priceless
Being a huge fan of anything with Bill Murray I think there are a couple of lessons we can all learn about pool from this movie. Let’s take a look at a few of these: 1. Big Ern has a lot of attitude and confidence and sometimes both are needed at the table, 2. If you are Amish or new to a pool hall or league: make sure you understand the match format you are playing(most formats are not a race to 15), 3. The more deserving player doesn’t always win(even if he does have a hook for a hand) , 3.5. No one wants to lose to a guy with a hook for a hand.
Number one could be one of the most important aspects of pool and is often one that players (including me) often struggle with. Big Ern aka ( Bill Murray) commentates in an early scene as Roy(Woody Harrelson) is about to win the “Odor Eaters Open” during his last and crucial throw he needs a strike to win:
Big Ern: He’s got one foot in the frying pan, and one in the presure cooker, Believe me as a bowler I know that right about now your blader feels like an overstuffed vacum cleaner bag, and your butt is kinda like an about to explode bratworst.
Roy: Do you mind I wasn’t talking while you were Bowling. (hahaha)
Roy throws the ball and it’s a perfect Strike and of course he wins! However, this isn’t always the case in real life; and often we can get distracted very easily in a match and end up handing away a lot of games that we were completely capable of winning.
What a showman
Late in the Big Tournament Finale in Reno a determined Roy is bowling the comeback tournament of his life against the heavy favorite and seasoned veteran ( Who else) Big Ern and needs to pull off a miraculous 3 strikes in the tenth frame to edge out Roy for the win. He musters up all of his confidence in his flashy black cowboy shirt and scarf, his comb-over flopping all over the lane, he throws a 1st , 2nd , and then an unbelievable 3rd strike to edge out the rubber-man (Woody’s nickname). As he wins Big Ern yells to a reporter:
Well I didn’t want to lose to a guy with a hook for a hand ( hahaha I usually lose it about right here )
its kind of intimidating to be in the presence of all these great athletes
But the truth of the matter is Big Ern knew he would win and had total confidence that he would throw 3 strikes in a row to win. I believe that if we practice the right drills and take an intelligent approach with confidence to matches we are all capable of this. For me it would be running a couple of open racks in a row or coming back in a match down 5 to 1 in a race to 7 to win. The table (for the most part) does not change from place to place (and even if it does our opponents play on the same table) . We are all capable of whatever standard or level of game we are willing to commit, practice, and prepare for.
great form is always important
Sometimes you have to channel your inner Big Ern and play like youre above the law….2 okay 3 Vices that’s still pretty good; as long as one of them is pool.
There’s gonna be a showdown.. leave a comment and then check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2t2GgN_RC7M
