Well the practice paid off. Oh yeah Wed morning 1.10.24:
League night was fun and we won. I broke even with 3 and 3. My two team mates carried the weight. With a 4 and 3 to get the 10-8 victory.
Bar table 8 ball on 8 foot Valleys should be my briar patch. It was a fun match.
My best shot of the night was a foul. Actually back to back fouls that had me cruising the bar for authority on the rules. Specifically the 3 foul rule. Is it in effect? as I was then on 2. eek! Whew "no foul" was the answer, oh Cool. My last game of the night and I was finally in possession of my "best game" and break and run was on the menu. Oh I had it dialed well when my key ball wobbled but fell into the half pocket I chose for the 8 as well. Wouldn't you know the 8 did the same wobble but wouldn't go. Freaking 8 was afraid of the dark. Now it's married to the half pocket blocker. Hmmmm only about a half inch open to go to headrail and back to hit the 8 pocket hanger. With loss of game if I touch the blocker first. We got there after I rolled another of his balls to block the small path that his blocker had to the cross corner. A tactical spot we had to go as 3 of his balls wanted the pocket occupied by my 8 ball. He had 7 blockers
So his first safety got my blocker reply using his own ball put me on 2. Wouldn't you know that backed into the corner is where this Rat almost likes to be. The natural build of the adrenaline.
My Little League coaching from Ray Ellis the 2 times swimmer in WW2. 2 times the ship went cablew. Ray knew his baseball and pitched with either hand in the inter base games. Just like in the movie Mash. Big money between Generals.
Pure Gold tip o the day.
Wisdom said:
If it's the bottom of the 9th, two out, bases loaded, count is 3 and 2. Tie game. You Have To Want to be the player standing at the plate.
I took it to ♥. Well last night I did just that. With the whole game riding on the up and back kick. It's either win or lose. Gotta love it. I found the hit to the black with speed that I calculated based on results in the previous 5 games. I asked for velocity that would give the drop to the black with a clean hit but Not if the Blocker is touched. Talk about missing it by "just THAT much". It was so close and my opponent was so "in awe" that he was surprised when I Announced "No rail". I was the only one close enough to see.
Now my target is only a quarter inch. The distance I moved the 8.
The Near miss was like the proverbial gut punch. Knocked the wind from his sails so to speak. We were heading to stalemate with no 3 foul rule.
The next shot he took with ball in hand was a complete failure that left mere inches away from the hit that required referee observer. Oh what Fun and we won.
Anyway the practice practice practice theme is what leads to this kind of Crescendo.
Okay the rest of the story is the luck factor and strategy. My aim on the up and back was for the blocker but full enough to stop before the 8 ball. If it l miss on velocity it has to be short. Period (was my swing thinking)Well the bar table had a slight roll to the rail.(very unusual on a Valley). Giving the total miss and kiss to the 8. NO RAIL! Gotta chuckle when I get what I asked for.
The length of the post is indicating the "come down" therapy required. Haven't hit a ball. But my fingers are warm
Oops probably 7 foot Valleys. Who knows, who cares?
a story is a story and that's my story. Pfluuuuut.
fingers input to the weapon. I Always want to look where I want the scalpel to enter. The Ring finger is the surgeon.
