Thursday, March 31, 2005
posted by dave at 10:47 PM in category whatever

Haven't picked up a cue for a couple of weeks now.

It not that I don't feel like playing, I just feel like doing other things even more.

I'm sure this is just temporary. The urge to hit balls will come back some day.

Sunday, March 13, 2005
posted by dave at 6:27 PM in category practice

I just finished reading Willie's Game, finally purchased after several lost eBay auctions, and in honor of Mr. Mosconi I played nothing but straight pool all day.

I actually had a run of 52 early, but most of the day consisted of me running 14, then missing the break shot.

It really does suck to know exactly what needs to be done, yet be unable to perform.

Tuesday, March 8, 2005
posted by dave at 12:09 AM in category equipment

I just need to get something off my chest.

People are pissing me off.

People piss me off all the time I suppose, but in this particular case they're pissing me off about break cues. Specifically the heavy vs. light debate.

As the argument goes, a lighter break cue will allow you to generate more speed with the cue, and that increased speed more than makes up for the fact that there's less mass hitting the cueball.

Well, lah dee dah.

I suppose, if I were so inclined, I could grab myself a light break cue and wind myself up like a softball pitcher, maybe even get a running start like Happy Gilmore, and really *WHACK* the damn ball. I might even be able to get an accurate hit every now and then.

Allow me to hit the cueball with less speed, however, and I'll hit the damn thing accurately every time I break. There are two components to a power break, and I'm going to list them in the order of importance. Pay attention here:

1. Accuracy.

2. Speed.

This shouldn't be news to any of you. If you know enough about pool to be reading this 'blog then you know I'm right. All the speed in the world does you no good if you can't hit the head ball correctly.

The point I'm trying to make here is that a slightly slower speed, combined with a more accurate hit, can result in a better break than an inaccurate hit at 100 miles per hour.

Just because somebody (I bet it was Sigel) said years ago that he preferred a lighter break cue because he felt it improved his break, that doesn't mean that every other self-professed expert else has to start parroting his words until the end of time.

Some people lose too much accuracy when they try to break at full speed. Some people are better off with a slower speed.

And those people are probably better off with a heavier break cue if their goal is to break the balls the hardest.

Don't argue. You know I'm right.