APA Opinions

[Endymion]

I can personally attest to the validity of Snapshot's statement. I was personally told by a league operator that to reveal the system(formulas) for the calculations of a player's handicap/skill level would be a violation of their contractual obligations to APA Corporate.

Secrets in public endevours are never good.

First, perhaps I misunderstood, but I thought snapshot was inferring that the 'secret formulas' weren't in fact secret. Second, since when is APA a public endeavour? They are a privately owned company that is providing a service. Why should they not be able to have trade secrets same as any other company?

Watching a race to two take an hour and a half just KILLS me!!! I've seen several matches last till way past midnite.....that's too much.

OMG that's the worst. I no longer have a tolerance level in that regard.

 

[Da Poet]

I'm another one who has to work for a living and just don't have the time to hang around till 11:00pm before I get to play. Watching a race to two take an hour and a half just KILLS me!!! I've seen several matches last till way past midnite.....that's too much.

The late night thing can be a drag. I personally wouldn't mind starting the first match at 6:30. It's not like you need the whole team there to start.

I play in a pool hall division, so if the last match hasn't started by 11:00, I can and have asked the other team to make up the game later. There are a couple teams who are just slow and sometimes I'll propose this option at the begining of a match with the other captain and I've always recieved a nod of agreement. This is also a nice way of saying let's keep things moving. This might be a a little tricky with the bar teams, but no one should feel pressured into staying out too late for work because of league.

 

[ScottW]

If you have a spare table where you're playing, and your matches are running long, don't hestitate to propose to the other team that you start a second match on that other table. Have one team score one match, the other team score the other, and then get the scoresheets resolved afterwards. We do that sort of thing every few weeks in our league, to help get us done at a reasonable time.

 

[CreeDo]

I always wondered how the secret formula worked but I agree it should be kept secret, to prevent messing with it.

I notice that the SL formula, even though it doesn't account for balls, pretty closely mirrors your average run, discounting safeties. A 5 can be expected to run 5, a 7 can be expected to run out, etc.

 

[jojopiff]

Great Starting Point

I think the APA is a great starting point. I had never played any amount of pool and got into a league and got hooked. I think it is good exposure to get people playing the game. At the very least it gets people playing who maybe wouldn't normally because they have a chance and they learn to love the game. I played APA for 3 years or so before our team total skill levels got to high so we went to BCA.

My biggest gripe about APA is the matches last fooorrreeeevvveeer. Usually around midnight. Too late for me. Other than that, I think it's a good thing.

Preston

 

[Big Perm]

Does anyone else here feel that APA should change up their format a little? The only thing I would want changed would be to call pocket. It frustrates me to see new players just bangin around trying to get lucky, like they don't care. Around here most new players are brought on a team to lose so that they can have a low SL player. Anyone else feel the same? (or differently for that matter)
Thanks
Matt

Matt, I grew up playing call your shot, which included everything...kisses, caroms, everything....don't know how many times that started arguements around whether or not you touched a ball near a pocket, did it go clean, what did you call, and did you hit the rail.....it was a huge PITA....

APA is simple, it allows people of all different skill levels to compete, and I enjoy my league.....also, players that often bang the balls around also do stupid things like scratches, knocking in the 8 out of turn, or breaking out clusters that might have otherwise been a problem for me What goes around comes around, and the vast majority of the time, the person having the better night wins.....

And people who are told to lose by their team.....first, I'd immediately know I was on the wrong team and quit if they asked me to lose.....second, a guy that would consider throwing a game in a league has no backbone and wouldn't enjoy being on my team...

my two cents...

 

[CreeDo]

I agree that calling EVERYthing is silly and lame and just going to start arguments, but that's why most modern rules are simplified to "call which ball goes in which pocket". That way it doesn't matter how it gets there and nobody can argue if the intended ball went in the intended pocket. Anyway the VNEA and BCA get by with that rule fine.

But APA is still ahead of both of them in popularity, wonder what the single biggest factor is that has kept it that way for years? Probably not the call pocket rules or anything like that.

I think it's maybe the 23 skill level limit that encourages people to form mixed teams with pros and noobs. I don't like it sometimes, but other times it feels like the right thing. Facing massively stacked teams can cause people to get discouraged and quit after one session. It also sucks when you're a weak player and nobody wants you on their team. The 23 limit makes us actively seek weak (but responsible and enthusiastic) players, so in the APA those guys don't end up feeling like the kid nobody wants to pick when they make teams at recess.

 

[APA LO]

Quesion to APA LO:
Why do the League Operators not clamp down on the sandbagging issue by placing responsibility on the Captains (beyond what the rule book states).

DoomCue gave a pretty good response to your question to me on the 2nd page of this thread.

I can't speak for other LO's since I don't know how each one educates their league members of the seriousness of allowing sandbagging to take place. But, it really does come down to the league members who witness it taking place on their league nights. Sandbagging should be reported to the League Operator, and if the LO doesn't do anything about it, take it to a higher court, the APA National Office.

I was an APA member for many years before becoming an APA LO. I didn't tolerate sandbagging as a player, and I don't tolerate it now.

Looking the other way or joining in because someone else is doing it only fuels the problem. It turns what could be a small and easily fixed problem into a large uncontrollable problem.

As a League Operator, I feel my most important responsibility is to protect the honest teams from cheaters. A loss to an honest team can still be a fun night of pool, though never as fun as winning. A loss to a dishonest team leaves you walking away feeling cheated, and it most certainly wasn't fun.

The honest players easily outnumber the dishonest players. If all the honest players reported each of the dishonest players, the number of dishonest players will decrease. If the dishonest players are allowed to get away with being dishonest, others will feel that they too have to be dishonest in order to compete.

Also, the LO can't fix what they don't know about. If no one reports it, how does the LO know it's going on? Most of the teams I've caught sandbagging, I have to give an assist to the player who reported them.

 

[APA LO]

The APA with over 260,000 members is without a doubt "good" for pool, yes, the rules are somewhat skewed toward the lower skill level player so they can compete and hopefully contribute to thier team. Generally these leagues seem to have fewer problems during league play than a cash league and do promote the overall sport of pool which is a good thing for all of us that love pool and want it to grow. APA has a valid position in our sport as does BCA, I support both!!

Very well stated. APA designed rules that limit arguments and give the weaker player more ways to be competitive against better players.

 

[a_susie_cue]

I have been playing APA for about 5 years now. It is a fun night out, but my teams do take their games seriously too. I have played both 8 ball and 9 ball. I wish their was a roll out after the break in 9 ball, but I do like the point system. It's nice to know that you can still win even if you don't make the nine. APA is great for beginner and social players. Where can you find a league where a lower level player actually has a chance to win? The other leagues are primarily straight races. APA does have different races for all levels. It does even out the playing field especially when a 2 has to play a 7 (which would be a 2-7 race). How many of the 2-3's would actually play in a league where they feel it is almost impossible for them to win? BCA and VNEA are great for the competition.

The masters level of play in APA is a whole different league of its own. I do believe though that you have to be on a current 8 ball or 9 ball team roster to be eligible to play in the masters tournament.