an open letter to apa haters

My less than two cents:

I played a season in APA a few years back when I was just getting started. I did not enjoy:

Majority of games were played on horrible equipment, traveling, petty arguments, my own teams poor sportsmanship at times, watching for hours playing for minutes, the smoking in the bars (not a prude, just don't enjoy the smoke and having to take my clothes off on the back porch when coming home from league), Obnoxiously loud music - even music I like was played waaaay too loud.

So I quit and just practiced on my own. Then a friend invited me to play in a BCAPL league:

Good group of folks (mostly) rarely any drama, in house league on decent equipment, no smoking, juke box is kept under control during league.

Much better experience, so I have now played four or five seasons.

All of that said - it's completely subjective. I'm sure there are APA leagues that would have been a better experience for me all the way around. I just didn't happen to land in one. Same for BCAPL no doubt there are some lousy leagues our there, I just got lucky and found a good one.

Just go out and play and have fun.

Play well.
 
strmanglr scott said:
Never understood why people let others opinion detract from something they enjoy.

Play your league, if you enjoy it, who the f cares what others say.
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Exactly.

Call it a ***** or complaint or whatever, but not having a pushout in 9ball after a break is ridiculous.

I have learned that the masters allows pushout, but masters play isnt available where I play.

Ken
 
Ken_4fun said:
Exactly.

Call it a ***** or complaint or whatever, but not having a pushout in 9ball after a break is ridiculous.

I have learned that the masters allows pushout, but masters play isnt available where I play.

Ken
Click to expand...
When you have a 7,8, or 9 playing a 1,2,or 3 why is that ridiculous?
Remember what The APA is geared toward - the new or recreational player.
Playing Masters is a little more like what the higher skilled player thinks of as actual pool,
nightly league play is different. It's advertised as "everyone can play - anyone can win"
To allow a pushout would give a higher skilled player a distinct advantage.
That there is no pushout helps to even things out a little more, think of it as a part of the spot the better player has to give.
Many APA players would have no idea about the pushout, what it's for, and no desire to learn
 
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Cracktherack said:
The best way to get a game in a strange poolroom is to have a couple APA patches on your jacket, put 3 fingered gloves on both hands and stand the chalk on the floor and spin your cue into it. Put it back on your magnetic belt clip when done. Between shots, rotate the cue in the air like an airplane propeller. Your accessories should include a bottle of baby powder and some sort of cue holding device that clips to a nearby table. If your tip gets worn down, the counter has some of those screw on tips for quick replacement. <---------CTR, an excellent description of the average league player! :thumbup:
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I am sure playing in an APA or BCAPL league, would be a very unique and thrilling experience!
I have never done it!..But then, there are lots of things I've never done..I've never taken a bath with my socks on, while washing my hair in used motor oil. :eek:

PS..One can only stand so much excitement, in one evening! :embarrassed2:
 
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Most pool halls would close down if it weren't for leagues such as APA. The truth is most better players never buy drinks and feel they are entitled to free table time because they are good. League players have money and are not nits. They are paying for entertainment unlike good players who try to hustle league players for five or ten bucks.
 
Celophanewrap said:
When you have a 7,8, or 9 playing a 1,2,or 3 why is that ridiculous?
Remember what The APA is geared toward - the new or recreational player.
Playing Masters is a little more like what the higher skilled player thinks of as actual pool,
nightly league play is different. It's advertised as "everyone can play - anyone can win"
To allow a pushout would give a higher skilled player a distinct advantage.
That there is no pushout helps to even things out a little more, think of it as a part of the spot the better player has to give.
Many APA players would have no idea about the pushout, what it's for, and no desire to learn
Click to expand...

Maybe, but my thoughts are if they can play 9 ball with all of the APA rules and restrictions, they could learn if they execute a pushout.

I have played 1, 2, 3 level players and they get hooked after the break too...:cool:

Ken
 
lorider. not to belittle your experiences, but all leagues have groups of "those guys"

There are many people that could likely take your exact same story and interchange the words "apa" and "bcapl" Sometimes you find nice groups of people, sometimes you don't...
 
Ken_4fun said:
Maybe, but my thoughts are if they can play 9 ball with all of the APA rules and restrictions, they could learn if they execute a pushout.

I have played 1, 2, 3 level players and they get hooked after the break too...:cool:

Ken
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There really aren't that many rule when you break it down, it's pretty much just simple rotation
I think it's a mindset kinda thing. At a lower skill level they don't think like a pool player and even
if they can be taught to execute a pushout and what it's for they don't see what you see when you
look at the table. That comes with experience, and generally the higher the skill level, the greater
the experience and greater the advantage a pushout would provide.
 
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RussPrince said:
lorider. not to belittle your experiences, but all leagues have groups of "those guys"

There are many people that could likely take your exact same story and interchange the words "apa" and "bcapl" Sometimes you find nice groups of people, sometimes you don't...
Click to expand...

Not to try and speak for Lo, but the person(s) this thread might be directed at would never
think of substituting BCAPL for APA under any circumstances, even at gun point.
That branch of The BCAPL is thought of by that person(s) as being so far superior
to The APA that he would have trouble saying them both in the same breath.

... but yes, you are exactly right.
 
I'm pretty sure that most every league has areas of the country where it runs reasonably well, and the people get along and have fun for the most part. And just as likely every league will have areas where its not a fun experience.

I'm happy that APA works well here, and the couple hundred people that play or have played over the last 8 years that I've been involved are fun to play together with. Its a shame that it doesn't work that way everywhere.
 
Celophanewrap said:
It's not about the money for everybody, and The APA (or any league for that matter) isn't for everyone.
Personally, I go to Las Vegas every year because I like the environment of the Team Tournament.
It's a nice bonus if you come out ahead money-wise, but that's not why I go.I enjoy the people and
meeting the people, playing because I want to and not having to look for a fish.

I like to go, and to me there's still a great personal value in going because you earned your way there
and you represent you're region and if you win they call you champion.
For someone like me, if it was about the money I'd have quit long ago
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For the APA its only about the money. I don't think they payout even 30 percent of the take. They don't support anything but themselves. Complete drain on pool.
 
nine_ball6970 said:
As pool players become better, they become more and more stuck up. They think they are too good to play in such and such league and look down on people who do. They don't realize that most people play pool for casual entertainment and to spend time out with friends while enjoying the game they love.

Who cares what league people play in if they are having fun. Almost all players in all leagues do not play at an A level. It is sad the APA gets such a bad reputation for as many players as it has in the league.

If you don't like the rules, then don't play. If you don't like being on a team, don't play. If the fees or anything else upsets you, then don't play. That gives you no right to criticize people who like all of those things. They are in the majority while you are in the minority.
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No... I can and will call APA what it is. Nothing has killed pool more than APA.
 
nine_ball6970 said:
Most pool halls would close down if it weren't for leagues such as APA. The truth is most better players never buy drinks and feel they are entitled to free table time because they are good. League players have money and are not nits. They are paying for entertainment unlike good players who try to hustle league players for five or ten bucks.
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We've lost half the rooms in the northeast and leagues are big here. Leagues are a poor substitute for what pool used to be.

Wonder why the APA doesn't allow gambling on pool but sends you guys to play in Vegas. Follow the money.
 
My area in Illinois just started an masters apa league, jump sticks and no handicaps. Looks like a step forward!!!! Keeping an eye on it before I sign up.
 
Skippy27 said:
You are an ill informed child that had no clue.
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Son, I have been around pool for 25 years. So forgive me if I know and remember what real pool is.

If you get your jollies beating housewives on a Fisher Price table, you are the child.

Leagues are a scourge and guys like you who need every advantage just to be mediocre are why this country goes nowhere.
 
Celophanewrap said:
Not to try and speak for Lo, but the person(s) this thread might be directed at, would never think of substituting BCAPL for APA under any circumstances, even at gun point.
That branch of The BCAPL is thought of by that person(s) as being so far superior to The APA that he would have trouble saying them both in the same breath .... but yes, you are exactly right.
Click to expand...

I guess I am missing something here!..The only difference I can see, between joining the APA or the BCAPL, appears to be which method of torture one prefers!..Like, would you rather have your arms twisted off by a crazed gorilla, or all your teeth pulled, with no anesthesia? :(

Some may have noticed, gun point, would be the only way I could be forced to play in any league!..Shooting a game, once every 2 hours, (or 8 beers) is not my idea of enjoying pool!..Now if I were to be receiving oral sex, (hot young female only) between games, I guess that would make it somewhat tolerable, and much more enjoyable! :thumbup:
 
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Celophanewrap said:
When you have a 7,8, or 9 playing a 1,2,or 3 why is that ridiculous?
Remember what The APA is geared toward - the new or recreational player.
Playing Masters is a little more like what the higher skilled player thinks of as actual pool,
nightly league play is different. It's advertised as "everyone can play - anyone can win"
To allow a pushout would give a higher skilled player a distinct advantage.
That there is no pushout helps to even things out a little more, think of it as a part of the spot the better player has to give.
Many APA players would have no idea about the pushout, what it's for, and no desire to learn
Click to expand...
I keep reading and hearing that the push favors the better players. Well doesn't everything in sports favor the better players? Isn't that why there is competition? If a player doesn't know what a pushout is and has no desire to learn, it is their problem. No different than the player who doesn't want to learn spin or the player that doesn't put an angle on any ball in hand. There are enough players who want to learn. Besides, there's handicaps in APA, the handicap can be adjusted for any change.

I don't believe pushouts necessarily favor the better players anyway. The whole idea of a push in my view is to give ones opponent a difficult shot but not so difficult where it will be given back to them. Even a novice can figure that out. And besides, the better players are better able to kick or jump when the object ball is blocked than any beginner.
 
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