APA Rant

[DJ14.1]

I miss Wisconsin so much. They have etiquette and strong players who are respectable and love to pass on their knowledge. People aren't categorized by their number or their skill level (C,B, etc.).

I'm playing in the APA in Chicago... and I just hate it. I'm rated as a 4 (from a year and a half ago before I was in Green Bay for a year) and coming back home to Chicago... I am definitely not a 4/5 (just got bumped to a 5) in 8 ball. My average game lasts 2 innings (and the highest a game has gone was 4 innings) so far, and every set I've won either 3-1, or 4-1.

I'm playing a guy last night (he's a 6), and this is the shot (I'm on the hill at 3-1). He's got all of his balls on the table, and my 5 ball is almost hanging in the side. His 13 ball is half a diamond away and half a diamond out (from the side pocket), I play my 5 ball in the side, and come off the rail to hit his 13 to stop the CB for a shot on the 8 in the side.

This guy gets up, and says foul! Claiming that I hit his 13 first... "otherwise it wouldn't have moved at all." We argue, and he calls the TD over... and since I don't have proof that I didn't hit his ball he gets ball in hand, and I win anyway. Somewhere in this arguing he says: "You're a 5, I'm a 6, I know what I'm doing way more than you do."

This really bothered me, but it's pretty common out here and I hate it sooo much. I play pool to get better, and I play pool to get to the top of my game. To be told that I can and can't do something because of a number on paper just infuriates me - I'm guilty of this too, but I try to avoid this as much as possible. If somebody is a legit 4 then I don't expect them to be able to play a 4 rail kick shot, and if somebody is a legit 7 then I expect them to pick better position play and patterns than I see them playing.

The APA just baffles me... especially now that I've been exposed to legitimate good pool. I doubt I'll be able to stomach this much more.

Rant over.

EDIT: I'll try and get a pic up of the shot once pool.bz is back up and running.

Maybe your problem is more Chicago than the APA? There's good and bad everywhere, but big cities can be rough on the mind and soul....especially compared to Wisconsin. I took a few seminars in Madison and loved the area.

All I can say is keep learning and try to tune-out the idiots the best you can. If you can manage to not be bothered by them, you'll sleep better at night.

But by all means write their name down and kick their ass on the table someday It's win-win for everyone. You feel better, and the knucklehead gets the humble pie he probably needs lol

 

[Zphix]

Depends on your definition of the word sh*tty I guess. My point was sort of it is just a #, nothing to care about.



I have seen some 5s that shoot as strong as 7s in our league if not better fwiw...once again # means nothing.



2 weeks is nothing which means your handicap is not established. I believe it takes a minimum of 4 weeks and even then until you hit 10 and even 20 matches it can bounce easily. It sounds like you will be a 6 or a 7 by the time you get established, gl op.

I agree that number means nothing - I just wish others did as well. Again, I try to avoid classifying people by a # or letter but sometimes I will slip.

That's my other point though. I hate that people are basing their assessment of my skill (in league) based on a number (one unestablished at that) and not how I play. A # doesn't mean anything to me, personally, beyond the fact that people are using a # to pigeonhole me to a certain ability; it's that disrespect that bothers me.

 

[whammo57]

I miss Wisconsin so much. They have etiquette and strong players who are respectable and love to pass on their knowledge. People aren't categorized by their number or their skill level (C,B, etc.).

I'm playing in the APA in Chicago... and I just hate it. I'm rated as a 4 (from a year and a half ago before I was in Green Bay for a year) and coming back home to Chicago... I am definitely not a 4/5 (just got bumped to a 5) in 8 ball. My average game lasts 2 innings (and the highest a game has gone was 4 innings) so far, and every set I've won either 3-1, or 4-1.

I'm playing a guy last night (he's a 6), and this is the shot (I'm on the hill at 3-1). He's got all of his balls on the table, and my 5 ball is almost hanging in the side. His 13 ball is half a diamond away and half a diamond out (from the side pocket), I play my 5 ball in the side, and come off the rail to hit his 13 to stop the CB for a shot on the 8 in the side.

This guy gets up, and says foul! Claiming that I hit his 13 first... "otherwise it wouldn't have moved at all." We argue, and he calls the TD over... and since I don't have proof that I didn't hit his ball he gets ball in hand, and I win anyway. Somewhere in this arguing he says: "You're a 5, I'm a 6, I know what I'm doing way more than you do."

This really bothered me, but it's pretty common out here and I hate it sooo much. I play pool to get better, and I play pool to get to the top of my game. To be told that I can and can't do something because of a number on paper just infuriates me - I'm guilty of this too, but I try to avoid this as much as possible. If somebody is a legit 4 then I don't expect them to be able to play a 4 rail kick shot, and if somebody is a legit 7 then I expect them to pick better position play and patterns than I see them playing.

The APA just baffles me... especially now that I've been exposed to legitimate good pool. I doubt I'll be able to stomach this much more.

Rant over.

EDIT: I'll try and get a pic up of the shot once pool.bz is back up and running.

First of all you were the victim of bullshit........... if no one else saw the so called bad hit the ruling goes to the shooter not the opponent....... you and you league operater should brush up on the APA rules........... same goes with a frozen ball........ if your opponent does not check it out and say it.......... the ball is not frozen.....

Kim...

 

[justadub]

What you're hating there isn't the APA. That is a very unfortunate conclusion that many reach in error, as you have here. What you hate is the incorrect implementation of the APA rules. The APA couldn't be more clear about the idea that if no one is specifically asked to watch a shot (a ref, another player, etc.), then disputes will go to the shooter. In other words, the burden of proof is not on you. If you say it was a good hit, he says it was a bad hit, and no one was *asked to watch the hit*, then what the shooter says goes. Very simple.

Also, the other thing you might be hating is humanity. People are stupid, ignorant, inconsiderate, dishonest, and generally despicable in basically any group you want to pick. This guy being an ass really isn't a quality of the APA. Even if everyone in the league is an ass, the league itself is only to blame in so much as it doesn't take corrective actions to eliminate the assholes. I think the APA system and structure is pretty good actually. The place where they really come up short is in *educating* their huge player base in etiquette, and how pool is supposed to be played. I have found that most APA players (and most humans in general) tend to be conformists. They will do things the way everyone says they should be done, for the most part. The APA has a great opportunity to change the culture. If everyone that is a good person, likes pool, and wants to be a respectful sportsman decides "this sucks", and leaves at any inconvenience to them, it really doesn't *help* the group as a whole. If you think you have something to add to a pool community, the ADD IT!!! Don't run away. Help change the culture. That is very important to me. I think so much is wrong with all leagues, pool rooms, etc. But I try my best to make the issues know, offer solutions, and generally just stick it out and bear it, because I DO think I can make a difference, and I'm not afraid to try.

This was a bad call against you by a misinformed player and TD. The solution on your end is to privately discuss the matter with the TD. Show him the rule in the book where it says the tie goes to the shooter unless someone was asked to watch. Ask why he didn't uphold that rule. If his answer is not satisfactory, contact St. Louis. Point out the error. They can't fix what they don't know is broken.

Best wishes on this!

KMRUNOUT

^^^^^ this.

Apply this statement to any APA thread.

 

[Chops02]

like several have said...this isn't even a gray area in the rule book. if he didn't call the TD to watch the hit then the call goes to you.....regardless. with nobody asked to watch and no witnesses to said foul your opponent has no ground to stand on. it's your call. for the TD to come in and do anything other than what is in the rule book is an absolute joke assuming we have the whole situation.