Four More Straights

After my first four straight pool matches the weekend before for the league season, I did it again the following weekend! What am I trying to do to myself?! lol.

• 1 match Friday night
• 2 matches Saturday
• 1 match Monday night

Folks, that's a lot of pool again!

The first of the four was fairly easy (I know, rude of me) but I won 100-59 in less than 2 hours. No high runs, but I won and that helps my stats. :)

Unfortunately, I hung around after the match to grab something to eat and drank a little, also. They had a little weekly 9ball tourney that Friday night and so I watched a lot of friends play. Then the worst thing happened to me - peeps asked me to play scotch doubles.

"No, really, I don't want to."

"Please!"

"Seriously, I'm okay. I can WATCH. "

"Nope, we need you."

"No, you don't"

"Yes, we really do!"

"Okay, fine...."

So I play scotch doubles. My partner hates to lose and so he's getting frustrated with me (I cannot drink and play pool at the same time, it just isn't a pretty sight, lol). Eventually, they all keep drinking but yet I stop drinking to sober up for the drive home. I start to play better and my partner gets more impressed (either b/c I can now actually make balls or because he is drunk by now, lol, not sure which) and we get it to even toward the end of the night. Unfortunately for me, it's now 2AM! Yes, folks, 2AM! OMG, really? I've closed the bar down? How old am I?

I not only leave at 2am, I talk on the phone to a friend til 3am. Wait for a return call from someone else at 430 am and proceed to not go to sleep til 545 am. Now, normally on a Fri Night/Sat morning this wouldn't be a big deal, but when you have a straight pool match against a "tedious" player at 11:30am, it is a pretty big deal. However, I know from experience that the DAY OF not getting sleep I can usually handle. So, I do NOT let the lack of sleep creep into my mental attitude (btw, it's the next day I am dog tired and worthless).

I get up in time to still do my morning chores (feed the dog, fix Mom her food, get myself ready) but yet still walk in 5 minutes late to my scheduled appointment time. :(

I set my things down and take my cue out of my case and as usual my opponent is surprised by my answer to practicing, "no thanks, I'm ready." He probably has been hitting balls for 30 minutes...

Anyway, I know I have a match after this one, so it is on my mind. I order some tacos and proceed to eat while we play. I miss a couple of easy cut shots for some reason and the score stays even for the most part. My friend watching our match tells me to buckle down, my opponent is playing good and determined. We are close for the first 34 innings.

12-17
27-28
31-31
31-31
48-49

I have missed a few shots and so has he. I start to talk to myself - "wait for your opportunity, think positive, figure out why you missed then move on quickly." Then it happens. A 13 ball run. Guess what? he makes 5, and I make ANOTHER 13 ball run back to back. No longer close, buddy!

80-61, me.

At this point he tries to catch up but he starts to worry about shape too much and misses some key balls. I win 100-82. Yay! However, it's been 3 hours and 45 minutes! Goodness! And one more match to go.

I didn't realize it had been that long. My body didn't feel it, my mind wasn't tired. The only reason I knew it was taking a while is because my next opponent was waiting for me.

Match 3 starts and it's over in about 2 hours. He isn't staying down well like he should and I win 100-54.

Match #4 on Monday night is completely different! I walk in late, it was pouring during the drive in all that traffic, I was upset at something at work, upset at something personal, but still tried to be okay in my match. I am suppose to win (well, I think so) and we start off close and eventually I get up 15 points and feel pretty relaxed (big no-no). He catches up to me and almost ties it: score now only 44-46. Eeeek - too close for comfort for me. So, I bear down (that awesome self talk to get me back in the game), but then I start to scratch. A LOT. I am no longer missing, but scratching and giving up points and ball in hand. Ugh! It remains close!

64-61
79-73
83-80
86-84
86-85
93-88
96-89
99-94


I finally win 100-94, but I was SUPER nervous! Pressure was on both of us full blown! We couldn't make shots, we got bad safes, we were miscuing, hooking ourselves, it was a tough, close ending. Every time each of us got to the table we thought we were done. It was so brutal but fun (well, I can say fun b/c I won, lol). My heart was racing, my adrenaline pumping, oh, it was exhilarating but scary to almost lose like that! The shots become so difficult near the end when the match is super close! Forget hill-hill in 9ball - try 89-95 in straight pool, race to 100 when the balls are open! Eeeeek!

We did have one stretch where we each played ten safes in a row. We were both determined and wanted the win!

After 8 total matches in 12 days, I have won 7. Eeeeek! Don't jinx me! I still have 5 more people to play!