Dirtypool40

[dirtypool40]

got home from the match, and it looks like when the finals post I'll end up 5th or 6th at around 92% of Manny.

That's not too bad considering the two melt downs I had. my solid stages were right there in the mix, it was my bad ones that really dragged me down.

Like they say about golfers; the difference between amateur and pro, is the quality of the BAD shots. My bad ones were horrible.

Still after the last couple months, it was a step in the right direction. AND..... the gun ran 100%

[Catfish]

Not too shabby, Manny's been on a helluva tear lately.

Good job DP!!

[dirtypool40]

Not too shabby, Manny's been on a helluva tear lately.

Good job DP!!

Thanks bud. Manny has been on a tear, I think he also won at least one of the other big matches he shot this weekend.

Silver lining time, I can look up the ranks and say the guys who beat me are either national champs or our World Shoot team for this year. That being said, I still want to beat them.

Fun times, lessons learned, back to practice....

[dirtypool40]

Shot the "Sunshine State Games" today, basically a HUGE 1 day, 7 stage match.

Shot crappy, backed into the win by 2 lousy points. Won one stage over the field, Open included. A quick little 20 rounder. Dumb stage, no option, I just went through it at warp speed and got away with it. Other than that no highlites, and easily 20% off a solid performance.

Back to practice, time to gear up for the big matches...

[dirtypool40]

Light, choppy practice yesterday with Rick. First time we've been out in over two weeks, but it still felt good to get out and practice a little.

We shot the partials, and it was ugly, but that's why you practice.

Then we shot the crazy plates, I think I dropped 5.

rough day, but on the way back up.

[dirtypool40]

Rough local at Titusville today.

I felt like good shooting was juuuuuuuuuuuust out of reach. I started off well, I moved and set up well and shot good points.... but I had three extra shots and a mike off a support.

Then I trigger the gun early passing a no shoot into a partial.....

...Then I had three extra shots on steel plates.....

then a clean run,

then a BUNCH of extra shots on steel and another no-shoot.

Rough day, missed HOA Limited by about .30 of a single point to Dave Pruit, who had a strikingly similar match to mine.

[Slabbie Shooter]

But why do the scores say that you're HOA combined?

[dirtypool40]

good point, I just saw it. Our Comedy team was close enough, I was hoa for the match when you throw in the Open scores, but he wins Limited if you scores us separately. Kookie huh?

[dirtypool40]

horrible match in a cow pasture over in Leesburg at a new range. They put on a good effort, but I just sucked.

I'm taking the rest of the month "off" from practice and prep to re-charge, and try to get my two different businesses going, then I'll come storming back with a hard 90 days prep for the Nationals.

[ChrisStock]

Bring it ...folks are watching, you know

[zhunter]

DP

You need to start a new thread and tell everyone about your comment to Super Mario regarding the snubby

[dirtypool40]

Cliff posted a

The only one that made on to a "web format" but I figured why not post it.

Critique away. It looks a lot slower than it felt, LOL. Doesn't it always? Still, 16.50 seems about the time the boys were running it in, and I'm in good company with that run. I think I lost my half second hitting the reload and setting up for that target on the left in the 3rd port. What do you think?

1 Travis Tomasie 315 GM Limited 140 0 15.86 8.8272 150.0000 100.00%

2 Shannon Smith 69 GM Limited 144 0 16.50 8.7273 148.3024 98.87%

3 Emanuel Bragg 319 GM Limited 139 0 16.08 8.6443 146.8920 97.93%

4 Ronald R. Brown Jr. 222 M Limited 128 0 14.97 8.5504 145.2964 96.86%

5 Kert A. Gaskill 110 GM Limited 140 0 16.51 8.4797 144.0950 96.06%

6 Eric Stanley 333 GM Limited 138 0 16.52 8.3535 141.9504 94.63%

7 Mike Burrell 108 M Limited 136 0 16.65 8.1682 138.8017 92.53%

8 Bryan F. Reid 259 M Limited 142 0 17.64 8.0499 136.7914 91.19%

9 Mark A. Dye Jr. 300 M Limited 138 0 17.80 7.7528 131.7428 87.83%

10 Lee Dimaculangan 317 M Limited 135 0 17.54 7.6967 130.7895 87.19%

[dirtypool40]

horrible match in a cow pasture over in Leesburg at a new range. They put on a good effort, but I just sucked.

I'm taking the rest of the month "off" from practice and prep to re-charge, and try to get my two different businesses going, then I'll come storming back with a hard 90 days prep for the Nationals.

scores came out a few days ago, and while they are not in the normal format, if I read them correctly, I was HOA for the match.

[Slabbie Shooter]

1. Dude. You are 94 percent off Travis.

2. Going to the Classifier match in Orlando?

3. How is that new range?

[dirtypool40]

1. Thanks, but just on that stage.

2. Not sure yet.

3. A cow pasture, fun but dangerous. A lot like IPSC in Bolivia.

[Sandro]

1. Thanks, but just on that stage.

2. Not sure yet.

3. A cow pasture, fun but dangerous. A lot like IPSC in Bolivia.

New range? where?

[dirtypool40]

Sandro, I think it's out past Eustis in the Wildwood area. They have some work to do, but it should be another option for a match every month.

Just hit the forums for the first time in a couple of weeks. I think this is the first time my journal has slipped to page 3 of the listings.

I'm taking a few weeks off and away from shooting, clearing my head, getting hungry. I hope to start back fresh June 1st and make a push through to the Nationals.

(Honestly, I'm also getting distracted by pool. I have been horsing around a little and remember how much I love that sport too).

[dirtypool40]

I had a class this past weekend and Sami had a super slow mo digital video camera. I hit a .74 draw with a .09 split, and he got it on tape. It take 20+ seconds on tape, and honestly looks pretty slow. Still it's cool to look at what's actually happening in that short time frame.

I'll post that soon.

I'm still taking some time off, fooling around with pool and pool cues.

That is a different game, and WOW! is there a difference in the forums. There are a lot of similarities though, and I am remembering why I love it. Pressure, problem solving, smooth focus and one chance execution.

OK, so last night I entered a tournament and went out in two matches, losing 7 games in a row. I haven't lost seven in a row, in maybe 20 years. It was humbling, but I"m just not "there" yet to get out when I need to.

One of them was a pro from Korea, a girl about 80 pounds. Pool is about like shooting as far as the sexes go, the top women are roughly tough "A's" and the top men (like our Top few GM's) are from another planet. This girl played good, but I played about "C" level, so I didn't really test her either. The second match was against a "C" and I STILL sucked 0-3 to lose out of the tournament.

Funny thing is there's a couple guys around who remember me from FIFTEEN!!! years ago, and have everyone scared of the "rip van winkle" guy who might wake up and run out at any time. ....just not yet. But clearly the days of sneaking up on easy action are OVER. I left pool partly because I didn't like how I acted there. Now I am heading back in, I am making a fresh start. I like who I am in shooting, I just need to get my skills back with the "firewood", and be a nice guy.... while I'm parking people in the chair.

I think it's time I printed out this shooting diary before the memories get too cold.

[dirtypool40]

Still on my break. In fact this is the longest break I think I've taken since I started shooting 10+ years ago.

Just a combination of the heat, the economy and metal prices.

I am getting the pool bug a little, and have been "spreading" and stalling around town trying to figure out where the action is and who ranks where.

I am also close to getting a new cue for the first time in 16 years. I ordered some "blanks" from John Davis, one of the same guys who used to build them for Balanbushka. With a little luck my four dream cues will be mine in a few short months.

[Chris Keen]

Good to see you're still hanging around DP. I havent played seriously in a few years, but I still hang on to my Meucci like it's a custom built STI.

[dirtypool40]

Yup, Chris I've got the bug (again). I started out with a Meucci, but that firm "PING" hit of a piloted 5/16"-14 like a 'Bushka, Szamboti, Mottey, Scruggs or one my buddy in Daytona makes, just can't be beat.

I've been playing the ghost, and am finally getting to where he's in trouble on a tight 9 footer. It's been a looooong time, but it feels good. I've been stalling around, and making sure I get beat in public a LOT!! It's been 15 years, but some guys still recognize me.

A local guy who was stomping around giving the ROOM the last three is an old buddy of mine. After he cowed the whole place, he asked me to play some, just a friendly duel, after everyone else had left. He'd run over everyone with the last three, and I had just spread to a guy who he spots the last five!!!

I was soft selling my return, and he was feeling his oats, but an hour later I had won the set 11-6, so I have at least pieces of what I used to know.

As it is, I think I'm in for a break from shooting. The heat, economy and my situation have taken their toll. If I was shooting now, I would keep thinking about nationals and prep, and I can't let myself get into that mindset.

I'll check in from time to time, and catch a match once in a while, but it's time shooting slid to the back burner for a while.

[ChrisStock]

I thought you were bailing out for a spell. I need another kick-in-the-pants training class to get jump started now that I'm driving a pistol that runs all the time.

Keeping an eye on upcoming classes...

[Slabbie Shooter]

CFRPC Saturday was brutal. Hot and tough stages.

[Jay6]

Yup, Chris I've got the bug (again). I started out with a Meucci, but that firm "PING" hit of a piloted 5/16"-14 like a 'Bushka, Szamboti, Mottey, Scruggs or one my buddy in Daytona makes, just can't be beat.

I've been playing the ghost, and am finally getting to where he's in trouble on a tight 9 footer. It's been a looooong time, but it feels good. I've been stalling around, and making sure I get beat in public a LOT!! It's been 15 years, but some guys still recognize me.

A local guy who was stomping around giving the ROOM the last three is an old buddy of mine. After he cowed the whole place, he asked me to play some, just a friendly duel, after everyone else had left. He'd run over everyone with the last three, and I had just spread to a guy who he spots the last five!!!

I was soft selling my return, and he was feeling his oats, but an hour later I had won the set 11-6, so I have at least pieces of what I used to know.

As it is, I think I'm in for a break from shooting. The heat, economy and my situation have taken their toll. If I was shooting now, I would keep thinking about nationals and prep, and I can't let myself get into that mindset.

I'll check in from time to time, and catch a match once in a while, but it's time shooting slid to the back burner for a while.

Maybe you're right. Maybe this game is just for bangers. But everybody's doin it. If everybody's doin it, there's a lot a guys doin it. Lot a guys doin it, then only one can....be the best. Sorry I had to!

[dirtypool40]

That creepy little alien has fubar'd all the genre's of movies I used to love, Top Gun, Collateral, MI-3, and maybe worst..... Color of Money. There were lots of good bits to that movies though, and yes, I still watch it sometimes.

Wanna see Tom Cruise's character in real life? Look up Dennis Hatch vs. Buddy Hall in the 2001 US Open. Hatch looks just like "Vincent Lauria" and plays his ass off at 20 years old.