Howdy from JoeyM

[JoeyM]

I have a little time and thought i'd start a journal. I'll update it as time permits. I've been meaning to do this for awhile but just haven't gotten around to it. I don't have the pedigree in pool that everyone else here has or the awesome stories and this will probably bore everyone to death, but what the heck.

I want to use this to kinda track my progress.

I'll start with a little background info. I used to play a lot. Early 90's in Bossier City, LA at the Barksdale AFB rec center. Some really good players used to be there. Also played at Pockets downtown Shreveport, which was the old Guys and Dolls of Buddy Hall\St. Louie Louie fame.

I worked for about a year at It's George making cases. Bill Shick shared the space for his cue making. I got to meet Eddie Taylor there a few times.

Anyways, I was a nine ball player. Nothing great but could run 3-4 racks on occasion if I was playing well and the tables were laying right. Played a little one pocket but wasn't serious about the game.

Moved down to MS Gulfcoast a few years later and hung out at a place in Ocean Springs on Hwy 90 and the "Plywood Palace" in Gulfport...Jim Bob's I think it was.

Few years later moved to Slidell and used to hang at Frankie's(owner of Lacy's) Two Sisters billiards. I had gotten married and would just stop by to say "Hi" every now and then.

I quit playing pool for 16 years. 1 hurricane, 1 divorce, 1 life restarted later, after getting my career going, spending too much money on autox, trackdays, and hillclimbs I needed a new hobby. Race cars are too expensive. I took up tennis at 36 years old for exercise. For those that play USTA, I quickly advanced to high 4.0-low 4.5 after a few years of lessons and playing 7 days a week. In ALTA for those familiar, I won 3 city championships on my men's team and 1 runner up in mixed doubles. At 41 with 5 years of playing nonstop the injuries piled up and became too much.

Again, I needed a new hobby. I rediscovered pool last year....to be continued

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

I am now 43, wear, glasses, have diabetes, and not the player I used to be. I just got married to a wonderful woman on November 19th. I love you Margaret

Anyways, I can be found at Kennesaw Billiards most of the time, Cues some of the time, Marietta Billiard Club once in a a blue moon and i've been to Mr Cues twice. I have met a couple of local members of this forum and all have been really nice people.

At Kennesaw Billiards(KB's from here on out) there are a handful of one pocket players that play in a daily scotch doubles game. The people rotate depending on who shows up first and the skill level is from middle c player to weak a player and all in between.

I was hitting by myself one day and they needed a fourth. I got invited to play. The weakest player could give me 8-6 and win. I fell in love with one pocket and rarely play anything else now a days. I have been playing for a year and now I can give weight to the weakest players in the game.

Guys were beating me 12-5 6-7 months ago and now I am holding my own getting 10-6. Don't have the nuts versus all of them, but not getting shelled either.

The scotch doubles game is usually $5-$10 per man per game depending on who is playing. We play 2 games with a partner and then switch partners. 3 2 game sets. 1 with each partner. No coaching allowed but someone always grunts 3-ball or something LOL.

My biggest problem is consistency. I don't know how I am going to play or for how long. Last Saturday, I played the worst i've played in a year in the partners game but came out 1 set ahead thanks to my partners playing well when they had me. Ate and sat around for a few hours and then played much much better.

I think most of my consistency problems are from the fact that I only get to play on Satuday. I am on an on-call rotation at work, so I get to play 3 Saturdays in a row, then have to skip a weekend for work. I get to play 3 days a month basically. WOW, after typing that, I am amazed that I have improved any at all. I do show up at KB's around 830-9 in the morning and play until around 5pm. Sometimes I head over to Cues and stay there until 3am. I try to play as much as possible when I can.

I am not a "pool player" or much of a gambler. I can usually be found in a $5 or $10 game. Every now and then a $20 game. I play for the entertainment and stress relief from a job that I hate. The last couple of months, I've won more than I've lost but with such small amounts $60 is a real score...LOL

I don't need the nuts to play. I want a fair game that I have a chance to win if I play well and get a roll or two. Most of the pool players around here must have the nuts or they refuse to play. I have grown tired of not being able to get a fair game, so I only gamble with a couple of people.

One more than one occasion i've had to quit winner and I hate doing that so much, that I refuse to take their money. It's not about the money for me. I want to have some fun and relax first. I will say that there are about 3-4 people that I love to take their money. Don't care if it's $5 or $500, I want it. It gives me great pleasure to take their money because they annoy the hell out of me.

to be continued
JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

So this partners game has some personalities that play in it. Almost all of them are older than me and retired. Ages outside of me and one other range from the 60's to 82. Several are very well off having owned businesses that were very successful. These guys go absolutely ape shit over losing $5 and then will put hundreds and sometimes thousands in the video slot machines in the poolroom.

Last weekend me and my partner are up like 4-1 in balls. I am left safe with no really good shot. There is a cluster in front of our pocket of about 4 balls and 3 of them would go. No chance to get at them. There is the 1 ball froze on the bottom rail 1 diamond from their pocket. Cue ball directly up table from it about 1.5 diamonds. I choose to spin the crap out of the cue and thin the 1 ball towards my pocket go 2 rails with the cue up table and leave them in the corner on their side of the table. So I miss the 1 ball completely but the cue does what I wanted. Our cluster is protected, they have no bank shots, and nothing but the 1 ball on their side of the table. I spot the ball for the foul and my partner starts cussing and kicks over 2 chairs and a trashcan because of my shot. Thing is, they have no shot at all. The best player of the 4 is now at the table. He has nothing. He tries a very tricky safe and we get a roll. We need 5 after the foul but are now in control of the game. We get a few balls duck, get a couple and we are out and win the game.

OMG there is hell to pay sometimes if you don't shoot the shot they want you to.

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

So, once again after reading that I only play 3 days a month, I am amazed at my progress. I knew that playing only on Saturday for 3 weeks a month was 3 days a month and the occasional sick day but seeing it in print is just WOW.

It got me thinking, just how did I improve any at all?

When I started playing again I found that Ozone Billiards was giving clinics on Saturday mornings on the 3 Diamond tables they had in the showroom. Banking, Kicking, Jump shots, and Breaking clinics(9&8ball). They were helpful as I had forgotten the basics. I met Richard there. He was an instructor. He is a member here. Between the clinics and him playing me, I learned a lot.

Larry. He has worked with me quite a bit on strategy and moves. Haven't seen him in awhile due to his health issues.

I get to watch some really good matchups here. Some real highrollers in the area. Also watching Ben play. Ben is a member here. I've seen him play several matches against a very good opponent. I've learned a lot watching their moves. Ben, I noticed something last time. It may or may not be helpful.

Watching some matches online. I don't watch much online. I just don't have the time. Watching matches that Grady and Billy commentate are the best. Billy is very good at explaining complicated moves.

Playing in matches. I always learn something.

Last but not least the WWYD threads on this site. It's always interesting to see the replies. Some people seem to make them too complicated. Some are just way outta my skill level(I don't have the stroke, cb control, etc). I try to see the answers given, the solution the player did and try to adapt to my skill level. Others i've actually practiced and learned how to do them. Some I've actually had come up and got to use them.

Thanks to everyone who has helped IRL and on this forum.

Thank you all,

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

I really have enjoyed everyone's journal. Some of the stories are really good. Life and especially pool are filled with colorful characters.

I am trying to keep my journal JoeyM centric as I just like to ramble a bit.

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

Looks like I may have 1 and possibly 2 matches setup for Saturday. I am going to try and avoid the partners game like the plague this weekend. More drama than I care to deal with. Guys are starting to refuse to play with certain people because they suck but the ones that suck might be better than the ones refusing to play. I suggested they just play heads up to see who sucks the most. Nobody wanted to do that....what a surprise....LMAO

Hopefully I have something good to report about my matches. One is with a Gentleman that used to give me weight and I have beaten him the last 3 times we have played even. The other match would be against a younger fellow. Shoots straight and can cut the paint off of the ball. He is a much better shooter than I am. If we get to play, I will have to rely on trying to out move him and being patient waiting for his aggressiveness to cause an error. We have only played 1 game which I won. Came down to the last ball. Should be interesting.

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

An interesting day. I got to the KB's at 0930 to get some practice in. It's a 24hr joint. I practice for a bit and then James comes in. We play for fun he doesn't gamble(a good thing for him) until lunch time.

After lunch I get dragged into a partners game but with some different people. I lost the 1st set, split the 2nd, and win the 3rd. Ended even. I played horrible but started to improve towards the end.

It's about 1500 and here comes my first heads up match. He is tired and doesn't really want to play. Says this everytime he comes into the poolroom. When we started playing each other several months ago he gave me 8-7, then we went to even a month or so ago. We usually play till I get 3 or 4 games up for $20 a game.

This time he wants 8-7 in a race to 3 for $100. I wanted to play so I agreed. I had been playing on a very fast diamond with a measle ball and He wants to play on a GCIII that needed recovering a year ago and is very very slow with a red circle ball. I lose the 1st 2 games by 1 ball as I adjusted to the table. That sounds better than saying I played some dumb shots. lol

I am now down 0-2. I play much better in the 3rd game. Got the cueball under control on the slow table and quit selling out with stupid play. I win this one 8 to 5.

Now the fun starts. My break and down 1-2. Some dart league players come in and are singing along with the juke box, drinking beer, and having a good time. They are about 20 feet from the table. This gets in my opponents head. He starts cussing about the loud drunks and gets in a bad mood. He misses a shot that is about 50/50 for him anyways and sells out some balls. I go on to win this game easily. He is on tilt now.

I have the ability to block out most anything when I am concentrating. Pool, work, sports, track days, etc. I don't hear anything. In between shots I hear stuff but not when I step to the table, it all goes away. A long way of saying I barely even notice the dart players exist.

It's now hill-hill and his break. He is muttering to himself as he shoots about the dart players. He fouls 3 times in the game. I am not selling out anything. Takes about 35 minutes but I win this game by playing one and done. I didn't want to take any chances.

The match is over. Took us about 3 hours to play it. I got paid, put the balls up, and bought the dart players a pitcher of beer.

Earlier in the journal I said I wasn't a gambler and this is true. I am 44 years old and that $100 bet last night is the most money I've ever wagered at one time on anything. I really prefer $5 a game lol.

It's dinner time now and I went to Cues to see how their quarterly open 9 ball tournament is going. Josh Roberts and a couple other players close to his speed were there. I watched while eating, then went home. Never got the 2nd match I was looking for but I get to play again in 2 weeks. Maybe then.

Well, enough for one morning. Time to get ready for a mixed doubles tennis match and then the Super Bowl. Go Falcons!!!!

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

Well my inconsistency showed up this weekend again. Last time I got to play was Feb 4. Then I was on-call. The 18th was when I got to play again. I just could not get it together when pocketing balls. If the object ball was further than 2 feet from the hole, I missed. My defense and moves were pretty decent and that kept me in games.

I played 8 games in a partners game and finished down 4 games. Then played 8 games heads up and broke even. Played another 6 games with another person broke even again. My wife is sick, so while so slept Sunday, I got in another 10 games and guess what? I broke even.

Only way I could win a game was to try and lock them down, push balls up table and create clusters to slow them down from running balls. I was able to be patient and wait for them to shoot a risky shot to get something by their hole. I only remember about 4 safeties or moves where I sold out. I am not counting times where they made a great bank or got a lucky roll.

My sellouts were from missing a ball 2.5 feet from my hole. I had plenty of opportunities to run 4+ balls and just could not get a ball to drop. My high run of the weekend was 3.

Very frustrating in not being able to make balls but on the flip side, I was moving well enough to break even while playing heads up.

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

Well, I am trying to make a decision. I don't get to play very much and the inconsistency is really getting frustrating. I have some projects around the house that I need to do over the next month or two. Tomorrow is my play day and I am not really excited about it like I usually am. Guess I will see how tomorrow goes but I am really thinking of taking a break for awhile from playing pool.

I always have to have some competition in my life, whether motorsports, tennis, pool, something. Motorsports got too expensive and I replaced that with tennis. The injuries mounted and I traded tennis in for pool. I have always played some sort of sports but my body is really getting too broken down to go back to tennis, softball, or whatever.

Maybe i'll feel different next week.

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

So LSJohn sent me a warm up tip. I tried it and it worked very well. I played some American Rotation after warming up and played pretty decent. I played some one hole afterwards and played well for a couple of hours, then went right back to missing everything. I think by that point I was just tired.

Thanks for the tip LSJohn!!!!!!

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

Well it's been a heck of a two weeks for me.

My mother had a heart attack back in November. She had to have an internal defibrillator installed last week. Has had a few complications that has slowed her recovery some. She is doing good though.

About the same time the clutch went in my daily driver Miata. No biggie, i'll just drive the Subaru STi and fix the Miata next month. So yesterday the crankshaft pulley separated on the STi. So, used to be off the front of the crank you had a harmonic balancer, then the pulley. Now days, you have a inner sleeve with rubber around the sleeve and the pulley is mounted to the rubber. With time the rubber deteriorated and the pulley has come apart from the inner sleeve. The only thing holding it on is the tension from the alternator belt.

I caught before it came completely apart which would have resulted in major damage.

I work an hour north of the house. I got it to a friends house in the town I work in. Called my wife who works an hour south of the house to come get me when she got off work. She calls me 5 minutes later, she has been rear ended. She is OK. I decide to just rent a car. Enterprise has no cars to rent. Andrew and his wife drive me home and I buy them dinner. Margaret's car is drivable but now dealing with insurance company. We now have two broke cars and a wrecked car. I have borrowed a friend's truck to have something to drive.

I took off half a day today to go get parts. Stopped by the poolroom for a quick hour. Ran an 8 and out. Rare occurrence for me. I was hoping to win some parts money but even. Was able to relax for a minute.

Hopefully next week is better.

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

Well, It's about time for me to take a break from what I have been doing. Playing pool is no longer relaxing and fun the way I have been doing it. So there is one poolroom I have been going to and it's filled with some decent people and some scumbags.

I can't get a game without giving up the nuts anymore with the exception of Richard(who is a member here) and 1 other guy. Hard to get a 1 pocket game without gambling and as I said before, I don't really care about gambling. I do it in order to play. I am just tired of feeling like I am being taken advantage of. I get the whole paying your dues thing, but darn it, if we are going to gamble then we should BOTH be gambling. Outside of Richard, I haven't had a fair game in 2 months. If I need 3 balls and you give me 2 and it goes back and forth for a bit and you end up winning in the long run as you should, I don't mind that either. As long as I feel I have a chance, i'll play.

I will not book anymore bad games just to get experience and learn. Like I stated above, If you give me just enough weight where you have to play hard and it takes awhile for you to get 4-6 games up, that is ok. I just ain't giving up the stone cold nuts anymore.

One more thing, seems to happen quite often now days, at least to me. When did quitting winner become the thing to do? Maybe I am just too nice? Seems every time I get a come back going after being down, they always quit before I can get back to even. I've given up the nuts and been down 7-8 games and then they get a little tired or quit trying as hard and I grind out some wins and when get to being only 2 games down and they quit. That shit has to stop too.

Guess I need to find more gamblers and fewer scumbags.

I've decided to change poolrooms. Unfortunately, it only has like 2 one pocket players. I'll go to the other poolroom that is fairly nearby where I don't know anyone and try it out also.

I think at this time I'll be happier just playing by myself for hours on end. Won't learn anything that way, but maybe I can at least get better at the things I already know.

/rant

JoeyM

 

[JoeyM]

So things have settled down a bit. Have the remodel at the house complete and the master bedroom setup. Still need to get everything straight in the 2 spare bedrooms. STi, pick up, and Margaret's car all fixed and running well. Miata is in process of clutch replacement. Haven't done much this week to it. Been tired after work.

Speaking of work. We had a reorganization back in October. I got put under the biggest narcissist i've ever met. Made my work life miserable. That carried over to my personal life. Just miserable all the time. I finally got a transfer to another department. Took a demotion in title but same pay. It is so nice to just go to work and do my job and go home and not worry about work anymore. It's amazing the difference not working for a Giant Douchenozzle has made.

Looking forward to Saturday. A onepocket.org member and some of his friend are coming to Atlanta to play. Should be fun. Get to meet some new folks and have some fun playing one hole.

JoeyM