Rack 'Em Pub & Billiards - Matthews, NC

FYI: Ever tried to get a team into Rack 'Em and you couldn't? Got privy to some info. and wanted to pass it on ASAP.

This upcoming session there are a few openings you may be interested in. If you want to play, please let Bob/Blake, the bartender or us know before week's end.

Space availability is first come/first serve.

Sundays - Inhouse 8-Ball. There is an opening for a team and possibly a few slots for players. Great relaxed division and a great way to start the week!

Mondays - May have some availability for a travel 8-ball team.

Tuesdays - Travel 8-ball and 9-ball. Travel is contained pretty much to a five mile radius and lots of fun.

Wednesdays - Travel 8-ball. Travel is contained in a five mile radius.

Thursdays - Inhouse 8-ball & 9-ball travel. With the addition of 3 more 9-ball teams an inhouse could be created. This Inhouse 8-ball division produced last Winter's $10,000 winning team, so the competition is high but the people are friendly.

Email info@8ballexpress.com for more info.

Playoffs Are Coming!

As both a friend and a league manager, kindly let me offer the following tips to those who will be in the playoffs to ensure a safe and happy holiday post-season:

• Two people will step to the table, one will win and one will not. Accept this and move on. Do not talk bad about their mother or question their moral up bringing if you loose. You just look silly and I may have to laugh at you and include you in a future blog post.


• I don't care how good a player is or what your put up strategy is, if a player is drunk or drinking heavily, play them early or not at all, then call a cab. You can check with the bartender before hand if not sure or make them do a practice lag to judge. If the ball flies off the table, ends up in a pocket or they try to lag with a coaster, just go ahead and bench them. They probably weren't going to win anyways.


• The rules are the same in post season as in regular season. Keep this in mind during the regular season AND the post season. While it's not right, if during weeks 1-13 you've let opposing teams go over the handicap limit, take 20 minute time outs, run late and then weeks 14-playoffs turn around and hold them to every rule in the book, don't be surprised if they don't exactly send you a Christmas card or ask for a group hug when it's all over. How about, for the most part, sticking to the rules through the Session to avoid this sudden change of good will. This will help people learn rules and hopefully avoid unnecessary confrontation. Chances are you will see your opponents again/play against them after all is said and done, so treat them accordingly.


• Week 2 of the Playoffs is not the optimal time to bring up handicap questions. If you see something Playoff Week 2 you've never seen before, like a 2 running racks, ok then, it is the optimal time. But if you've known/suspected for a while that a handicap is not right, let us know as soon as you can. If you know something isn't right the ENTIRE Session or even the 2nd half of it, but only let us know if your team looses AFTER the matches are all done, the situation is a lot messier than it has to be. We can handle the issues much better if we know there may be an issue AHEAD of time. Contact kim@8ballexpress.com right now if you have a handicap complaint or if you think there may be another issue at a match coming up.


• Don't take out your issues/stress/problems on your opposing team or your league manager. Hey, we've all got problems these days. How about you leave yours at home and let everyone have a good time! If you can't don't be surprised if you are removed from the league. One bad grape will not be allowed to spoil a bunch (or a division).


• 8 Ball Express is competitive but above all else it's about coming out each week and having a good time.

Now, good luck and have fun!

New Divisions Forming For Jan 2010 Play!

In case you are interested, there are some new things happening in our area for next session.
New Divisions:
* There will be a Wednesday 8-ball Inhouse out of Sharky's in Mint Hill with a min.
of 6 teams. If you are interested, let Sharky's or me know.
* New Tuesday 8-ball Travel Division forming on the North/West Side of Town. New locations include an awesome new bar that recently opened in the old Derita Station location. It's now "Da Bear's Den" (as in The Chicago Bear's) and they really did a great job with remolding and offer a full kitchen, patio and tons of tvs. Let them know if you want to play Tuesday 8-ball travel.
* Open spot in Tuesday 9-ball travel for 1-3 teams.
* New teams forming out of the recently opened "Bad Fish Billiards" in downtown Matthews. Check with Danny Caldwell for more info. Travel any night S-Th 8-ball or travel Tues/Thurs 9-ball.
* New locations joining and looking for a few members such as Yesteryear's, Five Steps, Sharky's, Da Bear's Den, Bear's Lair, Jillian's, Bad Fish Billiards and a few others. If you are interested, email me at dawn@8ballexpress.com.
There are some more things in the works and we are VERY excited about 2010 and hope you are too!

Yup

True story - A man walks into a bar (to drop his paperwork) and hands it to the bartender. "Does Dino still work here?" he says. The man behind the bar responds "Yeah, dude, I'm Dino." Man then says "Oh, take your glasses off." Dino does. The man than leans forward, leans back and says "Sh*t I'm drunk." and walks out to his waiting driver.

I Was Hustled!

Wow, last night I was hustled. I mean, really hustled, and out of Mike C.'s money no less! Here's how it went down.

After my team's 9-ball match ended earlier than usual I headed to one of my stops. After walking in and realizing a match was still going on and I would be waiting, I approached some 8BE members that were hanging out. After pleasantries and "how do you do's" someone threw out a suggestion, "Let's play 3 ball."

This is where I may have gone wrong - "What's 3-ball?" I responded. "Oh you should play!" they over-happily responded. (The following shoulda made me back out gracefully, but being overly tired, I think I missed my exit.) "Do you have some money?" they asked. "Um, I think so I." "If not we'll loan it to you." "Ok, I'm in. Now how do you play 3-ball."

After a brief overview I ponied my money up and we did a simultaneous, 5 person, one armed lag (I don't know, it made sense at the time) to see who would go first. I, of course, lost. All I can say is it went quickly down hill from there.

Then poor Mike C. started loaning me money as I made empty promises of splitting the pot with him until I finally realized I was never coming back. (I forgot to mention I am 2 and was playing an 8, 7/6, 6/5 and 4. )

Oh well, you live and you learn, especially how to avoid being hustled! Now all I have to do is avoid Mike C. until payday... ;)

Best of the Best of the Best

Want to see the Best of the Best of the Best amateur 9-ball pool players play, local/live/in person? Or...think you are one?

This weekend (Sat & Sun) there will be a tour stop of the "Great Southern Billiard Tour" at Paradise Billiards (http://pbcue.com/) . The tour is run and sponsored by professional pool players that have played around the world and been featured on ESPN. Here's a chance to meet them in person and maybe see them in action. (Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/greatsouthernbilliardtour). This particular tour stop is for amateur players and anyone who feels up to the challenge can purchase a tour card and pay entry into the tournament.

Most likely I'll be down there sometime Saturday afternoon checking the action out. If you are in the area, I hope you join in to showcase your skills or stop in to see how these players make running racks look effortless and way too easy!

Also, Paradise Billiards is interested in hosting 8 Ball Express teams for the Summer Session, primarily on Thursdays. If you would like to shoot there just let Arthur (owner) know!

Update: 3/9/09 - Went down to check out the tour stop Saturday night. Larger field with a field of 70+ players, but the tournament staff kept it running quickly and smoothly. Seemed well executed and full of many types of players from different areas around the Southeast. There will be a tour in the near future at Breaker's in Rock Hill if you want to check it out.

Best Worst Case Scenario

Thursday night I was in one of 8 Ball Express' host locations when a player with a handicap of 8 was demonstrating a theory he has.
The theory did not have a name, but I'll refer to it as "The Best Worst Case Scenario" theory. Basically, you should plan each shot as if you acknowledge there is no "perfect leave." He was saying that after you make a ball, plan to leave the cueball on the side of your next object ball that leaves you with the most options, i.e. "Best Worst Case Scenario". Try to pocket your ball into the pocket that will leave the cueball with the most possibilities for the next shot and not ever count on the ball going exactly where you want it to. Doing so will cause you to send the cueball to the area of the table with the most shots/options, not just trying for the one easiest or one best shot. This way, if and when you mess up, you still have options.
It's hard to explain in a post, but fascinating to watch. If you are ever at EB's, check out J.B.'s theories of pool. (Ask him about triangles...)

For the Love of the Game...or For the Love of God!

There are people that I've met throughout my life that are incredibly passionate about pool, playing in a Pool League or both. An 8-Ball Express member once told me "I play 5 nights a week (Sun-Thurs) and would play more if you had them." To this I responded "Well, we do have a Friday night division." and you can just imagine the look of excitement on his face. This was then quickly followed by disappointment upon the realization the division was farther than even his team was willing to travel, Rock Hill, SC. (He did say it wasn't the travel down that would be tough, but the late night trip back.) There are even players that some how manage the logistics of playing with two teams on the same night! Wow!


I am jealous when I come across people that would rather be in a pool hall than anywhere else, practicing and practicing, trying to run a rack, or rack after rack. I think it's fantastic and amazing when someone finds something in life that gives them great pleasure and joy. The reason for my jealousy is, after speaking to a few "8's" (the best of the best in our league), the only way to truly improve my game is to spend a tremendous amount of time practicing. And I know that I simply will not or cannot trade off time spent doing other things in my life. I would like to be better, but, as the passion is not there, I doubt I'll ever get beyond a "4" or "5" level. Or heck, after this session, beyond a "3".

While I enjoy the game, particularly 8 Ball Express 9-Ball, I am quite happy to have my Thursday night out and then wait 7 more days before playing again. I will practice while I'm out working and waiting on matches to finish, but I don't practice with the reverence for the game I wish I had. I must admit my passion is the social aspect of it, not so much the sound of balls clicking together followed by a clunk of one or two falling in a pocket.

But, having said all this, I do have to draw the line when I heard about one guy last night. This is a true story, apparently this guy was at his favorite watering hole/pool hall so much his wife served his divorce papers to him there. Now I'm no Dr. Phil, but this may have been an indication of excessive practice time. But hey, he may have lost one love but did manage to keep his other. So, I guess not all was lost. {Shrug}

Pat On the Back

I was stopped Thursday night at a host location and told that I was appreciated. The Captain told me how happy he was with being able to log on to our website the day after playing and ALWAYS see handicaps updated by 5pm. I wasn't sure anyone noticed this and was glad someone did! I do bust my tail to make sure this is done and glad to be appreciated. Thank you and your welcome Captain from Ale House!

Such Thing As Too Much Fun?

When the question "Is there such a thing as too much fun?"is posed to one of my Thursday night teams, the answer is always a proud "No". Ask the players on the team how many points they have so far this session, most players on the team shrug. Ask them how many good songs were on the jukebox tonight or how many times they made fun of each other, they can tell you within a close margin of 1 or 2.
They typically are the loudest and laughin'est team at a place and really take to heart the notion of "win or loose...we know we will always have a good time". (Can M.S. get a timeout please?!?!?!)
Good deal H.F.T.B. and thank you for making me smile on Thursdays!

First Post

Ah, the first post!

Basically, my job as the Charlotte Area League Administrator for 8 Ball Express is so full of interesting things that I just had to start a Blog about them all.

As to not offend, I will use initials instead of full names and try to limit any negative things or exclude idle gossip.

Enjoy the ride!