week at APA in vegas

Troublemaker said:
I played Gary & Stacy in the Doubles Tournament. Stacy is definitely a strong shooter but it was hard to tell as Gary was so good at placing the cue ball that she had very few difficult shots.

I agree with Troublemaker. I watched a few games of one of their matches and Gary set her shots up perfectly every time. I do not think (in the games I saw) she had to do much more than stop the cue ball each time. Of course, for some of us (myself included), I'm thrilled to make a successful stop shot when required. :D
 
Troublemaker said:
I played Gary & Stacy in the Doubles Tournament. Stacy is definitely a strong shooter but it was hard to tell as Gary was so good at placing the cue ball that she had very few difficult shots. I really enjoyed meeting them and enjoyed competing against them. We almost had 'em. Glad I didn't realize who he was at the time.... LOL!

I've heard that the APA has already said this was his last tournament and he is no longer considered an amateur. I have mixed feelings....on the one hand it was a great opportunity to play against such a good player, on the other I have a hard time understanding how he could be considered an amateur even before his recent win in Alabama.

I agree 100% at the chance to compete against a great player like Gary for cheap money Troublemaker. Myself being a SL9 in 9ball & a 7 in 8ball for my region up here I am certainly not in Gary's class but if you wanted to test your game against a player of his caliber it will cost you more than $50 to get his interest in turning up a gear. It just sucks for all the little guys that paid their dues when in reality the poor f**ks have no chance against someone like that.

There was a couple years back a few guys here in Maine was playing someone else under his name in the league "ranked as a 6" none the less LOL. There was a slot open at the masters and they met him out there. Went all the way to 3rd with him. Granted his partners weren't his caliber but were good players. I had to laugh actually at the stunt as the operator up here thinks hes the brass nuts when in fact hes a busted nut. Who the hell don't know who G.A. is. LOL.

But as said what the h*ll are you gonna do. If you enjoy playing pool in that league I guess you are just gonna have to suck it up and move on.
 
Eric. said:
Hate to say it, but....thats the way it is.

Anything that is handicapped will always have these situations. Hell, I saw a bunch of guys floating around the mini tournies i.e. Brian Gregg, Gary Abood, Brian Groce (I think), et al. What are ya gonna do, lol?

BTW, how's "Irene" doing, Koop?


Eric >(Koops new booty call)

You know it buddy. Nothing you can really do but grin and bear it.

Irene, my Russian prostitute friend, says hello :D
 
Duane Hinton said:
Did any of you play Nothin Personal from Topeka, KS in the 8 open? This team finishes in 5th place at the national tournament but dead last in their summer 2008 session. In the past three years this same team, or at least four members have finished 1st (Bankers and snookers), 9th (Bankers and snookers), and now 5th (Nothin personal). They do this by winning a session and then finishing in the bottom half in the other two sessions a year to keep their skill levels down. Only their 2 7's are correctly handcapped. Thier captain, a 6 should have a skill level of 7; their 5 is really a 6; their 4 should be a 6; and their two 3's should be 4's. Since 2003, teams from Topeka have finished 3rd (2003), 1st (2004), 1st (2006), 9th (2007) and 5th (2008). Are we a hotbed for pool or what?

This is because the League Operators don't honor the 50% Rule. They have to finish in the top 50% to be eligeable for the city tourny in the following seasons. I took the season off from APA leagues beause I was sick of dealing with this stuff. The team that beat my team in the city finals last year was disqualified by the LO, but that ruling was overruled at the National level.

If you want to compete on an equal footing at the Nationals or even at the Cities you have to cheat. I refuse to piss my integrity away and I can't compete without caring, so I quit.
 
Had a great time out there too. Team went 1-2. Not bad considering we played the 19rule the whole time. One a bright side, my team did win the Best Team Name. To bad no money given out....
 
s'portplayer said:
She is a legitimate strong 3, occassionally shoots over that, but I have no complaints with her being a 3.

I'll take your word for that one as you would know that and not me. If you can say that playing in the same league & you seem quite honest from the posts I have read then good for her. Nice Job... whether G.A. can put the ball near perfect all the time shes still gotta put them in the hole. :thumbup:
 
We all had a great time in Vegas. Did somewhat well in 9 ball and one out of the money in 8.

REALLY glad to be home..... minus $2 corona.
 
APA Master's team from Detroit

I see that Kenny Brisbon's team from the Detroit area finished 2nd in the Master's event AGAIN. Is this the third time he's been on a second place team. I know he had Jason Kirkwood on his team a few years ago and they finished 2nd.

Kenny's a nice guy. Wish he would win one!!

--Chili
 
APA everybody can pay somebody can win

I agree with mongoose. I played apa until I recognized all the teams were subsidizing the league operators team to vegas every year. I enjoyed the people and the handicapp system was good as long as people were honest. I was suprised that most of the teams were honest except for the LO pick. I was told it was crooked before I joined and like everyone else I thought it was just sour grapes on their part. I found out for myself. I asked other people if they were aware of the league operator dealings and they said yes but it was the only league in the area. I was told the national apa was aware, this had been going on for years and nothing could be done. I am only speaking for the area I live in and not the whole apa but you could not pay me to play in the apa again.
 
poke&hope said:
I agree with mongoose. I played apa until I recognized all the teams were subsidizing the league operators team to vegas every year. I enjoyed the people and the handicapp system was good as long as people were honest. I was suprised that most of the teams were honest except for the LO pick. I was told it was crooked before I joined and like everyone else I thought it was just sour grapes on their part. I found out for myself. I asked other people if they were aware of the league operator dealings and they said yes but it was the only league in the area. I was told the national apa was aware, this had been going on for years and nothing could be done. I am only speaking for the area I live in and not the whole apa but you could not pay me to play in the apa again.

LOL @ APA everybody can pay somebody can win. It's really too bad in my OPINION as the APA has really brought a lot of people into the pool world. But when you are in a BUSINESS to make money & have good MARKETING that is what you do make $$$. I too enjoyed the league as I played with my wife & some of our friends & liked the overall handicap system IF people are honest. Which the majority of players are honest. It is the LO'S that are not. We just chose to step away and spend our fees to that crooked organization elsewhere.
 
I would just like to say that not all league operators are dishonest. I don't believe that. Some are hard working and conscientious promoters of the game. Some are deceived by individual players and the teams they represent. Some are just plain ignorant of the nuances of the game. Some have become jaded and disinterested in monitoring what takes place in their league. In our case, we have a welling meaning person who has operated the league for many years and runs the operation smoothly. Unfortunately, this person is not a pool player, does not play, does not understand the game beyond the rule book, and cannot personally adequately assess the skill level of the players she observes. As a result, she relies on the input of her league reps (who are often self serving), the computer handicap system (which can be easily manipulated by the players), and the *****ing and moaning of a few vocal and annoying league members. The end result is a league which seems to have blatant skill level discrepancies and the appearance of favoritism. This is a decent person who is simply ignorant of the depth of the game, influenced by self serving individuals and disengaged from the weekly league activities. But not dishonest.
 
If the LO is that ignorant find another business

daveb said:
I would just like to say that not all league operators are dishonest. I don't believe that. Some are hard working and conscientious promoters of the game. Some are deceived by individual players and the teams they represent. Some are just plain ignorant of the nuances of the game. Some have become jaded and disinterested in monitoring what takes place in their league. In our case, we have a welling meaning person who has operated the league for many years and runs the operation smoothly. Unfortunately, this person is not a pool player, does not play, does not understand the game beyond the rule book, and cannot personally adequately assess the skill level of the players she observes. As a result, she relies on the input of her league reps (who are often self serving), the computer handicap system (which can be easily manipulated by the players), and the *****ing and moaning of a few vocal and annoying league members. The end result is a league which seems to have blatant skill level discrepancies and the appearance of favoritism. This is a decent person who is simply ignorant of the depth of the game, influenced by self serving individuals and disengaged from the weekly league activities. But not dishonest.

daveb I certainly agree not ALL LO's are crooked but plenty are. This case you have mentioned just further shows my opinion. The APA & it's LO's are there for the money. Why would someone even run a league or buy a franchise that don't even play pool other then for the money racket. But of course the APA don't care as shes pulling them in the $$$$. No offense but that is a JOKE.
 
Duane Hinton said:
Did any of you play Nothin Personal from Topeka, KS in the 8 open? This team finishes in 5th place at the national tournament but dead last in their summer 2008 session. In the past three years this same team, or at least four members have finished 1st (Bankers and snookers), 9th (Bankers and snookers), and now 5th (Nothin personal). They do this by winning a session and then finishing in the bottom half in the other two sessions a year to keep their skill levels down. Only their 2 7's are correctly handcapped. Thier captain, a 6 should have a skill level of 7; their 5 is really a 6; their 4 should be a 6; and their two 3's should be 4's. Since 2003, teams from Topeka have finished 3rd (2003), 1st (2004), 1st (2006), 9th (2007) and 5th (2008). Are we a hotbed for pool or what?


Well the bar tables make everyone at least a ball or 2 better than they really are....Most amatuers don't know what to look for by trying to figure out if the opponents have somehow twisted the system...Things like safety play and position play are key things to watch for..
Anybody that can get the ball close to the hole are going to make it on the slop pockets of the bar table...
 
Koop said:
I wonder if it's the team we lost to? We wound up in 33rd and got crushed by a team from Philly. All I can say is, "HOLY CRAP" they were good. The 6 I played didn't miss a shot the entire set. I ran with him for 3 games but just couldn't keep up. Best 6 I have ever seen :(

I know what you mean. I played a 6 at Nationals from Boston two years ago who was a strong player with perfect english and speed control. I won the lag, broke and ran the first three racks before coming up empty on the 4th break. He ran my rack and broke and ran another to make it 3-2. He came up empty and I ran out to make it 4-2. I came up empty again and he ran mine out and was break and running the match game when he hooked himself on his last ball before the 8. Made a legal hit and I ran out. Nice 2-inning match. Tough one.
 
mongoose- said:
daveb I certainly agree not ALL LO's are crooked but plenty are. This case you have mentioned just further shows my opinion. The APA & it's LO's are there for the money. Why would someone even run a league or buy a franchise that don't even play pool other then for the money racket. But of course the APA don't care as shes pulling them in the $$$$. No offense but that is a JOKE.

How many NBA or NFL local league franchise owners are former players? Whoa. I'll bet they're in it for the money.
 
UWPoolGod1 said:
I know what you mean. I played a 6 at Nationals from Boston two years ago who was a strong player with perfect english and speed control. I won the lag, broke and ran the first three racks before coming up empty on the 4th break. He ran my rack and broke and ran another to make it 3-2. He came up empty and I ran out to make it 4-2. I came up empty again and he ran mine out and was break and running the match game when he hooked himself on his last ball before the 8. Made a legal hit and I ran out. Nice 2-inning match. Tough one.

I swear it wasn't me ;)
 
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