Would I sound like a jerk?

[9 on the snap]

When I am playing I don't notice what people say to me, and I dont' notice what I say to them. I listen to what the balls say. My focus is the table, and the table is my focus. Distractions are opportunities for you to improve your focus. If a little friendly banter sets you off, then you may be a little uptight. I don't know how leagues work, but if you ask for a rule about people talking to you I would think more people will talk to you to get you off your game. If I was gambling with some one, and they were a little tight, and asked me not to talk to them, I know what I would do, and it wouldn't be shutting up. Hell, a lot of the people I know will tell you nice shot when you hit it wrong.

 

[Tom In Cincy]

I wait until the game is over and then say 'by the way, very nice shot on the 6 ball' or 'nice out'

I never say anything to my opponent while they are at the table, unless it is about the rules or their intentions are not clear.

By the way, it is against most major rules to talk to your opponent while they are at the table unless it is about their unclear intentions, or you want someone to call a 'close hit' and you must then let your opponent know your intentions.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with you asking your opponent (politely) to hold their 'applause' until after the performance is over.

 

[smoooothstroke]

tune it out

I have had trouble with this too.It takes time but learn to tune it out.I still catch myself saying "thanks" in response to "nice shot" at times.I have noticed i tend to miss or play a bad shot after an acknowledged nice shot.What i see is it can depend on who the opponent is as to weather or not it has an effect on the shooter.

There are rules against this is some major tournaments and often it is done as poor sportsmanship but i think if a player is serious about playing his or her best they must learn to get past it.

 

[briandlau]

...with a wife or girlfriend nearby. If you play through the complaining, nagging, wanting you to quit and spend time with them.... you can play through anything.

Amen to that...

 

[Chesscat]

I feel just the same way. it messes me up. I do avoid saying anything to my opponent, based on how this stuff affects me.

 

[DRW]

talk/noise

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?

If the person is not saying this every time you make a ball, then he probably isn't trying to shark you. An occasional compliment on a good shot shouldn't bother you. Horrible karaoke gets me the most even though I started playing in the disco era. If you let a true compliment bother you, then there are a lot other worse things that will get in your head.

 

[alstl]

I'm curious. When I started playing pool the place had wooden floors and we tapped the butt of the cue on the floor when somebody made a nice shot. Would that throw you game off also?

 

[gpeezy]

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?

Myself I've actually waited till after the game and sometimes the set b4 making any comments. I've had people have me hooked 18 games and when I played bad shape over a ball, getting ready to pull the trigger tell me "boy thats brutal". I agree with compliments, but they should be made when a player isn't trying to focus. I do remember hearing and sometimes seeing the good ol bumper tap,tap,tap following a good shot. Somehow it seemed less of a move.

 

[Johnnyt]

You don't talk to anyone while their shooting but players (pros included) need to talk more and also let the fans interact by yelling out for their favorite player or against the other.

Most pros gamble in bars along with poolrooms. You get bumped into while shooting, music is blasting, people walking in your sight line, and many other distactions. Then when their at a tournament they need dead silence when they shoot...give me a break. Dead silence=very bad for TV. Johnnyt

 

[hejests]

Unless you're down on your next shot while your opponent chooses to say "nice shot", which would clearly be sharking, I don't think it's a big deal. Pool's a social sport where you're generally playing in a large room full of ppl walking around making noise and occasionally doing really odd things (like pushups when they lose (very odd), dropping cues, jumping balls off tables, yelling when someone scores in the hockey game on the big screen etc...) Tons of "normal" distractions. You need to learn to play through the normal stuff (meaning stuff you can reasonably expect to hear/see). Otherwise, when the chips are down and the pressure's really high, you'll find that your concentration is way too fragile and you notice absolutely everything and absolutely everything keeps you out of stroke. It's one more thing to try to master... IMHO of course.

 

[Moon Cricket]

You don't talk to anyone while their shooting but players (pros included) need to talk more and also let the fans interact by yelling out for their favorite player or against the other.

Most pros gamble in bars along with poolrooms. You get bumped into while shooting, music is blasting, people walking in your sight line, and many other distactions. Then when their at a tournament they need dead silence when they shoot...give me a break. Dead silence=very bad for TV. Johnnyt

Excellent points sir.

 

[grindz]

Imagine the game without applause/"great shot"/"nice out". After all, don't we play (most of us anyway) the game for enjoyment? If it bothers you to hear any noise, a public place may not be the place to play.

There may be sharks out there that use it to their advantage, but your opponent could also be your next friend for life. Why take it to that level where no interpersonal connection exists? I personally am just depressed when my opponent is on an MP3 or iPod...I may as well be hitting balls at home. I know that the music in the area may be offensive, but what statement does it say to anyone around? I'm not sure, could be many different views on that.

So, in the end if it really bothers you, start by being the next example to follow.......tap, tap, tap goes a long way. Then work on your PSR and "be in the moment" not the past or future, just now. IN THE ZONE, UNCONSCIOUS, DEAD STROKE....the place all die hard players long to be where all the noise fades to nothing and the back of the pocket is all there is! It's a magical place. Good luck.

td

 

[mgregory]

I always just acknowledge a comment by nodding my head, just like I do when I am talking to someone and not paying any attention to them. After years of marriage and five girls I can shut out a fly over by the entire Royal Air force.

But, I play this one guy in tournaments that waits until you are down on the ball and then he starts in, "nice shot", "that'll be a nice shot", "nice shot" and he keeps it up until you shoot.

I broke him from doing me that way by, every time he would say it I would stand up, walk around the table, chalk my stick, reverse align my shot, get a drink, chalk my stick, and start over. Since he likes to play a fast game it didn't take very long before he quit.

 

[cigardave]

But, I play this one guy in tournaments that waits until you are down on the ball and then he starts in, "nice shot", "that'll be a nice shot", "nice shot" and he keeps it up until you shoot.

I broke him from doing me that way by, every time he would say it I would stand up, walk around the table, chalk my stick, reverse align my shot, get a drink, chalk my stick, and start over. Since he likes to play a fast game it didn't take very long before he quit.

Bozos are actually smarter than most people think that they are.

 

[Secaucus Fats]

I can see where it might throw you off but when I'm playing a game and someone says that to me, i will wait until my turn is completely over to say anything, so it doesn't have any effect on me. I'm pretty good on concentrating and zoning everyone else out when I'm shooting. There aren't to many things that bother me while I'm shooting because I pay no attention to them.

You may have a valid point but I do not think anything like that will ever be ban. You can just tell the guy to hold onto this comments til after the match. Also sometimes it's not even the person your shooting, you have to talk to both teams as well.

That's the exact same way I deal with it.

I have spent an awful lot of time playing in all sorts of places, from nasty dives to fancy poolrooms. When you play a lot in bars you have to be able to just shut everything out--the jukebox, or the bad karaoke, people talking, all kinds of noises, people walking around. That makes league night at the pool hall a piece of cake.

Like you I don't think it would be possible to ban the practice. For most people pool is a social / recreational activity. I believe most people are just complimenting me when they say "nice shot". IOW, I don't believe it's done with malice.

Fats

 

[tonmo]

you have to say "thanks", or something to acknowledge you heard the guy and appreciate it.

Says who? If the person is saying it to elicit a response from you, that's their problem. I often say "nice shot" to guys I play with, and they keep shooting, and I do the same. I don't think anyone takes it the wrong way. They know you're in stride.

 

[Russ Chewning]

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

 

[DJKeys]

I do this all the time and I never gave a thought that it might be affecting my opponent in a negative way because it doesn't bother me in the least. I'll try to keep that in mind from now on.

I never want to encourage my opponent. I may compliment on a particular shot after the match, but never during. I say nothing.

 

[johnnydub]

My brother and I will snap our fingers a few times when one of us makes a nice play, whether it be a safety or a shot or whatever, I dont know where I read it but I like it.

 

[Da Poet]

I always just acknowledge a comment by nodding my head, just like I do when I am talking to someone and not paying any attention to them.

Exactly. No need to even feel like you have to look at them or verbally say something back.

I think sorta do a head tilt eyebrow raising thing whenever I hear something directed at me.

I suppose if someone's going overboard, and it's so bad that you have to stop playing, you can ask them if they ever saw the movie "Jaws" with a smile. I've never done it, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity. "Yeah, you know that movie with the big SHARK in it? Man that SHARK had a BIG MOUTH didn't it?"

(I've probably plagerized this last part, if so sorry!)