Monday, March 15, 2010

Welcome to Spidey's Place!

Well, everyone seems to have their own blog nowadays, so I thought I was missing-out by not sharing my private life with everyone. I thought long and hard about what I wanted this blog to be. After much thought, I came to the conclusion that I could care less if this blog turns out to be anything more than my personal uncensored ramblings about pool and life in general.

Over the years, I've been BLESSED by meeting some of the smartest minds in pool. Unlike some others, I've never taken the traditional path in improving my pool game. The "hit a million balls" theory sucks and it's horseshit. Sadly, hitting a million balls may not make you a player unless you have the visual acuity and coordination to apply the knowledge that each missed shot provides. If hitting a million balls would get you there, we'd have TENS OF THOUSANDS of pro-tour caliber players. We don't. Ain't that something?

One day, after smoking a cigarette and wondering why I wasn't getting to the next level after fifteen years of solid playing --- it came to me. Some days I "felt" the shot going in and some days I didn't. I realized that my perception of shots shifted from one day to the next. With this, I also found that when I aligned my body and aimed - it was an educated guess (albeit a good one). Sometimes it was good enough to pocket the ball and run out, and sometimes it wasn't.

I watched guys like Francisco Bustamante and wondered, "Why the hell does this guy address the cue ball to the left on every shot instead of CENTER!?" Logically speaking, why would anyone
NOT address the cue ball at center? Yet, the guy almost never misses. I then realized there's a lot more to this game than what I knew and more existed than what was being told.

Some people like to be spoon-fed information while others go and find it. Fortunately for me, I'm one who gets the info - even if it takes me a year to get it. This blog will hopefully shed some light on alternative ways of playing pool. I'll stop short of saying "this stuff is the only way to play pool" - because it's not. It's the best way, for sure. But, not the only way :)

Over time, I'm going to post information about pivot aiming. Forget aiming as being a linear process. In my opinion, aiming the cue ball down a line to a "contact point" might be the most ridiculous things ever taught in pool. In fact, I like to call it "bad information" because there are far too many variables to ever master (for most normal people). The secret to improvement is
gross simplification - and that's what this blog is about.

9 comments:

  1. dave live in nyc would love to get concepts of stan suffet but cannot travel any videos?.... do know ron have studied with him would like another perpective...are there any videos of stan also do u teach ever in nyc thanks steve 917 301 1130 interested in pro one aiming etc

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  2. hi dave couldnt get away to valley forge work nites music plse call me all the best steve 917 301 1130 will u be in nyc again

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  3. dave when are u in nyc steve the drummer sweiles@earthlink.net

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  4. Keep looking and one day you will find another Universe

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  5. Ron Vitello teaches the 90/90 pivot system and is probably one of the best in the world at teaching the Diamond system for Banks and Kicking..he teaches 6 Diamond Systems that are all you will ever need..he knows over 20 but teaches 6. Immonen, Robles, Hollman and about 20 other tour pro's use his system taught to them PERSONALLY by him..he is brilliant and charges $50 per hour 2 hour minimum at Eastside Billiards on 86th and 3rd Ave. in NYC..and he's one of the greatest guys to be around aside from pool. He sometimes is at Amsterdam Billiards but he's based at Eastside. Thats the guy to see to take your game to the next level and beyond. When most Pro's consider you the best I guess you are.

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  6. I live in Caribbean,and have bought Stan's both dvd's a year ago( and have viewed both at least six times,and continuing). Have recently (3wks) acquired a pool board and have been diligently practicing CTE Pro One ,and sometimes I get some success and at other times I don't,this was by utilizing the foot placements instead of directly using the pivoting for sweeps ,which I have difficulty with.Hence ,the following questions are necessary : 1) To attain my visuals ,is there an easy/practical way to align my A,B or C other than by merely lining up my dominant eye (which I sometimes find not to be consistent enough for me).and (2) Is there any particular area of the two dvd's that you think I should pay more detailed attention to ( state time on dvd) to assist me in my venture ,or do you have any particular info...........Anthony : sharky349@yahoo.com

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