NH Steve
Administrator
I just watched a match between 2 excellent players
One is a shotmaker, 1 a mover.
The shotmaker was on and everything he shot at went in.
Even the double kiss ones and the get 1 or sell out shots.
The shooter was waaay ahead in games when he shot a straight in ball with a ton of junk to get shape on the next ball.
The bad thing was, he didn't know the ball count and actually would have been out if he just shot the straight in.
He lost that game after being up 7 to 0
Lost the next game on opponents good break.
Next game didn't check the stack and left a dead ball and lost.
Shell shock sets in, and a whole day of playing awesome 1 pocket goes out the window because of a couple of lax moments.
I've watched this happen so many times with shortstop and above players you wonder what the underlieing meaning of it is.
I don't have the luxury of being able to run out every other game so I do the things I can do as perfectly as possible.
Always know which pocket is mine
Always know the ball count
Always get my balls out of the return when my inning is over.
Always know if I owe a scratch.
Always look for dead balls (to both pockets)
Always think whether it is better to be short or long on the shot.
These are things players of any level can and should do every shot.
In all my years of playing, in my opinion ,winning a match was not determined by superman shots but by performing to your level and not giving anything away.
It always seemed like no matter how many hours I played someone, if the game was near fair, the outcome was determined by 10 or less shots or moves,and usually they were not "monster" shots, just the meat and potato shots you should make a high percentage of the time, but for some reason, you could not make them on that day. Or you did not do one of the list above and lost games because of it.
To me, you gave your money away, and that feels worse than anything.
If you make a nice score maybe you could send something to Saint Judes Childrens Hospital.
Or don't ,whatever you think is right.
Wow, there is definitely a lot right here to get you through a lot of winning One Pocket!!!