History behind your Avatar

Mine is simple , Shane Van Boening and myself at Brother's Billiards in Billings Mt where he and Earl Strickland played a exhibition match , then Earl gave some instructions while Shane took on all comers which I was one of and yes I lost some cash as expected , next time things maybe different ,,,,, I may get beat worse ha ha but I try hard not to !
 
I've been an electronic hobbyist since about 7 years old. Always have been more interested in the hardware. Started with those Radio Shack spring-board connect kits and built crystal radios, etc. Later I became an EE and now do it as a profession. Pool interests came later in life during college when I needed to exercise a different part of my brain to relax from studying abstract subjects. At some point I was curious and put an accelerometer on the back of a cue, thinking I could compare the stroke pattern between beginners and pros. It failed in direct comparison as a whole, but I discovered specific pieces of data that could be parameterized. That was the basis for the DigiCue. Pitched it to friends, then OB Cues. Figured out how to take it to market, which is more work than the actual design itself, and etc etc.

Then I thought of putting an IMU directly inside of a cue ball. I never thought it would work, as it was just an experiment. But I kept having successes with the technical challenges, and kept going. It has been by far the most challenging and multi-disciplined solo project I've ever done, with 99% of the work never to see the light of day by customers. The avatar represents years of work on a passion project that is almost complete, and hopefully will be the next exciting things in billiards. And if it isn't, then at least I have tremendously augmented my skill set.

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Smorgass Bored

Many people came to know Smorgass Bored with his multiple nicknames: Tampa-Tubby Bob, Doug Wiley and even Doug Wilson. I was honored to be called his friend. Doug sometimes called me Pal Joey and he made me laugh. It was but one of the things that I liked about him. When I drove to a pool...
forums.azbilliards.com

Once this was the playground of Allen Doug Winslow. Perhaps, his name was as hard to pin down as most things about him. SmorgassBored would do most anything for a friend and most on the forum were his friends. I usually let perhaps his best friend, JoeyA, speak of most things Smorg but this is explaining my avatar.

This was in the days of the rep hoarding and rep wars. It was also the days when Smorg's health was declining rapidly and I was glad to play if it brightened his day a little. Aside from hoarding points and passing them out to friends, it was also possible to have red rep runs. Never started one myself but I would get a PM from Smorg, a quick check yes somebody disserved it, and we all started painting red! Funny how upset people would get about red rep and red rep runs usually didn't stop until somebody lost all of their green!

I don't remember how Smorg's posse got organized. Motto was to spice and serve I believe. The eight on the badge represents where I happened to be on the rep totem pole when I made the avatar. All of Doug's posse or gang got a badge, I modified mine by putting my smiling face from around 1988 in the middle.

Obviously in honor of the greatest poster I have seen on here and when we lost Doug I promised myself I would keep this avatar as long as I was on AZB.

The old timers will never forget Doug, newcomers should look up the story about Doug winning a "Bob". Doug had endless stories. Surprisingly, most were true!

Hu
 
I was working on pool concepts for the future. The main concept was to modify pool equipment with inventive new functions.

A pool cue that lights up, has a projective aiming assist light and the ability to cast shadows. A video trailer was in production but funding was cut. The lights and shadows would have been processed by an AI or AR. A specific lighting scheme makes it easier for CV software to detect pool table events.


Imagine a pool cue with a rangefinder, laser sight with flood lighting for casting shadows.

A mechanical bridge designed for future was the next stage in the project. I was never a fan of how the bridge does not have an adjustable height, angling the cue stick is not optimal.
 
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nataddrho said:
I've been an electronic hobbyist since about 7 years old. Always have been more interested in the hardware. Started with those Radio Shack spring-board connect kits and built crystal radios, etc. Later I became an EE and now do it as a profession. Pool interests came later in life during college when I needed to exercise a different part of my brain to relax from studying abstract subjects. At some point I was curious and put an accelerometer on the back of a cue, thinking I could compare the stroke pattern between beginners and pros. It failed in direct comparison as a whole, but I discovered specific pieces of data that could be parameterized. That was the basis for the DigiCue. Pitched it to friends, then OB Cues. Figured out how to take it to market, which is more work than the actual design itself, and etc etc.

Then I thought of putting an IMU directly inside of a cue ball. I never thought it would work, as it was just an experiment. But I kept having successes with the technical challenges, and kept going. It has been by far the most challenging and multi-disciplined solo project I've ever done, with 99% of the work never to see the light of day by customers. The avatar represents years of work on a passion project that is almost complete, and hopefully will be the next exciting things in billiards. And if it isn't, then at least I have tremendously augmented my skill set.

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You struck home with me, with that photo.... I worked for RadioShack for 28 years before it's demise. Handled many of those Science Fair kits like the one in the photo.
 
I actually got this nickname from oldtime poster "Smorgass Bored". I lived in Tampa for a while, and was not playing much, and he and I got into back and forth a bit on here from time to time when he was still alive.. And at one time he told me I don't play particularly well, and told me I "ride the short bus". I immediately decided to own it, and "ShortBus Russ" was born. I paid a fellow AZer to edit together a logo with famed tattoo character "Rat Fink" and a short bus, and when I eventually made a little money in Iraq as a contractor, I commissioned a case from Jack Justis before he passed, and had him put the logo on my case.

Oh, and for the record... Little Joe Villalpando thinks I play just fine after getting into a ring game with me and other AZers, and I took the cash down, when we still had an AZ room at Derby.. So there's that. Smorgass Bored called me a "C" player to get under my skin, so I put that under my profile pic after that... A couple of "A" players from the forum got bitten at Derby once or twice because of that alone. iba7467 and I had a fantastic match one year where he asked for the 5 out wild, where he had to play with a rake every shot. He got it, because I was simply curious about how good a player it might take to beat me considering I gave "B" players the 6 out straight up when I was younger and had better eyes. He didn't like it, lol. Then I played his "A" speed friend even and got another set.

Bill Porter actually has photos of that match on his page. It was the year Morra won the Banks over SVB at Derby. I played him first round of the One Pocket early the next morning and had Morra down 2-1, with SVB sweating MY match. I dogged it, of course. It's hard enough to beat a pro in a match anyways, but having the best player in the world sweating YOUR match rooting for you to win because they have a vested interest in the match.. Was too much to fade for a guy that competes once every few years. Put a 4 pack in a race to 7 on Joey Gray that year too, but dogged that match too.
 
As an activist for what’s right in pool, I have dedicated myself and my life to correcting the wrong that MR is forcing millions of pool fans to world wide on a daily basis.

It’s confusing the old timers and poisoning the minds of people new to pool.

It’s a disservice to the entire world!!!!

The 5 ball is orange!!! It’s not purple!!!

Until MR addresses and corrects this catastrophic situation I will not sleep. I will bear the burden alone or with anyone who wishes to support this cause through these most difficult of times in pool history until it is corrected. Only then can I rest…..

Regards,

Fatboy <———otherwise thinks MR is doing a hell of a great job with pool and snooker.
 
The posts about Doug aka Smorg were very nice, I miss him as well. He was a tremendous person, we spoke a couple times and it was always nice. His humor and posts were the best. I’ll never forget him, 🙏🏼🙏🏼 For those of us who were here while he was-we were very lucky. He was one of a kind!

Regards
Fatboy
 
My two sons and I on a Christmas visit by me to NYC - photo at East Side Billiards about 2019. They both have been playing since age 6 - me since 1964. We spent hundreds of hours a year in our home billiards room in CT as they matured through grammar school all the way through college and to this day we play whenever we are together.
Both were highly competitive in their teens and one just installed a Brunswick Anniversay table in his own home in Ct to continue the tradition. Billiards was a great bonding activity for us as a family that we continue to enjoy.
 
nataddrho said:
I've been an electronic hobbyist since about 7 years old. Always have been more interested in the hardware. Started with those Radio Shack spring-board connect kits and built crystal radios, etc. Later I became an EE and now do it as a profession. Pool interests came later in life during college when I needed to exercise a different part of my brain to relax from studying abstract subjects. At some point I was curious and put an accelerometer on the back of a cue, thinking I could compare the stroke pattern between beginners and pros. It failed in direct comparison as a whole, but I discovered specific pieces of data that could be parameterized. That was the basis for the DigiCue. Pitched it to friends, then OB Cues. Figured out how to take it to market, which is more work than the actual design itself, and etc etc.

Then I thought of putting an IMU directly inside of a cue ball. I never thought it would work, as it was just an experiment. But I kept having successes with the technical challenges, and kept going. It has been by far the most challenging and multi-disciplined solo project I've ever done, with 99% of the work never to see the light of day by customers. The avatar represents years of work on a passion project that is almost complete, and hopefully will be the next exciting things in billiards. And if it isn't, then at least I have tremendously augmented my skill set.

View attachment 786089
Click to expand...
I and many others very much enjoy being in the loop on your doings.
 
justnum said:
I was working on pool concepts for the future. The main concept was to modify pool equipment with inventive new functions.

A pool cue that lights up, has a projective aiming assist light and the ability to cast shadows. A video trailer was in production but funding was cut. The lights and shadows would have been processed by an AI or AR. A specific lighting scheme makes it easier for CV software to detect pool table events.


Imagine a pool cue with a rangefinder, laser sight with flood lighting for casting shadows.

A mechanical bridge designed for future was the next stage in the project. I was never a fan of how the bridge does not have an adjustable height, angling the cue stick is not optimal.
Click to expand...
Yawntastic...

You did nothing., in case a reminder is needed anywhere.
NUTH-ING
 
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