With feedback here on AZB, a couple of well-targeted fixes via lessons, and lots of good time at my home table, I've managed to go from the league whipping boy in the summer session to a pretty reliable teammate. So far this fall session in 8- and 9-ball, I'm 8-1 in matches, winning a huge percentage of available points. I'm currently an SL4, but I'm shooting so much better than I was in the summer session. During the summer I was so ready to throw in the towel, sell my equipment, and find another hobby. Having read Mark Wilson's book, taking two lessons that helped me, and some productive time practicing, I'm no longer embarrassing myself during league play.
Tonight I won an 8-ball makeup match, and both an 8-ball and a 9-ball match. I'm on a roll. I even snapped a 9-ball on a break tonight. Hadn't ever done that before.
So, I'm extremely pleased with my progress since earlier this year. The coaching I received has been invaluable, and I thank the coaches. No, I haven't yet done a break-and-run (I've come within one ball), but compared to where I was over the summer, I'm pretty happy.
That said, I felt really bad for my first opponent tonight on my first 8-ball rack. I was playing an SL5, 3-4 rack race (APA). Here's the situation:
He had one ball left, the 3-ball, which was deep in the pocket shelf. I had two balls left. Via a defensive shot, I left him nearly hooked on his last ball. Here's something I don't think I'll ever see again. He went cushion-first to pocket the hanging 3-ball, but barely missed. CB then bounced off the two cushions, struck one of my two remaining balls, pocketing it, then caromed into my other remaining ball, pocketing it as well. So, since he cleared my two remaining balls, and had not made contact with his last solid 3-ball, he gave me BIH on the 8, which was just about dead in the center of the table. In a thousand shots, I don't think he could purposely miss his 3-ball and pocket both my remaining stripes.
Sometimes the bear wins, sometimes you beat the bear.
I don't like winning a rack this way, but hey, I'll take it. I can only hope I continue to shoot well.