Profile and Game Reports for Mike

Match #2 vs Mulligan's 2, 10/16/05, Tri-Cup (Secaucus), Fall '05
Mike (SL5) lost 2 - 5 against Jake S. (SL7)

Match #1 vs Al's Mob; Bayonne; NJ, 10/15/05, Tri-Cup (Secaucus), Fall '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 0 against Frank McG. (SL4)

Match #15 vs Be Rude Not 2, 08/31/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) lost 2 - 3 against Fred A. (SL4)

Match #14 vs Stone Shooters, 08/17/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 3 against Jeff Z. (SL5)

Match #13 vs Mulligan's 2, 08/10/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against Duane P. (SL4)

Match #11 vs Mulligan's, 07/27/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 3 against James Hus. (SL5)

Match #10 vs Average Joe's, 07/20/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 5 - 0 against Jessica L. (SL2)

Match #9 vs Crazy 8's, 07/13/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) lost 3 - 2 against Aldo C. (SL3)

Match #8 vs Nice Rack, 07/06/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 0 against David H. (SL4)

Match #6 vs 2's and 3's, 06/22/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 5 - 1 against Elizabeth Z. (SL2)

Match #1 vs Mulligan's, 06/12/05, Gold-Cup (Secaucus), '04-'05
Mike (SL5) lost 3 - 3 against Amy M. (SL4)

Match #4 vs Rascals, 06/08/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 3 against Francis M. (SL5)

Match #2 vs Mulligan's 2, 05/25/05, Wednesday League, Summer '05
Mike (SL5) won 3 - 1 against Jake (SL7)

Match #17 vs Rascals, 05/04/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 2 against Matt H. (SL4)

Match #15 vs Stone Shooters, 04/20/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) lost 1 - 1 against Jeff Z. (SL5)

Match #14 vs Be Rude Not 2, 04/13/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) lost 1 - 4 against Jeff D. (SL5)

Match #18 vs Crazy 8's, 04/11/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) lost 3 - 2 against Aldo C. (SL3)

Match #13 vs Iron Pickle, 04/06/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 0 against Pinkney D. (SL4)

Match #12 vs Crazy 8's, 03/30/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 3 against Dan R. (SL5)

Match #10 vs McSwiggan's, 03/16/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) lost 0 - 5 against Mick McE. (SL6)

Match #8 vs Nice Rack, 03/02/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against #4 (SL4)

Match #5 vs Mulligan's 2, 02/09/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) lost 1 - 4 against Steve F. (SL5)

Match #3 vs Rascals, 01/26/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against Danny G. (SL4)

Match #2 vs Mulligan's 2, 01/19/05, Wednesday League, Spring '05
Mike (SL5) lost 0 - 4 against Steven F (SL5)

Match #18 vs Mulligan's, 01/05/05, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 0 against (SL5)
This was an absolutely huge match as Mulligans tried to press home their 1-0 advantage by putting up arguably their most talented player. They didn't count on two things though, the first was the fact that their guy seemed to be playing to win 4-0 inside 10 minutes and the second was Mike! Looking odds on to win the first rack, their man scratched and with ball in hand Mike ran his last three balls to leave and nervelessly make a tricky 8 ball for the lead. Rack two returned a little of the luck that deserted Lori as an 8 scratch put Mike 2-0 ahead and the last two racks never looked in doubt. A fantastic win from a player that seems to save his best for the big games.

Match #17 vs McSwiggan's, 12/20/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against (SL5)
It took Mike a couple of racks to get going and in fairness he could have found himself 1-2 behind. Instead, with a couple of breaks he was 2-1 ahead and never looked back. The eight ball run out in rack four was fantastic and needing just one more rack, he looked unbeatable. Sure enough, Mike clinched his hill rack at the first attempt for an absolutely vital win. Well played Mike.

Match #16 vs Mulligan's, 12/15/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) lost 0 - 2 against (SL3)
This was about as poor a display of form that we've ever seen from Mike and coupled with an excellent performance from his opponent meant a second defeat of the night. Mike had shots on the 8 ball before his opponent in both racks but his recent form eluded him.

Match #15 vs Stone Shooters, 12/08/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 2 against (SL4)

Match #13 vs Iron Pickle, 11/24/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against (SL4)
At 1-1 things we're beginning to look like it wasn't to be our night. Against a good opponent, Mike had to rely on his superior defensive play to get himself through for a win. Most notably, refusing a number of simple shots in rack 4 to play an awesome full ball snooker and get the advantage of ball in hand. Unfortunately, with ball in hand Mike managed to secure the worst shot of the night award by missing the 5 ball along a short cushion! It proved academic.

Match #11 vs Kellys, 11/10/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 2 against (SL4)
This was a mix of the sublime and the awful from Mike although in truth he never looked like losing and the hill / hill rack was comfortable. A special mention for the memorable rack when Mike looked odds on for a break and run following an astonishing kick to make his final stripe.... ....only to miss what appeared to be an easy 8 ball! Definitely a shot of the night contender though.

Match #10 vs McSwiggan's, 11/03/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) lost 3 - 3 against (SL4)
This was probably the best I've seen from Mike's opponent but in truth Mike took a while to get going. Some fantastic potting in rack one meant Mike was faced with a deficit early but having been given a 'gift' in rack two it seemed like Mike could only go on from there. Not so, the third rack went against Mike to leave him in his customary position of needing three racks to win and although he took it to a decider Mike unfortunately fell just short. I'll have nightmares about the one ball hanging over the top pocket in the hill-hill rack!

Match #9 vs Mulligan's, 10/27/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) lost 0 - 4 against (SL5)

Match #8 vs Nice Rack, 10/20/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 0 against (SL4)
Not much to say apart from the fact that Mike kept up his excellent recent form. The match was never in doubt.

Match #5 vs Mulligan's 2, 09/29/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) lost 1 - 2 against (SL3)
After his weekend heroics, our man of the moment just had nothing left to give against a very good SL3. Watching his opponent run the final 4 balls in the first rack pretty much set the tone for Mike! Contender for worst shot of the night has to be Mike's miscue of the white to give his opponent ball in hand and run the table in rack 1.

Match #3 vs Ismus B My Lucky Day, 09/26/04, Tri-Cup (Secaucus), Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 0 against (SL4)

Match #1 vs Good Times, 09/25/04, Tri-Cup (Secaucus), Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 3 - 0 against (SL7)
Way to go in the last frame -- 8-ball on the break!

Match #3 vs Rascals, 09/15/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 3 against (SL5)
The Rascals threw up Danny (5) against me and I proceeded to play some appalling pool missing shots and leaving myself snookered each time I made a ball. Meanwhile Danny was playing very well and I was quickly in a 3-0 hole. I continued to play horribly at the start of each rack but made some decent clearances when faced with elimination in racks 4,5 and 6 to take it to 3-3. At that point it would have been unbelievably rude not 2 win and I rescued some self respect with a good final rack.

Match #2 vs Stone Shooters, 09/08/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) lost 3 - 2 against (SL3)
Although Mike dropped the first rack, I still couldn't see him losing the match and after battling back to hill-hill that's the way it was looking. A couple of very lucky leaves by his opponent never left him with a shot at his final stripe and the match was gone. Worst shot of the night... ...missing the 9 ball with ball in hand and only one stripe and the 8 ball left on the table - doh!

Match #1 vs Be Rude Not 2, 09/01/04, Wednesday League, Fall '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against (SL5)
Without doubt one of the best performances we've seen from Mike... ...he just never looked like losing. Confidently striding round the table and playing with complete fluency Mike strolled into a 3-0 lead against a very good SL5 and closed the match out soon after dropping the fourth rack.

Match #15 vs Severe Arthritis, 08/25/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against (SL3)
Although the first three racks were close, Mike was good value for a 3-0 lead. The real story of the match however was in the last two racks where Mike followed perhaps one of the worst racks in his life with one of the best and certainly his best this season. Hill-hill his opponent broke in the final rack and never got another shot. An absolutely fantastic clearance from Mike calmed our nerves, his own nerves, and set the standard for the night.

Match #13 vs Severe Arthritis, 08/11/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) lost 2 - 3 against (SL4)

Match #10 vs 8th Street Tavern, 07/21/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 5 - 1 against (SL2)
Although Mike got to the 8 ball first in rack one his opponent managed to snatch it and was clearly a bandit SL2. From that moment on, needing 5 straight racks to win, Mike played an awesome match that in my mind was the foundation for the overall team performance last night - absolutely fantastic. In doing so, he also staged his own shot of the night competition: [ul] [li]Rack one: with two stripes left on the table and being slightly out of position Mike banked his penultimate ball across the table and between his last remaining ball and an opponents ball for a perfect pot and leave.[/li] [li]Rack 6: again, looking slightly out of position Mike cooly slotted a long green (frozen to the orange) the length of the table with perfect position.[/li] [li]Rack 6: at hill / hill and with each player having two balls left on the table, Mike refused a tricky pot with no position to lay a perfect snooker. It was a relatively simple shot in concept but the execution was all about pace and it was perfect![/li] [/ul]

Shot Of The Night: Mike, rack one: with two stripes left on the table and being slightly out of position Mike banked his penultimate ball across the table and between his last remaining ball and an opponents ball for a perfect pot and leave.

Shot Of The Night: Mike, rack 6: again, looking slightly out of position Mike cooly slotted a long green (frozen to the orange) the length of the table with perfect position.

Shot Of The Night: Mike, rack 6: at hill / hill and with each player having two balls left on the table, Mike refused a tricky pot with no position to lay a perfect snooker. It was a relatively simple shot in concept but the execution was all about pace and it was perfect!. Darren (well, I like defense!)

Match #8 vs O'Donoghues IV, 07/07/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) lost 1 - 3 against (SL4)
An 8 break in the first rack got us all excited that this would be the trend of the match... ...alas it was not to be and although each rack was hard fought, Mike's opponent just had that little extra run of the ball. Rack 3 when Mike potted his 3 ball in the side pocket only for the white to nestle against the only stripe on the table and cover the 8 ball hanging in the pocket still makes me cringe!.

Shot Of The Night: For the second week running it has to be Mike Spurr on the basis the one shot 8 break won the rack.

Match #7 vs Nice Rack, 06/30/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 1 against (SL4)
A never-in-doubt win for Mike. Some very clinical run-outs with three or four balls left gave Mike a reasonably unassailable 3-0 lead and although a very good six ball run won the fourth rack for his opponent, it was really only a consolation. Two shots spring to mind here. The first was the fantastic defense in rack two where with 2 tricky pots on Mike was conscious that his opponent only had three balls left himself so played a 'stun' on his 9 ball to leave the cue ball frozen against the black and a full ball snooker. His opponent missed, Mike had ball in hand and the rack was over. The other shot was the amazing fluked 4 ball in rack 5 that hit the middle knuckle, came back off the top cushion and dropped in the opposite middle off the black. A good fluke in itself but even better considering that the black itself was set up perfectly for an easy close out.

Shot Of The Night: For me it was definitely Mike's 'stun' on the 9 ball to leave the cue ball frozen against the black and a full ball snooker.

Match #5 vs Ramrod, 06/16/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 5 - 1 against (SL2)
For a moment I thought I had cursed the team by arriving just in time to see the first dropped rack of the night! As it was, it made no difference and Mike cruised to victory. Shot of the match was Mike's fantastic defensive shot what he put the white right up against the black in the final rack.

Shot Of The Night: With the two matches that I saw it has to be Mike's defensive shot in the final rack of his match. Tucked the white ball right up behind the 8 ball and left his opponent no chance (although he did make a good attempt at hitting his final ball).

Match #4 vs Any Given Wednesday, 06/09/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) lost 3 - 2 against (SL3)
Again, seemingly cruising at 3-0 his opponent came from nowhere... ...still not actually sure what happened here!

Match #3 vs Bar None, 06/02/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) won 4 - 2 against (SL5)
A fantastic match to watch. From the moment he went 2-1 down having played a couple of loose shots Mike was completely focused and you just knew he wasn't losing this match. Again Mike's defensive game had his opponent tied up in knots and who can forget that fantastic 4 ball combo and subsequent run out. The key rack was undoubtedly rack 5 where with his opponent on the black, Mike (with ball in hand) ran all 8 balls to move into a 3-2 lead... ...Get In There!!

Shot Of The Night: Mike's awesome 4 ball combo to set up the run out.

Match #2 vs Severe Arthritis, 05/26/04, Wednesday League, Summer '04
Mike (SL5) lost 2 - 2 against (SL3)
This was a bandit three but even so had to work very hard to get a result against Mike. I'm starting to think that the graveyard shift might really be a poisoned chalice for our team - perhaps we drink too much! Very impressed with Mike's defensive game, he really had his opponent tied up in knots and if it wasn't for the three handicap gets 2 timeouts rule I think he would have struggled.