Just a couple more comments and then I’m done for the time being.
First, I appreciate kollegedave, Miller, and watchez speaking up. Frankly, I don’t blame anyone else for not engaging the AZ Tar Baby.
Not one single person yet has testified that they ever had a good time playing pool with you in St Louis. You are a pleasant person in some circumstances. They don't appear to be online or in the pool room.
Next, specifically about the room I used to play in, it must be like 10 years since that happen. I never had a problem with Carey, but Chris and Craig, to this day, tell lies about me that I occasionally hear about and that’s fine. However, if it wasn’t for JB bringing it up I wouldn’t have had to rehashed the background on it in the first place. So, John, I’m sure the crew over there is grateful to you for that.
Ask yourself how you get in a position to be barred from a great room like that? I mean really? Tell lies about you? I suppose everyone else is lying about you as well when they tell their "Lou is an ___________" stories?
I’ve enjoyed playing pool since I was a little kid, whether by myself or cheap action. There was a time I gambled more, a few hundred here and there, stayed up most nights till closing, and had a standing game with any one of 20 or more guys who might walk in the door.
So why have you spent ten years trying to KILL other people's enjoyment of the game then? That's what all of this is about Lou. For more than ten years you have persisted in trying to verbally molest other people who dared to speak openly about methods you could not or would not understand.
But, as many of you know, a few years ago my wife developed cancer. She’s good now, but that episode taught me what's important in life. Now, I choose to stay home at night and spend my evenings with her. I do play for a few hours during the day, when there are fewer games to be had, and my game suffers accordingly. I rarely play at night or on the weekends, and when I gamble I only play for a few bucks a game. I'm fortunate that a number of players in St. Louis, who do like me, have stepped up and are working out with me, because of the upcoming match, and my game is returning to form.
Good for you. You should be training hard. We all have our cancer stories, my dad is recovering from lung cancer. My sincerest sympathy for what you went through with Gail. What I don't understand is why you have to be so "mean" online if you are so sensitive otherwise?
I have never claimed to be a great player or big gambler. The stories I write (and which John denigrates), are for my enjoyment and to share my experiences as an amateur player playing the big dogs. Many of you seem to enjoy that. As to the aiming stuff, I have played the game for 40 years, watched, talked with, and played the best in the world, and I believe that CTE-based aiming systems are totally bogus. And if that sticks in John’s craw, I really could not care less.
Actually you have claimed to be a better player than those you insult. I have also played the game for decades and played with, spoken with, shared vacations with, had lessons from, sponsored, gambled against, loaned money to, borrowed money from and otherwise lived life with professional players for the past 20 years. Your experience does not trump mine yet you persist even in the above paragraph in thinking that it does.
It's ok if you think CTE is bogus. If you choose to remain ignorant then that's your choice. What is not ok is the way you have chosen to make your feelings known...by insulting me and everyone else who likes to study and use CTE, by calling the instructors charlatans and frauds, con artists and purveyors of snake oil on these public forums.
That is illegal defamation of character Lou. That's the issue I have with you.
Lastly, I do my own thing and I do not tolerate fools well. If there are some guys in St. Louis who don’t like me or want to play me that’s great as far as I’m concerned. If there are those that mistake my self confidence for arrogance, I'm good with that too. And I won't apologize for being well-spoken, well traveled, and having a comfortable life. I enjoy playing guys that play and whom I don’t have to argue with about every little rule, frozen ball, and foul. Unfortunately, there are many pool players in St. Louis who are not capable of that and we stay away from each other. If any or all of that makes me a bad guy in their eyes, oh well.
Oh well I am sure that those people you have had run-ins with are thrilled to hear that you consider them to be fools. Funny I have spent time around many whom you exchanged words with and they seem to be pretty sharp people. Successful by every measure we use as a society so maybe the problem is you.
I’m looking forward to playing my match with John. He can rant all he wants. Repeatedly saying I won’t show is just a projection of his deepest fears and hopes. Sorry, John — I will be there and no, I don’t need to post diddly-do-da. See you on the 18th.
Lou Figueroa
I think you will show up. You have failed to read what I wrote. The LINE from some people is that you won't show up. My request was that you post the entire stake now to INSURE that you show up. Regardless of what you say you will do you can still back out, as can I, and only forfeit $3000.
You can defend yourself all you want Lou but this game is on not because you love pool. It's on because you chose the path of being a jerk to me and others over aiming systems. You chose the path of confrontation and denigration and insult.
And for those who don't know, Lou's conduct at rec.sport.billiard was atrocious in this regard. Homophobic and deeply cutting. As well he has lied constantly about situations.
And, he has never apologized for a single word he has written. Because according to him it's all justified and there is nothing to apologize for. Well, many of us online and offline do not feel that way at all. We think that Lou has said and done a lot that he should answer for.