Great performance!!!

W

Williebetmore

Member, .25% Club
Silver Member
Melissa,
Just finished viewing your match with Karen. I certainly haven't had time to analyze the replay, but all of us watching thought you definitely outplayed Karen. Speaking as one who thinks 9-ball is a terrible game to use to differentiate players based on skill level; I can say that we all thought your racks had a higher degree of difficulty, your position play was better (Karen had several fairly bad position errors), your banking was stellar (helping you recover from a mild position error in game 7). You won the racks you were supposed to win (of course they didn't show all the games). Karen was LUCKY.

You did miss 2 kicks that we thought you would make - DANG IT. I forget the rack, but when you cut that 2 in the side to get position on the 3 on the far rail we were going crazy - you definitely deserved to win (of course in 9-ball that means nothing). The judges gave you a 9.5, Karen gets the silver with an 8.5.
 
I thought you played great as well!! Pretty sporty for your first televised event!

Christyd
 
I have to agree with willie

i have to agree with wille. you play a fine game of 9 ball that is only going to get better. And i am now a fan. Also just wanted to let you know that i also think you are a young BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. And no i am not a stalker, just a fan. Keep up the good work. There are new fans roting for you now....mike
 
Willie, Christy, & Mike -

You guys are so nice! Thank you all for watching...and I am glad y'all enjoyed it. I have to apologize for not playing better...there were definitely a couple of racks that I should have won, but didn't.

As for missing the kick on the 1-ball in the last rack....it was an easy kick to HIT....but I was trying to hit it thin so I could send the cue ball back down the table and leave the 1-ball up table. It was a calculated risk...but I wanted to try and kick-safe rather than just hitting the ball and possible selling out. If I was given the opportunity to shoot it again, I would take the exact same shot (with a minor adjustment of course)...I wouldn't just kick the ball randomly and hope to get lucky. I definitely do not regret my decision there...I played the right shot...I just executed it poorly. :(

All in all, after watching the match last night myself, among friends and family, I have to admit that I my feelings are split right down the middle about the way I played. On the one hand, if I take into consider that it was my first time on TV, then I know that I didn't embarrass myself. On the other hand...I really didn't play at the level that I know I can. I was delighted to be there and playing for the cameras...but I am disappointed in myself for not making the most of the opportunities given to me.

And Mike - thank you for wonderful compliment! I am blushing....

-Melissa
 
Melissa Herndon said:
On the other hand...I really didn't play at the level that I know I can.

-Melissa
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Melissa,
The rest of the WPBA better watch out, we all think you played great. On the kick shot issue, I didn't mean to imply that you should have made them. Even at my level, my instructor insists on targeting one side of the ball or the other on kicks (unless a full hit is desired); and against good players (I think Karen C. would qualify) sometimes a thin hit is required even if it means losing if you miss. Thanks for explaining, but we pretty much assumed you were just trying for a thin hit (we were just disappointed - we're fans). A friend on the forum has a VERY high opinion of Karen's kicking and safety play abilities - I think you are absolutely correct in trying to get the very best result possible when forced to kick against her (against me you shouldn't even bother :) :) ). Good luck this year.
 
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Melissa, I saw you last night on TV playing Julie, and I gotta tell you, I'm impressed! I could see a little of that old-fashioned "killer instinct" in your eyes, a look I've only seen in the eyes of champions. You had an excellent showing on TV!

As an aside, it is refreshing to see a beautiful lady strutting her stuff by way of TALENT and excellent POOL-SHOOTING CAPABILITIES with style, to boot. BTW, I loved that outfit you were wearing, the black-net blouse with the cute little pink flowers, and those thunderbolt earrings were cool-looking.

That table you were playing on with Julie sure did have some WIDE rails. I liked the unique look of that TV table, the lighter-colored wood, but I was wondering what it was like to shoot on that table with the WIDER rails, whether it made any difference.

Anyway, it must be kind of rewarding to accomplish your goals and make it to the top! Congratulations on your fantastic television debut! :)

JAM
 
Williebetmore said:
On the kick shot issue, I didn't mean to imply that you should have made them.
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Willie - I did not take any offense to your comment at all! I absolutely should have hit that kick...but in my reply, I was trying to explain the "method behind madness" so to speak. I just wanted everyone to know exactly what I was attempting...so they would understand the miss. (If I had said that I had been trying to hit the ball full....then I know people would be scratching their heads)

Thanks again for all the support!

Melissa
 
JAM said:
That table you were playing on with Julie sure did have some WIDE rails. I liked the unique look of that TV table, the lighter-colored wood, but I was wondering what it was like to shoot on that table with the WIDER rails, whether it made any difference.

Anyway, it must be kind of rewarding to accomplish your goals and make it to the top! Congratulations on your fantastic television debut! :)

JAM
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JAM -

First, I am grinning to ear to ear from the lovely compliments! Thank you!

Second, that table sure does have WIDE rails. It is a beautiful table...but playing on it is a little difficult. In the match previous to mine, Jennifer Barretta had a shot where she needed to perch on the rail in order to try and masse or jump a ball. She kept sliding off the rail because it is sloped downward. I am sure it was frustrating for her....but the audience thought it was funny in a cute way. As for me, because they are so wide, it felt like the table was too high because I couldn't reach shots I normally can.

I definitely feel great about the strides I made this year....but mostly I am just looking forward to getting back out there and playing some more. I have so many more goals that I want to accomplish...and I want to get to it!!!

Melissa
 
JAM said:
..those thunderbolt earrings were cool-looking...
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Kathy, my housemate/road partner/scotch-doubles partner, also loved the earrings.

Melisa, you played like a champ, as always. I was going to ask you something about last night's match but I forgot what it was. DOH!.

I'll watch it again tonight and take notes :D
 
Wally in Cincy said:
I was going to ask you something about last night's match but I forgot what it was. DOH!.
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I remember now. After watching you draw the CB 3/4 length of the table for perfect shape on the 4-ball and receiving copious appluse for your shot, I decided to never give you unsolicited advice on your draw stroke like I did when I ran into you in the bar at the Peoria tournament :D
 
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