Competing with the APA

[Celophanewrap]

ACS has a fun, quick moving format. It has less drama, less BS. Good players. Good rules.

No league is perfect, and ACS is no exception, but ACS is better than most, including the awful APA.

It’s just a guess, but I’m thinking you have some issues with the APA. I’ve always said
The APA isn’t for everyone. It’s obviously not for you, for whatever reason, never been to
Las Vegas, didn’t get your patch, got beat by a 2 or a 3 (or maybe a 1?), could be any of
those, or maybe something else, something deeper.
A little bit about me, don’t really drink, married, employed, educated, children, and I play
exclusively in The APA, and I do that for one main reason. Pool in its purest form is a
great sport, they used to say that about the Olympics, “sport in its purest form”, then they
added professional athletes. They had to, the Western countries couldn’t really compete
with the communist countries that used “technical amateur” athletes that regularly
competed at the highest level but had state support, so professional athletes took the
games over. Maybe a little more entertaining sometimes, but really no longer open to
the pure amateur. I like The Olympics, I watch loyally and root for The Americans to
get a gold in every event. But like pool, when they put money on the table, or the field,
the Bastard quotient went up 1000 fold. I would imagine that possibly you’re one of those.
I won’t gamble, I have a family, and a mortgage, insurance and other expenses that
require satisfying. Gambling just isn’t in the game for me. If you want to play me of
course we can, but I want your best game in its purest form. Money on the table, I
believe, makes people act ways and do things they wouldn’t normally do, that takes away
from the game. If there’s no money at stake you would have no reason to do anything
but play your best. I’ll buy your drinks, pick up the table time, but I won’t play you for
money, it’s just not what I am, and that’s what the APA is, what it is to me.
You may disagree, and that’s fine, like I said, the APA isn’t for everyone. You may need
the thrill of playing for something other than pride, you may need to puff out your chest
and be named the best because that’s whats important to you. Me? I just want to play.
You don’t scare me, or anyone else and I’m sure that wasn’t your object here.
Sure there are some things I’d probably change about The APA, but it suits me just fine.
The BCA and those leagues have some excellent players, and probably the very top
end is a little stronger than The APA top end, but only in most, not all cases.
Your personal feelings are no reason to try and insult us all, for whatever reason you can’t
play in The APA, well, I’m sure they’re good reasons, but let’s try and keep a civil
tongue. Just like The APA isnt for everyone, neither are the leagues you play in, they
sure aren’t for me. Many of those player are good, decent players that love the
competition, others are money grubbing bastards.
It’s pretty much for certain that we’ll never meet on a league table, but if we find
ourselves in the same place at the same time and you don’t mind just playing to play,
maybe we can play a set or two, I’ll buy the first round

 

[sixpack]

Two tables, imho, ruin the evening.

It takes away the team aspect that should shine, re the difference between apa and the other leagues.

Spectating is an important part of the team experience. Without that, it isn't the same.



Jeff Livingston

I tend to agree. At first especially because I’m used to playing ‘our’ bar against ‘their’ bar types of leagues. But this one is in house and after three sessions playing on two tables has grown on me. I get there early and warm up. Play leagues which usually finish around 9. Then play a race to 7 of 8ball or 9ball and head home by 10.

 

[Scott Lee]

Definite contender for best post of the year! I get so tired of all the APA haters out there. Never played in the league, but offer plenty of badmouthing about something they don't know. SBC is well known to be one of the biggest haters of APA. There are a few others as well. The truth is that there's room for all leagues, and every league has it's pros and cons. Every league has sandbaggers/cheaters. Some are better or worse than others...even within the same "brand". Like Celophanewrap so articulately put it, no league is perfect for everyone. That's why there are several choices available for most people. I was a successful APA LO because I chose to promote the league on it's own merits...instead of bashing other 'competing' leagues. The APA may not be for everybody...but there's a reason it's the largest league by far.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

It’s just a guess, but I’m thinking you have some issues with the APA. I’ve always said
The APA isn’t for everyone. It’s obviously not for you, for whatever reason, never been to
Las Vegas, didn’t get your patch, got beat by a 2 or a 3 (or maybe a 1?), could be any of
those, or maybe something else, something deeper.
A little bit about me, don’t really drink, married, employed, educated, children, and I play
exclusively in The APA, and I do that for one main reason. Pool in its purest form is a
great sport, they used to say that about the Olympics, “sport in its purest form”, then they
added professional athletes. They had to, the Western countries couldn’t really compete
with the communist countries that used “technical amateur” athletes that regularly
competed at the highest level but had state support, so professional athletes took the
games over. Maybe a little more entertaining sometimes, but really no longer open to
the pure amateur. I like The Olympics, I watch loyally and root for The Americans to
get a gold in every event. But like pool, when they put money on the table, or the field,
the Bastard quotient went up 1000 fold. I would imagine that possibly you’re one of those.
I won’t gamble, I have a family, and a mortgage, insurance and other expenses that
require satisfying. Gambling just isn’t in the game for me. If you want to play me of
course we can, but I want your best game in its purest form. Money on the table, I
believe, makes people act ways and do things they wouldn’t normally do, that takes away
from the game. If there’s no money at stake you would have no reason to do anything
but play your best. I’ll buy your drinks, pick up the table time, but I won’t play you for
money, it’s just not what I am, and that’s what the APA is, what it is to me.
You may disagree, and that’s fine, like I said, the APA isn’t for everyone. You may need
the thrill of playing for something other than pride, you may need to puff out your chest
and be named the best because that’s whats important to you. Me? I just want to play.
You don’t scare me, or anyone else and I’m sure that wasn’t your object here.
Sure there are some things I’d probably change about The APA, but it suits me just fine.
The BCA and those leagues have some excellent players, and probably the very top
end is a little stronger than The APA top end, but only in most, not all cases.
Your personal feelings are no reason to try and insult us all, for whatever reason you can’t
play in The APA, well, I’m sure they’re good reasons, but let’s try and keep a civil
tongue. Just like The APA isnt for everyone, neither are the leagues you play in, they
sure aren’t for me. Many of those player are good, decent players that love the
competition, others are money grubbing bastards.
It’s pretty much for certain that we’ll never meet on a league table, but if we find
ourselves in the same place at the same time and you don’t mind just playing to play,
maybe we can play a set or two, I’ll buy the first round

 

[Island Drive]

Definite contender for best post of the year! I get so tired of all the APA haters out there. Never played in the league, but offer plenty of badmouthing about something they don't know. SBC is well known to be one of the biggest haters of APA. There are a few others as well. The truth is that there's room for all leagues, and every league has it's pros and cons. Every league has sandbaggers/cheaters. Some are better or worse than others...even within the same "brand". Like Celophanewrap so articulately put it, no league is perfect for everyone. That's why there are several choices available for most people. I was a successful APA LO because I chose to promote the league on it's own merits...instead of bashing other 'competing' leagues. The APA may not be for everybody...but there's a reason it's the largest league by far.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Scott, same type of tone spewed out from people/news/nannism years ago, who said this. A McDonalds goes up, then soon just across the street, a Burger King Opened. When this first happened in the burbs of Chicago/60's early. People said how stupid it was to open another within a block. Well, the marketing people thought different, and welllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll guess they are right. Common sense. Anyone who bashes another league, no matter what league. Ask them, how would they like it if there was Only one car manufacturer.:thumbup:

 

[lorider]

For what it's worth, I stopped playing APA for the following reasons.

1. The matches always run late, 11 to midnight in most cases.
2. Despite being a good player and on many good teams I never got anything significant back.
3. Nothing in it for great players. I almost always played last and got a 2 or 3 thrown on me.
4. Most players where getting high and drunk, pool was 3rd in line.

There is no BCA leagues near me. I found a few nice in house singles leagues and won all the money I spent over 10 years in the APA back in less than a year. I practiced, played and was home by 9. I got to play many great players and the majority of people where there to play, lean and improve, not drink or get high. It really rekindled my love for the sport.

Unfortunately the bread and butter of the APA is beginner level players that like to drink.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

Granted their are players in apa that drink......however you and others on here seem to base your opinion on apa based on the actions of a minority of apa members.

Maybe its true what you say in you area but not mine. Out of 15 team mates on 2 teams I play on only 2 drink. One never has more than 2 beers and the other 3-4 at the max.

I would say the majority of apa players in my area do not drink. Money league on the other hand.....probably 75 % order beer by the bucket. For their selves ...not the whole team.

My opinion. Just like yours is based on my experience in my area.

 

[Echelon]

Granted their are players in apa that drink......however you and others on here seem to base your opinion on apa based on the actions of a minority of apa members.

Maybe its true what you say in you area but not mine. Out of 15 team mates on 2 teams I play on only 2 drink. One never has more than 2 beers and the other 3-4 at the max.

I would say the majority of apa players in my area do not drink. Money league on the other hand.....probably 75 % order beer by the bucket. For their selves ...not the whole team.

My opinion. Just like yours is based on my experience in my area.

Yeah, I'm sure it varies, this is my experience. Though, when it's all bar based and everyone gets a free drink you start to see more of it. Pool halls are dropping like flies so what choice is there? I was lucky enough to find some players rooms, some with no smoking or alcohol. I'm also married with a kid now, it fit me better 15 years ago. I only point this out as a way to compare and contrast other leagues, a way to build something different to compete with other leagues.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[ctyhntr]

Scott,

The biggest APA LO in NYC told me the same thing, APA isn't for everyone.

Some folks don't want to hear facts and stick to their pre-conceptions. On a different forum, a self appoint expert put forth that SL 7 is Pro speed. I tried to explain that APA 8-ball is marketed at beginner/intermediate and the handicap scale stops measuring further after you reach SL 7. I gave an example, an open level player I knew played in APA 8-ball an didn't lose a match in 2 years, including to other SL 7 as an example of a Super SL 7.

He promptly grab on that as proof of his argument SL 7 is open/pro speed, and ignored the message that Super 7 anecdote as anomaly. I pointed out that the APA has other league products, such as APA 9-ball and Masters (no handicaps) for higher skilled players. He retorted why would he want to play even?

Definite contender for best post of the year! I get so tired of all the APA haters out there. Never played in the league, but offer plenty of badmouthing about something they don't know. SBC is well known to be one of the biggest haters of APA. There are a few others as well. The truth is that there's room for all leagues, and every league has it's pros and cons. Every league has sandbaggers/cheaters. Some are better or worse than others...even within the same "brand". Like Celophanewrap so articulately put it, no league is perfect for everyone. That's why there are several choices available for most people. I was a successful APA LO because I chose to promote the league on it's own merits...instead of bashing other 'competing' leagues. The APA may not be for everybody...but there's a reason it's the largest league by far.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

 

[justadub]

Scott,

The biggest APA LO in NYC told me the same thing, APA isn't for everyone.

Some folks don't want to hear facts and stick to their pre-conceptions. On a different forum, a self appoint expert put forth that SL 7 is Pro speed. I tried to explain that APA 8-ball is marketed at beginner/intermediate and the handicap scale stops measuring further after you reach SL 7. I gave an example, an open level player I knew played in APA 8-ball an didn't lose a match in 2 years, including to other SL 7 as an example of a Super SL 7.

He promptly grab on that as proof of his argument SL 7 is open/pro speed, and ignored the message that Super 7 anecdote as anomaly. I pointed out that the APA has other league products, such as APA 9-ball and Masters (no handicaps) for higher skilled players. He retorted why would he want to play even?

Says "Why would he want to play even" and then probably complains about playing under handicapped players that he has to give a spot to...

 

[Shenanigans]

I am league operator for a small BCAPL in North Alabama.

The APA has a nut lock in this area. I have managed to get 5 teams playing 8 Ball.
Everyone who plays loves it. We have fun and everyone is home by 9:30.

I am looking for ways to promote my league and pull players from the darkside and into the BCA.

I plan in retiring in 5 years and would like to grow this league to keep me busy and playing pool.

Sending teams to Vegas would be nice. Just hard to raise enough with only 5 teams. So I pay back 80% of all weekly fees paid (Minus table money for the host location)

So any suggestions for someone on a budget (Broke) to promote the league and get the word out.

Not sure if you have already created a Facebook page for your league but that's where I would start. Include plenty of information about your league and plenty of pictures with players enjoying league night. Also make sure to friend all the bars and pool halls in the area.

Next I would try and build a relationship with all the room owners. See what nights or weekend days they are slow. You might be able to leave signs or information about your league in their establishment.

Last I would reevaluate paying back 80%. That leaves very little if your league does begin to grow.

Just my 2 cents