26 Days Later…

After 26 days on the road, I’ve been home for a whopping four days, only to be leaving on a(nother) jet plane for Charlotte, NC for 12 days. This trip will be about spending time with some family, covering the Generation Pool 9 Ball Championships for InsidePool, promoting the DELTA-13 rack, and attending the BCA Trade Show; all of which I’m looking forward to, if only the timing were a little more ideal. After I return from 12 days in the beautiful town of Charlotte, I’m home for a day, and then off to Dallas for five days for the next OB Cues Tour stop. This is pretty unusual for me to be on the road this much. I’m not complaining. I love my jobs, but not even I am used to all this traveling.

Let’s see, where did I leave off? Oh yeah! Okay, just a few more gripes about Valley and I promise, that’s it.

The Token Debacle

So, after all the hoopla about raising the price-per-game to $1.25 tokens, they never took the time to get unique tokens. Come on! We’re talking about pool players here! Of course, after less than three days of singles, counterfeit tokens began appearing in the coin drops. Did they seriously not see this coming? Apparently, someone figured out that they could get four tokens for less than the price of one at the nearest arcade. It might have even been the one inside the Riv.

So, after the discovery, the table mechanisms were changed back to the dollar coins as they have always been in years past. They probably would’ve made more money had they just kept it that way from the beginning. No worries. I guess they’ll make it up next year as I’ve heard rumors of the games increasing to $2.

Lesson to be learned: If you’re dealing with pool players, your sh*t better be proprietary or it’ll get cracked. The BCA tokens are unique in size & print. I doubt they made the switch overnight.

Unprofessional Referees

I hate to be so negative, but the VNEA Referee program is a joke! And this is admittedly, from people who have gone through the one-day of “training.” I’ve seen five-year-olds more respectful around a pool table.

I’m sure it can get boring to just sit around waiting for someone 60 tables away to wave their cue at you because they couldn’t remember who’s break it was. I personally wouldn’t sign up for that. However, if you do sign up to be a referee, you should be expected to display some sort of professionalism. I mean, for Pete’s sake! You should at least try to set an example!

I witnessed two refs singing and dancing while in their seats. I could hear them from my match, three tables away! Completely unprofessional.

I overheard a ref say, “You called me over for this?” Perhaps he was trying to be funny, but again, not professional.

A ref was standing directly behind me, watching a hit, and got an itch to begin carrying on a conversation with the guy on the table next to me. He stopped as soon as I turned around to give him the evil eye but then when I wanted to move the chair he was standing beside because I didn’t want to be thinking about it behind me, he said, “You don’t have to move it. I’m okay.” Well, thanks, but I wasn’t moving it for your benefit. I later discovered that he didn’t even know that guy. He just found it an appropriate time to make chit-chat. Unnecessary and unprofessional.

They also will stand directly in the line of your shot. They have absolutely no clue where to stand when watching a hit. For instance, Mike was preparing to shoot a jump shot when each time he got down, the ref would lean in. He’d line up again. She would lean in again. Finally, he said, “Do you mind getting into position first before I line up for the shot? It’s very distracting.” Her response was, “I gotta be able to see the table, bud.” (the comment alone was unprofessional) She obviously later realized that the back and forth movement was unnecessary as she came over to apologize profusely for all the movement. Fortunately, he made the shot.

The Valley refs could definitely learn a thing or two from the BCA refs. When their stripes are on, they’re professionals. They won’t even acknowledge they know you when called to watch a hit at your table. They’re alert, knowledgeable, and respectful.

Where’s my table???

The table numbers were only posted on ONE SIDE of the table lights. Therefore, if you walked past your row of tables, good ruck! You’ll have to walk all the way around the row of 20 or more tables or try to do some quick math to narrow down the general vicinity of where your table might be.

Scotch Doubles Matches

Okay, so once you find your tables, you’re now expected to play at least three Scotch Doubles matches starting at 10:30p.m. after you’ve been playing singles since 9:00a.m. and you have a 9:00a.m. match the following morning. If they would just designate an entire day for Scotch Doubles (e.g. like the BCA does), then they wouldn’t have to worry about making us play 17 hour days with five hours of sleep (assuming they cared). But then, I guess that would cut into their suds n mixer party and banquet time.

A quote from a Valley player, “Well, you don’t come here for the great equipment, you come for the partying.” Therefore, I repeat, this was my last year playing Valley.

The Poor Vendors

I know I already mentioned this, but the poor Valley vendors were soooo dead, I heard many of them say they weren’t coming back next year either.

The APA Chalk

During one of Mike’s team matches, we noticed someone on a neighboring table using APA chalk. Below is a grainy visual. I’ve since attempted to google a better image, but no luck. (If anyone has a piece and can post a better photo of it, it would be greatly appreciated) I know it’s tough to tell, but the APA logo is upside down. Just about every other piece of billiards chalk on the market is printed so that when you set it down, blue-side-up, the logo is right-side-up. Well, is the APA just trying to be unique? Or, are they just encouraging players to set the chalk blue-side-down on tables??? You be the judge of that one.

The Japanese Tourists

And lastly, can someone please explain to me why on earth there are always so many Japanese tourists at the Riviera? And, I wonder what they must think of all the pool players? Seriously, there’s so many and they’re so stereotypical with their big hats, cameras around their necks, and the looks of amazement on their faces. I’ve always wondered about that.

Okay. That’s it for my Valley rants. Well, the last two weren’t specifically about the VNEA, but still fun to mention.

On a bright note, the Danny Gans show is FINALLY shutting down in November after 150 years. Okay, I guess I shouldn’t mock since I’ve never seen the show, but how many years can you possibly milk the “Entertainer of the Year” title? What year was he voted that, anyway???

Alright, I could never be as witty as the Pool Cue News and Review blogger, so I’d better quit while I’m ahead.

Catch ya on the flip side!

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