Would I sound like a jerk?

I don't wear an actual ipod, but on occasion I have taken the ear buds and put them in my ears... and put the other end into my pocket but not attached to anything.

A lot of times people will say things, and it's not what they say that sharks you... it's how you react (or supposed to react) that gets into your head.
If they say something, and you know they did... but they don't know you heard them... then you don't HAVE to react. Head phones are a good excuse for that.
just my $0.02
 
I'm sorry, but the only thing I think about this is how petty some people can be. Jesus Christ. Someone compliments you on a nice shot and you take it as a sharking technique. The Time magazine cover was 100% correct, America has turned into a a country full of whiners and crybabies.
MULLY
 
Ok, I was a bit harsh in that last one. Seriously though, what's the big deal? There's no need to stop and say thanks and even if you feel you have to if it throws you out of stroke then that's not really your opponents fault. I can understand if you're playing some ass hat that says "Good shot" when you miss position or jaw the pocket, yeah, that's uncalled for. But to acknowledge your good play.........sorry, it's not something you should be complaining about. People have become so rude these days that you should take compliments any time you can get them.

As for iPods at the table, they should be banned.
MULLY
 
Flash photography at a pro event isn't a sharking technique either. It's a compliment, especially if the photo will be put in a magazine. :)
 
Russ Chewning said:
Well hang-the-9, as you can see, most people on here agree that you need to work on your mental game.

A piece of advice taken from when I was playing a lot more. When you are on the way to the pool hall or league in your car, pick out very small things to focus on while driving.

A license plate on a car 100-200 feet away.. A side mirror on a car 75 feet away. The letter "R" in a road sign 300 feet away all the way until you pass it.

Your eyes will get tired of doing this. BELIEVE me. It is because you are not used to focusing intensely for longer periods of time. Keep doing it, with brief periods of rest.

Your peripheral vision will be more than adequate to keep you driving safely. What this will teach you is..Being aware of your surroundings, but being able to tune it all out to focus on ONE thing when needed.

I came up with this exercise myself, with no one teaching me, and found out years later this type of "concentration practice" is common to a lot of top athletes.

Good luck wit it.

Russ
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I think I've told this one before but here goes. I used to carry a thread and needle with me in my case. Before a tournament and for about 10 minutes before each match I would sit down and try to thread that needle. It helps if you can find a needle with a small eye that is tough to get the thread through. Anyway, if you have the patience to sit there and work on threading that needle, put the thread through, pull it out and do it again, over and over, your mind gets really focused on one task at hand and really helps you get into play mode. Similar technique with less chance of running into the back of a tractor trailer. hehehehe!!
MULLY
 
Cuebacca said:
Flash photography at a pro event isn't a sharking technique either. It's a compliment, especially if the photo will be put in a magazine. :)
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You know, when we play at the pool hall there are so many distractions like music and people walking around etc... To me it's difficult to get into stroke at a tournament when they take all those distractions away. The silence and lack of the distractions that I usually have to tone out aren't there and it throws me off.
MULLY
 
mullyman said:
You know, when we play at the pool hall there are so many distractions like music and people walking around etc... To me it's difficult to get into stroke at a tournament when they take all those distractions away. The silence and lack of the distractions that I usually have to tone out aren't there and it throws me off.
MULLY
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You bring up a really interesting point. I look at all those things as being more similar to white noise. White noise is generally not a distraction for people.

What is distracting is when things are dead silent and then someone suddenly says something to you. Or when things are completely still and then someone jumps up, or flashes a camera.

How about the guy walking by who suddenly freezes when he reaches the corner pocket of your table? He has good intentions and is trying to avoid being a distraction. Ironically, it would be less of a distraction for him to keep walking through. I try to remember to stop and let that guy pass and then take my shot.
 
hang-the-9 said:
If I asked the league to make a rule to ban "nice shot" "good try" type of chatter? Or at least ask the person I'm playing to hold off on that.
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Ball in hand foul or game forfeit if someone broke this rule?
 
Cuebacca said:
How about the guy walking by who suddenly freezes when he reaches the corner pocket of your table? He has good intentions and is trying to avoid being a distraction. Ironically, it would be less of a distraction for him to keep walking through. I try to remember to stop and let that guy pass and then take my shot.
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Hahaha!! Yeah, that is 110% right. But, oddly enough I find myself doing the same thing though. Not right up next to the table but if I'm walking by and someone is down on a shot I'll stop. I try to stay out of their area of view but you know damned well they saw you. hehehe!!
MULLY
 
mullyman said:
Hahaha!! Yeah, that is 110% right. But, oddly enough I find myself doing the same thing though. Not right up next to the table but if I'm walking by and someone is down on a shot I'll stop. I try to stay out of their area of view but you know damned well they saw you. hehehe!!
MULLY
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LOL. Yeah, I still do that sometimes too. Hello billiard inventors? We need a mini grid of traffic lights around all the tables in the pool hall. Hehe. :D
 
No sport is played in a vacume and to expect complete silence is nitpicking.
Would u ask fans to quit yelling at the outfieders in baseball
or the D-line to be quite so the QB can call his plays
or the fans behind the basket to stop waving so the opposing team can shoot a free throw? No,

Focusing is part of any sport, pool is no differerent.


Is that you earl strickland :) j/k
 
freethrows

So wait, can I wave those foam rod thingies while my opponent is shooting the 9, or not? :confused: :)
 
alstl said:
You are being too nitpicky.
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Exactly, if it throws you off take a little more time on your next shot and make it. What if a bird lands on a telephone wire outside the building, does that bother you too?
 
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UPlayLucky said:
What it a bird lands on a telephone wire outside the building, does that bother you too?
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It depends... is there a monkey attached to the bird? Cuz that would definitely shark me. :eek:
 
It depends on the situation to me.

People who have seen a lot of pool recognize when someone does something special and I have no problem with that at all.

WPBA events on ESPN where people clap and say nice shot when the player is hooked, or weak players saying it too often because they can't make a lot of ordinary shots gets old for sure.
 
hang-the-9 said:
If I asked the league to make a rule to ban "nice shot" "good try" type of chatter? Or at least ask the person I'm playing to hold off on that.

The issue I have is that during matches you are focused on the game, on the shot at hand, on strategy, a lot of stuff. Whenever someone says "nice shot" you are almost automatically brought out of that focus, you have to say "thanks", or something to acknowledge you heard the guy and appreciate it. For me, that takes my mind off the next shot and I more often than not either miss, or misplay position. It also gets you thinking that, ya, it was pretty nice, which does the same thing to bring you out of focus.

Anyone else have thoughts on this? Am I just being nitpicky?
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You will not sound like a jerk, more like an ass, get over it and learn to deal with anything people say that may take away from your concentration.:eek: :eek:

-don
 
hang-the-9 said:
If I asked the league to make a rule to ban "nice shot" "good try" type of chatter? Or at least ask the person I'm playing to hold off on that.

The issue I have is that during matches you are focused on the game, on the shot at hand, on strategy, a lot of stuff. Whenever someone says "nice shot" you are almost automatically brought out of that focus, you have to say "thanks", or something to acknowledge you heard the guy and appreciate it. For me, that takes my mind off the next shot and I more often than not either miss, or misplay position. It also gets you thinking that, ya, it was pretty nice, which does the same thing to bring you out of focus.

Anyone else have thoughts on this? Am I just being nitpicky?
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If the only thing I knew about you was from this post.... Yes, you would be a jerk. If you can't fade the compliments.... how are you going to do with the trash talking you are sure to encounter!?

-Back2good1
 
hang-the-9 said:
If I asked the league to make a rule to ban "nice shot" "good try" type of chatter? Or at least ask the person I'm playing to hold off on that.

The issue I have is that during matches you are focused on the game, on the shot at hand, on strategy, a lot of stuff. Whenever someone says "nice shot" you are almost automatically brought out of that focus, you have to say "thanks", or something to acknowledge you heard the guy and appreciate it. For me, that takes my mind off the next shot and I more often than not either miss, or misplay position. It also gets you thinking that, ya, it was pretty nice, which does the same thing to bring you out of focus.

Anyone else have thoughts on this? Am I just being nitpicky?
Click to expand...

Wow - if an innocent comment like "nice shot" upsets your concentration that's pretty bad. What's the drug they prescribe for ADD? Relax, have fun and KILL'em....
 
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