Donny
Lutz Pool
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site content is copyright ©Donny Lutz Pool unless otherwise noted.
The
GAINESVILLE BILLIARD NEWS
Issue No. 2 - March 2005
"LAST
MINUTE" TOPS SILVER Q WEDNESDAY 8-BALL
The
"Last Minute" team of Chris Storter, Leroy Cromwell, Phil Rosen,
Danny Firu, Doug Arcadia and Jay Visaria took top honrs as the Silver Q Wednesday
8-Ball League completed its winter season on Feb. 2. Averaging an impressive
9.1 points per game for its ten matches, they adged the "Chumpell"
crew by just 40 points.
Top twelve individual averages among the 57 players who played 25 or more games:
PECHAUER DONATES CUES FOR
REITZ UNION LEAGUE CHAMPS
J. Pechauer Custom Cues, that highly respected Wisconsin cue maker, has donated
two beautiful new JP-10 cues to be awarded to the winners of the Reitz Union
Pool League this spring! The cues retail for $400 each and are on display
at the Union Game Room.
For the past
four years the league has been directed by Matt Sherman, whose 'day job' is
managing Gator Country Travel. A devoted family man, Matt also teaches Christian
theology and is a nationally known collector of James Bond memorabilia.
The league plays
every Monday night and is made up mostly of two-person teams. Players who
don't have a partner are allowed to play as individuals, although team play
is encouraged. Players alternate between 8-Ball and 9-Ball, and go by strict
BCA rules and handicap system. Among past champions are "Match"
Murakami and Takako Ueno (2002), D. Lutz (2003), and Aaron Manalaysay (twice
in 2004).
The University
of Florida has a history of successful pool competition for many years. William
Rion represented UF as National ACUI Champion in the 1930s. J. L. Geiger won
the National title in 1938, and Leff Mabie was National champ in'43 and '47.
Hall of Famer Nick Varner won his second '72. Several local players are representing
UF at this year's nationals at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
In addition to the Pechauer cues, the Reitz Union league champs get their names on a plaque that remains on display at the Union. All league players are allowed free playtime during the week, where they enjoy the pleasant smoke-free atmosphere and free lessons from Matt, part-time league coach D. Lutz, and Leisure Course instructor, Phil Rosen.
FOR
THOSE OF US WHO LOVE TEAM PLAY
I
know that most hotshot players don't have a lot of interest in team play.
Calling on what I learned getting that most dangerous of all things, a minor
in Psychology, I think those folks have a problem. Either they're downright
greedy and just don't like sharing - money or fun - or they have a complex
that doesn't seem to be satisfied without being number one, if even for a
game or two. I'm the first to admit that I carry a little of that baggage
around myself, but I still prefer team titles to individual titles. Having
won a few of both, I know that winning a singles event is great, but in many
cases you end up being the only person in the place with a smile on their
face. Nobody else there (unless you're playing in front of a home crowd) has
much to celebrate. But when you win a team event, you get to share the good
times with your buds.
A
friend recently said something like, "Gambling for big bucks is pressure,
- I don't know why anyone would feel pressure shooting on a team for $500".
Anyone who has played any serious team pool knows better. Having played in
the finals in a good number of singles and team events, and having choked
up big time in both, I can tell you there's plenty of pressure in team competition,
particularly if you shoot anchor as I had many opportunities to do.
Being
a witness to the evolution of team pool competition over the past 40 years,
I saw the change from the old days when a safety shot was called "dirty
pool" through the early days of sanctioned leagues when the NPBA out
of Milwaukee had rules that allowed for a 'push' on every shot, - in other
words, two foul ball-in-hand - and a 15-game match could take up to four or
five hours! The early VNEA rules (circa 1981) included loss of game for three
consecutive fouls. I think the BCA also had such a rule back then. But the
3-foul loss become such an effective tool for the defensive specialists that
it was discarded, - it made the game less fun to watch for most folks and
less fun to play for intermediate players.
There
were basically two types of pool teams in the early decades: teams of close
friends and teams of strong players. The strong teams dominated play (and
still do in "younger" leagues) because most leagues had only a few
strong players. But as interest, skill level and prize funds increased, leagues
became more competitive, and with the advent of the big national amateur events,
putting together a serious team became almost a science. Naturally one wanted
to field a team of the strongest players possible, but team chemistry, tournament
experience and perhaps most of all a desire to play on a winning team also
became keys to success. I played on a team back in '68 that also bowled and
played golf together. We had more in common than just a little skill at pool.
Probably the strongest team I ever played with was made up of six vegetarians.
All the successful teams on which I played had at least one "veteran"
to stabilize our emotions, at least one "strategist" who usually
shot anchor and did most of the coaching, and at least one guy with a sense
of humor.
In
'86, I was shooting with one of the Red Sails Resort tournament teams at a
nice event in Mankato, Minnesota if memory serves me. Competition was very
strong, - most of the same teams that vied for the Minnesota State Team title
every spring were there. We waltzed through the winner's bracket rather easily,
but then lost the first match of the finals in a squeaker. Then something
really went wrong for us. We got into a bit of a team funk, and when Timmy
Stellpflug missed an easy out in game 10 (of 15), all seemed lost. But as
he walked past us, Mike Haggerty said dryly, "Well, that blew the whole
f_____ season for us." For five seconds there was dead silence. Then
we all burst out laughing in unison, realizing this was "Mike humor".
It was just what we needed. We were 45 points down with five games to go.
To make a long story short, Billy Steele broke and ran out. In game 2, our
opponent made nothing on the break, and Bobby Shultz ran out. Then Mike broke
and ran out. Then Timmy's opponent failed to pocket a ball on the break and
he ran out. And of course, I had no option but to break and run out in the
final rack for the 5-point victory! It was some nice clutch play by all of
us, but the real hero was Mike, who made us laugh, took us out of funkland,
and led us to the title, one of about twenty team titles won by Red Sails
over a three-year span.
I don't remember what the first place prize was (maybe $1000?), but that's more evidence that it's not just the bucks that count. I'll always remember that day for the great comeback and the friendship expressed by our support for each other. We had such a good time. I love team pool. - Donny Lutz
"THE GRUMPY OLD PRO"
Q: I asked the best player in town to help me with my game and he no. Another just said that he wasn't a teacher. How can I learn?
A:
There's a new thing out there, maybe you've heard of it, it's called PAYING
FOR POOL LESSONS. Top players often don't give lessons for three reasons.
One, why teach someone who might beat you someday down the road? Two, they
may not have teaching skills. After all, the great football, basketball and
baseball coaches were rarely superstar players. They are teachers. Few top
pool players are great teachers. And third, half of the pro players nowadays
don't know what the hell they're doin' let alone how to teach it.
But
don't discount the learning you can do on your own. And I don't mean just
playing a lot. Playing a lot with bad habits is worse than not playing at
all. Get rid of those functional errors before they become ingrained. And
when you watch other players, pay special attention to their stance, their
grip, their bridge, and their stroke. Watch for head motion, poor follow-through.
Note what body parts need to move and what actually do. Is that bridge arm
straight or bent? How close to the cue is their chin. By watching good players
you can learn by imitation. But don't imitate everyone! It seems like there's
always a couple pros on tour that do everything wrong, and still manage to
win occasionally. That's pool!
Q:
I try to draw the cue ball on the break, but sometimes I get all kinds
of follow. How come?
A:
Believe it or not, it could be because of your lousy stroke. And it happens
when you hit extra hard, right? Everyone's cue tip dips a little on a draw
shot from the point that it begins forward motion (at the bridge) to the point
of contact. In trying to hit harder, you are extending the distance of your
follow-through before the dip, thereby actually hitting slightly above center
on the cue ball even though you "aimed" for draw and your cue ended
up on the tabletop. Think about it.
Q:
Who is the best player in the world?
A: Efren Reyes.
LOSING ISN'T ALWAYS SO BAD
Two of the most memorable matches I played during my 50 years on the felt were matches I lost! The first was a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Nick Varner in Las Vegas in 1982. The second was losing 7-6 to Patrick O'Neal at the Green Room in Baltimore in 1995. The final game included 19 safety shots; maybe the best game of 8-ball I ever played, despite losing that APA qualifier final. - Donny Lutz
Donny
Lutz Pool
All
site content is copyright ©Donny Lutz Pool unless otherwise noted.