I just wanted to share this with all the pool players at home that don't get to get out there. This is one of the reasons I do this thread. Plus there are players I know that just want to know what's going on.
Plus it's just fun. Even though it's very trying sometimes like right now.
Most road players over the years didn't really go busted by losing all their money, some did for sure, but it was the road that got them.
You can try to manage your money as hard and careful as you can but things just mess you up, like motels.
When i left Lincoln I could have went back to Omaha. Had some lessons to do there but the College World Sieries of Baseball was still going on.No motel rooms. So I opted to go the KC instead. I was pretty close anyway and I lived down here for about 7 years from 2000 to 2008.
I didn't play pool during this time until 2008. Diabetic and didn't know it. Sick and tired all the time. Couldn't even get to the tournaments. Too wore out.
Before I left for KC I Met Monte from AZ here and we ended up in his garage talking Perfect Aim and Pro one. Monte knows his stuff.
Got to bed at 7:00 AM and need to get out of the room in Lincoln by 11:00 AM but I can sleep when I get to KC , Right. WRONG>>>>>>>>>>>>
So I got to Kansas City at about 3:00 PM. When I got there I was pretty tired.
As soon as i got there I had to go see my old house in Lees Summit. It was beautiful with so many great memories.
Then I had to start going to my old haunts down here. Side Pockets in Blue spring, North KC, Lees Summit and Raytown Rec, Brass rail.
About 9:00 Pm I started checking on a room. I'd like to get one for a week because I know I'll be here that long for sure. Maybe 2. And by this time with only about 4 hours of sleep the night before I'm really starting to drag. Starting to fall asleep while I'm driving.
KC Royals are playing the St Louis Cardinals this weekend. Every single room is booked within 60 miles, it's crazy. Even the little small ones that normally hardly anyone stays at are plum full.
I keep driving around trying to get a room. Some would have the room for the night but they got the price jacked up rediculous so I move on. Not paying $70 to $100 for 5 hours of sleep.
This hunt went on until 5:00 in the morning. Finally I went back to Raytown and stayed in a room for $50, way too much for what it was, and got 4 hours sleep. Check out was at 10:30.
Next day I went to Side Pockets in Lees Summit. Duff always has something cooking down here for the players. He had a benefit tourny. $15 entry fee with door prizes that they drew for and Paul Gerny was there to do some trick shots and just do whatever he could do to make the event more exciting.
And Paul did just that. He puts on a great show. And what a nice guy.
I wish that I wasn't so tired but it sure was fun anyway.
Then Daryl, that I played in the final match, says I should go play in the free tourny at the Flamingo in Independence. So there I go, so wore out I can't even think, and I'm over there at 7:30 Sat night.
I end up winning the tourny somehow, needed alot of help, and tried to find a room again. After about checking on 10 motels I gave up and went back to this little stinky motel in Raytown. Luckily he had one room left. It was the worst, smoked in, stinkiest, nastiest room I have ever stayed in , in my life. it had a big sticky king size bed so he felt justified in his king size price. tomorrow I'm sure you could get this room for $30 and that would be too much. I can't imagine anyone stay here unless their desperate like me.
I woke up at 11:30.. My nose burned, throat hurt. My eyes were kind of swelled shut kind of. Not only am I tired from the third day without sleep but I have to fade this. :angry:
The good news is I know I have a great room waiting for me in Independence. $280 for the week and I have a kitchen so i can cook some really great food and eat healthy.
I get over there at 12:00 noon only to find out I can't check in until 3:00PM.:frown: It's too hot to sit in the car, like 95* so I go to eat and go shopping at Walmart.
So i get into the room and get everything settled when a friend of mine , Tom Duncan calls me up and wants a tuneup on Perfect Aim. I'm so tired but I can't turn down Tom. Tom and myself ran around together playing pool in Eau Claire Wisconsin when we were 18 to about 21. We were best friends kind on connected at the hip back then. Come on, this is pool. this is important stuff. And this isn't just anyone. My buddy.
I told Tom to meet me at the Famingo. They have a 9 ball tourny at 7:30. $10.00 entry. Race to 5 in the winners and to 3 in the losers. I told him we could work inbetween matches on Perfect Aim. That didn't work out so well. All the tables were always full. But we did sneak on a few minutes here and there inbetween matches so all was not lost.
I somehow made it to the final match but I just self destructed . I couldn't make a ball or get shape. I think we have all been there, Right. 3 days with 12 hours sleep total maybe. I was toast.
I headed back to the room and when I layed down on the bed I thought to myself this is what heaven must feel like. I fell asleep right there. Woke up 2 hours later to get my sleep apnea machine hooked up so I could really sleep.
Woke up at 2:00PM and still feel tired.
I brought alot of this tiredness onto myself, but many a road player has experienced the same type of circumstances. They just get plum wore out by things that just happen that are not even related to pool. They still feel that they need to keep going because the expenses keep going. The more wore out you get the more mistakes you make with your well being and finances.
Plus there is always something going on that you can get to. In the moment sleep seems to be way overrated but it will catch up to you soon but later for sure.
Right now today I couldn't play my sister and expect to win. It's going to take me about 2 or three days to feel halfway normal again. this is when the road player is the most vulnerable. Make bad games and play bad.
You can't afford to book any losers on the road. expenses on the road are bad enough.
I'm pretty lucky though. I'm teaching and can focus on that in the next 3 days. The road player is still out there trying to matchup and play running on 2 cylinders. Not good.
Kind of long winded but I hope you all get the picture. This is one of the main reasons that the road player today is almost extinct.
The
Road in ROAD PLAYER just eats you up just like alligator.
Good thing I don't have to play anyone today or the next 3 days to take care of the nut. But I do need to push myself to set up lessons which in itself doesn't happen unless your out there making it happen. It would be real easy to just sit and watch tv and recharge which sometimes has to be the way it is. Just can't function anymore.
But the good news with Perfect Aim Lessons everyone wins.
WIN>>>>WIN>> situation if there ever was one.......
Got to get ot work. See you all soon.
One man, a van and the road............
) with it, but even that is getting towards the automatic stage. I figure by summer's end, it will be ingrained into my skull.
