how are ya'll doing in league ?

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
The push, to accomplish it's intended purpose
requires experience and thought, the experience and thought of a player that might
understand the game more and better than a lower level player, there's far more to it
than just a free smack. Many lower level players just don't see the logic in considering
to good execution of a push out.

Then, like any other shot, they must learn it. That or quit worrying about the winning or losing to a higher skill-level player.

I agree with what you are saying. My point was to teach the low skill-level player a way as to NOT give up ball-in-hand on the very next shot after the break. Pushing to a spot where they can at least hit the ball is a much better option even if the incoming player can shoot a good safe from it. Making a player execute a shot/safety as opposed to merely giving them ball-in-hand from the get-go is always the better option. That, and there will be times when the incoming player will give the shot back which is a FAR better option for the breaker than giving up BIH.

Our points are all moot as the APA doesn't allow for a push-out anyway. But I'm all for teaching new/lower skill-level players every aspect/option there is in a game of pool.

Maniac (FTR...I am not arguing, just stated my opinions) :thumbup:
 

stevenw00d

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's been a few weeks since I've posted. I am 1-1 in 9-ball and in 8-ball. It has been a roller coaster because I have had nights where I played well and lost and one night where I played like complete crap and won. My 9-ball rank dropped down to a SL5, but then I won yesterday, so we'll see how long it stays there. I'm 2-3 in 9-ball and really have not gotten used to the game yet. I have a lot to learn, especially on the defensive end. I'm doing okay at the shots, but the strategy has really been harder to learn (thinking ahead). In 8-ball I blew a stupid match 2 weeks ago, but shot well last well. Hopefully tomorrow I play well and can start an upward trend again.
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
I am playing tonight because 2 of my 7 players aren't going to make it. My stomach has been upset all day. I hope I get over it before tonight.

My league operator is up to his old tricks again. Last week, we played the team that he's a member on. The team had two new players, both men. It was past the four-week window to where you can add new players (exception being if for the survival of the team, which was not the case here). That in and of itself didn't bother (nor surprise) me. What did bother me was that both these men had played two weeks prior to our matches and both of them were ranked SL2 (even though one of the men had a 1-1 record. Now, I cannot imagine a person losing a match bad enough to drop from a SL4 to a SL2 after the first week, but it must have happened (mysteriously), then wins one the following week and have enough innings to remain a SL2. Of course, he steamrolled one of our SL4's showing some semblance of pool shooting ability.

Our LO has been known in the past to promise new players to start them as SL2's if they will come in and help a team survive. I know this is true because on such player and his captain told me this the night of our match (this was several years ago).

I'm not griping or contacting National headquarters because I don't give a hoot about winning or losing, but I have a few players on the team that do care, including the one that got her a$$ handed to her last Monday night. That, and our team is in a three-way tie for second place and we need all the points we can get (for the ones that it matters to).

Simply put, it's just not fair to the rest of the league to have to play players that have unashamedly been lowered in skill level.

But...it is what it is and what it has always been with this LO.

I may or may not report back soon.

Maniac
 
Last edited:

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
I am playing tonight because 2 of my 7 players aren't going to make it. My stomach has been upset all day. I hope I get over it before tonight.

My league operator is up to his old tricks again. Last week, we played the team that he's a member on. The team had two new players, both men. It was past the four-week window to where you can add new players (exception being if for the survival of the team, which was not the case here). That in and of itself didn't bother (nor surprise) me. What did bother me was that both these men had played two weeks prior to our matches and both of them were ranked SL2 (even though one of the men had a 1-1 record. Now, I cannot imagine a person losing a match bad enough to drop from a SL4 to a SL2 after the first week, but it must have happened (mysteriously), then wins one the following week and have enough innings to remain a SL2. Of course, he steamrolled one of our SL4's showing some semblance of pool shooting ability.

Our LO has been known in the past to promise new players to start them as SL2's if they will come in and help a team survive. I know this is true because on such player and his captain told me this the night of our match (this was several years ago).

I'm not griping or contacting National headquarters because I don't give a hoot about winning or losing, but I have a few players on the team that do care, including the one that got her a$$ handed to her last Monday night. That, and our team is in a three-way tie for second place and we need all the points we can get (for the ones that it matters to).

Simply put, it's just not fair to the rest of the league to have to play players that have unashamedly been lowered in skill level.

But...it is what it is and what it has always been with this LO.

I may or may not report back soon.

Maniac

I hope you're feeling better soon.

That LO is part of the reason APA gets the bad rap that it does. A damned shame. Kick their a$$es
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am playing tonight because 2 of my 7 players aren't going to make it. My stomach has been upset all day. I hope I get over it before tonight.

My league operator is up to his old tricks again. Last week, we played the team that he's a member on. The team had two new players, both men. It was past the four-week window to where you can add new players (exception being if for the survival of the team, which was not the case here). That in and of itself didn't bother (nor surprise) me. What did bother me was that both these men had played two weeks prior to our matches and both of them were ranked SL2 (even though one of the men had a 1-1 record. Now, I cannot imagine a person losing a match bad enough to drop from a SL4 to a SL2 after the first week, but it must have happened (mysteriously), then wins one the following week and have enough innings to remain a SL2. Of course, he steamrolled one of our SL4's showing some semblance of pool shooting ability.

Our LO has been known in the past to promise new players to start them as SL2's if they will come in and help a team survive. I know this is true because on such player and his captain told me this the night of our match (this was several years ago).

I'm not griping or contacting National headquarters because I don't give a hoot about winning or losing, but I have a few players on the team that do care, including the one that got her a$$ handed to her last Monday night. That, and our team is in a three-way tie for second place and we need all the points we can get (for the ones that it matters to).

Simply put, it's just not fair to the rest of the league to have to play players that have unashamedly been lowered in skill level.

But...it is what it is and what it has always been with this LO.

I may or may not report back soon.

Maniac


Get well soon maniac . I hate to read about shenanigans such as you described but the fact is .....not every one has high morals. We have new lo's here. A husband and wife . So far so good with how the are running it....aside from the fact I was raised to a 6 in 8 and 9 ball 2 weeks after they took over lol. I was lowered back ti a 5 this week in 8 ball but I will be surprised if I am not raised back up again after my 8 ball match sunday night. More detail about it below.

Friday night I played 8 ball against a guy I have played about 5 times now and have lost every time. This loss in as bad though. 5-0 in a 5-5 race. Truth be told some of the loss is attributed to my lack of focus due to being upset about players not showing up and failing to inform me beforehand. Cant help it but its a pet peeve of mine that some people lack the common courtesy of sending a text...hey I cant make it tonight.

Due to being shorthanded I was allowed to replay myself in 8 ball again . Lost 5-3 in a 5-5 race. This time I played pretty good but my opponent played a whole lot better.he was not missing much with his new revo .

Well when I threw myself in 9 ball they decided to dump on me with a 2. That did not set to well with me and i decided I as gonna make them pay. I jumped out to a 20-0 lead and then my score keeper asked....you aint gonna let her make a ball ? I said ...whut ?? Another team mate pops up and says ...she is a new player and you are gonna shut her out like that ? Well I thought ah it it for a sec and then decided I was gonna lay off the safes and try to make hard shots when instead when they came up. Basically giving her a chance without me sandbagging since i am honestly trying to make a ball on a 60% chance instead of playing a 90% safe. Well she finally got a shot at a ball and it was a long tho cut down the table and made it.....not sure if I could have made that shot. She then proceeds to run 3 more balls and I thought...damn....she may be new to apa but she aint new to pool and so I buckled down again and won 46-8.

Sunday night I show up and find that i am lowered back to a 5 in 8 ball. I face another 5 who also has been a 6 a couple times. I win 4-2 with a break and run in there and the match went 12 innings with me playing 5 safes and my opponent played 4 safes. Most if them came in 1 rack where the 8 was tied up. I will be surprised if I dont go back to a 6 after that match.


Looked at my stats for this session and as usual when I play great in one discipline I slack off in the other. 16-4 record in 9 ball...2 of those losses are to the same 9 whoi swear must be related to efren. and 5-4 record in 8 ball so far this session.
 

Coop1701

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well when I threw myself in 9 ball they decided to dump on me with a 2. That did not set to well with me and i decided I as gonna make them pay. I jumped out to a 20-0 lead and then my score keeper asked....you aint gonna let her make a ball ? I said ...whut ?? Another team mate pops up and says ...she is a new player and you are gonna shut her out like that ? Well I thought ah it it for a sec and then decided I was gonna lay off the safes and try to make hard shots when instead when they came up. Basically giving her a chance without me sandbagging since i am honestly trying to make a ball on a 60% chance instead of playing a 90% safe. Well she finally got a shot at a ball and it was a long tho cut down the table and made it.....not sure if I could have made that shot. She then proceeds to run 3 more balls and I thought...damn....she may be new to apa but she aint new to pool and so I buckled down again and won 46-8.

Sunday night I show up and find that i am lowered back to a 5 in 8 ball. I face another 5 who also has been a 6 a couple times. I win 4-2 with a break and run in there and the match went 12 innings with me playing 5 safes and my opponent played 4 safes. Most if them came in 1 rack where the 8 was tied up. I will be surprised if I dont go back to a 6 after that match.


Looked at my stats for this session and as usual when I play great in one discipline I slack off in the other. 16-4 record in 9 ball...2 of those losses are to the same 9 whoi swear must be related to efren. and 5-4 record in 8 ball so far this session.

That's some good playing Partner. Keep it up!!! That's awesome.
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
I lost last night in 8-ball. I am a SL6 and my opponent was a SL5. I played like a SL5 and my opponent played like a SL6. I lost 4-3. The four times I broke I never made a ball (and opponent ran the table on one of them).

My stomach issues didn't mess (pun intended) with my playing, but I was a bit wobbly on my feet. Probably a bi-product of spending most of the day in the bathroom. The only player on our team that won a match last night was my wife. She's been playing real good lately since she went to a smaller diameter shaft...from 13mm to a 12.5mm.

Maniac
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Fun Sunday night for league for me and the kid, in a silly way LOL

My son's opponent crapped in 5 balls in a single rack, including trying a combo so bad he totally missed the second ball but made the first ball into some random pocket.

I was on 8 ball (we play a dual game night, 8 and 9 ball), won 4 racks to 1 but lost on points. My fault because usually when I play 8 ball against a weaker player I don't keep track of balls they make since towards the end I can out-shoot and out-move them and win even if they are on the 8 ball. But with leagues, the balls count as well, so even though my opponent only won a single rack to my 4, she managed to get the points she needed from other racks to beat me before I got to the hill. I think it was like a 25-30 to 65 race or something.

I need to start thinking about not leaving them open shots at all when playing since the ball count has beaten me before. It's tough to swallow a loss when you beat them 4-1 in games but still "lose".
 

Mkindsv

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I lost in poor fashion this week, I was pissed off because of my captain and his lack of strategy. I lost 5-0 against a 6, I had four easy run-outs but could not concentrate for even 10 seconds of the whole match...I honestly shouldn't let the decision-making get me so riled. Putting together a new team for the next session, will definitely be different leadership.

Suck part is it probably cost me my shot at getting the MVP in 8 ball, didn't play 9 ball this week, but will the next 2 and then 9 ball titleholders on the 17th. Last hurrah with the current team and due to a few decisions made above my pay grade we will have no chance whatsoever at titleholders.
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
Busy night for us this week, in addition to our regular 8-ball match, we also tried to get as many matches in for when we're away at Vegas. Two matches going on simultaneously all night. (Our opponent the week we're away had a bye this week, so they weren't trying to do two at once as well ...that woulda been crazier still!)

We won our regular match by a couple points, and are down by two points with one match left to play for the other one. I didn't help the cause, losing 2-0 to a teammate of mine from our 9-ball team. I had some opportunities but didn't execute

Long night. Fun tho.
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
7 ft Diamonds 8 ball
I had my best night ever.
I played my 5 regular games and 2 make up games.
I won all 7.
One break and run.
four tables runs from the first shot i got.
I just felt loose and the cue ball did what i wanted.
I missed 3 shots in in the 7 games.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I had an unbelievable apa 9 ball match last night and it really did not sink in what had transpired until this morning when i got to thinking about it.

First off I want to say that i had been looking forward to playing their 9 who had given me a beat down the last 2 times I played him this session. The first loss was 75-4 and the second was a lil more respectable 75-28. Well he had decided to not play last night and I faced their 7 who I had never played before. It was a 55-46 race with me going to 46 .

It started out bad.....real bad for the first 4 racks. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong. I won the lag and hooked my self on the break. He promptly ran the table. Hooked my self on a shot and he got bih and run out. Scratched on a shot and he run some more balls. I found myself down 28-5 after 4 racks.

Normally I lose confidence and play conservative when faced with nights like this but last night I stayed positive and kept my head in the game. I began to select wisely based on percentages between making a ball and playing safes.

It seemed obvious my safes rattled him and I began to shoot with more confidence . I found out his kicking ability was way below mine and I got bih after every safe. The better I shot.....the worse he shot and he was not running out like he had been the first 4 racks.

When it was over I had won 46-51. Now I know people say a handicap win is not a real win when your opponent has scored more points than you in a match and still loses and i can respect that opinion.

Even though I some what agree with their opinion it still feels good to come from a 28-5 deficit in the first 4 racks and outscore a higher level opponent 41-23 over the next 7 racks to win the match 46-51.
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
Last night was a fun night. Played a good friend of mine, SL4, in 9-ball. I got out to a good start, up 16-4, and thought I might have a good one going, and get some points for the team for a change. Then she started coming back, making 3-4 balls at a time consistently, and inevitably leaving me with nothing to work with. Very soon, she was leading and it was all I could do to keep up. She's on the hill, and I need 7. I finish the rack on a 6-ball run, hill-hill with me breaking. I'm not a lock on the 9-ball break, but I managed to get one, and sneak away with the win. Good match, both ways. Fun.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Last night was a fun night. Played a good friend of mine, SL4, in 9-ball. I got out to a good start, up 16-4, and thought I might have a good one going, and get some points for the team for a change. Then she started coming back, making 3-4 balls at a time consistently, and inevitably leaving me with nothing to work with. Very soon, she was leading and it was all I could do to keep up. She's on the hill, and I need 7. I finish the rack on a 6-ball run, hill-hill with me breaking. I'm not a lock on the 9-ball break, but I managed to get one, and sneak away with the win. Good match, both ways. Fun.

Nice going dub and have fun in Vegas.

Last night double jeapordy went about like this while session has so far. Nit much luck in 8 ball but doing great in 9.

Played a strong 7 in 8 ball and lost 5-2. Happy to win 2 racks the way he was shooting. I won 9 ball 46-32 against a 5 who like me fluctuates between 5-6. Not much to say about the match .

We had make up and I lost 8 ball 4-4 vs a 5. Can't explain why I seem ti have lost that killer instinct in 8 ball which has always been my favorite game.

I played the same guy in 9 ball where he is a 6 like me. I won the lag and started off with a break and run....been a while since my last one. Next rack I make a ball but cant get on the one . He gets bih and runs the table.....right back in the game after my break and run. We both are shooting good....for our handicap but i am averaging a couple more balls than him each rack.

It gets down to I have 42 and he has 36. I make 3 balls on the break with one of them being the 9 . Damn...that aint happened in forever and I win the match. No wait....the 7 comes off the rail and knocks the cue ball in the side. Spot the 9 and he runs the table.except for the 9.

I break...make a ball but again cant get on the 1. He makes couple and misses. I elect to play a safe but roll the cue ball a lil too far and he can see the 4. He tries a bank and misses. I can barely see the 4 and have no shot. I skim the 4 and send the cue ball 2 rails and hide it behind a cluster. He misses a kick and I get bih. Scorekeeper says I win . Checked the score and I won 46-45. My toughest win so far and I enjoyed the heck out of it.

Forgot to mention he concedes the 4 ball as that's all I needed to win.
 
Last edited:

jokrswylde

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Big win for my team as we wind down the summer session. I played the 2nd best shooter in our division (very strong SL6) I lost. But I feel pretty good about the way I played, just made too many mistakes against a good player. I gave him BIH shooting at the 8 ball 3 times!! I was right there in every game though, so I will certainly learn from this loss!

Something unusual did happen last night that I need some feedback on. We were the last match of the night. First game I am down to one ball left on the table before the 8 ball. My ball is a slight cut to the pocket but he has a ball fairly close. I check them closely, there is no way my ball goes if I hit his ball first. I line up, fire the ball in and get perfect on the 8 ball and start chalking my stick. He walks over and asks if I hit his ball first. I say no, that my ball would not have cut into the pocket if I hit his first... He replies that one of his teammates saw the shot and says it was a foul. I tossed him the cueball and he proceeded to run out.

Now, I am certainly not blaming losing the match on this, but I would much rather have been up 1-0 vs. down.0-1. What should I have done? I KNOW I didn't foul, but I also know the guy who said he saw it wasn't trying to pull a move, he really thought he saw the foul.

A couple things I was thinking 1.) I should have asked a neutral party to watch the shot, and I normally do, but I didn't really see this particular shot as close enough to warrant it. 2). It was the last match and we were up 10-2 already and it was already almost 11 pm, so I didn't want to have a big drama about it. 3). I genuinely like both the guy I was playing and the guy who called the foul.

Should I have stood my ground? Or should I look at it like a lesson learned and never make that mistake again?
 

vtmsciguy

Registered
Big win for my team as we wind down the summer session. I played the 2nd best shooter in our division (very strong SL6) I lost. But I feel pretty good about the way I played, just made too many mistakes against a good player. I gave him BIH shooting at the 8 ball 3 times!! I was right there in every game though, so I will certainly learn from this loss!

Something unusual did happen last night that I need some feedback on. We were the last match of the night. First game I am down to one ball left on the table before the 8 ball. My ball is a slight cut to the pocket but he has a ball fairly close. I check them closely, there is no way my ball goes if I hit his ball first. I line up, fire the ball in and get perfect on the 8 ball and start chalking my stick. He walks over and asks if I hit his ball first. I say no, that my ball would not have cut into the pocket if I hit his first... He replies that one of his teammates saw the shot and says it was a foul. I tossed him the cueball and he proceeded to run out.

Now, I am certainly not blaming losing the match on this, but I would much rather have been up 1-0 vs. down.0-1. What should I have done? I KNOW I didn't foul, but I also know the guy who said he saw it wasn't trying to pull a move, he really thought he saw the foul.

A couple things I was thinking 1.) I should have asked a neutral party to watch the shot, and I normally do, but I didn't really see this particular shot as close enough to warrant it. 2). It was the last match and we were up 10-2 already and it was already almost 11 pm, so I didn't want to have a big drama about it. 3). I genuinely like both the guy I was playing and the guy who called the foul.

Should I have stood my ground? Or should I look at it like a lesson learned and never make that mistake again?

Call goes to the shooter in APA. You could have asked someone to watch, but if nobody does, it's your call.
 

mrgoob

Registered
He walks over and asks if I hit his ball first. I say no, that my ball would not have cut into the pocket if I hit his first... He replies that one of his teammates saw the shot and says it was a foul. I tossed him the cueball and he proceeded to run out.

Now, I am certainly not blaming losing the match on this, but I would much rather have been up 1-0 vs. down.0-1. What should I have done? I KNOW I didn't foul, but I also know the guy who said he saw it wasn't trying to pull a move, he really thought he saw the foul.

A couple things I was thinking 1.) I should have asked a neutral party to watch the shot, and I normally do, but I didn't really see this particular shot as close enough to warrant it. 2). It was the last match and we were up 10-2 already and it was already almost 11 pm, so I didn't want to have a big drama about it. 3). I genuinely like both the guy I was playing and the guy who called the foul.

Should I have stood my ground? Or should I look at it like a lesson learned and never make that mistake again?


If this is APA, the ruling goes to the shooter. If your opponent is worried about a possible bad hit, it is his responsibility to have it watched. I would have stood my ground and kept shooting.
 

jokrswylde

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Call goes to the shooter in APA. You could have asked someone to watch, but if nobody does, it's your call.

If this is APA, the ruling goes to the shooter. If your opponent is worried about a possible bad hit, it is his responsibility to have it watched. I would have stood my ground and kept shooting.

Thanks for the replies. All part of the learning curve of a first year captain. Guess I paid my "stupid" tax last night!
 
Top