into the ocean.

Another guy from my room when he would finally hit full tilt go off mode he would start randomly launching pool balls in every direction. Everyone put up with it cause he was a great go off artist that came in all the time and NEVER won.

 

[billiardthought]

Pool is not the only facet of life where people get angry for ridiculous things. You should see football fans... I think you probably have not had many life experiences. Keep your eyes open.