Item 1......got knocked out of the Open Amateur in 3rd Round....was really hoping to play Shaun Wilkie for the championship of Bracket 1....but unfortunately it did not happen.....
Item 2.....What a nice guy Charlie Bryant is. Talked with him a couple of times when he was out smoking (even during his matches). He was a little down talking about how his mother and his young cousin (whom he had helped to raise) died exactly 6 months to the day after eachother......he really was wearing his emotions on his sleeve as they say telling me how what a difficult time he was having concentrating on playing pool.....I didn't know what to say so I just mentioned something we both knew --> Put it in the Lord's hands--they're big enough to handle it! It sounded hollow when I said it but Charlie seemed to agree that's what was best......as hard as it is to do.
Item 3.....I sat down to watch my buddy's first match on Friday in the Seniors Tournament and right in front of me it looks like Barry Behrman...so rather than go stand in front of him and look at his face....I said out loud (to nobody in particuar) "That looks just like Barry Behrman".....sure enough he turned around and shook his head saying he WAS Barry!........Turns out his buddy was playing on the table next to my buddy. I told him I had listened to the hour or so sound bite from that show when Aaron Czetli, Corey, Dee and the guys called him on his take about "IPT scheduling conflict"...he wanted my opinion as to where the public stood on the issue....and I assured him that I was 100% in agreement with him that the IPT dissed him by not giving him more advance notice (i.e. he got a phone call from Dino on a Tuesday informing him of the press release coming out on Wednesday....clearly not right........)...also told him that I believe 95% of the general pool public felt the same way.....that being it's not so much that the IPT scheduled a tournament on the same dates as his US Open, but rather the way they handled it was not very professional.......for all Barry's done for pool I felt he deserved better........he was traveling with his little dog (cross between a dachsund and setter or something....I told him his dog was so well behaved that the dog must be on Quaaludes or something! We talked while we watched our respective friends play (his buddy played pretty good) and when I left he told me how glad he was that I said something.......
Item 4.......Saw Frank Alvarez sitting in UPA booth and decided to just ask him about the "Danny Harriman feud".......Frank seemed genuinely disturbed about it and basically stuck to his side of the story that he had done all he could do to rectify the situation.....and that he and Danny used to be good friends.......he thinks Danny is simply bitter.....also said that he never "bullied" Danny in any way.....and that Tony Robles saw things the same way.......I was impressed with Frank Alvarez in the brief conversation we had.....although a couple of years back at Valley Forge I spoke with Danny Harriman and he seemed like a great guy also......I don't know who's right or wrong....who's lying or telling the truth etc........I left and said I wish Danny was playing more.....Frank said he did too........Frank then shook my hand and said he was "really glad" I stopped and chatted with him
Item 5.......I noticed that Telly Kirkilis, a kid who finished 2nd last year at Valley Forge in the 18 and under Amateur event finished in top 4 in Open Amateur event this year......that dude can play.......
Item 6......Spoke with Thorsten Hohman in the morning when I was checking out a couple of pros practicing in the Arena.......just asked him what he likes better "simonis they were playing on at Valley Forge" or "slow-nap cloth of IPT"..........kind of a dumb question I guess huh??? Anyway of course he said it was a no-brainer......he loves the Simonis and feels it is a better test of pool playing ability and that you get "truer" rolls.....
Item 7.......I'm so sorry I didn't get to go to any AZB Meet and Greets
It seems I never have enough time to do everything I want to do at VF.....but I did manage to recognize the 9BallGirl Wendy as she was walking in the Pro Arena on Saturday night......I said hello ....she said hello.......I considered that brief encounter my "meet & greet"........
Item 8.......Maybe I drank a little too much Budweiser but it looked like some fishy things were going on "in the Pit"........I wonder what percentage of games are NOT on the "up and up" there........I think we all know that occasionally players take a dive there......I don't think it happens all that often but you can not convince me that it NEVER happens
Just my 2 cents worth.......
Item 2.....What a nice guy Charlie Bryant is. Talked with him a couple of times when he was out smoking (even during his matches). He was a little down talking about how his mother and his young cousin (whom he had helped to raise) died exactly 6 months to the day after eachother......he really was wearing his emotions on his sleeve as they say telling me how what a difficult time he was having concentrating on playing pool.....I didn't know what to say so I just mentioned something we both knew --> Put it in the Lord's hands--they're big enough to handle it! It sounded hollow when I said it but Charlie seemed to agree that's what was best......as hard as it is to do.
Item 3.....I sat down to watch my buddy's first match on Friday in the Seniors Tournament and right in front of me it looks like Barry Behrman...so rather than go stand in front of him and look at his face....I said out loud (to nobody in particuar) "That looks just like Barry Behrman".....sure enough he turned around and shook his head saying he WAS Barry!........Turns out his buddy was playing on the table next to my buddy. I told him I had listened to the hour or so sound bite from that show when Aaron Czetli, Corey, Dee and the guys called him on his take about "IPT scheduling conflict"...he wanted my opinion as to where the public stood on the issue....and I assured him that I was 100% in agreement with him that the IPT dissed him by not giving him more advance notice (i.e. he got a phone call from Dino on a Tuesday informing him of the press release coming out on Wednesday....clearly not right........)...also told him that I believe 95% of the general pool public felt the same way.....that being it's not so much that the IPT scheduled a tournament on the same dates as his US Open, but rather the way they handled it was not very professional.......for all Barry's done for pool I felt he deserved better........he was traveling with his little dog (cross between a dachsund and setter or something....I told him his dog was so well behaved that the dog must be on Quaaludes or something! We talked while we watched our respective friends play (his buddy played pretty good) and when I left he told me how glad he was that I said something.......
Item 4.......Saw Frank Alvarez sitting in UPA booth and decided to just ask him about the "Danny Harriman feud".......Frank seemed genuinely disturbed about it and basically stuck to his side of the story that he had done all he could do to rectify the situation.....and that he and Danny used to be good friends.......he thinks Danny is simply bitter.....also said that he never "bullied" Danny in any way.....and that Tony Robles saw things the same way.......I was impressed with Frank Alvarez in the brief conversation we had.....although a couple of years back at Valley Forge I spoke with Danny Harriman and he seemed like a great guy also......I don't know who's right or wrong....who's lying or telling the truth etc........I left and said I wish Danny was playing more.....Frank said he did too........Frank then shook my hand and said he was "really glad" I stopped and chatted with him
Item 5.......I noticed that Telly Kirkilis, a kid who finished 2nd last year at Valley Forge in the 18 and under Amateur event finished in top 4 in Open Amateur event this year......that dude can play.......
Item 6......Spoke with Thorsten Hohman in the morning when I was checking out a couple of pros practicing in the Arena.......just asked him what he likes better "simonis they were playing on at Valley Forge" or "slow-nap cloth of IPT"..........kind of a dumb question I guess huh??? Anyway of course he said it was a no-brainer......he loves the Simonis and feels it is a better test of pool playing ability and that you get "truer" rolls.....
Item 7.......I'm so sorry I didn't get to go to any AZB Meet and Greets
It seems I never have enough time to do everything I want to do at VF.....but I did manage to recognize the 9BallGirl Wendy as she was walking in the Pro Arena on Saturday night......I said hello ....she said hello.......I considered that brief encounter my "meet & greet"........Item 8.......Maybe I drank a little too much Budweiser but it looked like some fishy things were going on "in the Pit"........I wonder what percentage of games are NOT on the "up and up" there........I think we all know that occasionally players take a dive there......I don't think it happens all that often but you can not convince me that it NEVER happens
Just my 2 cents worth.......
I got practice time with him on Thursday night on the practice tables downstairs, he's an incredible teacher. You're right he really is struggling and is wearing his heart on his sleeve. He did just make my list of "players to watch", I hate seeing people struggle.
