The Ballad of John and Lou, Part Two
- Thread starter lfigueroa
- Start date
Nice read Lou. Should hear from JB soon enough
Thanks, PH.
I'm sure John will have a brief statement forthcoming.
Lou Figueroa
I've told this story many times: Maybe like 10 years ago I asked on RSB what would cause a ball to lose a significant amount of speed coming off a rail. Didn't name any pool hall.
Next thing I know Chris is complaining to Shirley that I'm bad mouthing them, puts on his jacket, and tells her "it's him or me" and storms out of the pool hall. Shirley, of course, choose to support junior. Best thing that ever happened to my pool game. I had stayed loyal to C&C for many years because of Bob. He was a player himself and treated me very well when he was alive. I continued to play there after his death, even though I hated the equipment and all the mismatched tables, out of loyalty. Then this happen. I think that was the week Gail I went to Jamaica for a week. When we got home there was a box on our door. In it were the 8x10 B&W photos of me playing in the US Open that used to hang by the 1pocket table in the corner and the set of centennials I used to keep there. And that was it. I then went on to be a regular at Chesterfield Billiards for many years and, after it closed, The Break. Like I said, best thing that ever happened to my pool game and I don't miss it one little tiny bit. Same couple of guys passing the same $100 bill back and forth night after night (if Big Ed isn't in retirement again for the umpteenth time).
Lou Figueroa
Starting to have a different opinion of JB. Not that my opinion matters. Like to hear more about the coaching. JB says he wasn't coached. I assume he agrees any coaching would have been wrong. They may not want to get involved but it sounds like someone NOT from either camp knows the truth.
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I heard he was banned because he kept robbing everyone in there..
lol.
Lou Figueroa
Based on what he has said I would guess he put up $3000 of his own money (or right in that vicinity). I don't know if backer is the right term for the rest of the money, it seems the other $7,000 of action was taken by someone and according to Lou they gave him a jellyroll. Normally a backer would take a percentage of the winnings and the player would get a percentage determined beforehand. I guess it could be called a backer but if I ever give up a piece of my action I don't consider the person taking it a backer in any way.
According to Lou Dennis was coaching you on what to do while Lou was figuring out his shot. If so this guy Dennis would have to be the biggest genius in pool. He would have to determine what Lou was going to do (which Lou hadn't even determined), how well he would execute what he was planning to do, the end result of what Lou was going to do. Then based on all of this coach you on your next shot. The guy Dennis could make a fortune telling the future with these skills. LOL.
Congratulations on the win Lou. A well played match, by both of you.
I was there in person to bet against Barton, but couldn't make it in time for the start, so asked Mikey if he could place a bet for me until I got there. I think we were all disappointed at the refusal of all the side bets.
I ended up playing a couple sets with Mikey a few tables away, so I did not watch the match very intently. However, I do recall John making a comeback. When the score was within one game around 6-5 or thereabouts, I thought John was going to get the win. The thing I look at when watching gamblers (that can play, which you both can) is their demeanor. At this stage in the match, John had a ton of energy, had a totally focused and determined look on his face. He couldn't wait to come to the table and shoot.
At this same time, what I noticed in your face was nervousness, and uneasiness. I don't mean this as an insult at all, but it almost looked like you wanted to cry. Again, this was just my observation from a couple of tables away. You had a completely different look on your face then when I first watched the match in person, when the score was something like 3-1 or so. I left after this point, and thought for sure the match was going to turn, due solely to the body language of you and John. I don't know if the cameras picked up on this or not.
All that said, you did real good to come back from that pressure of having a big lead, and then watching it dwindle to almost nothing. You worked through that uncertainty, and persevered.
One of the strongest things I've read on here I think was from Geno. He said something to the affect of "you can't practice for the finals of a tournament unless you are in the finals". Basically it means you can't practice a situation you have never been in, and you don't know how your body is going to react the first time you get in that situation (finals of the tournament, or a huge grudge match where the guy comes back on you, in this case).
So congratulations again on a well played match to you both, and to you Lou, for overcoming the various pressures, both internal and external, during the match.
I was there in person to bet against Barton, but couldn't make it in time for the start, so asked Mikey if he could place a bet for me until I got there. I think we were all disappointed at the refusal of all the side bets.
I ended up playing a couple sets with Mikey a few tables away, so I did not watch the match very intently. However, I do recall John making a comeback. When the score was within one game around 6-5 or thereabouts, I thought John was going to get the win. The thing I look at when watching gamblers (that can play, which you both can) is their demeanor. At this stage in the match, John had a ton of energy, had a totally focused and determined look on his face. He couldn't wait to come to the table and shoot.
At this same time, what I noticed in your face was nervousness, and uneasiness. I don't mean this as an insult at all, but it almost looked like you wanted to cry. Again, this was just my observation from a couple of tables away. You had a completely different look on your face then when I first watched the match in person, when the score was something like 3-1 or so. I left after this point, and thought for sure the match was going to turn, due solely to the body language of you and John. I don't know if the cameras picked up on this or not.
All that said, you did real good to come back from that pressure of having a big lead, and then watching it dwindle to almost nothing. You worked through that uncertainty, and persevered.
One of the strongest things I've read on here I think was from Geno. He said something to the affect of "you can't practice for the finals of a tournament unless you are in the finals". Basically it means you can't practice a situation you have never been in, and you don't know how your body is going to react the first time you get in that situation (finals of the tournament, or a huge grudge match where the guy comes back on you, in this case).
So congratulations again on a well played match to you both, and to you Lou, for overcoming the various pressures, both internal and external, during the match.
1. Great write up, thanks. I'm surprised you left out the PayPal bit, but I think you mentioned somewhere else that you found it funny and took it well.
2. Congratulations and well played!
3. I do not at all question your perception of coaching by Dennis Spears. But it still seems unknowable whether or not the coaching was generic encouragement or specific advice. The specific shot you view as the "tell" was discussed at length at 1P.org and widely (perhaps universally) regarded as the wrong shot for a player of any skill level. Clever, maybe, but not the correct shot by a good margin.
By all accounts, Spears is a great one pocket player, so if he's secretly coaching why wouldn't he instead give the better advice and say "kick the 3"?
I'm looking forward to part 3.
Cory
Here's the layout in question (courtesy of Mkbtank):
Thanks, Cory.
Oh yeah, he totally got me on the PayPal thing, lol, but I had to cut something out and since I'd already said something about it...
About the shot, my recollection may be wrong, but I think I had the other pocket that game, IOW, the left pocket facing the rack from the kitchen.
If so, I actually had John in a pretty tough spot.
I think the kick would have been tough to judge and maybe the thinking was that laying up on the two spotted balls, even though it took him off the hill, was pretty easy to execute and guaranteed he would not leave a shot on the open ball from where I could with break up the two spotted balls, or play for a bank shot, or position for one of the many variations on shots to pocket a ball when there's two on the spot. If he misplays the kick and leaves me a shot on the open ball it is a potential game loser.
Lou Figueroa
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I did not personally know of Rage Against the Machine. I have kollegedave to thank for that.
Lou Figueroa
would have otherwise
gone with some Sinatra