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7 pages, 4-02-03, 9-23-09, CR, Fast Larry Guninger, all rights reserved, published in DC, BPN, czm, upp, ppt, flp, rsb, btt.
Do you have to know physics and all the diamond, banking and aiming systems to become a good pool player?
All or most of the world champions had these simple things. They came up in their daddy’s pool hall and began play as a baby. They played with the best players all of their lives. They had exceptional vision, 20/10 or better. They had exceptional hand eye co-ordination, i.e., they were naturals. When they picked up a cue, the game was easy and simple to them and they ran balls from the get go. Their success had nothing to do with going to college classes on physics.
Willie Hoppe, Minnesota Fats, Efren Reyes and many other stars like them never sat a foot or spent a day in a school and were virtually illiterate. Jim Rempe spent little time in school. They never had a math class but they all became the best in the game. Their minds were not polluted because they could not read what the physics guru’s were writing about how to play with systems. They did not have any systems, did not want any systems. Systems are for chumps and losers Fatty once told me.
All the top bankers of the 20th century I knew and played with. I asked them and not one of them had a system, they banked by feel and experience, they just saw the shot, simple lines in their heads, angle in, angle out.
Willie Hoppe wrote his 2nd and most famous book in 1941, actually he could not write a book and the head of the federation wrote it for him, and in his first edition on page 64 there are 9 large pages of diagrams on instruction. It teaches you how to play 3-cushion by the diamond system. One small problem, Hoppe by not writing that book which is typical today, just shows up for pictures and a ghost writer puts it together. An amateur player wrote Hoppie's book who was Byron Schoeman who at the time was director of public relations for the billiard association of America. Schoeman wrote the diamond system for Hoppe because Willie had been winning world championships, 100 of, since 1908, with out using any diamond systems. He did not have a clue what it was nor did he want to know.
He was taught to play by feel and to just visualize the shot by his teachers, Ives, Schaefer and Daly. Pro Golfers are taught the same method today. Once the basics are mastered, you never think again, it’s all see, feel, do.
Raymond Cuelemans who is some say the greatest 3-C player of all time from Belgium and surely the greatest of the modern era had won 2 worlds before he found out what the diamond system even was. He today will frame, or line up a shot using it, but then once on the general line, will then not take that line as firm, but will then alter it and shoot the shot from there on by feel.
Players in all sports, baseball, golf, tennis, pool, billiards reach world class play and do not have a clue what physics is or what it does. It is totally UN necessary. All pure system players are never any better than ham and eggers, the feel players eat their lunches. When I first read Koehler’s book on the Science of the game I could not hit my butt with a broom for 2 weeks until all of that crap cleared out. None of that knowledge is necessary to become the world champion.
Jim Rempe told me when he was number one in the world and the current world champion Meucci asked him to do a video on how to play pool. Jim said when he then had to think about every facet of the game, suddenly a shocking thing hit him. He did not have a clue how to play pool or what it was all about. Jim had just been playing by feel and experience. He can admit that now retired from competition, but few current players would admit that if they are on tour and winning. They could never admit, they are winning, but do not have a clue.
This is why no pro golfer today will give lessons. It causes you to think and analyze every facet of the game, which will destroy your game. They teach when they retire.
Aiming systems are only needed or used by beginners. A poll of the top 35 men and women’s players was conducted by P&B magazine and it was found none of them were using any aiming system; they all just lined up and saw the shot.
If all this advanced knowledge of physics, Geometry and Math were so important, then explain to me why the most intelligent men in pool, who have PhD’s, many are engineers, very high Iq’s, can’t play a lick. None of them can run a rack for money to save their soul. Yet you can find some of the lowest IQ people on earth, who were kicked out of the 3rd grade, who are seriously dumb and they will run a 6 pack on you in a heart beat, or play for an hour and never miss a shot.
Some information is necessary to learn like how to modify the Ghost ball aiming system and understanding cling, throw, squirt, deflection. Once it is learned and absorbed it should then be blended into using it by feel with no conscious thought. Playing in a Zen like state and in the zone is what you wish to achieve.
You have these lab rats and PHD’s sitting around on these chat sites, or have columns in magazines discussing the atomic reactions to protons and their kinetic
energy releases during elastic spherical circular collisions and their
coefficient of restitution E=1
CR=V2f/ V1f-/V1-V2
v'_a=\frac{m_a v_a + m_b v_b + m_b C_R(v_b-v_a)}{m_a+m_b}
and
v'_b=\frac{m_a v_a + m_b v_b + m_a C_R(v_a-v_
}{m_a+m_b} And Efren with his 9 IQ and schooling from the Jungle which existed of
zero time in a class room is saying, Aye Carumba, all I want to do is
shove a ball into the pocket. Minnesota Fats, Willie Hoppe never set
foot inside a school room and were virtually illiterate. Jim Rempe,
close to it. None of them could even spell the name, physics. None
of them, even had a clue what it meant. This proves, this knowledge is
worthless, even harmful in your quest to learn how to play pool.
DO you actually think knowing COR and numbers in the range
qualitatively or how they may represent a perfectly elastic collision
is going to help you make cut shots? The first thing you have to
learn how to do, is lose these people and quit reading their crap.
Normal people think on the right sides of their brains and it’s natural for them to then play by feel. They become salesmen and are in non technical fields. People who think on the left sides of their brains are forced to play using constant mental calculations and they find trying to play by feel extremely difficult. They become our engineers, lab rats and doctors.
It has been fully understood in Golf for a long time that physics and knowledge of it belongs only to the teachers and that once a player begins to seek it, understand it, then paralysis by analysis takes place and they then destroy their games. They begin to think instead of just playing and then they are sitting behind a counter with a mic in their hand and are out of the game on the field.
Some of the dullest and dumbest minds have become some of our greatest players and stars in all sports.
It is understood in golf that to be very intelligent this is a curse. Let it be known that I have passed a Mensa test and have an IQ of 152 and I am an Electronic Engineer by past trade. I know of what I speak of here. The only way I could go forward was to learn how to turn off the little voice in my head that jabbers at me, I call him Fred. In the Orient he is called Monkey brain. I then learned to play with a total empty brain, with zero conscious thought going on and just play fast and loose and freewheel. It seriously does not go any deeper than that. The stupid players do that automatically because they don’t have any thing up there to confuse them.
Yes, this is what I call a leap of faith, you just do it and with some time and practice, it kicks in. The problem is the PhD’s and Engineers are control freaks, they must control every action, under stand each thing happening, which is what dooms them. The stupid guy just wants to pot the ball and he could give a flip how it goes in. Ballard thought me that when you begin to think about the swing, or focus on any one part of it, or try and control one or more, you then destroy all natural rhythm and co-ordination. My teachers in golf were Jug McSpadden, Ballard and Toski. I have been a scratch golfer all my life and I play with zero thought.
My advice is stop reading the columns of these physics doctors and the minute they get technical, turn the page. They will poison your game, not heal it. There are two writers in golf digest I refuse to read a single thing they write because it’s first a waste of my time, 2nd, it will not help me play better, 3rd, it will pollute my mine. I fear getting their disease they are selling you, it’s called, paralysis by analysis.
If you want some proof, here are some comments made by many stars. I could list many from pool players but I choose not to embarrass them. Trust me; we have many pool players who are not the brightest candle in the church.
Babe Ruth was asked, what do you think about this new book on the physics of baseball and batting. The bambino said, what duz physics have to do wit battin?
Joe Dimaggo when on a tear setting all his records was asked how he was doing it, did he have a batting system. Joe said, naw, I just walk up, wack da ball over da 2nd basemans head and run like hell.
This is like deja vu all over again.
--Yogi Berra
Half the game is 90% mental.
--Yogi Berra
If I didn't wake up, I'd still be sleeping.
--Yogi Berra
Slump ? I ain't in no slump. I just ain't hittin.
--Yogi Berra
Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical
--Yogi Berra
"You can observe a lot just by watching."
"He must have made that before he died." -- Referring to a Steve McQueen movie.
"I want to thank you for making this day necessary." -- On Yogi Berra Appreciation Day in St. Louis in 1947.
"I'd find the fellow who lost it, and, if he was poor, I'd return it." -- When asked what he would do if he found a million dollars.
"Think! How the hell are you gonna think and hit at the same time?"
"You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there."
"I knew I was going to take the wrong train, so I left early."
"If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else."
"If you can't imitate him, don't copy him."
"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I'm not hungry enough to eat six."
"It was impossible to get a conversation going; everybody was talking too much."
"A nickel isn't worth a dime today."
"Nobody goes there anymore; it's too crowded."
"It gets late early out there." -- Referring to the bad sun conditions in left field at the stadium.
"Glen Cove." -- Referring to Glenn Close on a movie review television show.
Once, Yogi's wife Carmen asked, "Yogi, you are from St. Louis, we live in New Jersey, and you played ball in New York. If you go before I do, where would you like me to have you buried?" Yogi replied, "Surprise me."
"Do you mean now?" -- When asked for the time.
"I take a two hour nap, from one o'clock to four."
"If you come to a fork in the road, take it."
"You give 100 percent in the first half of the game, and if that isn't enough in the second half you give what's left."
"90% of the putts that are short don't go in."
"I made a wrong mistake."
"Texas has a lot of electrical votes." -- During an election campaign, after George Bush stated that Texas was important to the election.
"Thanks, you don't look so hot yourself." -- After being told he looked cool.
"I always thought that record would stand until it was broken."
"Yeah, but we're making great time!" -- In reply to "Hey Yogi, I think we're lost."
"If the fans don't come out to the ball park, you can't stop them."
"Why buy good luggage? You only use it when you travel."
"It's never happened in the World Series competition, and it still hasn't."
"How long have you known me, Jack? And you still don't know how to spell my name." -- Upon receiving a check from Jack Buck made out to "bearer."
"I'd say he's done more than that." -- When asked if first baseman Don Mattingly had exceeded expectations for the current season.
"The other teams could make trouble for us if they win."
"He can run anytime he wants. I'm giving him the red light." -- On the acquisition of fleet-footed Ricky Henderson.
"I never blame myself when I'm not hitting. I just blame the bat, and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn't my fault that I'm not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?"
"It ain't the heat; it's the humility."
"The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase."
"You should always go to other people's funerals; otherwise, they won't come to yours."
"I didn't really say everything I said."
Chicago Cubs outfielder Andre Dawson on being a role model: "I wan' all
dem kids to do what I do, to look up to me. I wan' all the kids to
copulate me."
...........................................................
New Orleans Saint RB George Rogers when asked about the upcoming season:
"I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first."
...........................................................
And, upon hearing Joe Jacobi of the 'Skins say: "I'd run over my own
mother to win the Super Bowl," Matt Millen of the Raiders said: "To win,
I'd run over Joe's Mom, too."
...........................................................
Torrin Polk, University of Houston receiver, on his coach, John Jenkins:
"He treats us like men. He lets us wear earrings."
...........................................................
Football commentator and former player Joe Theismann, 1996: "Nobody in
football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman
Einstein."
..........................................................
Senior basketball player at the University of Pittsburgh: "I'm going to
graduate on time, no matter how long it takes." (now that is beautiful)
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Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach: "You guys line up
alphabetically by height." And, "You guys pair up in groups of three,
then line up in a circle."
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Boxing promoter Dan Duva on Mike Tyson hooking up again with promoter
Don King: "Why would anyone expect him to come out smarter? He went to
prison for three years, not Princeton."
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Stu Grimson, Chicago Blackhawks left wing, explaining why he keeps a
color photo of himself above his locker: "That's so when I forget how to
spell my name, I can still find my clothes."
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Lou Duva, veteran boxing trainer, on the Spartan training regime of
heavyweight Andrew Golota: "He's a guy who gets up at six o'clock in the
morning regardless of what time it is."
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Chuck Nevitt, North Carolina State basketball player, explaining to
Coach Jim Valvano why he appeared nervous at practice: "My sister's
expecting a baby, and I don't know if I'm going to be an uncle or an
aunt." (I wonder if his IQ ever hit room temperature in January)
............................................................
Frank Layden, Utah Jazz president, on a former player: "I told him,
'Son, what is it with you? Is it ignorance or apathy?' He said, 'Coach,
I don't know and I don't care.'"
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Shelby Metcalf, basketball coach at Texas A&M, recounting what he told a
player who received four F's and one D: "Son, looks to me like you're
spending too much time on one subject."
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Amarillo High School and Oiler coach Bum Phillips when asked by Bob
Costas why he takes his wife on all the road trips, Phillips responded:
"Because she is too damn ugly to kiss good-bye."
(Dead man walkin')
Come chat with me live at www.poolchat.net which used to be called www.billiards-pool.net THE POWER SOURCE POOL SCHOOL “Fast Larry” Guninger offers clinics and video taped lessons. Web site www.fastlarrypool.com POOL LESSONS FROM A GRAND MASTER LEVEL INSTRUCTOR, BILLIARDS EXPERT AND FORMER ARTISTIC WORLD CHAMPION. 770-381-6609. Larry plays on four pro 9 ball tours. His tour cards are: the UPA, the men’s main tour; the Florida 9 ball tour, SE pro 9 ball tour and the Senior Tour.
POOL QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND FREE INSTRUCTION IS ON www.poolchat.net In the ask the pros forum.“Fast Larry” Guninger and Wonder Dog, trick shot shows and entertainment.
Email fastlarrypool@bellsouth.net
May God bless and peace be with you. May there now be peace between us. If you are a real pool player, then fast truly loves you. May the wind be always on your back and all 9 balls fall.
VENI VIDI VICI, OMNIA VINCIT AMOR. “ Latin for “I came, I saw, I conquered, love conquerors all. Yes I really did do it all and you can believe it, or not. If you don’t believe it, C’est La Vie. " Shoot straight, innovate, never give up, just run out on the other guy then there is no way for you to lose.
Either lead me, follow me or get the hell out of my way. Do one of the three please. Come celebrate the wonder of this beautiful game with me and become a student of it.
Be my friend, walk my way, flow with what I teach you and you will soar like the Eagle into levels of excellence you never dreamed possible.
"Winners make things happen. Losers let things happen." In the words of Vince Lombardi, "When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."
Rack em sausage, Go play fast and loose. Ride em hard, put em up wet, leave the ladies smiling. Live free, die well with your boots on owing no man nothing. May you be in heaven an hour before the devil knows you’re dead. In time, it’s all dust in the wind anyway. Don’t take your self, or anything too serious, just be happy and healthy. Laughter good whiskey and song is the best medicine. Be sure to take the time, to smell the flowers along the way. Aristole said “ Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” Die happy and you lived a good life.
