The role FEAR plays in one pocket

[petie]

I don't know if others here are as interested or intrigued as I am in this subject but you have to admit it's pretty deep. Let's start off with a question. Did you ever introduce a straight shootin' 9 baller to 1hole? I have many times and the same thing seems to happen over and over. He starts out shootin' bloody murder, makes everything he looks at, runs out games and thinks it's too easy. Only after a few days or weeks does he seem to develop a little fear in his heart that makes him settle down and shoot like he's human. What are some of the other scenarios that seem to suggest that fear plays a bigger part in this game than it does in others?

 

[usblues]

fear.......

fear.......

knocked at the door.Faith answered.No one was there......

 

[petie]

Good advice. No doubt. Is that backward cut from up table easier, harder, or just the same if I have a hanger in my pocket and it's protected and I only need a couple of balls which are out in the open and we're bettin' high?

 

[androd]

Good advice. No doubt. Is that backward cut from up table easier, harder, or just the same if I have a hanger in my pocket and it's protected and I only need a couple of balls which are out in the open and we're bettin' high?

I wear one-pocket blinders. What I shoot depends on which pocket I look at first, because I can't see the other pocket. Of course in this situation, I'm sure I'd be looking at your pocket.
Rod.

 

[NH Steve]

I wear one-pocket blinders. What I shoot depends on which pocket I look at first, because I can't see the other pocket. Of course in this situation, I'm sure I'd be looking at your pocket.
Rod.

So you decide whether you are going offense or defense and then zone out the other pocket? Pretty good strategy.

 

[Rodan]

What I shoot depends on which pocket I look at first, because I can't see the other pocket. Of course in this situation, I'm sure I'd be looking at your pocket.
Rod.

I follow the "Closest Ball" rule; If I don't shoot at the ball closest to my
opponent's pocket, I have to later write an essay on why I didn't.


Rodan.

 

[Skin]

Good advice. No doubt. Is that backward cut from up table easier, harder, or just the same if I have a hanger in my pocket and it's protected and I only need a couple of balls which are out in the open and we're bettin' high?

The situation and money may have something to do with deciding on whether to shoot, but if you've decided to shoot...SHOOT. The rest of it is irrelevant at that point.

Skin

 

[petie]

All good advice. Now let's look at it another way. Don't you every once in a while when faced with nothing better try to put a ball near your pocket just to keep your opponent on the defensive? Isn't part of the strategy to keep him a little scared of you? And whats up with not being able to play your own game when you're playing a monster that you know is a monster? Have you ever heard the term, "I'm giving him too much respect?" Did you ever notice how a guy freewheels better if he has no respect? I believe these are all related to fear. I also believe that you must erase all fear in order to make the shot.

 

[androd]

All good advice. Now let's look at it another way. Don't you every once in a while when faced with nothing better try to put a ball near your pocket just to keep your opponent on the defensive? Isn't part of the strategy to keep him a little scared of you? And whats up with not being able to play your own game when you're playing a monster that you know is a monster? Have you ever heard the term, "I'm giving him too much respect?" Did you ever notice how a guy freewheels better if he has no respect? I believe these are all related to fear. I also believe that you must erase all fear in order to make the shot.

I've played a lot of strangers in my life. I wasn't a natural played and had to learn. I always went to fundamentals when a little uncomfortable. The knockers knew not to say anything about who it was because I didn't want to hear it. My goal was to play my speed, if you do that you can tell very quickly where your are.
Rod.
P.S. They didn't all beat me.

 

[lll]

All good advice. Now let's look at it another way. Don't you every once in a while when faced with nothing better try to put a ball near your pocket just to keep your opponent on the defensive? Isn't part of the strategy to keep him a little scared of you? And whats up with not being able to play your own game when you're playing a monster that you know is a monster? Have you ever heard the term, "I'm giving him too much respect?" Did you ever notice how a guy freewheels better if he has no respect? I believe these are all related to fear. I also believe that you must erase all fear in order to make the shot.

petie putting a ball by your pocket doesnt instill fear or make someone "scared of you"(unless you just pulled off ANOTHER amazing shot to do it )
it just strengthens your position which your opponent has to respect(your position not necessarily you)

fear is the tricks the mind plays that everyone has to learn to overcome
some learn better than others

playing "loose" and playing "tight " goes along with your fear concept
along with confidence
jmho

 

[lll]

Rod's got it right (as usual)
put the onepocket blinders on
and do what you can do

 

[petie]

I've played a lot of strangers in my life. I wasn't a natural played and had to learn. I always went to fundamentals when a little uncomfortable. The knockers knew not to say anything about who it was because I didn't want to hear it. My goal was to play my speed, if you do that you can tell very quickly where your are.
Rod.
P.S. They didn't all beat me.

Ya, I know what you mean. I never figure a guy has beat me unless I was shooting my game. If for some reason I was doggin' the ball that just means I gave it to him--not that he beat me. I'll surely play him the same way again if given the opportunity.

 

[petie]

petie putting a ball by your pocket doesnt instill fear or make someone "scared of you"(unless you just pulled off ANOTHER amazing shot to do it )
it just strengthens your position which your opponent has to respect(your position not necessarily you)

fear is the tricks the mind plays that everyone has to learn to overcome
some learn better than others

playing "loose" and playing "tight " goes along with your fear concept
along with confidence
jmho

Perhaps I was a little ambiguous here. I didn't mean to imply that he was scared of my persona but rather my position. It really doesn't matter. Tell me you don't dog the ball if you're playin' Efren or Scott or Shane. Come on, get real.

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

Good advice. No doubt. Is that backward cut from up table easier, harder, or just the same if I have a hanger in my pocket and it's protected and I only need a couple of balls which are out in the open and we're bettin' high?

Pete,

The shots don't change in difficulty based on the bet, the opponent or the score, the shot is the same. It is simply a shot with no attributes except for the ones that people give it (in their heads).

Dennis

 

[petie]

Pete,

The shots don't change in difficulty based on the bet, the opponent or the score, the shot is the same. It is simply a shot with no attributes except for the ones that people give it (in their heads).

Dennis

Ya, I know this just like Spock but we're humans--not Martians.

 

[lll]

Perhaps I was a little ambiguous here. I didn't mean to imply that he was scared of my persona but rather my position. It really doesn't matter. Tell me you don't dog the ball if you're playin' Efren or Scott or Shane. Come on, get real.

petie relax
you will shoot better
pressure(you call it fear) and how its handled is what makes the difference
between the champions and those of us that sink when we walk on water

i think there is a difference between the pro who plays every day and pool is their job who doesnt dog it when playing efren or scott or shane because pool is what they do and they have been in the pressure cooker enough to be used to it
( or they end up being someone that gets steered to ,known to "go off")

and someone like me that has a day job.
i dog shots against lesser players than efren scott or shane based on how much i get to play now.

we are all human
but like dennis said
if you can focus on the shot it doesnt matter whos in the chair


its too bad dippy doesnt respond to this thread
it would be interesting to hear whats his thoughts are on this subject

 

[petie]

petie relax
you will shoot better
pressure(you call it fear) and how its handled is what makes the difference
between the champions and those of us that sink when we walk on water

i think there is a difference between the pro who plays every day and pool is their job who doesnt dog it when playing efren or scott or shane because pool is what they do and they have been in the pressure cooker enough to be used to it
( or they end up being someone that gets steered to ,known to "go off")

and someone like me that has a day job.
i dog shots against lesser players than efren scott or shane based on how much i get to play now.

we are all human
but like dennis said
if you can focus on the shot it doesnt matter whos in the chair


its too bad dippy doesnt respond to this thread
it would be interesting to hear whats his thoughts are on this subject

I do get it, totally. Fear has as big a role as you let it. I'm clear on that but noone is immune. To wit. Shane v. Earl on the 10 footer. I saw Buddy Hall make Efren dog it in Toledo about 1985 or so. I saw Efren make Mike Seagel dog it a year of so after that in Detroit. I've seen a lot of top players go off. Why do a lot of top gamblers dog it in tournaments? Do you play better or worse in front of a big crowd? Cornbread once told me he always played better in front of a crowd. "yep. I'm a show dog," he said. How will you play the first time you're on TV?

Fear can act in the opposite way too. I remember the first time I saw Harry Sexton. I watched him run 9 racks of 9 ball in a row--5 against another guy and 4 against me. When I finally changed the game to 8 ball just so I could at least get to shoot once in a while, I was afraid to miss. No kiddin'; I was scared straight. I knew if I missed, he was going to run out. I played 3 and a half hours and didn't miss a ball.

 

[lll]

I do get it, totally. Fear has as big a role as you let it

. No kiddin'; I was scared straight. I knew if I missed, he was going to run out. I played 3 and a half hours and didn't miss a ball.

petie you conquered fear
you let the force be with you
you acknowledged how you felt but didnt let it interfere with your performance

interesting on a similar note
i think it was billy i. who encouraged scott to stop taking the spot efren was giving and play even
billy should comment here but i beleive it was to make scott beleive he was equal and could win
which he has proved several times

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

Ya, I know this just like Spock but we're humans--not Martians.

I know it's not that simple for most people but it's always been that easy for me. I've never quite understood what's so difficult about it but then I remember a friend of mine who was a boxer. This guy could get in a ring with a stranger and get punched in the head and enjoy the match but he couldn't play pool for money without fear. I realized then that there are different kinds of heart.

I can't pilot a dragster at 300 mph and Don Garlits probably would shake like an 8 yr. old girl if he played one-pocket for $100 a game. Oh well.

As to your original post about 9-Ball players learning one-pocket, it's a lot of fun watching them learn if they are betting something. Some of them fire everything in and some have an uncertainty that prevents them from shooting when they should, they have yet to learn the right shot.

What are some of the other scenarios that seem to suggest that fear plays a bigger part in this game than it does in others?

I don't think fear is any different in one-pocket than in any other game.

You can see players shoot the wrong (safe) bank because they are scared to shoot the right bank playing banks.

You can watch players gain position the wrong way in 9-Ball because they might leave a shot if they shoot the right shot and miss.

Same thing in 3 Cushion billiards, safe (scared) shot vs. right shot.

You can see it in all sports that people play.

Most players do things differently when they are afraid of something, it isn't easy to play your speed when you are getting your nuts shot in but that's the only way to win or to find out that you can't.

Dennis

 

[Fast Lenny]

I am still kind of green compared to most here, been playing pool for going on 7 years now. I have felt pressure against better players and sometimes have risen to the occasion and other times my arm tightened up on me. As I am gaining confidence it happens a good deal less, I think its all about the time and experience you have in competition with tough players who will punish you if you miss. I have played some awesome pool against guys who were hacks, no pressure and just free wheeling knowing they would not make me pay.

I hope as time goes on and I keep getting more experience and my confidence grows I will have less moments of freezing up. Imagine playing Efren and your hill hill at the US Open One Pocket, you need 1 ball its a tough cut down the rail and if you miss Efren has open balls by his hole, you know if you miss he is going to punish you and you will think of what could have been, being able to beat Efren.

These thoughts can creep up in your head and your muscle memory gets a little screwy and you dog it. We can all sit here never being in that situation and say we would just make the ball no problems or thoughts, the reality is many players have dogged it to Efren. He should have lost several tournaments he won but players dogged it against him. You do not know how you will perform until your under the gun.