Well guys it was a long and exciting week and I have to say it was amazing. First I need to say thank you to Steve and Heather. They ran the booth better than any event I have been to and I have to say I was extremely proud to see them in action. I also need to thank Mark "The Pain" or "The Fury" Hadley Mike Panzarella Henry Chin and of course our very own Ron F. They worked for hours on end scoring players and making sure the booth was organized clean and most of all inviting to all players and spectators who would like to jump in or watch the action. I have to say I am very humbled by everyone who helped and ran the booth because it gave me the chance to go upstairs and spend the time needed cultivating and maintaining the relationships needed to make this event possible. Steve left this event in my hands to plan and be the tournament director of and I plan to continually make the event larger and to make it better for Steve and everyone else involved. I applaud Steve Heather Mike Mark and Ron for their tireless efforts at this year's expo and this event would not have been a success without them. A funny story on the last day is that Mike P stayed at the booth until 7AM !!!! scoring Max Eberle who would not quit until he qualified for the final stage. Max is a great player and a greater guy who was more than friendly and I am lucky to call him a team mate for Pechauer Custom Cues. On a personal note I want to thank all of my NY friends for making the trip, Tony Robles, Brian Lau, Johnathon Smith, Danny Barouty, and of course my favorite player to watch Mr. Steve Lipsky. Steve's professionalism and attitude toward the sport are to be admired and revered and in my opinion if you were to model what a champion should be look no further than Mr. Steve Lipsky.
This year we had an outpouring of support through our sponsors and even gained one at the event and it is not only my duty but my honor to name them here.
1st - Our title sponsor Fury Cues. www.fury-cues.com. Scott, Heidi and Matt made us all feel well taken care of. Our every need was met at the booth this year and we could not ask for a better title sponsor so a massive thank you goes out to them and of course John Barton as well for his amazing contributions to the event.
2. Pete Tonkin Custom Cues who once again provided us with an amazing $2000 custom cue that was even more beautiful than last year's cue. Pete's work is absolutely incredible and we all owe him a massive debt of gratitude. www.tonkincustomcues.com
3. Bob Jewett, I mean what can I say the man is a rock star and we are proud to have had him during the final day in the stands watching for the tournament stage and the finals in the arena. Bob's contribution literally paid for one of our booths and took a lot of pressure off the event so we can't thank him enough.
4. Geoff Conway and the London Bridge. Geoff is a staple in the NY pool scene and we are extremely grateful for his support both on and off the table. His efforts in the pool world are to be admired as he is one of the people out there who are pushing this sport forward.
5. Tony Zinzola -www.zinzola.com . Tony donated a $2000 custom cue that was the talk of the event. Tony's cue literally had everyone talking and everyone picked it up at least twice to admire Tony's signature ring work and beautiful styling and inlay work. Tony thank you so much and we look forward to next year.
6. Cue Nine owner John Brendle stepped up big time and donated a massive $500.00 when we needed it most. John has been making a massive name for himself in the NY pool world sponsoring massive pool events like the Predator Tour, Joss Tour, Tri State Tour, and of course the Ozone Olhausen Tour. It has been a pleasure to work for and represent Cue Nine as a player and a tournament director and I look forward to going back with stories from the expo! www.cue-nine.com
7. Jacoby Custom Cues once again supported us this year in donating a cue and deserves a huge thank you. Mr. Dave Jacoby came downstairs last year to the booth and was immediately impressed with the event that he saw and wanted to get involved. The rest is history as they say as Dave and the rest of the Jacoby family deserves a huge thank you from the 14.1 Challenge family. www.jacobycustomcues.com
8. NYCgrind.com - Jerry Tarantola and Alison Fischer are two of the hardest working people in the pool industry in my opinion. They just don't stop moving. Jerry's passion for portraying this incredible microcosm of a sport is inspiring and Ali's creative eye behind the camera is amazing. Watching them work as a team is astounding in knowing what they are going to produce. They have helped me realize a passion and skill for billiards photography and have pushed me both as a player and a contributer for NYCgrind and I can't thank them enough personally.
9. The members of this forum who showed their support from the beginning last year and of course this year. This event was designed for the players and most of the entries were AZer's this year which was awesome to get the chance to meet everyone. I know Heather was sore from the amount of hugs she was giving out and I know Steve and I had a blast with everyone there.
10. Inside Pool Magazine for producing our incredible live stream and working with us once again to bring our finals to the viewing audience. I know there are a lot of people out there who wanted to see the finals and they got to thanks to JR Calvert and his incredible team. www.insidepoolmag.com
11. Allen Hopkins and all of his staff who gave us an extra booth for our staging area which was a massive help this year. Allen is an amazing guy and how he has the patience and the vision to produce an event of this nature is beyond me. The hours of planning and staging are evident in this great event and we can't thank them enough.
12. Royce and OB Cues. www.obcues.com From the beginning of the event this year Royce was hanging out with us watching the challenge and of course supporting our event. At one point while walking through the expo Royce got my attention and just looked at me and asked "Would you like a cue?" Of course I was dumbfounded when he pulled a 408 model (the highest model in the OB Catalog) and a classic pro shaft and just handed it to me. I think my jaw is still on the expo floor lol. Royce thank you so much again, your presence at the expo and of course the challenge makes both events better. www.obcues.com
13. Last but not least Miliken Cloth. They have made our lives so much easier and we can't thank them enough for their continued support. Aside from donating much needed funds to the event they also have have donated cloths for the event which have played superbly. The players have loved the cloth and the reaction has been nothing but positive. Even under extremely humid conditions the cloth held up and played great !!!!
Now on to the good stuff.
First let me say a huge congratulations to our top amateur finishers who also took down some prize money this year.
1. Pat Calvarese - 85 points
2. Mike Panzarella - 68 points
The high run for the challenge was by Mika Immonen who was actually the only person to break the hundred mark on his third attempt at the table with a 114. Dave Daya and John Schmidt came close with a 95 and 97 respectively.
The level of play this year was down right humbling. The mere presence of Nick Varner was more than enough to make me happy and than he did something very unexpected. he put his cue together and took to the table. Let me tell you guys watching a master at work doesnt even begin to describe Nick at the table. He is class personified and it shows in his game that he is a true champion.
The final 8 this year were
1. Mika Immonen who had 252 in four attempts which was amazing especially under the sticky humid conditions this year. The temp downstairs was not regulated at all and would get hot and cold at the drop of a hat and of course the full day of rain didn't help with the moisture. The man is a champion and I still get a little star struck watching him shoot. I am proud to call him a friend and proud that he was at the challenge this year in full force.
2. Dave Daya - What can I say about Dave's game except that its beautiful to watch. he ran a 95 and out on Nick Varner and the stories we heard about Dave this year about him being a true grinder were awesome.
3. Max Eberle - The man has heart bigger than most people's houses. He stayed up until 7 am to qualify for the final stages of the event and finally qualified. Even though he didnt share his noodles we still love the guy and he is a true credit to our sport.
4. Darren Appleton is a beast at the table and if I can take anything from his game its his focus and intensity. At no point in the event was there any hint that he would stop playing until he qualified and qualify he did. Off the table the man is as nice as can be interacting with us and the fans and personifies what a true champion should be on and off the table.
5. Nick Varner. Enough Said lol. The man is an icon and Steve Heather myself and of course the fans loved seeing him in action. I truly believe he drew the biggest crowds of anyone this year and after every rack you could hear the applause from half way back to NY. We were honored that a hall of famer joined us at the booth for our event and hope to see him again next year. Thank you to Bobby Chamberlain of course our every own WorldPro here on AZ for his support of course and for introducing us to Nick.
6. Bobby Chamberlain our very own WorldPro. Bobby is a great guy period. His personality is infectious and he is just one of those people you love to be around. Whether showing you a shot or sharing a great story from one of his many adventures on and off the table I consider us very lucky to call Bobby a friend and he is a massive supporter of our event.
7. Mike Davis. We let Mike Davis play because in truth he kind of scares us. The guy is massive and has been working out so is not only huge but is also ripped right now. lol lol All joking aside Mike is in great shape and it is showing in his game. Once again Mike qualified this year and it was a pleasure having at the challenge. It's players like Mike that will bring support to our sport when they see his class at the table and his professional attitude. He also plays pretty well too lol.
8. The prolific John Schmidt, what else is there to say. Hailed as one of the best straight pool players on the planet John is nothing but friendly both on and off the table. His smile is contagious and I know my very own girlfriend may have a crush on him. (John I hope you're reading this lol) John's knowledge and level of play never cease to amaze me and he deserves all the success in the world.
First round action saw John Schmidt take out Bobby Chamberlain, Mika beating Mike Davis, Dave Daya taking out Nick Varner, and Darren Appleton beating Mike Davis.
Second Round matches were John Schmidt beating Mika Immonen for the first spot in the finals and of course Darren Appleton beating Dave Daya.
The finals would see two US Open Champions facing off on the felt. John Schmidt fell to Darren in the end in a hard fought final. You could visibly see the fatigue and frustration setting in on both players and the extreme cold in the arena I don't think helped either.
Guys it was a great event and I can't thank you all enough for your support. Again to Steve and Heather thank you for producing year after year and making the actual event happen on the ground at the site and for the players. It is their hard work that makes the planning come together. To Mike P Ron F Mark and Henry you're all re-hired for next year lol lol
Now on to planning for next year's event !!
This year we had an outpouring of support through our sponsors and even gained one at the event and it is not only my duty but my honor to name them here.
1st - Our title sponsor Fury Cues. www.fury-cues.com. Scott, Heidi and Matt made us all feel well taken care of. Our every need was met at the booth this year and we could not ask for a better title sponsor so a massive thank you goes out to them and of course John Barton as well for his amazing contributions to the event.
2. Pete Tonkin Custom Cues who once again provided us with an amazing $2000 custom cue that was even more beautiful than last year's cue. Pete's work is absolutely incredible and we all owe him a massive debt of gratitude. www.tonkincustomcues.com
3. Bob Jewett, I mean what can I say the man is a rock star and we are proud to have had him during the final day in the stands watching for the tournament stage and the finals in the arena. Bob's contribution literally paid for one of our booths and took a lot of pressure off the event so we can't thank him enough.
4. Geoff Conway and the London Bridge. Geoff is a staple in the NY pool scene and we are extremely grateful for his support both on and off the table. His efforts in the pool world are to be admired as he is one of the people out there who are pushing this sport forward.
5. Tony Zinzola -www.zinzola.com . Tony donated a $2000 custom cue that was the talk of the event. Tony's cue literally had everyone talking and everyone picked it up at least twice to admire Tony's signature ring work and beautiful styling and inlay work. Tony thank you so much and we look forward to next year.
6. Cue Nine owner John Brendle stepped up big time and donated a massive $500.00 when we needed it most. John has been making a massive name for himself in the NY pool world sponsoring massive pool events like the Predator Tour, Joss Tour, Tri State Tour, and of course the Ozone Olhausen Tour. It has been a pleasure to work for and represent Cue Nine as a player and a tournament director and I look forward to going back with stories from the expo! www.cue-nine.com
7. Jacoby Custom Cues once again supported us this year in donating a cue and deserves a huge thank you. Mr. Dave Jacoby came downstairs last year to the booth and was immediately impressed with the event that he saw and wanted to get involved. The rest is history as they say as Dave and the rest of the Jacoby family deserves a huge thank you from the 14.1 Challenge family. www.jacobycustomcues.com
8. NYCgrind.com - Jerry Tarantola and Alison Fischer are two of the hardest working people in the pool industry in my opinion. They just don't stop moving. Jerry's passion for portraying this incredible microcosm of a sport is inspiring and Ali's creative eye behind the camera is amazing. Watching them work as a team is astounding in knowing what they are going to produce. They have helped me realize a passion and skill for billiards photography and have pushed me both as a player and a contributer for NYCgrind and I can't thank them enough personally.
9. The members of this forum who showed their support from the beginning last year and of course this year. This event was designed for the players and most of the entries were AZer's this year which was awesome to get the chance to meet everyone. I know Heather was sore from the amount of hugs she was giving out and I know Steve and I had a blast with everyone there.
10. Inside Pool Magazine for producing our incredible live stream and working with us once again to bring our finals to the viewing audience. I know there are a lot of people out there who wanted to see the finals and they got to thanks to JR Calvert and his incredible team. www.insidepoolmag.com
11. Allen Hopkins and all of his staff who gave us an extra booth for our staging area which was a massive help this year. Allen is an amazing guy and how he has the patience and the vision to produce an event of this nature is beyond me. The hours of planning and staging are evident in this great event and we can't thank them enough.
12. Royce and OB Cues. www.obcues.com From the beginning of the event this year Royce was hanging out with us watching the challenge and of course supporting our event. At one point while walking through the expo Royce got my attention and just looked at me and asked "Would you like a cue?" Of course I was dumbfounded when he pulled a 408 model (the highest model in the OB Catalog) and a classic pro shaft and just handed it to me. I think my jaw is still on the expo floor lol. Royce thank you so much again, your presence at the expo and of course the challenge makes both events better. www.obcues.com
13. Last but not least Miliken Cloth. They have made our lives so much easier and we can't thank them enough for their continued support. Aside from donating much needed funds to the event they also have have donated cloths for the event which have played superbly. The players have loved the cloth and the reaction has been nothing but positive. Even under extremely humid conditions the cloth held up and played great !!!!
Now on to the good stuff.
First let me say a huge congratulations to our top amateur finishers who also took down some prize money this year.
1. Pat Calvarese - 85 points
2. Mike Panzarella - 68 points
The high run for the challenge was by Mika Immonen who was actually the only person to break the hundred mark on his third attempt at the table with a 114. Dave Daya and John Schmidt came close with a 95 and 97 respectively.
The level of play this year was down right humbling. The mere presence of Nick Varner was more than enough to make me happy and than he did something very unexpected. he put his cue together and took to the table. Let me tell you guys watching a master at work doesnt even begin to describe Nick at the table. He is class personified and it shows in his game that he is a true champion.
The final 8 this year were
1. Mika Immonen who had 252 in four attempts which was amazing especially under the sticky humid conditions this year. The temp downstairs was not regulated at all and would get hot and cold at the drop of a hat and of course the full day of rain didn't help with the moisture. The man is a champion and I still get a little star struck watching him shoot. I am proud to call him a friend and proud that he was at the challenge this year in full force.
2. Dave Daya - What can I say about Dave's game except that its beautiful to watch. he ran a 95 and out on Nick Varner and the stories we heard about Dave this year about him being a true grinder were awesome.
3. Max Eberle - The man has heart bigger than most people's houses. He stayed up until 7 am to qualify for the final stages of the event and finally qualified. Even though he didnt share his noodles we still love the guy and he is a true credit to our sport.
4. Darren Appleton is a beast at the table and if I can take anything from his game its his focus and intensity. At no point in the event was there any hint that he would stop playing until he qualified and qualify he did. Off the table the man is as nice as can be interacting with us and the fans and personifies what a true champion should be on and off the table.
5. Nick Varner. Enough Said lol. The man is an icon and Steve Heather myself and of course the fans loved seeing him in action. I truly believe he drew the biggest crowds of anyone this year and after every rack you could hear the applause from half way back to NY. We were honored that a hall of famer joined us at the booth for our event and hope to see him again next year. Thank you to Bobby Chamberlain of course our every own WorldPro here on AZ for his support of course and for introducing us to Nick.
6. Bobby Chamberlain our very own WorldPro. Bobby is a great guy period. His personality is infectious and he is just one of those people you love to be around. Whether showing you a shot or sharing a great story from one of his many adventures on and off the table I consider us very lucky to call Bobby a friend and he is a massive supporter of our event.
7. Mike Davis. We let Mike Davis play because in truth he kind of scares us. The guy is massive and has been working out so is not only huge but is also ripped right now. lol lol All joking aside Mike is in great shape and it is showing in his game. Once again Mike qualified this year and it was a pleasure having at the challenge. It's players like Mike that will bring support to our sport when they see his class at the table and his professional attitude. He also plays pretty well too lol.
8. The prolific John Schmidt, what else is there to say. Hailed as one of the best straight pool players on the planet John is nothing but friendly both on and off the table. His smile is contagious and I know my very own girlfriend may have a crush on him. (John I hope you're reading this lol) John's knowledge and level of play never cease to amaze me and he deserves all the success in the world.
First round action saw John Schmidt take out Bobby Chamberlain, Mika beating Mike Davis, Dave Daya taking out Nick Varner, and Darren Appleton beating Mike Davis.
Second Round matches were John Schmidt beating Mika Immonen for the first spot in the finals and of course Darren Appleton beating Dave Daya.
The finals would see two US Open Champions facing off on the felt. John Schmidt fell to Darren in the end in a hard fought final. You could visibly see the fatigue and frustration setting in on both players and the extreme cold in the arena I don't think helped either.
Guys it was a great event and I can't thank you all enough for your support. Again to Steve and Heather thank you for producing year after year and making the actual event happen on the ground at the site and for the players. It is their hard work that makes the planning come together. To Mike P Ron F Mark and Henry you're all re-hired for next year lol lol
Now on to planning for next year's event !!
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