Grady Mathews has a BLOG!

Johnny Colaw said:
FYI - I am currently working in Denver, if anyone there wants to knock some balls around. I will be attending some free Tom Ross pool clinics soon, I hope.
Hey Johny, We may bump into each other sometime at the Sky Lark as I'm a regular lately at Tom's free clinics too.
 
Hey Allen. Maybe I will see you there next week. I am traveling to KC this week to see the family. I have not been to the Sky Lark yet, but I know Tom's reputation as an instructor and am eager to see what I can pick up.
 
Thanks, guys, for having my back. You know what's ridiculous about this? I lost $14,000 to Cliff in two hours, $30,000 to Alex in one set, these betting every dollar of my own money. To have to defend myself against this recent drivel is really nuts.
I also borrowed $8,000 this year to gamble with. I lost every penny of it. Rather than complain I decided to do an ambitious tour and turn in some good work and maybe even play myself into shape. I've done this, I think.
Over the years, I usually had to play good players their best game, on their home equipment. If I lost to a "Bruce" of the billiard community playing 9 Ball, they never would play me One Pocket. So at over 60 years old, playing young champions is usually a bad deal for the Gradys of pooldom, especially if they are getting staked. AND if an older guy like me gets into an argument or debate over something the other side never even admits that I might be right.
So again, thanks more than I can put into words. I'll be telling some stories later,too. Thanks.
 
I've been on this forum for five years. I can't begin to count how many pro's were run off by this kind od BS that doesn't belong on here. Most of the ones that were run off were willing to spend some time here to give tips and share what they know. It's a damn shame. Johnnyt
 
corvette1340 said:
lol, I love when people make statements on here and they have no idea what they are talking about. You weren't there and you didn't see Bruce with the money in hand for Grady and him say "just forget about it", like me and 20 or 30 more people were. The fact is that Grady pulled up on an agreed upon bet and after he won his strong game he decided that he had no chance at the other set of straight nine ball and wanted to quit winner. Now, if you want to come to the Atlanta area with Grady or any other stiff and see who has the most money and gamble then lets eat, otherwise good day.

I love it too Sweet Heart, there is always more than one side to any story. The next time I go home to Ludowici, GA to visit relatives maybe you could come down and visit.

By the way, there is a good river you could go rafting on, you may like it, they play Banjo's!!!!!!!:D

Have a great day!!
 
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Backpocket 9ball is played by running out all of the balls just like in nine ball except you play the nine in an upper corner up where you break the balls from, right? So if Grady won a set of this for five would he just walk out the door with nothing or shoot a set of nine ball to win a thousand. He knew all the time if he loses every game in the second set he still walks out the same way. Yet he definitly left and told him to keep the money?!! Sounds like a misunderstanding to me.

I feel like if I beat someone playing backpocket, that I have a pretty good chance to beat them playing regular nineball. I know it's not like going from nineball to one pocket. I may be way off base with my thinking but I know that if I said that I would play a set of each, and then WON the first set, I would damm sure go ahead and play the other way, knowing the worst I could do is break even. Grady has never been known to do anything like this has he? Sounds like a misunderstanding to me.....
 
Yeah.. It just doesn't make sense the dude was gonna give Grady the $500.00, Grady said "Keep it.", and then had someone strong arm the guy for it later.

I think MUCH more likely is that Grady wanted to get paid for the first set, the other guy said "Let's just play the second set, before we pay up.", and Grady started smelling air barrel. Grady says he's not playing the second set until he gets paid.. The other guy starts acting like Grady is backing out of the second set.. Grady decided not to push the issue, as he was on the road by himself. He knew he'd get his money "one way or the other."

It is a moot point "how many times Bruce has/has not stiffed people". Tony Ruberto had probably never stolen $10,000+ from somebody, either, but there's a first time for everything.

What it comes down to is (young gun) versus (old gun with spotless gambling reputation). In that situation, I'm gonna side with the old gun, every single stinking rotten time. Why? Because of the earned reputation.

Russ
 
I just read this entire thread and I am troubled by one thing. If the two players "agreed" to play two sets, why wasn't the $1,000 posted in advance?
That would be customary in most gambling situations where the players are not old and familiar rivals.

That way after the two sets, either one player gets the 2K, or they both take their money back. Pretty simple formula and it has worked fairly well for decades, unless you're dealing with outlaws. Then you've got no chance anyway, and you should have known better than to be in the spot.

Other than that one question, it's none of my business. I hesitated to even ask this obvious question, to me anyway. I know if I put someone in the box for two sets at 500 each, the money would be up! I'd hate to win the two sets and get stiffed.
 
uwate said:
This seems to be common on AZB. Players cannot come on here without anonymous posters slamming them...
I agree...
I don't know beans about this particular transaction. However, Grady comes on this forum in the open, if somebody is going to attack him, whether the attack is founded or unfounded, they should come out from behind their screen name.
 
The reason I didn't put up is because I'm playing in a good friend of mine's place and a set for $500 has always been a very small bet for me and this kid had been robbing all the locals. I mean, I just didn't dream I might get stiffed.
Since I'm at it let me add this to the discussion. These guys keep saying there were 25 or 30 people who heard me say I'd play two sets. An absolute falsehood. What must have happened is Bruce said in front of these folks that I had comitted to two sets.
To have Southpaw suggest that I somehow cheated to get out of playing Bruce a second set is just ridiculous.
If Southpaw thinks Bruce is such a great player, he can make a stakehorse out of me. But let's make it a little more equitable. Larry Nevel or Shane Van Boeing in a neutral court. No? I didn't think so. Well, I've had enough of this. I have no more to say on this subject.
 
Russ Chewning said:
Yeah.. It just doesn't make sense the dude was gonna give Grady the $500.00, Grady said "Keep it.", and then had someone strong arm the guy for it later.

I think MUCH more likely is that Grady wanted to get paid for the first set, the other guy said "Let's just play the second set, before we pay up.", and Grady started smelling air barrel. Grady says he's not playing the second set until he gets paid.. The other guy starts acting like Grady is backing out of the second set.. Grady decided not to push the issue, as he was on the road by himself. He knew he'd get his money "one way or the other."

It is a moot point "how many times Bruce has/has not stiffed people". Tony Ruberto had probably never stolen $10,000+ from somebody, either, but there's a first time for everything.

What it comes down to is (young gun) versus (old gun with spotless gambling reputation). In that situation, I'm gonna side with the old gun, every single stinking rotten time. Why? Because of the earned reputation.

Russ


Russ,
I usually agree with most of what you have to say on here, but on this one you are way off. The fact of the matter is that anyone that has ever came through Athens or Atlanta and made a game with Bruce or Stevie or anyone else. They have always been allowed to play for whatever they can bear and have always been paid in full. This includes Nick Varner, Doug Young, Mike Coltrain, Scott Rabun, Danny Basavich, Jimmy Wales, The Somanski Brothers, Marcus Schamat, Ronnie Alcano, John Hager, Jr., Mark Gregory, Chris Bartrum, Paul Song, Brian Butler, and I'm sure I'm forgetting countless others over the years. So, for you to express your thought on "what you think happened in the Grady incident" is just silly when you have no idea what you are talking about. I would think that AZ might want the opinions of someone closer to both parties than Russ Chewning. So ask Shannon Daulton or Corey Deuel if they think Bruce or anyone associated with Bruce would air Grady.
 
Grady said:
The reason I didn't put up is because I'm playing in a good friend of mine's place and a set for $500 has always been a very small bet for me and this kid had been robbing all the locals. I mean, I just didn't dream I might get stiffed.
Since I'm at it let me add this to the discussion. These guys keep saying there were 25 or 30 people who heard me say I'd play two sets. An absolute falsehood. What must have happened is Bruce said in front of these folks that I had comitted to two sets.
To have Southpaw suggest that I somehow cheated to get out of playing Bruce a second set is just ridiculous.
If Southpaw thinks Bruce is such a great player, he can make a stakehorse out of me. But let's make it a little more equitable. Larry Nevel or Shane Van Boeing in a neutral court. No? I didn't think so. Well, I've had enough of this. I have no more to say on this subject.


How about this proposal Grady. Bruce will play Larry or Shane a set of 8 ahead nine ball for $5000 and then you a set of 8 ahead 9 ball for $5000.
The $10,000 will be posted and no pulling up after the first set.
 
Well we didnt think posting was necessary since we were playing someone that was supposed to be reputable, boy were we wrong. And I was right there when the agreement of 2 sets was decided so thats not hear-say. And the funny thing is, yes there were 25 or 30 people there and a few have spoken up, one even PM'd me and said he saw it too but didnt want to get involved, and said they saw it happen just like i said. So why hasnt anyone that was wathcing a legend of the game and some local kid play, come on here and say they were there and thats not the way it happened???? And as for Bruce playing Larry or Shane....he doesnt even hardly play anymore, but you have the exact same game that you didnt finish with him and we will POST UP $5000 per set. But it will be very hard for you to worm your way out this time!

Southpaw
 
Another winner!

Grady, you have a great looking blog site! I'll bookmark it, and refer to it often. You gave a nice travelogue, Randi! And Johnny, that was a real classy thing for you to do.

Art "Doc" Tripp
 
I have not been on AZB a lot this week and just saw this thread.

For anybody to come on here and publically try to besmirch a man and champion of Grady Mathew's stature is stupid. I look at this like this; when somebody comes on here and tries bashing one of these pros for something that supposedly was done some time ago, it is that posters attempt to gain some feeling of importance and significance, even if it's only in their mind and for a very short time. It makes them feel very important because they have some fleeting attention. And they fail to care that what they got in momentary attention they've lost 10 fold that amount of respect from many of their fellow posters.

I'm on Grady's side 100%. More if that were possible. BUT, even if he did pull up...SO WHAT??????? "Bruce" never had that happen before? He never had to do that himself, ever? It so distraught him that he gave up pool and is still in counseling? And yet somebody who needs to "break a scoop!!!" and put down an all time great feels compelled to keep it going even when his fellow posters think it's in poor taste and even worse judgement. What do you want? Should Grady be barred forever from pool? How about a public flogging? A jail senetnce? What would make you happy? What would make you get over it? Never mind, we don't care. Grow up.
 
gulfportdoc said:
Grady, you have a great looking blog site! I'll bookmark it, and refer to it often. You gave a nice travelogue, Randi! And Johnny, that was a real classy thing for you to do.

Art "Doc" Tripp

Thanks, Doc. I appreciate the kinds words and the compliments on the site.

I sincerely believe Grady has a rare opportunity to seize a high percentage of pool/billiards internet traffic with his new blog. There are many thousands of blogs, but none that offer the unique information that an old pro like Grady has. His road tales are very colorful and he knew so many old-time players that nobody talks about much these days. Not to mention sharing his wealth of knowledge about the skills of the sport itself.
 
Terry Ardeno said:
I have not been on AZB a lot this week and just saw this thread.

For anybody to come on here and publically try to besmirch a man and champion of Grady Mathew's stature is stupid. I look at this like this; when somebody comes on here and tries bashing one of these pros for something that supposedly was done some time ago, it is that posters attempt to gain some feeling of importance and significance, even if it's only in their mind and for a very short time. It makes them feel very important because they have some fleeting attention. And they fail to care that what they got in momentary attention they've lost 10 fold that amount of respect from many of their fellow posters.

I'm on Grady's side 100%. More if that were possible. BUT, even if he did pull up...SO WHAT??????? "Bruce" never had that happen before? He never had to do that himself, ever? It so distraught him that he gave up pool and is still in counseling? And yet somebody who needs to "break a scoop!!!" and put down an all time great feels compelled to keep it going even when his fellow posters think it's in poor taste and even worse judgement. What do you want? Should Grady be barred forever from pool? How about a public flogging? A jail senetnce? What would make you happy? What would make you get over it? Never mind, we don't care. Grow up.


lol, obviously you don't gamble very much do you? The two sets were agreed upon and that is "SO WHAT".
I personally wouldn't have given Grady a damn dime, but Bruce wanted to pay anyway. If the terms of the game are defined and then one party renegs on the given terms then the game is null and void IMO. By your way of thinking, I assume it would have been ok if they would have played the first set of regular nine ball and Bruce win and then pull up and want the money?
 
Southpaw said:
Well we didnt think posting was necessary since we were playing someone that was supposed to be reputable, boy were we wrong. And I was right there when the agreement of 2 sets was decided so thats not hear-say. And the funny thing is, yes there were 25 or 30 people there and a few have spoken up, one even PM'd me and said he saw it too but didnt want to get involved, and said they saw it happen just like i said. So why hasnt anyone that was wathcing a legend of the game and some local kid play, come on here and say they were there and thats not the way it happened???? And as for Bruce playing Larry or Shane....he doesnt even hardly play anymore, but you have the exact same game that you didnt finish with him and we will POST UP $5000 per set. But it will be very hard for you to worm your way out this time!

Southpaw

Gee, Lefty. You apologized for hijacking my thread but you won't shut up, will you? You have been called out to identify yourself, but still you cower in the shadows and throw your little rocks at a world champion like a back-shooting anonymous coward. Man up and say who you are, or crawl back under your rock and let this thread be about Grady's new blog. No wonder so many pros give up on posting here, with such easy cheap shots from nobodys.
 
Johnny Colaw said:
Gee, Lefty. You apologized for hijacking my thread but you won't shut up, will you? You have been called out to identify yourself, but still you cower in the shadows and throw your little rocks at a world champion like a back-shooting anonymous coward. Man up and say who you are, or crawl back under your rock and let this thread be about Grady's new blog. No wonder so many pros give up on posting here, with such easy cheap shots from nobodys.

Who I am really isnt important. I am just someone that backed a local to play a legend of the game and didnt get the chance to play the complete game that was agreed upon. As for cheap shots....as soon as 1 single person comes on here and says they were there and this isnt the way it happened, then you can accuse me of cheap shots. Until then, or until Grady admits the truth, you are just speculating while I am stating facts. And he still has the same game for a posted $5000/ set and you can come with him and bet too if you want to.

Southpaw
 
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