Congratulations to Jay Helfert, Champion!

[jay helfert]

I gotta tell you, that GCIV that DONNY WESSELS set up is one helluva table! What a beautiful job he did on that table. The man is one damn fine mechanic. And he's the guy who beat me the first round when I dogged the case nine ball. Good shooting sir! I really like the 4.25" pockets. Seems just right for a GC, not easy and not too tough either.

All the guys who came down there are great guys and fun to hang out with. Russ, Monte, Dan, Asgar, Abe, Donny, Mitchell and Charles. And they all can play too! Don't be fooled because the old dog won one. I was sweating every match. I look forward to our next get together, wherever it is. And when I return from the PI, we'll do one at my pad, sometime in October.

One last thing. After the tournament I was trying to figure out how I won. All I can remember is missing two nine balls and two balls in the side. Mitchell had to remind me that I got out a lot of racks. Funny, but it seemed like a struggle to run out every time. Some things never change. I guess I'm a grinder for life. :smile:

As Bunny Rogoff likes to say, "Better to be a has been than a never was!"

P.S. The buy-in was $20, $160 in the pot. First paid $80, 2nd $40, 3rd $25, 4th $15. We didn't make a deal at the end! :smilewinkgrin:

 

[poolhustler]

Russ, what's the buy in? I'll play!

If someone can't make it, I will definately let you know.

PM your number....

 

[catpool9]

Winners Circle

View attachment 148160


Of the 2010 DogsPlayingPool Invitational. And yes, folks, believe it or not, this was NOT a Short Rack Banks event but rather a 9 Ball tourney.

The old road dog proved a worthy champion, grinding through the west side of the chart after a first round loss to take down the event over a strong field, plus me. He used to perfection a strategy of losing every lag and getting out of position often to turn even the easiest pattern into a tough run-out in order to take the first place trophy and cash. Every part of his game appeared to be in top order including a beautifully executed illegal jump shot that would have won him that rack had he not later dogged the 9, leaving it hanging in the corner. Congratulations Jay, on a hard fought win. You are a worthy champion! There are not many players that can make the game of 9 Ball look so difficult!

View attachment 148161

The final order of finish:

1st: Jay Helfert:

View attachment 148162

2nd: Aunty Dan
3rd: sponge bob
4th: SDBilliards
5th-8th: poolhustler, DogsPlayingPool, i4pool, atthecat.

Congrats Jay! I know it feels good to be in the winners circle, a great feeling to have! Shoot on brother!


David Harcrow

 

[AuntyDan]

After the tournament I was trying to figure out how I won. All I can remember is missing two nine balls and two balls in the side. Mitchell had to remind me that I got out a lot of racks. Funny, but it seemed like a struggle to run out every time...

Our fatal mistake was letting things go on too long. As soon as the clock struck Midnight the human Jay who missed as many balls as the rest of us hacks was replaced by some inhuman run-out machine stuffed into Jay's unwitting body. (Some say he was bitten by a rabid Earl Strickland during a full moon, some that he was struck as a child by a radioactive meteorite shaped exactly like a 9 ball. The truth, I suspect, lies somewhere in between.)

Our final match was entirely one sided. Whilst he did cunningly allow me to win the lag so I could break and scratch, and did condescend to break dry so I could miss the One ball, the rest was all him. In the final rack he showed a sliver of his remaining humanity by getting bad shape on the 6. However instead of doing the decent thing of trying a wild bank or something else suitably missable he played a lock-up safety, got BIH and ran out.

A good time was had by all, which was easy to tell as no-one even bothered with the Poker table DPP had thoughtfully setup, we were all to busy socializing or catching up on our sadly-lacking musical education. (It was a pity too after all the trouble he had gone to wiring those hidden cameras around the table. )

 

[JoeyA]

I KNEW HE WAS LAYING A LEMON WITH ME.!

I'll tell 'em !

 

[jay helfert]

I KNEW HE WAS LAYING A LEMON WITH ME.!

I'll tell 'em !

Joey Baby, you've been wiping up in tournaments back there for years now. Maybe not winning but making high finishes in strong fields. Don't think we aren't paying attention!

You know in our generation you had to be a 9-Ball player. That was always the main money game! One Pocket was second by a long ways. If you wanted to be a pool player during my generation, you damn sure better be able to play 9-Ball, because that's what you were going to get asked to play most of the time. :smile:

It was a fluke when someone outside of the South or Chicago asked me to play Banks. No one played Banks on the entire East Coast, except Jimmy Fusco (and white Cannonball from Buffalo). Same on the West Coast when I came out here, exception being in the black pool halls. Thankfully One Pocket was played just about everywhere, but the first game you had to play a guy was almost always 9-Ball. I was happy when the 9-Ball was over and a guy asked me if I played One Pocket.

 

[Donny Wessels]

It was a honor for me to be invited, you all seemed to be way above my speed. I still enjoyed playing, and appreciate you guys being patient with all my missed shots. Lucky for me we were playing 9-ball. Mitchell, your pockets are too tight. LOL. You were a great host. thank you.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Nice try there, Donny. But let the record show you were the one who put Jay on the one-loss side.

Here's a shot of Aunty Dan in action in the final:

 

[junkbond]

It looks as though the "Turd Ferguson Invitational" was a roaring success and a hell of a good time. Makes me kind of regret moving to the boonies.

Jay, you are dead right about the great playing tables Donny produces. The GC V I got from you and had reworked by Donny can't be beat.

 

[JoeyA]

Joey Baby, you've been wiping up in tournaments back there for years now. Maybe not winning but making high finishes in strong fields. Don't think we aren't paying attention!

You know in our generation you had to be a 9-Ball player. That was always the main money game! One Pocket was second by a long ways. If you wanted to be a pool player during my generation, you damn sure better be able to play 9-Ball, because that's what you were going to get asked to play most of the time. :smile:

It was a fluke when someone outside of the South or Chicago asked me to play Banks. No one played Banks on the entire East Coast, except Jimmy Fusco (and white Cannonball from Buffalo). Same on the West Coast when I came out here, exception being in the black pool halls. Thankfully One Pocket was played just about everywhere, but the first game you had to play a guy was almost always 9-Ball. I was happy when the 9-Ball was over and a guy asked me if I played One Pocket.

SAVE IT, Jay!

I saw what the title said on that trophy!

 

[jay helfert]

SAVE IT, Jay!

I saw what the title said on that trophy!

Joey, I know I was holding out on you to play one set of each - Banks and One Pocket. But if I get in semi stroke and have my cue with me I will play you some One Pocket, fifty a game, no spot. Just to see if you can beat up on your elders. :smile:

When we played that short match a few years ago, the house cue I had was shit and I was dead out of stroke. But one caveat to this, if I'm at a tournament working, you can't expect me to play. My job will always come first. That's just the way it is.

 

[JoeyA]

Joey, I know I was holding out on you to play one set of each - Banks and One Pocket. But if I get in semi stroke and if I have my cue with me I will play you some One Pocket, fifty a game, no spot. Just to see if you can beat up on your elders. :smile:

When we played that short match a few years ago, the house cue I had was shit and I was dead out of stroke. But one caveat to this, if I'm at a tournament working, you can't expect me to play. My job will always come first. That's just the way it is.

Jay,
Obama's spending money faster than the government presses can print it and it's devaluing the dollar every day. You're going to have to bump that number up.


And puleeeeeze get rid of all those "ifs". You're :killingme:, Jay.
JoeyA

 

[jay helfert]

Jay,
Obama's spending money faster than the government presses can print it and it's devaluing the dollar every day. You're going to have to bump that number up.


And puleeeeeze get rid of all those "ifs". You're :killingme:, Jay.
JoeyA

Boy, you hustle hard man! I like guys like you though. Keep coming, coming, coming until they get it! Your day will come my friend. I hope you like it! :smile:

 

[ugotaction]

comin out of retirement I see

GET em Jay!! good shootin ....hope everything is good out west. later

 

[jay helfert]

GET em Jay!! good shootin ....hope everything is good out west. later

Brandon, I've been fooling people for forty years. No one ever thinks I can play, until it's over. I like it that way. :smile:
Even when we're done, usually they tell me how lucky I am. I like that too!

 

[JoeyA]

Boy, you hustle hard man! I like guys like you though. Keep coming, coming, coming until they get it! Your day will come my friend. I hope you like it! :smile:

The pros beat me, the girls spank me, the bangers beat me. Why should the GingerBread Man be deprived of getting in a good whipping on poor old JoeyA?

No hustle here, Jay. It ain't me that's been laying it down for a decade.

I let it all hang out every time I play. :yeah:

(And unfortunately, it's not very pretty).

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Brandon, I've been fooling people for forty years. No one ever thinks I can play, until it's over. I like it that way. :smile:
Even when we're done, usually they tell me how lucky I am. I like that too!

Yeah, sure. Unless you're telling us you got lucky:

I got lucky!

Really, all the guys played good and I could have lost any match. Even in an eight man event, I had to win five in a row on the loser's side. I was worn out at the end. It was a helluva lot of fun and I can't wait for the next one. Mitchell was a great host! Thanks Mitch.

You got all the moves, my friend! :killingme: