No Sniveling

Our policy here at Diary of a Pool Shooter is "No Sniveling". That means "Fair and Balanced" reporting, and when the balls do not roll favorably, then it will reported as such.

Last night: APA league 9 ball team match. Our team had a "bye" for this week, until a last minute (about two hours before match time) phone call announced that a new team had formed out of the ether and now want to fill the bye with a match. After some discussion amongst our team, via phone, we decided to give it a go. My vote was that we should play a make-up match at an agreeable future date. I felt that our energy as a team who was NOT expecting to play and who then was expected to change their spirit to a warrior spirit with so little notice... well, that was a recipe for loss. It is an Unsettled Spirit. The spirit of the other team was one of the Warrior, because they had just recently put their team together, and was looking forward eagerly to playing their first match. In our team, we thought our first match was still a week away, and we were then struck with The Element of Surprise.

I did not get my way. The team voted to play. I had to support them.

I expected a challenging test from an experienced and highly skilled player, the captain of the other team. In another surprise, they put up a player of a lower skill level. I won against her 7-0 in a different format (8 and 9 ball, not handicapped) a few weeks earlier. This is a handicapped match, so I had to get 55, and she had to get only 25 points. I was at 40 when her last ball found a pocket.

It was agreed by onlookers that it seemed as if a substantial percentage of my turns at the table I was presented with either a snookered cue ball, or some other very low percentage shot and/or safety. I agree with the onlookers. Additional comments by onlookers revealed that my worthy opponent's turns at the table were presented with either ball in hand, or some easy shots, or even something horrible was turned into a very fortunate outcome. Luck favored the lady tonight.

Again, No Sniveling here, just honest reporting.
I was the guy with the stick in his hand. I'm the one who missed more than one opportunity. It was my unsettled spirit.

In this match, I was the student. What can I learn from this? Go with my gut when answering a challenge. I should be the one to choose the time and place.
Let there be no random events. Overcome the effects of the Element of Surprise. (Must ask the Master: "How"?)

Every match is a learning opportunity.
Thank you, Fiona, for your lessons.


PS: for those who enjoy good excuses, Click Here for an audio of John Belushi in the movie "Blues Brothers" explaining to his former bride-to-be why he left her at the altar!