Well, I returned from DCC yesterday; my days and nights are mixed up and I am licking my wounds a little bit…..
So everyone knows I am pretty much a homebody and only get out a couple times a month. This time of year is always the exception and I had spent the last six weeks playing as much as I could and several times with my fellow onepocket.org members and good friends from the STL area Lou Figueroa and Dave Brengle (kollegedave). I have no naïve perceptions but felt like I was hitting them pretty sporty, confidently, and thought I might just sneak up on the pack this year.
First draw comes up and I couldn’t believe my eyes and actually laughed out loud. Miller draws his buddy Donn Schrader (DWS) who he has played with several times on his home court when Donn was visiting/traveling through the STL area. First two racks, I play good and win. Third rack Donn shows up, leaves me the entire first half of the game in the stack, drills a couple of impressive banks and puts together a couple of small difficult runs, outplays me with some balls uptable. 2-1. Fourth rack I have several balls in the tray and Donn comes alive with an impressive five or six ball run (none of them were hangers), comes down to two balls uptable and I hit an off angle one railer off the bottom rail pocket speed. Nice hit, Miller books a winner.
My second match was with a true gentleman named John Clayton from central Illinois. In all respect, I feel that I should have won but didn’t. First two racks I had six balls in the tray but just couldn’t get out (what comes to mind is jawing a ball I am supposed to make and dogging a spot shot). Got to give credit where due and John is a very “uncomfortable” guy to play when he goes into lockdown mode. He simply outplayed me when the balls got uptable. Third rack, John lays down a good break, several innings later I find myself completely outmoved while taking two intentionals. At the table in the mother of all traps, I tried to execute a five railer to put him in behind everything going his way. Hit it good, but it caught a ball going into the fifth rail, the rest is curtains.
I buy back in and draw Tom D’Alfonso. Uh-oh. D’Alfonso is a player. I get beat like a drum. Only remarkable thing about the match is that Tom inadvertently spotted one of my balls (only ball in either tray at the time) and neither one of us notice until we had both already been to the table - we come to an amicable resolution to the situation, but it makes absolutely no difference at all.
My favorite part of the trip was meeting, hanging out, and playing with all the guys from here on the site and a few friends/acquaintances from the STL area who were also in attendance. When putting this trip report together, I wanted to mention all the onepocket.org members, but came up with a list over 20 names long! So I have a blanket statement: it is a true pleasure to be acquainted with such a good group of people. I have yet to meet a single person from our close-knit group whose company I do not enjoy and respect.
Some congratulations are in order for onepocket.org brethren. Honorable Mention to Bille and Mitch. To Bille from coming back two games down and defeating Paul Mottey. To Mitch for his W in the action room. Honor Roll to Lou and Jerry/Baby Huey (the one guy I somehow missed meeting….) for going into the sixth round. High Honor Roll to Bernie! Bernie, I am sure you are disappointed right now, but what you did is play with the best players in the world and more than hold your own and it couldn’t happen for a better and classier man.
Next year we got to figure out how to
book our own private room with an open table. If you win you stay on for $20 rack. If you want to step up, put your name on the list and play.
