Tuesday, June 06, 2006

JerPool

I love where I work. For more info see www.ilovedoba.com. Actually, on second thought, don’t go there. I haven’t updated it in almost a year. Plus, I was trying to get it done really fast and the content there is hugely inadequate at expressing how much I really like the company I work for and the people I work with.

But I digress, I started this post with “I love where I work” because I wanted to talk about a game I often play with our CEO, Jeremy Hanks. It’s called JerPool because he invented it, but I’d like to think that I had a hand in helping to define it as a game. It’s played on a pool table with pool balls, but you don’t use pool cues.

It is loosely based on normal 8-ball; however, there are enough differences that you’ll want to read the full JerPool rules before you attempt to play. You also might want to put some padding on any walls near your table, make sure you can afford to replace your balls, and think about how important it is to you that your table looks nice—if it is important, consider if you want to re-felt your table.

We strongly believe that someday soon, you’ll be seeing JerPool on ESPN2. After all, you can only watch so much Texas Hold ‘Em before it gets really old. Plus, once you’ve watched a game of JerPool, you’ll be hooked. The sheer luck factor makes for some pretty amazing shots and exciting jumped balls zinging at opponents and spectators.

Here are some pictures I took of JerPool in our office. Unfortunately, Jer was at the dentist the day I took these:

Eric demonstrating an on-table shot.


The "backwards" rack of a JerPool break.


A great JerPool shot moves a lot of balls.


These are dents in the wall from misfired shots.


The balls suffer too. Notice the chip in the cue ball. We've even chipped the brick.



Stu demonstrating a normal JerPool Shot.

2 comments:

StuTheWise said...

I would just like to point out that I was playing no-stick pool back in 2001.

I had lost my job doing tech. support, and was living with my in-laws (and yes, it was possibly the most horrible experience of my life). They had a pool table in the back that I could never play, so my brother-in-law asked me to play a no-stick Jer Pool style game with him so I wouldn't feel left out.

I have to say, the disgust I (perhaps wrongly) had for his attempt at sympathy aside, I thought it was idiotic back then. But somehow, the fact that Jer came up with it here at work makes it really cool.

Perhaps it's the organization with the rules. Perhaps it's Jer's pure insanity. Whatever it is, it's alot funner than "Stu Pool"!

StuTheWise said...

By the way, did you notice my patented two-finger grip on the Jer Pool ball? Makes for some sweet english baby!