I worked for 3 days to get a friend of mine in action here in LA, one guy called me at 11:30 and said he saw him play on Youtube and he pulled up on a game we had made to be played the next day. He was cool enough to call me at 11:30 to break off the game we had made for the next day. That was cool, he is a cool guy. I wish he would have played, it would have been a good session. It was a even game; no way were we stealing.
The next day(Sunday) I did finally get a game made(thanks to another friend we got a good steer-he made the game 100%) for Monday at 330pm. two long days in the pool room to finally get a game for the 3rd day. considering the time it took to make the game it was like minimum wage if we win. There is just no action here anymore, it never was great like the South, but it really sucks now.
Here is how it went down:
It went like this we post 2 sets old school 9ball 2 races to 11 for $1000/race. one race on one table we liked and one race on a table the other player liked. I didnt stake him, I dont stake ppl, we both bet our $$$. I know both players and I knew it was gonna be close-real close. I have lots of respect for who we played-I'm not naming names. He is a old school player who I have always respected and still do.
First set were behind the whole set by 1-3 games, we dont have home court advantage, speed control was off and he was on the wrong side of the ball way too often. Missed a easy 9, jitters is what that was. He finally got it tied at 8-8.
Right then my fat ass springs up like a kangaroo out of the rail, I jump in between both players and suggest we play a longer set to 17 or 21 for the $4,000 in the middle. (the $4,000 is the stake for both sets $2,000 a side-in case ya dont know how this works). I wanted to win or lose $$$, I didnt want to break even. I wanted something definitive to happen, period.
I think its dumb to play a race to 3 for $1000(because it was 8-8 therefore its a race to 3). I said "Great you guys win the race to 3, and we'll win the race to 11-so were playing for hours for nothing" I said "Lets put $5,000 in the middle and got to 17". Nope they wouldnt. They wanted to play a race to 3 for $1000-Brilliant. And this guy has $$$ and been in big action, this aint big for him and his corporation.
We lost the race to 3, 3-1 so we lost the set 11-9. It was a close match as I expected. We dont have home court, the pockets at this room are cut different than the player is used to. So we were giving up a lot right there.
We switch tables(that was the deal made one set on our table and one on his table) he already has home court so at least we should get to pick the box. they wouldnt go for that so we agreed to play one set on each box.
We go to their box tee off second set-BAM!!! its 5-0 them, then 6-1 them. Sure now they are all fired up. For these guys historically this is not big action, this is put your toe in the water and see. I felt the same way, I told the rail its a coin toss when we tee'ed off. I could have bet a bit more on the rail but I didnt-it wasnt much anyways.
So at 6-1 I lean over to a guy I know for 20 years and havent talked to in probably 17 years, he said you got to win now or its over. we said that at the same time, it was kinda funny. Then I just walked away for 15-20-30 minutes and I come back and its something like 8-6 them leading.
I saw he got a handle on the speed a little better. Still we are not stealing under any circumstances. On a diamond table in a neutral spot they we got the best of it by a hair. But in this room, on that equipment-its a gamble last week or next week if they play.
So we win the so 11-9. Now the game is even we played 40 racks and the score is 20-20. Just like I told them, "you win the race to 3, we win the 2nd set and all this for nothing". And thats exactly how it went down. Aint my first rodeo. I was so pissed off I didnt come here for this past week, I didnt even play pool-why bother to be instroke when there is no action?? I didnt want to look at a cue. Play hard for what $40/gm one hole getting the worst of it? thats about whats here in LA.
So I got to thinking about it, the rail told me the action has been real dry, worst its ever been. LA was good action long before I was around in the 60's-70's I heard it was ok. Back to my point, I got to thinking about what the rail said-there is zero action. Now I remember the days when I knew if I lost, I could get into another game the same day and win my $$ back, or I remember days when I beat 4 people, or got beat 2 or 3 times.
My point is this. Action feeds on itself, and because there has been so little $1000 action here in LA these guys are scared to lose because they dont know when they are going to have a shot at winning it back somewhere else. Thats why the $20-$40 one hole is alive and well-its always there. But long gone are the days of action big enough to mean anything. I see these guys playing so seriously for $20/rack its a joke, then they drive home in a $40,000 car.
no disresprct to who we played, thanks for the action amigo. I just wish we would have played one long set for more. They pulled up on us when it was even, I asked to play another set for $1000 up to every penny in my pocket, my nose was open abd we didnt have to win if they played they had a good shot to win it was 20-20 and they pulled up, it was not a long session 9 ball goes fast. I didnt know it was that bad here in LA, the only thing I can figure is if he llost sho could he win it back from? and thats why he didnt play. He has tons of heart-I was shocked when they pulled up.
Thats how it went down on Monday. I'm not naming names. the internet has done enough damage(destroy) to action. I'm not playing guessing games with names, pool room etc. So pls dont ask me. Its not important, what is important is how it went, and why it died.
Pool leagues, $20 one hole, drunks in bars might all be fine but action is history like 8 track tapes, it was cool when it lasted.
Fatboy:frown:
