So I've been reading this thread and it's similar to a lot of the threads here regarding the APA, ie - "it sucks", "it's a joke", yada... yada... yada... started by the guy who came in 33rd place in the Masters and didn't finish higher because of the equipment. Maybe it was good, maybe it was bad, depending on who's post you read, I was there, I thought it was basically a Valley bar table with all the characteristics of a Valley bar table. The one thing I can't get away from is that my opponent and I played on the same table and I believe we both had the same opportunity to win. From reading some of the posts here its' pretty clear to me that I don't play at the same level that quite a few of you do and judging from those same posts I can't say that I'd ever want to.
I like playing once or twice a week with friends when there's no money involved, I like hitting balls on my own table whenever I want to, I like playing in the odd weekend tournament when I have a chance to win someone else's money and not put up my own (excepting the $10 or $20 entry fee) and as long as my opponent and I have played on the same table I can't think of a time that I have ever complained about the equipment - that it has cost me a match. The ball rolls funny sometimes, $hit just happens. I wonder if the team that won the Masters, The Ladies, The 9-Ball or The 8-Ball drew the same perfectly level tables for every match they played or if maybe they played on some of the same tables I did.
The APA isn't for everybody, some of you need the pressure and thrill of playing for money on 9 foot Gold Crowns or Diamonds, as for me - not so much. Sure there are things about the APA that I'd probably change, but it's not mine, so I just deal with it and drink my beer.
Those of you that piss all over the APA - what purpose does it serve? I think I read a post here that said [paraphrase] "if you complain enough about something it will bring about change". Really? How's that working for you so far?
I went there with same chance to win as everybody else, I played on the same tables as everybody else and I play good at times, and bad at times, but I flat refuse to say that the equipment beat me. There's nothing more disrespectful to my opponent than that.
So for the OP and everybody with a similar opinion, You guys know what the APA is, why do you put yourselves through it? I can't think of anyone that needs that aggravation. Move on to the BCA or Valley or the different local and regional events where they have perfectly level tables every time and if you get beat you get beat by your opponent and not the equipment. I suppose then it'll be the temperature, or the humidity, to dry, too wet, something in my eye, had a headache, tough day at work, jacked off and my arm was sore... and we could go on and on. But seriously, why put yourself through it? Especially when you know what to expect.
I'm willing to bet that you're probably 10 times the player I am but if one day we should meet in a match and I was to win, let me have that, don't whine about the equipment, or the sun, show me that respect, please.
As for the other stuff, I'd love for you to stay in the APA, it always helps to have players that play at a high level, but allow those of us that are lesser players our celebration if we win and don't try to pawn it off on the equipment, or wet hands or whatever, we have to win sometimes, it's nature.
To quote (sort of) a popular movie, "This is a simple game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains, think about it."
-Ebby Calvin LaLouche, Bull Durham