Hardtimes/Bellflower question

[hilla_hilla]

I love Hardtimes. I think it is probably my favorite pool room. Every once in a while some of us SD bums drive up for the 1st sunday tournament and have lunch at the Italian resturant down the street if we get knocked out early. We usually walk and we are all still alive . As far as action goes I've seen LOTS of great players there including Efren. It doesn't get any better than that!

 

[BigCat]

You can find that many champions at most any reg monday night tourny at Capones here

There are 3 world champions and 5+ potential world champions that show up most Monday at Capone's?

 

[Jimmy M.]

Come on now Jimmy, that's not what that side is called.......................

Let's be truthful......................"the jack-&%@ side!"

I was being nice.

 

[Fuji-whopper]

I think it's great that they started playing tournament matches on that side consistently now. It's hard enough to be playing some of the world's best, but switching tables, pockets sizes, ball types and environments makes it extremely hard!!

 

[frankncali]

There are 3 world champions and 5+ potential world champions that show up most Monday at Capone's?

So who are these 5+ potential world champions????

Isn't anyone NOT a world Champion a potential world champ.

 

[Ruthless]

There are 3 world champions and 5+ potential world champions that show up most Monday at Capone's?

Rodney Morris, Rob Saez, Earl Strickland, Troy Frank, Charlie Williams, Buddy Hall, Corey Duel, Ray Martin, etc..list can go on.. all live not far from Capones and when home play the $12 Monday Tourny. Florida = The Hall of Fame State with more Champions than any other 3 combined.

 

[VonRhett]

You really can't compare a classic action room to a sports bar.

HT is a premier pool hall, which attracts every major pro-player, roadie and wannabe on the west coast. That is to say, every strong player (A-A+++) in the world will go there if they're in SoCal.

It is certainly not an upscale billiards parlor, but great action is rarely found is those type places. But you've got to go to the other side of the wall if you want serious pool. HT is essentially 2 distinctly different pool rooms.

Danny Ks is a huge sports bar & restaurant, built around pool tables. It is designed for the recreational player. It's a great place to hang out, play leagues, take a date, meet the guys, food is good, service is good etc. Lots of great Tourny's for the C-B Players. But it's certainly not the action room in LA. It's nice, clean & safe, and about 5 minutes to the heart of Anaheim (aka Disneyland).

So they're both good rooms, but you can't compare riding a super-sports bike to driving a mini-van.
-von

I've been there 25+ times and only seen maybe a few players that would qualify as A or B rated players on the east coast (1 was Tang Hoa). the tables are not in the best shape (& who wants blacklight tables), no real food unless you like microwave type stuff, I think people may even live in the parking lot out back, and the staff isn't one I'd choose to work with most people.

Danny K's by the Duck Pond kicks HardTimes to the curb.

FL Dave

 

[Russ Chewning]

Rodney Morris, Rob Saez, Earl Strickland, Troy Frank, Charlie Williams, Buddy Hall, Corey Duel, Ray Martin, etc..list can go on.. all live not far from Capones and when home play the $12 Monday Tourny. Florida = The Hall of Fame State with more Champions than any other 3 combined.

That may be.. But the few times I went to Capone's recently, Robb Saez and Tony Crosby were the strongest players actually playing in the tourney. Rodney was there once, but did not play because he was concentrating on 8 ball. Goose and Richie Rich were there, but they weren't playing hard. They were just laying down to pick up easy games.

Maybe now that the IPT has tanked, they'll be at home more often. Would be nice to compete against those guys.

For all the champions around there, there are a few REALLY easy games to be had, funnily enough. I was there about 4 months ago, played a guy in the tourney I had never seen, beat him, and he was woofing at me after our 3 game match. It was amazing. Maybe I'm a nit, but I tend not to woof at anyone playing in such a strong weekly tourney until i am fairly sure what their speed is. It would be too easy to throw matches two weeks in a row, and then lock up some guy for $400-$500, with action to follow. Then again, I have never been one to "crave" action. If I have been practicing, I'll step up and play. If not, I don't need to gamble. Especially now, when I am doing pretty well financially, and most of my opponents are lucky if they have $200 to their name.

That being said, maybe he was throwing his match to me for the aforementioned purpose, and would have had ME locked up. I know there are certainly a lot of really good players in Florida. Heck, I think one of the guys on the King's Bay Amateur Florida Tour beat a World Champion in some long race event.

Russ

 

[BigCat]

So who are these 5+ potential world champions????

Isn't anyone NOT a world Champion a potential world champ.

I was actually posing that question myself to Ruthless. Perhaps I was not clear in what I was saying or you misunderstood me. Either way, the point I was trying to make was Ruthless made a statement about this post by PoolBum:

"There are two sides to the poolroom. The side where the bleachers are, away from the kids hangout side, is the tournament side. Maybe Tang Hoa was the only "A" level player you saw when you were there, but here are some of the players who have been there in just the past three months:

Efren
Parica
Orcollo
Manalo
Sambajon
Alcano
Wu
Luat
Gandy Valle"

And I basically asked the question to Ruthless: who? As I feel each of these players play world caliber speed. I did not have any 5 particular players in mind, I was merely stating the question in a rhetoric manner with a random number. But I did state 3 world champions, meaning Efren, Alcano, and Wu.

Hope this clears up your confusion. And yes, anyone that is not a current or former world champion is a potential world champion. Although, with that same reasoning, anyone that is not a _____ is a potential ____. I thought what I was asking was implied by the context of the sentence and the question mark at the end of my sentence.

 

[Russ Chewning]

Dictionary.com

potential:

1. capable of being or becoming

2. someone or something that is considered a worthwhile possibility

So, a "potential" champion is someone that either is capable of becoming, or is considered a "worthwhile" possibility to become a champion.

Some people are not capable, due to being born with a mental deficiency. Or, they might have been legally blind since birth.

So, that being said, not everyone who is not a champion is a "potential" champion.

Russ

 

[frankncali]

Dictionary.com

potential:

1. capable of being or becoming

2. someone or something that is considered a worthwhile possibility

So, a "potential" champion is someone that either is capable of becoming, or is considered a "worthwhile" possibility to become a champion.

Some people are not capable, due to being born with a mental deficiency. Or, they might have been legally blind since birth.

So, that being said, not everyone who is not a champion is a "potential" champion.

Russ

LOL

Okay I will knock out the guy from SlingBlade and Kim Peek from the Contenders list. j/k

Capone's is a good room and locals are pretty lucky to have so many good players there to view.

As for Hardtimes its a Pool Room and nothing more. Its old school but does have its share of players. My guess is that on most any night
a person could go into Hardtimes and see at least 5 A players.
What makes it different is that on occasion there will be 5-10 AAA players there. Other pool rooms can make the same claim as well.
I have been to the monthly at HTs and they get their max of 96 players. At least 40 of those are A players or above IMO.
Thats not bad viewing for the railbrids and the players watching to get better.

 

[Fatboy]

all i ever did was blow my $$$ in there, and have to go scratch around to get pumped up again, therefore it has awalys been Hardtimes there for me, its a real pool room plain and simple, if you want a fancy chrome plated joint it aint there, its just Hardtimes...............

 

[Slider]

Even though it's not often, I make it a point to roll through Hard Times every time I am in SoCal. It's just a legendary West Coast room, and I almost get goosebumps when I walk in the door. I didn't really notice any bad element, but I work in an area that is considered pretty rough, so maybe I'm just used to it.

The last time I was there, maybe 6 years ago, I was practicing in the tournament section and a very nice older black gentleman helped me out of about $50, in $5 increments, playing one-pocket, showing just enough speed to win. (not that a lot of speed would have been necessary) He introduced himself by some other name, but the houseman called him by the name of 'Cecil'. Hmmm. I always wondered if it was Tugwell (sp).

Ken

 

[Deadon]

Hell, back then we were the bad element..................

 

[CrownCityCorey]

Even though it's not often, I make it a point to roll through Hard Times every time I am in SoCal. It's just a legendary West Coast room, and I almost get goosebumps when I walk in the door. I didn't really notice any bad element, but I work in an area that is considered pretty rough, so maybe I'm just used to it.

The last time I was there, maybe 6 years ago, I was practicing in the tournament section and a very nice older black gentleman helped me out of about $50, in $5 increments, playing one-pocket, showing just enough speed to win. (not that a lot of speed would have been necessary) He introduced himself by some other name, but the houseman called him by the name of 'Cecil'. Hmmm. I always wondered if it was Tugwell (sp).

Ken

If he was shooting lefty and it looked awkward, it most certainly was "The Left Duke" Cecil Tugwell.

 

[BVal]

When my wife was in CA she would go there all the time to get lessons from Dave Hemmah and never had a problem. I have been there myself twice and never had a problem. I have actually hung out with a couple of people that work there and they are nice people. I am not sure why that guy felt to bash it the way he did. I played on the Tournament side and the tables were in great condition and played very well. I watched a little when I wasn't shooting and there were some very stong players there. JMO

BVal

 

[Post First]

I was being nice.

Dam Jimmy I saw you play at the Swanee, I was rooting for ya man..I like your table demeanor and your fundamentals..Plus your patterns were stellar.. good luck to ya..

 

[RobertR]

HardTimes in Bellflower is the Taj Mahal compared to where I came up. The original Hollywood Billiards at Hollywood & Western. Pimps and Ho's and Heroin Addicts - Oh my!

But seriously, just use common sense. Oh, and if you're the type that likes side action, just bet whatever way Calvin is betting.

 

[Jimmy M.]

Dam Jimmy I saw you play at the Swanee, I was rooting for ya man..I like your table demeanor and your fundamentals..Plus your patterns were stellar.. good luck to ya..

Thanks for the compliments. I was rooting for me too!

I like that pool room. I thought the pockets were just a tad too small but I'd rather have them a tad small than a tad big, I guess. Ernesto does a great job in making the pockets small while making them still accept balls that are hit well.

 

[jimmymac]

Is there any one night that is best for watching the heavy hitters match up? I’m in town on business until Friday and would like to stop by one night if I get a break from work. Thanks!

I live in Indiana now, however I did live in Torrance for about 7 years. The first time I walked into Hardtimes I saw playing cards: Efren, Francisco, Jose, and Luat. It looked pretty tough to me. There was always action in there, they did have a $10 Sunday tournament that would being in some pretty good players. I've seen some pretty good matches there.