well.....
Personally, I'm just going to tip my hat to what I like to call "the big three"for what they have done and accomplished. I was good at what I do,especially in the regions I mostly stayed in. I had nobody to emulate because I was setting the new standards. I have no problem swallowing my pride and telling people around the country that I'm chasing three guys to learn what I didn't know. I had a new goal- not to be the best around,but be recognized by the best around as a peer. Like a poolplayers chasing archer on the tournament trail til he's acknowledged as a strong player. I had weak spots in my game that I didn't even know I had til it was made clear. And I fixed it.again and again and again.... what's the difference in a mechanic and an installer? After 20 years of abuse and ignored problems by countless installers to a table, a mechanic fixes it. It took me meeting a mechanic to fix what I didn't even know was wrong- not with a table, but with the amount I could do to a table beyond what I had done. I've never looked back since. I know that there's been a ton of info that has benefited everyone of us here, and that's what separates us from the masses.... the willingness and ability to take info and apply it to make every table better than the last. I've met and talked with table guys around the country and MAYBE 1 in 300 even knew what a subrail was,much less that you could extend or rebuild one with something besides another shim. At some point in our careers,that was all of us. Now, we stand out. Because of our work? Word of mouth? Azbilliards? Each others recommendations and help? Pride? all of the above and then some? We were a bunch of guys with the same Passion and job that came together from around the country to pool what we know and create something never seen before. Now we are once again a bunch of guys around the country but improved- thanks to a few that wanted to help however they could. I like pretty much everyone on here, I'm still passing glen on the road but its going to be a bit before I pass him on the table. It's not for a lack of ability or willingness- anyone that has ever met me knows that I will never be satisfied no matter how perfect everything is done- but because he's got the experience and the one thing most of us have only tasted to some degree..... while we've been chasing the big three to prove ourselves to the world,they've been finding new and better ways to raise the bar. Jay has probably forgotten more little things on various tables over the years than many will ever learn. Mark didn't get rails to play like that working on 300.00 rubber wood tables from China, and I seriously doubt he just walked into Sears one day and said I'm going to cut apart a table and glue it back together. Bob ,I know you for one came,saw,learned,and applied his method that most of the world still doesn't know. I'm jealous by the way. If glen hadn't rubbed every ones nose in their work who would be trying to prove him wrong everyday. He even pissed me off enough to learn everything I can just so he can't say a Damn thing to me lol. There's a lot of talent in these threads, I just wish we could have put the union together the rest of the way...before we tore it apart. I have to get the truck loaded to get back on the road,the tables and customers don't care about our soap opera or why things are the way they've gotten- they just want to be the next one done right in our quest for perfection. My phones are on, and all of you have my number- see ya somewhere.
