Midnight Rider
Scourge of the Midwest
At the 2004 BCA Open in Las Vegas, I was standing at the pro bracket board and looking through it for names of a couple of friends of mine. I had my cue on my shoulder and turned to look to my left and saw this very attractive lady who also was looking at the board.
She turns to me and smiles and asks innocently, "Are you on this board?"
I chuckle and respond, "No, I'm here for the amateur nationals."
Then, just for fun -- and maybe to be a little bit of a smartass -- I turn to her and ask, "So are YOU on this board?"
She smiles back and says, "Yeah, I'm right here," and points to the board. Her finger settles right under the name Jennifer Barretta.
Wow, I thought. Don't I look like the asshole? I laugh and look back at her and say, "Alrighty then."
Obviously, at the time I had never heard of Jennifer Barretta. But then again, I hadn't followed the women's tour that closely in recent years.
Jennifer had won her first two matches and (if I remember correctly) was about to play Jennifer Chen. A short conversation ensued after that and then Jennifer went in for her match.
Needless to say, since then I've taken somewhat of an interest in Jenn's career.
I later find out that she's from New York, that she plays at Amsterdam Billiards and that her pool coach is the same guy who coaches my best friend, who also frequents Amsterdam. Small world. (I'm from Minnesota).
So about six months ago I was playing money pool at a bar in Marshall, Minnesota, and ESPN was on the TV in the bar. Jennifer was playing against Gerda Hofstatter (I think). The guys in the bar were fixated on Jennifer. "Wow, who's that? Damn, she's hot!"
"Jennifer Barretta," I told them. "But she's much better looking in person. And she's a real sweetheart too."
The guys just freaked out. "Yeah, like you've met her."
I just laughed. "As a matter of fact..."
Kinda blew my cover after that. Didn't get any more pool action that night, but it was a fun name-drop.
She turns to me and smiles and asks innocently, "Are you on this board?"
I chuckle and respond, "No, I'm here for the amateur nationals."
Then, just for fun -- and maybe to be a little bit of a smartass -- I turn to her and ask, "So are YOU on this board?"
She smiles back and says, "Yeah, I'm right here," and points to the board. Her finger settles right under the name Jennifer Barretta.
Wow, I thought. Don't I look like the asshole? I laugh and look back at her and say, "Alrighty then."
Obviously, at the time I had never heard of Jennifer Barretta. But then again, I hadn't followed the women's tour that closely in recent years.
Jennifer had won her first two matches and (if I remember correctly) was about to play Jennifer Chen. A short conversation ensued after that and then Jennifer went in for her match.
Needless to say, since then I've taken somewhat of an interest in Jenn's career.
I later find out that she's from New York, that she plays at Amsterdam Billiards and that her pool coach is the same guy who coaches my best friend, who also frequents Amsterdam. Small world. (I'm from Minnesota).
So about six months ago I was playing money pool at a bar in Marshall, Minnesota, and ESPN was on the TV in the bar. Jennifer was playing against Gerda Hofstatter (I think). The guys in the bar were fixated on Jennifer. "Wow, who's that? Damn, she's hot!"
"Jennifer Barretta," I told them. "But she's much better looking in person. And she's a real sweetheart too."
The guys just freaked out. "Yeah, like you've met her."
I just laughed. "As a matter of fact..."
Kinda blew my cover after that. Didn't get any more pool action that night, but it was a fun name-drop.
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