I started putting on Saturday afternoon 9-ball tournaments at my place a little while back. Nothing big, mind you. There's a $10 entry with 100% payout going back to the field. All matches are a race to 5 with no losers bracket.
One of the players, Mattie (we'll call him Mattie...because that's his name!), is a pretty good shot. He's 19 or 20 years old (I know he's not 21 because he can't drink here yet!). He's ranked as a "4" in the APA, but there has to be something going on with his ranking, because he's a strong "5" on his okay days! He thinks I'm better than he is (I'm an APA "6")...and I keep him thinking that because I always tell him, "You're about the only one who makes me nervous shooting a money game..." Little does he know, I'm not kidding. If this kid could devote the time, he'd be phenomenal (and yes, I've told him that time after time). When he's on, he's a strong "6"...but he's not always on, so maybe that's why he's a "4".
Anyway, Mattie got paired up against a middle-aged gentleman I hadn't seen before (one of those friend of a friend types who heard about the tournament and showed up - so we'll call him Bob...we'll call him Bob because I can't remember his name...). Well, I could tell this other guy had spent most of his pool playing life as an 8-ball bar shooter, but not that bad of a shot really. He wasn't too familiar with 9-ball rules and he spent as much time bullshi**ing during his turn at the table as he did shooting.
I'm running around making sure everyone has what they need while they're playing and trying to watch as much of the action as possible. I happened to be standing near their table when I saw "Bob" setting up for his shot. At which point Mattie said, "Bob, your shooting the 4. The 3 is still on the table."
"Hmmm," I said to myself..."very impressive sportsmanship Mattie". So, I go along my way still thinking about that one. I think that match was 3 & 1 in Mattie's favor. Mattie ends up taking the game. Now it's 4 & 1. Final game. Mattie breaks and a few turns at the table later, I happen to overhear something else happening. Mattie had played a good safety and Bob, who was seemingly more interested in talking than playing, thought that a foul had occurred. So, he picked up the cueball thinking it was ball-in-hand. It wasn't. Mattie could have accepted that foul and ended the match then and there. Instead, Mattie, very nicely said, "Just put it back as close to where it was and go ahead and shoot." WOW!
Mattie went on to take second place in that tournament. The final match came down to a 4 & 4 tie to get to the last game in the match...so the tournament could have gone either way. Don't tell anyone I was pulling for Mattie...
I pulled Mattie aside a few days later and told him I was proud of what he did. I told him to me, he had maturity beyond his years...and that he should hold his head up high for being a "true sportsman"...and I believe that 100%!!!
Jason
One of the players, Mattie (we'll call him Mattie...because that's his name!), is a pretty good shot. He's 19 or 20 years old (I know he's not 21 because he can't drink here yet!). He's ranked as a "4" in the APA, but there has to be something going on with his ranking, because he's a strong "5" on his okay days! He thinks I'm better than he is (I'm an APA "6")...and I keep him thinking that because I always tell him, "You're about the only one who makes me nervous shooting a money game..." Little does he know, I'm not kidding. If this kid could devote the time, he'd be phenomenal (and yes, I've told him that time after time). When he's on, he's a strong "6"...but he's not always on, so maybe that's why he's a "4".
Anyway, Mattie got paired up against a middle-aged gentleman I hadn't seen before (one of those friend of a friend types who heard about the tournament and showed up - so we'll call him Bob...we'll call him Bob because I can't remember his name...). Well, I could tell this other guy had spent most of his pool playing life as an 8-ball bar shooter, but not that bad of a shot really. He wasn't too familiar with 9-ball rules and he spent as much time bullshi**ing during his turn at the table as he did shooting.
I'm running around making sure everyone has what they need while they're playing and trying to watch as much of the action as possible. I happened to be standing near their table when I saw "Bob" setting up for his shot. At which point Mattie said, "Bob, your shooting the 4. The 3 is still on the table."
"Hmmm," I said to myself..."very impressive sportsmanship Mattie". So, I go along my way still thinking about that one. I think that match was 3 & 1 in Mattie's favor. Mattie ends up taking the game. Now it's 4 & 1. Final game. Mattie breaks and a few turns at the table later, I happen to overhear something else happening. Mattie had played a good safety and Bob, who was seemingly more interested in talking than playing, thought that a foul had occurred. So, he picked up the cueball thinking it was ball-in-hand. It wasn't. Mattie could have accepted that foul and ended the match then and there. Instead, Mattie, very nicely said, "Just put it back as close to where it was and go ahead and shoot." WOW!
Mattie went on to take second place in that tournament. The final match came down to a 4 & 4 tie to get to the last game in the match...so the tournament could have gone either way. Don't tell anyone I was pulling for Mattie...
I pulled Mattie aside a few days later and told him I was proud of what he did. I told him to me, he had maturity beyond his years...and that he should hold his head up high for being a "true sportsman"...and I believe that 100%!!!
Jason
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