FORUM CLOSING ON 14th JANUARY

The Chin · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

RE: County Squad 2006

Milhouse · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

I think there will be a lot of games won and lost because of people "forgetting" the new rules, things like not hitting a cushion and loss of frames stuff.

This is one reason why playing a best of 3 would work, but like last year, if you are starting at 12 and finishing at 8 or 9, would you still be in the right frame of mind to be concentrating enough while you are playing ?

The Chin · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

They could reduce it from 3 losses and out to 2 losses and out.

With it being swiss system, you will only be playing someone on the same record as yourself so should still remain pretty fair.

This would reduce the numbers much quicker.

As the trials are on free tables people can't complain about not getting enough matches either.

What do you think Ming??

Cue_Isty · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

The Chin wrote:

Nathan said that you were interested in playing again this year Isty..... I take it from your last post, that isn't the case? Surely you would be confident of qualifying, whatever the format??

Well I mentioned I maybe up for a Pool weekender, 3 man, 7 man or something similar- (chance to get lashed up with a few Pool mates ) . But that's about as far as it goes.

I'm not as keen as I once used to be and have far too many other commitments/hobbies I would much rather do. And being a father of 3 young lads is very time consuming to say the least.

As far as qualifying goes - It wouldn't bother me what format they chose to run, I've never had any problems in the past ')">

This whole Oxfordshire County Pool trails thing seems pretty comical to me. I mean you will always get some muppets moaning about the rules or the tables or the format . And then you'll get a few good players, who will attend just to proove a point (that they're "county standard") grrrreeeat wow f**king wee! Then after that they don't turn up to the matches, clever c**ts. Now here's the best part , come half way through the season (summer time) you will struggle to to find a team and all the 5hitty players who didn't qualify are called back in, lol

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Milhouse wrote:

I think there will be a lot of games won and lost because of people "forgetting" the new rules, things like not hitting a cushion and loss of frames stuff. This is one reason why playing a best of 3 would work, but like last year, if you are starting at 12 and finishing at 8 or 9, would you still be in the right frame of mind to be concentrating enough while you are playing ?

Well as someone who played in the last match in last year's trials I can say it was long hard day but that's got to be part of the game. It needs to be arranged carefully to ensure that a player who is good enough to qualify doesn't fail just because he's having a bad day and doesn't get enough opportunity to demonstrate he's good enough. (I hope that makes sense)

I had a shocker last year at the trials but the system allowed me enough chances (just) to get the last place in the squad. If it had been best of one I probably wouldn't have qualified.

Once in the squad winning 9/9 in the first 3 matches justified my inclusion I hope!

The Pool Shark · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Cue_Isty wrote:

Now here's the best part , come half way through the season (summer time) you will struggle to to find a team and all the 5hitty players who didn't qualify are called back in, lol

That was the bad old days, Isty. Never happened in the three years I was helping steer the ship - granted, you get the odd player drop out, or the odd waste of space like James Thorpe, but in the main those that started, finished. And there were never any Sunday morning phone calls to mates!

I think ideally best of 3 should be the case, but two losses and you're out could be harsh, as depending on the draw you could still play a top player! I'm just gonna bring enough money so I can nip over Argos for a sleeping bag if things drag out too much!

-- Edited by The Pool Shark at 12:47, 2006-03-16

The Chin · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

Cue_Isty wrote:

This whole Oxfordshire County Pool trails thing seems pretty comical to me. I mean you will always get some muppets moaning about the rules or the tables or the format . And then you'll get a few good players, who will attend just to proove a point (that they're "county standard") grrrreeeat wow f**king wee! Then after that they don't turn up to the matches, clever c**ts. Now here's the best part , come half way through the season (summer time) you will struggle to to find a team and all the 5hitty players who didn't qualify are called back in, lol

The people that you are on about here Isty aren't the people that the County Organisation should want in the team anyway. It is an OPEN trial though, so you can't really stop them turning up.

To be honest, what you have described above is exactly the same as how it was when you were playing county (even World Rules County).

You can't blame people for wanting to try and get a decent county squad together though.

If everyone gave up trying, there wouldn't be any local pool. And that would mean I wouldn't get to kick your ass in the singles final......

Beefy · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

The Chin wrote:

One frame?? that's crap. Luckiest player qualifies then........ is that how you got in Hollis???:

I qualified with 5 out of 5 in 2004 and went on to retain my place my reaching the qualification points 5th and similarly last year in 4th place so there must be a little more to it than luck and whacking the ball after all you didn't get 30 points this year - only joking.

FTR I can't remember all 5 matches but my record was 5 wins ZERO losses in the trials in 2004. (I also played Julian Price and Paul Watson)

I personally think the trials should be in the same format as the county games as thats the format you are being selected to play in.

Lets face it in a best of 3 your opponents rattles the black for example some people might go for a clearance that is only 50/50 because they know they have two more frames in county you don't you get ONE so you have to make it count.

The Sunday Abingdon league is a similar system to county two legs of 6 single frames - I seem to play better in one frame matches may be I fall foul of the paragraph above in best of 3's. I don't concentrate on winning the first as much as I should because I know there is still two more frames if I win the second.

I personally think the trials should follow the England system and it sounds like for once they will with the break dish rule being brought in. I still think that maybe the swiss system with one framers but lose 4 and your out would give people more chance.

The more frames played the more chance people have for the run of the balls to even out - except in a few rare cases.

Beefy · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Cue_Isty wrote:

And then you'll get a few good players, who will attend just to proove a point (that they're "county standard") grrrreeeat wow f**king wee! Then after that they don't turn up to the matches, clever c**ts.

Yes you are right on this one but what I would say is more likely is that they would throw the vital game which is equally as annoying to the people thay have beat.

I think if you qualify and then don't play without a valid reason you not be allowed to trial for the next 2 years - that would stop all this its a day of free pool attitude.

Now here's the best part , come half way through the season (summer time) you will struggle to to find a team and all the 5hitty players who didn't qualify are called back in, lol

That has not happened for the last two years so why should it start happeneing now. We may not have the best players in the county playing but those that play seem to have commitment and and team spirit which is better in my opinion.

-- Edited by Beefy at 13:11, 2006-03-16

Beefy · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Barney wrote:

Once in the squad winning 9/9 in the first 3 matches justified my inclusion I hope!

It did but they were against Wiltshire, Hampshire and Berkshire C which are the three weakest teams. The real test in the B's section is playing Brkshire B who usually win it year in year out and who won the overall national finals the year before.

You got the lucky task of playing Berkshire A on the back of that record and lost all 3 which is no disgrace either.

Will be interesting to see how Berkshire's stength is this year after the rumoured split into two counties.

Beefy · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

The Pool Shark wrote:

I'm just gonna bring enough money so I can nip over Argos for a sleeping bag if things drag out too much! -- Edited by The Pool Shark at 12:47, 2006-03-16

Should be alright on that one as Ming and I are not playing !

Cue_Isty · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

The Chin wrote:

The people that you are on about here Isty aren't the people that the County Organisation should want in the team anyway. It is an OPEN trial though, so you can't really stop them turning up. To be honest, what you have described above is exactly the same as how it was when you were playing county (even World Rules County). You can't blame people for wanting to try and get a decent county squad together though.

Hey I'm just stating my views, clearly you boys enjoy playing County pool and fair play, but not for me thank you.

The Chin wrote:

If everyone gave up trying, there wouldn't be any local pool. And that would mean I wouldn't get to kick your ass in the singles final......

LOL if I make it to the final it will be a achievement in it self. A regular Pool chav like yourself shouldn't have any problems beating a old once a week'er like me

Milhouse · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

Beefy wrote:

It did but they were against Wiltshire, Hampshire and Berkshire C which are the three weakest teams. The real test in the B's section is playing Brkshire B who usually win it year in year out and who won the overall national finals the year before. You got the lucky task of playing Berkshire A on the back of that record and lost all 3 which is no disgrace either. Will be interesting to see how Berkshire's stength is this year after the rumoured split into two counties.

Depends who he played in the Berkshire A games ?

MING · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

Well it's nice to know that a few of you will be turning up for the AGM! To have the trials using best of 3 matches last year didn't in my opinion get us a better side that if they'd been 1 frame. The time/number of tables is always a factor in these trials. As for Lee's comment on having a bad day, do we change the date of county matches because someone's having a bad day, no! Anyway, with the swiss system whether it's out after losing 3, 4, 5 frames, if you lost your 1st 2 frames you should be playing a muppet who's also lost 2 frames. So if you can't beat him, do you deserve a place in the team? Also, with all frames using the lag for break, you can't complain about never winning the toss.

Luckylewis · Even if you beat me I’m STILL THE BEST ;-)

Beefy wrote:

I don't concentrate on winning the first as much as I should because I know there is still two more frames.

Unlike Mr. MING on Monday when he DIDN’T concentrate on the second frame either.

Luckylewis · Even if you beat me I’m STILL THE BEST ;-)

The Chin wrote:

If everyone gave up trying, there wouldn't be any local pool. And that would mean I wouldn't get to kick your ass in the singles final......

Luckylewis · Even if you beat me I’m STILL THE BEST ;-)

Cue_Isty wrote:

if I make it to the final it. A regular Pool chav like yourself shouldn't have any problems beating a old once a week'er like me

Has nobody read the 2006 script.

The Pool Shark · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

Luckylewis wrote:

Cue_Isty wrote:
if I make it to the final it. A regular Pool chav like yourself shouldn't have any problems beating a old once a week'er like me

Has nobody read the 2006 script.

Aren't you still in it, Malc?

Luckylewis · Even if you beat me I’m STILL THE BEST ;-)

The Pool Shark wrote:

Aren't you still in it, Malc?

The Pool Shark · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

I thought that's what you were getting at!

Luckylewis · Even if you beat me I’m STILL THE BEST ;-)

The Pool Shark wrote:

I thought that's what you were getting at!

Milhouse · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

MING wrote:

Well it's nice to know that a few of you will be turning up for the AGM! To have the trials using best of 3 matches last year didn't in my opinion get us a better side that if they'd been 1 frame. The time/number of tables is always a factor in these trials. As for Lee's comment on having a bad day, do we change the date of county matches because someone's having a bad day, no! Anyway, with the swiss system whether it's out after losing 3, 4, 5 frames, if you lost your 1st 2 frames you should be playing a muppet who's also lost 2 frames. So if you can't beat him, do you deserve a place in the team? Also, with all frames using the lag for break, you can't complain about never winning the toss.

.........But then you can start complaining about never winning the lag..............

sir_ramrod · Regular Poster (Wins the toss)

The Chin wrote:

I made the comments in the interest of getting the best players possible into the squad. How do people trialing feel??

I think as well as someone forgetting a rule and thus losing a frame/match (which you can argue is their own fault) the single frame format will produce a certain amount of pressure to perform in that frame which may produce some errors that would not normally occur, i know that county is played to a single frame format but at least you have other frames, and on a really bad day, matches to redeem yourself, as opposed to the strike 2 and your out system that will be enforced.

The Chin · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

Luckylewis wrote:

The Pool Shark wrote: Aren't you still in it, Malc?

at the moment.......

Pool Chav Isty??? "That be well outa order, init!!"

Milhouse · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

sir_ramrod wrote:

I think as well as someone forgetting a rule and thus losing a frame/match (which you can argue is their own fault) the single frame format will produce a certain amount of pressure to perform in that frame which may produce some errors that would not normally occur,

But if that is the case, how are you going to perform during the county matches that are also 1 frame ?

i know that county is played to a single frame format but at least you have other frames, and on a really bad day, matches to redeem yourself, as opposed to the strike 2 and your out system that will be enforced.

Not necessarily as you might be dropped after your loss in the county match!

MING · Ultimate Poster (2-0 up in a best of 7)

sir_ramrod wrote:

as opposed to the strike 2 and your out system that will be enforced.

nice to see that everyone thinks they know the format of the trials, not? Isn't "Strike" a term used in baseball? Everything will depend on numbers attending, tables available, time etc. If over 32 players attend then it most certainly won't be best of 3.

Better bring your A, B & C games, anything else, stay in bed suckers. And....................hey! 1 frames easy. If the Emperor can get over 80% during the season and at the Finals?

Barney · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

That's true, we all know how rubbish Ming is.

The Chin · Senior Poster (Pots off the break)

Wasn't too good in his first game last night............... all he could do is stand and watch as one of the students broke-dished him!!........... he made up for it in the other two though!!

Beefy · Ultimate Poster (Breaks off in decider)

The Chin wrote:

Wasn't too good in his first game last night............... all he could do is stand and watch as one of the students broke-dished him!!........... he made up for it in the other two though!!

I bet the student was learning all about angles in the next two and wished he had a pertractor and set squares to help him escapes mings traps.