Forgot about the whole modified single elimination format, whoever devised that should be shot.
APA Nationals...like playing at your local tavern
- Thread starter TeeA
- Start date
So true, I know tables where there are certain shots that just can't be made, but can be easily made on a well maintained table.
Diamond new rail design
You need to get around a little and play on a new diamond table. They have redesigned the rails so everything your complaining about has been eliminated. They debuted the new equiptment at the US OPEN last fall and all of the tables at the" TAP rally in the Valley "in Philly were the new specs. If your playing on the old equiptment your really missing a great table.
Gordon
Las Vegas
425-275-8255
You need to get around a little and play on a new diamond table. They have redesigned the rails so everything your complaining about has been eliminated. They debuted the new equiptment at the US OPEN last fall and all of the tables at the" TAP rally in the Valley "in Philly were the new specs. If your playing on the old equiptment your really missing a great table.
Gordon
Las Vegas
425-275-8255
No doubt. For sure a business man and not a pool player developed that system. Especially when you have 120 tables in one room and after 3:30pm on Friday not even half of them are being used.
Surely you must be joking! Yes, the racks were stupid. The tables were great. Typical Diamond Smarts. Worst cue balls? Never once had one roll other than straight at slow speed.
If you wanted to make that case this year, might agree with you. Switching out some of the "pro" ball sets for the cheap stuff was not up to what I expect from Diamond. "We lose to many cue balls" was a below par excuse. In retrospect, it's their sand box. If we don't like it, don't come! They'll get the message. Eventually.
Lyn
Lyn relax. Strictly saying the diamonds at SBE 2 years ago sucked, rails were too bouncy, they fixed that this past year and the tables were great. Q balls and racks comment was concerning vegas and the apa, plastic racks and the aramith q ball.
Tables.
The problem is that who ever was in charge of the contract for the tables didn't do their due diligence. Or the company that actually provided the tables either defrauded the APA or they ( the APA and the vendor) just didn't care.
I would hope that some of the league operators would speak up and voice these concerns. Like they do anythime the APA is questioned (bashed).
I feel the playing field being sub-standard should not happen at this calibre of event.
What if anything is the APA going to do About it?
The problem is that who ever was in charge of the contract for the tables didn't do their due diligence. Or the company that actually provided the tables either defrauded the APA or they ( the APA and the vendor) just didn't care.
I would hope that some of the league operators would speak up and voice these concerns. Like they do anythime the APA is questioned (bashed).
I feel the playing field being sub-standard should not happen at this calibre of event.
What if anything is the APA going to do About it?
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They may be scared of a backlash that may come from the top for being negative toward the firm. JMO
It is my understanding that one company supplies tables for both the APA and VNEA events. They sit in a warehouse in or around LV when not in use. I have never been to the singles event but at the team nationals there are over 200 tables set up with a staff of table mechanics on call to tend to them. Not sure what a 7ft diamond smart table costs but times that by 200 (or more) and then try to run a company paying that amount back. Also, my guess is that the Valleys take more abuse loading and unloading off of a truck with laminate finishes. Hands down a Diamond is more of a players table. Hands down the APA could supply better tables. However, I would question whether it is a good business decision.
The coin op bar box is the most common table found walking onto any establishment that has a pool table. It is what most players are playing on across the country. When I was there in 2000 they had Diamonds. I took exception to that because I had never seen a Diamond much less played on one and it was different. Every week I play on a different table and every table plays different. Some too fast, some too slow, some roll this way, some roll that way. I myself probably have one of the nicest playing tables in my area but I don't expect everyone else to have a table that plays exactly like mine. I believe the ability to adjust to playing conditions is one the items that separates good players from great players. Absoloutely bar tables are crap but I find a dinky little 7 foot quite easy to play on.
All this just my opinion. I am going to get off the APA Wambulance now. I am starting to feel emotional and might start to cry.....
The coin op bar box is the most common table found walking onto any establishment that has a pool table. It is what most players are playing on across the country. When I was there in 2000 they had Diamonds. I took exception to that because I had never seen a Diamond much less played on one and it was different. Every week I play on a different table and every table plays different. Some too fast, some too slow, some roll this way, some roll that way. I myself probably have one of the nicest playing tables in my area but I don't expect everyone else to have a table that plays exactly like mine. I believe the ability to adjust to playing conditions is one the items that separates good players from great players. Absoloutely bar tables are crap but I find a dinky little 7 foot quite easy to play on.
All this just my opinion. I am going to get off the APA Wambulance now. I am starting to feel emotional and might start to cry.....
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Nothing is wrong with that, and the APA Operators are making a bundle off the local player who play in their Leagues. As I said if you do not like the APA, and are an APA Member do not renew membership or play in that League until they change to your liking..
All of this makes me scared that my team might actually win a chance to go out there and play this summer... we play on relatively well-kept 9-footers. We'd have to take a crash course in 7-footer pool. Not to mention the only 7-footers in town are in one of the dumpier dives we have... oh wait, maybe that means we'll be used to how the tables actually are in Vegas! :lol:
Oh well. Here's to hoping I get to find out first-hand how bad the tables are!
Oh well. Here's to hoping I get to find out first-hand how bad the tables are!
APA Nationals
Justadub i wouldn't worry too much about how awful it is at the APA events because the negative posts are full of it.
I was at the event and the Singles and the Team event are the best run tournaments there are. The tables were fine. there will always be some table that may have a dead rail but arrangements will be made to move the match or level the table if it is off a little. Tables do settle and when you are running the largest pool tournament in the world (documented by the guiness book of world records) you are going to have some tables that aren't going to be perfect.
I find it hilarious how the whiners that have now come back from their free trip keep right on bashing the league they will always keep playing in because they like that free ride and the largest payouts of any league.
One post commented on how a 9 was putting together 3, 4 and 5 racks at a time on his way to winning the national championship. sounds like the tables were unbearable, give me a break.
I watched two 9's playing a mini tournament and the one fellow won the match 75 to 0 with the other 9 never getting to the table. Sounds like he didn't have a problem with the table.
i say all this knowing that the usual bashers will have something to say about my post.
I just refuse to argue with the stupid, since they drag you down to their level then beat you with their expertise. JMO lol
All of this makes me scared that my team might actually win a chance to go out there and play this summer... we play on relatively well-kept 9-footers. We'd have to take a crash course in 7-footer pool. Not to mention the only 7-footers in town are in one of the dumpier dives we have... oh wait, maybe that means we'll be used to how the tables actually are in Vegas! :lol:
Oh well. Here's to hoping I get to find out first-hand how bad the tables are!
Justadub i wouldn't worry too much about how awful it is at the APA events because the negative posts are full of it.
I was at the event and the Singles and the Team event are the best run tournaments there are. The tables were fine. there will always be some table that may have a dead rail but arrangements will be made to move the match or level the table if it is off a little. Tables do settle and when you are running the largest pool tournament in the world (documented by the guiness book of world records) you are going to have some tables that aren't going to be perfect.
I find it hilarious how the whiners that have now come back from their free trip keep right on bashing the league they will always keep playing in because they like that free ride and the largest payouts of any league.
One post commented on how a 9 was putting together 3, 4 and 5 racks at a time on his way to winning the national championship. sounds like the tables were unbearable, give me a break.
I watched two 9's playing a mini tournament and the one fellow won the match 75 to 0 with the other 9 never getting to the table. Sounds like he didn't have a problem with the table.
i say all this knowing that the usual bashers will have something to say about my post.
I just refuse to argue with the stupid, since they drag you down to their level then beat you with their expertise. JMO lol
I read your thread title(only)"APA Nationals,,,like playing at your local tavern." and first thing that came to mind was,,,,"So at the Nationals your team puts $300 in,,and wins the tournament,,,,then gets $30 back!!" LMAO
I don't play APA anymore,,,I have nothin else to say.:grin:
Not whining.
It's not whining! If as a player you have the expectation to be able to play on the best equipment available. That is what I pay my weekly APA dues and tournament entry fees for! I know that for the amount of money that the APA generates there should be no excuse for sub par tournament tables. That is just bad business. If I ran the tournament I can guarantee that I would not let that happen and if I delegated that responsibility to someone else then they wouldn't work for me very long. But that is just my .02
PHJ
It's not whining! If as a player you have the expectation to be able to play on the best equipment available. That is what I pay my weekly APA dues and tournament entry fees for! I know that for the amount of money that the APA generates there should be no excuse for sub par tournament tables. That is just bad business. If I ran the tournament I can guarantee that I would not let that happen and if I delegated that responsibility to someone else then they wouldn't work for me very long. But that is just my .02
PHJ
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Or maybe they just don't know anything about the arrangement the national office has with its table vendor.
Some of the league operators HAVE spoken up and voiced concerns about the number of equipment complaints this year. They just didn't do it here, as this is not the place for it.
I was there, and the biggest issue I saw was the trouble everyone seemed to be having with the soft plastic racks. I'm sure there were other issues, but they weren't as visible and they certainly didn't apply to ALL of the tables. Then again, I remember the trouble everyone had the year they used the Sardo racks...
I'm certainly not whining about it. Heck I've never been to the APA Nationals, but I have heard the complaints from quite a few locals. I would just expect the equipment for the national tournament to at least be on par with what I play on at our city tournament.
Kind of makes me think that my LO runs the league better here than the front office does.
Kind of makes me think that my LO runs the league better here than the front office does.
You can't really believe this. Any system that gets all the players or teams in one room for a specific match time, then randomly calls out names and tables, at said match time is crazy. There is no reason tables can't be preassigned, as there is no reason you cant hit a couple practice balls before your match.
Can't wait for your opinion on modified single elimination format.
APA = tournaments run by people who don't play pool.
P.S. If your trip was free then you must have been one of the refs sticking their chests out.
All 5 players that went from my area had free paid for by our L.O. That includes flights, rooms, transportation to and from the airport and baggage fees covered.
Maybe players in your area didn't get that. You should talk to your L.O. then.
Leagueguy
All of this makes me scared that my team might actually win a chance to go out there and play this summer... we play on relatively well-kept 9-footers. We'd have to take a crash course in 7-footer pool. Not to mention the only 7-footers in town are in one of the dumpier dives we have... oh wait, maybe that means we'll be used to how the tables actually are in Vegas! :lol:
Oh well. Here's to hoping I get to find out first-hand how bad the tables are!
Justadub,
I was not there this year so I really can't say anything about the comments on here. I have been to Vegas a few times for team events and Masters and I didn't have any problem. The equipment has been fine the times I have played there including last August.
In my own opinion, I wish they would bring back the Diamonds but that does not mean that the equipment is bad, it is just not the same as what some people like to play on.
I hope you get a chance to go sometime so that you can see for yourself that it is the best tournament anywhere and is nowhere near as bad as the APA bashers make it out to be
Leagueguy.