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ValleyMast
36 Posts |
 Posted - 04/17/2008 : 11:22:34 AM
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At my very first regionals, I played a team who jumped up and down and cheered every time that I scratched or fouled. Taz yelled at them. Taz and Phil can't be at each of our games every week. I know that people get excited that their player gets another turn at the table. BUT IT'S RUDE.  It's unsportsmanslike behavior. When I'm there with my team, I immediately discuss things with the other team captain. Politely of course. But lately, maybe it's me, especially toward the end of the season, people are getting worse. 
It makes me either wanna quit or beat the living daylights out of the other team/players. I'm not your mother. I'm not a killjoy. I just thinks it makes you look like an ass and makes your team look like idiots. It also makes the night unpleasant. For some people it's their own night "out." And frankily it's sharking. |
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BigRigTom
USA
102 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2008 : 11:50:34 AM
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I totally agree with you.
It is fine for the team to cheer FOR their player but they should not CHEER AGAINST the other teams player.
There is a big difference and it is sad that some folks have to be told that.
Phil and Taz try to squash that kind of thing quickly but some people have to be reminded too often, they will probably never grow up.
I hope you won that match.
BigRigTom
http://hardingersystems.com/BAT-Forum to discuss Billiards and Trucking or anything that interest you! |
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ValleyMast
36 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2008 : 12:31:12 PM
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Nope. We lost 5 zip. TOTALLY Sucks. My one player, she spent most of her time thinking about how she wanted so bad to beat the guy she was playing that anytime she missed, she was even more upset.
What goes around comes around. 
Oh, and don't think just because you speak another language, that the people you are playing against don't understand what you are saying.  |
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Melissa Herndon
USA
54 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2008 : 2:58:28 PM
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I'm going to put my 2 cents in here...because I have experienced this kind of thing.
It is important to recognize the things that you cannot control. There are jerks out there...but you cannot do anything about them. I know it can be difficult to take the high road...but it is important for you to learn to do so. If you expend your energy getting angry and focusing on their behavior...you have nothing left for yourself...and your game will suffer.
Instead, try to skew your perception of what is happening. Instead of thinking about what morons they are...think about how bad they must play...because the only they have to cheer about is their opponents' misfortunes. That gives you an edge right there. The more skilled players will not behave like this (most of the time)...so learn to recognize that their bad behavior is actually a sign of weakness. Learn to smell the blood in the water and take advantage of that. If you can do it, then your mistakes in the match will become less...which gives them less to cheer about.
I have been incredibly guilty of letting other people's actions affect my attitude and concentration. But those who learn to overcome those obstacles will inevitably rise to the top...in their games and in the eyes of their peers.
All the best,
Melissa
WPBA Professional Player |
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ValleyMast
36 Posts |
Posted - 04/17/2008 : 3:29:24 PM
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I completely agree. My players can understand the psychology reasons, but must admit how difficult it can be to block it out. When I play in that other league (BCA), locally I wear an ipod to ignore the other player/team. At Nationals, I wear earplugs if I really can't stand the opponnent.
Thanks for your "2 cents" greatly appreciated. |
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sexypain
2 Posts |
Posted - 04/18/2008 : 1:22:49 PM
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| I oviously live in a rightous world. Why else would I expect a group of intoxicated, rude individuals to behave in a civilized manner while they play a "friendly" game of pool. This behavior came as a surprise, but I was even more stunned to witness the insults in my native Spainish tongue. I suggest leaving this behavior at home and bringing on your game. |
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Derailed
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2008 : 11:34:36 AM
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You have a sportsmanship form in your team packet, if this is consistent, use that form. Melissa is right, that kind of behaviour
only fuels my fire to win, and tells me who they are. Do your best to ignore the " morons." |
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EatGolf
USA
7 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2008 : 03:28:28 AM
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SL 3 opinion 
To me that is a "tell" that they play a loser's game - and that's a game you can win.
A loser's game is like if a couple of us played a different sport like say a tennis match (example) - you wouldn't really be winning me by making fantastic pro-style shots - you would win because of me missing and hitting the net or outside the line or whatever. A game of tennis with two beginners = whoever messes up the most loses = the strategy to win is just keep lobing the ball over that net and let them screw up first. For us noobs, tennis is a loser's game.
Complete opposite would be a game of tennis where two pros play = whoever makes the best shots most consistently wins. That's a winner's game. Instead of waiting for your opponent to screw up, you'd have to thread the ball into a zone where they can't hit it at that exact moment - skillful effortful shot to win vs waiting for the opponent to error.
In golf, the good players WIN a hole with a birdie because of well thought out and executed skill. The weekend hackers win by being the only guy that didn't hit a ball out of bounds or into the water and shot less than triple bogey or worse on that hole...
I've noticed pool is the same way - some opponents I've lost to because I missed most often. But some opponents I lost to because they played to get position for a specific side of their second ball and they hardly ever made a mistake. I've noticed the upper level pool players play a "winner's game" like that and they attempt to win by trying to outsmart / outplay their opponents running out the table; while us lower level types play more of a "loser's game" where we can only win if the other player misses more times than we do.
I think anyone or any team that would be rooting for you to scratch would be the need you to mess up for them to win type. I would try to spin their cheers into confessions from them that they wouldn't be able to win without that help of errors from you. Those are the best opponents you could ever hope for right? - and they just gave you the signal that they are like that? I know that gamesmanship is rude and bad etiquette and shouldn't be allowed but without it, you can still tell they're thinking that anyway vocal or sportsmanship not. Next time, you should smile, take a deep breath, and then show them your skillz when you get that next shot. Take it in stride. Perhaps shift and realize that to win your goal is to just lob that tennis ball back into their side of the court and let them make the mistakes.
pfft - just thinking outloud - when I said "you", no way did I mean you ValleyMast, when I said "you", I meant "me" - just noticing all that sharking and stuff that comes up periodically playing pool around town (away from APA) and trying to lock in what I would do if that ever happened to me - learning from your post - thanks.
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Sportsmanship
