Seminole Tribe 10-Ball Season Final at the Hard Rock Hotel in Fort Lauderdale

2008-02-09T03:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! How are you? I hope fine. Let me update you what happened the last month.

In December I was playing the Seminole Tribe 10-ball Season Final. Its also known as the Steve Mizerak Championships, at the Hard Rock Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The format was 10-ball winner break, rack your own. I like that. And if the 10-ball goes to bottom two pockets it doesn't count, it spots up but it qualifies as a pocketed ball on the break.

I started out pretty good winning the first match against Johnny Archer 8-0!!!! I really used every opportunity well against Archer while he wasn't on his A-game. He had 3-4 unforced errors which can explain the deficit. As it turned out it was a tough draw.I had to play Thorsten Hohmann right after and lost to him. This time I didn't play bad but it was Thorsten that really played well. He edged me out 8-4. The next match on one-loss side was tough, but I won. The following day I was all business as I started with Charlie Hill-Billy Bryant and beat him 7-1. I pretty much played a perfect game and came with some tough shots and good safeties to keep the pressure. After that I won over Helena Thornfeldt, then Tony Crosby. Then I had to pay Archer again as he had made his way through the one-loss side all the way from the 1-round loss. I was again up 5-0 when Archer finally won a game. I still ended up winning 7-1, so it was little if any consolation for him.

Meanwhile Thorsten and Rodney Morris were battling for the "hot seat" (winners bracket finalists play for a spot in the finals). It was a lot of drama as both players had chances to run out on hill-hill. Thorsten came short on his jacked-up stroke for the 8-ball and thus just gave "Rocket" the match.

So Thorsten goes to loser side to face me again. He usually plays really well against me so naturally I had to come with some good stuff for this one. I started out good and was able to keep the pressure this time. I finally beat Thorsten after he beat me many times in a row. Score 8-1.

The next stepping stone would be Louis Ulrich on Sunday. Although Ulrich had a good set, I controlled the end result with an 8-5 concluding score, sending Ulrich home in fourth place and moving on into the semi-finals against Deuel. Against Deuel it seemed like I was cruising to a win again when I made a critical error when score was 5-3 in my favor. I was on a really good lay-out after making a lot of tough shots. I just had this simple 8,9 and 10 left but I rushed the shot. So what could have been a 6-3lead turned into a nightmare as Corey Deuel was able to turn tables on me. It's weird how sometimes the "luck turns". So Corey beat me 8-5, and I had to settle with 3rd place.

After that Rodney was victorious in the final 9-7 over Corey. It was a nailbiter, but in the end I think Rodney really deserved it. He had played a strong tournament not losing to anyone.

After the finals Seminole tribe showed their compiled images and video of Steve Mizerak on a slideshow. I was honored to see again some footage of one of the greatest pool players that ever lived. He was a true gentleman and I am proud to say I knew him and was able to play straight pool and 9-ball against him in his later career. He will never be forgotten.

Despite not winning the tournament I was proud to have given it a good fight winning against a long line of champions in the one-loss side.I just need to now focus on getting my pace figured out as I do not want to miss simple shots like that again.

Mika's Blog

Seminole Tribe 10-Ball Season Final at the Hard Rock Hotel in Fort Lauderdale