Without Something On The Line It's Hard To keep Improving

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I have to agree with so many on here that say you can't keep improving if you are not playing in a lot of tournaments and/or gambling. I get back up to "A" on the box and it's like hitting a wall. I still miss shots that I should make 90% of the time from lack of focus. Thinking of closing in the patio and getting a 9' Diamond. Maybe that will hold my interest for the few more years I have left. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I have to agree with so many on here that say you can't keep improving if you are not playing in a lot of tournaments and/or gambling. I get back up to "A" on the box and it's like hitting a wall. I still miss shots that I should make 90% of the time from lack of focus. Thinking of closing in the patio and getting a 9' Diamond. Maybe that will hold my interest for the few more years I have left. Johnnyt
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Try getting involved in a $10K match with a guy who is like a big booger you cannot get off your finger, no matter how hard you flick.

It'll perk you right up :-)

Lou Figueroa
sumthin' on the line
and improvin'
 
Johnnyt said:
I have to agree with so many on here that say you can't keep improving if you are not playing in a lot of tournaments and/or gambling. I get back up to "A" on the box and it's like hitting a wall. I still miss shots that I should make 90% of the time from lack of focus. Thinking of closing in the patio and getting a 9' Diamond. Maybe that will hold my interest for the few more years I have left. Johnnyt
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yes Johnny, imo there has to be pressured being applied. good solid opponents, with something at stake, will help your game big time

a table at the house will help, sure. but you need a serious practice method coupled with desire. just banging balls around ... not good
 
lfigueroa said:
Try getting involved in a $10K match with a guy who is like a big booger you cannot get off your finger, no matter how hard you flick.

It'll perk you right up :-)

Lou Figueroa
sumthin' on the line
and improvin'
Click to expand...

like when you say improvin Lou

gl with your match. play well
 
Table

Johnnyt said:
I have to agree with so many on here that say you can't keep improving if you are not playing in a lot of tournaments and/or gambling. I get back up to "A" on the box and it's like hitting a wall. I still miss shots that I should make 90% of the time from lack of focus. Thinking of closing in the patio and getting a 9' Diamond. Maybe that will hold my interest for the few more years I have left. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Having your own table is great. Lots of great drills will keep you interested. I usually play 5 or 6 times a day. Sometimes ten min, sometimes thirty. Great not having to get dressed, drive to the pool hall and then you really need to play a few hours because you probably won't go every day. Coffee in the morning, watch the news, hit some balls. Take a shower, hit some. Let the dog out, hit some. Take trash out, load dishwasher, hit some. Strange, but I still go to pool halls sometimes. Ambiance I guess. Good luck!
 
Johnnyt said:
I have to agree with so many on here that say you can't keep improving if you are not playing in a lot of tournaments and/or gambling. I get back up to "A" on the box and it's like hitting a wall. I still miss shots that I should make 90% of the time from lack of focus. Thinking of closing in the patio and getting a 9' Diamond. Maybe that will hold my interest for the few more years I have left. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Forget that! Take your own advice and get out of the house and visit some of the local pool rooms. I'm sure if you posted in advance there are people in your area on the forum that would come out and meet you somewhere to try you some. LOL it might be worth losing some cash to find out if you are full of shit or not :wink:
 
There definitely needs to be some motivation to keep a man improving. Or even playing close to his best. The source can be anything though.

Everybody has their own motivator and in my case, is has changed through the years.

Used to be money, then it was recreation, now I am not sure,,,I really don't find any reason that I can apply to make me want to devote the resources required to play well.

I had a jaden visit and I feel I played 80% of my speed for a couple days, but then, at home in solo efforts...back to the same lackadaisical sessions.

Kinda frustrating, but pool really is a silly thing to know how to do, IMO.
 
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Johnnyt said:
I have to agree with so many on here that say you can't keep improving if you are not playing in a lot of tournaments and/or gambling. I get back up to "A" on the box and it's like hitting a wall. I still miss shots that I should make 90% of the time from lack of focus. Thinking of closing in the patio and getting a 9' Diamond. Maybe that will hold my interest for the few more years I have left. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Anything you can do to challenge yourself will help keep the interest going.
 
Black-Balled said:
There definitely needs to be some motivation to keep a man improving. Or even playing close to his best. The source can be anything though.

Everybody has their own motivator and in my case, is has changed through the years.

Used to be money, then it was recreation, now I am not sure,,,I really don't find any reason that I can apply to make me want to devote the resources required to play well.

I had a jaden visit and I feel I played 80% of my speed for a couple days, but then, at home in solo efforts...back to the same lackadaisical sessions.

Kinda frustrating, but pool really is a silly thing to know how to do, IMO.
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This is exactly me as well. Except it wasn't a Jaden visit, it was (insert any random person I've met from the internet) and played (insert a lower percentage).

It used to be up until a couple of years ago that even though I had zero motivation in this game anymore that at the very least, for pride's sake, my game would perk up at a first meeting with people. That's not happening anymore either.

If I ever get room for a table in my new digs, I might park my treadmill and my Rosetta Stone Spanish DVD's right next to it.

Freddie <~~~ in manual mode
 
Just curious why pool is the only sport that you need to gamble at (sorry, poker is a game, not a sport) to improve?

Do folks really dislike pool that much? Why do other athletes in tennis, baseball, etc bear down so hard to get better, so they reach the next level ? Heck, my kid could hit fastballs in the middle of a blizzard until his hands bleed cause he can't get enough :)

Just curious what makes pool so special or really NOT so special ?
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Just curious why pool is the only sport that you need to gamble at (sorry, poker is a game, not a sport) to improve?

Do folks really dislike pool that much? Why do other athletes in tennis, baseball, etc bear down so hard to get better, so they reach the next level ? Heck, my kid could hit fastballs in the middle of a blizzard until his hands bleed cause he can't get enough :)

Just curious what makes pool so special or really NOT so special ?
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Very good question that I don't have the answer to. Johnnyt
 
My motivator was the pool room I played in. I lived in Dallas for thirty years and there was (and still is) a poolroom near my home called Clicks on Marsh. It has now changed hands and was once a 'Speeds' before Nick at Clicks bought it.

That was a great room with may levels of players. So my motivation was always to move up through the layers and play better and better players. Sure, we played for small stakes like a race to 7 for $10, but never any 'serious' money. And I set limits. If I had won $50 the day before then my limit to lose that day would be $50.

In fact, in that regard, I was always proud to be a nit. I never looked at the money I earned working as 'my' money. It belonged to my family. It was meant to pay for food, mortgage, insurances, taxes and to fund our retirement. So I would never even think of gambling big with my family future.

I saw relationships crumble over lost money. Marriages crushed. All over money and the ego that goes with it. I just always found wasting money like that, money that could provide for your loved ones, as being very childish.
 
Not sure if this is already out there. What if there was an easy way to record your stats on a score sheet. You go home and input the stats in a program. Like Accustats. That could be a motivator and it would be interesting to see our stats. It could give you goals. Like shooting from .800 to .900.
 
So very true....

ChicagoRJ said:
Just curious why pool is the only sport that you need to gamble at (sorry, poker is a game, not a sport) to improve?

Do folks really dislike pool that much? Why do other athletes in tennis, baseball, etc bear down so hard to get better, so they reach the next level ? Heck, my kid could hit fastballs in the middle of a blizzard until his hands bleed cause he can't get enough :)

Just curious what makes pool so special or really NOT so special ?
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When I was younger I was always betting on the dogs or horse's. Played a little poker and was a $5-$10 player at pool.

It kept my blood flowing and I can say without a doubt I had the Fred Flintstone "bet ta bet bet bet" syndrome when it came to the dogs and ponies.

I finally gave up on the ponies and dogs. Play a little poker and will play a $5 game of one pocket with friends.

It really helped me to stay focused when I had a wager involved with what I was doing.

Now I am now truly a "ball banger", but I am ok with it.

Just saying " different strokes for different folks ".

Don :smile:
 
Black-Balled said:
That is what I was gonna say...but I guess it is conditioning, for those that feel they need to bet something.

Hard to do for fun that which you once got paid for.
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This must be why I feel that I can improve simply by playing more and working on my game.

I've never been in a position to gamble, so I'm not missing anything, and can work at the game simply because I love it. And want to improve.
 
Mr. Wiggles said:
Having your own table is great. Lots of great drills will keep you interested. I usually play 5 or 6 times a day. Sometimes ten min, sometimes thirty. Great not having to get dressed, drive to the pool hall and then you really need to play a few hours because you probably won't go every day. Coffee in the morning, watch the news, hit some balls. Take a shower, hit some. Let the dog out, hit some. Take trash out, load dishwasher, hit some. Strange, but I still go to pool halls sometimes. Ambiance I guess. Good luck!
Click to expand...

So true.
Same thing with going to the gym. If you have easy access to something your bound to use it.
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Just curious why pool is the only sport that you need to gamble at (sorry, poker is a game, not a sport) to improve?

Do folks really dislike pool that much? Why do other athletes in tennis, baseball, etc bear down so hard to get better, so they reach the next level ? Heck, my kid could hit fastballs in the middle of a blizzard until his hands bleed cause he can't get enough :)

Just curious what makes pool so special or really NOT so special ?
Click to expand...

I wouldn't say pool is the only sport. Golf is very similar. I could hit balls at the driving range till my hands are blistered but nothing helped my game more than joining a competitive league and betting a little something on the side. It didn't even have to be anything big, just a little something to add pressure.

Honestly, the added pressure is a catalyst for improvement. As we learn to perform well under pressure, our confidence rises. And, speaking for myself, as my confidence rises, I play more consistently. This improvement in consistency tends to give me even more confidence. It's a beautiful chain reaction.
 
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