All Hail to ZigZag Master

W

Williebetmore

Member, .25% Club
Silver Member
Well I knew there was a reason I spent so much time lurking around here (besides just hoping to catch a glimpse of ZZM's avatar). On Monday ZZM posted a Danny DiLiberto sighting/lesson opportunity. On Wednesday Danny D. was sitting in my kitchen, eating dinner with us (followed by a 4 hour straight pool lesson). Many thanks to ZZM.

For those who don't know him, he is a former world champion in several disciplines, former boxer, long-time road player, pool announcer, and all-around raconteur. It was a phenomenal experience for a straight pool junky like myself. Break shot principles, avoiding kisses, escaping the bottom rails, hidden kisses and caroms (everyone see's the obvious ones, he shot some you would NOT BELIEVE - in fact he made me shoot several I did not believe, and yes they all went in), proper use of insurance balls, ways of maximizing your percentages, bank shot principles (for one pocket), several new position routes off interfering balls, several new safeties, safety principles. All of this along with a highly entertaining running monologue. Any pool player I have watched or admired, Danny D. had a good story involving. He was a perfect gentleman, and I can't recommend his lessons strongly enough.
 
Oh, and by the way, Danny D. was highly complimentary towards ZZM's game. Said he did himself proud at the U.S. Open. I don't want to ruin anyone's anonymity, but maybe ZZM should fill us in a little bit. It's the least he could do for teasing us with that avatar for so long.
 
Great stuff, Willie. Yeah, Danny's a serious pool guru. Glad you got to meet him and avail yourself of his scholarship.

Though I saw most of the old timers play in their primes many times, I only got to see DiLiberto play in his prime once. He made a great charge through a super-tough field in what I believe to have been the 1982 PPPA World Open 14.1 Championships, getting all the way to the final before getting beat by Mizerak for the title.

Quality guy and great player. I hope he told you a story or two about the young Dennis Hatch, who, reportedly, ran over 300 in his late teens. As a youth in Buffalo, NY, Dennis was greatly influenced by Danny, who also lived in Buffalo back then.
 
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Hi Willie,

I played him Saturday in Syracuse, NY. You get him on Wednesday in Indy. Us 14.1 players are sure a lucky lot. I told him it was an honor to have had an opportunity to play him after all these years. :cool:

ZZM's game has come on and up in the last year or so. I watched him play Jose at the DCC one hole mini. He lost 3-2. It came down to the last ball and each had opportunities to win. ZZM showed a lot of class and knowledge. Having DD and Dennis Hatch around sure helps!

Perhaps I'll see you at the Midwest.
 
cardiac kid said:
I told him it was an honor to have had an opportunity to play him after all these years. :cool:

Perhaps I'll see you at the Midwest.
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CK,
An "honor" doesn't begin to describe it for me. If I had to choose golf with Tiger, shooting hoops with MJ, or 14.1 with Danny; give me Danny every time (now golf with Arnie might be a different thing). He even had some Johnson City stories - now thats cool.

I won't be at the Midwest, but I will be at the DCC in January - Danny D. said he has given some straight pool lessons to BOTH John Schmidt and Alex Pagulayan. I'm hoping to see another 14.1 barnburner.
 
Williebetmore said:
...If I had to choose golf with Tiger, shooting hoops with MJ, or 14.1 with Danny; give me Danny every time (now golf with Arnie might be a different thing)...
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Think my choice would be playing beach volleyball with Raquel Welch.
 
sjm said:
Think my choice would be playing beach volleyball with Raquel Welch.
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Uhhhhhhh Raquel is going on 65 years old she may not be up for beach volleyball, she'll have to check with her plastic surgeon, everything might fall apart.
 
wayne said:
Uhhhhhhh Raquel is going on 65 years old she may not be up for beach volleyball, she'll have to check with her plastic surgeon, everything might fall apart.
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OK, so I'm living in the past. Please don't ruin my fantasy.
 
I got to play DD in a one pocket mini at DCC a couple of years ago. That is one thing that I think is really cool about that tourney. Regular guys like me can get to play a legend.

Cheers
 
breakup said:
I got to play DD in a one pocket mini at DCC a couple of years ago. That is one thing that I think is really cool about that tourney. Regular guys like me can get to play a legend.

Cheers
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Yeah, Breakup, pool is a sport is which opportunities to compete against the very best are abundant. Many a thread on this forum has dealt with the matter of whether it would be better if the WPC were handled like the US Open, meaning anyone willing to pay the entry fee could get in. While I've generally contended that the limited field in the WPC is best, the "unlimited open field" events like the US Open and Derby City definitely add some spice to our sport. Who knows, maybe one day you'll draw Efren!
 
sjm said:
Yeah, Breakup, pool is a sport is which opportunities to compete against the very best are abundant. Many a thread on this forum has dealt with the matter of whether it would be better if the WPC were handled like the US Open, meaning anyone willing to pay the entry fee could get in. While I've generally contended that the limited field in the WPC is best, the "unlimited open field" events like the US Open and Derby City definitely add some spice to our sport. Who knows, maybe one day you'll draw Efren!
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For 500 you can "draw" Efen for a while and not have to worry about not
drawing him.
I like the US Open but am not a fan of its entry and the seedings this year.
I also think it would be a better event it rotated venues around the country
each year. You can not build a fan base if the same people are the only ones ever exposed to a sport.
Heck thinking about it I am a fan of the concept of the US Open as a "major"
but not much else.
I went once and was not at all impressed. Great players and play---yes
large "major"scale spectacle--no hardly. Even the match times were wrong.
I arrived "early" for a scheduled round only to find out it had been moved up.
They still sold me a ticket for the round even though it was almost over and no one was even checking at the door. I returned to the ticket booth and
asked what had happened and asked for my money back.
If pool is going to be respectable for TV and sponsor promotion it needs to
have large scale "majors". I think the DCC adds its own flavor and the
Romanos seem to do a great job promoting. Grady at least always delivers
what he says. Isnt that common sense not to promote payouts that are not
guaranteed!
Events like the BCA and APA nationals in Vegas even though they are
amateur pool events are far more fun and worth spending the money.
Just having a high (500) dollar entry does not make it a major event.

This years BCN coverage did not to add to the event.
 
frankncali said:
I like the US Open but am not a fan of its entry and the seedings this year.
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Hi Frank,

I believe that is one reason the DCC is so successful. NO seeding!!!! Same with the Reno Open and all the Joss Tour Events. I think its wonderful to see Efren play Jose in the first round etc. They both earned respect from me but not a free ride. As far as wanting the best for the last day(s), how about the spectators that pay for earlier rounds? They deserve a great match as well. As they say, the cream will still rise to the top. It just takes longer.
 
Williebetmore said:
For those who don't know him, he is a former world champion in several disciplines, former boxer, long-time road player, pool announcer, and all-around raconteur.
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You forgot to mention that he is incredible with the ladies too! Still to this day!

ZZM
 
cardiac kid said:
Hi Frank,

I believe that is one reason the DCC is so successful. NO seeding!!!! Same with the Reno Open and all the Joss Tour Events. I think its wonderful to see Efren play Jose in the first round etc. They both earned respect from me but not a free ride. As far as wanting the best for the last day(s), how about the spectators that pay for earlier rounds? They deserve a great match as well. As they say, the cream will still rise to the top. It just takes longer.
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CK and Frank: You both made excellent points. I think the real problem with seeding is that it is not handled fairly. If you consider the US Open tennis, which was in progress while the US Open nine ball event was, you'd say the players deserving of seeds got them. Not so in Chesapeake. I don't want to reopen the debate over seeding right now, but recognize it for what it is -- a marketing tool. Event promoters in individual sports like seeing their events build to a climax and want the marquis matchups in the later stages of an event, where both fanfare and media coverage are usually greatest. Seeding helps to ensure this. As for moving the US Open event around the country, golf thinks it's a good idea in their sport, tennis doesn't -- close call, but I'd be OK with it.

Finally, for my money, the BCA Open has already passed the US Open as an event, and Derby City may pass it soon.
 
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sjm said:
Finally, for my money, the BCA Open has already passed the US Open as an event, and Derby City may pass it soon.
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sjm,

I think the Derby City already has replaced the US Open. If only for the sheer number of top notch players attending. Another is, I've not heard of a single player contesting payment. My only faults with the DCC are; not having a way to tell players when they've reached the money and the food. Greg, Mark, Dave and the rest of their staff do a great job of making the players welcome. The BCA "Open" has equipment that is way too easy for the top level event. I watched Allison bank a ball that came almost two diamonds short and still went in. Try that on a Diamond Pro. Perhaps the time will come when Mark Griffin has the "Open" as well. He'll make it the best event in the world! Till then, the current promoters will cater to the second level women players.
 
sjm said:
Think my choice would be playing beach volleyball with Raquel Welch.
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With a reply like that you might have to change your quote 'The Youngest Old Schooler'. Raquel Welch!! Your probably older than me and I'm as old as dirt. OK, maybe not as old as me. For me it would be surfing Annette Funicello.

Viva Las Vagas, Viva Las Vagas, Viva Viva, Las Mickey Mouse Club.
 
Williebetmore said:
Oh, and by the way, Danny D. was highly complimentary towards ZZM's game. Said he did himself proud at the U.S. Open. I don't want to ruin anyone's anonymity, but maybe ZZM should fill us in a little bit. It's the least he could do for teasing us with that avatar for so long.
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Great to hear that. It truly means a lot coming from him.

This was my first trip to the US Open and it was a great experience. I met a lot of geat people including some of our fellow members - Jennie, Jerry, Paul. I couldn't miss sweating a few of Rude Dog's matches and me and Jerry were pulling for him throughout. That boy can play! I realized afterwards, that this was the same John Morton mentioned in Buddy Hall's book. He beat Buddy twice in the same event several years back to win a tourney!

As far as the USOPEN, I won my first 3 matches. I got to play Scott Frost my second round and I ended up the winner 11-9. I was nervous as heck....shaking like a dog poopin' bones....all hot inside....but played good on him. I then played a helluva nice guy and solid player named Ricky Bingham. We ended up going to the hill and I ended up the winner of the final game when he didn't make anything on the break.

My first loss came to Gabe Owen 11-6 ( I missed two makeable 9-Balls mid-match, uggggggggghhhhhhhhhh). :rolleyes: I got the early 2-0 lead on Gabe. The next game he was running out and missed the 9-Ball! He left it like this:

START(
%II3Z6%Pr9W3

)END

I was -dead- frozen to the rail. It's a pretty makeable shot, but the tight pocket diamonds make this a little rough. I slow rolled it and hung it up. So now it is 2-1. At one point I think it was 6-4 me, and then he just took control. I know excuses, excuses, but as Grady would say, he was the benefactor of some great rolls during his way to victory. I remember two incidents where he missed, left the object ball hanging, and the cueball frozen between another ball AND the rail....AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :eek:

Gabe is a great guy. I talked to him for a while after our match and a couple times when we crossed paths. He is very friendly and approachable. I'm glad to see him win and I hope continued success for him.

Second loss came to Shawn Wilkie. He totally destroyed me 11-2. This guy can play. When his break is working, watch out!

I ended up in the money 33rd-48th.

On another note, Q-Masters is an incredible poolroom. The backroom caters to the players as well as the railbirds as there is plenty of very comfortable, raised platform, individual seat, type bleachers. The food there is also VERY good. Did I mention the food is VERY good :) I miss that chicken hoagie aready.

I met Richie Richardson for the first time and we got into a little 3-Cushion billiard game and ended up breaking even after 4 games. The next few days, he was playing Jimmy Reid. For 3 days straight, every time I walked into the poolroom, him and Jimmy were playing 3-Cushion. Diehards.......Not sure how they ended up.

ZZM
 
ZigZag Master said:
Great to hear that. It truly means a lot coming from him.

This was my first trip to the US Open and it was a great experience. My first loss came to Gabe Owen 11-6 ( I missed two makeable 9-Balls mid-match, uggggggggghhhhhhhhhh). :rolleyes:

I know excuses, excuses, but as Grady would say, he was the benefactor of some great rolls during his way to victory. I remember two incidents where he missed, left the object ball hanging, and the cueball frozen between another ball AND the rail....AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! :eek:
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ZZM,
Thanks for the update. As far as excuses go, I think Danny's exact words were, " Nahh, he shoulda beat Owen easily." We went on to have a spirited discussion about the evils of rotation games, and how ludicrous it is that the extremely luck dependent break is the most important shot in each game.
 
cardiac kid said:
sjm,

I think the Derby City already has replaced the US Open. If only for the sheer number of top notch players attending. Another is, I've not heard of a single player contesting payment. My only faults with the DCC are; not having a way to tell players when they've reached the money and the food. Greg, Mark, Dave and the rest of their staff do a great job of making the players welcome. The BCA "Open" has equipment that is way too easy for the top level event. I watched Allison bank a ball that came almost two diamonds short and still went in. Try that on a Diamond Pro. Perhaps the time will come when Mark Griffin has the "Open" as well. He'll make it the best event in the world! Till then, the current promoters will cater to the second level women players.
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Agreed, CK, the equipment is a bit of a problem at the BCA Open, but the truly premier international fields, the fact that both men and women pros compete at the same time in the same place, and the fan-friendly tournament room make it a really special event in Vegas. Also, you're not the first I've heard say that Derby city has passed Chesapeake. Perhaps you are right.
 
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