Monday, March 1, 2010

Taking a Break!

There comes a time in all pool player's lives when it's time to just take a little teensy weensy break from the game.  Having been playing about 5 tournaments a week to get ready for the last "big one", nothing else was getting done for sure!  Now mind you, I DON'T mind other things not getting done when it comes to pool.  HOWEVER, this last Saturday's tourney sent me quite over the top, into the abyss, and I had a complete MELTDOWN!
You see, any pool player will tell you that there is a thing called the "luck" factor of the game.  There are "rolls" and either YOU or your OPPONENT are getting them.  This is when you dog a shot, but the cue ball hooks itself nicely behind some other ball, snookering your opponent.  This is when you try for a long shot, miss, but it goes two rails around the table and lands perfectly in a corner pocket.
Well, the last couple of weeks, the Barracuda has NOT, and I repeat, NOT had ANY rolls of any kind!  Not only that - what rolls I HAVE been getting have been just horrendous!  Now I don't mind an occasional match where the rolls don't go my way.  It happens, you deal with it and move on.  But after two weeks of "bad luck"  scratches, bad rolls, mis-cues, you name it - Saturday was the straw that broke the proverbial back!
So there I am, actually stroking quite well and pocketing balls nicely.  Then WHAM, here come the scratches.  Here comes the safety shot that rolled out 1/8 inch too far and left my opponent an open shot.  It went on and on the entire match.  I am now spewing all over the pool hall, sputtering, mouth open, disbelief, talking to myself.  I just can't believe that this could continue for this long, match after match.  I almost forfeit the day and leave.  But I just couldn't do it, oh no, not the Barracuda.  So I stay.
The next match, I just flat try not to care.  Now you have to get the picture here - I have been reduced to trying to outsmart the pool Gods.  Lo and behold, it actually worked!  I won the match!  Wait a minute, don't get too enthused - this could be a fluke!
So next match I try the "not caring" attitude.  Didn't work out so well this match.  In fact, after one roll, my opponent says "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen that happen as long as I've been playing pool!"  Okay, that did it.  More meltdown!  I then proceed to tell most of my player friends "That's it - I'm done - I'm takin a break". You see, I must have really pissed off the pool Gods somehow for them to be so flippin angry with me!  Geeeeeeeeeeeeez!
Now normally I would be at a tourney, but what am I doing?  Telling you how I'm taking a little break - and boy is it hard!  But I actually think this is going to be a good thing.  Gives me time to adjust my attitude and viewpoint on the game.  Gives me time to just practice quietly at home.  Gives the pool Gods time to settle down and maybe pick on someone else!  Now - if I can just hold out the rest of the week!