While I wasn't all that ready to go to Oklahoma and play, I had to do it. A little known fact, about a month ago my right arm started really hurting. My elbow to be exact. I went to the doctor and found out that I have something called Golfer's Elbow along with some tricep tendinitis...sweet! So this whole typing stuff for work and pool is finally paying off, in a painful way! Enough whining...on to the event!
It all started with the 10 hour drive to Norman, Oklahoma and the
Riverwind Casino. Myself, Jason and
Frank the PoolDawg got in the car and were on our way. Along the way we went through St. Louis, MO and go to see the Gateway Arch and in Oklahoma, home of Will Rogers, we got to see a little of him too.
I made it there just in time for the players meeting and Pro-Am. The Pro-Am was really a lot of fun. Sometimes it can be something that players are not looking forward to...this one was not that way. I was paired with a Riverwind VP named Jeremy and unfortunately we lost our first match pretty bad so we couldn't advance to the final even though we won our next two matches! Afterward we had challenge games and for me, it was hibernation after that. I had a tough first match the following day. I have to add, the Riverwind Casino is kind of in the middle of nowhere, but it is really nice. Everything is brand new, the staff is friendly, everything is really great for the players when we visit.
My first match was really up and down. My lack of practice is really showing. I played Miyuki Sakai who is a top player that doesn't play in every tournament. I played alright and luckily took advantage of early mistakes she made. I ended up winning that match 9-7. Making progress since last event!
That same night, my second round match was against one of my best friends, Tracie Hines. Tracie finished 9th in Indiana and is playing great. I came out ready and strong, up 3-0, then she didn't miss...3-3. Then another lead, 6-3...then down 7-6. I made some really stupid mistakes that were laziness to say the least. My position play at the end of the rack was horrible! Tracie won 9-7. Congrats on another 9th place finish Tracie! Don't shoot me for using an old picture Tracie...I couldn't find a new one.
With that loss and the eight players getting TV spots, that meant a lot of play on Friday. My first match was against Belinda Calhoun. I started out strong and thought it was going to be an uncharacteristic quick win. That's what I get for thinking. Belinda is one of the best players to ever live for a reason! I was ahead 5-0 and then she started her comeback. She broke and ran out and took advantage of any small mistake I made. Suddenly, it was 5-5, then 6-6. Finally, I re-grouped a little and came back firing. I won the match 9-6...but don't worry, my tournament life flashed before my eyes!
My last match was against Morgan Steinman. I knew she just finished a 9-8 match and I was hoping she would be tired. Wow, was I wrong. She played really well and got a few great rolls to help her along. As for me, I tested the rails really well and everything I did came up a little short (kind of the story of my life, haha). Morgan steam-rolled me 9-3!
So my WPBA tournament life was over. Luckily, Jason looked on
AZbilliards and found out that the Oklahoma State 8-ball Championship was being held just a couple hours away in Tulsa at
Magoo's Billiards. With nothing else to do and it only being Friday night, we were on our way early Saturday morning.
I am going to be totally honest and say I absolutely hate bar table 8-ball. I think it is one of the worst games in the world. I blame that on the fact that I never learned how to play. It makes me frustrated and ready to pull all my hair out. I was debating on even playing in the event. They had a players auction and I didn't want someone to spend a lot of money thinking they had a great player on their hands. After debating with myself for awhile, I decided that it would be better to play than sit around and wish I was playing or being asked why I didn't play. Of course, the auction comes around and I go as the first blind bid...$140! Joe Salazar of Salazar Custom Cues bought me. I gave him the warning of not really being a good 8-ball player blah, blah, blah. There were 25 players and I didn't have any expectations.
I got lucky to win my first match hill-hill over Susan Mello. Something happened (I think relying on breaking and running out) and I found myself coming back the next day still in the winners bracket. Sunday morning I figured my luck would run out. I played Julia Gabriel, a good bar table player and frequent player on the WPBA. Somehow I won! Then on to the winner's bracket final against Bonnie Plowman. Bonnie knows what she is doing when it comes to 8-ball...I thought I was doomed. I got lucky and won again! Then in the finals, a rematch with Bonnie. She came out firing and beat me 5-1 the first set. Then she decided to miss in the second set. My break worked for a few more games and helped me win the Oklahoma State 8-ball Championship!! How ironic is that? I've never won a state championship before and it ends up being an 8-ball tournament...strange!
Bonnie tried to take out Frank and I both after the finals!
The men had around 60 players and it definitely wasn't an easy field with the likes of Buddy Hall, Gabe Owen, Shane McMinn, Jason Klatt, Joey Gray, Chip Compton and lots of others. The final came down to Joey and Chip, the two young guys. Joey ended up beating Chip two sets and winning the Men's Oklahoma State Championship!
As always it was great to see Danny and Evelyn Dysart who run the
Midwest Tour. They always run a great tournament and if you are going to be in the Midwest be sure to check their schedule!
After another eight hours in the car, I was finally back home in Bloomington and back to the daily work grind. The highlight of that though, my
Billiards Digest magazine came in the mail on Monday.
I was mentioned a few times. I did a short interview at the WPBA event in Indiana and got a little blurb about playing overseas and what it is like. Then this blog was co runner-up for the Best Blog award!! Stinking
Frank beat me! Way to go for
OMGWTF as well...the other loser to Frank. The other way I was mentioned was about my rant over the World 10-ball. I guess I didn't realize my blog would be quoted. Since it was, and commented on...I am going to go ahead and start working to "understand the business of pool". If you read the article, you will understand that. Apparently, I am just another stupid pool player after all! Glad I know now. Thanks Billiards Digest for the coverage and the award. And thanks to everyone that reads here for staying interested or being intersted in general! It is much appreciated.
All-in-all, I have to say I was disappointed in how I played in the WPBA event but it was sort of nice to relax and hang out with old friends and meet new people in Tulsa and Norman both. I know what I need to work on and I will get to it before the next event in Colorado. Who knows where the travels will take me between now and then.
Pictures of players here were taken from various websites that came up in a google image search.
Inside Pool,
Billiards Digest and the
WPBA website.
