Jimmy Mataya

[vapros]

I have a couple of match DVDs with this guy as one of the commentators. He is so obnoxious and contributes so little that I wind up watching with the sound turned off. The only time I ever saw him in person, his mouth got him in trouble and somebody knocked him out colder than a frog. Is he always this way? What is it with him, did he carry on like this when he was a top player?

[jrhendy]

I have a couple of match DVDs with this guy as one of the commentators. He is so obnoxious and contributes so little that I wind up watching with the sound turned off. The only time I ever saw him in person, his mouth got him in trouble and somebody knocked him out colder than a frog. Is he always this way? What is it with him, did he carry on like this when he was a top player?

He is actually very funny and personable MOST of the time. When he gets to drinking and gambling he can be a little much.

When I was playing Artie a session at the last Derby, he was playing Timmy from Ohio some $500 a game one handed. They were playing downstairs and quite a ways from us but you could hear both of them screaming & cussing. Sounded like they were having a good time.

Grady has a funny story about when he got fined for cussing at a tournament some years back. Would have to be in the members only section to retell it I think.

[fred bentivegna]

I have a couple of match DVDs with this guy as one of the commentators. He is so obnoxious and contributes so little that I wind up watching with the sound turned off. The only time I ever saw him in person, his mouth got him in trouble and somebody knocked him out colder than a frog. Is he always this way? What is it with him, did he carry on like this when he was a top player?

He is actually a great guy, but yes, he is and was, always that way. Especially when he has gone to the sauce. I personally love him, but I can certainly see where his act could get on someones nerves. Most of the players (old school) like him too and forgive him for his obnoxiousness. If you can get past that he is actually kind of funny.

Beard

It really is only an act. What probably happened was when they nicknamed him Pretty Boy Floyd, and like a type-cast actor, he never came out of that persona. He constantly refers to himself in the first person (Floyd).

[Cowboy Dennis]

I have a couple of match DVDs with this guy as one of the commentators. He is so obnoxious and contributes so little that I wind up watching with the sound turned off. The only time I ever saw him in person, his mouth got him in trouble and somebody knocked him out colder than a frog. Is he always this way? What is it with him, did he carry on like this when he was a top player?

Mataya is in an AccuStats One-Pocket match playing a guy they call "Lotsapoppa" back in 1992. He's a clown during the match and has no clue as to how to play the game but he's sober (apparently) and relatively funny. Billy I. commentates this match and he's funny also (not like a clown).

I couldn't imagine having to listen to Mataya commentate a match but there are several others who are annoying as hell too, even some of the more knowledgeable ones.

[philip guagliardo]

I have to agree with Freddy about Jimmy mostly ! I think Jimmy is at the stage in his life where he just likes to bark a little and have a little fun when he is around poolplayers !! I do know one thing for sure he feels the changes in pool for TV gets him hot . The nine ball rules and the measle cueball and certainly the PINK ball !! I met Jimmy 40 years ago and haven't changed my mind Jimmy is one of a kind and the kind I like NO BULLSHIT . Jimmy heard my mother passed away and got my phone number to call me up to give his condolences , he then went on to talk about the good old days and about the changes in pool and had me in stitches for an hour !! It was 2am and little did he know I was laying in bed very depressed about my mothers passing and after the hour talk it really took my mind off it and i felt very good that he was concerned enough to cheer me up .

Jimmy is all class !!! I would do anything to help him if he ever needed anything I could help with in life .

Phil G

One more thing he played like God in his day and shot off the end rail froze better than any living human ( A fatty line )

[Fast Lenny]

I personally like his commentary from the little I have heard, if anyone can tell me the matches he commentates I will check them out. I like how goes off and is colorful, I do like the commentary on the game when its one pocket but 9 ball or whatever I could care less about telling me how to count from 1-9.

[wincardona]

He is actually a great guy, but yes, he is and was, always that way. Especially when he has gone to the sauce. I personally love him, but I can certainly see where his act could get on someones nerves. Most of the players (old school) like him too and forgive him for his obnoxiousness. If you can get past that he is actually kind of funny.

Beard

It really is only an act. What probably happened was when they nicknamed him Pretty Boy Floyd, and like a type-cast actor, he never came out of that persona. He constantly refers to himself in the first person (Floyd).

So, I see you know Mataya, much better then you know Cole Dickson.:D

[usblues]

Lenny,checkout Reno 9-ball, 6-94.Earl vs.CJ Wiley for something good regarding Mataya,cheers,B

[vapros]

Mataya can be heard on the Ochoa-Bustamante one pocket match in the 2010 DCC.

[usblues]

Vapros,I did not know that,thanks,B

[Clare]

So, I see you know Mataya, much better then you know Cole Dickson.:D


LOL :D :eek:

[twister]

I personally like his commentary from the little I have heard, if anyone can tell me the matches he commentates I will check them out. I like how goes off and is colorful, I do like the commentary on the game when its one pocket but 9 ball or whatever I could care less about telling me how to count from 1-9.

Check out 'the Floydster' commentating with Danny Di in the Ochoa vs Bustamante semi-final match from this year's DCC one pocket tourney. It's a great match, and Mataya is in top form. He won't shut up about Samm Diep from AZB. Pretty funny stuff once you just learn to stop expecting him to say anything too insightful.

(Credit to Vapros for mentioning this match earlier. I missed his post when I was posting mine.)

[timdog24]

I have to agree with Freddy about Jimmy mostly ! I think Jimmy is at the stage in his life where he just likes to bark a little and have a little fun when he is around poolplayers !! I do know one thing for sure he feels the changes in pool for TV gets him hot . The nine ball rules and the measle cueball and certainly the PINK ball !! I met Jimmy 40 years ago and haven't changed my mind Jimmy is one of a kind and the kind I like NO BULLSHIT . Jimmy heard my mother passed away and got my phone number to call me up to give his condolences , he then went on to talk about the good old days and about the changes in pool and had me in stitches for an hour !! It was 2am and little did he know I was laying in bed very depressed about my mothers passing and after the hour talk it really took my mind off it and i felt very good that he was concerned enough to cheer me up .

Jimmy is all class !!! I would do anything to help him if he ever needed anything I could help with in life .

Phil G

One more thing he played like God in his day and shot off the end rail froze better than any living human ( A fatty line )


Very cool post Phil. Glad I got to read it.
I always liked Mataya behind the mic. Has his own stlye. But, I understand those who don't think so. Actually, after reading this thread, I went on youtube and found part of a DCC 10 ball ring game match that he commentates on. In the half hour I listened to there were at least 3 or 4 priceless Mataya lines. Here's one;
Danny D:"Were you ever on your last barrel, on the road, and dogged it?"
Mataya: How could I EVER be on my last barrel, as good as I played? Come on! I had a dream one time I was on my last barrel...and I shot my way out of it."
Very entertaining. But, don't know how it would translate over to one hole..

[fred bentivegna]

Mataya loves to tell the story of when I staked him in a 9 ball tourn and we ended up playing, and I knocked him out of the tourn. Naturally, I didnt go any further.

Beard

His line: "How good do I play? The backer knocked me out!"

[vapros]

I note that some people think he's funny. That's fine - but I don't want to hear it on my one pocket match videos. Maybe he could do a comedy album for his fans.

[fred bentivegna]

I note that some people think he's funny. That's fine - but I don't want to hear it on my one pocket match videos. Maybe he could do a comedy album for his fans.


What he is doing on a onepocket video is anybodys guess. You hear stories about this or that guy who doesnt play onepocket, alot of times it's bull, but for all the gambling he has done, I aint ever seen him bet a cracker at one pocket.
He dont know his pocket from his sleeve, even tho he has been around zillions of onepocket matches. Many of which he bet on. The game just never penetrated his cranium.

Beard

[CaliRed]

What he is doing on a onepocket video is anybodys guess. You hear stories about this or that guy who doesnt play onepocket, alot of times it's bull, but for all the gambling he has done, I aint ever seen him bet a cracker at one pocket.
He dont know his pocket from his sleeve, even tho he has been around zillions of onepocket matches. Many of which he bet on. The game just never penetrated his cranium.

Beard

I was watching the match live at DCC 2010 when Jimmy came in. I'm pretty sure it was Danny D in the booth and Jimmy happened to walk by or just came in unannounced and started rambling. He was going off on a tangent about everything, paying no attention to the game at hand. I'm sure he had a few beers in him at that point.:)

I remember I was starting to get into the game, and I love analysis in the booth while watching onepocket. I'm not much on hearing Danny D. but love the analysis that Mr. Bill I provides. He is the ultimate, and I have said in the past, I would watch a couple of bar room hackers pound at the balls, if he was in the booth.:D I love Jimmy's type (the loud woofer, that will play too - hate the loud woofer only, you'se gots to get it in sometimes too), but he was slightly annonying at that point... I could handle him alot better in 9 ball, lots of free time to ramble in that game. In onepocket, he really doesn't have anything to offer:D

[Wayne]

So, I see you know Mataya, much better then you know Cole Dickson.:D

I played Cole a long session of $100 a game one-pocket a couple of days ago and he kept a running commentary going with me, with anyone in the vicinity, with people out of the vicinity and with himself. Several people asked if it bothered me and if they should move but I assured them it wasn't a problem. Some of the lines he came up with were pretty hilarious. Several times he got upset about the Simonis cloth and would comment about how "any hollywood fag with no stroke could play on this cloth let them play me on cloth where you need a real stroke". After he had made this and several similar comments I finally asked him where is this cloth he is talking about. He never missed a beat with his answer "it all disappeared 20 years ago".

[newfosgatesucks]

So I hear this, over and OVER in my head, and I quote, " He CERTAINLY knows how to destroy a perfectly good position." My personal favorite commentator made that statement abobut Jimmy's One Pocketing skills....