Save the world, or shoot pool?

That's a tough decision...
I really enjoy pool,
but saving the world needs help.

I'd hate to have the world come unglued,
and I'm standing around poking a ball with a stick.
Especially if I can do something about it.

So I took a few days off to deal with
some pressing social issues
such as global hunger and poverty.

Check out
2clicksAday.org

It gives all of us a way to
contribute to the solution
with the least amount of energy
(2 clicks!)
so we can all go back to shooting more pool
and still sleep good at night
knowing we did a good thing for our world.

So much for hunger and poverty.
I'm working on war and disease next,
but I'm thinking that these things might
be a bit more time consuming,
so I gotta get right back to it
before my stroke gets all wobbly.

The primary website that describes the approach is

ThinkPlanDoRepeat.com

(blog top)

Road Player: The Danny Diliberto Story

Did you ever want to be a road player?
I did, a long time ago.

Check out this new pool book:
Road Player: The Danny Diliberto Story
by Jerry Forsyth.

Good reading.
Couldn't put it down.
But when I did,
I was glad I never became a road player!

Available now from
Bebob Publishing
(click on "more books")
Only 19.95, and you can't get it
any cheaper at Amazon.com!

Enjoy!

(blog top)

More on: Knickerless Pool

I didn't mean to bring this subject up,
it was just something that happened.
I mean, it was a new personal best high run for me,
and I even got it on video,
but the bad news is that I wasn't wearing pants.

Now I want to be perfectly clear that I did
not intentionally start out to make a video of
me shooting pool, without pants.
Absolutely not.

I was simply video-taping my practice session.
Of course I started out wearing pants,
but it was late at night,
in the privacy of my home,
the fireplace was putting out a lot of heat,
and I kinda forgot about the camcorder running,
and the next thing you know my knickers are off,
and I'm running balls like it's a walk in the park!

It hardly seems appropriate for the Holiday Season,
and I'm sure you would prefer to have other images
in your mind, rather than the one of me shooting pool
without pants.

Heck, even I don't want to be thinking about me
on video, shooting pool, junk in the wind.
It's the video thing that I would object to.
I just wouldn't want a video of it on the internet.
Call me old-fashioned.

However, there are people of the YouTube generation
who might enthusiastically share their
world record high run attempts, without pants...

Well, one thing lead to another, and
a meeting was held here at the offices of
Diary of a Pool Shooter
and there was compiled a short list of people
we would like to see do a video attempt
at a world record high run, without pants:

1. Jennifer Barretta
2. Jennifer Chen
3. Jennifer Barretta AND Jennifer Chen

I'm not sure how this got into the Official Rules,
but it seems that there is extra credit for wearing pigtails.

From my limited personal exposure
(excuse the unintentional pun)
with the subject
I judge it to be easier to set a record high run
shooting pool whilst knickerless
because a person would be more relaxed and comfortable,
and endurance would be increased.

This could be the next big thing in pool.
You heard it here first.

(blog top)

43 Balls, No Pants

Late last night, well past midnight,
I had just finished a session of creative writing
for a new project in my plan for Global Domination.
I needed a break,
so I started to hit some balls...

I rigged myself up with my new iPod Shuffle Gen 2,
loaded with some easy blues by Corinne Bailey Rae.

My focus was on my stroke,
the quality of the hit,
and how light and easy and balanced the cue felt.
Soon enough I was hitting them pretty good,
so I turned on the video camera...

Toward the end of the hour-long tape,
I wasn't counting,
but it seemed as if I had a decent run
so I stopped to review what I had.

To my surprise, a new personal best:
a run of 43, setting up for the break shot
at the end of each rack.

My previous high run was 35,
but that was many years ago, in college.
The best part is that, this time,
I have proof on video tape.
(When I was in college, video tape didn't exist.)

I'd give you a link to view the tape,
but I wasn't wearing pants at the time,
and this is a G-rated website...

Next time, I'll see how good I can do with pants.

(blog top)

It's Alive!

Many times in our practice sessions,
when the occasion called for it,
El Maestro would encourage me to use my left hand,
instead of a bridge,
but every time I would pass on that,
explaining that my left hand was
completely useless, unfeeling, inert, uncoordinated.

And besides...
(my father, a wise man in such matters,
says that a person's real reason
always comes after "...and besides...")
I would be mighty embarrassed
to miss a feeble lefthanded poke.

The Irish have this saying:
"Tis better the devil you know,
than the devil you don't know."

I prefer to use a bridge,
than to expand my skills?
Doesn't make sense does it?
For 3 years I never even tried.

But a few months ago,
in the privacy of my solo practice,
I actually tried a left handed shot,
and it went in.
Of course it was a very straight, short shot.
And it felt really strange.
But it went in.

Over some weeks,
I found a new freedom from the bridge
and learned to focus and trust my left hand.

About a month ago,
in a match with El Maestro,
and in a public pool hall,
for all the world to see,
I took a left handed shot,
made it,
and got position.

Now, don't get me wrong,
there is still much work that I can do
to get a natural, fluid stroke with the left.

But I am On The Path...

(blog top)

I have discovered a stroke!

Lately, I have been getting the feeling that
I have finally developed a stroke.

This is a major breakthrough for me,
because for the last 3 years I have felt that
I did not have anything close to what could be called a stroke.

What I have been searching for is a stroke that is
smooth, flowing, reliable, confident, accurate, and
above all, looks and feels good.

I have this theory that if a thing looks and feels good,
that it is probably natural and effective.

Recently I have discovered what it means to have a stroke.
I am getting a new feeling as I follow through.
Confidence, definitely.
But the feel is something else.
A lightness in the cue,
as if it floats and slides easily in my right hand.
Almost weightless.

I am thinking that I am experiencing what
is said about "letting the cue do the work".
And that other famous quote about a stroke being
"a beautiful throwing motion".

---

The best stroke I have ever seen was
during my Road Trip, in Aurora, Colorado,
at a place called the Rack 'em Cue Club.
The shooter was a black dude called "Georgia Boy".
He was a road player and a hustler,
and called New York City his home.
Had been playing the game for over 50 years,
and his stroke was such a thing of beauty
that it is almost impossible to describe.

The thing that struck me the most was
how the cue almost danced in his hands
with what is known as a slip-stroke,
whereby the forward (hit) motion of the cue
was actually completely un-gripped.
His stroking hand was not touching the cue
in any way.
Rather it had been thrown forward at the
beginning of the stroke,
and was caught at the end of the stroke.
His wrist was extremely light and flexible,
almost whippy (although not as much as Bustamante).

It was totally mesmerizing.
He wouldn't let me videotape his stroke,
but I have it clearly imprinted on my mind.

It could be that meditating on his stroke
has caused mine to become more like his,
or, rather more like a true stroke
which is personalized to me.

---

It is the job of the stroke to deliver
a variable amount of energy
along a variable longitudinal plane
along a variable vertical deviation from the horizontal
and have the cue tip delivered
to a variable place on the cue ball,
and to continue to follow-thru after the hit
either on the same or different
variable energy, plane, etc.

The stroke, or the forward motion of the cue,
guided by the hand/wrist/forearm/arm,
is what delivers all the above variables.

The evolution of my stroke made a major step forward
when I started to deliver a full stroke
whenever possible.
A full stroke is a confident stroke
and it delivers consistent, known results.

I have learned that it is better to deliver a full stroke
and adjust with english/throw/draw/follow than it is to
vary the speed of the stroke, especially at the low end
where table anomalies are more influential.

---

Although I have heard these things for almost 3 years
from El Maestro himself,
and from reading,
but some things can only be learned by doing,
over and over and over.
Time and attention are the keys to learning.

I'm sure there were many times when El Maestro
must have thought I was a complete dunce, but I knew that
"I will persist until I succeed".
One of my favorite sayings is:
"The ox is slow, but the earth is patient."

(blog top)

Practice, Perseverance, Passion.

For more on this topic,
see this post at my biz-blog called
The Art and Science of Success in Business.

Success in pool follows the same rules
as success in anything.

(blog top)

Shootin' with Sidewinder John

It was a perfectly awesome Saturday afternoon
the weather was clear and warm,
and I just got the car washed.
After a week of hermit-like cave dwelling,
I had a hankerin' to get out among the populace,
so I called El Maestro and offered to drive north
to Oceanside and shoot some pool on substandard tables.

It was a great drive.
Top down, of course, stereo blasting,
soaking up the fresh air and sunshine.
(I really should get out more often!)

It's important to get on other tables occasionally
so that I can test my ability to adjust to
changing conditions and other players.

Tony and I got into some 8-ball right off,
until "Sidewinder John" showed up to say hello.
Tony told me that Sidewinder has been an "A" player
for a long time, and that he has been shooting a lot
of carom billiards lately and figured we should
match up for a race to 7 in 9-ball.

That's when I saw how he got his nickname.
He's got a sidearm stroke way more pronounced
than pro shooter Keith McCready.
But it must work for him because he shoots good.
And, with his carom experience, he sure knows
his way around the rails.

We traded games until we got to 2-2,
then he squirted ahead to 4-2,
but I came back to get the score 6-6,
and that's when Tony stepped in to stop the action.
What a bummer!
I was looking forward to a come-back win,
but it wasn't going to happen.

He said it was because he just wanted to see
if I could get to the hill with John,
(which he said he figured I could)
and that's all that really mattered.

I'm looking forward to a re-match!

Later, El Maestro and I shot some more 8-ball,
and I was doing a lot better this time,
in the lead this time at around 5-4
or something similar, when he stops the set again
for me to play some guy Jeremy for a couple of games.

I'm sure there's a lesson in all this for me somewhere.
Tony says I need to always be matching up against
different players on the road to pool excellence.

I guess that's more important,
in my stage of development, than who wins.
And he's the boss, so how can I argue?
I need to take my ego out of it, right?
The Zen approach would be to
let go of attachment to the outcome.

(blog top)

Straight pool mystery

El Maestro himself appeared at Mikie's Fun House yesterday
and we got right into some 8-ball.
He won all 3 races-to-7 by a wide margin.

With half an hour remaining before he had to leave,
I suggested we play some straight pool.

He broke, and I ran 15.
He ran 14.
Then I ran 25.
And then it was time for him to leave.

On his way out, he was still wondering why
I can be so good at straight pool
and have such trouble with 8-ball.

Truly a mystery...

Could it be simply because I enjoy straight pool
more than I like playing 8-ball?
That's probably one good reason.

One thing I like about straight pool is the freedom.
I can shoot any ball,
rather than being limited to stripes or solids.

Also, position is easier because I don't need
to pick my way around balls that are not in play.

And, I like that it is a longer game than 8-ball.
I like the idea of the potential for long runs
rather than being limited to 8 maximum.

Another thing about straight pool:
there is none of that macho breaking action.
I like the gentle nature of straight pool
where clusters are broken up with quiet precision
rather than a Big Bang.
And, because of the break in 8-ball,
Luck plays a big role in the outcome of a short game.
Skill, and endurance, takes a bigger role in straight pool.

I'll bet Efren likes straight pool better than 8...

(blog top)

New Photo

Yes, there has been some monkeying around
with the photo at the top of this blog...

The current photo features the sunset from last night.
Additionally, this photo was taken in natural light
whereas the previous photos used flash.

I like this new one a lot better.

(blog top)

Yes, Pool Nirvana

The definition of Nirvana:

in Hindu theory, a state of supreme contentment,
with no desires for worldly things,
reached by meditation and right action.

In consideration of the matter of whether
I have achieved pool Nirvana,
I submit the following:

1. Pool on demand. I work at home, just a few feet away from the pool table. If I need a break from sitting at the computer, I can unwind by hitting a few balls, anytime. If I'm on the phone and somebody puts me on hold, I just put the call on the speakerphone and hit some balls until they decide to answer.

2. Quality pool. There aren't ANY better places to shoot some pool than at Mikie's Fun House. Oceanfront. Great music. Excellent food. First class table. Clean restrooms! No drunks. No distractions (no kids, no dogs, no wife).

3. My kind of pool. I really enjoy solo pool. For me, solo pool is a meditation. I get completely lost in the visuals, feelings, and sounds. I don't have a need for competition because, with me, pool is all about the beauty of it, not crushing an opponent. I enjoy pool with others as if I were giving a performance. That's one of the reasons I don't gamble with pool. I'm not trying to get over on somebody, but rather intending to share my art, my experience, and to learn from them as well.

4. Skill. I have shown to be able to sink challenging shots in stressful situations, and to do it enough to win against strong competition. And I keep getting better. I know I have not reached Perfection, but if that were to happen I would probably vaporize, so that would not be a good thing. The key is that Nirvana can happen, I believe, in a place that is not absolute Perfection, but in a place on the path to Perfection, where the Ultimate can be perceived, and appreciated, and in moments of brilliance and privilege, can actually be experienced. In this regard, I do claim to have had such moments, and with relaxation and quiet circumstances, I can go there pretty much at will.

5. Knowledge. I have learned from El Maestro himself. There may be one secret he is keeping to himself, but for the most part he has revealed the secrets of the game, the stroke, the spin, the cushions, the strategy, the mind, and more.

6. Creativity. The best part of all. All of the preceding conditions are fertile breeding ground for some shots which are pure fantasy, and then they actually work! I prefer to try some off-the-wall shot out of curiosity to see if it can happen, rather than to take a shot I know I can make. This is where the "performance art" part of the game comes in. This is the spontaneous, unexpected, completely delightful motion of the balls, creating a moment to remember.

So, El Maestro, you have your answer.
According to the definition of Nirvana, I'm there!

(blog top)

Pool Nirvana?

My esteemed instructor, El Maestro Tony Sorto,
asked me recently, via email,
if I had attained pool Nirvana yet.

What a great question!
Surely one which requires great depth of thought.
So I rolled it around in my mind for several days,
and then for several more days,
and off and on I would hit some balls
while thinking deeply on this question...

Just now, I answered his email,
saying Yes, I had indeed achieved pool Nirvana.
But I did not go on to explain in detail,
which is something I would like to do in this space.

But not right this minute.
This post is simply to get the topic on the table,
and to pose the same question to you, dear reader:

Have you reached YOUR pool Nirvana?

(blog top)

What it takes to be Great

Ten years of hard work.
Period.

Read this article

(blog top)