Mika Immonen

Mika is a world champion and Hall of Famer he is a great guy if you get to know him a little bit.

Believe me when Efren loses he is thinking bad stuff even though he acts like it is no big deal.

If you are lucky enough take a lesson from Mika, do it. The best way to get to know a professional is treat them as such.

No one likes to lose, some are more honest about it than others.
 
RunoutJJ said:
Was at the Turning Stone for the final day and I was very excited to see Mika play live. Everything was great watching him get his arse handed to him by John Morra but the real trouble started after he lost. After some choice words to Morra he came back over to his chair to pack his cues. I asked him what type of cue he was using and he snaped at me..

"Where's my plastic case??"

I then realized that the girl I was with threw away a bunch of garbage that was in front of our chairs and not knowing it Mika's plastic case for his break cue. I apologize to him telling him that she didnt know any better and said to hold on and I will get it. I went to the trash can and saw that it was covered in crap so there was no way I was gonna dig for it. I then go to a cue vendor and explained what happened and he was nice enough to give me a plastic case free of charge.

I get back to the table and I again apologize to Mika handing him the case and guess what happens.... I get a smug look of how dare you and there was no thank you or its ok it was an accident comment. Nope!! Notta!!

Now don't get me wrong I know he was in a bad mood because of the Morra match but that doesnt mean you have to be a royal douche when all I tried to do was fix a situation that was an honest mistake. From what I remember the case looked mad beat up so it did look like trash. Why is a world class player carry around a break cue in a beat up plastic case anyway??? He just turned on his heel and left.

I don't know Mika and I do take into account that he was pissed off at Morra about the rack and losing but come on man.... Dont be a douchebag to people that had nothing to do with your state of affairs. Secretly I really wanted Shaw to put the screw to him and boy did he EVER!!!! 9-1 in 20 minutes was fricking epic!! Mika talking to himself and going buggy, throwing his cue and acting like a child was almost a pleasure to watch. Normally I dont wish ill upon others but be careful what you wish for... You just may get it ;)

Mika if you are reading this I want to apologize to you again for my friend throwing out your cheap ugly plastic case for your break cue. It was a mistake and I fixed it and you are welcome. I was upset for you and I made things right but you had to be ungrateful for it. I hope the next time we see each other you will take the time to apologize for your behavior. I doubt you will but prove me wrong... Prove me wrong.
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Flame away but I don't blame Mika at all for being upset about this. He just lost the semi final match and you walk up to him and ask what kind of cue he plays with? He asks about a piece of his property that is missing and then you say your friend threw it away. You were probably the last person he wanted to talk to at that point in time. Put yourself in his shoes. Maybe that case had sentimental value. Who knows. The point is it was his and a spectator threw it away.

You made it right as best you could and he maybe should have said thanks but he isn't a douchebag for not saying anything. Maybe he would have been a douchebag if he unloaded on you.

It seems like everyone thinks the pros should treat fans differently because they are more accessible than in other sports. There is no barrier like a rope in golf or a court or whatever in other sports. Pro pool players have no personal space at all.
 
Mika wears his heart on his sleeve. He moonwalks around the table like Michael Jackson and has everything but the white sequin glove then things are going his way.

When they're not going his way, he's more like Axel Rose - kicking over amps, smashing guitars and throwing sodas into the crowd.

I can't blame him -- when I'm losing, which is often, I like to imagine my opponent getting raped by a rabid hippopotamus, without wearing a mouthpiece. For some reason, it gives me a little snicker and helps me realize that sometimes you're assaulting -- and sometimes you're getting assaulted. It's the great Circle of Life. Whenever I'm getting killed, I love to incorporate the "GIVE UP STROKE" and get all loosey-goosey. I can't tell you how many matches I've won while being dormied with the good ol' "give-up-attack."

If Mika wants to act-up, let him. If that acting up is sharking someone, they have every right to chirp a little. Leave it at that.

TO CLEARY:
When you asked Mika if you could buy-out the bet, how did you keep a straight face? Did he get PISSED? He prob knew he was elephant-slammed after #6... you didn't slow up at all.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
TO CLEARY:
When you asked Mika if you could buy-out the bet, how did you keep a straight face? Did he get PISSED? He prob knew he was elephant-slammed after #6... you didn't slow up at all.
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It's all part of the show baby! Just keep watching, I'm just getting started.
 
Mika's signature move at the table is getting red in the face and flapping his arms, acting like a lil' bizatch whenever things don't go his way.

I personally find it hilarious and entertaining, so I don't hold it against him.
 
Yeah, I think the last thing I would want to hear after I got my ass handed to me was..."What kinda cue do you shoot with"? and that one of his personal items got trashed (by accident) was something he didn't want to hear at that moment . I would have waited another time/place to ask him or anyone else that lost that question. Just my opinion...
 
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One reason Mika might be mad is that this has happened before.

Corey swept Mika 11-0 in the 2001 US Open finals. I believe it's the only shutout in the finals. Corey was on fire but also getting a few lucky rolls, and nothing was going Mika's way. He was steaming but I don't recall any cues flying. Here's the last game of that match:

http://www.billiardsdigest.com/new_30over30/11.php


A year ago Earl went into total 1988-Earl-The-Freight-Train-Mode and ran over Mika in the finals of a Predator Tour event. Here's the whole match:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqTH425s_3E&spfreload=10


-Jeff
 
I get upset when I lose, but I manage to maintain it inside. I do however think that you should have waited for a better time to ask questions about his equipment. Everyone is entitled to a few minutes to cool off before being asked questions after a loss..
 
What kind of cue, tip, shaft, or chalk asked of a pro that just lost a match must drive them crazy...it does me.

The 9 ball wasn't even in the ball box yet on the Shaw championship win, when someone asked what kind of cue he was using. Like that is going to help someone shoot like him. Johnnyt
 
RunoutJJ said:
Was at the Turning Stone for the final day and I was very excited to see Mika play live. Everything was great watching him get his arse handed to him by John Morra but the real trouble started after he lost. After some choice words to Morra he came back over to his chair to pack his cues. I asked him what type of cue he was using and he snaped at me..

"Where's my plastic case??"

I then realized that the girl I was with threw away a bunch of garbage that was in front of our chairs and not knowing it Mika's plastic case for his break cue. I apologize to him telling him that she didnt know any better and said to hold on and I will get it. I went to the trash can and saw that it was covered in crap so there was no way I was gonna dig for it. I then go to a cue vendor and explained what happened and he was nice enough to give me a plastic case free of charge.

I get back to the table and I again apologize to Mika handing him the case and guess what happens.... I get a smug look of how dare you and there was no thank you or its ok it was an accident comment. Nope!! Notta!!

Now don't get me wrong I know he was in a bad mood because of the Morra match but that doesnt mean you have to be a royal douche when all I tried to do was fix a situation that was an honest mistake. From what I remember the case looked mad beat up so it did look like trash. Why is a world class player carry around a break cue in a beat up plastic case anyway??? He just turned on his heel and left.

I don't know Mika and I do take into account that he was pissed off at Morra about the rack and losing but come on man.... Dont be a douchebag to people that had nothing to do with your state of affairs. Secretly I really wanted Shaw to put the screw to him and boy did he EVER!!!! 9-1 in 20 minutes was fricking epic!! Mika talking to himself and going buggy, throwing his cue and acting like a child was almost a pleasure to watch. Normally I dont wish ill upon others but be careful what you wish for... You just may get it ;)

Mika if you are reading this I want to apologize to you again for my friend throwing out your cheap ugly plastic case for your break cue. It was a mistake and I fixed it and you are welcome. I was upset for you and I made things right but you had to be ungrateful for it. I hope the next time we see each other you will take the time to apologize for your behavior. I doubt you will but prove me wrong... Prove me wrong.
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The problem is not how Mika reacted the problem is WE as fans of pool automatically assume that a PRO caliber player gotta be a gentleman and this silly assumption is wrong. I think that's why people get offended when they see the not so cool side of pro players.

They are human beings and they have their moment of emotions specially PRO pool players cuz they are trying to make a living through our sport. So, occasionally if they get more pissed or are acting rude cuz they had a bad beat or whatever I let it slide cuz if I was there playing this game for keeping the food on my table at times I will be freaking pissed off too ...

Just because if you happen to catch 'em on their low / bad moment doesn't mean that they are top level a-holes (however i know some players are, but not all of 'em).

Pool doesn't pay enough to put an gentleman act on, if he did things would be different.
 
I'm not saying it's cool, and certainly people in the public eye that rely on fan support have to be held to a higher standard but damn timing is everything. There were certainly a lot of factors there to warrant someone being a little pissed off. I know I would be. I don't know Mika at all, but these particular circumstances are maybe not the best under which to assess his fan interaction qualities.
 
jeffj2h said:
One reason Mika might be mad is that this has happened before.

Corey swept Mika 11-0 in the 2001 US Open finals. I believe it's the only shutout in the finals. Corey was on fire but also getting a few lucky rolls, and nothing was going Mika's way. He was steaming but I don't recall any cues flying. Here's the last game of that match:

http://www.billiardsdigest.com/new_30over30/11.php


A year ago Earl went into total 1988-Earl-The-Freight-Train-Mode and ran over Mika in the finals of a Predator Tour event. Here's the whole match:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqTH425s_3E&spfreload=10


-Jeff
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After that final in the US Open- within 3 minutes of the end and on the tournament floor, after that devastating defeat, a guy from Florida came up to Mika with TWELVE programs and asked him to sign them.
He had lines drawn in for the top 4 or 8 to sign and he was obviously going to sell them through his half ass 'pool business' I stepped in and gave the guy the hook. He was a known idiot totally devoid of any social skills. He said he'd come back later-Not sure if he did.
 
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Johnnyt said:
What kind of cue, tip, shaft, or chalk asked of a pro that just lost a match must drive them crazy...it does me.

The 9 ball wasn't even in the ball box yet on the Shaw championship win, when someone asked what kind of cue he was using. Like that is going to help someone shoot like him. Johnnyt
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Good point, Johnnyt, a little common sense in respect of picking the best time to approach with a question is always prudent.

That said, is his cue maker one of his sponsors? A little grace under pressure goes a long way to ensure fan support. Fan support goes a long way to add to sponsor support. Most players can show goodwill when they have won but to be able to do so when you lose takes a special personality, one that should be rewarded by sponsorship.

In terms of using the excuse of outside, or other, forces causing one to lose it is always best, in my opinion, to limit the number of times one does that or you lose crediblility. I had a situation come up in a match I was playing last night where I could have made an excuse but that would have been only an excuse.

Last night, just as I was starting to make a stroke and just before I hit the cue ball my opponent (who was directly across from where I was shooting and in my line of sight) stood up and said, 'what ball are you shooting?' I missed the shot, stood up and then answered in a conversational tone with a smile, 'I was shooting the 6, I called it before I went down to shoot it but I guess you didn't hear it because you were talking to your friend when I called it.' I went and sat down.

After the game he came to me and apologized for it and said that he had not meant to shark me. I said that he had not sharked me. If I had been bothered by his talking while it was my turn at the table I would have told him to be quiet when I was at the table. I went on to say that I missed that shot because I missed. I know my game well enough to know when I miss because something distracted me and his asking me about which ball I was shooting had not distracted me and put me off stroke. I missed because I had a little white ball itis, gave myself the shot and lost focus on the pot because I over focused on the shape. I had no one to blame but myself. Similarly, I could not be upset after the match at his talking (and texting) because I had not brought it up during the match. In fact, I thought of it at the time and decided it would be a good way to improve my focus by playing through it.

I watched Mikka's matches against both John Morra and Jayson. Not much went his way and both his opponents took advantage of every opportunity. That's pool and he should have accepted it with a certain amount of good humour and grace. He did not lose because of the racking of balls because he did not have to break unless he was satisfied with the rack. Once the match was over he lost the right to complain of the rack. If his complaint was that he gave a better rack to his opponent than he received I would reject that position out of hand for the same reason.

I thought that Mikka briefly showed flashes good humour in a 'what the hell is happening to me ' way with a smile and a shrug that the crowd (fans) responded well to. He used up some of that good will when he tossed his cue and left it on the floor (with me anyway) as I have a bit of a fetish for treating your cue(s) and the table with respect.

Win or lose, be professional.That said, the fans should also show a little restraint and pick a better time to approach with questions like this.
 
arnaldo said:
No mystery behind Mika's anger. Everywhere he goes outside the pool world, in spite of being Finnish and speaking perfect non-accented English, people are always telling him how much he looks like the Russian Premier, Putin and asking if he's related somehow. Hard cross to bear I'd imagine.

Arnaldo
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I would consider that a great compliment! Any president of any country who is all about there own country and doesn't bow down to anyone is a pretty good guy! Don't go running off with what I wrote now, I only wish we had a president who cared about America! The one we have now is a racist terrorist breading ***** who doesn't care about anything but himself and his destroy America agenda!
 
Mika is probably the most competitive player I've seen. I had a chance to speak and take a photo with him at a tournament, and I found him to be friendly and cordial, if not a little quiet. I waited until after his match and was going to ask him to sign my case, but after a tough loss, it was pretty clear he was in no mood to talk to anyone. I just accepted it, and moved on because I know that's just the way he is.

It would be great if all professional players could all meet the standards of behaviour that we expect of them, but the reality is that many do not (true for most other sports and professions as well).
 
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