...I'm not updating this thing with Derby City Classic entries the way I'd planned.

I've just been to damn tired by the time I get home, plus I've known that I'd have to get up early again.

Tomorrow should be better because once the Banks wraps up I'll be able to sleep in Tuesday morning.

So I'm out of the Banks. I once again won two matches and then lost two matches. One round out of the money. Oh well.

I have a problem with third round draws. In 2003 it was Charlie Bryant. I won that match. In 2004 it was Truman Hogue, and I lost.

This year my third round opponent was Louis DeMarco.

I need to make some more entries once I get my mental notes together, and once I diagram out some shots, but I'll list a few points here:

1. I banked eight in a row, tying my own high run in competition, against my second round opponent, a gentleman from West Virginia I think. I shot extremely well and would have won easily even without the high run.

2. My third round match started with my execution of a very nice run of five banks to win the first game. After that the match was a blur of Louis making banks and me racking. I guess I woke him up or something. Actually I missed a shot that would have put me up 2-1 with me breaking. A shot I really should have made. I'll diagram it later. I shot very well against Louis, but he's a fucking great player and he beat me.

3. My fourth match - well, in my fourth match I sucked the proverbial donkey dick. I simply could not adjust to the table banking short, and by the time I did start to adjust it was too late. I lost 3-0. I am not blaming the table for my loss. I should have been able to adjust, but I didn't do it in time. What I will say though is that if I'd played my fourth round opponent on a table that banked like the tables I played my first three matches on I would have just killed the guy. I have zero doubt of that.

4. Larry Nevel is just destroying everyone. Efren Reyes 3-0 and Truman Hogue 3-0 just to name two of his victims. Sometime over the next couple of days I'll diagram the out that Larry put on Truman to win that match. Had everyone on the room gasping at both the audacity and the execution. I don't know how that guy walks around with cojones like that. (Update: I've put Larry's out on the End Game Banks page.)

5. I bit the bullet and paid my entry for the nine ball that starts on Wednesday. If I win a match I'll be happily surprised.

I guess that's it for now.