Dear League Players - GROW UP You Aren't Playing the TV Table at Derby City!

I play a good amount of 8 and 9 ball competitively and have a decent APA ranking. I love 80% of the players I play with and those 80% are reasonable, well socialized, good people. We have laughs, joke around, and enjoy ourselves. We definitely compete with each other, but understand the realities of life and know we aren't on TV, don't have a world championship in our future, and Cuetec will not be driving a dump truck full of money up to our door to compete for them anytime soon.

Then there's the 20%, and this post is for YOU!

I understand your entire self worth seems to stem from your ability to bang balls around a table, and that is sad! I have watched way too many of you throwing temper tantrums, pouting, and just being children. STOP IT! You're 50 years old (in most cases), you aren't ever going pro, and you aren't good in the global scheme. Get over it! You are not only making yourself look like an absolute idiot, but embarrassing yourself and everyone around you with your 6 year old type antics. You aren't "cool", nobody cares about your "Rating", and you aren't getting paid. STOP IT!

Examples of infantile behavior that makes you look like a JERK:

• Walking away from the table to pout when you're having a bad rack
• Throwing your cues/bridges when things don't go your way
• Ranting and raving about the poor quality equipment/tables you are "forced to endure"
• Being rude to bar/hall staff
• Trying to start fights (verbal or physical) with opposing team players
• Walking out after matches without shaking hands
• Thumping the rule book like you are the encyclopedia of billiards while trying to bend every rule you possibly can to your advantage

Pool should be fun night out, and if it isn't, do yourself and everyone else a favor and take up shuffleboard!