apa is awesome because......

L

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was reading the thread about title's you will never see on azb. So after reading the post about spa I just could not resist:D

So now that I have your attention I might as well go ahead and state why I think the spa is awesome.

Rules and handicapping system is geared towards new players thus bringing on more new players to our sport than any other league.

Side effects of bringing numerous new players into pool ...some being obvious and son not so obvious.

Some people never would have began playing pool if it was not for apa

Some improve enough to tire of being penalized...in their opinion of being penalized for improving and branch out to other leagues that at geared toward higher level players or just become serious players playing in pool halls. I suppose you could think of it as a minor league farm system

The most obvious benefit is that all those members become customers of the billiard industry buying cues and tables and such besides helping keep venues in business.....bars and pool halls alike.

As for me personally....

Apa has turned me from a bar banger into some one who is serious about the game.

Scouring the internet to learn all I could about pool thus coming across this site.

Like other apa members ..i have bought a table and more cues including customs than I need looking for that magic wand and cases to keep them in .

Took an all day lesson from Randy g.

So you see....apa realm is awesome :D
 
You know this isnt gonna end well, don't you? :p

I really enjoy playing in our APA division. Like lorider, it got me searching the net to read up on pool when I couldn't be playing (ie goofing off at work) and it led me here.

I've met a very, very large group of people whom I call friends, that I would not have met otherwise. Many are very close personal friends as a result. That, as they say, is priceless.
 
Do you ever feel like you've jumped into the lion pit with a steak tied around your neck?

I doubt that I'd ever have even picked up a cue were it not for the APA.
Dub and Lo already said it. Ditto.
...and I'd gladly take a cyber bullet for my APA brethren, so lets' circle up. :cool:
 
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A couple people that work with my girl friend play in an APA league and they needed players. Well they talked us into it an at first I wasn't happy about it. When the league finally started I was hooked. Started researching everything I could about pool and that's how I found this site. Took a couple of lessons with Karen Corr which was a lot of fun. Met the owner of Big Daddy Billiards in Glen Burnie and just going there so often when they were open he was always around to give pointers. .(Rick Molineiro who is just a great guy that loves the game.) Would have probably never got that into pool like I am now if it wasn't for the APA.
 
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The three major points that drew me to the APA as a league operator 25 years ago were:

1) the handicap system...which works great if both teams keep score correctly. The problem is most teams don't! :rolleyes:

2) the ONLY league system that allowed coaching...you could learn while you played, instead of making an error, having it explained to you afterwards, and then having to wait until that same opportunity came up in another game! Jumps the learning curve up a lot.

3) the ONLY league EVER to pay last place prize money (ok, $350 per team ain't much...but when you go back home, and are asked how you did, you can honestly say, "We finished in the money!"). :grin:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
 
JohnBoy21 said:
A couple people that work with my girl friend play in an APA league and they needed players. Well they talked us into it an at first I wasn't happy about it. When the league finally started I was hooked. Started researching everything I could about pool and that's how I found this site. Took a couple of lessons with Karen Corr which was a lot of fun. Met the owner of Big Daddy Billiards in Glen Burnie and just going there so often when they were open he was always around to give pointers. .(Rick Molineiro who is just a great guy that loves the game.) Would have probably never got that into pool like I am now if it wasn't for the APA.
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Good story Johnny Boy! Rick is a friend of mine and you are right, he is always there to offer advice to the up and coming players. If you don't mind, what place do yard play out of? Just curious and I'm from that area and thought we might know one another. Keep on playing and getting better brother!
 
Pool League System

Scott,
Didn't know you used to be a league operator. Nice,

Regardless of the League System there is a lot to like about the APA, BCA, or any of the league systems because at least we have a recruitment tool to bring some new people into it.



Scott Lee said:
The three major points that drew me to the APA as a league operator 25 years ago were:

1) the handicap system...which works great if both teams keep score correctly. The problem is most teams don't! :rolleyes:

2) the ONLY league system that allowed coaching...you could learn while you played, instead of making an error, having it explained to you afterwards, and then having to wait until that same opportunity came up in another game! Jumps the learning curve up a lot.

3) the ONLY league EVER to pay last place prize money (ok, $350 per team ain't much...but when you go back home, and are asked how you did, you can honestly say, "We finished in the money!"). :grin:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
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couldnthinkof01 said:
Apa masters, 9ft tables, no handicap, 8ball& 9ball= a pretty good time
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I have been asked to join several Masters teams. I've declined each time because I really can not stand playing 8 ball. Theyou don't by chance have a Masters league that's just 9 ball do they?
 
Good points

I can think of three....

1.) It pays the bills. Several of the places I play pool at, have told me if it wasn't for leagues they would have a tough time making it work.

2.) It introduces people that would never play pool to playing pool. I admit it is usually more social than serious, but we need more pool players not less. Like most things in life, most get out of it what they put into it.

3.) Standard rules. While there are a few rules I would change if I could, (no push out after the break in 9 ball) and every bar has "house rules" APA does have standard rules that the entire league must follow.

Ken
 
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lorider said:
Rules and handicapping system is geared towards new players thus bringing on more new players to our sport than any other league.
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Every league or professional circuit has rules so I don't understand why that was included in your statement.

Handicapping is good and needed on any league that can have such a big variance of player skills pitted against each other. Lower level players would have no interest in continuing if there was no way for them to compete on some kind of level field or they felt they are wasting their time because they can't win and/or help their team in some way. I have had more teams just drop out of hockey leagues than pool leagues because they can't compete.

There is a certain point that you as an individual should not need a handicap because if you get to the table you either run it out or you hook your opponent, but rarely make a mistake. However, many of those same players will try to get weight (handicap) when playing for money which is pretty hypocritical. So equate handicapping in leagues to sports betting. In theory the teams are "equally" able to compete but the reality is they can't and as such someone decides how to give weight to encourage others to participate along with them in a virtual money world. Without that handicapping the sports betting world would have ended a long time ago.

I play in 2 leagues. APA and Missouri 8 Ball which have almost identical rules. They both have a handicap type system. APA is individually based with a max team limit in affect at all times and at all levels. MO8 is team based with no max limit but the divisions are grouped accordingly to give all a chance until you get to the team championship. There you will shoot any team of any level and it does not typically go well for lower level teams. As a result some never even bother to go because they know their team is going to get smoked by a team of all 6, 7 and 8 skill level players. MO8 skills are typically one less then APA in that a typical APA 6 in our area will be a 5 in MO8, etc.

I know people rag on the APA because of some rules and the 23 limit, but it has probably done more for pool than all other leagues in the country combined. You have options though. If you can't stick to 23 and there are many in your area with the same problem start a Super league with a cap of 30 or masters with no cap at all.
 
BmoreMoney said:
Good story Johnny Boy! Rick is a friend of mine and you are right, he is always there to offer advice to the up and coming players. If you don't mind, what place do yard play out of? Just curious and I'm from that area and thought we might know one another. Keep on playing and getting better brother!
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The team I play with right now plays out of a little bar in Pasadena called Lake Shore Tavern. Has a 7 foot diamond table in the back which is great compared to most places in my area. But I go around to a lot of places to practice on my own. Top Hat cue club and triple nines bar and grill are the main 2 that I like to go to because of the nine foot tables. Makes it easy when you switch to those bar box tables on league night. I'm pretty quiet and keep to myself most of the time since I'm normally just doing different drills that I've found on this website or others.
 
JohnBoy21 said:
The team I play with right now plays out of a little bar in Pasadena called Lake Shore Tavern. Has a 7 foot diamond table in the back which is great compared to most places in my area. But I go around to a lot of places to practice on my own. Top Hat cue club and triple nines bar and grill are the main 2 that I like to go to because of the nine foot tables. Makes it easy when you switch to those bar box tables on league night. I'm pretty quiet and keep to myself most of the time since I'm normally just doing different drills that I've found on this website or others.
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Yeah I know the Tavern well. I never spent much time there but some years back I was doing a girl that played on a team there. I can say they sure do have some " characters " in that place lol! I know Top Hat and 999'see well. Pretty much only pool halls we have left, unless you count Bank Shots down in Laurel. I consider Top Hat my home room, although I truthfully haven't made it up there much last couple years. It's closed now but Willy D's used to my local watering hole I hung at and played most of my pool at. Also, if you haven't already check out Firehouse Pub - located right next to Riviera Beach firehouse. The owner Jason is a friend of mine and a really cool dude - he is into pool and cards pretty good. He used to own the pool hall on Mountain Rd called Bank Schatz. The bar only has one table now but Def a cool place to hang, have a few beers, and shoot some pool.
 
BmoreMoney said:
Yeah I know the Tavern well. I never spent much time there but some years back I was doing a girl that played on a team there. I can say they sure do have some " characters " in that place lol! I know Top Hat and 999'see well. Pretty much only pool halls we have left, unless you count Bank Shots down in Laurel. I consider Top Hat my home room, although I truthfully haven't made it up there much last couple years. It's closed now but Willy D's used to my local watering hole I hung at and played most of my pool at. Also, if you haven't already check out Firehouse Pub - located right next to Riviera Beach firehouse. The owner Jason is a friend of mine and a really cool dude - he is into pool and cards pretty good. He used to own the pool hall on Mountain Rd called Bank Schatz. The bar only has one table now but Def a cool place to hang, have a few beers, and shoot some pool.
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I was at Willy D's quite a bit too. My girlfriends aunt used to be one of the bartenders there off and on. So they always had teams that were looking for players. There was a guy that was always at Willy D's named Shane I don't remember his last name but he was always fixing the AC units and breakers with another guy named mike(who unfortunately passed away within the last year he was a really great happy guy when I saw him) Both of them helped me when I first started playing with different things.

You are right they do have some characters down at lakeshore tavern...I try to just play pool. I'm not a big drinker and some people just like to start trouble around here specially if someone isn't drinking and doesn't want to gamble...
 
JohnBoy21 said:
I was at Willy D's quite a bit too. My girlfriends aunt used to be one of the bartenders there off and on. So they always had teams that were looking for players. There was a guy that was always at Willy D's named Shane I don't remember his last name but he was always fixing the AC units and breakers with another guy named mike(who unfortunately passed away within the last year he was a really great happy guy when I saw him) Both of them helped me when I first started playing with different things.

You are right they do have some characters down at lakeshore tavern...I try to just play pool. I'm not a big drinker and some people just like to start trouble around here specially if someone isn't drinking and doesn't want to gamble...
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I'd bet quite a bit if you're in there and not drinking and not gambling you have probably been accused of being a cop on more than one occasion lol! Your girlfriends aunt wasn't Pam by any chance was it ( I call her Pammy and SHE IS AWESOME! )? For some reason Shane and Mike doesn't ring a bell but I'm certain I'd know them if I saw them. I knew the owner Dave M pretty well and we used to play a lot ( not for money lol ). I'm good friends with most of the team " Chics with Dicks" actually chics with sticks but that what I always called them to mess with them☺
 
BmoreMoney said:
I'd bet quite a bit if you're in there and not drinking and not gambling you have probably been accused of being a cop on more than one occasion lol! Your girlfriends aunt wasn't Pam by any chance was it ( I call her Pammy and SHE IS AWESOME! )? For some reason Shane and Mike doesn't ring a bell but I'm certain I'd know them if I saw them. I knew the owner Dave M pretty well and we used to play a lot ( not for money lol ). I'm good friends with most of the team " Chics with Dicks" actually chics with sticks but that what I always called them to mess with them☺
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Nope her Aunt is Brenda..... My team actually shoots Chicks with Stix in 2 weeks I believe at tuggies. Which is a place I don't like to go but don't got a choice haha.
 
JohnBoy21 said:
Nope her Aunt is Brenda..... My team actually shoots Chicks with Stix in 2 weeks I believe at tuggies. Which is a place I don't like to go but don't got a choice haha.
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Lol. Just keep a tight grip on your girlfriend when you go to Tuggies, it's not the guys ( if there are even any in there ) that you have to worry about lol!
 
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