Why have many of the top older players' games

[dabarbr]

Regardless of what anyone says Father Time takes his toll on everyone, barring none. I'm 67 and still play daily but for a fact I can't do what I used to do.
I wind up looking shots that are now only memories of what I used to be able to do with them. I don't kid myself and attempt things that I know are low percentage for me now. I wind up doing something else with the shot. Mostly safeties.

Every year I feel a small bit of my game dissapearing. Maybe 1% every couple of years. After a few years these small percentages add up to a fair amount and you can see it your game.
At one point experience and knowledge was an equalizer to the decline of the physical skills. But at some point experience and knowkledge is not enough to overcome the loss these skills. I'm talking about the big stroke, long shots, deep cuts, not to mention the break shots that require a lot of power.

For some reason one loses the ability to concentrate and bear down like when we were younger.
I believe the future for me with this game will be as a spectator, but thats ok with me because I love this game. However not just yet because I can still bring it sometimes.

 

[Island Drive]

Regardless of what anyone says Father Time takes his toll on everyone, barring none. I'm 67 and still play daily but for a fact I can't do what I used to do.
I wind up looking shots that are now only memories of what I used to be able to do with them. I don't kid myself and attempt things that I know are low percentage for me now. I wind up doing something else with the shot. Mostly safeties.

Every year I feel a small bit of my game dissapearing. Maybe 1% every couple of years. After a few years these small percentages add up to a fair amount and you can see it your game.
At one point experience and knowledge was an equalizer to the decline of the physical skills. But at some point experience and knowkledge is not enough to overcome the loss these skills. I'm talking about the big stroke, long shots, deep cuts, not to mention the break shots that require a lot of power.

For some reason one loses the ability to concentrate and bear down like when we were younger.
I believe the future for me with this game will be as a spectator, but thats ok with me because I love this game. However not just yet because I can still bring it sometimes.

Yah had ta go and remind us AGAIN...what gettin' old is all about, but yes we can still 'bring it'..tho not too much salt eh

 

[jrhendy]

Yah had ta go and remind us AGAIN...what gettin' old is all about, but yes we can still 'bring it'..tho not too much salt eh

Frank & I still have quite a few years on you. If you are feeling it, we must have one foot in the grave. I gave it a go again yesterday and it cost me $200, but I will regroup and try again tomorrow. Hard Times has a little 9 ball tournament every Sunday. The big boys don't usually show up until the 1st of the month added $$ and I have been getting in the $$, but my biggest problem anymore is at the end of the day when you get in the last brackets, you often have to wait an hour or so for your next match. Once I sit down for a while and try to come back and play, I can't play. This is where age is showing up with me. John

 

[chefjeff]

I'm 54 and in some ways my game is better than ever.

The thing I've noticed in the last 15 years or so is that I can overcome some of the physical problems by using my mind. I've taken lessons lately to re-groove my stroke as my muscles shake and twitch. I laugh when I'm shaking and still I deliver a good stroke. When young, this never was a problem.

I have read most of the books and use those techniques that others haven't learned yet. Also, when competing, I flick-back to my life's experiences and bring those back up to the present to help me overcome whatever lack of confidence is trying to assert itself. Ha ha...using age to turn fear to confidence.

Also, I attempt to use my age to intimidate the punksters. I try to uphold a good posture, a confindent look, etc. that hopefully makes my opponents think I know more than they do (which is probably true most times).

Having done it "all," and seen it "all," I use that to reduce fear, the main culprit in sports, imho.

Also, I've gotten lasik twice, learned to shoot with fuzzy vision probably from memory mostly and "feel." I take numerous food supplements that help me overcome many physical problems (that's my business, btw) and to keep my mind and body at the highest level possible.

I wonder how good one could be IF physical aging wasn't a problem. That is, there is soon to be an anti-aging pill (or procedure) that will allow us old folks to bring back more youthful bodies. Then I'll have several decades of experience plus a good body to beat the punksters.

Imagine having 100 years of experience and a 20 year old body?!? Now that would be something!

Jeff Livingston

 

[Jaden]

I can understand what you're talking about...

Regardless of what anyone says Father Time takes his toll on everyone, barring none. I'm 67 and still play daily but for a fact I can't do what I used to do.
I wind up looking shots that are now only memories of what I used to be able to do with them. I don't kid myself and attempt things that I know are low percentage for me now. I wind up doing something else with the shot. Mostly safeties.

Every year I feel a small bit of my game dissapearing. Maybe 1% every couple of years. After a few years these small percentages add up to a fair amount and you can see it your game.
At one point experience and knowledge was an equalizer to the decline of the physical skills. But at some point experience and knowkledge is not enough to overcome the loss these skills. I'm talking about the big stroke, long shots, deep cuts, not to mention the break shots that require a lot of power.

For some reason one loses the ability to concentrate and bear down like when we were younger.
I believe the future for me with this game will be as a spectator, but thats ok with me because I love this game. However not just yet because I can still bring it sometimes.

While I'm not old enough to have experienced this myself yet, I do understand where you are coming from, but I have to say that it was difficult to tell watching you play....At first when I was watching I was thinking, wow this guy is shooting almost lights out and I might have to play him here soon and I was going to complement you on it.. Then I heard some guys say who you were and I realized why you were shooting like that....

 

[Island Drive]

While I'm not old enough to have experienced this myself yet, I do understand where you are coming from, but I have to say that it was difficult to tell watching you play....At first when I was watching I was thinking, wow this guy is shooting almost lights out and I might have to play him here soon and I was going to complement you on it.. Then I heard some guys say who you were and I realized why you were shooting like that....

He always did shoot a ball better than...................you know the rest of the story.

 

[jay helfert]

Regardless of what anyone says Father Time takes his toll on everyone, barring none. I'm 67 and still play daily but for a fact I can't do what I used to do.
I wind up looking shots that are now only memories of what I used to be able to do with them. I don't kid myself and attempt things that I know are low percentage for me now. I wind up doing something else with the shot. Mostly safeties.

Every year I feel a small bit of my game dissapearing. Maybe 1% every couple of years. After a few years these small percentages add up to a fair amount and you can see it your game.
At one point experience and knowledge was an equalizer to the decline of the physical skills. But at some point experience and knowkledge is not enough to overcome the loss these skills. I'm talking about the big stroke, long shots, deep cuts, not to mention the break shots that require a lot of power.

For some reason one loses the ability to concentrate and bear down like when we were younger.
I believe the future for me with this game will be as a spectator, but thats ok with me because I love this game. However not just yet because I can still bring it sometimes.

Quit stallin' man! You're playing better than ever!

 

[TWOFORPOOL]

Older Players

I'm 53 years old and I remember the dominant players you mentioned. Everyone of those players are great shotmakers (McCready being the best). Those players dominated the game because of it. Todays game doesn't require great shotmaking like push out required. When one foul came to life I sincerely believe it took a little life out of those great players game simply because they couldn't dominant (control) the game anymore.

I know its hard for the new generation to understand this but believe me under todays rules I have a chance to beat a world class player in a tournament. I HAD NO CHANCE TO BE A WORLD CLASS PLAYER IN ROLLOUT. Their shotmaking skills were so much better they would crush their opponent during the match.

I believe that these great players became disinchanted about the game of of one foul and their games showed it. Keith McCready once said that his game went down 2 balls when one fould became the standard. What he actually ment was that his opponents game went up two balls because of one foul.

I would like to see a challenge match with roll out just to show everybody what the game was like. If you could get Keith McCready to play roll out in a match he might even practice for it! It certainly would bring back a little life in him of the game he once dominanted.