9-Ball Team Name Contest Finalists
Team Name: Now We Know!
Story Behind the Name:
My husband and I wanted to do something together and a co-worker mentioned joining an APA League. We signed up for 9-Ball, even though I had never played. After 2 sessions we started our own team and when I signed up, we hadn't all met and I wanted everyone's input on a name. So, I just put "Don't Know Yet!" At the team meeting, they thought that was the name, so we just kept it! After only 5 months together we won the LTCs! We were so surprised! In Vegas we all joked that afterwards if we had done well maybe we should be "Now We Know!" instead. Well, we tied 33rd out of 381! Then, a few players moved and our bar closed, but we moved to a new lounge and the owner said he and some friends would play. So, with 3 original members we added 4 new ones. They had played before, but never APA. So off we went and qualified high points sessions 1 and 2! Then we won the LTCs again! Because now we really did know! I'm proud to Captain such a great team and I think the name tells it all!
Team Name: Wizarack
Story Behind the Name:
I was shooting pool at Mr. Cues in Atlanta and a man named Steve Mizerack asked me how to get to Buckhead. I told him and we talked just like we were buddies, then I started my own team; I never was a Captain before. So, when I started my own team I needed a name. I thought of him and I didn't want to call my team Mizarack, so I named it Wizarack. So now my team Wizarack is going to Vegas with the Wiz!
Team Name: Holistic Piggy's
Story Behind the Name:
Our team was a last second group that was thrown together for the Spring Session after two other teams had to re-organize and we were basically the cast off players from those situations.
So we decided to band together, recruit a few friends as new players and try to get qualified for Regionals.
Well, as the season progressed we played okay, but just barely, and during the last week of the session we played for the final regional automatic bid. Unfortunately, we just didn't get it done that night and it appeared the year was over. As the Captain, I sent out a thank you email to all the players for playing and let them know I would contact them to play again in the fall.
A couple days later I got a phone call from the League Operator. Turns out we were back in, as we had gotten the wild card for play-offs and one more shot at a regional birth.
I rounded up the team and everyone suddenly set their goal on winning a play-off trophy and not worrying about individual scores, just get 51 points somehow.
Amazingly, during play-offs we started to play like a true team for the first time that session. People helped other players, suggested options during time-outs, cheered each other on and played for the same goal. Two matches later we are a team, the play-off winner and on our way to Regionals.
A couple weeks later, Regional weekend comes and everyone has really stepped up practicing and doesn't want to let anyone else down. I have no expectations of the team since I know how tough Regionals can be. What I didn't realize is how much everyone wanted it and had raised their games by practicing and showing up to play their very best. We rolled through Regionals undefeated, with me as the most shocked observer of all.
So how does this all tie into our team name you ask? Well our team name is Holistic Piggy's, the second part is simple - the bar we play out of is Piggy's Sports Bar in Angola, Ind. The Holisitic part for me was always the only way we as a team had a chance. I knew we didn't have the strongest players, but if we worked as a team we would beat 5 individual players every time. Thus the Holisitic part, the parts as a whole are greater than the sum of the parts.
Team Name: Bernie's Dream
Story Behind the Name:
"Bernie's Dream"
Bernie's dream was to go to Vegas and play in the national tournament....
This team began as the "Dream Team." The members had been on other teams and through the twists and turns of fate ended up together in the Fall of 2009. One of the most colorful members of the team was Bernie Harper. Bernie was always smiling and always telling jokes...some more corny than others. Bernie's positive outlook on life hid his health problems well. Most people did not know that Bernie had problems with his liver and was destined to have a liver transplant. Despite his health problems, Bernie's attitude in life and in pool remained the same - we are here to have fun.
A few weeks into the Spring Session Bernie told some of the team members that the doctors had found some spots on his liver and it was later confirmed to be cancer. Bernie let the team know that he would be starting chemo in a couple of weeks and might be out for a little while but that he would be back to get his matches in. A week before Bernie was to start chemo his liver failed him and he died from massive hemorrhaging.
In his honor the team unanimously decided to change the name from "Dream Team" to "Bernie's Dream." We miss Bernie's smiling face, his jokes and his joyful presence. We think of him often and know that he is up in heaven cheering us on.
Team Name: Mullets II
Story Behind the Name:
This name began when we first started playing in league about 6 years ago. My husband and a couple of his friends would go into the pool halls and play for money. Well, when the League was looking for teams and they had to come up with a name they couldn't remember what the name of the fish was that sharks eat so they looked it up online. They found out that "shark bait" the fish fisherman use to catch sharks is called a "mullet fish". Well, when they got to playing a few games and figuring out a lot of the poolplayers that were really good were joining the League as well, they figured they would get beat by the "sharks" so they called themselves "The Mullets". Underneath the picture of a mullet on a pool table is listed "shark bait". Now we have over 5 mullet teams in the APA League in San Antonio, TX.
Team Name: Back Seat Shooters
Story Behind the Name:
Why are we are the Back Seat Shooters? You have heard about back seat drivers, in that they need to tell the driver everything - watch your speed, turn here, you should have done yada yada yada! Now you have the drift of our team name!
Many of the players on the bench say to the shooter - why did you shoot that ball, why didn't you follow instead of draw, I would have shot it differently, and on and on (even if the shooter runs the rack)! Always giving advise but seldom taking it.
And we have FUN doing it.