APA 8-ball Rankings

HawaiianEye said:
That is one of my main reasons for not joining the APA.

I want to play someone who is going to punish you if you make an error. If I think I can get away with making a mistake, it distracts me from my game and I lose focus. I don't like playing people where I know I'm going to get a half dozen turns at the table each game. I like playing run-out pool or games where some serious "battle of the wits" are going on before somebody finally makes a mistake and then the game is over.
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I agree with you.
 
JLange said:
Wow your harsh, I am just an average B level player. I never intended to sound otherwise. My main point was that for me the APA was not a good fit for me.
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My money is that his comment was directed at the OP and not at you or Buckshot.
 
buckshotshoey said:
You were missing the point about why they would put a 2 or 3 against a 7. It was a strategic move. They figured you would beat anybody they put against you so they used that 2 as a sacrificial lamb, in the hopes their other players would win their matches.

And I have seen big upsets when a 2 or 3 plays a 7.
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Also, it puts a TON of pressure on a SL7 when they know a lower ranked player is on the hill after winning one game and they still have to win 5 or 6 straight. One mistake, early 8, or scratch, can end it. Though I can certainly see why a SL7 would not want to face that week in and week out. I typically match my SL7 up against the other teams best player every week.

I imagine pro's feel the same way in open tourneys when they run into SL7's or B players and have to spend their time playing them. It's all part of pool. If playing different people of different skill levels isn't fun for you, don't play.
 
A-A-RON said:
It depends on the area, the league operator and some other factors. I myself am a SL7 in APA 8-ball, but a SL6 in APA 9-ball. In my opinion I shouldn't be one, especially with only being at 50% 8-ball for the session across all my teams and only having 50% lifetime wins. According to my LO, the reason for bumping me up was that I consistently beat other 6's & 7's. Which in my opinion is a crock of s*** because it doesn't take into account the others that are having a bad night or sandbagging their skill. It sucks really because my teams are the ones who are now punished with having to work around my SL7 status. And yet, I know a TON of 5's & 6's that would either beat me or give me a run for my money. I was essentially told (without these exact words) to suck it up and accept that im a 7 now. Im totally fine with being one, just not at the expense of hurting my teams.

EDIT: USAPL is suppose to be starting in my area soon so I hope that picks up because then we will have something that is fargo rated and not this dumbass APA equalizer system.
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I have played apa for years and also joined usapl when it started up in my area. I have also played bcapl and Napa just to give you an idea that i have quite a bit of league experience and not just repeating on here what a lot of people have said and obviously never played league.

Usapl is a grew league and yes it reports to Fargo rate....just dont expect the issues you have with the apa handicapping system to magically disappear if you start playing usapl. Cheaters gonna cheat and sandbaggers gonna sandbag not matter what league they play in. Below are some examples of handicaps that stand out and kind of have me wondering what's going on with these players.

Apa 5/5 ...fargo 414
Apa 5/5 ...fargo 432
Apa 6/7....fargo 435
Apa 6/7....fargo 486
Apa 6/7....fargo 496

Now all those above are questionable due to the ones rated below.

Apa 6/7 ...fargo 532
Apa 6/7 ...fargo 535

And last but not least you have me.
Apa 5/5...fargo 495.

Now I am not as familiar with Fargo rate as I am with the equalizer system but the numbers on the players I have listed as questionable seem way off compared to the last two 6/7's I have listed and myself as well.

So.....looking at those numbers would you think there is some sandbagging going on some where
 
Agreed sandbagging is going to happen regardless. I also played BCA but in my area the guy who runs it does a pretty crappy job of it so I didn't shoot for long. I've just been playing APA for about 7 years now and a new league with fargo rating is appealing. Who knows, it may fall apart as well.
 
A-A-RON said:
Agreed sandbagging is going to happen regardless. I also played BCA but in my area the guy who runs it does a pretty crappy job of it so I didn't shoot for long. I've just been playing APA for about 7 years now and a new league with fargo rating is appealing. Who knows, it may fall apart as well.
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Our bcapl league folded due fo some shenanigans by our league operator as well. Napa folded due to some health issues the lo had going on ......unfortunately. I think usapl is a great league and really hole I takes off.

Oh yea ...we had a tap league Las year for one whole session then a few teams dropped out and it folded. Tap ...like usapl had several players that also played apa. I dont know for sure why those teams dropped out but a few loaded teams with several serious players.....non apa ... Could have had something to do with it.

I can see where it would be disheartening for an apa 3 or 4 to continually get blowed out 5-0 in 8 ball or 7-0 in 9 ball by some guys who would be Fargo rated at 575-600. It also seemed there were not enough serious players around to keep it going without the low apa players that were dead meat.

I am an apa.5 and got blowed out 7-0 in the 9 ball playoff but at least our team did get the money in 8 ball finals.
 
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Years ago I played in the VNEA Masters Division for 2-3 sessions, I really liked that setup. No real handicap system just get our there play and compete. The drawback was that you had to wait a long time to play everyone 1 game.

Also a drawback for the APA is after our session was over there was basically little reward. Not sure this is the same everywhere.
I won Top Gun one session but there was no reward for that that I recall. My team got such a small amount back it was minimal. I remember my VNEA and BCA days when my team got $400+ back at the end of the session.

If my area ever has enough interested players for a APA Masters division I might give that a try. We don't have a FARGO system in my area yet to my knowledge.
 
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JLange said:
Years ago I played in the VNEA Masters Division for 2-3 sessions, I really liked that setup. No real handicap system just get our there play and compete. The drawback was that you had to wait a long time to play everyone 1 game.

Also a drawback for the APA is after our session was over there was basically little reward. Not sure this is the same everywhere.
I won Top Gun one session but there was no reward for that that I recall. My team got such a small amount back it was minimal. I remember my VNEA and BCA days when my team got $400+ back at the end of the session.

If my area ever has enough interested players for a APA Masters division I might give that a try. We don't have a FARGO system in my area yet to my knowledge.

Handicapping will never be perfect as a few have discussed earlier.
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I am only a 5 and play masters and love it. Only draw back I that its once a mo th but we do pls the other team twice that day.

We also have a Jr masters I. Our area designed for 4' and 5's .
 
JLange said:
Years ago I played in the VNEA Masters Division for 2-3 sessions, I really liked that setup. No real handicap system just get our there play and compete. The drawback was that you had to wait a long time to play everyone 1 game.

Also a drawback for the APA is after our session was over there was basically little reward. Not sure this is the same everywhere.
I won Top Gun one session but there was no reward for that that I recall. My team got such a small amount back it was minimal. I remember my VNEA and BCA days when my team got $400+ back at the end of the session.

If my area ever has enough interested players for a APA Masters division I might give that a try. We don't have a FARGO system in my area yet to my knowledge.
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The whole point of APA is going to Vegas. When you won top gun, you should have had a playoff with other top gunners for a trip to the singles in Vegas. Not sure why your area didn't do that.

A lot of players (bar hoppers) in my area won't play APA because there is no payout. They get butt hurt when they don't get their $30 or $50 dollars a session. When it comes down to it, that kind of money is worth no more then coon piss. But it makes them feel better.... or special....or something.
 
buckshotshoey said:
The whole point of APA is going to Vegas. When you won top gun, you should have had a playoff with other top gunners for a trip to the singles in Vegas. Not sure why your area didn't do that.

A lot of players (bar hoppers) in my area won't play APA because there is no payout. They get butt hurt when they don't get their $30 or $50 dollars a session. When it comes down to it, that kind of money is worth no more then coon piss. But it makes them feel better.... or special....or something.
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Our League operator was suppose to contact me when the playoff was, to my surprise he never contacted me.
I do agree for many in the APA it's all about going to Vegas:smile:
 
buckshotshoey said:
The whole point of APA is going to Vegas. When you won top gun, you should have had a playoff with other top gunners for a trip to the singles in Vegas. Not sure why your area didn't do that.

A lot of players (bar hoppers) in my area won't play APA because there is no payout. They get butt hurt when they don't get their $30 or $50 dollars a session. When it comes down to it, that kind of money is worth no more then coon piss. But it makes them feel better.... or special....or something.
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Its seems to me that whenever apa is mentioned it always comes down to your first sentence...... Apa is all about going to Vegas. People make it sound like apa is the devil himself for dangling a carrot in front of you to get you to do something a sane person would not normally do.

Yea they market the heck out of a trip to Vegas. So what ? I have played bcapl....napa ...tap and usapl. They all have touted a trip to their nationals as an incentive to join their league. So why is apa always singled out in a negative WA over their marketing a trip to their nationals when every other major amateur league does the same thing ?
 
Must really depend on the area. The region i started playing APA in was full of teams and pool players and many were very good. I am currently a 5 in 8 ball but the 7's tend to be very good damn hard out here as well as 3's that don't shoot so good but play great defense.
 
buckshotshoey said:
The whole point of APA is going to Vegas. When you won top gun, you should have had a playoff with other top gunners for a trip to the singles in Vegas. Not sure why your area didn't do that.

A lot of players (bar hoppers) in my area won't play APA because there is no payout. They get butt hurt when they don't get their $30 or $50 dollars a session. When it comes down to it, that kind of money is worth no more then coon piss. But it makes them feel better.... or special....or something.
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That's not the point to everyone. Most people want to go, but even we have a couple of people that want to
play every week and would probably come along if we qualified for the National Team Tournament if it were
anywhere else but Las Vegas.

There are people in our area that just want to play every week and have a night out with their friends but have
no interest in Las Vegas. It was odd to me too but it is what it is, you know.

That Top Gun thing is a good idea, however, that's not how you qualify for singles. I would suspect that's why
Lo's LO doesn't have a Top Gunner's play off. A National Top Gun would be fun though
 
Celophanewrap said:
That's not the point to everyone. Most people want to go, but even we have a couple of people that want to
play every week and would probably come along if we qualified for the National Team Tournament if it were
anywhere else but Las Vegas.

There are people in our area that just want to play every week and have a night out with their friends but have
no interest in Las Vegas. It was odd to me too but it is what it is, you know.

That Top Gun thing is a good idea, however, that's not how you qualify for singles. I would suspect that's why
Lo's LO doesn't have a Top Gunner's play off. A National Top Gun would be fun though
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It's been a while, but I though I you won the top gun playoff, you went to regionals. If you won the regional, you went to Vegas?
 
buckshotshoey said:
It's been a while, but I though I you won the top gun playoff, you went to regionals. If you won the regional, you went to Vegas?
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You enter a singles board. Win your board, go to regionals. Win your regional - qualify for Nationals.
I believe a singles board is 8 spots, random skill levels. I know there is something called a super board
or something like that. It’s like 32 spots, 4 qualify and you somehow have multiple chances to qualify,
of course it costs more to play in a super board. I dunno if the super board is a local thing or if everybody
does it
 
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lorider said:
Its seems to me that whenever apa is mentioned it always comes down to your first sentence...... Apa is all about going to Vegas. People make it sound like apa is the devil himself for dangling a carrot in front of you to get you to do something a sane person would not normally do.

Yea they market the heck out of a trip to Vegas. So what ? I have played bcapl....napa ...tap and usapl. They all have touted a trip to their nationals as an incentive to join their league. So why is apa always singled out in a negative WA over their marketing a trip to their nationals when every other major amateur league does the same thing ?
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Don't think I ever joined a league to win a trip or get my money back, only to play with friends or support the league in the area or some pool room it's in that I like and it's a great way to get some cheap table time for a night and maybe play some cheap money games with the better players.
 
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