Three-peat. Hat Trick. 3 tournament wins in a row!

The good news is that I won the 8-ball tournament again, for the third time in a row, but the big news is that this last win was the big Quarterly tournament. Every 13 weeks the "ringers" come out of the woodwork, people you never see at the regular weekly tournament. They come for the glory, of course, but also the immortality: you get your name inscribed onto the plaque on the wall for all eternity. And they come for the big cash(ish) prize: a $20 gift certificate to the local pizza place. These shooters had a mean and hungry look.

This is about the 3rd big Quarterly tournament I've tried, and I gotta say it ain't easy. The people who play here are some seasoned vets. They don't rattle. They know what they are doing. They shoot straight. If you miss, they will run out on you. Period. And that's what happened to me today, after winning the last two weekly tournaments in a row, without losing a single game... an utterly perfect record... today I lose my first game by missing the ball before the 8 ball (a slim cut down the rail), and the dude (Paul E.) just completely runs his 7 balls and then sinks the 8, while I sit there feeling stupid. So, like I said. YOU CAN NOT MISS or you are toast.

That's a lot of pressure, of course, but there was a lot more pressure keeping up a perfect never-lost-a-single-game record like I had going the last two-plus weeks, so when I finally lost that game to Paul E. it was like a big weight lifted off my shoulders. (The Unbearable Weight of Perfection) I felt better, but I still had a big up-hill battle to win the tournament, so I had to stay focused.

Well, of course that's exactly what I did, never losing another game and now the name of "FastMikie McCafferty" will be inscribed on that plaque, that Pantheon of Heros, for all eternity. I drove home very carefully because I did not want to die before my immortality started: it will take a week or two before my name actually gets put on the plaque.

OK, three weeks in a row, and capped off with the big Quarterly tournament of immortality. Not bad, for sure, but I gotta be movin' on... this town's too small for me now, I gotta be checkin' out some fresh territory. These people need a break from me and I gotta be finding someplace where they aren't expecting me to win. I gotta find me a place with some tougher competition. NOT THAT THESE GUYS AREN'T TOUGH... like I said: you can not miss a ball with these dudes or they will run out on you.

But I need some fresh meat. I gotta be gearing up for the US Amateur championship.

In any case, I think I set a new personal best:
Undefeated for 15 matchups in a row. didn't lose a single game.
Won 22 of the last 23 matchups.
3 tournament wins in a row.

Now is the time to move on and try my hand with some of the other tournaments around town, I've been laying low too long. And, maybe, even some real practice! And some stright pool. I have a real need to shoot some straight pool and see if I can get me some new high runs.

I really need to set some new Goals and Plans for 2009, before it's over!

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