how are ya'll doing in league ?

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
just got back from napa league. lost a tough one....actually i beat myself.:embarrassed2:

my opponent won the lag and chose 10 ball and it was a 7-3 race. me going to 3 of course.

i won the 1st rack he won the 2nd. i won the 3rd and thought...damn i am on the hill already and he has 6 more to win.

well i break and run 9 balls and leave myself bad on the 10. i walk away from the table to compose myself cause i am nervous as a long tail cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

rattle the pocket...damn. he wins. next rack he makes the 10 on the break. after that the only time i got to the table was to kick at something.

hate it when i beat myself. every one on both teams said i shot better than they have seen me shoot in a long time. still was not good enough though. well learn from your mistakes and move on i guess.

got 9 ball tri cups fri night. hope i continue shooting as well as i have been the last week and a half.

What kind of league do you play in where a 3 can just about run out a 10 ball rack? In APA and TAP a 3 would have to be shown which end of the stick to use.
 
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DAVE_M

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What kind of league do you play in where a 3 can just about run out a 10 ball rack?

Should have come to the NOLA APA City Cup... LOL

I'm a SL5 in APA 9-ball. Although, I don't believe I should be ranked a SL8/9, the SL5 ranking is way off. We only have one SL8 in our entire division. He plays pretty sporty, but we have a handful of SL5's and SL6's that can play the same speed, if not better. Out of 32 players in our division, the majority are SL4's and SL5's that can run a table. I keep up to speed with SL7+ on a 4" Diamond 9 footer, but I'm an SL5 on a barbox LOL

I was always told, that the New Orleans and Louisiana APA divisions are the most hated for sandbagging at Nationals. I can definitely see why. We have a few players just shy of short stop and they are SL6's... :eek:

Here's a short story of how bad it is...

A few months ago, I was practicing on the barbox at our local place. In walks a younger guy, around 23, that I used to play with in an in-house league. We started shooting the bull and he asked if we could practice a little; Race to 11, 9-ball; Race to 11, 8-ball. I took it down 11-3, 9-ball. He took it down, 11-5, 8-ball. In his 11 wins, he ran a two pack and a three pack. Five out of eleven games, he broke and ran. Lucky day or not, no SL5 does that.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Should have come to the NOLA APA City Cup... LOL

I'm a SL5 in APA 9-ball. Although, I don't believe I should be ranked a SL8/9, the SL5 ranking is way off. We only have one SL8 in our entire division. He plays pretty sporty, but we have a handful of SL5's and SL6's that can play the same speed, if not better. Out of 32 players in our division, the majority are SL4's and SL5's that can run a table. I keep up to speed with SL7+ on a 4" Diamond 9 footer, but I'm an SL5 on a barbox LOL

I was always told, that the New Orleans and Louisiana APA divisions are the most hated for sandbagging at Nationals. I can definitely see why. We have a few players just shy of short stop and they are SL6's... :eek:

Here's a short story of how bad it is...

A few months ago, I was practicing on the barbox at our local place. In walks a younger guy, around 23, that I used to play with in an in-house league. We started shooting the bull and he asked if we could practice a little; Race to 11, 9-ball; Race to 11, 8-ball. I took it down 11-3, 9-ball. He took it down, 11-5, 8-ball. In his 11 wins, he ran a two pack and a three pack. Five out of eleven games, he broke and ran. Lucky day or not, no SL5 does that.

If I see that, I'm going right to the league operator although I'm sure many don't care as long as the players show up and pay. Next step I am quitting the league. One of the reasons I have not played league for the first 20 years I played pool, and recently I only did it to play with my son in a league just to have some fun and hang out with him.

I am sure my captain gets pissed at me but if I am playing against someone who is clearly under-rating I don't even try to play but I sure let everyone in the area know that the guy I am playing cheats to keep his level artificially low.
 

krupa

The Dream Operator
Silver Member
What kind of league do you play in where a 3 can just about run out a 10 ball rack? In APA and TAP a 3 would have to be shown which end of the stick to use.

In NAPA, SLs work differently. The races are based on the difference between ranks. I am ranked as a 61 in 9ball and last week played a 90-something. It was a 7-3 race. When I stopped playing APA, I was a 7 in 9-ball. I should mention, though, that my 9-bal rank is lower than it should be due to a long slump.
 

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
In Valley last Tuesday I lost my first 2 matches and won my last 3. It had been 2 weeks since I played on bar tables with slower cloth and it took awhile to adjust. Team played well and I think we are pretty solid top to bottom.
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
So I actually had some Fargin' Bastage that I've known for over 20 years accuse me of playing below my speed. He's gone as far as to tell my own team that he hates playing me because I hold back (sorry, I can't bring myself to say 'Sand*%&$"). So we have a 9 ball match the other day, afterwards, he leaves and I address this with his captain . Basically the conversation went like this, Why is he so mad at me? He thinks you hold back. What do you think? I think you all hold back. I'm an S/L 6 (8 ball) and an S/L 7 (9 ball), does that sound like I hold back? Yes. You think I should be a 7 and a 9? Yes. (APA Players)
I thanked her, but really, I'm no 7 or 9. My game has improved by several steps in the past year or so, but in truth I'm probably more along the lines of a 5/6 and a 6/7. My game is far to inconsistent to be considered above that.
This guy is a 6 (8 ball) and a 7 (9 ball) and 20 years ago that's exactly where he was. So in 20 + years he hasn't improved not one bit? Who's really laying down?
Man, I'm kinda to the point when I wanna tell my captain I want to play him every time we face this team and I want to just drill him each time. You know, make one ball, play a safe, ball in had make another one, play a safe. But, until recently we have been friendly and I'm not willing to blow 20 years of cordial interaction because I'm pissed and maybe feeling like a little childish retaliation, but no one else in our division is accusing me of laying down. and all this questioning my integrity is really beginning to bug me.
I suppose I should just laugh and just let him get over it. Just wondering what I should (if anything) do. Sorry for the rant, thanks for the ear.

As I went back and read this it really reminded me of this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1TnzCiUSI0
 
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hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I actually had some Fargin' Bastage that I've known for over 20 years accuse me of playing below my speed. He's gone as far as to tell my own team that he hates playing me because I hold back (sorry, I can't bring myself to say 'Sand*%&$"). So we have a 9 ball match the other day, afterwards, he leaves and I address this with his captain . Basically the conversation went like this, Why is he so mad at me? He thinks you hold back. What do you think? I think you all hold back. I'm an S/L 6 (8 ball) and an S/L 7 (9 ball), does that sound like I hold back? Yes. You think I should be a 7 and a 9? Yes.
I thanked her, but really, I'm no 7 or 9. My game has improved by several steps in the past year or so, but in truth I'm probably more along the lines of a 5/6 and a 6/7. My game is far to inconsistent to be considered above that.
This guy is a 6 (8 ball) and a 7 (9 ball) and 20 years ago that's exactly where he was. So in 20 + years he hasn't improved not one bit? Who's really laying down?
Man, I'm kinda to the point when I wanna tell my captain I want to play him every time we face this team and I want to just drill him each time. You know, make one ball, play a safe, ball in had make another one, play a safe. But, until recently we have been friendly and I'm not willing to blow 20 years of cordial interaction because I'm pissed and maybe feeling like a little childish retaliation, but no one else in our division is accusing me of laying down. and all this questioning my integrity is really beginning to bug me.
I suppose I should just laugh and just let him get over it. Just wondering what I should (if anything) do. Sorry for the rant, thanks for the ear.

What to do.. check with 4-5 other players if you think you are ranked fairly. If we are talking APA rankings if you can run out a rack just about every match you should be higher. I was a 7 in TAP which is the highest you can be, and am a 6 now, I have maybe 6 break and runs in two seasons which is probably over 24 matches.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In NAPA, SLs work differently. The races are based on the difference between ranks. I am ranked as a 61 in 9ball and last week played a 90-something. It was a 7-3 race. When I stopped playing APA, I was a 7 in 9-ball. I should mention, though, that my 9-bal rank is lower than it should be due to a long slump.

That is very odd ranking. He is ranked about 33% higher than you but is giving up a 60% spot? Why would the game not be more like 7-5?
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
I love all this talk of 5's, 6's and 7's running out all the time.

I'm a 5 and I might get one BnR per session, between 8-ball and 9-ball combined. I keep score much of the time, and watch most all the matches. Even our SL7 rarely BnRs, at least in 8-ball. Its not as rare to see him get one BnR in a 9-ball match....

Probably why our division never gets a team to Vegas. Amoungst ourselves, I think we're handicapped pretty fairly. I guess we just aren't on the same scale as the rest of the country....
 

DAVE_M

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I love all this talk of 5's, 6's and 7's running out all the time.

I'm a 5 and I might get one BnR per session, between 8-ball and 9-ball combined. I keep score much of the time, and watch most all the matches. Even our SL7 rarely BnRs, at least in 8-ball. Its not as rare to see him get one BnR in a 9-ball match....

Probably why our division never gets a team to Vegas. Amoungst ourselves, I think we're handicapped pretty fairly. I guess we just aren't on the same scale as the rest of the country....

It's only one rack of each, but the guy in the video (me) is a SL5 in APA 9 & 8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQHf5YE9Sw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V_APkxNgeM
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's only one rack of each, but the guy in the video (me) is a SL5 in APA 9 & 8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQHf5YE9Sw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V_APkxNgeM

With how you were even aproaching the table, before I saw you make a ball, I would complain if I had to play you with you being a 5. It may be an area thing, but the way you line up and stoke and look over the table is better than what an APA 5 would be capable of. Maybe I'm off on what an APA 5 should look like, but that's what I think.

I posted a video of me playing before on a 9 footer, and while I am not ranked in the APA, in TAP which also has a 7 max rating in 9 ball, I was a 7 for a few weeks then a 6. You don't look to play any worse that I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6KKnuZWiWE&feature=player_detailpage#t=418
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
What to do.. check with 4-5 other players if you think you are ranked fairly. If we are talking APA rankings if you can run out a rack just about every match you should be higher. I was a 7 in TAP which is the highest you can be, and am a 6 now, I have maybe 6 break and runs in two seasons which is probably over 24 matches.

These are APA S/L's we're talking about
I get a b&r in 8 ball maybe once a month or so, in 9 ball maybe once every several sessions.
No one else has complained. I did ask my LO to please recalculate my current S/L to make sure it was correct and I did invite my LO or any staff member to come out and evaluate any time they wanted.
 

DAVE_M

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
With how you were even aproaching the table, before I saw you make a ball, I would complain if I had to play you with you being a 5. It may be an area thing, but the way you line up and stoke and look over the table is better than what an APA 5 would be capable of. Maybe I'm off on what an APA 5 should look like, but that's what I think.

I posted a video of me playing before on a 9 footer, and while I am not ranked in the APA, in TAP which also has a 7 max rating in 9 ball, I was a 7 for a few weeks then a 6. You don't look to play any worse that I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6KKnuZWiWE&feature=player_detailpage#t=418

There are at least four or five others SL5's that play my speed or better, in our area. It's ridiculous. Not to mention the amount of SL5's and SL6's that can put packs together in the New Orleans area.
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
With how you were even aproaching the table, before I saw you make a ball, I would complain if I had to play you with you being a 5. It may be an area thing, but the way you line up and stoke and look over the table is better than what an APA 5 would be capable of. Maybe I'm off on what an APA 5 should look like, but that's what I think.

I posted a video of me playing before on a 9 footer, and while I am not ranked in the APA, in TAP which also has a 7 max rating in 9 ball, I was a 7 for a few weeks then a 6. You don't look to play any worse that I do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6KKnuZWiWE&feature=player_detailpage#t=418

For perspective, I and many of the 5's here can play that well in short bursts. (Other than that 3 or 4 rail leave in the 9-ball video....I don't see our top shooters doing that sort of thing a lot, tho we play on nine footers so its less likely an option)

Its the consistency of playing like that, most of the time, that makes all the difference.
 

krupa

The Dream Operator
Silver Member
That is very odd ranking. He is ranked about 33% higher than you but is giving up a 60% spot? Why would the game not be more like 7-5?

I don't know how they came up with the races. All I can say is that we were rigiht at the edge because now after a two point swing (I went up 1 point, he went down 1), it would be an 8-4 race.

FWIW, 90+ players are very strong; you should expect a b-n-r or two in their matches.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What kind of league do you play in where a 3 can just about run out a 10 ball rack? In APA and TAP a 3 would have to be shown which end of the stick to use.

dont let the race set fool you...i am not a 3 lol. this is napa laggers choice league. i am a 50 in 10 ball and my opponent is a 92. there is a 42 point difference in our handicaps and the race matrix determines it is a 7-3 race. the entire race matrix is too large to bother listing here but i will give you a few examples.

when you match up you go by the stronger players handicap.

if you are between 50-59 s/l and you face a person that is 0-6 points lower than you it is a 4-4 race. 7-18 point difference , a 4-3 race. 19- 29 points is a 5-3 race .all the way up to a 49 + difference where it is a 6-2 race.

if you are between a 70-89 s/l you have a 5/5 race if your opponent is between 0-5 point difference. 30 point difference is 6-3 . 50 point difference is 6-2 .

i cross referenced some players handicaps that play both apa and napa in order to give you an idea how strong my opponent plays.

an apa 7/8. napa s/l 75 8 ball, 67 9 ball, 82 10 ball

another apa 7/8 72 8 ball, 75 9 ball, 83 10 ball.

an apa 6/6 47 8 ball, 57 9 ball , 51 10 ball

another apa 6/6 60 8 ball, 55 9 ball, 54 10 ball.

i am an apa 5/5. my napa s/l is 62 8 ball , 40 9 ball and 50 10 ball.

as you can see ...those apa 7/8's range between mid 70's to mid 80's in napa. you will also notice my napa s/l is right up there with apa 6's except for 9 ball and my 8 ball is higher than theirs.

i hope that gives you an idea of how strong a 90 something s/l is. we have around a dozen ranked at 90 to 100 and 5 ranked over a 100 in our area.

as far as i know only one of the s/l 90' plays apa and 2 of the over 100 do also. they are all 7/9 with one of them qualifying for the us amateur.

i have been known to be a staunch supporter of apa on this forum but i have said before and i will say again...napa is the best league out there in my opinion.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's only one rack of each, but the guy in the video (me) is a SL5 in APA 9 & 8.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pQHf5YE9Sw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V_APkxNgeM

i watched both vids. the 1st thing i wanna say is..... you break a helluva lot better than me.:frown:

the 9 ball vid, well ....on a good day i might can hang with you. when on the 6 i think i would have followed it up a lil more ...cutting the 7 in the side rolling down to get on the 8. i have made that 3 rail position shot a few times but it is 50/50 the cue ball finds that corner pocket lol. nothing wrong with the route you took at all cause it got the job done.


great shooting in the 8 ball vid. all i got to say if you ever missed i woulda saftied the shit outa you. :grin:
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There are at least four or five others SL5's that play my speed or better, in our area. It's ridiculous. Not to mention the amount of SL5's and SL6's that can put packs together in the New Orleans area.

Then your ranking is likely just the local group of good players, although if you really count a 2 as a D and a 7 as a B+ or an A, a 5 should be about a B- just going by that.

My brother in law is a 7 and I'm a tiny bit under him in speed, which I figure would make me a 6 but I may be a 7 in APA, which would make you as a 5 very under rated in our area.
 

leto1776

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Monday night APA 8-ball, I sat out, due to 2 other players needing to get their 4 matches in. That's ok, as we were all drinking heavily,celebrating two birthdays (my team mate turned 31 Sunday, I turned 21 Tuesday). we got creamed by the #1 team in our div, not that I was caring by the end of the night, with drinks getting pushed into my hands from every direction.

Tueday night 9-ball, lost 25-21 vs a fellow three. My bad luck this session, combined with her crazy good luck and straight up slop even she didn't think would go in, got her the win. we played on a Saunier Wilhem furniture table that is absolutely horrible. Sucks to lose on my birthday, but the pattern of bad luck continues this session, following a really good session for me.

wed night in house 8-ball, I won a single and a scotch double, while losing one of each. my team tied.
 
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