Update of PP 9-Ball Tour Season Opener

JAM

JAM

I am the storm
Silver Member
As expected, 120 players showed up at Champion Billiards in Laurel, Maryland, for the season opener of the Planet Pool 9-Ball Tour.

During the players meeting, the awards for last year's points winners were handed out. Mike Davis received $700 cash and a beautiful custom-made Capone cue stick worth $1,700 for first place. Ryan McCreesh received $300 and a nice Ted Harris custom cue stick for second place. Keith pocketed $200 and a brand-new Sledgehammer break cue, and Jim "Shorty" Henson received a very nice Mark Bear cue. Awards were handed out to the top 15 or so players, and many of them were happy to receive gift certificates provided by Accu-Stats worth $30 and/or Dave & Buster's gift certificates.

The usual gunslingers came, to include Ryan "Genie Man" McCreesh, last season's finale champion Brett Stottlemyer, Pennsylvania's Eddie Abraham, Veteran Don Steele, North Carolina Champion B.J. Ussery, Nick Maninno, Keith McCready, Delaware's Finest Kevin West, Roadster Pookie, Danny Green, the incredible and lovely Sueyen Rhee, UPA Touring Pro Mike Davis, APA Champ Jim "Shorty" Henson, Virginia Veterans Billy Stephens and "Jimmy Mack" McAdams, and AzB-ers Walter "Black-Balled" Kochs, BAZARUS and Skess, just to name a few.

Tomorrow the ladies open will begin at 11:00 a.m., and the second day of the open event will continue. Still on the A side, Keith plays Danny Green at 1:45 p.m. Mike Davis is still on the A side. Pookie and Ryan both got knocked to the losers' bracket their first round, but they're still hanging tough. First place pays $1,500, and second place pays $1,000. I didn't catch the rest of the payouts, but as is customary, this tour pays out three-eighths of the field.

It began snowing several hours ago, and most folks elected to go home and prepare for Sunday. Not too much to report in the way of action, but tomorrow is another day! ;)

The tournament is running smooth, considering the 120-player roster, and there was a lot of excitement about the upcoming 8-ball tournaments which is a new addition to the tour this season.

JAM
 
JAM said:
The usual gunslingers came, to include Ryan "Genie Man" McCreesh, last season's finale champion Brett Stottlemyer, Pennsylvania's Eddie Abraham, Veteran Don Steele, North Carolina Champion B.J. Ussery, Nick Maninno, Keith McCready, Delaware's Finest Kevin West, Roadster Pookie, Danny Green, the incredible and lovely Sueyen Rhee, UPA Touring Pro Mike Davis, APA Champ Jim "Shorty" Henson, Virginia Veterans Billy Stephens and "Jimmy Mack" McAdams, and AzB-ers Walter "Black-Balled" Kochs, BAZARUS and Skess, just to name a few.
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Thanks for the report, JAM. Sounds like the Planet Pool Tour is in good shape. That's not just a large field but quite an elite field they drew for their season opener.
 
Hello JAM,

Thanks for the report JAM and please keep us posted :) . I see a buddy of mine (Eddie A.) made the trek to MD. Good luck to all the players.

Rob
 
The Great Race to Laurel!

Men and women will experience the thrill of extreme adventure on the Washington Beltway today in the Iditarod race to Champion Billiards in Laurel, Maryland.

Still snowing, the roads are treacherous. Earthquake and JAM are gearing up to make the trek for Day Two of the Planet-Pool 9-Ball Tour season opener!

The first-place prize in the open event is still up for grabs, and today begins the ladies' tournament. Stay tuned, as the BEST is yet to come! :p

JAM
 
Thanks for the report jam, I have some friends up there. Todd elkins of Parrot cue is in the tournement. Hope everone makes it there and back safe with the weather.
 
doctorhvac said:
Thanks for the report jam, I have some friends up there. Todd elkins of Parrot cue is in the tournement. Hope everone makes it there and back safe with the weather.
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actually todd had something unexpected come up, and he's not there. quite a few other players from richmond are though.

thanks
 
Thanks for the update, that's quite the field that showed up. Good Luck to Keith as well.
 
Here's the scoop!

When I left the tournament, there were only four men left standing: Lee Holt, Philly's Eddie Abraham, AzBilliards' own Walter "Black-Balled" Koch, and North Carolinian B.J. "G.I. Joe" Ussery. I think B.J. is in the hot seat, and Walter has to play the winner of Eddie and Lee. Walter was practicing while he was waiting for the conclusion of Eddie and Lee's match as we were leaving and is taking this tournament very seriously. He beat some strong players this weekend! He's in the money and has a good shot at the winner's circle, but I kind of feel a little for Walter due to the late hour because I know he's got to be at work in the morning and has a long drive home. At any rate, he's definitely guaranteed the third-place spot, to the tune of $650 (I think).

B.J. Ussery is having a good tournament. He has a calm demeanor at the table, and his play is topnotch. The 25-year-old has only been playing pool for 7 years and holds down a full-time job in North Carolina during the week. He said he plays pool most every day, though, and keeps in stroke by competing in some of the local weekly tournaments in his area. He's a clean-cut kid, with no bad habits, and is in good physical shape. He also mentors some junior players in his area and helps them attend amateur tournaments by providing travel to some less fortunate who do not have transportation. He's a star in the Carolinas, and look out, folks, because G.I. Joe is here to stay and is one to watch on the horizon.

Philadelphia's own Eddie Abraham was knocking down left and right. Racing to 7, Ryan "Genie Man" McCreesh had him 6 to zero on the B side, and Eddie came back with a vengeance and won the match.

The match-up between Keith and Danny Green drew a large crowd, and Keith kept Danny benched, 4 to zero, racing to 9 on the A side. However, Danny never gave up, ran a 4-pack, and tied it up at 4-4. When it was all said and done, Danny prevailed, 9 to 6. BTW, some of you who have read "Playing Off the Rail" by David McCumber, a fact-based account 'bout a player's journey cross-country occurring in the '80s, may remember mention of Danny Green when Tony A. came to Maryland. Another little Danny Green factoid, he is the founder of the original Planet-Pool 9-Ball Tour and used to actually run this tournament solely by himself.

Gerry Slivka made a cameo appearance today, and although he didn't compete in the tournament this weekend, he enjoyed sweating a few of the matches. I guess it's kind of hard for a pool player to be a railbird, and after a little woofing session, much to the delight of the crowd, Keith and Gerry put on an exhibition and engaged in some long-rail banks even, with Keith winning three games. Then they changed the game to even one-pocket, with Keith winning another three games. Cha-ching! :D

Sueyen Rhee won the ladies open event pocketing $450, and second place honors went to Kathleen Lawless from the Valley Forge area. I overheard some of the lady players stating that since the CAT Tour has ended this year, they are looking forward to competing on the PP 9-Ball Tour and the upcoming qualifiers later on in the season. Kathleen actually beat Sueyen Rhee earlier in the day and was in the hot seat, but at the end of the evening Sueyen caught a stroke and cruised into first place.

A new rule this season is that there will be no more "true double elimination" format in the finals, only one match. I have never liked this rule, even though it is customary in most pro events, and think it is unfair that the person who ends up in the hot seat never gets the chance to lose a match, like every other player in the tournament. I understand, though, that since this tour attracts so many players that folks want to get home on a Sunday night at a decent hour. Last season, due to the heavy turnout, some tournaments ended at 2:00 a.m. in the morning. So I do understand the rule change.

BTW, I was happy to hear about Danny Basavich's strong win at the Joss Tour at Snooker's in Providence, Rhode Island. How about that Kid Delicious! Great tournament for Joe Tucker, too, coming in second.

It is regional tours like the Planet Pool and Joss that keep pool alive and well on the East Coast. Many thanks to the sponsors who provide the means, and it is the hard work and dedication of Mike Zuglan of Joss Tour, and Nick Prinsloo, Andy Lincoln, and CeCe of PP 9-Ball Tour that keep 'em going strong!

JAM
 
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JAM said:
It is regional tours like the Planet Pool and Joss that keep pool alive and well on the East Coast. Many thanks to the sponsors who provide the means, and it is the hard work and dedication of Mike Zuglan of Joss Tour, and Nick Prinsloo, Andy Lincoln, and CeCe of PP 9-Ball Tour that keep 'em going strong!
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Well said, JAM. These two tours, and those whose hard work makes them happen, are a credit to pool.

Thanks for your reports.
 
Thanks, SJM, for your kind words.

I hope "Black-Balled" will post this morning and give us a heads-up.

Any one of the four remaining players -- B.J. Ussery, Walter Koch, Lee Holt, and Eddie Abraham -- most definitely are capable of getting to that finish line, especially now with the rule change. Winners' side plays a race to 9, and the losers' side plays a race to 7. The finals match is one race to 9. The B-side player does not have to beat the A-side player twice.

B.J. Ussery has got personality-plus, and he's a straight shooter with no bad habits. He is very worthy of anyone's investment and is good sponsor material (IMO).

It is quite evident when you see Walter compete that he's got many years of experience. He's the "dark horse" of the tournament, but not in my eyes. I got a taste of his action in Richmond last year, and he packs a mean punch.

Lee Holt was the surprise for most folks. He spanked Keith, Ryan, Pookie, and quite a few other tough competitors, running out effortlessly. He's a very quiet unassuming-type fellow, but on the table, he shines brightly. This guy can play!

Eddie Abraham is a war horse. I saw him stuck in several matches. Never giving up the ship, he managed to wiggle his way to a win, much to the surprise of his opponents.

Well, I'm now in the same boat as y'all because there isn't a mention on any pool-related website about the final outcome. :confused:


JAM
 
Additional thought(s)!

Reading about Danny Basavich's win at the Joss Tour banner event this weekend, I have noticed that his level of play seemed to accelerate after he got sponsored by Pittsburgh Steel. Having the necessary resources to play professional pool in the United States is a requirement. Without it, most have to hold down 9-to-5 jobs to earn a living.

This is why regional tours like Planet Pool 9-Ball and Joss, just to name two, are excellent ways for players of all caliber to enjoy the game, even if only on a part-time basis. Weekend events are economical and, lately, are quite exciting. When players like Walter and B.J., working stiffs, make it to the semi-finals in a 120-player field filled like this one, it's kind of nice to see them win. :)

I've got to say that my observations of B.J. Ussery over the past year or so have given me reason to think he's on the brink of pool stardom. If there was ever a player worthy of sponsorship, it's B.J. He's got no bad habits, works for a living, and yet, he's able to beat most of the top guns at any given time. I saw quite a few ladies rubber-necking "G.I. Joe," his pool moniker, as he walked by. With sponsorship, I believe he could go far, and he's ripe for the pickings (IMO). He strings racks together just as good as any of the top players I've seen in recent times.

Reading Humpty Dumpty's post in Gremlin's WPBA thread last week, I find it a shame that quality players like Tammie cannot continue their quest because of lack of funds in this cash-starved "sport." Danny Basavich is a good example of what can happen when a player of his caliber is given a chance.

JMHO, FWIW! :p

JAM
 
JAM said:
As expected, 120 players showed up at Champion Billiards in Laurel, Maryland, for the season opener of the Planet Pool 9-Ball Tour.

Thanks for the posts, JAM. I've been a lurker for some time and have always enjoyed your insight into the tournament scene (and behind the scenes stuff) for my area. As are you, I'm very glad they are starting an 8-ball tournament in the Planet-Pool Tour. It will give people like me (who are still striving for a "three-pack" in 9-ball) at least an illusion of competing on a more level playing field. Since 8 ball doesn't penalize you as much for position errors, and has much more safety strategy built in, I think it will be a great tool for me and others of my level until I get to the point of fully refined position play.
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JAM said:
and there was a lot of excitement about the upcoming 8-ball tournaments which is a new addition to the tour this season.

JAM
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I had a thread before that indicated my disappointment in them making the 8 ball on the break a win. You'll have this though, it wasn't going to stop me from attending.

Yesterday I was at the Sunday 9 ball tournament at Ivory Billiard in York Pa. I spoke with a guy that was at the Planet Pool 9 ball event this weekend. He said that they announced the 8 ball event in Sterling on the weekend of 12-13 Feb to be an armature event. I didn't think that was correct and looked on there site. It is listed there as a 'open' event.

I'm hoping it is open. One of the main reasons I was going was to maybe see and watch some of the Pros. Heck, If all I wanted to do is get my butt kicked, I can do that right around here.
 
Yeah CaptJR, they are restricting it to amateurs. Their intention is to draw more 8 ball league players out, the ones that can't hope to compete on the 9 ball circuit with the pros. Nick mentioned that if it went well, they would look at opening it up in 2006.
 
They announced that B.J. Ussery and S. Rhee won the respective divisions in Laurel. More info later...
 
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