Hill Hill Catastrophe

I honestly don't even know how to write this, to share this, to TELL this!

This was the most amazing thing I had witnessed in pool in a long time.  Even as I type this, trying to figure out HOW to write this, I'm still shocked.

It was my boyfriend's Sunday league playoffs.  His team, Beaners and Crackers (don't ask) were in the finals against another good team (HM), and BandC would need to be double dipped by HM.

There were a few really weird things with this leagues' playoff.

First, it's a SIX-man roster, but the matches in the playoffs were a race to THIRTEEN.  13?  Really?  That's ludicrous with a 6-man roster.  My boyfriend was the 6th player and a couple of times he only played twice. 

And the other really weird thing was if any matches went hill-hill, the league operators called another game!

What?

Every league I have ever been on, if it's hill hill, then no more games are played.  None.

That one hill-hill game decides the outcome.

But not on this league.

This weird rule will really "shine" later in this story.

Right before the finals started, HM asked BandC if they wanted to race to 25 for BOTH the 1st and 2nd place monies.  BandC were ALL over the idea, but not all the players of HM wanted to do that, so instead, it would be a race to 13, and if needed, another race to 13.

So, BandC were down 11-8 in the first set of the finals, and they all told each other, "Only 5 in a row, Guys.  Come on; we can do this."

And next thing you know, they win 4 in a row, with the other team getting one more, making it 12-12.

As the hill-hill game starts, the league operators calls another game!  The next game in the line-up on the roster.

When they started the other game (while the hill hill game was going on), I was SO confused (perturbed, even).  It just didn't make sense to me.  And I had never seen anything like it before!

I overheard several new players mumbling about it.

I was told that WHICHEVER game finished first, they would win the set of the 12-12 match.

So, basically, 4 people had a chance to win the first set.

I was told that last season, this same thing happened and one of the guys was running around the table trying to finish his match first before the other team won theirs.

Omg...

So, we are literally watching TWO tables to see who would win first, even though technically only one hill-hill game should be played.

My boyfriend, Brian, is playing on the other table (the not-so-real hill-hill match).

The REAL hill-hill match, everyone is already sweating because it started already.

I look over at Brian and he's rolling his eyes.  His opponent (CM) is taking forever to rack for himself.  CM finally starts to break, then sees something off, and then RERACKS again. 

I think he's doing this deliberately.

Because mind you, on the real hill hill table, his teammate (NewJ) is running out against Brian's teammate (Florida).  So, CM (who is slow anyway), is taking his sweet time.  He presumes NewJ will win the other match and then they get to play another set (because HM has to defeat BandC twice in the finals - at least that part is "normal"). 

Well, Brian's teammate, Florida, gets a chance at the table!  He shoots a few balls, but can't get out - it's too tricky.  NewJ starts to make another run.

On the other table, Brian's opponent FINALLY broke, but again he keeps taking his time.  But he makes a few balls and isn't letting Brian to the table.  But, he's on a run.  I also notice he is intently peeking over at the other table though to see how NewJ is doing in his match.

I didn't understand why he just wouldn't finish the rack off!  But CM had a tricky shot in front of him and he took his time; knowing if Brian got to the table, it wouldn't be good.

NewJ goes for a shot two balls before the 8 and HOOKS himself.  Unfortunately, one of Brian's teammate's yelled out for him to get hooked and we were all appalled and told him he was rude (that's another story).

NewJ took his time, made a good hit with a long rail kick.  Left Florida tough, and no clean shot.

On the other table, MC nails his tough shot nicely!  At this point, we see that unless something really weird happens, Brian's opponent can win.  He has two balls and an 8 ball.

Florida plays safe.

NewJ gets to the table and somehow, amazingly, makes his tough cut on the last ball, even though Florida played a good safe!  NewJ yells with excitement and we are all impressed too!  He gets shape on the 8ball, but still has to cut it in.

CM on the other table, now has a straight shot on the 8ball, but he walks around slowly as he watches his teammate NewJ shoot at the 8ball.  At 12-12, this will be the deciding game.

We are all watching the match, including CM, and NewJ makes the cut on the 8ball.... BUT SCRATCHES!!

We all didn't even know what happened til someone said, "it's over."  And we are all like, "what?" 

What do you mean it's over?

We are super confused.

What just happened exactly?

NewJ LOST because he scratched and therefore BndC WON the playoffs because the score was 12-12!

If CM would have just made his 8ball and not dilly-dallied around, THEY would have won and the second set of the finals would have ensued.

I'm still shocked!

No one can believe they won/lost that way!

I would hear later that CM wanted his best friend NewJ to win the final game for the team; boy did that backfire.

Ouch!

Here's Beaners and Crackers celebratory toast after the weird win:

 click photo to enlarge

The Final Game of the Finals

I didn't share this many times in my blog, except mentioned it in my last post briefly, but I won the final game of the second set hill-hill for my ladies team to win the BCAPL Texas State Women's Team event.

I didn't mention it a lot because it was a team event, and the entire team won us the title!  So proud of my teammates!

A few people I did mention it to in passing, they told me that that will give me experience for the future.

To be honest, I fared well because of PAST experiences.

I'd like to explain.

With me being nervous and also upset that I was making some mistakes in the finals (both sets), I became nervous at the thought of playing the hill-hill game, lol. 

I started to pace and wondered how I would do.  I didn't think ahead about the what-ifs (thank goodness), but I did recognize I was nervous.

I took a shot of Jäger when the score was tied 7-7 in the short race to 9.  I needed to be calmed down, lol.  The deep breathing wasn't working.  I don't know if the Jäger helped or not, but I did win that final game and I wanted to share some things that I hope will help others when they find themselves in similar situations.

As I was playing the final match, I was also watching my teammates' game next to me.  Maria's match was taking a while due to safeties.  I secretly wished her match would take longer and I would finish first so everyone would have to watch her game instead of mine, lol.

However, she won her game while I was still playing mine, and I knew it was all left to me.

I never got nervous, though, in that final game.

I don't know why.

I was in this position at Nationals, but the difference was I was playing the hill-hill game in the finals of the first set.  I knew if I lost that game, we would just go to another set.  No pressure at all.  :)  THIS TIME however, was different.  The whole entire title was on the line because it was the second set and it was hill-hill.  My little game.

I still wasn't nervous, though.

After I broke, I knew I wanted to be stripes and liked my chances.  I missed a tricky shot in the side for my third ball, but I knew my opponent would have a tough run if I missed.  If she got out, then I still felt good with my choices.  I felt my teammates would understand if I lost and knew I gave it my all.

After a good safe by me a little later, no one clapped.  I was like, "WTH?  Did anyone not see that?" lol.  I need affirmations, but I still felt comfy with my decisions. 

She made a ball then had to play safe.  She accidentally left me a shot. tho!

Not only that, I had a freaking out!

As Phil Capelle says in his books, "it's execution time."

I saw the entire 5-ball plan already in my mind.  I had a run out!

I stayed down and stopped my cueball for the first ball (A).

I then sliced in the next ball (B).  Got lucky it went off her ball, but I knew that was a possibility.

On the third ball (C), all I had to do was make it for natural shape to ball D.  I made it!

However, ugh, I got funny on the ball before the 8ball (D).  I couldn't believe it!

I studied it and studied it.  My plan was to have a stop shot and then have a good shot on the 8, even though it wouldn't be the easiest shot in the world under pressure (although I felt no pressure).  I couldn't stun the cueball over because the other pocket was blocked.  I couldn't go forward, I might scratch.

I then saw if I was careful, I could draw the cueball past the side for now Option B, to make the 8 in the side.

I kept telling myself, I ONLY had to stay down and follow through.  I don't do well with draw shots, but my boyfriend recently told me to really clamp down on my bridge hand.  Not, clamp down on the cue, but to really tightened my bridge hand.  I knew these shots could wobble in the pocket and they have wobbled a thousand times on me.

I fully admit draw shots are not my friend.

I just really focused on taking my time and seeing the shot and staying down.

I freaking nailed it!!

It didn't wobble, and I drew it right past the side pocket for shape on the 8ball!

Everyone starts clapping, but I tell ya; it's not over.

But, inside I was elated it worked out as I had planned in my head.  :)

As I saw the 8 ball in the side, I could only think of one thing:  I had a similar shot in the side, in this same venue, for teams, that I DOGGED!  After I dogged it, I jumped up and up and up and down and said, "I am so nervous!"  I felt so bad and embarrassed, as that made it hill-hill instead of us winning (we won the final game luciky').

All I could think of was that before I did NOT stay down and I knew from that horrible experience that even under the circumstance, to "just stay down and make this ball, Melinda."

And.

I did!

OMG!  I was more excited than anyone!  I was so happy that all of the experiences led up to me being able to be there for my team!!

They all came up to me and hugged me and were so happy!

We were now Texas State Champs!

It felt good to finish off the match with a tough run under all that pressure. However, the entire team is responsible for our win!  If they wouldn't have gotten me there, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to do what I did to close out the match.

We were streamed live on the Internet.  Here are a few screen captures of what I describe above:

(Click images to enlarge.)

Down on the shot before the 8ball.

 

Staying down well, watched the cueball glide nicely to the side rail.

 

Down on the 8ball

  

Me, jumping up and down!

 Teammates ran up to me and hugged me!

The bottom line is THIS is why I tell people to play in as many events as you can.  You can win hill hill matches due to experience.  You can play in front of a crowd due to experience.  The more times you put yourself out there, the better you will be for the next event.

I mean it when I say I only was able to NOT dog it because I have dogged it a thousand times before due to nerves.  We keep learning and learning and the more instances you have competing, the better you will become.  So, put yourself out there, Ladies!  (and gents)  Learning experiences go all long way in every aspect of life.