Hi guys -
Boy...did I play terrible this tournament. I had a great first match...played near perfect pool against one of my best friends, Melissa Morris.
After that - everything went to the dogs. I played Mona Remedios...and I honestly played horribly. I just got lucky that she made some mistakes that I could capitalize on late in the match.
I had a slight head cold heading into this tournament...and it kind of stayed with me throughout the week. I didn't really feel bad or anything...so I can't say for sure that it affected my play...but something was definitely awry with my game. I talked to several people...fans and players alike...who said that I just didn't seem myself in the arena...and I agree. For whatever reason, I just couldn't muster a killer instinct except in that first match.
Jeanette played well...but I wasn't even there in that match. I cannot even tell you how any of the games went...I really don't remember much.
As for my match with Sarah...well, I felt like I was starting to play better finally, but Sarah just kept the heat on me and I dogged a 7-ball that would have won me the match 9-7. I had the lead to start....but her break was working fantastically and it kept her right on my heels throughout the whole match. She was pocketing 2-3 balls consistently (she even broke 5 balls in one game)...and she was parking the cue-ball in the center of the table. On her break...I think she ran every rack except one.
Despite Sarah's terrific play...I had an opportunity to win. I was faced with a 7-ball in the side pocket...an exact duplicate of a shot that I had missed the previous night against Jeanette. All I had to do was pocket the 7-ball and sedn the cue-ball straight up table and back down to the opposite end of the table for a straight in shot on the 9-ball. Unfortunately...a memory of the previous night's miss popped into my head....and I missed the ball in the exact same manner as the night before. I gotta tell you...the human brain is amazing. It is trained to recognize patterns...and that is what happened. Contrary to what my conscious mind wanted...the subconscious took over and because it recognized the shot from before, it created an exact duplicate outcome based on my memory. (this is what is supposed to happen...but only in positive cases. That is what training is....teaching your brain/body to do the same thing over and over...only in this case it did the wrong thing!)
Anyhow...those are my thoughts on Vegas so far. I will write some more later!!!
Hugs to all -
Melissa
It went double hill (again I believe). You guys sure do duke it out, lol. I thought I asked you to stay away from Sarah in the brackets?? I am sorry that this match sent you home. I'll pull for you against ANYONE else...anytime. 
