Pool Cue News and Review

I’m a fan of Jasmin just like everyone else (an not just because she’s smokin’ hot), but saying that her game is slipping is an understatement.  In the last WPBA event, Jasmin lost in the second round and then again in the third round to players that she honestly should have beaten.  Two years ago at the BCA 9 Ball Tournament, I watched her tear through everyone, but since then she’s been very beatable.  As hot athletes go, she’s beginning to look a lot more like Anna Kournikova than Maria Sharapova and questions are starting to be asked if she’s just a flash in the pan.

She did have a nice run in the Women’s World Championships, but its still just another Top 5 finish.  My opinion - she’s got Michelle Wie Syndrome.  She read too many of her clippings, spread herself too thin and as a result, can’t even come close to making it to the TV round for the first WPBA event.  We’ll see what happens in Charlotte this June, but you really have to question whether or not she should be grouped in the same company as players like Allison Fisher, Karen Corr and Ga Young Kim.

…Does that mean it actually exists? That is the burning question with the vaporware otherwise known as “9-Ball”. Not that anyone actually cares about this anymore, but according to a recent press release from Main Street Productions, this trainwreck is actually scheduled to start shooting principal photography at Universal Studios in June. In a move to further doom this flick to laughable, the production company has cast three more pro pool players to join “stars” Jennifer Barretta and Jennifer Layne Park. I totally can’t wait to see Feral Girl #2 from The Hoax in a leading role.

So here’s the latest for those keeping score: Number of actual actors in this movie - 1 (sort of). The movie appears to also have an exec producer on board although Ralph Clemente has never produced a movie you’ve ever heard of.

Seriously, does anyone actually care about this movie? I’m posting about it because I’m an ass, not because I have any actual interest in seeing this movie. I really don’t get the whole Jennifer Barretta thing to begin with, but I guess I’m in the minority on that one, at least in the pool biz. So, for all you looking forward to this flick, here are some rough cut shots of what to expect from this gem (assuming it ever gets finished).

So this is kind of interesting. I was wasting time digging around in Google Patents and amongst the giant pile of things that will never be developed was a patent for a new shaft from Steve Titus, the Predator 314 guy. Could it be that the future of Predator is… a composite shaft??? The shaft features a wood core and composite skin described in the patent application as a carbon fiber or epoxy. The patent also refers to one of Predator’s key patents in their 314 shaft, so there’s really very little doubt that we’re looking at a potential Predator product.

According to the application, “the very light core combined with the extremely strong composite skin allow the billiard cue shaft to be very stiff where required without being too heavy and very light in areas where low mass is most critical for maximum performance while maintaining adequate stiffness”. This is interesting, but the real question is how is the thing actually going to feel. There’s a big difference in feel when you look at a wood shaft versus a composite or even a wood/composite hybrid shaft. One could speculate that the feel is what is holding development of the shaft up, as the the patent was awarded almost 2 years ago. At any rate, its an interesting read.

I don’t know what to say. I’m just so proud of my 3 faithful readers that you took part in creating the train wreck that will be the upcoming IPT challenge match. For those who haven’t seen it yet, the honorary fourth member of Hanson, Austin Murphy, has been selected by you “the fans” to play Efren Reyes. Now some of you might think this is just a mean way to set up a kid full of hopes and dreams. A kid with visions of barely scraping out a living playing pool once he gets old enough to go on the road and hustle suckers out of their dough. It really isn’t though.

As far as I’m concerned, this is a win/win. Austin gets to play against one of the greatest players of all time in Efren Reyes. The kid gets some exposure and good experience, Efren gets $5k and the IPT ends up laying a monster egg, as no one is really going to watch this (except friends and family of course).

This is gonna get ugly. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a score along the lines of 15-3 come April 29th.  Part of me would really like to watch it, but because I hate all things Kevin Trudeau, I’ll have to read about it on the AZ Billiards forum. I’m sure there will be someone from there willing to sit through 3 hours of pool shot in what looks like Freddy Kruger’s boiler room watching on a 17″ monitor.

So I finally got myself a new tip tool last week and all I can say is that my Atrox tool has been supplanted. I dug the Atrox because it was pretty versatile, but the problem was the thing was so damn bulky. The Atrox was fine for a while, but ultimately I had to trade her in for something with a little less junk in the trunk.

Honestly, the Atrox is so damn bulky that more often than not, I left the thing at home and just used my Tip Pik and a Cue Cube. But now thanks to my new My new favorite tool, Cuetec Bowtie 3-in-1 tool, I can leave all that crap at home.

The tool is really everything you need. It’s got a shaper on one side, a scuffer on the other and when you open it up, you’ll find a nice little “aerator” (fancy talk for poking holes in your tip). The best part about it though… no more puncture wounds in my leg. Ever since I lost the cap for my Tip Pik, I’ve just been gouging the hell out of my thigh. In all seriousness, if you play regularly, you should really crack open your wallet and drop a Jackson to get one of these.