Things I learned during BCA 2007

This was my 3rd year playing in the BCA 8ball Championships. This year, I played in Singles, Doubles, and Teams. I seriously thought I'd die, but I managed to come back alive, except I got sick the next day. (;´ρ`) ｸﾞｯﾀﾘ

The first thing I remember about the trip, and the one thing I need to remember for next year is...RED BULL. I wanted to make sure I stay awake on my way over there since I drove by myself. So I picked up a can of Red Bull and a little snack. Not only did it keep me awake during the drive, it kept me up ALL NIGHT. I couldn't figure out why until it happened again a couple of days later. That thing is scary.

Our doubles tournament went horribly wrong. I felt terrible for my partner. I missed all kinds of shots. I didn't hook my partner as much as I did last year, but it doesn't matter when he doesn't get his turn anyway. Even though I came with low expectations (since I've been under so much stress), it was still shocking how poorly I played. I mean, we are good enough to destroy these teams. Looking back, we should have practiced more often, but I can't help but to think that a lot of it was my fault. We did win 1 more match than last year (haha) so maybe next year we'll win 2..... ha...

I don't even remember what I did that Friday. I had the day off so I think I watched the pros play. I think more pro tournaments should host amateur tournaments simultaneously. They'll get more spectators and we can learn from watching them. This is probably the only tournament I get to watch the Japanese pros play. This year, I got to watch Kyoko Sone. I read about her all the time on the internet and it was cool to watch her. Overall, they all did pretty decently.

Some of the mens pros were in LA recently so I got to see some of the same players play. Shane van Boening rocks! but I have to admit, I was rooting against him when he played against Satoshi Kawabata. Sorry kid, but I had to root for my countryman.

Ever since last year, people started to stare/stop to look at me as Xiao Tin Pan became more well-known in the US. I used to think it's because white people can't tell Asians apart, but it was very bad this year. A couple even stopped to ask for pictures!! (￣Д￣；； Other people opened up the magazines to ask if I was in there. I guess I should be happy? I should change my hair and not wear red.

Singles went a lot better. I actually got in stroke and managed to win two matches on the winner's side. Of course..these were relatively easy matches. My first match was against a women that I had played/beaten like 3 times in the mini tournaments! but...I suddenly lost confidence and lost the 3rd match.(￣Д￣;) ガーン I won several matches on the losers side but finished 25-32nd. I still need to work on my confidence, but I know I played a lot smarter. I didn't have as many break-and-runs but I know this is because I played more safeties. I guess nothing beats a break-and-run, but there weren't as many scary hill-hill matches either because I wasn't as careless. My breaks were working well, too. I need to learn more shots.

I learned a lot playing on a men's team. I learned that:

1. A whole lot more drama in women's pool. Men just don't give a crap about little things. but then I appreciate women that care about little things like wiping chalk off of the table and knowing my name (even though it's impossible). I saw a guy with flames on his cue and I told my teammate that we cannot lose to a guy with flames on his cue (kind of like animals prints on cues). I quickly realized that men don't care about that kind of stuff.

2. Women can be judged by women. I was at our table warming up 30 minutes before the match and no one else from my team was there. There were two other teams there and obviously one of us was at the wrong table. I had already checked so I knew I'm at the right place. The guys treating me like I'm at the wrong table. A woman on one of their teams also treated me like I don't belong there, thinking I play on a women's team. I asked them which bracket they were on and sure enough, one of them was at the wrong table. It was amazing how the woman thought I was wrong when she herself is on a mixed team and didn't even consider the possibility that perhaps I am, too. Grrrr!!!

3. You don't need big strokes in bar table 8ball, but you have to play very smart. I probably had better strokes than many of these men that I played against them. but I lost many, many games. They could roll everything as long as they picked the right pattern.

4. Some people try to be too friendly and it cost them their games. It's nice to have fun with your opponents, but it's not necessary. I saw them laughing and joking one minute, but hating each other the minute something goes wrong and remember that they are playing against each other. It's also not necessary to be enemies, either. I didn't see any of that, actually. I think this happens more in women's pool...

Hopefully, I'll remember to read this next year, and come back stronger...