2 and Out

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It is true and I have not been looking fwd to the first-person accounting...
THe tables were really tough. I often play on a GC table that's tighter, but the Diamonds were more unforgiving.

First was David Grossman (FL). He has won some regional tournaments and got ahead 9-4 or so. THen I stopped trying to make shape and just went with what the angle gave me. THis, along with rolling the ball, pocket speed, was the only was I could make a runout. FInal verdict, 11-6 loss.

Then came Matt Krah. Matt also plays better than I, but I was happy to not have drawn a player better than him. WWe were back and forth, he made the 9 on the first break, to 6-6. 3x, he made the same wing ball, 3x I forgot to check the rack. At6-6, I made myself stand while he racked so I would think to check the balls. There was the wing gap (surprise surprise) and I made him fix it every time thereafter. From 6-6 to 9-6, him. Then 10-8, him. Then...10-10, I am breaking. I come up dry, he plays safe and leaves me where I can't reach the CB with my stick in sight line. I try to mini-masse with the stick to the side (I will get the WEI up later, won't work from home), but I barely miss the 1. HE takes BIH and makes a difficult run for the win, hill-hill.

Thanks for all the folks whose efforts allowed me to experience the most prestigious event in the US. I look forward to sending another AZBer next year!
 
Walter, it was great to see you competing this year, and I enjoyed seeing some hometown faces in the crowd.

I've gotta say that the equipment this year was different than previous. The pockets were unforgiving in the gravel pit, and if one shoots a ball in with a little draw or tries to roll it down the rail, there is very little room for error, unlike the big buckets where balls seem to suck in each and every time.

Many players were unprepared for this year's playing field at the Open. However, the old-school players all seemed to be in agreement that this is the way it should be, and I think I happen to agree with them.

Most of the players do like the Diamond tables. These tables were the same ones used at the $25,000-added Joss Tour Season Finale held at Turning Stone Casino last month. I have a feeling that this will be a new trend for upcoming events, and those who are able to adjust quickly will come out on top.

I was talking to Alex Pagulayan about the caliber of players now as compared to 20 years ago, and he asked me if I thought there were more tougher players today than in days gone by. I hesitated and thought long and hard before I responded. In the last 20 years, Jim Rempe, Mike Sigel, Allen Hopkins, Buddy Hall, Nick Varner, and Earl Strickland were the super stars, and they were the top dogs. Today, there is more of an international flavor in pool with players from around the globe, many of them dark horses unknown to mainstream American pool folk.

In essence, I'm hoping that you enjoyed your U.S. Open experience. I already know you did. See you soon in Sterling!

JAM
 
It was good to see KM and JAM there too. KM really shined in his match w/ the SDKid, didn't he!?
I just saw that the Shirt lost to David Grossman, 11-0. Ow!! :D I am feeling slightly betterr now.
 
Congratulations on participating. I hope the experience was as exciting for you as you'd hoped. Sounds like one of the best ever US Opens. Hope you're enjoying being part of it.
 
Black-Balled said:
It was good to see KM and JAM there too. KM really shined in his match w/ the SDKid, didn't he!?
I just saw that the Shirt lost to David Grossman, 11-0. Ow!! :D I am feeling slightly betterr now.


Yeah, You have no reason to feel Bad, sounds like you gave it all you had at the time, and that's the best someone can do. He Is a heck of a good shot, and was hitting them really well in practice before leaving out for the open. We Were talking and shooting next to him on the #1 & 2 tables, and I had a feeling he was going to atleast get his share. You did better then I could ever hope to do against him, even on a good night for me, when he was all out of stroke :D.

Something Ironic, My dad was telling him how much he liked to watch the Rocket play, he had nothing but good things to say about him & His game, and then they ended up matching up out there in that huge field also.

I think it's cool that you got to go, It would be a once in a lifetime dream come true for alot of people just to be there, and well, Even better to be able to say they played In It.

Greg
 
Hey Black-Balled, you got to experience something that not too many people ever will. As long as you had a great time, as I'm sure you did, then this whole thing is worth it. That's the only requirement that the people here in this forum have put on this deal, the player sent MUST have a good time. I know I did last year. I know it's disappointing when you lose, the reality hits that the tournament is over for you, but the pressure is off. I won my first match, never missing a ball until the 9th game, then I missed 2 balls in that game, and I won 11-2. When I got back to my hotel room I kinda did that thing that Paul Newman did in TCOM, when he walked outside and yelled. Yeah, I did that, sorta. I was so pumped up for not only winning my first match in my first U.S. Open, but I played real good. Then, I played Tony Robles. I broke and ran the first rack and it was all down hill from there. I never fouled the whole match, but every time I got to the table after the 2nd game, I remember thinking that I wish it wasn't my shot. I lost 11-2. The next 2 matches are a blur, but I won 11-9, then lost 11-9. The last match I think I should have won but I dogged it to get on the hill. The rest of the week was fantastic, I went to the Blues Festival at the beach, went out to dinner with the Purdy's, hit some balls with the Purdy's at a pool room on the way to the beach, and had a few alcoholic beverages while watching the rest of the tournament. I saw some people that I hadn't seen in 10 or more years and that's always a good thing. Anyway, feel good about what you did Black-Balled, I know I still do. Peace, John.
 
Black-Balled said:
It was good to see KM and JAM there too. KM really shined in his match w/ the SDKid, didn't he!?
I just saw that the Shirt lost to David Grossman, 11-0. Ow!! :D I am feeling slightly betterr now.
I'm thinking Shaun Wilkie might have forfeited that match for some reason...I was watching some other matches at the time but remember him breaking a few times at least.

No dispute here on how tough the tables looked.
 
axejunkie said:
I'm thinking Shaun Wilkie might have forfeited that match for some reason...I was watching some other matches at the time but remember him breaking a few times at least.

No dispute here on how tough the tables looked.

Interesting! I'll ask next time I see the shirt.
 
Back
Top