Rocking and Rolling at the Turning Stone

[JAM]

Each tournament, I always have a favorite picture, and this is the one that I truly adore.

Karen Corr is a class act. Each tournament I see her at, she's a fan favorite, without a doubt. On the Joss Tour, Karen Corr is no stranger, and folks love to see her competing in the pit. Karen had a GREAT tournament, defeating Shawn Putnam in the winners' bracket, which ain't an easy feat, believe me. He's tough as nails. I sweated a few of his matches, and he not only wasn't missing much, but his cue ball control was phenomenal. After his FIRST match with Karen, he immediately departed the tournament room, without uttering a word. Of course, Shawn got a little revenge on Karen when he met her once again on the B side of the charts, eliminating Karen. Shawn and Karen both did well at the Turning Stone.

Keith really likes Karen and loves to joke around with her. She's a good sport and has a great sense of humor too. Keith isn't always so accommodating when I request to snap his picture here and there, but this past week, there was one exception. He grabbed me, my camera, and then Karen, demanding that I snap their picture together, and so here it is.

JAM

 

[JAM]

In recent times, there seems to be a MAJOR pool event happening every day of the year. We were hanging out with Dee Adkins on the casino floor, hoping to make a score. Dee will be leaving Turning Stone and immediately going to Louisville to attend the one-pocket event, and then he's off to Reno for the IPT.

While we were dining very late one night, along comes Chris Bartrum and Brian Gross who were seated next to our table. During the meal, in walks a player who competed and WON the IPT qualifier in Chelmsford, none other than Jeff Beckley. I never did find out why he came to the Turning Stone in Verona, New York, after winning the IPT qualifier in Massachusetts.

Funny story. Usually when I'm in a casino environment, I hold onto Team McCready's purse strings very tightly, wanting to make sure we cover all associated expenses, which can be get quite high on the tournament trail.

Keith was hot to trot, wanting to throw the dice at the Turning Stone, but he was on a strict budget. Unbeknownst to me, after Keith knew he was going to win a dime or more in tournament winnings, he decided that he would attempt to borrow a couple hundred dollars in an effort to pursue a run at the dice table. He ran into Brian Gross in an elevator and said, "Brian, can you lend me 2 dollars until tomorrow?," 2 dollars meaning $200 in Keith's jargon. Brian immediatley responded and said, "Why, sure, Keith," and handed him two crisp one-dollar bills. I wasn't present, but I sure do wish I could have seen the look on Keith's face as Brian handed him the 2 one-dollar bills.

Here's a picture taken at the restaurant of Brian Gross, Keith, Jeff Beckley, and Chris Bartrum. Brian and Chris competed in the Joss event. Jeff Beckley was on cloud nine after winning the IPT qualifier and can't wait to go to Reno.

JAM

 

[JAM]

There were many triumphs and upsets this past week, but one of the triumphs that caught my attention was this young player from Israel, Zion Zvi, who spanked Dennis Hatch on the winners' side of the bracket. He's only been playing 9-ball for 8 months. His strong game is snooker.

Zion is one player to watch in the coming months as he vigorously follows the American tournament trail. It is his intention to try to qualify for an IPT event in the year 2007 towards the end of this year.

Here's a picture of Santione (sp), Zion, and Keith!

JAM

 

[ChrisOnline]

The world is so small!!! I am in a hay field in the middle of the grizzlies with one traffic light in the county seat and 2500 miles away from NY but Friday I sent a custom cue back east and was told all about the possible McCready/Matushoneck match and a little about Eddie (very good player who is returning to playing since his kids are college age). Turns out my customer is a realtor/friend of Matushoneck and was traveling to the tournament just to see Matushonick and this possible match. I don't build a lot of cues so it I thought it was funny/odd that this custom cue I just sent was built with the same woods used for Keith's cue and Matushoneck has asked to see the cue when my customer receives it.
Jack
www.johnmaddencues.com

Jack.. i am very good friends of Mary's and Ed's.. and Ed Matushoneck owns a pool room in my area and is a collector and seller of many custom cues.. very nice guy.. hell of a player too.. and Maryy ALWAYS speaks very highly of your cues.. and she is thrilled to be getting hers soon... i really like the one of yours that i have too.. its a real looker and everybody asks about it..

here are some pics of the cue that jack just finished for mary... hope you all enjoy them! JACK.. it looks amazing from the pics.. especially the points with that single veener.. kinda gives that optical illusion of being one piece... great job.. i look forwards to seeing it myself... there are atleast 5 people that i know of in my area with your cues.. and getting bigger...
chris

 

[ChrisOnline]

wow.sorry they are so big.. i will resize them when i get home from work...

chris

****** edit.. there pics at normal size now... lol..

 

[JAM]

Here's the butt end of Keith's Madden cue, with his name on it. Keith is one very happy camper with this cue in his hands! Keith has three shafts for his Madden shooting cue, just like a golfer who can pick and choose his weapon of mass destruction!

JAM

 

[JAM]

One thing I noticed big time at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino was the advertisements throughout the facililty about the pool tournament. There were announcements made throughout the week on a loud speaker, and there were MANY, MANY, MANY posters and marquees as well. Even the push-carts that put monies on your "Diamond Card" to play the slot machines had the pool tournament posters on them. The Turning Stone really puts out the red carpet for this event.

Here's a picture of the front circular hallway in front of the tournament room, which actually is made so that you can hear your footsteps echo as you walk through it. There were six feature poster players that were chosen to advertise the Joss tournament: Karen Corr, Johnny Archer, Ralf Souquet, Jeanette Lee, Shawn Putnam, and Jennifer Baretta. Inside the circular hallway all six players were depicted on GIANT posters. Here's the posters of Ralf and Karen.

JAM

 

[JAM]

Gypsy from New York City, Frankie White from New Jersey, and Keith were having a blast throughout the week. Frankie and Keith, the Dynamic Dice Duo, made a go of it at the craps table, as well as all the other casino games. Gypsy is one funny fellow. Though Keith and he didn't match up at this tournament, they have played each other in the past. Whenever the two of them do hook up, it's pure entertainment. Gypsy has a big break and is a formidable opponent in any venue he steps foot in.

JAM

 

[JAM]

What a tournament it was for Jerry Slivka. Those who know Jerry are very well aware of his shooting capabilities on a field of green. A man of all games, Jerry will step up to the plate upon request and may be better known as a man of action than a tournament soldier.

This week at the Joss event, Slivka was putting on the ritz, firing shots in with authority, breaking like a cannon, and running out with ease. He's a very fast player, unlike a few of the other competitors, but that's a story in itself very deserving for a thread of its own. More about that later.

The last day of the tournament, Sunday, there were eight players left standing, six men and two ladies, both of whom were still on the winners' side, and interestingly, four of the six feature poster players made it to the last day.

The Slivka vs. McCready match began sharply at high noon and was, of course, the first match of the day to conclude. I watched most of it sitting high in the alps of the bleachers, getting me a bird's-eye view of all the games in progress. Being that Jerry used to live in our area for a spell, there were many spectators who hailed from our neck of the woods who came to witness the battle. BTW, there was not a bad seat in the house.

Jerry and Keith know each other, are friends, and well aware of each other's capabilities. I knew Jerry's break may be the deciding factor, but I also thought Keith could out-strategize him with his seasoning in a tournament environment. Surprisingly, maybe breaking from the box, Jerry did come up dry on several occasions in the race-to-9. Keith, on the other hand, was making balls on the break, which was an oddity to me. Keith had moments of glory during the set, but came with several misses which allowed Jerry to take the win, 9 to 6.

If it couldn't be Keith who advanced, I was happy it was Jerry and began to pull for him to win the whole shebang. His match against Jeanette Lee had everybody sitting on the edge of their seats.

Here's a smiling Jerry Slivka between matches, posing with Frankie White from Jersey, outside in the smoker's lounge.

JAM

 

[JAM]

Tony Crosby, formerly of England, now an American, also made the trek to Turning Stone. Britain's loss is the United States' gain because this kid can play. A family man and father of two, Tony showed me pictures of his two children who have those Crosby eyes and are cute as can be. One night, he was talking to his young daughter, and he handed me his cell phone. She said "Hi, Jennie," pronouncing each syllable so precisely. Tony is proud as punch of his little tikes, and rightfully so. I often wonder how difficult it must be to travel so often on the tournament trail, thinking about the loves of your life. Me, I miss my Sammy dog immensely when I'm on the road. Wish I could take him with me, but he's too big at 120 pounds.

Tony is in excellent physical shape and looked quite dapper wearing his sponsor shirt at the tournament. Keith and he ended up playing each other in a tournament match. Last time they matched up was at the Carolinas Open a few years ago, where Tony barbecued Keith at Hooker's Fast Eddie's in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

I had a little fear in the knot of my stomach when the match began. Keith, however, didn't give Tony too many chances at the table. I thought Keith played well and kept control. I can't remember the score, but it was, nonetheless, a win for Team McCready, bringing my horse a little closer to the winner's circle.

JAM

 

[JAM]

wow.sorry they are so big.. i will resize them when i get home from work...

chris

Thanks for the pics, Chris. I do think Jack Madden puts his heart and soul in a cue. I know Mary will love hers, who probably has it in her hands at the time of this writing. The one he made for Keith, there will never be another one like it. It's a real weapon and is capable of getting the job done. Keith now has the perfect cue for him, something he has been longing for ever since I have known him.

I'm currently on my 15-inch monitor computer, a real workhorse, but reading the posts, because of the large .jpeg files, I feel like I'm transcribing, going from left to right with the scroll bar, line by line.

Here's a Kodak moment with Delaware Young Gun Matt Krah, a friend, Keith, and Shawn "Get Some" Wilkie of Maryland. Matt and Shawn have both competed in IPT qualifiers and are capable of winning one. They're frequent fliers on the regional tournament trails.

Shawn lost to Jeanette Lee before a packed house. After every good shot by Jeanette, the crowd erupted in loud cheers, whistles, and applause. Shawn handled the pressure well, I think, but I can't help but wonder what it would be like to have that many eyeballs staring at your every move. Jeanette Lee is animated when she plays and isn't afraid to show a little emotion when she wins. After each of her matches concluded, she was swarmed by fans, wanting her autograph and getting their picture taken with her. She signed posters and cueballs which went for a very reasonable $10 apiece. I'll bet she made a pretty penny at this event, maybe more than her tournament winnings, IMHO.

I'm going to try to end this page and begin a new one on the thread.
.
.
.

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Again, it's Matt Krah, friend, Keith, and Shawn Wilkie below.
.
JAM

 

[watchez]

Keith was hot to trot, wanting to throw the dice at the Turning Stone, but he was on a strict budget. Unbeknownst to me, after Keith knew he was going to win a dime or more in tournament winnings, he decided that he would attempt to borrow a couple hundred dollars in an effort to pursue a run at the dice table. He ran into Brian Gross in an elevator and said, "Brian, can you lend me 2 dollars until tomorrow?," 2 dollars meaning $200 in Keith's jargon. Brian immediatley responded and said, "Why, sure, Keith," and handed him two crisp one-dollar bills. I wasn't present, but I sure do wish I could have seen the look on Keith's face as Brian handed him the 2 one-dollar bills.

JAM

That is a pretty funny joke by Brian GROCE. I am pretty sure Brian understand really what 2 dollars meant.

 

[JAM]

Jeanette Lee, of course, was kind enough to pose for me. Keith and Jeanette have faced each other in a game of stakes in the past for 90 large sandbags, as it was told to me. It was a partners game of Jeanette and Warren Kiamco versus Keith and some guy named Louie from Vegas. You have to hear Keith tell the story to get enjoy this match-up to the fullest. If Keith had defeated Jerry Slivka, it would have been him in the pit. Jerry went hill-hill with Lee, knocking her out of the tournament on the last day.

JAM

 

[JAM]

One of the six feature poster players at the Turning Stone, it was very fitting that Johnny Archer won the event, fresh on the heels of pocketing 50 very large at the Challenge of Champions last week.

During the 4 days, the majority of the specators, pool media, and fans surrounded Jeanette Lee on whatever table she played on, no matter who her opponent was. However, when Johnny Archer met up with Keith McCready on the chart, for the first time the bleachers around Lee's table were sparse. People jockeyed for position hoping to see a bloody war between the serious and determined Archer against the unpredictable Keith.

Their styles of dress were different as night and day. Johnny was wearing a neatly tailored white button-down shirt which was embroidered with multiple sponsors, looking like a well-trained thoroughbred racehorse as he pranced his way to their designated table. Keith sparkled in his lucky "Hollywood" shirt. He trotted merrily to his chair, making eye contact with his friends sitting ringside. I knew doom was imminent when Keith attempted to rack the balls for the first game. Johnny sternly denied Keith's attempt at forming the 9 balls into perfect precision inside the wooden triangle. A referee was called in to do the honors, but Johnny wasn't satisfied with his rack either. One of the tournament staff soon appeared and wiped the spot area on the felt down with a brisk brushing. The game soon began, with Johnny taking a lead very early.

There was some controversy when Johnny and Keith exchanged a few niceties while the ref was attempting to form the perfect rack. The fans loved it and hung onto their every word. Keith had several opportunities to sting the Scorpion when he took the lead midway in the match. A couple of break-and-runs, though, sealed the deal for Johnny. At the conclusion, the two of them "kissed and made up," but believe me, the match was hard fought, each hoping to massacre their opponent to a pulp.

I never realized what a nice head of hair Johnny has, thick and full of body. How come men always get the good hair!

JAM

 

[JAM]

How about that Santos! He played well at this event. When they announced his name, they said he hails from Seattle currently. He seemed very happy, joking around with the spectators and fans, sweating a few matches himself. I always like running into him, and he's always one of those players who can get there! He came in second place.

The match between Santos and Jeanette Lee is what held up the charts. The delay put the finals match between Santos and Archer late into the night. The slow matches can definitely put a damper on the progression of a tournament. I think bathroom breaks should be limited in time. This keeps the tournament on schedule, and players should have to abide by some sort of clock when things run at a snail's pace. The fans don't like it, and the spectators get bored. The players themselves are only trying to win, which is a given. I'm not sure what the answer is to this dilemma. It's a tough call on what to do about slow play, but it seems to happen at all, if not most, pool events.

Santos always dresses stylishly with gold jewelry, cool-looking and unique leather belts, tailored slacks, and colorful shirts when he's competing. He managed to almost win, but he still done good in my book!

JAM

 

[smashmouth]

Jeanette charges for autographs? Very classless imo

 

[Dana Bufalo]

Great pics Jennie!.., It was nice to see you and Keith.., Hope to see you again soon. Dana

 

[JAM]

Jeanette charges for autographs? Very classless imo

She doesn't charge them for autographs per se, but she does charge $10 for a color poster.

I think it's a pretty good deal, considering the quality of the poster paper, which is actually quite thick. I don't know how she makes a profit considering what it would cost to get those printed. She had two or three different posters to choose from too. Then there were pre-signed cue-balls which were available as well.

After each of Jeanette's matches concluded, she remained at the front of the room for 30 minutes to an hour, posing for autographs -- FREE -- autographing hand-brought items -- FREE -- and then her signing the pre-printed posters. I think they're a nice keepsake, especially for 10 clams.

JAM

 

[Nostroke]

How about that Santos! He played well at this event. When they announced his name, they said he hails from Seattle currently. He seemed very happy, joking around with the spectators and fans, sweating a few matches himself. I always like running into him, and he's always one of those players who can get there! He came in second place.

The match between Santos and Jeanette Lee is what held up the charts. The delay put the finals match between Santos and Archer late into the night. The slow matches can definitely put a damper on the progression of a tournament. I think bathroom breaks should be limited in time. This keeps the tournament on schedule, and players should have to abide by some sort of clock when things run at a snail's pace. The fans don't like it, and the spectators get bored. The players themselves are only trying to win, which is a given. I'm not sure what the answer is to this dilemma. It's a tough call on what to do about slow play, but it seems to happen at all, if not most, pool events.

Santos always dresses stylishly with gold jewelry, cool-looking and unique leather belts, tailored slacks, and colorful shirts when he's competing. He managed to almost win, but he still done good in my book!

JAM

Yes that Santos/Lee match was 3 hours 15 Minutes and it wasnt hill/hill and ended quickly with that 3 rail combo. If it had gone hill hil, it would have passed 3 1/2 hours for sure. There was another match the night before that was quite long to the point that the next round was delayed beyond my bedtime.

I spoke with one of the organizers about this and suggested a time clock when matches were approaching the scheduled time for the next round. There was a generous 2 hours allowed. He agreed that something should be done.

These brutally long matches were the only thing that detracted from this great event-though i feel overall fan support could have been better.

 

[smashmouth]

I stand corrected