Billiards in the form of pool is my game and trucking is the work I do. My professor at CLU once told me that I wasn't qualified to have an opinion, I didn't have a degree, wasn't published!
My blog's purpose "Publish my opinions & thoughts on any subject I choose!".
I now have a degree in Computer Science and I'm published too, so maybe I have the right to an opinion afterall!
It took a while to get the video and slides put together because I had a lot of challenges to over come that have absolutely nothing to do with pool or the APA.
Hopefully this little video is worth the wait. With no further ado, here is the recap of the "Terminal Velocity" run for the gold!
Meanwhile, my wife, Carol and I have survived a pretty rough fall on our patio last Saturday, June 20th which resulted in us both going to the emergency room at Simi Valley Hospital for treatment. Carol had 3 fractured ribs, a fractured collar bone and a fractured clavicle plus a small cut and bump on the back of her head. I managed to compile a broken nose and a pretty nasty cut that required14 stitches to my forehead and nose. That was all on Saturday afternoon so we both spend most of the day on Sunday just trying to rest and recoup.
I then on Tuesday June 23, 2009 did this to remember just how that fall happened. Guess who's silhouette this is and NO it is not Michael Jordan's!
The APA 9 Ball South Coast Regional Championship turned out to be a true pool player's tournament in all aspects of the game this past weekend at the Arena Sports Grill and Bar in Simi Valley, California. Pool players from all around the area converged on the Arena and the Grand Vista Hotel for a week end of fun and games but there were some very serious faces in the crowd too. Everyone was focused on the pursuit of a coveted APA National Championship qualification that would get their team admission to the once a year gathering of APA pool players from all over the United States and even other parts of the world as the APA continues to grow like a weed sprouting up all over Canada and now in Hawaii, Puerto Rico and other parts of the world.
Here is a little quote from the APA National Web Site: "National Team Championships August 21-29, 2009 Las Vegas, NV The culmination of weekly APA League play is the APA National Team Championships, held annually at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. This event consists of three individual National Team Championships: Open 8-Ball, Ladies 8-Ball and Open 9-Ball"
I have to tell you up front, I spent all my time watching as a spectator because neither of my teams qualified. I would much rather have been playing and I am reasonably sure my teammates on the Maximillians would say the same, but I enjoyed the next best thing.
That was cheering for friends and I specifically followed the efforts of "Terminal Velocity" because 5 of the 8 players were former and current teammates. I have watched them grow into some really good pool players and each one exhibits a unique view and perspective of the game. I am proud to call them my friends and seeing them win would be very close to "as satisfying" as being in the winning circle with the Maximillians. I was not the only spectator though! A lot of players were there to cheer for their friends and family.
There were smiles all around and everyone enjoyed the competition and companionship of the like minded. Pool players are not that different from anyone else but it does take a special gene to enjoy a sport like pool that dishes out the agony of the long hours mixed with the tenseness of stiff competition under the watchful eyes of your friends, teammates, opponents and league management all at the same time.
The matches heated up as the day went by. Phil and Taz had their hands full trying to keep all the tempers in check, but they always do a great job. Some players competativeness can blur their view of the rules, their actual vision or their perception of the events right in front of them. The league operators are ready and willing to offer a cool head and a keen eye to help keep everyone moving along on the straight and narrow. Skill levels got adjusted and team captains had to rethink their strategies if they wanted to be still in the trophy chase on Sunday.
A few cocktails were consumed and great food was eaten, cheers and applause were made on good shots and moans could be heard following a bad roll or a close miss. Teams won and teams lost, laughs were heard from happy players and some tears were shed over loses. In the end all had a great time and most of them will be in that race again next year. Only a few can brag about winning and that is exactly what makes it all worth the effort for most.
Here is a short video that captures some of the good times:
The South Coast Region of the APA held the 8 Ball Championship at The Arena Sports Grill and Bar in Simi Valley, California this past week end of June 6-7, 2009. The 9 Ball Championship will follow next week end and also be held at the Arena. The Arena just happens to be my home court but my teams were not fortunate enough to make it this season and so The Maximillians have been relegated to the postion of spectators and sometimes cheer leaders for our friends who did make it. That is not all bad, but I believe I am safe to say that most of the players on The Maximillians would rather have been involved in all the sweat and stress that goes along with the race for those coveted spots at the APA Nationals. A lot of 8 ball teams arrived at the Arena Saturday morning all full of excitement and anticipation. The prize for the 4 winning teams would be a trip to the APA National Team Championships in Las Vegas, NV Aug. 21 – 29 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, and of course a lot of the cost of that trip is covered by the APA South Coast Region. When the clouds of chalk dust cleared only four lucky 8 ball teams would be making their plans for that trip in August. That means that, mathematically speaking, one team out of 8 would make it. Those are not bad odds either, so there was good reason for every single player there to be looking forward to the next 12 to 36 hours or so of 8 ball battles.
Of course pool would not be pool if there were not a few cocktails to be consumed. Heather had the situation well under control on that battle front. Double wielding a couple of Buds, Heather backed them up with a great smile as she did her part to lighten the mood of the competition which managed to get heated to a boiling point on several fronts at a time any way. The entire staff of the Arena ran around waiting on pool players and spectators non-stop with cold beverages and great food from the kitchen of the Grand Vista Hotel which is conveniently right next door to the bar. Dan was on hand to make sure that APA members and other customers were all taken good care of as he ushered in a birthday party group and did what ever else it took to keep thing moving along smoothly. I even noticed him sweeping up some spilled pop corn from the floor at the end of the bar while the bartenders were busy catering to customers. Dan has gone above and beyond in making the APA welcome at the Arena and has encouraged many 8 ball and 9 ball teams (my own included) to make the Arena their home.
Taz and Phil were both there making sure the all the players and matches moved along according to schedule, at least as much as humanly possible. They really have these tournaments down to a science. While some players are kind of slow pokes and some matches drag on beyond belief it all seems to work out in the end when Phil and Taz are holding the reins. The DJ Booth seems like it was made for Taz and she takes full advantage of the control booth like setup to keep the tournament information updated and on target. She keys into her trusty laptop computer, the most recent match results and then post that info on the main Bracket Posters out on the patio where everyone and anyone can follow their own team or like in my case the team of friends who were still in the competition. In the APA all players handicaps are recalculated immediately after every match allowing the league to keep players and matches properly rated according to the APA Equlizer System even as matches develop throughout the day and evening hours. Since there are no full time referrees on duty during these championship matches, someone has to be the judge when there is a possible rule infraction about to occur. Phil and Taz, as "Tournament Directors", share in the responsibility of over seeing the matches and either of them can be summoned by a player to observe a close hit. They must position themselves in a way that allows them to observe the shot then judge, based on APA rules, as to the legality of the hit. Some times a game, a match or even the championship itself can hang in the balance of outcome of a single such shot and it is very important that the call be made within the APA rules. As you can see in Phil's expression, it is a duty taken very seriously.
Eighteen APA 8 Ball Teams converged on The Arena Sports Grill and Bar at the corner of Enchanted Drive and First Street in Simi Valley, California this past Saturday May 30, 2009. The APA South Coast 8 Ball Tournament of Champions got under way at 9:00 AM and everyone there had high hopes of finishing in the money plus locking up a berth in the following weekend's APA South Coast Regional to be also held at the Arena in Simi Valley.
League operators Phil and Taz Brooker were on hand to run this event in their usual efficient manner. Phil and Taz are a couple of the most dedicated and respected APA league operators in the nation. Phil proudly advertises the APA by driving a Pontiac wrapped in the APA Logo, Slogans and web addresses. The usual announcements about rules etc. were made then table assignments were made and the battles began. All the teams worked hard to get here and they all pretty much felt that they were the team that would come out the winner. That is the way pool players think, after all! That is also one of the things that makes playing pool so great and playing team pool is a step up from just playing individually against your peers. Many times in events like this the team has to come before the individual and that is as it should be. "The good of the many must outweigh the good of the one." Of course there is a little bit of peer pressure when your team gets to participate in an event like the Challenge of Champions. Egos and reputations were worn on the sleeves for all to see and others to consider ways to meet the challenge. The APA is an amazing opportunity for newer pool players to benefit from the knowledge and experience of many highly skilled players. There is the opportunity for newer players to experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Both are in abundant supply and ripe for the harvest by those lucky enough to compete. Win or lose the game of pool is full of rewarding memories and should be viewed as a life time challenge to improve and become the best you can be both on the table and off. Friendship bonds are made over a pool table that can last a lifetime as well.
Of course winning is always more fun than losing and when a player pulls out a particularly tough match you can usually see the results in his (or her) face. Look at Mr. Moss of the "Tuesday's Gone" team. Can you tell he just won his match by looking at the smile on his face? His team went on to lose the match over all but for the few moments following his match the whole world was coming up roses. (**Note**I have been alerted by Marty - The Captain of "Tuesday's Gone" that their team did win that match and went on to collect the $1400 prize...Congratulations to the team and sorry about the error. Best Wishes in the Regionals, Tom)There were smiles all over the Arena because the pool was only part of the reason people gathered there. Competition on the pool tables was fierce for sure but the things most people will remember may not be the pool but instead simply the good time they had socializing with friends, family and even complete strangers who will some day become friends or even family in some cases. The smiles were plenty and they were not all just about winning either. Speaking of smiling faces....you have to know that bartender Christina manages to provide great service with a great smile to everyone. She doesn't even have to play pool to smile (although she does play a pretty mean game of pool too).
She has that smile for customers simply because she likes people and she doesn't have to win a game before she is able to share the smile with customers. It is people like Christina that make the Arena a great place to relax and enjoy your well earned leisure time.
Back to the challenge matches that heated up on 4 of the six 7' bar boxes at the Arena. These matches were for more than just qualifiers, there was some real money awaiting the victors. This is an excerpt from the APA South Coast web site about the Challenge of Champions:
"In addition to qualifying for the South Coast Championships, the top eight finishers in the Tournament of Champions will receive a good-sized monetary award. In each format, the top four teams will receive $1400 and each fifth-place team will receive $600!"
Finally we do have all those pool table warriors battling it out for the top dog spot and it would be impossible to describe all the tension, the excitement, the nail biting and the sheer joy of being involved in the competition regardless of which side of the action you found yourself. I have put together a small video to try to capture some of the stuff that make competing in the APA Challenge of Champions in 2009 so much fun. You can see why the spots are so coveted.
Although it may be hard to recognize many of the players in the video due to lighting I am sure that most of the players who gave me their expressed permission to include the footage will recognize themselves. Anyone else shown who may wish to NOT be included can contact me and I will edit them out of the footage with my sincere apology and utmost respect for your wishes.
Born in Fort Payne, Alabama, spent 25 years in Chicago, Illinois after high school then moved to California. As of this writing in December of 2007, I am married to Carol for 30 years, we have 3 children and 3 grandsons. I managed to get a 30 hour certificate in Business Management from Northwestern University in Evanston, Il. then I completed my bachelors degree in computer science at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California in 2002. I am self employed as a truck broker and web master of a couple of web sites including an internet retail store.
I play pool in the American Pool Players Asssociation (APA) as a skill level 7 of 9 in 9 Ball and a skill level 6 of 7 in 8 Ball. I also like to play racquetball, chess and table tennis. I recently sold my 1982 Honda Goldwing which I enjoyed riding in the mountains and on the beaches of Southern California. I am now looking forward to buying my next motorcycle which will probably be a 1300cc Honda Sabre unless I find something I like better first.
The APA 9 Ball South Coast Regional Championship turned out to be a true pool player's tournament in all aspects of the game this past weekend at the Arena Sports Grill and Bar in 
The APA is an amazing opportunity for newer pool players to benefit from the knowledge and experience of many highly skilled players. There is the opportunity for newer players to experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Both are in abundant supply and ripe for the harvest by those lucky enough to compete.
