Round Two Straight Pool Match Result (2)

After my Friday night loss that put me 0-3 for the beginning of my straight pool season, I reflected a lot. What was going on?  Why was I playing so bad?  Was I in a rut?  Not taking my time?  What?

I wanted to find the nearest bridge after that loss (I was very upset), but then I told myself, "Well, you just aren't playing well.  Maybe you are in a rut.  It's too late to try to win the top shooter.  Just accept you are playing bad."

The next day (Saturday), I play in a scotch tourney and win it with my b/f.  Yay!  We both played very well.  Then on Monday night, I have another straight pool match.  A toughie.  One of the top shooters in the league.

I show up Monday, knowing full well not to have any alcohol and not to eat until after the match, and I wear very comfy clothes (all recent reminders).

I walk in and a friend says to me, "What's up straight pool champ?"

"F*** You," I snap quickly.

"Oh, is that how it's gonna be?"

"Yep," I reply, with a scow on my forehead.  We are friends and I can say that to him, but it still ruffled my feathers he said that, when I *think* he's making fun of my 0-3 deficit.

I'm already not very happy about having to play my opponent.  I forgot my ipod and I know he's gonna say things to get under my skin.  Already perturbed on the whole drive there.  But, I'm not nervous.  Which is a very good thing.

My friend Rebecca and I had discussed over chat earlier in the day how people say things before a match so they can use that later as their excuse.  I wondered if my recent blogs sharing my nervousness about potentially losing affected me?

I went into the match with a determined attitude.  No nerves.  I was very standoffish, as I didn't want to communicate with my opponent.

I knew I had just played well on Saturday in the scotch doubles tourney, so I had more confidence than in my previous matches. 

My opponent tells me to put my cue together and hit some balls and to let him know when I was ready.

"I'm ready."

He doesn't hear me.

I put my cue together, start to move balls into pockets and reiterate, "I'm ready."

He states, "normally I put my cue together and try and figure out which end is which by hitting balls.  You don't want to hit any?  Really?"

"No, I never do," as I move to the front of the table to lag.

He also walks to the front of the table to lag, and he says under his breath, yet to me, "You never hit balls before a match."

"Sometimes I do, yes."

We lag, I win.

I put our names in the wrong spot but do not realize it til I sit back down from my opening safe and he's scratched our names and switched them around.  I immediately feel embarrassed.  I have to get the feeling out of my body and I tell him, "I'm so used to losing the lag, that's why I put our names in the wrong spot," I share as my excuse.  When in reality, I'm just not thinking straight.

He doesn't reply.

He misses his first shot and I make three balls then play safe.  He misses a safe and I run 12.  I then go up 22-0.  Twenty two to zero!  Against a good player!

I am playing well, but remind myself not to think ahead, like I had in my last three matches were I was ahead in the beginning of each match.  I can tell I'm more mentally strong and very aware of my mental thoughts.  But, I'm also playing well.  Staying down, following through.  Felt good. :)

I'm up around 39-17 and miss a long shot and he says to me, "That's only the second shot you have missed."

I don't reply, but as I sit down I think of the perfect too-late comeback!  "Well, that's 2 too many misses!" I say in my brain.  lol.

I know his comment can be a shark technique, or more so, it can get to a player if they start to think too much about how they are playing and that can throw their mechanics off.  But, I don't let it get it to me.

I'm ahead 54-33, 62-35.  But, he rallies and runs 10 and 15 to get within 5 (66-61).  I tell myself that rallies are normal, and to not let it get to me.  I also tell myself that if he wins, that's ok!  Because, I am finally freaking playing good in a match this season! I was so happy I was finally playing well, I honestly could care less if I lost or not.  I already prepared in my mind that thought to share with him after he won.  lol.

As I'm sitting at the table, I notice a piece of paper with our schedule.  He has many names scratched out and "W" 's next to most of the names.  I'm thinking, "did he really already play all those matches?  Does that W really mean a win?  Has he really won that many matches?"  I tell myself that can't be right, lol.  I don't know what his scribbles mean.

I didn't look at the score or notice I had him down so much, because I rallied last year from a 30-35 deficit to beat him so it wouldn't surprise me if he returned like that.

He ran 9 and had a great side pocket break shot and he missed it!  I was very surprised!  He tells, "Go ahead and pick out a few balls" or something like that.  He was not happy.  He had just opened up the rack.  I run 13 and the score is 79-73 me.

Then he runs 12!  Score 80-85 him.  He's passed me up.

My League Director tries to check out the score sheet and I tell him, "I'm trying to concentrate."  I don't want any distractions and don't want to be perturbed.   Usually I just tell the nosey's the score, but today I don't want to entertain anyone during my match - trying to focus and have my mental toughness hat on.

He plays safe and I try to play safe back but leave him an opening.  And...he's about to win. :(  There are 14 balls on the table and he only needs 15 to win, so just know I'm about to lose.  He makes 4 balls, but then misses.  OMGoodness!

I grab my cue quickly and confident, but still take my time and run 10.  Safes back and forth and I'm up 93 to 89.  He's at the table with a pretty open layout and again he can win with this turn at the table.  But, he fouls and calls it on himself.

After we discuss if the ball get spotted or not (it does on a foul, of course), I run 7 and win 100-89!!!

I told him after thank you for calling the foul on himself, that not that many people would do that.  He said that wasn't what cost him the match - it was the side pocket break shot he missed that cost him the match.

I was SO elated I played good!!  A huge relief!  And it was a bonus I won somehow. 

The League Director tells me after that my opponent has played most of his matches already because he has to go to Australia and I was only his second loss.  Really??  So, all those W's really were wins.  But there wont be one next to my name.  :)