The APA can kiss my.......

S

seahorse1877

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What the hell? I just got back from Las Vegas where I played in the APA nationals for nine ball. It was a team event and we did ok, we came in the money 65th to 34th bracket. I was shocked at the conditions of the tables, the balls were by far the crapiest balls I have ever seen. One of our teammates got bumped after losing two out of three matches. And the biggest kicker is for finishing 34th in the nation in the APA for nine ball we recieved twenty dollars apiece. Technically we got $500 for the team but the APA took $350 of that back. They give you $350 when you arrive in Vegas and if you place in the money they take it back!!!!! WTF.....

The table we played our last match on rolled every way but straight. I could pick the felt up with my fingers and pull it at least six inches off of the slate. I could push the felt at least three inches causing several wrinkles. And every rail bounced and rebounded differently than the last. I think that a company as big as the APA could do a little better for a "National" event. I am out of the APA and was just wondering if anyone else feels the same or experienced the same.
 
So i heard

Who set up the tables this year? Are they using the same company as before.
 
I was thinking of joining the APA, but i keep hearing bad things about it... Is there any leagues or clubs that is worth joining that wont break your bank?

and sorry to hear you got hosed like that in the tournament

- Draz
 
The last time i went to Vegas for the APA was in 2004 when they still had Diamond tables and Simonis cloth. A few of my buddies went out this year, and he got there and called me right away and said "you should be happy you didn't come, the tables are HORRENDOUS." He said the tables are the biggest piece of crap Valley's and the cloth is like playing in grass, the balls barely roll, and he's not even going to play pool because it's so bad.

Makes me not want to go out there next year. The best part of going there to play was the Diamond smart tables.
 
That is right the tables were Valley's with Mercury "championship" felt. I can only assume the APA got a great deal on the contracts for those piece of shiiit tables. Well I guess they could care less about their members and more about the bottom line. I guess they think they won't lose anyone...well they lost me, I will never give one more cent to the APA.:mad:
 
This is a major problem with billiards today in my opinion and why it may never take off. The big companies who run the events need to make somewhat of a profit but get really greedy and get it from all angles they can. I guess they figure nobody will notice but the sharp people do.
I play in Vegas at the BCA event and started adding up who makes out financially on the deal. If your team makes 3,000 you might be lucky to cover expenses. I thought the casinos were bad. At least you can try to get a free lunch from them.
 
seahorse1877 said:
What the hell? I just got back from Las Vegas where I played in the APA nationals for nine ball. It was a team event and we did ok, we came in the money 65th to 34th bracket. I was shocked at the conditions of the tables, the balls were by far the crapiest balls I have ever seen. One of our teammates got bumped after losing two out of three matches. And the biggest kicker is for finishing 34th in the nation in the APA for nine ball we recieved twenty dollars apiece. Technically we got $500 for the team but the APA took $350 of that back. They give you $350 when you arrive in Vegas and if you place in the money they take it back!!!!! WTF.....

The table we played our last match on rolled every way but straight. I could pick the felt up with my fingers and pull it at least six inches off of the slate. I could push the felt at least three inches causing several wrinkles. And every rail bounced and rebounded differently than the last. I think that a company as big as the APA could do a little better for a "National" event. I am out of the APA and was just wondering if anyone else feels the same or experienced the same.
Click to expand...

I say BS. I have been here all week and the tables are fine. They are decent Valley Bar Boxes. Nothing more nothing less. To blame the equipment for your loss is just sour grapes. You will never get any better if every time you play on equipment that is less than perfect you can't play your best (and or win).

As far as the money. They didn't "take it back" as you say. They paid you $350 of your payout when you registered your team. The rest of your payout comes when you get knocked out. Everyone knows that.

This event is the best run amateur tournament in the world bar none.
 
Sounds like you got,
screwed.jpg
 
APA Gene said:
I say BS. I have been here all week and the tables are fine. They are decent Valley Bar Boxes. Nothing more nothing less. To blame the equipment for your loss is just sour grapes. You will never get any better if every time you play on equipment that is less than perfect you can't play your best (and or win).

As far as the money. They didn't "take it back" as you say. They paid you $350 of your payout when you registered your team. The rest of your payout comes when you get knocked out. Everyone knows that.

This event is the best run amateur tournament in the world bar none.
Click to expand...

Normally I stand up for the APA, but in this case I can't. While not in Vegas I have seen the horrible job done in putting the fabric on the tables on APA's pictures on their website. While not all the tables shown in the pictures show this horrid job, there are quite a few that do.

Look at these two pictures:
DSC00885_JPG.jpg

and
DSC00907_JPG.jpg


Look at the cloth at the side pocket and the corner. That is NOT how you cover a table. That is what a hack does when trying to cover a table. If they took so little care those aspects I am inclined to believe they did a horrid job overall. This is also not the first I've heard of issues with a horrible job having been done on some of the tables.

Once again, it's some of the tables, not all.

Also he didn't say his team lost because of the tables. He said he was upset at going to a national tournament that bills itself as being top notch and seeing tables in that kind of condition. And, to me, it shocks me as well. In Charlotte our Cities Tournaments for APA are held 3 times a year and they bring in 80 Diamond SmartTables. Those tables an absolute joy to play on and are always in great condition because Diamond cares about how their products play. The national office can take a few pointers from the Charlotte Metro APA and learn to get some decent bar tables instead of badly set up Valleys... They could at the very least have decently setup Valleys...

Brian
 
I went 3 years in a row. 2000-02 went 4 times during that span(once for singles) and found the tables to be satisfactory.

the APA kept $350 of our prize money til we got out there. Once we got out there they gave it back to our captain when we registered. The prize money we collected when we were done.
 
When the APA switched back to the Valley tables, from the Diamond tables, I suspected there would be problems. No one does the job as well as Diamond.

As for the payouts, you have to keep in mind that none of the league systems are player charity organizations. They are businesses. Play leagues for the enjoyment of playing every week at home. If you win the trip to Vegas, take it for what it is, an advertising event for the league. Don't get so upset because you didn't get what you thought you would get. You probably never will. It is only a very small number of players who go home with any substantial money.

I am happy to play in my APA league each week and I am also good with the fact that I have never won the trip to Vegas.
 
seahorse1877 said:
What the hell? I just got back from Las Vegas where I played in the APA nationals for nine ball. It was a team event and we did ok, we came in the money 65th to 34th bracket. I was shocked at the conditions of the tables, the balls were by far the crapiest balls I have ever seen. One of our teammates got bumped after losing two out of three matches. And the biggest kicker is for finishing 34th in the nation in the APA for nine ball we recieved twenty dollars apiece. Technically we got $500 for the team but the APA took $350 of that back. They give you $350 when you arrive in Vegas and if you place in the money they take it back!!!!! WTF.....

The table we played our last match on rolled every way but straight. I could pick the felt up with my fingers and pull it at least six inches off of the slate. I could push the felt at least three inches causing several wrinkles. And every rail bounced and rebounded differently than the last. I think that a company as big as the APA could do a little better for a "National" event. I am out of the APA and was just wondering if anyone else feels the same or experienced the same.
Click to expand...

I have played in tournaments and leagues all over the east coast for about 30 years. One thing I have learned is you are going to have to play under all different conditions. Sometimes you are on great tables, sometimes you aren't. But you ALWAYS are playing under the same conditions as your opponent. If you can't adjust to your conditions and your opponent can, you are in trouble.

If the tables were slow for you, they were just as slow for your opponent. We don't always get to play under perfect conditions, no matter what sport we play. Golfers may have a great day on Thursday, and then have windy, damp weather the next day. The greens may be fast one day, and slow the next. They learn to deal with it. Football players play in heat, rain, snow, whatever.

Bottom line, the one who adjusts to conditions the quickest is usually the winner.

Steve
 
Its a buisness is rght, get the money and get them out the door, whos next.......lol they are about the money, not the player........the apa is a buisness not a charity.....bottom line, wheres my money biaaaaat$h !!!!
GREAT TABLE COVER JOB..........LOL


rich r. said:
when the apa switched back to the valley tables, from the diamond tables, i suspected there would be problems. No one does the job as well as diamond.

As for the payouts, you have to keep in mind that none of the league systems are player charity organizations. They are businesses. Play leagues for the enjoyment of playing every week at home. If you win the trip to vegas, take it for what it is, an advertising event for the league. Don't get so upset because you didn't get what you thought you would get. You probably never will. It is only a very small number of players who go home with any substantial money.

I am happy to play in my apa league each week and i am also good with the fact that i have never won the trip to vegas.
Click to expand...
 
pooltchr said:
I have played in tournaments and leagues all over the east coast for about 30 years. One thing I have learned is you are going to have to play under all different conditions. Sometimes you are on great tables, sometimes you aren't. But you ALWAYS are playing under the same conditions as your opponent. If you can't adjust to your conditions and your opponent can, you are in trouble.

If the tables were slow for you, they were just as slow for your opponent. We don't always get to play under perfect conditions, no matter what sport we play. Golfers may have a great day on Thursday, and then have windy, damp weather the next day. The greens may be fast one day, and slow the next. They learn to deal with it. Football players play in heat, rain, snow, whatever.

Bottom line, the one who adjusts to conditions the quickest is usually the winner.

Steve
Click to expand...

TAP TAP!!!

I was talking to an old road player last week and he was reliving some crazy stories that happened on the road and some of the wild games that people come up with.

But, one thing he always emphasized was that the playing conditions and rules really didn't matter to him, for the most part, as long as everybody had the same conditions and rules.
 
If you expect to make money in league play, I feel for you.

Second, the league does not always have direct control of table conditions. They have people to answer to as well.

And, as said, if your team kicked butt on a crap table, I would venture to say we would not be hearing anything about "table conditions".

I have been out of league play for a few months now, after shooting for six years plus APA and TAP, and am itching to get back to playing league again.
 
Draz said:
I was thinking of joining the APA, but i keep hearing bad things about it... Is there any leagues or clubs that is worth joining that wont break your bank?

and sorry to hear you got hosed like that in the tournament

- Draz
Click to expand...

DON'T DO IT. i have been a staunch supporter of the apa here and everywhere else (and taken a beating for that support) but recently i have begun to change my tune. i have been getting screwed with my pants on by the league and i'm sick of it. i still love the league system and there are others you can join. look in to all of them. if the apa is all you have in your area than i guess you can start there, but i'll bet it won't take long for the glaring problems to show themselves.
 
It is just not the APA taking advantage of people it is the AMA ALSO! Plus many more, the best way to get back is to SPEAK with you DOLLAR & SENSE!
 
I agree that you should be able to compete no matter the table conditions because your competitor does as well. But, we're not talking about playing a weekly league match in a run down bar with a table that hasn't been recovered in 5 years... We're talking about the tables at APA's premier event. The quality of the tables in that sort of event should be higher than most of the participants are used to.

A quote from one of my friends who's ladies team was in Vegas on the tables:
"Not as good as the ones we play on @ cities"

I would expect that APA would have better tables at their premier event than the tables in a leagues city qualifier... APA used to use Diamonds, then they started a sponsorship with Valley, so made sense for them to have switched to Valleys. But from what I can tell that sponsorship is no longer there, so why not go back to Diamonds?

Brian
 
It's all about expectations. If you expect to get rich off of an amateur league...you're barking up the wrong tree. If you expect to play on pristine equipment in an amateur league...you're barking up the wrong tree. If you expect low-cost organization in an amateur league...you're barking up the wrong tree.

I understand your frustration (believe me I do!), but I've learned to lower my expectations for what I expect from an amateur league. I now expect to pour an abhorant amount of money into the system (either from dues or plugging the tables) only to lose a critical game or match on yet another bad roll of the table or because of mid-tourney handicap changes. Come on, drink the kool-aid buddy!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top