Been behind 8 ball. been behind bars...
I believe the phrase comes from billiards players. Sometimes it is advantageous to place the cue ball behind the 8-ball so the other player doesn't have a clear shot at other balls on the table. Being behind the 8-ball means you are in a bad position or falling behind in an activity.
Pool
In an awkward or disadvantageous position -- in billiards, the 8 ball is usually the last one that you want to sink into the pocket. Thus, if your cue ball is stuck behind it, there's not a lot you can do to make a point.
Tattoo Nightmares - 2012 Behind the 8 Ball 2-6 was released on: USA: June 2013
It depends who the person is!!who is it for?
From the eponymous game, the phrase 'to be behind the 8-ball' means being in a difficult situation.This would seem to obviously stem from the fact that when playing 8-ball, the 8-ball must be pocketed after clearing the player's other seven balls (or, in some variations, that the 8-ball cannot be hit first). To be "behind" this ball would mean that the player has no clear shot at the balls he has left to sink.Other sources suggest the term comes from Kelly Pool and refers to balls behind the 8 ball (i.e. higher in number), or that the black ball is harder to aim.---In the game of '8-ball', as well as many others, the object of the game is, simply, to pocket the 8-ball. Many rules prevent a player from simply shooting 'for' or 'at' the 8-ball directly, such as, for example, a rule stating the balls must be pocketed in numerical rotation, or, perhaps, seven 'stripes' or 'solids' must be pocketed first.Nevertheless, a player behind the ball can still win. If his shot, as well as fulfilling any rule-based requirement, also, while at least one ball is still rolling, pockets the 8-ball.---The game is forfeited if a player's cue ball hits the (black) eight ball first. A 'behind the eight ball' position leaves a player in imminent danger of losing.It means you have a potential problem
From the eponymous game, the phrase 'to be behind the 8-ball' means being in a difficult situation.This would seem to obviously stem from the fact that when playing 8-ball, the 8-ball must be pocketed after clearing the player's other seven balls (or, in some variations, that the 8-ball cannot be hit first). To be "behind" this ball would mean that the player has no clear shot at the balls he has left to sink.Other sources suggest the term comes from Kelly Pool and refers to balls behind the 8 ball (i.e. higher in number), or that the black ball is harder to aim.---In the game of '8-ball', as well as many others, the object of the game is, simply, to pocket the 8-ball. Many rules prevent a player from simply shooting 'for' or 'at' the 8-ball directly, such as, for example, a rule stating the balls must be pocketed in numerical rotation, or, perhaps, seven 'stripes' or 'solids' must be pocketed first.Nevertheless, a player behind the ball can still win. If his shot, as well as fulfilling any rule-based requirement, also, while at least one ball is still rolling, pockets the 8-ball.---The game is forfeited if a player's cue ball hits the (black) eight ball first. A 'behind the eight ball' position leaves a player in imminent danger of losing.It means you have a potential problem
When playing the even-odd version of 8-ball in pool, you cannot sink the 8-ball until after all the rest of your seven balls. To be "behind the 8-ball" means that you may not have a clear shot at any of your remaining balls. So the term means that you are in an unfortunate situation or facing a tough problem.
In the game of pool, the 8-ball is the last ball a player must sink in order to win the game. However, until he or she has sunk all the rest of the balls (i.e. 1 through 7 or 9 through 15), touching the 8-ball with the cue ball is considered a foul stroke. Therefore, one is said to be "behind the 8-ball," it means to be stuck in a position where any move will have a negative result -- to be trapped with no way forward.
This is a billiard term that has been co-opted as a general term. In the billiard game of 8 ball, there are 15 balls on the table. The object is to get all of your balls in a pocket, either 1-7 often refered to stripes or 9-15 refered to as solids and then sink the 8 ball. If you accidentally make the 8 ball before you make all of the others, you lose. So, being behind the 8 ball, which is black, is an unenviable position to be in.
No, a scratch on the break in 8 ball is not a loss of game - this gives the opposing player ball in hand behind hte head string. Under some rules, if the 8 ball goes in on the break and there is a scratch, it is loss of game.