I need to unload

westjer

westjer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Forgive me for the next rant, it's 2:55am Sunday morning and I just got back from the Green Room in Madison, WI. None of my friends are answering their phones so this is my only place to go off. They are holding a tournament there this weekend. Here goes..................

I started playing a guy that I know a race to 7 9ball for $100 on the 9ftr's. I got up 6 sets, then he got two of them back. I was up $400 so we decide to play one last set double or nothing. The last set goes hill-hill and I leave myself a funny cut on the 9, one that I need to take my time on but I should make. The time is 2:20am and while I am about to pull the trigger on the nine they shut the lights off on all the tables yelling that it's bar time and everyone has to go. I run up to the counter and explain to the bar manager that I just need the lights on for one shot and we will leave. She starts yelling at me, saying that she doesn't care what we are playing for we have to get out. I go back to the table and decide that I will shoot it with the lights off. I figure that I will either be even or up $800. I still think that I have a decent chance to make it. The bar manager runs up to our table and yells at us that we have to go. I tell her that all I have to do is shoot this one shot and we will be gone. She reaches down and grabs the nine off the table. She grabbed an $800 nine ball off the table!!!! And it wasn't actually bar time yet. I have never hit a woman in my life but I never wanted to more than tonight.

Now I know that she can just say that she was doing her job and that the staff has to make sure that they have to have everyone out at bar time or they will get into trouble, but it wasn't actually bar time yet. This was just a person who decided that she had to have a power trip right about the time that it would cost me $400.

This is why none of the players hang out at the Green Room, the staff are a bunch of idiots that don't know how to treat customers. I do have to admit that after she grabbed the balls off the table I decided to stop being a nice person and call her a b*tch about 20 times, not my best moment but given the circumstances what can you do. We paid our $80 table time and I left. I think that I will go tomorrow to the Green Room and play my matches, inform Ron Dobesinksi (the owner) about what happened (which I don't think that he will care) and never go back.

Life isn't black and white. She could have taken a moment and listened when I was telling her that I just needed to shoot one more shot, instead of yelling in my face. I look at it this way, if that is how you treat your customers you are telling me that you don't care to keep me as a customer.

Sorry, just really frustrated right now.
 
If the owner does nothing about this lady (who clearly should not be employed in the service industry) I would say he deserves to have his place lose all its remaining customers and go bankrupt. She sounds like a bitter power tripping **** who is mad at her miserable life and takes it out on the customers and enjoys her little sessions of giving other people a taste of the misery that is her life. That is not the right person to be employed in a bar serving people if you value the customer in the slightest. I myself will be sure to never play there or step foot inside the place for that matter if the chance ever arises.
 
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I've been on both sides of the counter. In your situation, I think that one ball couldn't have hurt as bad as she made it. That's just friggin bitter on her part. If there were more games involved, then I may see things a little differently, but she should have had the decency to let you shoot just one more ball. She had a bad day, and you were the one who she let know just how bad it really was. Sorry to hear that man. Did you at least get your $400? I hope so. I too would NEVER set foot in that pool room either. You'll get action from that dude again, but when you do, don't let him get to the hill! At least you won some cash from him though...it's the bright side of things (sorry). :)
 
In most establishments having pool tables, shortly before players are expected to exit, the manager calls out "last rack." This is a standard courtesy to customers. If "last rack" was never called, then you were mistreated. If it was called and your rack was already in progress, you were mistreated. If, on the other hand, it was called and you began the final rack after it was called and the manager knew it, then you played the rack at your own risk and the manager had a right to stop you as they did.

Such situations partly explain why gamblers always greased the palms of the manager after a score. Every now and again, a situation in which you'll want them to stay open a little extra at closing time will arise. They'll take care of you if you have a history of taking care of them.

I'm guessing that if you told the manager a $20 tip was coming her way if you won the rack, you get to finish it. Of course, we'll never know. Sorry you had such a bad experience. It is surprising that you didn't receive better treatment.
 
westjer said:
Forgive me for the next rant, it's 2:55am Sunday morning and I just got back from the Green Room in Madison, WI. None of my friends are answering their phones so this is my only place to go off. They are holding a tournament there this weekend. Here goes..................

I started playing a guy that I know a race to 7 9ball for $100 on the 9ftr's. I got up 6 sets, then he got two of them back. I was up $400 so we decide to play one last set double or nothing. The last set goes hill-hill and I leave myself a funny cut on the 9, one that I need to take my time on but I should make. The time is 2:20am and while I am about to pull the trigger on the nine they shut the lights off on all the tables yelling that it's bar time and everyone has to go. I run up to the counter and explain to the bar manager that I just need the lights on for one shot and we will leave. She starts yelling at me, saying that she doesn't care what we are playing for we have to get out. I go back to the table and decide that I will shoot it with the lights off. I figure that I will either be even or up $800. I still think that I have a decent chance to make it. The bar manager runs up to our table and yells at us that we have to go. I tell her that all I have to do is shoot this one shot and we will be gone. She reaches down and grabs the nine off the table. She grabbed an $800 nine ball off the table!!!! And it wasn't actually bar time yet. I have never hit a woman in my life but I never wanted to more than tonight.

Now I know that she can just say that she was doing her job and that the staff has to make sure that they have to have everyone out at bar time or they will get into trouble, but it wasn't actually bar time yet. This was just a person who decided that she had to have a power trip right about the time that it would cost me $400.

This is why none of the players hang out at the Green Room, the staff are a bunch of idiots that don't know how to treat customers. I do have to admit that after she grabbed the balls off the table I decided to stop being a nice person and call her a b*tch about 20 times, not my best moment but given the circumstances what can you do. We paid our $80 table time and I left. I think that I will go tomorrow to the Green Room and play my matches, inform Ron Dobesinksi (the owner) about what happened (which I don't think that he will care) and never go back.

Life isn't black and white. She could have taken a moment and listened when I was telling her that I just needed to shoot one more shot, instead of yelling in my face. I look at it this way, if that is how you treat your customers you are telling me that you don't care to keep me as a customer.

Sorry, just really frustrated right now.
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i hear what you're saying, and it would irratate anyone.........

not to play devils advocate here but........you said it was 0220 in the morning.....what time does the bar close? if it closes at 0200...........you already got an extra 20 min. if not then okay.

if the place was in fact closing at 0200 when did you start your last set? its always a good idea to check the time after every set, if its getting late for the particular room, suggest to your player that you go to another room, settle up, or go to the manager/counter person and ask if they will in fact let you finish this last set if it goes after hours. of course if they do its always a good thing to cut them in on a little of the action afterwards.

and i hope that you didn't pay the guy for the set, as this set should not have counted. you still should have been up 400 on the night. she could have actually done you a favor an not known it......... ;)

thanks

VAP
 
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Thanks for the thoughts, I was just really p*ssed, now I have to go play my match. Oh yeah - Bar Time in Wisconsin on Friday and Saturday nights is 2:30am.
 
Teacherman said:
Seems to me you had plenty of time to shoot the ball.

Instead, you threw a fit.
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They shut the lights off Teacherman. The man tried to get the lights on for his last shot on an $800 nine ball, I see nothing wrong with that. Peace, John.
 
It was one ball. How long can that take? I think she was being unreasonable to say the least. If I was the owner of that PH, I would certainly want to be aware of it.
 
I've been a room owner, so I have been on both ends of this situation. As was stated earlier, "Last Game" or "Last Rack" should have been called, and being irate over you having to shoot 1 ball was pretty ridiculous. Its my guess that she probably had a very long night, she was tired and couldn't have given 2 craps about anybody's silly money game. That was probably where she was coming from - like it or not. Was she right? Depends who you are. If I was in your cowboy boots I'd be just as upset as you are. If I was in her position I would be annoyed at you because she is probably under strict orders to be out of the place at a certain time. As a room owner in El Paso, Texas, I had to make sure my place was closed by 2:30, doors locked. All Alcohol had to be consumed by 2 AM. My workers were under strict orders to ensure that all the rules were followed - no exceptions. However...
my workers were never told to be unreasonable, which from your description of the incident - she sounded just a tad bit stubborn in her approach. I know what it's like to open at 11AM and still be there at 2:30 AM to close. Its hard work, its tough on the feet and the attitude. Playing $100 sets, I hope you tipped her well throughout the evening. After all, she's working harder than you and getting paid less for her effort. When you understand that, you'll understand her point of view.

Under no circumstances should she have reacted the way did. In business, our goal is not to lose customers; we want to keep the ones we have and attract new ones. We do this by providing service which should be delivered in a friendly manner with a smile attached to it. There was one girl at a pool hall in El Paso that always got on my nerves. Every once in a while she would get in your way, distract you while you were shootiing, etc. I was in a high stakes set in my shooting stance shooting at a ball, and she intentionally smacked the butt of my cue causing the cue ball to move by her power not mine. She thought it was funny, but I didn't. She was lucky that the guy I was playing was upset with her too for doing that, and agreed to restart that game. Needless to say that affected my patronage to their establishment. I did make sure that I spoke to the management FIRST, before I told anyone about the incident, and even when I did speak of the incident I understood that it was a reflection on that particular waitress, not the entire staff and management.

If you indeed talk to Rob, he will probably have my attitude towards this situation, but if you talk to him from the standpoint of a customer that feels he receive less than friendly service, he will probably more receptive as long as you keep your cool. Nobody wants to lose loyal customers, and nobody wants to have a reputation for unfriendly service. If you have the attitude of an unloyal customer and threaten not to go back and spread this story to far stretches of the universe then he will shut you off. As an owner he has the responsibility to ensure that customers are receiving good service, but when you go off on his employee and call her names you just turn into an unruly patron at closing time.
 
I believe if I'm not mistaken, Ron Dobosenski used to play in the pro events. If this is the same guy, why would you not take care of the players in your area. Anyone, and I mean anyone who cares about their business would allow someone to shoot that last ball. It's not like the police are standing right outside the doors of every bar or pool room and watching that everyone is out of the door. I've owned a couple of poolrooms and worked as a musician in bars and I realize that when people get done working they are ready to go home. Not being there to see exactly what happened, all I can say is explain to the owner, and if he acts like it's no big deal, don't go back and tell all your friends why you refuse to play at the establishment. This is just my opinion. good luck, Sam

Ps. Teacherman, did someone pee in your Wheaties? You must not play pool. If I'm shooting a ball for $400 and the lights are out, with a manager standing there telling me the game is over, I'm not gonna just fire at it.
 
What is abundantly clear is we have one side of the story.

95% of the time I let the customer shoot the last ball.

5% of the time I say game over.

Guess who the 5% are?
 
at 5 min. to closing, my system plays "Looney Tunes"...'that's all folks' w/Porky Pig,,,breaks up the seriousness of $100 sets , lets people know they have 5 more minutes,,,,police at the door ?...at least 2 nights a week,,,looks like they would be out solving a crime or something !!
 
Good posts by everyone else...

Interesting situation. I know there are rules for tournament play and what to do if the balls are disturbed by outside forces - like hurricane, tornado, earthquake, etc. (I think she would fall into the hurricane category!)

So what do you do in a situation like this?

Remember the position of the balls and continue the game the next day (just setting up the cue ball and 9 ball where they were)?

Play that game over the next day?

Play that match over the next day?

Go home and forget it, no one wins?
 
You know what you do in that situation, you take a pencil and mark the spot of the cue and the nine...Or you decide to play the rack over the next day..It sucks but sh!t happens....


Take my night last night...I was playing 3 way razzle for dueces and beating the snot out of the other two guys..I say an off hand remark that this one guy should pay attention...Well he goes ballistic and threatens to throw a ball at me from 2 feet away on the other side of the table...The next table is full of ladies so he figured a would'nt make a move and I could'nt I have too much class and respect for the room...So the women leave and I back the guy into a corner...An intimidate the hell out of the guy, like only a 6' 2" 270lb angry Italian can and tell him in not so very kind :D words if he ever pulls that again he had better throw the ball an hope he puts me down :D. Of course he did'nt try anything and only started getting mouthy with someone trying to break things up...Hold me back .. Hold me back :D

Jackasses all over is my point...
 
Teacherman said:
If he needs lights then I don't feel sorry for him.

His type is a dime a dozen. Hit the road.
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Just wanted to put my 2 cents in here. I have known Westjer for several years now, He has played in many of my events. He has always been courteous and professional while participating. He is a known player in the surrounding states and is very approachable plus a good sport.

If I was the room owner, I would want to know what happened. The manager apparently does not want his business or for that fact anyone's business. You don't bite the hand that feeds you in this case.

Your players are your lively hood. IF you are in the service industry, you need to have people skills and most of all the understanding that sometimes, you just need to keep the lights on for that one last shot.

Eydie


Teacherman ~ Go back to school. Apparently you are lacking a degree in kindness.
 
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Teacherman said:
If he needs lights then I don't feel sorry for him.

His type is a dime a dozen. Hit the road.
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Ya good point, i mean who needs lights to play pool. I never play with lights or a cue stick, I just slap the cue ball around with my hand in the dark.

Mack
 
westjer said:
...This is why none of the players hang out at the Green Room...
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Don't know any of the parties involved, never been to the Green Room, don't know the owner. But IMHO, the answer to your problem is in this statement.
 
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