When Exactly Does "The Game" Begin?

[RRfireblade]

I respectfully disagree.
And I suspect that many people think, or do, something, prior to that point, directly related to 'playing the game'.

Well you all keep bouncing back and forth between a bunch of semantic nonsense so that probably explains it.



WPA says the lag stroke starts the match, pretty matter of fact in regards to the rules.

How you prep or stress or blow the whole thing out of proportion up till that point is at your own discretion. I'm sure there are people who start panicking days and weeks in advance so yea, for them the (mental) 'game' probably starts there.

:thumbup:

 

[bdorman]

It starts at the beginning.

It ends when it's over.

--- Jack Handy

 

[Dunnn51]

The Game

At the behest of a rainy downpour; I re-watched "the Hustler" yet one more time. I think it was interesting to note that "the game" started the minute someone walked into Ames to challenge Fats. Fast Eddie didn't know it till it was too late. He later got it figured-out for the close of the movie. You see: the numbers didn't matter at Ames,...... it was all about The Grind.

I played a 9-ball tourney the other night, took a terrible 1st draw, (he was under-rated,---- I was over-rate,I thought). We played it out , 5-5 race. I got the 2-0 jump. then 2-1. Before I knew it,it was 3-3 and got serious. 3-4, then 4-4 . down to the 8&9 he got the 8,... missed the 9. I missed long table-hard angle 9 . he sunk it for the win.

We BOTH made some pretty spectacular shots that kept us both alive. It was performance; no grind. FAST FORWARD a few rounds and I'm watching this guy who was making great ball pocketing and position fall off a cliff. He missed random open shots; his opponent as well. AT one point I thought a 17yr old with a house cue coulda wiped them both with moderate effort. THEN IT HIT ME. They're both ground down. I been there. It took Fats 25hrs of continuous play to grind Eddie down, THEN, he was ready to play.

 

[Fatboy]

This is actually a much more complicated and deeper question than most people are giving it credit for being, especially at the top championship levels. Go beneath the surface, think.

A couple of examples to ponder: Ivan Lendl, the great tennis player of the seventies and eighties, was never out of the game. His entire demeanor of toughness and intimidation was center stage all the time, he was never out of character. If you were at the net as his opponent he would try and "nail" you with a 100+ mph shot to your chest, or maybe your head. Asked a rival if he gave his opponent a point, the response was "Are you kidding?, 10 plus years on the pro circuit with him and he never gave you a "hello".

Jimmy Conners is another example, on the Johnny Carson show years ago he was talking tennis with Johnny who asked if he had a court at his house, the answer "yes", then whether Jimmy's young son liked playing and whether they played together often, answer "yes", next question was whether he let the kid win a few games, answer "NO". The competitiveness was never allowed to recede...never. Harsh examples, of course, but it's a really complicated question with an individual answer originating from whom you ask and what they are trying to accomplish.

J

well said........