Why do you love playing billiard sports?

justnum

justnum

Billiards Improvement Research Projects Associate
Silver Member
The first time I played billiards I loved it.

Seeing the action on the table, driving the position of the cue ball and encountering opponents.

After attending leagues and tournaments I stopped. I lost the love for it.

I felt mindless playing in matches or shooting practice drills.

It was great in the beginning discovering a lot on what I could improve on. Then when faced with stronger competition I improved. Then I couldn't develop any better. Other players in the league seemed to level off to.

The excitement and passion died because I realized, I won't get any better no matter what. Now its tougher to just enjoy a match or a shot because I feel disappointment knowing the difference between a pro and a league player is something that can't be learned or developed.
 
justnum said:
The first time I played billiards I loved it.

Seeing the action on the table, driving the position of the cue ball and encountering opponents.

After attending leagues and tournaments I stopped. I lost the love for it.

I felt mindless playing in matches or shooting practice drills.

It was great in the beginning discovering a lot on what I could improve on. Then when faced with stronger competition I improved. Then I couldn't develop any better. Other players in the league seemed to level off to.

The excitement and passion died because I realized, I won't get any better no matter what. Now its tougher to just enjoy a match or a shot because I feel disappointment knowing the difference between a pro and a league player is something that can't be learned or developed.
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I love playing pool for the how did I do that moments. I'm still often amazed at how my subconscious knows how to do things.
I don't compare myself to any pro players or even the best players in my league, I strive to be the best player that I can be. I've had moments where I've played exceptional pool (running multiple racks, getting position in the tiniest of spots, making crazy shots.

I guess I'm always chasing what I know I'm capable of but that player doesn't show as often as I'd like. I love the moments when as a friend of mine likes to say, "sometimes I amaze myself". I have a table at home and most days I hit balls. If I'm not having fun I quit but most of the time I practice between 1-2 hours. I have friends that won't hit a ball if they aren't playing someone whereas I'm perfectly content just knocking them around.

I don't consider myself that good at pool (apa 6/8), but as I improve its smaller improvements and not huge leaps like when first starting out
 
justnum said:
The excitement and passion died because I realized, I won't get any better no matter what.
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I don't really understand this... all you have to do is practice a shot you're not good at and if you can bump your shooting percentage up even just by a few points, you're immediately a better player than you were before. Once you reach a certain level, there are very few leaps in skill and all you can do is keep making those tiny, incremental improvements and trust that they will eventually build up over time into something bigger.
 
victorl said:
I don't really understand this... all you have to do is practice a shot you're not good at and if you can bump your shooting percentage up even just by a few points, you're immediately a better player than you were before. Once you reach a certain level, there are very few leaps in skill and all you can do is keep making those tiny, incremental improvements and trust that they will eventually build up over time into something bigger.
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Practicing shots is not what I mean to get better. Its missing shots.

Some pro players just let that anger go, when missing a big shot. Others can manage to not show any emotion.

At the league level, it seem like any miss is worth dirty look. After enough self-hate or anger, no matter what I do, bottom line is I missed.

I could've made the shot in practice, but not when it counts. That feeling of failure is a real put off for me. What makes it worse is, I am in control the whole time. My failure is entirely my fault, the feeling just snowballs.
 
justnum said:
Practicing shots is not what I mean to get better. Its missing shots.

Some pro players just let that anger go, when missing a big shot. Others can manage to not show any emotion.

At the league level, it seem like any miss is worth dirty look. After enough self-hate or anger, no matter what I do, bottom line is I missed.

I could've made the shot in practice, but not when it counts. That feeling of failure is a real put off for me. What makes it worse is, I am in control the whole time. My failure is entirely my fault, the feeling just snowballs.
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Sounds like you need to worm on your mental toughness. Some players revel in competition and it is a learned behavior to not show emotion when missing a shot.

When I miss a shot (if I'm playing a match I care about) I find it best to look at it from a purely logical perspective. The fact that I missed means little- why I missed and the analysis it takes to figure out why I missed should take up all of my thoughts. Then once you figure out why you missed (i.e., dropped elbow, etc.) you throw that thought away and create a blank place.

The next shot is the only shot that matters. Previous shots are just learning tools.
 
justnum said:
Practicing shots is not what I mean to get better. Its missing shots.

Some pro players just let that anger go, when missing a big shot. Others can manage to not show any emotion.

At the league level, it seem like any miss is worth dirty look. After enough self-hate or anger, no matter what I do, bottom line is I missed.

I could've made the shot in practice, but not when it counts. That feeling of failure is a real put off for me. What makes it worse is, I am in control the whole time. My failure is entirely my fault, the feeling just snowballs.
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Try reading the inner game of tennis. Pool is at least 80% mental. Have to get your ego out of your stroke. That's where youll see a lot of people talk about importance of preshot routine
 
zpele said:
Sounds like you need to worm on your mental toughness. Some players revel in competition and it is a learned behavior to not show emotion when missing a shot.

When I miss a shot (if I'm playing a match I care about) I find it best to look at it from a purely logical perspective. The fact that I missed means little- why I missed and the analysis it takes to figure out why I missed should take up all of my thoughts. Then once you figure out why you missed (i.e., dropped elbow, etc.) you throw that thought away and create a blank place.

The next shot is the only shot that matters. Previous shots are just learning tools.
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I get what your saying, failing is learning. When you know you can make the shot, you've made the shot in the past, then at the table the failure takes place.

To me its like chewing gum. I know how to chew gum, but sometimes I bite my tongue and it hurts. When I miss a shot I know what to do, but for some reason it didn't work out the way I intended.
 
justnum said:
I get what your saying, failing is learning. When you know you can make the shot, you've made the shot in the past, then at the table the failure takes place.

To me its like chewing gum. I know how to chew gum, but sometimes I bite my tongue and it hurts. When I miss a shot I know what to do, but for some reason it didn't work out the way I intended.
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You're not quite understanding. It doesn't matter if you bite your tongue and it hurts... It doesn't matter if you miss a shot you can make in practice- that just means your mind is getting in the way. Treat your mind like an opponent and don't let it win.

Another thing to think about is motivation. When you play pool and have fun your only motivation is to revel in the motion of the balls and the physical aspect of playing pool itself. You need to work on having that motivation carry over to any match you are playing. The beauty of the stroke should always be what you are striving for. Winning should never be the primary motivation when playing or you will never stay playing for long enough to become truly good because you will get too frustrated at not validating your motivation. If you play for the beauty of the game you will always achieve it no matter if you win or lose and in the long run this outlook will help you to progress far beyond what you could do otherwise.

The level we get to in pool is not based on any natural talent- it is based on your experience and willingness to learn. We can never see the next level nor how close we are to achieving that level because we do not know it exists until we have reached it.
 
I love the difference in the way the game lets you enjoy it. At first it was playing with friends socially. Then it was the thrill of betting money with friends to feel adrenaline for the win. Then, it was using pool to get out and have a social life. After that, was to learn the game and strive for the best in my area. Now, it is small increments of improvement, relaxation( just banging balls and eliminating the outside world), or the ablility to compete with other like-minded people in a very long term pursuit.
 
The beauty of it, when played correctly, is sublime. No other feeling like it.
 
justnum said:
The first time I played billiards I loved it.

Seeing the action on the table, driving the position of the cue ball and encountering opponents.

After attending leagues and tournaments I stopped. I lost the love for it.

I felt mindless playing in matches or shooting practice drills.

It was great in the beginning discovering a lot on what I could improve on. Then when faced with stronger competition I improved. Then I couldn't develop any better. Other players in the league seemed to level off to.

The excitement and passion died because I realized, I won't get any better no matter what. Now its tougher to just enjoy a match or a shot because I feel disappointment knowing the difference between a pro and a league player is something that can't be learned or developed.
Click to expand...
Try the BU exams. A great way to improve and track your progress.

I personally love the feeling of running a rack or playing a difficult position shot that requires a great stroke to pull off

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
 
justnum said:
The first time I played billiards I loved it.

Seeing the action on the table, driving the position of the cue ball and encountering opponents.

After attending leagues and tournaments I stopped. I lost the love for it.

I felt mindless playing in matches or shooting practice drills.

It was great in the beginning discovering a lot on what I could improve on. Then when faced with stronger competition I improved. Then I couldn't develop any better. Other players in the league seemed to level off to.

The excitement and passion died because I realized, I won't get any better no matter what. Now its tougher to just enjoy a match or a shot because I feel disappointment knowing the difference between a pro and a league player is something that can't be learned or developed.
Click to expand...


I’ve loved playing pool since I was small, blocking the ball returns under a neighbor’s table when I was five; later, watching the older kids play at the Boys Club of America, in the Mission District of San Francisco; as a teenager, messing around on a home-built table, Dave, an older guy in the neighborhood, had made; and of course later, when I joined the ranks of the fully-pledged pool fraternity.

I understand the frustration part. It can take hundreds, if not thousands of hours of dedicated practice and competition to advance from a stifling plateau you're stranded on. But there is a reward. Some days -- when it all clicks -- you can rifle balls in, make the cue ball behave, and run a few with élan... ah, those days make it all worthwhile.

Lou Figueroa
 
Why do you love playing billiard sports >>>>> I can hide from my wife for a few hours:D
 
It's more than the games we play, although I do love One Pocket. For me it's the atmosphere in a pool hall that I find particularly appealing.
Stale cigar and cigarette smoke so thick you could cut it with a dull Barlow.
Women that smell like stale cigar and cigarette smoke so thick you can't cut them with a dull Barlow.
Urinals with those little deodorant/disinfectant cakes. You want to eat one just to get it all over with.
You drop your gum onto a spot of dried blood on the floor next to the table and put it back into your mount before you can count to five.
The noise is so loud you accidentally choke on the gum trying to order another round of Quervo.
You stumble out into the parking lot at the end of the night and your car is missing, or you stumble out into the parking lot at the end of the night and your car is still there but the wheels and tires are missing.
One of the women that smells like stale cigar and cigarette smoke is standing at a nearby bus stop. You ask if she needs a lift. She pulls a gun out of her purse and steals your car.
I could go on and on. :)

P.S. If any of you have anything to add, please do.
 
Tramp Steamer said:
It's more than the games we play, although I do love One Pocket. For me it's the atmosphere in a pool hall that I find particularly appealing.
Stale cigar and cigarette smoke so thick you could cut it with a dull Barlow.
Women that smell like stale cigar and cigarette smoke so thick you can't cut them with a dull Barlow.
Urinals with those little deodorant/disinfectant cakes. You want to eat one just to get it all over with.
You drop your gum onto a spot of dried blood on the floor next to the table and put it back into your mount before you can count to five.
The noise is so loud you accidentally choke on the gum trying to order another round of Quervo.
You stumble out into the parking lot at the end of the night and your car is missing, or you stumble out into the parking lot at the end of the night and your car is still there but the wheels and tires are missing.
One of the women that smells like stale cigar and cigarette smoke is standing at a nearby bus stop. You ask if she needs a lift. She pulls a gun out of her purse and steals your car.
I could go on and on. :)

P.S. If any of you have anything to add, please do.
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And poolroom bathrooms that have a sign that reads. ... If you pee on the floor at home please pee on the floor here. We want you to feel at home.
 
Slim Limpy said:
I appreciate the all the good things pool players do for you in a pool room despite the fact that they expect nothing in return. How often they let others know how much of a positive difference others have made in their lives while spending their valuable time listening to others with the sole intent of learning from the diversity of opinions that are being expressed in the pool room truly fills a vacant space in my heart.

How many times I have been given a shoulder to cry on and allowed to be my true self while being respected for who I am is nearly unimaginable. I never fail to receive genuine encouragement to overcome my failures and shortcomings at the billiard palace I attend. Never once has another player wished anything but the best for my game.

I am truly thankful for the uplifting moral and ethical behavior I always encounter whenever I play another player at my pool hall. I am humbled each time I see a fellow pool player sacrifice a part of their very being for the good of another right before my very eyes. The small things pool players do for each other with the greatest love is both inspiring and contagious. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
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In my lifetime I made most of my friends playing pool....and it never ended. Still going. Always meeting new people. And the 2 way respect is always there
 
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Love is a pretty strong word to me. I enjoy playing because I find it a fun pastime.

If it ever stops being fun, I'll look around for something else.

I dunno why people who play when it's not their livelihood take the game so seriously. Seems to me that removes much of the fun.
 
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