Time to face the music

[Melissa Herndon]

Hi all,

Well, I just wanted to pop in and let you all know how my Vegas trip was.

I had 2 good matches, and 2 bad matches. Like most of the other players, I was struggling with the conditions and couldn't seem to find a good rhythm from match to match. The Connelly tables were nice to look at, but difficult to play on. Also, the cloth played much differently than Simonis does...so I had to adjust my game completely to try and compensate. But, enough with the excuses...

I lost my 1st round to Leslie Rogers. I played horribly and just gave the match away. For some reason, I didn't even feel like I was playing a match in a tournament. My attention was everywhere but the match, and I just couldn't pull it together.

Then, I watched in horror as Jennifer Chen (#7 seed) lost her first round match to Jennifer Barretta. This meant that I was going to face Chen on the loser's side. And while I have a good record against her...I was still cursing my luck that I couldn't have gotten a softer match on the B side. But, I held my own and walked away a winner at 9-7...knocking Chen out one-two (a first for her in a long long time).

My good luck continued because my next match was Kim Shaw (#10 seed). Again, I was cursing my luck at drawing back-to-back Top 10 seeds on the loser's side. But, this match I played nearly flawless and beat her 9-4. Kim is a fierce competitor, but the table rejected a 2-ball that she shot early in the match...and she never seemed to be comfortable after that.

After my match with Kim, I had to play Janet Atwell. This time, the table conditions affected me. I had an 8-ball pop out of the pocket in the 3rd game...and I never recovered. I ran several racks off my own break, but everytime I tried to take the lead on her break, I would run the rack and miss the 8-ball or 9-ball. It was nerve-racking...and I just didn't take the pressure well. To be honest, I can take pressure from an opponent with little problem...but when I feel like I am fighting the equipment as well...I guess I didn't hold up that well.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to Peoria and getting back to Brunswick tables and Simonis cloth.

Talk to you all soon!

Melissa

 

[Wally in Cincy]

It's tough coming out of the box playing on unfamiliar equipment. I played last week in a local handicapped tourney on bar tables with Simonis 860, a combination I am not used to at all. In my first 2 matches all my leaves went from 12-18" too far

You did beat Chen and Kim Shaw who are both pretty tough so at least take solace in that.

Do you have any idea why they used Connellys? Is it because this was not an official "WPBA Classic" event so Brunswick wasn't involved?

 

[Melissa Herndon]

Do you have any idea why they used Connellys? Is it because this was not an official "WPBA Classic" event so Brunswick wasn't involved?

The BCA takes closed bids for all equipment used for the BCA event. For example, any company that wants to have their tables used will send a bid to the BCA saying that they will pay XX amount if the BCA uses their tables. All the bids are opened at once, and whichever one is the highest is the winner. So, according to the whisperings, Connelly sent in a very high bid this year to guarantee that their tables would be used.

Closed bids are used for all equipment used, including: cloth, balls, rack, etc. So, the players will not know until right before the event what tables we will be playing, and so forth and so on. It can be frustrating....but all professional athletes experience similar problems. Football players can have problems going from grass to astroturf....tennis players go from clay to grass courts.....bowlers always have to deal with different oil patterns on the lanes. As a professional, I should probably just suck it up and deal with it....LOL.

Melissa

 

[Wally in Cincy]

...As a professional, I should probably just suck it up and deal with it....LOL.

Melissa

Melissa,

Chalk it up to experience. Next year you will be in the frame of mind that you know going in there will be some adaptation to the conditions.

Being in different leagues, I play on everything from fine 9' Robertsons to my 8' table at home to good barboxes to the filthiest barboxes you could imagine with chicken-wing sauce on the balls and a cue-ball so heavy you can't draw it 6 inches. Maybe that's a good thing in a way. It helps me adapt to adverse conditions.

My fiancee Kathy and I have tix and a room for the Peoria tourney. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we will be there to root you on.

 

[Melissa Herndon]

My fiancee Kathy and I have tix and a room for the Peoria tourney. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, we will be there to root you on.

Wally,

I hope you and your fiancee make it out for the tournament! Even though we haven't met yet, I feel like I know you....so it would be cool to put a face to the name. I have enjoyed meeting folks all over the country...and it just feels good to finally meet someone face-to-face after chatting for months or years even.

It is only a couple of weeks away...

Melissa

 

[sarahrousey]

Hey Mel,

I feel your pain. It's unfortunate that they style of play we both use was what costs us our matches. I got "punished" (the word I am using for the tables) for shooting good shots and I know you did too. You will be fine in Peoria. Just remember how you played in our first match there. No one will be able to beat you!

See you soon.
Sarah

 

[Wally in Cincy]

...The Connelly tables were nice to look at, but difficult to play on....

...I had an 8-ball pop out of the pocket in the 3rd game...and I never recovered....

Hey Mel,

I feel your pain. It's unfortunate that they style of play we both use was what costs us our matches. I got "punished" (the word I am using for the tables) for shooting good shots and I know you did too....

So was that the main problem with the tables? The pockets spit the balls out?

I'm just curious. Thanks to both of you.

 

[Melissa Herndon]

So was that the main problem with the tables? The pockets spit the balls out?

I'm just curious. Thanks to both of you.

Wally,

I have to admit that it did happen to me. There was a way of preventing it....but you would basically have to roll the ball into the hole....and that simply isn't my style of play.

I will say this, and you can draw your own conclusions. More men than women were affected by the way the tables play. Now, think about the manner in which men strike the ball...as compared to the way that most women strike the ball...and go from there.

Like I said earlier...I do not want to whine about it or blame the conditions for my poor showing. As a professional, I should be able to adjust. BUT, I will admit that different conditions are more suited to my playing style...and we can just leave it at that....LOL.

Sarah - I feel your pain too. I am very sorry that you didn't do as well as you had hoped. That hill-hill match against Lisa M was a heartbreaker. I can't believe the cue-ball ended up where it did.

Melissa

 

[Wally in Cincy]

Melissa,

I watched Sarah play once and now that you mention it she did shoot many shots with authority . She was giving her opponent Tony Chohan a run for his money in that regard as a matter of fact. Heck you have to do that in 9-ball sometimes to move the cue ball to where it needs to go.

Anyway, good luck on the Brunswicks in Peoria. I'm sure you both will do well.

 

[LAMas]

I have been noticing that many of the top women and European men shoot their shots soft into the pockets and make shape that way to set up the next shot. You can make more balls that way rather than firing into the pocket - a style thing. I like to fire at the pockets and get long draw and forced follow because of the feel I like but i'm no good.

Many years ago when they started to shim the pockets at the hardtimes in Bellflower, you couldn't fire into the pockets for it would spit the ball out. With practice one would learn to roll up to the pocket so that if you hit the side of the pocket it would still roll in - it took time to change.

Back then there was a major tourney and shooters from up north came down to the 'Times and were dieing like flies complaining that they couldn't run or run out. I traveled up north then and played on the northern tables that had standard tables, no Simonis and confirmed that the shimmed pockets and cloth were their problem. They also played a lot of 8 ball.

Now though if you go up north, the tables are double shimmed and every one plays 9 ball.

I noticed that at Viejas and Vegas that there weren't any practice tables. That must have made it difficult to get used to them.

I guess if you're a road player (which is not the same as a touring one) that you must or will shoot under all circumstances and conditions or lose - variety is the spice...

 

[Melissa Herndon]

I noticed that at Viejas and Vegas that there weren't any practice tables. That must have made it difficult to get used to them.

There were practice tables at both events...they just keep them hidden...LOL.

In Vegas, they were in the rooms directly across the hall from the pro arena....and in Viejas, they are upstairs...above the pro arena.

Most of the time, the venue finds a place out of the way to put the practice tables so that the players aren't disturbed and can focus on warming up.

Melissa

 

[LAMas]

Thanks for telling me that there are practice tables. Is there enough time to learn the personality of the tables and adjust?

 

[Melissa Herndon]

Thanks for telling me that there are practice tables. Is there enough time to learn the personality of the tables and adjust?

Sometimes it can be hard because there are so many players trying to use 2 tables. So, they limit your practice time....basically you are only allowed to practice in the round before your match. So, there will be 16 players taking turns on 2 tables. So, you get to hit a rack every 10 minutes or so....it's kind of brutal. The best warm-up you can get is if you play the first round of the day...so you can warm-up on your own table because there aren't any matches being played early in the morning.

In Vegas, there are 4 practice tables, but 64 men and 64 women.....so the tables are always in use.

Plus, the practice tables usually play differently than the tournament tables.

Melissa

 

[Williebetmore]

I think it is admirable to restrain yourselves (Sarah & Melissa) from criticizing the equipment (everyone does play the same equipment, but certainly the equipment can force you to alter your natural game). Gary Player was well known for his complimentary attitude toward the golf courses the professionals played - even if he was playing the worst course, maintained like a cow pasture, he could be counted on to say, "that was the best course of its kind that we play, I really enjoyed the interesting conditions." Most of the other golfers just bitched and griped. His attitude, however, was always greatly appreciated by the sponsors and locals (even if we felt he was lying through his teeth). I think that we here on the forum would rather just hear the facts (B & G's very acceptable here).

 

[Sam L]

I don't have a problem with their comments.

I was at the recent SD tour event, and heard a pro mutter something after a miss like "these pockets drive me crazy." I liked hearing the words I've thought so often.

I'll guess Sarah and Melissa do restrain themselves from criticizing much of the time.

Tiger Woods has surely said, or at least on-camera agreed with, the equivalent of "the conditions on this golf course don't favor long hitters."

I'm glad to be able to "hear the facts" as Sarah & Melissa have stated them. I don't need them to lie through their teeth.

I think it is admirable to restrain yourselves (Sarah & Melissa) from criticizing the equipment (everyone does play the same equipment, but certainly the equipment can force you to alter your natural game). Gary Player was well known for his complimentary attitude toward the golf courses the professionals played - even if he was playing the worst course, maintained like a cow pasture, he could be counted on to say, "that was the best course of its kind that we play, I really enjoyed the interesting conditions." Most of the other golfers just bitched and griped. His attitude, however, was always greatly appreciated by the sponsors and locals (even if we felt he was lying through his teeth). I think that we here on the forum would rather just hear the facts (B & G's very acceptable here).