Desert Classic Tour 8 Ball at Bullshooters

Well it was a good event with Mitch Ellerman taking the win over Gus Briseno convincingly.I went 2 and out and played horribly,lost both matches I believe 8-4.I played well the day before which is what really bothered me because I expected to do okay but then again in 8 ball if you dont break and run out or get out when the other guy misses your toast.I also did not play safes very well at all,actually I did not play smart,usually I think to lock the guy up and play safe getting ball in hand and running out but I just played bad.I enjoyed the event at Bullshooters and they do take care of us there.George Teyechea provided some great commentary for the event and I am glad he did,its a pleasure to work with George.Well the next event will be at the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino in Payson Arizona on January 9-11,it is the finale for the season and will be 10 ball on Diamond 7 footers,I will be playing!
Fast Lenny

Tucson DCT Event at Pockets

Well it was a great event that took place and I really enjoyed it.The room pockets had a great staff and food,the equipment was good,alittle on the loose side but played good.I have to say that it had a great turn out as far as fans with well over 100 in attendance and 66 players entered into the 10 ball event.I wish I could have played but it is tough with running the stream,just too much distraction.It was a great battle in the finals between Mitch Ellerman and Scott Frost,Scott prevailed for the win but Mitch was a real animal tearing up the field.I look forward to next DCT tourney at Bullshooters in Phoenix,it will be big table 8 ball and I might actually play in it.Well I will see you all there and tune in at www.ontherailtv.com to see it live,we had nearly 16,000 unique viewers for the last one!
Fast Lenny

Went to Tucson for the First time...

San Jose Dick and I went to Tucson for Dick to give some lessons in one pocket to a few of the guys in Tucson.Dick picked me up needing a road partner so to speak which I was honored to be,well he mainly needed me to drive at night on the way back but we will just say I was his road partner,okay.....Great!We take the long drive to Tucson which is an hour and half from my home in Chandler and arrive at George Teyechea's home uneventfully and are greeted by a good group of guys.We all meet and exchange names which I do remember them all,Dick signed George's Winning One Pocket book which Dick is featured in more then any other player.George has a Diamond table that has been newly felted in tournament blue,very nice setup at his home,if I lived close by I would be there everyday.

The guys want to learn the break,mainly the 3 lower rated players as George and Chris are okay with their breaks.The players then matched up playing partners with Dick instructing,I was amazed they were following direction well and moving back and forth without giving up much for awhile.After Dick showed some banks to the guys we all ate some of George's awesome cooking was quite good,I mean quite excellent,again if I lived close by I would be there everyday to eat,haha.After me and Chris played some,he is a 10 speed player and me just an 8,I end up winning the game mainly to my moving as I was up since 2 am and was not making balls.Then me and Dick faced off against George and Chris in some partners but me and Dick could not perform since we were both tired,yes I know I am giving excuses,we will get them next time.

I have to say it was a fun little trip which I will be doing again this weekend for the Desert Classic Tour stop which is 10 ball at Pockets,should be a great event and I look forward to meeting more guys from Tucson.Dick asked me if I was going to Derby City in Kentucky,would like to be his road partner for that trip,I will fly the plane.I am going to work on seeing if I can get the funds for the trip there as I already have a room with either Dick or Scott Frost,would be a good time I am thinking.Well if I do go I will let you know here about it.Here is a picture of the legend and I,if you want lessons you can contact Dick on www.onepocket.org or www.azbilliards.com in the forums or email me at ontherail@live.com and I will get him in touch with you.

Fast Lenny

My New Case From On Q Cases!

Well here is my new case that Garth Bair made me,I am the proud owner of this alligator print leather 2 by 4 gem.It has my name inlayed into the leather of the case,Fast Lenny of course.I have gotten a lot of great comments on it.I have to say Garth is a great guy to deal with and very honest and personable,he does not make many cases and if your lucky to get one you wont be disappointed.Go to www.onqcases.com and see all the cases he has there,absolutely beautiful.Click on the images to make them bigger.

Fast Lenny

My Upcoming Match with Fatboy

Well the Fatman is coming from Las Vegas to play me sometime this month,I hope he is ready to play because I am.I am going to work extra hard this month and dedicated myself to making less errors and to really focus.I dont know what to expect as I have never seen Fatboy play but I am sure it will pass as we play and I wont be nervous.See the idea is to get in to stroke and its tough to do if your nervous and rigid,you have to be relaxed and fluid.I think this will be a good match,we will be playing 8 ball,one pocket and banks,should be alot of fun and I look forward to it.I just need to keep finding the time to practice.One good thing is I have become used to my new cue that Dave made me,he sent me a birdseye shaft that I will most likely use primarily for one pocket as it is 31 inches long and helps to reach certain shots,here is a pic of it at the bottom of the post,click on it to make it bigger.I hope that I play well,alot of my friends and most importantly my family will be tuning in for sure,my mom told me last night she would be watching,that makes me nervous.
Lenny the Lock

AZ 1 Pocket State Championship

This was a great event and I enjoyed it very much.I got to play in the tourney thanks to Charles from California who is a good friend of San Jose Dick.I was tired with only 2 hours sleep as usual because before these things go off I dont seem to get any sleep.
The event had 46 players I believe some coming from California and all over the state of Arizona.I made it to the 4th round and lost,my last match was with Martin Bick from California who shot very well.I met alot of good one pocket players and enthusiast of the game at the event.Scott Frost finished 1st place at the event undefeated with Gus Briseno taking 2nd,Leil Gay the 1997 US Open One Pocket Champion took 3rd.Carlos Avalos and myself took the 8 and Under side pot for the tournament.I look forward to playing and streaming this event again,we got alot of good footage and had 8000 viewers just on Sunday alone.The next event is 10 ball up in Tucson,I have never been to Tucson but look forward to it.
Fast Lenny

My New Cue!

Well it is finally finished and is on its way to me,should have it any day now,here are some pics of my Albrecht Custom,it is ebony and tulipwood,handle is cored with purpleheart.This also has a G10 pin which is a glass based phenolic,very light and strong material,in the J/B you can see it is a clear whitish color,the one in my player is black,very cool.Here are pics of both my J/B and player made by Dave Albrecht,also a video of me using my J/B,click on the pics to make them bigger.Make sure to check out www.albrechtcustomcues.com
Fast Lenny

Outcome of Me and Justin AKA Justabangers Match

Well it was a bad match for both of us,neither of us played very good.I won the one pocket fairly easily 5-2,was dissapointed I did not play better though.I won the 9 ball 11-6 and it was emabarrassing how badly we both played in 9 ball.I think that we both play much better but neither of us showed up to play.I am happy that I won and still have my title but look forward to my next match with whatever 8 rated player is put in front of me.I have a few guys I would be interested in playing so we will see,maybe at the end of this month I will have another opponent.That was the 3rd time I won one of these challenge matches,will I lose?,anything is possible but I wont go quietly.
Lenny the Lock

Justabanger & I Matchup!

Well today is the day we matchup for the King of AZ 8's Crown and some cash.We will be playing 1 pocket,9 ball and 8 ball.I have to say I am nervous,he seems to be the opponent with the most firepower out of the other guys I have faced and has a monster break.I do think it will be a good matchup,I do consider Justin a good aquaintance and we have played before in tournaments where we were 1 for 1.I think I will win the one pocket with ease and he might take down the 9 ball,8 ball will be a toss up but you never know,someone could sweep all 3.I will play smart because right now I am not playing well at all.I did take 4th place last night out of 28 players so I feel better then I did before.Well I will put up the results after I play today if your not tuning in to www.ontherailtv.com to watch,either way it will be a good match.

Preacher Ronn's One Pocket Tourney this Past Weekend

Well it was a good tourney and I went 2 for 2 in it,both matches I lost were hill-hill so I played ok.Ronn and Muaz Arshad faced off in the finals with Muaz winning,they both played well.I have to say I enjoy this tournament but it is usually the last Saturday of the month but this month it was a week earlier because the AWBT will be there playing an event the last weekend of the month.I hope to play better for next months event and try to top my 3rd place finish from last month.

AZ Desert Classic Stop #6 at Bullshooters

This was bar box 8 ball and it was a great event as always by the tour.Bullshooters recovered and leveled all the bar tables to make the event perfect.We were unable to broadcast Saturday due to some technical problems beyond my control but Sunday had a good viewship with nearly 500 people tuning in to watch the 7 hours of bar table action.I really enjoy doing the tour and it was alot of fun to watch.Rudy Alameda won over Jimmy Mendoza and Nick DeLeon too 3rd,congrats to all the players including Jack Scerca who took 4th place.Here are some pics of the top 3 finishers from Rixx Images,check out his site at www.rixximages.com .

Jude Vs Justin AKA Bad Company Vs justabanger

These guys both matched up in a much barked about gambling matchup for $150 a set,they ended up breaking even after many hours of play.I have to say it was interesting to see them play,I have never saw Jude play before and was impressed with his game only being rated an 8 like myself.I do plan on playing Justin sometime soon in a Shootout format,should be a good match.I do believe me and Jude will also play too and look forward to that also.I thank both guys for coming out and playing,it was 4 sets of some good gambling action by 2 decent players.
Fast Lenny

Preacher Ronn's One Pocket Invitational

This is an event I have thought of streaming and when I spoke with Ronn the weekend prior at Bullshooter he was happy to have me there and thought it was great idea.I was uncertain whether I would play in the event as I have to stream it and streaming takes alot to do and keep an eye on,big distraction when your trying to play,plus I had one hour of sleep since I got home at 7am from a 10 hour session at the poolhall of gambling.San Jose Dick stopped by and said he was putting me in and could not turn down his offer.

I played my first match against a guy named Mike and beat him in 2-1 in the race to 2 double elimination format,he was not too happy and said I was lucky mainly because he got bad rolls and scratched,the only thing I could think was he was lucky I only had an hour sleep and didn't make him pay for his mistakes like I should have.My next opponent was Rick Cosman and he played great,it was tough match and after Rick scratched I ran the 6 balls I needed for the win and took the set 2-1.

The next match I had was with Preacher Ronn himself,this guy is a great one pocket player and gives alot of A players 2 balls in one hole.He had to give me a spot in the tourney of 10-8,the previous 2 matches were even but I knew the 2 ball spot wasn't going to be huge and he could outrun it.He beat me the first game on his break and I beat him the 2nd rack,they were both down to the wire.The 3rd rack I started putting balls by my pocket when the score was 5-4 in his favor,I set a trap and got some good rolls,he made a mistake and I got the score to 6-5 in my favor.With the ball in my pocket that I banked he tried to jump the ball off the table while making my ball at the same time so the balls would spot,he miscued and conceded the game to me.I felt great to win and played solid to win against one of AZ's top one hole players.

My next match was for the hot seat against Arizona 14.1 State Champion Bernie Pettipiece,he just got back from the World's 14.1 in NJ.He had to give me 11-8 and I lost the match 2-0 ,the first rack was a grind but then I saw a dead ball if I kicked the stack right it would give me the ball and the win but I hit the stack wrong lost.The second rack I played badly and gave him an easy win.He is a great player and a real gentleman,we talked and I think I have someone to get some knowledge from and we will be playing once a week.

I was guaranteed 3rd at this point and was happy with how I performed but had no energy to beat Rick Cosman to get into the finals with Bernie and played horribly so Rick coasted to the finals where he lost 2-1 against Bernie.Both of these players I enjoyed playing and they play great and are true gentleman who praised my play.I did get to play Bernie,Ronn and others while we were waiting for some matches and one some games against these players even which showed me I can play with them even though I am the underdog,but I wont go into my pocket thinking I have a chance at gambling with them.

The fun had just begun though as we were at Kolbys in Tempe which always has action going and I got to see San Jose Dick,Jimmy the owner,Jeff Thomas and Ronn play some partners golf on the pool table.Ronn and Jimmy stepped out after several hour of play but the die hards stayed in,74 year old Dick stayed in playing Jeff Thomas $100 a game $10 a hicky.He played for 25 hours total as he came in for the one hole at about 11am and and was there til noon the next day playing Jeff!I was there until about 8 am and got 3 sets of action playing a 9 some ever 9 ball,I am rated an 8,he quit after I wont 3 sets.

All in all it was alot of fun and for my birthday weekend as mine is today,Monday September 1st it was all I could have wanted,a good finish in my first one pocket tournament and alot of action!My next stream will most likely be some action challenge matches,perhaps my best friend and gambling/tourney partner Jay Smith Aka Southern Jay/Jay Burner.Well I am off to enjoy my birthday today and have alot of fun I hope,29 years young!

Fast Lenny

Arizona Desert Classic Tour Stop #5

It was 9 ball on the big table at Bullshooters in PHX and I streamed it both days on the 23rd and 24th.Mitch Ellerman beat Chuck Evans in the finals,Mitch played some great 9 ball that weekend running through the field with relative ease.I enjoyed the weekend and thanks to Bullshooters for accomadating us so well in there very nice room which is the largest I believe in the state of Arizona.

While I was there I got to play some one pocket with Bull and it was alot of fun,look forward to playing with him again.I also had the chance to play with a TAD cue,not one but with 2 for the first time ever and both in one day.One was owned by Ray Robles Aka Big Cat on AZ Billiards, his was a traditional maple cue with a phenolic joint,it hit very nicely.

The other was owned by JR Aka Getnbzy on AZ Billiards and his was a 4 point TAD with windows in the butt of the cue,this cue was gorgeous and was stainless steel jointed.It is my dream cue by far,you have to be lucky to own one of these $4,000 beauties.I got to play a race to 7 with JR and won luckily hill-hill,he played great breaking and running the first 2 racks.Here are pictures below of JR's TAD and then Rays TAD,click on the images to make them larger.

Fast Lenny

Runout Video

Well someone asked me since they haven't seen me play 9 ball yet if I could run out.I am a B player when I am playing right so the answer is yes and when I was playing regularly I would break and run once in a race to 6 quite often in tournament play but with the stream I have not been playing as much as I would like.After the break when the balls stop,the runout was under a minute,that is why I am Fast Lenny.

Fast Lenny Vs Tim Demaagd Aka Grindz

I was challenged by Tim in a Shootout this past Wednesday at Kolbys and we agreed on Rotation,One Pocket and 8 ball.I have never seen Tim play so I didn't know his speed or style of play,on top of it I have never played Rotation before.We decided to play a 1000 points of Rotation and we both regretted playing that long,he beat me 1000-758 I believe.I think absorbing all the rules while I was playing affected my game there but for my first time playing it I really felt I held my own.

The one pocket is where I felt I would dominate,I broke first and won that game easily.We both kept winning on our breaks and it was 3-3 and my break and I went up 5-0 in that rack,I end up losing that rack and Tim ends up on the hill first.The next game is a long one and a real nail biter,Tim needs one and I need them both,I bank a ball 2 rails and in and have a long straight in shot but I am on the rail,I commit and make it to have a hill-hill match.Tim takes a risky bank at speed and sells out my out ball for me to win the one pocket and snatch victory from him,you can see the nail biting ending in the video below.

The last game to decide it all was race to 5 in 8 ball,we both played badly as neither of us ate for the whole 8 hour session,no breaks either,I won 5-2 and still am King of Az 8's as of now.My next match wont be until the end of September,I hope I play better then I did in the last one.I have to say thanks to Grindz for coming out and playing,he is a good player and I enjoyed the match and the grind,he lived up to his name.You can see the Rotation and One Pocket in the Video section at www.ontherailtv.com ,we have alot more challenge matches to come.The next event is tomorrow at Bullshooters in Phoenix,should be a great event taking 2 days,9 ball on the big table,this is the Arizona Desert Classic Tours event and it should be a good one.See you there.


Fast Lenny

Roger Long Vs Ray Robles Match

This match was very interesting as I have never seen Roger Long play but heard he was a decent player and a BCA instructor.Everyone said Roger didn't have a chance and it would be a blow out but he held his own very well and did win one of the three sets.

Ray played well and won the straight pool by a score of 150-72.The 10 ball had Ray up 18-14 and it looked like Roger was finished but he came back and won 6 games in a row to win 20-18.The one pocket was the decider,it was supposed to be a race to 5 but both guys were very tired after playing for 9 hours already so they agreed to play a race to 3 which Ray won 3-0.

I thought Roger played quite well and Ray is a very good 10 in the state of Arizona which translates to an A speed player.They both struggled in the middle of the 10 ball set and it seemed both ran out of gas as neither ate the whole time.I appreciate both players coming on and matching up,they are good competitors and love the game.You can watch videos in the Video section at www.ontherailtv.com and also check out Roger Long's site at http://www.maestrosproshop.com/

My Challenge Match Vs Brady aka BVal

So for those of you who watched I won as I predicted,we didn't play the 10 ball as I had already won the first 2 out of 3 giving me the crown.I have to say I had alot of anxiety going in and was nervous but as I started making balls I felt pretty good.I had some good outs in one pocket but felt too comfortable and played pretty loose,almost had a nice 8 and out but on my last ball that I got perfect on I missed.

The 14.1 I was uncertain I would win,he was up 30 some balls to my 20 something and I then made my charge winning 150-84,my high run was 16 or something like that,I got perfect on the break shot and bobbled it though and I think I might have ran 25-30 as I felt pretty good.I had lot of runs of 10s and 12s in the match,I wasn't looking for a big run but to just get the majority each rack and just win.I would shoot the break ball if I had a tough shot because I didn't want to leave him the balls if I missed and then I would duck when I didn't have shots,that was my game plan since he doesn't run alot of balls.

I really was happy to play Brady win or lose though as he is a gentleman and has good sportsmanship.I have a few other challenge matches lined up,3 people are interested in playing me,one at a time and I hope to continue a good run and play well.This weekend Saturday at 3pm I will be streaming a challenge match between Ray Robles and Roger Long,they are doing an all around format similar to me and Brady.

One thing I learned from watching the footage you can see in the Video section at www.ontherailtv.com is that my mechanics are so bad but yet I still play pretty good,people could look at me and mistake me for a D player very easily,haha,maybe I will work on it or just strive to be A speed and have people pounce on me who I can give the 5 ball to.I had alot of good players tell me that I will make alot of money gambling with mechanics like that if my game does go to A speed,I already have made a few bucks because guys approach me after watching me shoot because I dont look like a player,a few of those guys dont play pool anymore and I busted them,not bad for just a B player.Well see you Saturday for our next stream.
Fast Lenny

Joe Sabia

I have been thinking alot of my friend Joe who passed a few months back,he was my mentor,best friend and the closest I have ever had to a father figure.He taught me how to play pool,bringing me from a D player to a B player in what seemed like 6 months.We would run around to tourneys together playing pool and poker in all types of places.He passed at 62 years old but didn't act a day over 25,he was alot of fun to be around with tons of energy,he was alive!

I was so stunned when I got the call of his passing,I talked to him on a Friday letting him know I would be coming to NY to visit and would see him in a week and that Sunday I got the call and just couldn't believe it.The man who had given so much to me was gone,he sounded fine so I still do not get it and it still seems very unreal to me.I flew to NY early to go to his wake where there were so many people there and all the pictures from his past when he was in his 20s and 30s,it was cool to see the pictures of him back in his day during the 60s and 70s.I can only wish that one day me and him will meet again for one more pool game,one more heads up poker game,and one more conversation,til we meet again Joe.

Challenge Match

So I am about to play Brady aka BVal on AZ Billiards this Sunday at 7pm on the live stream.Its going to be a race to 150 in straight pool,race to 5 in one pocket and a race to 20 in 10 ball,should be alot of fun.I havent been playing much because of the site and live stream keeping me so busy and taking up so much of my time.I got to play last night and I can say I was not playing great or bad,just mediocre,win or lose I want to play well.

I feel we are both favorites in our respective games of straight pool and one pocket.I do think I will take the one pocket down for sure,the straight pool I dont play enough but I still have a chance to win I feel,we will see in a few days.I think the fans will get a kick out of it,just 2 average B players battling it out,we are both 8s in Arizona rating system and are pretty evenly matched.I am going to make a prediction I will win the whole thing without losing any set,but you never know,check it out this Sunday at www.ontherailtv.com
Fast Lenny

Arizona Desert Classic Tours 4th Stop!

This weekend of July 26 and 27th was a good event that was held at Metro Sports Bar in Phoenix with 38 players,the winner was Jimmy Mendoza who shot awesome to win the event and the runner up was young gun Mitch Ellerman.I am always impressed with the both these players and the focus they have at the table,Mitch is bound to be a great player as he gets more and more seasoned,he has no fear it seems when he is on the green.We had some tech problems in day one at the beginning,Ustream was down and then when it came back up the internet went down,wanna guess why?Someone had turned the jukebox off which is also wired to the internet,we got it back and running fairly quickly though and got to broadcast many hours of good 9 ball on the bar table.

Our total of unique viewers who came and went was over 1200,not too bad,glad to see people stopping in and checking us out.The more viewers the more it attracts sponsors and that enables me to do more live streams and also improve the quality of the stream.I appreciate all the people signing up for the newsletter on our new site www.ontherailtv.com which was just recently put together by my new partner in the is venture and fellow pool junky Steve Hofstetter.I think with the site and the exposure we have been getting this will lead to good things for the sport and fans.

I have to give thanks to the Arizona Desert Classic Tour and you can check out there website at www.desertclassictour.com for more info,the events they have are ran very well.If you can play in one do it,its worth it and perhaps you will be on the internet table and broadcast live for everyone to see.I have to thank all the fans out there for their support with contributing and buying tshirts,your helping the cause of bringing live free pool to everyone.See you all soon at our next schedueled event at Main Street Billiards here in Arizona for the Arizona Desert Classics 5th stop and its going to be 9 ball on the big table.We might be having a challenge match live on the net with me Fast Lenny vs AZ Billiards BVal aka Brady this weekend,will keep you posted,it will be an all around challenge match.
Fast Lenny

Live Stream This Past Weekend

The live stream went well and was glad to bring to the appreciative 14.1 fans around the world,the page got over 3000 hits this past weekend.I am excited that the website is being built by my new partner Steve,its almost done and looks good.I am also working on getting a new camera for the stream to improve it,there is room for lots of improvement I feel for the stream.The next event will be at Metros Sports Bar and is the Arizona Desert Classic Tours,it will be 9 ball on the bar table,its on the 26th and 27th of July and should be a good event as the Tour is ran by Jimmy Mendoza and Dennis Orender,these guys are really running a great tour.I hope to see you all online for that event,its going to be a good one.
Fast Lenny

Next Events

Well the next event I am doing is on July 12th and it is the qualifier for the World Straight Pool Championships in New Jersey.I think its going to be some great 14.1 to be viewed for all to see and I can wait for it to happen.It will be at Kolbys so I am comfortable and know what to expect there so it should go well.I am hoping to have a new cam before then so I can improve the stream,if not I will use the same stuff I have been using but one thing I did accomplish was fixing the audio.I have to take this week to get another sponsor or two on board,it will help with the cost of the new camera along with other stuff.

The next event after the one on the 12th is on the 26th and 27th of July and will be at Metros in Phoenix,its a 9 ball bar box tourney.I dont know how good there internet is there and also how easy it is going to be to set up in there,I think its going to be tough to do because of how tight it is in there.This should be a good event though as I believe it is $1500 added to the prize fund so it should bring out some good players.Well make sure to tune in if you reading this on those dates at www.ustream.tv/channel/ontherail

Fast Lenny

Live Stream Went Well!

Well I am happy to say the 2 day event over the weekend went pretty well and I was happy with it.I had several hundred viewers who tuned in here and there,60-100 were the steady numbers but look forward to increasing them.I do have some stuff in the works and I am thinking of doing a one pocket tourney this weekend,I will know this week whether that is going to happen.I got the ok to do the 14.1 World Championship qualifier here in AZ,its the only qualifier on the west coast for the event so it should have some very good players.

I would like you guys to check out my page for clips and also my sponsors along with the Arizona Desert Classic Tour,they are a good group of guys.I thought Jimmy,Dennis and Bull are a good team and do good tourneys,42 players showed up for their 14.1 event this weekend,now that is cool.I like that I am doing something good for pool and giving something back to the sport which has given me so much.I believe good things will come out of this for the sponsors,myself,the fans and places I am streaming at and for.

Well its late as always and I need to catch some ZZZs as I am sleepy and need a recharge for my busy week.Thanks for stopping in and enjoy the straight pool match below with Gus Briseno and Scott Frost.

Fast Lenny

Got The Sponsorship!

Well I just got back from playing some pool and I have all 3 sponsors in.I have my friend Jason Smith who does insurance here in Arizona,Dave Albrecht who is a custom cuemaker,and Don Ackerlow from The Break is also sponsoring me,they have a great paper and site,you can see it at http://www.onthebreaknews.com/ ,good to have them on board.

I am really excited and have to pick up a few things for the stream,I am glad I have the funding to get it done better now.My cue is about to be raffled off soon,one more spot left and perhaps tomorrow night a lucky winner will get it.I have to pick up the items I need this weekend for the stream,I cant wait to do this and bring the fans some great pool.

Check out the page which is all ready to go at www.ustream.tv/channel/ontherail

Take Care,
Fast Lenny

Sponsor Search

Well I am on the search for sponsors,got bad news today that the guy who contacted me just wants to trade services.I need money to do the stream not exposure or PR,so I am going to start emailing and calling billiard businesses locally that have websites and perhaps bring them people and also business through the exposure of the live stream because it is not just statewide that this is going to be popular but nationwide along with some people overseas also.

So I am alittle bummed out about the bad news but now I get to contact people,I was waiting on him as he was the first guy to contact me and I was hoping to build a foundation and business relationship.I also decided to raffle a cue of mine off for money to get equipment that I need,I am not too bummed about it,I go through cues like crazy anyway and havent been playing as much as I would like to.Well enough rambling and being a flatliner,tomorrow is a new day and we will see what can be done.

Fast Lenny

On The Rail

Well I have decided to start doing the live streaming for whomever is in need of my services and trying to get sponsorship to do so.So far it looks like I do and I should know for certain within a week.I am really excited and want to improve the streams as I do more and more events.

I decided it was best to make a new name for my little venture and decided to call in On The Rail instead of using Eclipse Pool.The reason why I decided this is to have it be 100% my own because Eclipse Pool even though it was my doing it was called that because of Eclipse Media which is promoter Mark Cantrill.When I do Mark's events I will do it under the Eclipse Pool name I am thinking perhaps but Im not sure yet,would like to just go with On The Rail but we shall see when the next event happens.

So I have gotten started on the page and am waiting to put the sponsors names up along with pictures from Rixx Images,he sure takes some good action shots.I do believe this is going to be a good start for me doing this and getting it structured with sponsors.The sponsors are going to benefit along with the fans,the sponsors get cheap advertising,the room gets recognition along with whatever promoter or tour has put on the event,and most of all the fans who I am doing this for get free pool.

On The Rail has its first gig and it will be the Arizona Desert Classic Tour's 14.1 State Championship which I will be broadcasting on June 21 and 22.Here is the link www.ustream.tv/channel/ontherail ,I hope you stop by and check it out,it should be a great event with some awesome pool for you to see.

See ya,

Fast Lenny

Blast from the Past: The Mercury Grill

Well I was thinking of something very small time that I missed from about a year and half ago.It was a bar touney I would go to at this roadhouse bar in Sullivan County NY which was named The Mercury Grill but the regulars just called it the Merc.In that area alot of bars are what they call roadhouses,they were once someones home and they turned the first floor into a bar.This place had 2 tables in it and was a decent place with some good locals who would hang out there and have some fun.

I must have played at this place in that tourney about 20 times and won it about 15 times,the other 5 times I would say were just where flukey stuff would happen like breaking a cluster and dropping the 8 ball.It was a tough tourney because the one table played bad and the other was ok but even though it was a double elimination it was a race to one with about 25 players.I had a few locals who thought I was a hustler,it wasnt that I was that good it was just that they were that bad really and the good ones were pretty much weekend warriors and bangers.I made friends with some of them and when I would win I would buy a few pitchers and drink with them.One thing I learned when on foreign territory is to make friends fast and with the right people,one of them was Brian,he was 6ft 3 and close to 300 pounds Im guessing and he loved pool.Brian was a young guy and a firefighter,I used to mess with him when we would play and tell him to be useful and go save a cat in a tree and he would get red.

I ended up meeting up with another fellow traveler who went in search of alittle action and an easy score at The Merc.He shot with a Robinson cue and it was the first time I saw one and it was the type of cue with the pin in the shaft,he told me he paid about $2000 for it and I was in disbelief never hearing of the guy but it was valued at that I later found out.The guy played well and I met him in the finals coming from the one loss side and I had to beat him twice.I won the first game after some safety play and both of us trying to outmove eachother on 2 of our balls that were tied up,trying to gain an advantage to setup a shot.The rules we were playing by werent BCA or APA,it was straight bar table rules with no ball in hand and you dont have to even hit your ball so its a strange game at times and laughable also.The whole bar is rooting for me to win even though every other week they are pulling against me as I am winning most times.The guy beat alot of people and they werent happy,2 guys were ready to beat him up,one of those deals where they feel they are getting hustled and the guy is just a good player not holding back speed so how can he be a hustler?,I never can understand that.I end up losing to the guy and he left without incident and never returned,cant remember his name as Im bad with them but I will never forget his face,thats just how I am.

The owner was a character and would make pizzas at the bar for the players alot of times so it was worth it to go there just for that.He liked to play in the tourney but alot of times he would get drunk and I mean drunk to where he would be sleeping on the bar,to me when your the owner its just bad business.After I went there for about 6 months the place ended up losing its liquor license due to serving minors.

I enjoyed beating a good local player who is an APA 7 whatever that means and his name was Rich Manny,I met him in the finals and had to beat him twice.Now he is a local bartable legend and alot of players in that area and the 3 surrounding counties know him as a bar table specialist.I knew when he was there he was trying to rob the tourney and why not,I counted on the money everytime I went too,it just seemed too easy.He is there with another player named Zook who owned a room in Middletown NY for a short time and now operates a room in Chester.So he is there with Zook who is pulling for him and his young pretty daughter who I had known for years and plays pretty sporty too,all his kids who I know play good as he taught them well.When I first got into the game I heard alot about Rich and really thought alot of his game,word of mouth can build legends alot of times.I beat him the first game pretty handidly but the second game took some maneuvering and he took a sell out shot after I played safe trying to thin cut a ball short rail to short rail.Zook was just shaking his head and asking Rich what was he thinking and that he shouldve respected my game and played safe.It felt good to beat Rich and validate that I could play and beat the best in my area on the bar table,sorry Rich no brew for you that night!

So I miss that place,it was one heck of alittle roadhouse,one of many I have been in and gambled at.The place is vacant when I drove past about a month or so ago on my trip to NY.I looked at the parking lot as I drove by where me and a dozen of my buddies faced off with another group of guys from another town who were starting trouble in a full out brawl which we won defending out turf so to speak.I thought of the wannabe drug dealers who would go in there on a Friday night from neighboring towns playing the big shot and taking $50 to $100 a game off of them and then getting that bad feeling because you know if you have a problem it wont be one on one.I had good times with a girl there who was a complete lunatic which alot of broads are who hang out in places like those and seemed to be that bar fly girl that you know at the local pub who is like a stray dog looking for some scraps or attention.She would just walk into the mens bathroom and slam me up against the wall and have her way with me,I wasnt complaining one bit,but it was not so good when she would take me by the hand and drag me into the girls bathroom,that will get you thrown out of a place!Just reflecting on the place and the people makes me miss it,some unique characters there of all walks of life but most were good people who loved to play pool.

Well this is my tribute to The Mercury Grill and the pool I played there,another place I scuffled around in and improved my game.I will have more stories of people and places,stay tuned.

8 Ball Tourney

So I went out with my buddy Jay Burner tonight to play some pool at Alexanders but they werent having a tourney for some reason,funny how that happens,anyways we went to Metro up the street instead.They were having a bar box 8 ball tourney and it filled up quick with 32 players and what a grind.I won my first 2 matches and then lost my 3rd,won about 4 or so on the losers side and had the guy hill to donut,then we were hill-hill only to miss a cross corner bank on the 8 ball.I hit the banks I had all night too,it was the most important one and the only one I missed.

I was happy to beat one player who was a tall black guy and took the game real serious,I could tell me and him wouldnt mix.I played him and he wins the first game on me after a botched shot by me,he also tried to play safe and fouled by not getting a rail.I ask him if its ball in hand and he wont answer me and then says "You know the rules.",so I take ball in hand and he says that its gamesmanship and Im trying to get to him mentally since I asked that knowing the answer and the rules,the only thing I could think was what a jerk this guy is.I win the next one after he and I have a safety battle,the next rack I brake and run out beautifully and now he is shot.So on the last rack I run out on the guy again and I go to shake his hand and he wont even shake my hand,to me he deserved the drilling he got for being a jerk.

All in all I played pretty sporty and if I made that bank perhaps I could have taken the thing down,my buddy Jay thought for sure I was going to get there especially after playing as well as I did and all those damn matches I had to play.I so far in AZ since I moved here 9 months ago have about 7 cashes out the 14 tourneys I have entered so 50% to cash is pretty sporty.I plan on getting a table eventually,to be honest its the only way Im going to get to the next level with my game,playing once a week and going into tourneys stone cold just is not going to cut it and is doing more harm then good.

Well thanks for listening to my little vent on my night out and I guess it was better coming in 4th then going 2 and out.Take care and see you in the fast lane.

Fast Lenny

Live Stream of Eclipse Pool

Well i have been up and thinking about my plans for the future with the live streaming.The success of the Earl exhibition and the Reyes and Frost one pocket were really good,it wasnt an easy thing to do but it was certainly worthwhile not just for me but the fans and people involved.I wish I would have had the funding to do it better but I did quite well for the money I had to do it with.



I do believe that I will continue to do it,I already have another stream in the works and this time it will be the game of 14.1 that I will be bringing to the fans.I have been in contact with a few people about getting some sponsorship for the streams,it will be so helpful to get better stuff to work with and slowly improve the stream at each event I do.I havent sought out sponsorship,I have been hanging back and a few people have came forward and there have been some talks.I do believe people who want some cheap exposure of their products and business will get on board.I would like to do more streams from the state of Arizona as there are events and tournaments going on that are worthy about once a month or so.



Another avenue I was thinking of persuing with this is for room owners who have tourneys and want to have there own little page and a tourney live streamed from there a cheap way to get exposure and advertise.I believe I can help pool in my area on a small scale by doing this,its great for the fans too,as for the money,well there is no money in it!Most people who have any sense know there isnt much money in pool and for me thats not my motivation.I just want to get this going smoothly and have the equipment to do a good job,cover any expenses while I am doing it like gas,food,and whatever else so I dont have to go into my pocket to bring fans,promoters,room owners and whomever else something that is beneficial to them.I know that the best way to do this from my point of view is sponsorship,the sponsor gets very cheap advertising and exposure all over the place since the internet is worldwide and the fans get to see some pool,the room gets airtime and the players too!

I think this is the way of the future for pool,ESPN isnt doing anything so the IPT is doing there streaming with there money behind it and doing pretty nice stuff.The Action Report is awesome because its bringing fans straight up gambling with top players and you get to see the players gamble on all games.I do think they have a bright future and as sponsors realize the following is growing they will grow and grow and then be in the green and perhaps have something televised which would be cool.I wont ever be on the level of TAR and dont want to be honestly,its alot of work doing it and I am glad to just do it locally instead of driving all over the country and dealing with all the business stuff.

I just want to get a few sponsors and do stuff in my state, keep the stream nice,simple and smooth,maybe eventually have people commentate if they would like whom have knowledge.So I am waiting to hear back on one sponsor to see if he is going to come through,it might help both of us alot in what we are trying to do and it will be awesome to get a few things I need to improve the stream.I was so shocked to have 750 people watching and the stream go as well as it did with what I had to work with,the night before when I streamed Earl Strickland it went smoother and the quality was better,it was all about the internet connection and also lighting too.

Well enough rambling but I thought I would keep people informed on what I have been doing pool wise and will let you know whats coming down the pipe when its all definate.So take it easy and check out the link to the stream I was referring to that Im providing below,there are some videos on there too,enjoy.

Fast Lenny



http://www.ustreamt.tv/channel/eclipsepool