2024 APA 9-Ball League Final

[heater451]

No spoilers, in case anyone is going to watch it on YouTube.

I wound up watching the 2024 APA 9-Ball League Final live, and was probably more interested because one of the team was out of where I played for years (until 2018), but I was more entertained that when I watch pros.

The most detail I will put, is that at the end of the 3rd player match, the team points were 30-30, so even with a win in the 4th it was not a done deal.

Anyone else see it?

 

[Maniac]

No spoilers, in case anyone is going to watch it on YouTube.

I wound up watching the 2024 APA 9-Ball League Final live, and was probably more interested because one of the team was out of where I played for years (until 2018), but I was more entertained that when I watch pros.

The most detail I will put, is that at the end of the 3rd player match, the team points were 30-30, so even with a win in the 4th it was not a done deal.

Anyone else see it?

I watched it. I too, was entertained. IMHO, the two SL6's from one team, a husband-wife team with the surname Smartnick, did not shoot like SL6's. Their shot making was bad as was some of their decision making. Nerves I suppose. Their team lost.

Is this the contest you were referring to?

 

[trob]

I watched it. I too, was entertained. IMHO, the two SL6's from one team, a husband-wife team with the surname Smartnick, did not shoot like SL6's. Their shot making was bad as was some of their decision making. Nerves I suppose. Their team lost.

Is this the contest you were referring to?

people say that all the time during the stream when they are missing Or making mistakes and you got to think about the situation
1) playing for a nice chunk of money for an amateur
2)a packed house audience
3)eva mataya right there commentating
4)live streamed on face book and YouTube
5)playing on a table that is gonna play different then the rest and they don’t even get to hit a ball on it.
6) not just the money but the biggest thing any of these players ever played in on the line

That’s a lot for an average player who never deals with that kind of pressure

edit to say I enjoy watching the amateurs play. I have a few guys I follow on fb. It’s nice to watch normal people so you remember that people actually miss and don’t all play like robots lol

 

[BlueRaider]

people say that all the time during the stream when they are missing Or making mistakes and you got to think about the situation
1) playing for a nice chunk of money for an amateur
2)a packed house audience
3)eva mataya right there commentating
4)live streamed on face book and YouTube
5)playing on a table that is gonna play different then the rest and they don’t even get to hit a ball on it.
6) not just the money but the biggest thing any of these players ever played in on the line

That’s a lot for an average player who never deals with that kind of pressure

edit to say I enjoy watching the amateurs play. I have a few guys I follow on fb. It’s nice to watch normal people so you remember that people actually miss and don’t all play like robots lol

It's amazing how the average YouTube chat commenter has never felt pressure in their life and runs out like Joshua Filler every time they get an open spread of the balls.

I know I'd be shaking like a leaf if I made it that far and was playing in those conditions. I guess you have to re-frame it a bit in your mind and just enjoy it, though. Because the odds of ever making it back there are slim to none with the way APA works. Especially the team format. Counting your Cities tournament, your team has to win like 14 matches in a row to A) make it to Vegas and B) win in Vegas.

 

[trob]

It's amazing how the average YouTube chat commenter has never felt pressure in their life and runs out like Joshua Filler every time they get an open spread of the balls.

I know I'd be shaking like a leaf if I made it that far and was playing in those conditions. I guess you have to re-frame it a bit in your mind and just enjoy it, though. Because the odds of ever making it back there are slim to none with the way APA works. Especially the team format. Counting your Cities tournament, your team has to win like 14 matches in a row to A) make it to Vegas and B) win in Vegas.

absolutely. I’m a 7/9 . Been playing pool for over 30 years and have my share of pressure filled matches but nothing like that. I would be on the struggle bus for sure trying to keep my emotions in check. all those guys are basement champions I’m sure.

 

[heater451]

I watched it. I too, was entertained. IMHO, the two SL6's from one team, a husband-wife team with the surname Smartnick, did not shoot like SL6's. Their shot making was bad as was some of their decision making. Nerves I suppose. Their team lost.

Is this the contest you were referring to?

Yes, and over all I think she and the 5--"Carinne" I think--shot better than the men did in the earlier matches. And, I don't mean to say that like it's unexpected because they were women. The other 5/6 handicaps were men, and just weren't bringing it.

 

[classicjay17]

It's amazing how the average YouTube chat commenter has never felt pressure in their life and runs out like Joshua Filler every time they get an open spread of the balls.

I know I'd be shaking like a leaf if I made it that far and was playing in those conditions. I guess you have to re-frame it a bit in your mind and just enjoy it, though. Because the odds of ever making it back there are slim to none with the way APA works. Especially the team format. Counting your Cities tournament, your team has to win like 14 matches in a row to A) make it to Vegas and B) win in Vegas.

100% right. I always think wow, everyone in the comments section must be a 750 fargo used to playing live TV matches on ESPN the way they would get out from every situation and make it sound easy. Any of the competitors that make it to that point are obviously playing well and having a great event overall.

If you haven't played in that type of environment before, you really just don't know how much of a challenge it can be to execute even simple shots under that pressure. The setup these last couple years in the championship arena is top notch, it really is like you're center stage at the Mosconi Cup.

I had the opportunity to play in that arena for singles and it is tough, but was an enjoyable experience overall if you embrace it. I could feel my bridge hand shaking for the first half of the match, to the point that I figured everyone could see it, LOL. Add to that table conditions that are different and unknown since they don't let you hit a ball on the table before the match. I expected it to run faster under the lights, and to my surprise it rolled a good 1 - 1.5ft slower than the other tournament tables that week. The new cloth did slide more than the other tables that had more use, so holding a ball off the rail with inside english for example was not really possible. And we didn't play with the measles cue ball the whole event until that match, so it's a lot of adjustment on the fly, in an environment that as an Amateur player you've probably never experienced before.

People can say what they want about the APA, but that was coolest experience I've ever had in my amateur pool career, and I can only hope I'd be fortunate enough to experience it again at some point.