JAM said:

It is so easy:
• Marinate the chicken in soy sauce and crushed-up garlic.
• Separate the chicken from the marinade. (Save marinade as it will be used later.)
• Pan-fry the chicken 1 to 1.5 minutes per side.
• Now add marinade and a little water to the pan.
• Add peppercorns (optional).
• Simmer on low heat for 20 to 25 minutes.

We like boneless/skinless chicken thighs, but you can use any parts of the chicken.

JAM, try using chicken wings for your adobo, the best. You could also use pork, cut it in cubes, mix it with your chicken wing adobo, chef’s kiss!

My mouth is watering already, and it's only 10:37 in the morning.

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preacherman said:

Hi all AZ billiards friends,
I'm in my 60's and not a big guy. My break has never been powerful, but even less so as I age.
Can you all give me suggestions on being successful on a break in 8-ball (as a senior).
I am back to playing in local 8-ball league, but I find that while my breaks spread the balls well, rarely does anything go in on the break, which has left a nice spread for my opponent to run balls. I need to start getting atleast 1 ball in on break! And advice is appreciated.

Jim (Preacherman)

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lakeman77 said:

and of course "asking price" is a different thing than "sold for" price. I bet McDermott is cranking out a the next batch. I have one and love it.

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java712 said:

Yapp skipped said he’s burnt out, will rest.

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AtLarge said:

Well, Duong is out. He got it back to 9-9 then missed a tough 4-ball in the deciding game. Navarrete botched position from the 8 to the 9, then left the 9 open. But Duong missed a long but fairly easy 9-ball. 10-9 Navarrete.

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Texas Carom Club said:

What’s a joint protector?

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jbart65 said:

The Predator is a very simple one. It's not really trying to make money with its Pro Billiard Series. Its goal is to make playing pool more popular so more people will buy its products.

It gives most of its revenue to the players in the form of prize money once it covers its production costs. It also allows viewers to see its events for free, aside from some limited ticket sales.

Predator appears to work well with sponsors for its events, and it might even have more of them. This approach might be the reason it can offer bigger prizes than Matchroom in many cases.

In short, the main focus of Predator is to maintain and expand its potential market. That's a big reason why it also focuses on women's pool, whereas Matchroom ignores it. Women play pool and buy equipment, too.

Predator has also sponsored some big events for juniors. Again, an effort to expand its market. The move could potentially help develop future pro players too, and that's a good thing in general.

Given the limited aims of Predator, it has a lot of shortcomings.

First, there is no sense of any tour or season, with a beginning and an end. It's just a series of discrete and unconnected events, many of which are increasingly called "world" championships. A top Predator exec told DogginIt they plan some year-end events in the future as a reward to players, so stay tuned.

Second, Predator does not market the players and give life to the personalities that could grow the sport. Players play, and that's it. Ho hum.

Third, Predator doesn't make a big effort to draw lots of fans and create a great fan environment. There's less sense of drama and pressure, which does little to improve viewership. The recent 10-ball event in Ho Chi Minh City was the first to really break the mold, but again, it's Vietnam. Let's see if Predator can replicate that experience elsewhere.

Fourth, Predator doesn't really have a media strategy. It's created its own Youtube channel and gives its content away for free. But it's ambition doesn't go beyond that, for now. Predator offers pool to pool aficionados.

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jay helfert said:

Thanks for asking. There has been a defacto training center in Manila for decades now at Star Paper. It is a private facility owned by a wealthy backer of pool in the Philippines. Only pros and aspiring pros can enter the premises. You must enter through a security gate outside, and for a new player to get in one of the pros must vouch for you.

Star Paper's "poolroom" has maybe 18-20 top of the line tables and they are kept in good shape by attendants there. The players have access to free food and drinks while practicing there. It is a place where the top pros pass their knowledge on to the aspiring pros and help them with their game. When I was there I saw instruction and interaction of all kinds including playing sets against each other. I don't think they are allowed to gamble there. I believe this environment helps to create the great camaraderie we see among the Filipino players where they all support each other.

I think it goes without question that more good players come out of the Philippines then anywhere else. In essence the Filipino players are not "self taught." They undergo their own type of training and it seems to work fairly well I'd say. Different strokes for different folks and all that.

As for the many Filipino players who come from the provinces (far away from Manila), they all aspire to come to Manila and learn there. And when they are good enough they make it to the big time and start practicing with the big boys (Tier One and Two) in Manila. The rest is up to them and their own dedication.

One thing I left out is that in the huge metropolis of Manila there are several groups/poolrooms dedicated to hosting money games. Such as Marboys and a few others. This acts as a proving ground for new talent, where you might see a young up and coming player playing sets with Efren, Francisco, Dennis or other veteran players. This is how they work their way up the ladder. They spend more time actually playing in competition than simply practicing and hitting balls.

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