Balukas to the US Open 9-Ball....

Jay,i would like a honest opinion from you.When you played your top speed how would you have matched up with a women player like JL? What type of weight could you have given her? Remember she got beat getting the 8 playing 10 ball from Richy Rich. P.S. Liked your book.What the pool world has always needed is 20 more like you and it might have went somewhere.

Years back I honestly feel that I could beat any women player at One Pocket or Bank Pool and probably at 9-Ball for money too. I did lose to Robin Bell in a tournament, but that's a little different. Of course this was before the modern era of women's pool.

After they started the WPBA Tour and all the great women players emerged, things began to change. For a long time I still thought I would have the best of it at One Pocket or Banks. This is no longer the case. Forget about 9-Ball, I couldn't beat any of the top fifteen or twenty women at that game now. Even at my two best games, ladies like Jeanette and Vivian would clean my clock and I know it.

I used to battle with Ming when she was on tour back some 8-10 years ago. She was consistently in the top twenty women and ranked as high as #16. We would practice together playing Races To Nine, just like they play on tour. I had to play my 'A' game to beat her and if she played her 'A' game it was real close. She would win a set and then I would win a set. After three or four sets we would both be worn out, but Ming was ready for any woman after that. And she won her share of matches against the top name players. She is still a dominant force in amateur women's pool.
 
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Jay,i hope your not saying you would have had no chance in your prime playing the current top 15 women players in the world.You was not in your prime ten yrs ago.
 
Zero on Lori. She was a great 9-Ball player, just as good as Jeannie. More into gambling than tournaments though. She was the female version of Keith. Lori played a lot like Jasmin, "man style" pool. If you know what I mean.

Later on JoAnn Mason reminded me of both of them. She also played with a mans intensity, form, and style. Maybe not in the same league talent wise but she could play.
 
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