Sunday, October 11th, 2020 -- SPM (Sneaky Pete Mafia) and I are joining forces to create a source of billiards news, unparalleled in recent times. What we want to bring on, is some honest, as objective as we can be product reviews, beginning with an article on these cues Garret Troop, the architect of SPM has given me, in exchange for 30 Articles to be submitted by me, for which I have written a few.
Below is a picture of the gear I will review:
What I have that Troop so graciously adorned me with is a green, no wrap Jacoby playing cue, with radial pin, phenolic joint collars, 13 mm, Tiger layered tip, solid, tight ripple center, hand selected maple wood, 18.9oz, solid masterpiece, retailing for just $325.
Then, I have a beast of a Jacoby red, no wrap break 13mm Chris Renfro tipped cue that retails for about $375 I believe.
Finally, I have a JB (John Barton) Orange, 2x4 backpack custom case that cost $175, has a lifetime warranty, is bad to the bone, and I added a sticker too, with three pockets, including a side zipped pocket for a jump butt, should that be desired to be stored in the case -- additionally including a blue case storage bag in the large bottom zippered pocket, when the case is not in use.
These items are the pool player's weapons -- upon the canvas of blue and green billiards aficionados so often play upon. The Jacoby playing cue hitting solid and true, with little deflection and laser accuracy. The break cue a hammer that I made 1-3 balls on every single rack I broke today with, breaking and running out two, then breaking and combing 2-9 in the corner one game, and playing very well, considering I hadn't played but a few other times this entire 2020; speaking of 2020, and Covid-19, with such hard times, the billiards community and world community of pool players, billiards aficionados, enthusiasts, promoters, media outlets, etcetera-- the billiards menagerie that is -- we all should come together in these times of need, reach out to one another, continue to play, continue to push, continue to live, thrive and say, "We are still here!" I digress...
I am having to type this first post into the interface of the website, as I can't seem to copy and paste another article I wrote for SPM in all due diligence to the code of the pool hall junkie, the game eternal.
Today, with the playing cue, I adjusted to the deflection of the shaft within a couple racks, and was quickly running out. With the break cue, I was making 1-3 balls every single break, and that is great! Why? I have always had trouble breaking and making balls, but with that cue, I barely had to try, although I did alter the position of my grip on the butt, grabbing it by the very end nearly, so as to increase the length of my stroke, striking true, and with the Renfro tip, banging the balls hard, often making the wing ball with the classic cut break, sometimes making that one in the side, and on a couple, I broke and ran out flawlessly. So sublime, the Jacoby in my hands, and with the clout and prestige of carrying them in the JB Custom orange crush case? I can't go wrong.
I won against a top player that had a couple break and runs on me as well in the race to 17, but I broke out in the end, after a tight back and forth battle of 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 3-4, 4-5, 6-6, like that until I pulled it out in the end, putting together a crazy onslaught of runouts, and sloping the 9 in, so I ended it 17-11 in the race to 17, on the Simonis 860 cloth tables, 7ft barbox, Valley tables. Love 9ft 9 ball, but the 7ft is very fun. Very fast tables today and dry conditions -- ideal.
All in all, a very fun day of pool with great equipment. Thanks to Garret Troop, SPM Magazine, JB Custom Cases, and Jacoby, for creating this awesome pool equipment! I love my pool life!