You suck, because?

I suck because I spend more time buying "gadgets" than practicing with what I currently have. But I know a few members here are happy for it. :)

Also, if I could get my damn speed under control it would probably jump me a few levels.

Also, because I can't save enough to get a cool expensive custom cue hence reason 1.

Also, because my girlfriend refuses to let me bring a pool table into our apartment.

Also, because I like to get fancy for my leave on the 8 instead of just making my damn ball and having a little long cut or shot although I can make those shots 90% of the time.

But I suck less now after buying Magic Chalk. ( Thought I would give RJ a plug here:thumbup: )
 
No, I suck because my second wife said I did! Are you happy now? According to her I've sucked for most of my life.
My pool game, however, is another story. It's pretty solid.
I have a new Schon STL5, with a Schon/Predator 314-2 shaft, that I'm adapting to quite nicely. This is my fifth STL-5. They are hard to beat.
As for wife number two, hell she never knew the difference between an orange and a five ball, anyway. :smile:
 
measureman said:
I don't suck.
I'm 67 years old and play once a week.
I can still run 2 or 3 or more racks of most games that use 6 pockets.

it's god given natural ability. You have it or you don't. If you don't you will suck forever.
Dvds,books or lessons wont give it to you.

Sorry if this is a harsh post. But that's how I see it.
There is no magic fix to this relatively simple game. You get it or you don't.
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I don't think you are being harsh, I just think you are dead wrong. It is a simple game, as you say. Anybody who plays enough and is around the right kind of people all the time is gonna pick it up. From there it's a matter of degree, like anything else. There are some folks in every area of life who "get it" but fail to achieve the highest level. I sincerely doubt that genetics has much to do with any of it. There are just too many players out there with widely varying natural attributes who all play the game very well for your argument to hold water IMHO.
 
I suck because of the copious amounts of alcohol, hallucinogens, and other drugs in my system....



....that haven't taken effect yet.


Shooter08 said:
Still looking for the perfect cue and can't be burdened to spend time on your game.

You suck because _____________.
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Sloppy Pockets said:
I don't think you are being harsh, I just think you are dead wrong. It is a simple game, as you say. Anybody who plays enough and is around the right kind of people all the time is gonna pick it up. From there it's a matter of degree, like anything else. There are some folks in every area of life who "get it" but fail to achieve the highest level. I sincerely doubt that genetics has much to do with any of it. There are just too many players out there with widely varying natural attributes who all play the game very well for your argument to hold water IMHO.
Click to expand...

I've been watching pool players for about 54 years.
I've seen guys that take lessons and practice a lot and still have trouble running a rack of 9 ball.
And after 20 years they are still at the same level.
Then there are the few gifted ones that have never taken a lesson and seldom practice and they run racks with ease.
How does this happen?
not trying to start a fight here just trying to understand what I have seen.
Same with golf.10s of thousands take lessons and practice but only a very small group get to play professional golf.
Football,Tennis.Baseball on and on, same thing.
 
measureman said:
I've been watching pool players for about 54 years.
I've seen guys that take lessons and practice a lot and still have trouble running a rack of 9 ball.
And after 20 years they are still at the same level.
Then there are the few gifted ones that have never taken a lesson and seldom practice and they run racks with ease.
How does this happen?
not trying to start a fight here just trying to understand what I have seen.
Same with golf.10s of thousands take lessons and practice but only a very small group get to play professional golf.
Football,Tennis.Baseball on and on, same thing.
Click to expand...

There is a big difference between reaching a professional level and sucking.

I think anyone who possess a reasonable level of hand-eye coordination, who is willing to put in the time and effort required, is capable of becoming a decent pool player (or decent at almost anything really). That is not to say they will reach the upper echelon of the sport, for that I agree there needs to be some level of natural talent that not everyone possesses. But that doesn't mean they are doomed to suck forever. If that is the case I should just give up now, I guess.

We've all seen people who take lessons and "practice" but not progress...but I often wonder if those people are really practicing properly and truly devoting themselves to working on their weaknesses.

I'm not a good player, I do not possess that natural ability. I need to work for the progress I make and right now I'm not able to devote enough time to truly progress the way I would like. I know that. I still go and play for 3-5 hours almost every Saturday and Sunday and I have been making progress, but not the kind of progress I could make if I was able to be at the table five or six days a week. But I believe I will continue making slow progress until I'm able to spend more time playing at which point I believe I'm capable, even without natural talent, of progressing into at least a decent pool player with a respectable amateur game.

Given unlimited time to practice I don't think I could ever be a professional, I just don't believe I have the "it"...but I believe I could build a pretty solid game because I have the desire, the knowledge, and basic abilities required to progress through hard work and dedication to a game I love.
 
I suck cause I think the game is easy, meaning I don't have the respect for the shots I should have.
 
I suck because I'll often get too straight on the next ball.

I'm fairly certain I could break myself of this habit if I consistently made the effort to move my fat-ass over to the part of the table where I should shoot the next shot from, but I always worry about being that guy who takes forever to shoot.
 
I suck because when I am trying to play shape on a ball, I often snug the cue ball onto said ball. Doah!
 
measureman said:
I've been watching pool players for about 54 years.
I've seen guys that take lessons and practice a lot and still have trouble running a rack of 9 ball.
And after 20 years they are still at the same level.
Then there are the few gifted ones that have never taken a lesson and seldom practice and they run racks with ease.
How does this happen?
not trying to start a fight here just trying to understand what I have seen.
Same with golf.10s of thousands take lessons and practice but only a very small group get to play professional golf.
Football,Tennis.Baseball on and on, same thing.
Click to expand...

Sure, it comes easier to some and harder to others. So? Do you think Shane Van Boening was born with the pool gene(s)? Or did he get exposed to it at a very early age by knowledgeable family members, and found it was something he could do that wasn't restricted in any way by his physical handicap, and that it was a refuge from the kids who tormented him. So, he worked incredibly hard at his game for years, sacrificing a normal kid's life just to excel at a game because he thought it would bring him fame and fortune? That's the story I've read.

Shane is basically a self-made man in regard to pool. Only his drive, dedication, and incredible work ethic got him where he is today, not some God-given set of chromosomes. Without all the hard work, Shane would probably suck as bad as the rest of us here. Others in similar circumstances could do the same if they worked as hard as he has. Maybe not everybody, but few who followed his path would end up as bangers.
 
Sloppy Pockets said:
Sure, it comes easier to some and harder to others. So? Do you think Shane Van Boening was born with the pool gene(s)? Or did he get exposed to it at a very early age by knowledgeable family members, and found it was something he could do that wasn't restricted in any way by his physical handicap, and that it was a refuge from the kids who tormented him. So, he worked incredibly hard at his game for years, sacrificing a normal kid's life just to excel at a game because he thought it would bring him fame and fortune? That's the story I've read.

Shane is basically a self-made man in regard to pool. Only his drive, dedication, and incredible work ethic got him where he is today, not some God-given set of chromosomes. Without all the hard work, Shane would probably suck as bad as the rest of us here. Others in similar circumstances could do the same if they worked as hard as he has. Maybe not everybody, but few who followed his path would end up as bangers.
Click to expand...

That's part of the trick of it all. Many people immerse their children in something, only for it to fail. Many others try different things until they find what they like or excel at and stick with it. If i had to guess, i would say most of the top athletes in general did not have a typical childhood. Shane is a single example, as would Efren be, that could be nearly impossible to duplicate. A perfect storm of talent meeting circumstance.

He didn't have the drive for being the best chef in the world, nor the best fisherman, nor the best artist. It was pool that kept his interest; a moe to his curly, the barley to his hopps, the cheese for his macaroni. Most of us can't stand being around it as much as he was, much less give our life to it to that extent.
 
Banks said:
That's part of the trick of it all. Many people immerse their children in something, only for it to fail. Many others try different things until they find what they like or excel at and stick with it. If i had to guess, i would say most of the top athletes in general did not have a typical childhood. Shane is a single example, as would Efren be, that could be nearly impossible to duplicate. A perfect storm of talent meeting circumstance.

He didn't have the drive for being the best chef in the world, nor the best fisherman, nor the best artist. It was pool that kept his interest; a moe to his curly, the barley to his hopps, the cheese for his macaroni. Most of us can't stand being around it as much as he was, much less give our life to it to that extent.
Click to expand...

I think the common denominator in most of these scenarios is the word "drive". Whether it's fame, fortune, or just old fashioned hunger as in Efren's case, you need to be extremely motivated to do what it takes. Wanting to beat my buddies for beers just wasn't enough to make me dedicate my life to it.
 
Sloppy Pockets said:
I think the common denominator in most of these scenarios is the word "drive". Whether it's fame, fortune, or just old fashioned hunger as in Efren's case, you need to be extremely motivated to do what it takes. Wanting to beat my buddies for beers just wasn't enough to make me dedicate my life to it.
Click to expand...

I'm reminded of a documentary of a young man that wanted nothing more but to be a professional hockey player. Eventually he turned to golf to make a living, even to save his grandmother's home. Lots of passionate and driven folks here in Portland, but an amazing range of lesser and greatly skilled. That young man above had drive, as many do, but needed to find what he could best apply it to. It still baffles me what some, including myself, are able to most successfully focus their energy and drive on.
 
measureman said:
I don't suck.
I'm 67 years old and play once a week.
I can still run 2 or 3 or more racks of most games that use 6 pockets.

it's god given natural ability. You have it or you don't. If you don't you will suck forever.
Dvds,books or lessons wont give it to you.

Sorry if this is a harsh post. But that's how I see it.
There is no magic fix to this relatively simple game. You get it or you don't.
Click to expand...

I can do the same but I still suck lol compared to a real player like Alex or Justin or Shane I only wish I had started as a kid
 
I have no way to practice
I'm inconsistent
I think I'm better than I truly am😃
Seriously though if I could bring the gap between when I'm on and when I'm not just a bit closer I think I'd be pretty darn good
 
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