Houston

gulfportdoc

gulfportdoc

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Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
12,676
From
Gulfport, Mississippi
Everybody is playing well, which might be expected from one-pocket enthusiasts. The cream is rising to the top, as Ike, Cardone, Herchick, and a couple of others are undefeated. I've never seen T. Banas before, but the guy can really play. Ditto re Kitto, Davis and S. Jones. I'll be sure to check them out today.

I played pretty well against Herchick, but he's out of my league. He doesn't make many mistakes. I made some great shots and moves, but I scratched 2-3 times, and even had a CB foul. He's a pro quality player, and a real nice guy. Turns out we're originally from the same state: Ohio.

Steve got here late Thursday night, and I think he'd forgotten to send in his entry. Since they'd already made the draw, they weren't going to let him in. But at the 11th hour, Steve's friend John Smith, agreed to let Steve replace John's "bye" for a first round match. Steve ended up winning. How about those New Hampshire guys?.;)

The equipment is near perfect, and well kept up. Unfortunately I can't get used to the GCs because I play exclusively on Diamonds. But enough can't be said about how the ownership and John Rizzo are treating us. It's a classy event: no arguments, no outbursts, respect all around.

Should be some great one-pocket from here on out.

~Doc
 
gulfportdoc

gulfportdoc

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Jun 25, 2004
Messages
12,676
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Gulfport, Mississippi
Jeff said he's been feeling under the weather lately, and that he hasn't played in 8 months, so he decided to skip it. He watched quite awhile last night, and I'm sure he'll be back around to catch the rest of the event.

~Doc
 
jtompilot

jtompilot

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Feb 17, 2009
Messages
5,812
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New Orleans
Just thought I throw up my play list.
Steve Booth, John Smith, Hendy, Ike, Col Billie, Disco Dave, Robert, Nick P.
Seems like I left someone out. Bill Meacham.

I also met Richard from the Texas Carom Club. Nice guy.

I’m fricken wore out
 
Last edited:
W

warrenr

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Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
123
cincy_kid said:
Have a safe trip and have some fun!

I look forward to playing some with you again some day to pick up where we left off in Chicago! :)
Click to expand...

You missed a great tournament. Had a great time visiting with everyone. I got to visit with my son and his wife and two grandchildren.
 
D

Deeman

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Oct 6, 2004
Messages
1,333
Really good to see many of you again and some for the first time. Quality tables, well run tournament and fun venue. What more can we ask than being young again?

It was an honor donating my entry fee to guys who actually know how to play.Everyone was a good sport and gentlemen in the very best sense.

Special thanks to John Rizzo and Big John Henderson.
 
gulfportdoc

gulfportdoc

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Joined
Jun 25, 2004
Messages
12,676
From
Gulfport, Mississippi
Well, it's 8 A.M. on Monday and I still don't know who won it. Looks like Ike or S. Davis. It's too bad they had to play all night to get finished. I think some of the earlier matches went long. There was a match Saturday night that went over 6 hours. That's the kind of match that a guy could learn a lot about moving from watching it. Ike and Jerry are two of the best.

Although mentioned before, one can't say enough about the venue and the way Rizzo and the staff treated everyone. That includes Bill Fuller who did a superb job as T.D. He kept the score sheet up, and was right there when anyone had a question, or to call a hit or rule. The online brackets were a very nice feature. The owners even provided take out or box lunch food for the players!

I saw some of the best traditional one-pocket played that I've ever seen. And if the tournament were played all over again, there would likely be much different results, especially with races to 3. Even though I haven't played an event since the first SS event at Bogies a couple years ago, I knew how much of a grind tournaments are. But yet I'd forgotten how much stamina is required to stay competitive.

My hat is off to the guys who kept up good play through their finishes. One good player had to forfeit the rest of his match after throwing out his back getting out of a chair. So it takes a good dose of equal parts stamina and desire to win in order to last in one of these events. That comes naturally when younger. But it's that much harder when one ages.

It was also great to see both Androd and our venerable Vapros. Rod and Bill took the time and effort to travel to Houston to see everyone, and to keep us enthralled with some great stories. They definitely don't make 'em like that anymore!..;)

Thanks again to everyone involved at Bogies Billiards!

~Doc
 
cincy_kid

cincy_kid

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Nov 23, 2015
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7,829
From
Cincinnati, OH
Thanks for the write-ups Doc, appreciate it, looks like it was great time!

We are still stuck on the "how do I make a one pocket tournament not run until 4AM, but maybe it is what it is...."
 
L

lll

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Messages
19,095
From
vero beach fl
cincy_kid said:
Thanks for the write-ups Doc, appreciate it, looks like it was great time!

We are still stuck on the "how do I make a one pocket tournament not run until 4AM, but maybe it is what it is...."
Click to expand...

My suggestion for that is to start thursday
Just an idea
 
cincy_kid

cincy_kid

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Cincinnati, OH
lll said:
My suggestion for that is to start thursday
Just an idea
Click to expand...

Maybe so! Probably easier to do for seniors (assuming they are not working full time jobs anymore), but for us workers, hehe, it does make it harder to add an extra day to our trip.

Just thinking aloud about our member only tourneys. I have not been lucky enough (or is it unlucky enough) to make it near the end of one where I was up too late or have to bow out due to a flight conflict, but I feel for those who have. Hopefully we can adjust things where we can to get a tourney to finish at a reasonable hour on Sunday!
 
cincy_kid

cincy_kid

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androd said:
Not as long as you have those players that "Look'em over" til it hurts. :)
Click to expand...

True Rod!

Not sure if they will ever change formats but if it were up to me, I would be in the camp of a shot clock (like a chess clock where each player has their time, they can take longer on some shots if they want it all eats away at the master time).

I like this better than going to 6 balls or Grady rule or anything that changes the actual play of the game.
 
Tobermory

Tobermory

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1,883
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San Francisco, CA
cincy_kid said:
True Rod!

Not sure if they will ever change formats but if it were up to me, I would be in the camp of a shot clock (like a chess clock where each player has their time, they can take longer on some shots if they want it all eats away at the master time).

I like this better than going to 6 balls or Grady rule or anything that changes the actual play of the game.
Click to expand...

I'm 100% for moving to a chess style shot clock to solve this problem. And it is a problem. I love this game of one pocket as much as anyone, and I practice a style of contemplative play that calls for some time to be spent reviewing my options before pulling the trigger, and I'm also willing to spend hours watching matches, live or on TV, but it is no fun anymore when players are taking minutes on almost every shot to make up their fricking minds on what they hope to be the perfect choice.


I will also argue that it isn't fair when one player takes a much longer time to contemplate options than the other player. There is a reason why players look em over until it hurts; they come up with better solutions. If one player is patient enough to stand there considering the choices for minutes at a time, they will come up with more better solutions than the player who is less patient or more cognizant of the pace of play. The more patient player takes advantage of the situation when they play someone who makes up their mind faster.

Shot clock. Set for 30 minutes per player per game. If you run out of time, you lose. Period.
 
gulfportdoc

gulfportdoc

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Jun 25, 2004
Messages
12,676
From
Gulfport, Mississippi
cincy_kid said:
Thanks for the write-ups Doc, appreciate it, looks like it was great time!

We are still stuck on the "how do I make a one pocket tournament not run until 4AM, but maybe it is what it is...."
Click to expand...
That was 4 A.M. to get TO the finals..:eek: It doesn't matter to me, because I'll never have to worry about getting into the finals.

However, I thought the earliest matches (especially with almost 30 "byes" in the first round) should have been played Thursday night after the draw. I think management's feeling was that they didn't want to have guys knocked out of the event on the first full day, after having spent all the time and money to come from out of town. Still, I think our guys could handle it...;)

Re speeding up the matches: first of all let me say that shot clocks will never be instituted. The players don't want them, and owners/promoters will never buy them. One could make an argument for using a shot clock for an ultra slow match after a set amount of time (say 3+ hours or more). Or some version of the Grady rule would be fair for both parties.

Most of the players in the later rounds of the event are retired. So it's not so much a matter of getting the event concluded, but of stamina. A few of the 64/65 year olds are still in pretty frisky shape. But the guys in their mid to late 70s (or older) had to have trouble staying alert.

At aged 50 I won a big event in San Francisco, which finished at 12-1:00 A.M. I got in the car, drove 250 miles home, then got up to work that same day. But I could no more do that today than I could high jump 22 feet!

~Doc
 
androd

androd

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Dec 10, 2008
Messages
7,719
From
New Braunfels tx.
12squared said:
Rod, it was so nice to meet you. next time you owe me that "shot" we never had a chance to do. I hope I make it to 81 let alone still play a good game of pool.

Dave
Click to expand...

Bless your heart Dave. I hope so too. I've got so many, I'm sure we'll find time for one, maybe next year.
Nice to meet you also, enjoyed watching you, you're a fine player.
 
Jimmy B

Jimmy B

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Messages
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gulfportdoc said:
That was 4 A.M. to get TO the finals..:eek: It doesn't matter to me, because I'll never have to worry about getting into the finals.

However, I thought the earliest matches (especially with almost 30 "byes" in the first round) should have been played Thursday night after the draw. I think management's feeling was that they didn't want to have guys knocked out of the event on the first full day, after having spent all the time and money to come from out of town. Still, I think our guys could handle it...;)

Re speeding up the matches: first of all let me say that shot clocks will never be instituted. The players don't want them, and owners/promoters will never buy them. One could make an argument for using a shot clock for an ultra slow match after a set amount of time (say 3+ hours or more). Or some version of the Grady rule would be fair for both parties.

Most of the players in the later rounds of the event are retired. So it's not so much a matter of getting the event concluded, but of stamina. A few of the 64/65 year olds are still in pretty frisky shape. But the guys in their mid to late 70s (or older) had to have trouble staying alert.

At aged 50 I won a big event in San Francisco, which finished at 12-1:00 A.M. I got in the car, drove 250 miles home, then got up to work that same day. But I could no more do that today than I could high jump 22 feet!

~Doc
Click to expand...



All true Doc... I was hoping that they would put you on the streamer.. I did see you shooting a few shots on the adjoining table.. Great form... I thought they quit too soon on Friday nite also.. If some folks get knocked out on the first night, well, so what??? That's life in the fast lane.. Just arrange it to where there's no more than 3 rounds, Sunday, back to back to back, and that should do it for the time issue, and congrats on getting through several rounds there. I need to go to one of these things one day.....Enjoyed the stream, so thanks to Goldy and Ky and commentators etc... I know what you mean about age and stamina... Heard Hendy say he got tired just sitting there, talking.. THat last guy named Bob was great.. He kept that score on every ball and was on top of it.. Knows the game, also... All were good....Was that Artie in disguise there or Ike.... hmmmmm
 
L

LSJohn

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Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
8,530
From
monett missouri
gulfportdoc said:
Although mentioned before, one can't say enough about the venue and the way Rizzo and the staff treated everyone. That includes Bill Fuller who did a superb job as T.D. He kept the score sheet up, and was right there when anyone had a question, or to call a hit or rule. The online brackets were a very nice feature. The owners even provided take out or box lunch food for the players!

I saw some of the best traditional one-pocket played that I've ever seen. And if the tournament were played all over again, there would likely be much different results, especially with races to 3. Even though I haven't played an event since the first SS event at Bogies a couple years ago, I knew how much of a grind tournaments are. But yet I'd forgotten how much stamina is required to stay competitive.

My hat is off to the guys who kept up good play through their finishes. One good player had to forfeit the rest of his match after throwing out his back getting out of a chair. So it takes a good dose of equal parts stamina and desire to win in order to last in one of these events. That comes naturally when younger. But it's that much harder when one ages.

It was also great to see both Androd and our venerable Vapros. Rod and Bill took the time and effort to travel to Houston to see everyone, and to keep us enthralled with some great stories. They definitely don't make 'em like that anymore!..;)

Thanks again to everyone involved at Bogies Billiards!

~Doc
Click to expand...

You said all that so well that I can't think of anything to do but repost it.

Rod, Vapros, Rizzo, Fuller, the owners... two thumbs up for all those is insufficient to express my (our) appreciation.
 
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