Cutest Cueists - Shanelle Loraine

One of the highlights of my attendance at last week's pool school in Jacksonville Florida was having a nice long lunch-time conversation with Shanelle Loraine. I was already seated at the long table, as were most of the other 20 students, instructors, vendors, and others, but as luck would have it, there was an empty chair next to me, and that's when Shanelle Loraine walked in with Charlie Williams, the organizer/promoter of the school, and he seats her next to me. How lucky can a guy get?

She's got a great personality which will help her rocket to celebrity status soon enough.

When you meet Shanelle, ask about her time as a 4-H member, and her times working in the cigar store with the Harley Davidson pool table in the back room. You are not likely to hear this stuff in the news stories about her game and her pool history. But here is an interview of Shanelle Loraine by another of my Cutest Cueists, Samm Diep.

Check out Shanelle Loraine's website.

(top)

Cutest Cueists - Samm "Cherry Bomb" Diep

What is the definition of "cute"? Wikipedia has this to say. Webster's dictionary defines it this way. My definition looks like this:

Samm ("Cherry Bomb") Diep

Any list of Cutest Cueists is incomplete without Samm. Don't let her good looks fool you; she's a fierce competitor, and a winner!

The best part is that Samm's a total sweetie and a good friend.

But wait, there's more!

Samm has a web store where you can get some UNIQUE billiard items, (Samm's Side Pocket Productions) and a personal blog, and a pool tips blog (The Tip Jar), and she teaches pool, does player interviews for InsidePool magazine, and even found time for this Sexy Tie video!

(top)

Cutest Cueists - Jeanette Lee

Jeanette Lee ("The Black Widow")

OF COURSE Jeanette Lee belongs on the list of Cutest Cueists. She's great looking, got a fun personality, an outstanding pool shooter, totally dedicated to the game, and she even plays straight pool (14.1). Ok, she's married, and a mom, but she's still drop-dead gorgeous.

I played some 9-ball with her a couple of years ago at the WPBA tournament at Viejas Casino, outside San Diego. It was a pro-am thing, just for fun, and boy did she have fun sharking me. I'm lining up a table length thin cut and she puts her face down on the rail, right in line with the shot. How the heck am I supposed to shoot that way? I guess I can't complain; all the money went to charity.

There's not much to say about Jeanette that hasn't already been said, and she's got the most famous face in pool today. If you want more neat photos, check out her new website. When you get there, be sure to click on "For My Fans" and sign up for access to the special bonus material.

Totally babelicious!

(top)

Cutest cueists: Anastasia Luppova

I just ran across this photo in a list of "The 100 Hottest Sports Pics Ever" (link).  Here's how she is described in that list:

"She may be known as Miss Billiards 2009, but Russian sensation Anastasia Luppova doesn't need a resume to attract the camera.

While she can clearly work the pockets, it's Luppova's beauty that garners respect."

I haven't met her, but she could play on my table anytime...

From the size of the balls in the photo, she must be playing Russian pool.

This is just the latest in my series featuring "Cutest Cueists".  To see the others, click here, and enjoy!

(top)

Cutest Cueists: Jamilra

Jamilra and Jeanette

Maybe it's just me, but the photo above gets me thinking that I'd like to see more of this in pool:  a top ranked player like Jeanette Lee (on the right) teaching a young newbie.  

Jamilra is her name.  She's supposed to be a "top Uzbekistan fashion model" according to the Dragon Promotions press release from the Second Annual Showdown in Seoul Korea. However, when I Googled "Jamilra", I could find almost nothing. except for these yummy images.

I want to thank Charlie Williams of Dragon Promotions for showing us the way, and for Jeanette Lee for her leadership and good example.  It makes me want to find a young, impressionable newbie just like Jamilra and teach her everything I know, and even some things about pool.  I'm thinking I might start looking in Uzbekistan...

For photos and info on my other "cutest cueists" hit parade, click here.  Enjoy!

(top)

Cutest Cueists - Jennifer Chen

Jennifer ("China Doll") Chen

A no-brainer for the list of Cutest Cueists is WPBA's Jennifer Chen. She has been one of my favorites for a long time. This morning I watched her TV match against Allison Fisher in the 2001 San Diego WPBA tournament. She won 7-6 in the semi-finals, after winning against Allison earlier.

This was the first time anyone had beaten Allison twice in the same tournament, up to that time.

Click here for her WPBA profile.

Click here for more Jen Chen photos.

(top)

Cutest Cueists - Rachael Abbink

In the world of pool, you can either play or watch. Sometimes, I like to watch, and when I do watch, it's always more fun if the watchee is easy on the eyes.

In a new series of blog posts, I'll create a personal scrapbook of some of the Cutest Cueists (Cue-ettes? Cuelings?).

Here's the first, and the one who got me thinking about this project.  Why?  I love redheads!

Rachael Abbink

(top)

Cutest Cueists - Loree Jon Jones

Loree Jon Jones

There's so much that has already been said and published about Loree Jon Jones (aka "Queen of the Hill"), that there is very little I could add to her story. Well, there is that time I beat her 2 out of 3 games in 9-ball, with my 45 year old pool cue, and asked her to verify it in writing on her publicity photo handout (shown above). Read the whole story, click here.

What I remember most about spending some time with her is that she is a real classy lady, and has a great fun personality. And, of course, she's as great looking in person as she is in her publicity photos. Check out this excellent shot from her website:



I think Loree needs a new publicist. When you use Google Images for Loree's photo, the first two images you get are the one at the very top of this blog entry, the one from my website, not hers! That's just not right. In fact, her website doesn't show at all on the first page of images. And even if you Google for her website, it doesn't show at all on the first page of results, but my site is there, with the link to the story I mentioned. So, Loree, if you get a break from chasing after those young kids of yours, and read this, you need a better publicist who is up to speed on search engine optimization!

But maybe, if you're as cute as she is, you don't need no stinkin' search engine optimization...

Check out the Loree Jon Jones official website. When you get there, check out the tip on the pool cue in the photo on the top right of the page. Is it just me, or is that cue tip totally flat? What's up with that?

You could shoot with a broomstick, Loree Jon, and you'd still be great.

(top)

The Finest Rack in All The Land

Look what I got for my birthday!

Samm "Cherry Bomb" Diep is a great friend and a charter member of my list of Cutest Cueists. She shoots lights-out, she's a really nice person, and a lot of fun, so when she "guerrilla invited" herself to spend a few days at the legendary FastMikie's Fun House to shoot some pool, hit the beach, and other assorted amusements, I said Yes in a hurry.

Little did I know that she would come bearing gifts, the best of which was this most awesome Delta-13 rack, customized with "FastMikie's Fun House" on two sides and the Five Star logo featured on the front of the Mikie's Fun House t-shirts (awarded only to the very best Friends of the Fun House).

This rack is the best I have ever used. Solid aluminum and amazingly accurate, it seems as if the balls just want to align into a perfect formation without any help. It's effortless!

Thanks, Samm, you're the best!



(Samm Diep, aka The Cherry Bomb)

(top)

Cutest Cueists - Hydred Makabali

Hydred Makabali

Hydred was my first loss in a non-APA tournament. All you have to do is look at her photo, and you can easily see why I couldn't focus on my game.

It was at On Cue Billiards in La Mesa, CA, a couple of years ago. I hadn't yet learned to tune out everything except the shot at hand. (Will I ever learn to do that completely?)

There is something that happens at the primitive level, something hard-wired, almost impossible to ignore; it is a power so great that guys become idiots.

I'm reminded of that song Chantilly Lace by the Big Bopper:

"Ain't nothing in the world like a big eyed girl
To make me act so funny, make me spend my money
Make me feel real loose like a long necked goose
Like a--oh baby, that's a-what I like!

Of course, mentally, rationally, I am all for women being able to shoot pool against the men, and I agree that they should be able to play as well as the best of the men, and that they are equal under the Constitution of the US (as amended), but they do possess some magical powers we men do not comprehend, and are powerless to combat. However, "vive la difference"!

Click here for more stories and photos of Hydred.

(top)