Latest News

09.01.2010
RAXX Weekly 9-Ball Open 3rd Place!!!!!!!!!! I had just begun to feel like I was playing better last week so I decided to play in the Raxx weekly event. I wanted to improve on my fundamentals before this weekends Predator event. I started off pretty strong winning my first 3 matches and I had to match up against Mike Davis in the quarter finals on the winners side. Mike is always a strong player and I had my work cut out for me. I still wasn't totally comfortable at the table and Davis took the win. I won a few more on the 1-loss side and I had to play Davis again to get into the finals. I had just beaten Bobby Blackmore and I was playing really strong and I felt like I could win this match. Davis started off strong again and he took a 3 to 1 lead. Being a short race to 4, I had to start to make things happen. Davis missed a routine 7 ball which gave me another game but I couldn't get any momentum from his miss. Mike missed a few more times in the last rack but he left me with no shots which didn't help my cause any. I ended up loosing 4 to 2. I did manage a 3rd place finish, not bad but not the win I was looking for.!!!!!!
08.28.2010
Results from the New York City 9-Ball Championships!!!!!!!!!! Well one more championship has come and gone and I didn't do as well as I would have hoped, but not having played as much for the last 4 months as I would have liked to, I really can't complain with my results. I ended up in 13th place out of about 45 players. I played a poor first round match against Frankie Hernandez not being able to adjust to the new cloth and the red circle cue ball fast enough. Frankie took an early lead and I could not catch up fast enough and lost the match 9 to 6. I won my next 3 or 4 matches on the 1-loss side and I ended up playing Ronnie Wiseman for the cash rounds! I had not know that the match was for $200 but I should have focused harder at the table anyway to secure the match but I let it slip away 9 to 7 after having been down 4 to 0! I meet some new friends and saw some old ones and had a great time besides the pool playing part of my weekend. I sat in the booth and did some commentary for THE BIG TRUCK SHOW, hosted by big truck himself, Ray Hansen, which was great! This event was a great tune up for the Predator event which will be held at RAXX this coming weekend. This event will also be sponsored by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and it will also be streamed live on the internet over the weekend by Big Truck!!! Be sure to be there if you can, it looks to be an incredible weekend for pool!!!! See you there!!!!!!
08.08.2010
Shoulder is healing great....it's back to pool!!!!!!!!!! Well it's been a while but my shoulder is getting back to normal with the tendon tear healing up great and it is almost as strong as ever! Having confidence in my shoulder again, I decided to play the MEZZ Pro-Am as it was in my home room of RAXX! I started out pretty shaky against Zion Zvi and lost my first round. I wasn't feeling all that connected to the table and I never really found a stroke but I managed to win a couple of rounds on the 1-loss side. I managed to get my self into 5th place with a good win over my friend Matt Krah, another monster of the east coast! I had a chance to go up 6 to 5 in the race to 7 but I hung the 9. I pulled out 2 great racks to seal the deal setting me up against Brett Stottlemyer for the chance to get into 4th place. The match started off pretty even with us tied at 4 apiece. I had a pretty good chance to reach 5 games first but I could not seem to settle myself down and I let that game slip away. I eventually let the match slip away and I lost 7 to 4!! Not the way I wanted to end the day because it was my birthday!!! I wanted to give myself a huge gift by winning this event but that was not to be. I'll take 5th place and the confidence of knowing my shoulder is getting stronger every day!!!
06.23.2010
More tests confirm a tendon tear but surgery will have to wait!!!!! I went back for more testing after suffering a set back in my rehab and sure enough I tore some of the tendons in my rotator cuff in my shoulder. I confirmed with my doctor the test results and even had a 2nd opinion about the surgery and they both were on the fence about weather or not I should have the surgery. Both doctors seemed to think that it would be better for me to try to get better with rehab so I might not need the 2nd surgery. I figured I would have to have it anyway so my doctor should go ahead and book the surgery date anyway. He said fine and then I asked him about how long it would be before I got back to work after the surgery and he said JANUARY!!!! I said your kidding and he said no so we talked a bit more about waiting until the tendon rips 100% and then get it done because until it is 100% torn I could still lead a productive and pain free life even with the tear in the shoulder. So we both decided it would be best to try to manage the pain and get some strength back into my shoulder and back before I had the 2nd surgery because I might not need to go under the knife again! Lets keep our "fingers" crossed!!!
Having said that, I played in the RAXX weekly open event last night on the 22nd, and I didn't play that great but I did manage to take 5th place. I didn't really have any pain and my shoulder felt pretty good! Lets hope things keep going smoothly on my road to recovery!!
06.15.2010
Shoulder set back after suffering complications after surgery!!! I started to feel pain in my shoulder about 3 or 4 weeks after having surgery and my doctor told me that might be normal considering the surgery was only 2 months ago. 2 weeks later and still no relief in sight, I was sent to have another MRI which confirmed my worst fear, I had indeed suffered complications from the surgery suffering an almost 50% tear in the shoulder joint!! This will probably result in yet another surgery to repair the tear. I will be out of work for at least another month before my doctors make that determination so I am extremely upset knowing I will not be able to get back to the table for quite a long time!! I would like to thank everybody for their support, it means a lot to me.
05.26.2010
FINGERS RESUMES TOURNAMENT PLAY AFTER SURGERY!!! Well its been over 4 weeks since I had my shoulder surgery and I'm feeling well enough to start playing in some tournaments again!!! I have been itching to get back at the table for the entire time I've been home and now it looks like I will be able to start competing again. I entered the RAXX weekly open on the 25th and I did not expect to do all that great but to my surprise I am only down a ball or two from my normal top gear!! I scratched a lot which cost me my match against GINKY, but I clawed my way through the loser's side to finish in 4th place. I'm not too upset with my finish but I am upset at all the scratches I made. I must have scratched at least 3 times per match which usually not a good thing. I'll make some adjustments and get back into stroke and then look out!!!
05.01.2010
SHOULDER SURGERY GOES WELL!!! I Had shoulder surgery on the 22nd to repair some issues I have been having with my left shoulder for some time now. I had bone spurring along with tendonitis, bursitis and biceptular tendonitis in my left shoulder for quite a while and I could no longer work, or play pool for that matter without a lot of pain. The procedure went well and I should make a full recovery in about a month or so. I do not expect to play in any big events for a few weeks so I hope my game does not suffer too much! I will be practicing as much as my shoulder will tolerate but I will not push it and I hope to use the time away to strengthen my mental game in preparation for any big events in the future!!
04.12.2010
WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!!!
Fingers wins the inaugural "2nd Chance" event on the Joss Northeast 9-Ball tour!!!!! Well it wasn't the main event of the weekend, but a win on the Joss tour is still a win and I'll take it!!! I didn't play very well on Saturday only winning one match against Oscar Bonilla 9 to 1, he wasn't playing well and I played my best match of the day easily taking the win. After that it was all down hill from there losing to Megan Smith 9 to 5! She played very well and I could not get anything started. The 2nd Chance event on Sunday was a different story! It stated out the same with me being down 2 to 0 in a race to 3 against Megan Smith, but I was not about to go out like that again!! I had to grind my way out of that set winning on the hill 3 to 2. From there I caught a gear and took out Oscar Bonilla and Dave Ascolege to make it to the finals. Oscar fought his way back for the rematch but it was not going to be his day! I played great in the final set easily winning 3 to 1 for my first win on the Joss tour!!
03.25.2010
Results from the Allen Hopkins Billiards Expo!!!!! Well another EXPO has come and gone and I really had a great time!! I won the Wednesday Warm-Up event which was a great start to the week pocketing $400! I met with J.R. Calvert of INSIDEPOOL Magazine because I was going to commentate the live feed of the Diamond Pro-Players 10-Ball Championships that they were going to be streaming live for the entire week! I did not play great in the pro event and I lost my first match to Chris Bartrum 9 to 7 but I made a strong comeback easily winning my 2nd round match 9 to 4. I started off my 3rd round match strong taking an early lead 5 to 3 but that is when the wheels started coming off. I lost that match 9 to 5 and my bad play had turned myself into a spectator!! I wasn't too upset because I had the best seat in the house giving the play by play on the rest of the weeks matches with a few of my friends in the commentators booth!! There was some technical issues with the equipment but that was soon sorted out and I think the coverage was great over all!! I look forward to working with INSIDEPOOL again in the future! I meet with Kevin Contestabile of CUESHARK and enjoyed talking with him and his team and I hope to continue representing them for some time to come!!! They make a great product!! My ride home took a bit of a wrong turn as my GPS did not turn on and I took an unexpected "tour" of Philly! I made it home after a long ride and I Immediately started looking forward to next years event!!! SEE YOU THERE!!!
03.06.2010
Gearing up for the Allen Hopkins Billiards Expo !!!!! It's that time of year again and I'm getting ready for the pro event at the Allen Hopkins Super Billiards Expo in Valley Forge, PA. I sent out all my cues for the much needed repairs and I'm hitting the table to sharpen up my stroke in an effort to make a statement at this years event! I'll also be teaming up with Inside Pool magazine to provide some of the commentating for the live stream they will be providing inside the players arena! It should prove to be really exciting, I can't wait!!! I'll also be at the CueShark booth with Kevin Contestabile helping to promote their terrific products! Please be sure to stop by and say hello!!
01.11.2010
Fingers starts off the new year by teaming up with CueShark!!!!! I first meet Kevin Contestabile at the Turning Stone event in August 2009. I was interested in one of their products, the P.U.P which stands for the "Players Ultimate Pocket-tool", so Kevin tossed me one to have and all he said was,"let me know what you think!" I said sure and I started to put his P.U.P to the test! I started using his P.U.P. to help keep my cue tip in perfect condition for my matches and it also helped me defeat Nick Varner in this years US Open 9-Ball Championships! That is where you need to have equipment you know you can count on, and it worked perfectly! I was very pleased to find his product was perfect in almost every way so I gave him a detailed review of his product for him to use on his web site. I guess he was pleased with my review because he asked me about maybe working together and so our journey began!! Mike FINGERS Badstuebner is now the Player Representative for CueShark! I am proud to be a part of this exciting new company and fully believe in their products! Look for us at this years Allen Hopkins Expo!
10.29.2009
2009 US Open!!!! Well the US Open 9-Ball Championships have come and gone and I cashed again!!! I had two good wins on the winners side against Bjorn Lepke and Nick Varner (for the cheese-$700) I lost to Marlon Manalo with some bad play and the I lost the next set to a guy I really should have beaten but again I played bad and I deserved to lose!
I made some new friends, saw some old ones and had a great time! I also learned some good stuff about playing the correct shot which I plan on using to my advantage in my future matches! I ended up finishing tied for 65 out of 216 players which is not as good as I had hoped but I am more determined that ever to keep drive alive and strive for better results in my future matches. I am still on track and making progress towards my first win. I know it's out there!!!!
8.25.2009
Turning Stone Comes and Goes!!!! August only means one thing, TURNING STONE!!! I went up a day early to watch my buddy Shaun Wilkie do battle with Dave Grau in a Challenge match at Cap's in Syracuse. Shaun didn't get many rolls and was behind 12 to 7 but he fought hard and almost tied it up on the hill but he came up short and lost the match 13 to 11. From there it was time to focus on the big show! I had to play a friend of mine from Long Island, Justin Muller in the first round. He started off strong making the 9 on the break in the first game and running out the next for a 2 to 0 lead. I was wondering how this match was going to go but I started my offensive and played god and I took back the lead and went on to win 9 to 5. My 2nd round match was against Mr. Kam. This was an ugly match right from the get go with about 5 balls skidding on me and a miss with ball in hand!! Both of us played pretty bad but I managed to pull off the victory 9 to 7. I was then faced up against Corey Deuel. He brought his A game and was firing on all cylinders and before I knew it it was 6 to 0! I had very few chances to get to the table but I did manage to make 2 great outs for the only 2 games I would win!! I lost 9 to 2! On the losers side I had to play Yu Ram Cha. She had just beaten Thorsten Hohmann!! I knew I could take her and I played great and had her the entire match leading 7 to 6! I played a great safe on her but that's when things started to change. She jumped at the 2 ball and it hit the rail and back into the 5 ball sending it into the corner down the long rail and she got out to tie the match. She won the next game putting herself on the hill first. The last rack was ugly but I got on the 8 ball and I played it into the side and I let the cue ball come across table and drop right into the corner pocket!!! Really???
Over all I was pleased with my play and it boosted my confidence a bunch! I hope to continue playing well and keep doing good in this event! I won't be able to play the next event in December but I'll be back next August, it's just too much fun too miss!!! 7.27.2009
Wild Eyes Creations Team! Wild Eyes Creations has added even MORE terrific items to there inventory!!!!!!I spent a lot of time with the guys from Wild Eyes at this years Allen Hopkins Super Billiard Expo and let me tell you... they just keep coming out with the absolute best items for the pool industry!!! Cue Holders, pocket chalkers, key chains, shirts......the stuff just doesn't stop coming! New to their line up is the "Pocket Snake" chalk holder. It is molded from an actual baby cobra head!!!! How cool is that!!! They added a "fin" to the bottom of the holder so it doesn't slip out of you pocket when you bend over making it the best one on the market! They also added the "Shooter Stone" cue holder. It is a 2 piece design that can hold anywhere from 1 cue (using only 1 half of the holder) to 9 cues (if you place them accordingly) That's enough cue storage for your whole pool team!!! It also holds enough quarters for all the matches you have too play!!! These guys are really dedicated to making the most useful products for the pool player and they are with out a doubt the most coolest items out there!!! Simply the best!!! You need to check out there web site for yourself, it's www.wildeyescreations.com Tell them FINGERS sent ya!!!
Joe, Wes, and Patrick are the guys behind Wild Eyes Creations. There from Wisconsin and they are the nicest 3 guys you could meet. Wes also plays a mean game of mini pool!!! They had a small table set up at there booth to help entertain the people and it did a great job, people were lined up to play all day long. I felt I had to let Wes win some games just to make him feel better, poor guy(LOL...only kidding big guy, I got a new number!!!) Joe and Patrick round out there "Team" and they really do a great job with there products. They found a way to help out the pool player with the best cue holder on the planet. The other products they keep coming out with only add to there terrific line up of items which make there stuff the best pool products around not to mention the COOLEST!!! Ask them about there shirts and keep an eye( a Wild Eye) out for there latest creations!!! 5.23.2009
Fingers gets on BOTH sides of the Accu-Stats camera at Comet billiards!
I had the chance to play the Predator 9-Ball tour this past weekend at Comet Billiards in Parsippany NJ. I played the first match of the day against John Alicea on the TV table! I started out playing very poorly and John wasn't missing a ball! He took an early lead 7 to 2, but I closed the gap late in the match to make it a more respectable set but still lost 9 to 7! I played much better in my next round match and had an 8 to 5 game lead against Carmine Lombardo but I managed to give that set away 9 to 8, ending my tournament going 2 and out!!! From there I moved behind the camera and started doing commentary for Accu-Stats on some of the other matches held on Saturday. I also returned on Sunday and did some more commentary for a few more matches! I received acouple of compliments on my commentary from a few people who watched on line and Pat Flemming also told me I was doing a great job behind the mike!!! I really enjoyed working in the booth and I look forward to doing it again soon, although I'd rather be playing, with somebody else commentating on my matches!!!! I hope everybody watching enjoyed it!!! This may be the beginning of a new career for me!!!! LOL 5.14.2009
I haven't been able to play as much as I would have liked in the past few weeks but I did manage to get to the Joss event at Comet Billiards on April 25, 26. I didn't play that great loosing 2 of my first 3 matches (I didn't expect much better!!) but I did get a chance to get into the commentary booth for Accu-Stats!! I commented on about 75% of the Dennis Hatch, Shaun Wilkie match and I did the entire semi-final match between Tom Magonigal and Al Lapina! I really enjoyed giving the play by play for the matches and I hoped that whoever was watching enjoyed it also! I would very much like to get back into the booth in the future!! I also made it to the Blaze event this past Saturday which was held at master Billiards in Queens. I have been tinkering with my stroke in the past few weeks so I was interested to see how the changes would work in a tournament setting! I played pretty good after a first round scare by Jose Burgos himself. He started off strong with a score of 3 to 0 so I was wondering if the changes I was working on were working. I settled down and took control of the match for the win. I won my next two matches to make it to the hot seat match against George SanSucci. I didn't play good and had to settle for the 1-loss side match against Mhet Vargera. He played pretty bad and I cruised past him into the finals for a rematch against "GINKI" I really wanted to beat him in the first set to force a 2nd set for the title and I played pretty good closing a 3 to 1 gap to 3 apiece before I started to miss a few shots. George played very well as usual and he pulled away for the win 7 to 3! Considering I haven't been playing all that much I am pretty happy settling for another 2nd place finish!!!
3.5.2009
TUNING UP FOR TURNING STONE!!!
I wanted to play as many events as I could leading up to the Joss event at Turning Stone. I was hoping to work out some kinks in my game. I finished in 3rd at the Raxx weekly event on Tuesday, I played in the Blaze event at Skyline Billiards in Brooklyn on the following Sunday and had an impressive run on the 1-loss side beating Eddie Abraham, Jimmy Jussman, and Mark Vidal to take down the 4th spot!! The next Tuesday I placed 4th at Raxx and I was looking forwards to playing at Hippos House of Billiards, in Utica the next day, Wednesday before the TurningStone event started. I played pretty good throughout the entire tournament gaining strength and confidence with every match. I made it to the finals and I beat my opponent 7 to 0 for the win!!! That wasn't a bad week leading up to the big event! I started off playing OK and I had a good win against Hunter Lombardo in my first match 9 to 7. My second round match was a little better for me winning 9 to 6 which lead up to my third round match against Ed Matushonek for the cash!! I played with a very high level of focus and confidence because I wanted to beat this guy badly. I knew he could play great and I wanted to get past him. I played very well and controlled almost the entire match an won 9 to 5!! My next match was against Louie Ulrich in the final 16 on the winners side!! I did not maintain that high level of focus and confidence and I let the match slip away by not getting out when I should have. I played some bad shots and I lost the match 9 to 6! I had to play Matt Tetreault next and I felt I could win this match If i stayed focused but I let that match slip away also 9 to 6. It was a very disappointing way for me to get knocked out, but that only proves my point that you must keep your focus between the rails at all times and stay confidant! I let myself down by not taking my own advice!! Oh well......I'm still a work in progress!!!!
1.26.2009
WHAT A WAY TO KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR!!!
I started off the new year pretty good with a solid 7th place finish at the Joss 9-Ball tour stop at Comet Billiards on January 10 & 11th. I played a solid first round match against tour director Mike Zugland and won easily 9 to 2! My second round match was a bit closer but I managed to pull out the win. My third round match was against tour vet David Grau, and man can this guy play!! He started off strong and didn't miss a ball and climbed to a big 8 to 2 lead. That's when I told him I would have to hit him with an 7 pack
to win and he said he would love to see that....so.....I hit min with a....3 pack, my run ended there when I did not make a ball on the 4th rack! I still managed to win that rack to close the gap a bit. I won the next rack and the following rack after he scratched on the 8!! Now it was close! I won the following rack to make in a HILL HILL Thriller! I had my chance and ran to the 4 ball and then I started to get out of line. I made it to the 8 and by now I was sooooo out of line I had to make a hard bank which I missed letting him back to the table. He ultimately made the 8 and the 9 for the win but I did make him sit up and take notice!! I NEVER GIVE UP!! I had to face Tony Robles on the 1-loss side after that and I played well and I finally beat him!!!! (there goes another monkey....only 1 left) My last match was against Mika Immonen, who is on fire right now. I did not play well and missed some kicks and scratched a few time so he beat me pretty good 9 to 4! I had an overall good tournament and 7th place isn't a bad way to start off the new year!!
11.26.2008
FINGERS TAKES 5TH PLACE AT OCEAN STATE 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
I started off at this event playing very well beating some tough players in my first 3 matches! In my 4th round match I was up against Joe Tucker. I knew he could play great and I was anticipating this match greatly. The match went back and forth and was pretty close all the way through. I had scratched on the break a few times and played some bad shots and I let the match slip away. On the 1-loss side I won my next 2 matches and finished playing on day 1 at 2:30 in the morning! On day 2 I kept my winning streak alive by beating my friend Bobby Blackmore! He always plays great so I was happy with the win! My next match was against my good friend Shaun Wilkie. I have never gotten past him in a tournament so I was looking forward to getting that monkey off my back! I played pretty good and took advantage of his mistakes and won the match! 1 Less monkey!!!! My next round match was against a strong young player named Adam Kieler. I knew this would be a tough match but my break was working and I got out when I needed to and won the match! I was then matched up against George San Succi in a match that would determine 4th place. The match started off close and I felt pretty good about winning but that would soon change. He was killing me with his break and he was playing great. I started to play some bad shots hooking myself 3 or 4 times, add in some scratches and some bad safeties and I lost the match 9 to 5! I'll take 5th place considering the size and the strength of the field!!
10.30.2008
RESULTS FROM THE US OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!
I started out strong with a great win over Neil Fugiwara in the first round, this guy just won the last stop on the Florida Pro Tour! My second round match was against Jeremy Jones! We battled it out pretty good and he took a commanding 10 to 6 game lead, but you know me.... I NEVER GIVE UP!!! He broke dry on the hill and I hit him with a 4 pack to tie up the match! We played safe in the next rack 6 times and he slipped up first letting me see the 1 ball and I ran out the rack for a great come from behind win!! My third round match was against Mike Fuller. We both played OK, and the match went back and forth. He made two 9 balls on the break after they got kicked around, taking a bit of a lead and he won the match 11 to 7! My fourth round match was against Ralf Souquet, he just came back from winning a big event in Europe! Our match went back and forth and at 5 apiece I hit a gear and won the next 4 racks to lead 9 to 5. He closed the gap a bit but I hit the hill first 10 to 7! Ralf received some lucky rolls(I scratched twice!) and he kicked at a ball leaving me stuck at HILL HILL. I kicked at it and left him straight in the side. He won the set 11 to 10!! I finished tied for 65th place winning me $750!! NOT TOO BAD!!!
10.5.2008
FINGERS TAKES 4TH AT DREXILINE!!!
Drexiline Billiards is one of my favorite pool rooms, too bad it a few hours away! I played the Blaze tour stop there on Sunday the 28, along with 40 other players. I started out ok winning my first two matches and then I had to play Manny Chau, one of the strongest players around! We started off the match trading racks back and forth until the score was 3 to 2 him. I had a nice runout going until I had to hit the 7 ball. I played it into the corner with a bit of follow to travel past the 9 for a shot on the 8 in the opposite corner and the cue skidded....CRAP...NOT AGAIN!!!...and stopped behind the 9!! I played a good safe but he hit it and left me safe letting him take that rack. Now instead of being tied up at 3 apiece.... he was up 4 to 2. I lost all momentum at that point and could not get it back and I lost the match!! I started hitting the balls good again in my next couple of matches until I played Matt Krah. He was beating me bad 3 to 0 with an easy shot on the 9 and I figured it was not going to be my day because he would only need 3 more games to my 7 to win the match!! THEN HE MISSED THE 9!!!! I did not see that coming! That put me in stroke and I played LIGHT'S OUT... for the rest of the match winning 7 to 3. That win helped me play my way into 4th when I had to play Jose Parica. I was excited about having the chance to play such a legend (and beating him!!!) I could not wait for the match to begin! I played a great first rack and unfortunately that would be it! He played great and got most of the rolls leaving me with almost nothing to shoot at. He ended up winning 7 to 1 leaving me in 4th place!! I WANT A REMATCH!!!
9.8.2008
FINGERS COMES UP 2ND TO BUSTY AT RAXX OPEN 9-BALL EVENT!!!
I played in the RAXX weekly open event on 9/2/08 and I started out pretty good winning my first 2 matches. I lost my 3rd match to Justin Muller who was playing very well. I almost went home after that because it was already 9:45 and I had to wait for 3 more rounds for my next match! I called my wife and she talked me in to staying so I stuck around for my next match. I played ok winning 4 to 2 and then I caught a stroke!! I won my next 4 rounds with with ease, playing great and getting some good rolls! That set up the finals match with non other than FRANCESCO BUSTAMANTE!!! I started off great winning the first 2 games. The next game Busty missed a 5-9 combo leaving an easy out which he gave me. He won the next two and I won the two after that running out some great racks for a 5 to 2 lead! I broke the next rack and had a good chance for another run out for the HILL, but I got out of line on the 4 and missed it leaving Busty the run out making it 5 to 3. He broke the next rack and then played a safety hooking me on the 1 ball which I kicked at and missed. He ran out that rack making the score 5 to 4!! That's when he put a 3 pack together for the win!! I played very well and I have no complaints finishing 2nd to one of the best in the world! I'LL GET HIM NEXT TIME!!!
8.21.2008
FINGERS TAKES 17TH AT JOSS TURNING STONE SEASON FINALE!!!
I played pretty well at the Joss finale held at the Turning Stone Casino from 8/14 through 8/17 and managed a respectable 17th place finish! I played Adam Tanner in my first round match. He just won the 14 and under event at this years Allen Hopkins EXPO! After a few first round jitters I gained control and won easily 9 to 2. My second round match was against Oscar Dominguez, this guy can play! It was a great back and forth match and it was knotted up at 7 each! I took my break and came back focused on the match and took a 8 to 7 lead. The last rack was definitely not a road map. I played a good spin shot on the 3 ball spinning the cue between the 6 and 7 on the long rail nudging the 7 in front of the side pocket. After making the 7 the cue went up and back down the table and stopped almost straight in on the 8! I had just enough angle that with a good draw shot with left english, I spun the cue 3 rails back up table for perfect position on the 9!! My 3rd round match was against my friend Chris L. I play him all the time at RAXX so I knew I needed to play well to beat him. The match started out with him getting some good rolls and a missed 9ball on my part and he took a strong 5 to 1 lead I could not believe it, I thought he was going to beat me 9 to 2!!!! I did not want to let that happen!!! I calmed down and waited for my chance. I started to get some good rolls and I was playing better and I climbed back into the match! We went back and forth in one rack trading shots on the 7 and then trading shots on the 9. It seemed like nobody wanted to win but I took control and won that rack and I finished out the set winning 9 to 6! I almost let that one slip away and I never would have heard the end of it!!LOL My next match was against my good friend Shaun Wilkie. He came out strong and with a few good rolls he took control 5 to 1. I managed to win a few games but he took the match 9 to 4! That set up my next match with John Pinigar. He was playing well having just knocked out Corey Deuel. I started out a bit shaky but I soon got it together and took a 6 to 5 lead! I had a chance to make it 7 to 5 with a 1 9 combo but I rushed it and missed! This let him back in the match. I had another chance to get another game but I came up short on the 3 ball and I took my eye off it when I shot and I missed it bad!! He was ahead 8 to 6 and safed me on the 1 ball. It was an easy 1 rail kick that I should have made but I was "OUT OF IT" at this point and I missed it leaving him an easy 1 9 combo that I gave him!! I had a real strong chance to finish in at least 9th but I won't complain too much finishing in 17th! I'll get them next time!!
7.31.2008
FINGERS TEAMS UP WITH WILD EYE CREATIONS
Local pro and fan favorite, Mike "FINGERS" Badstuebner, has recently joined forces with WILD EYES CREATIONS to become there player representative! These guys make the best cue holder in the world! They are made of rubber that is hand poured into custom molds that give them their distinctive look! I met these guys at the '08 Allen Hopkins Billiard EXPO in valley Forge! I saw their display table and I was immediately drawn to them! I started talking to these guys and we seemed to hit it off right away. We talked a bit about how they were in business for about a year and about how I was playing in recognized Pro-Am tournaments for about a year. Their products were doing very well and I also was doing very well, I actually finished 2nd on the 2007 Blaze Pro-Am tour points list!One of my goals is to be successful in the pool world, which is also their goal so I started thinking that if we maybe joined forces, together we could help each other out! Since they are from Wisconsin and I'm from New York ( Long Island actually ) together we could cover a lot of ground and get some exposure that we might not ordinarily would have received. I'm starting to play on a more professional level and I am looking for sponsors to help me out and these guys are also competing in the pool world trying to get recognized as the makers of the best cue holder in the business! I thought about it for a minute (24 seconds actually) and I suggested that maybe we could team-up and try to help each other out! I gave them my business card and told them about my web site and they told me they would get back to me soon after the EXPO when they had a chance to think it over and check out my site. I know my pool journey will be a long one and if I get the chance to help out somebody else on the way, then I'm all for it! That's how much I love this sport! Soon after the EXPO, I received a call from Joe and he told me they would be delighted and excited about teaming up! He said having a player representative would be something that would be good for them and me also. It didn't take long for us to hash out some arraignments and BINGO...MIKE FINGERS PLAYER REPRESENTITIVE for WILD EYES CREATIONS!
Wes Spencer, Joe Quade & Patrick Seraphine are the brains behind absolutely the best cue holder in the world!! They are soft, colorful, extremely cool, and they work GREAT!! They hand pour up to 3 colors in each mold which means that no 2 are the same!! The designs are very intricate and detailed but they are the most simplistic holders out there! No clamps, clips, weights, screws or any of that complicated stuff! There also lightweight! Just stick it to a clean dry surface and the natural tackiness of the rubber does all the rest! It will actually hold a cue that is leaning away from the table!!! SIMPLY AMAZING!! What more could you want from a cue holder!?!?!
7.3.2008
FINGERS TEAMS UP WITH ONLINE POOL STORE BORDER BILLIARDS!!
I was recently contacted by John Vantine of Border Billiards about me letting them put up advertisements on my web site. He came across my web site and felt it would be a great place to advertise his online pool store. I did not know what to say at first but after looking at his site and seeing just how professional it was and the great selection of products they sold I said I was definitely interested! We worked out a deal which would be beneficial to both of us! I put up there ads on my site and they send me products which I can use and I provide them with a "Player Review" of their items which they use on their site to help sell their products! Having feedback about an item by a top ranked player can help the customer make a better decision about which product to buy. The crew at Border Billiards mean business!! All of the products are shipped out in the most secured packaging you can get! They ship your items out fast also, you won't be waiting for months for you stuff!! The price is always right and the shipping is usually FREE! What more can I say, if you need anything pool related just go to BORDER BILLIARDS!! Tell'em FINGERS sent ya!!
FINGERS BEATS'EM ALL TO WIN OPEN EVENT!!
It's hard for me to get down to Raxx on Tuesday night to play this event because I usually can't get off of work in time, but I finished early so I thought I would try to make it! I called Rob Omen letting him know I was coming and by the time I got there I almost missed my first match! I missed some easy stuff in the first match because I was not quite ready to play having no time to practice but I won the match 5 to 3. I still wasn't in stroke in my 2nd round match and I almost let that one get away by scratching 3 or 4 times giving my opponent easy games. I had to come from behind to win that match 5 to 4! That set up my 3rd round match with Oscar Bonilla! If you read my latest Winners Side story you already know I had a great come from behind, down 4 to 0, no chance in hell of winning, set stealing, 3 pack run out for the set victory!! My next match was against Joey Kong! Another KILLER!! I stayed in control and I played very well beating him 7 to 5! Now I was in the HOT SEAT!! I had to wait for the winner of Joey Kong and Oscar Bonilla to determine who would play me for the CROWN!! It was Oscar!! I had just STOLEN our last match right from under him so I was very confidant going into this match! We both started out shake and we both made mistakes. I didn't want this chance for victory to escape me so I tightened up my game and began winning racks! I played very well only missing a ball or two and I took control of the match and won it easily by a final score of 7 to 3!! SWEET SWEET VICTORY!!
7.1.2008
ANOTHER GREAT SHOWING AT THE PREDATOR TOUR!!!
I played great at another PREDATOR event this past weekend coming in 4th again! I had a slight scare in my first round match actually being down 8 to 3 on a race to 9.....for about 3 seconds and then the cue ball scratched into the side pocket, making it 7 to 3, and that was all the motivation I needed to start playing better. I tightened up my game and turned it into a hill hill thriller which I won!!! I had to come from behind in my 2nd round match but I was only down a game or two so that win wasn't quite as scary! My next match was against Frankie Hernandez. Everybody knows THE MOST FEARED 9-BALLER ON THE EAST COAST!! Well now he knows FINGERS!!! I was up 2 racks, he caught up and passed me 3 to 2, we traded racks until I was up 6 to 4, then he tied it up at 6 apiece. I stayed in control of my game and I kept my focus in between the rails and I took advantage of his mistakes taking the match 9 to 6! That was a great win!! My next match was against Eddie Abraham. We both started out playing very strong and the match was tied at 3 each. I played the 3 into the side and the cue rolled off line and ended up behind the 8. CRAP!!! Instead of being up 4 to 3 with the break I was down and pissed! Eddie caught a gear and he just passed me by winning 9 to 4. Now on the 1-loss side I beat Holden Chin and then I had to face Park Shin on Sunday! He beat me last week 9 to 0 and I did not let him forget it beating him 9 to 1!!! I won my next match against Steve Lillis and then played Mark Vidal. Mark practically didn't even have to put his cue together to win this match. I could not make a ball. I was out of line all the time and I hung up 2 or 3 9-balls! I GAVE him 6 racks, he made the 9 on the break for another game and lucked in another ball and got out of that rack also! SPAIN IS GREAT!! Oh well another 4th place finish, I'm getting there!!!
6.26.2008
FINGERS PLAYS GREAT IN STAMFORD CT.!!!
I played in the PREDATOR 9-ball event this weekend in Stamford CT with great results! I beat Park Shin, aka GODZILLA, in the first round 8 to 4, then I beat Mhet Vergara in the second round 8 to 5 which set up a hill hill thriller which I won against Victor Nau! That put me into 5th and gave me a chance to play on Sunday! My first match on Sunday was against Tony Robles so I wanted to play good! I didn't play all that good and I could not capitalize on his mistakes so the match did not go my way and I lost 9 to 6. I played great in my next match against Jeremy Sossie and beat him 9 to 3 which set up a rematch between me and Park Shin. Park had gotten into dead stroke and he was dead set on not letting me beat him twice in the same event! He controlled the entire match and left me with little or nothing to shoot at and clobbered me 9 to 0!! OUCH!!!
6.3.2008
FINGERS DEFEATS GODZILLA!!!!
I played in the Predator 9-ball stop at COMET BILLIARDS in NJ. over the weekend and I had a very rocky start! I played my first match like a D player and lost horribly 9 to 3 (and I was leading the match 2 to 0!!!) I could not believe how poorly I played!!! I missed several 9 balls, scratched on the 2nd to last ball twice, I literally gave my opponent the match as a gift (which he gladly took!) I did not give up, but man did I want to crawl under a rock after it was over!! Going 2 and out was NOT going to happen!!! I started to catch a stroke and played great after that! I had a buy for my first match on the 1-loss side and had to play Lionel Rivera next. I played very well and won that match. Next up for me was an old acquaintance of mine, Pete Tascarella SR. He is partly responsible for my GREAT play lately but that is another story!! I took control of that match and won easily 9 to 4! That set up my match with Shin Park, AKA, GODZILLA!!! He is one of the best 9-ball players around, PERIOD!! He is the only player to win twice on the Predator Tour!! I started out the match shooting ok, and pulled ahead early but I knew he would be charging hard. He stormed back to take the lead but I DID NOT GIVE UP!!! I fought hard and I kept my focus inside the rails!!! I gained my composure and tied up the match at 7 all! I got through the next rack to get to the hill first and after he missed the 2 ball in the next rack I knew I had him!!! I played some good shots and after I made the 8 and got dead on the 9 ball, he gave me the match!!! TOKYO IS SAFE TONIGHT!!! I won my next match convincingly against Bill Horne but I then lost to Joey Kong! I played pretty good being down 4 to 0. I clawed my way back into the match from being down 6 to 2 and made it 7 apiece!! I then lost my focus on some shots and made some bad mistakes and let him take the match 9 to 7 so I had to settle for a respectable 9th place finish!!!! Not too bad after a first round loss!
5.22.2008
ANOTHER GREAT SUNDAY FOR FINGERS!!!
I played some of my best pool of the year at SKYLINE on Sunday May 18. I had a great win over Eddie Vasquez. I played a great set and took control of the match and beat him soundly 7 to 2! I had another good win in my 2nd round match setting up a 3rd round match with Jorge Rodrigues who has been playing great lately. I was focused from the beginning and took control of that match also and won 7 to 3! My 4th round match was against "Flaco" Tony Rodriguez. The beginning of the match was a complete disaster!! I could not make a ball and I scratched 3 times in 3 racks all but giving him the set. He was ahead 6 to 2 and I figured it just was not my set to win. BUT.... I DID NOT GIVE UP!!! I clawed my way back into the match and won 7 to 6 setting up a hot seat match with Eddie Abraham. I did not play that great and he played like he always does... GREAT! He won the match 7 to 4 and I had to wait to play for 3rd place against Shaun Winters. I kept it as close as I could but unfortunately I was defeated by a score of 7 to 4! Overall it was a great Sunday with my 3rd place finish! That makes 3 out of 4 events I finished in the top 4!!
5.5.2008
FINGERS DOMINATES THE WEEKEND....PART 2!!!!
It would be hard to top my last weekend performance, but that is exactly what I have done!! I played the weekly Leisure Time 9-ball event on the 26th and I had a tougher time than last weekend. I found my self down to Beau Baer 6 to 4 but I fought hard and ground out the win to get into the finals. I quickly took control of the match and easily won the even for the second time in a row!! I then played the BLAZE tour event on the 27th at Skyline Billiards in Brooklyn. I won my first match against Liz Ford after a HILL HILL thriller!! I had a come from behind win in my 2nd round match and then I beat Eddie Vasquez convincingly in my 3rd round match! He had just beaten me at a PREDATOR event 9 to 0!! This was a great win for me showing everybody that I might get beat badly one day and then come back with a vengeance the next!! I made it to the winners side final which I lost due to bad play on my part! I took out my anger on The Russin, Steve Astashin sending him packing to set up a rematch against Brooklyn's own "Smitty" Dan Smith!! I had to win two matches to claim victory. It did not look good for me being down 6 to 4 with him shooting the 9...BUT HE MISSED!!! I took advantage of that miss and grinded out the set for the first win. I did not play great at all in the second set making NOTHING on my break and even scratching on a few of them! I all but gave him the set losing 6 to 3!! He played great and deserved the win. I'll get him next time!! Another great weekend, a 1st and a 2nd, can it get any better!!!??
4.22.2008
FINGERS DOMINATES THE WEEKEND!!!
I played in the weekly event at Leisure Time on Saturday and drilled the whole field for an easy victory!! Then I played in the Blaze event on Sunday and played great!! I had a great 2nd round win in which I caught a gear and drilled my opponent, Liz Ford, 7 to 1!! I had a chance to serve her up a bagel (7 to 0) but I hung up a hard cut on the 8 into the corner and she won that rack! I had a 3rd round loss because I didn't play well and my opponent got all the rolls (don't you hate when that happens!!) so I deserved to lose that match!! I made it into 5th and had to play Pete Tascarella Sr., Pete makes a great cue, and he plays great also!! Again I was in stroke and I easily took that match setting up a rematch with the kid who I lost to in the 3rd round, Anthony Pizaro. Again I started off with some bad mistakes and I gave him a few racks. I started playing better and took the hill 6 to 5. That's when he lucked out again!! He missed a shot on the 5 and I was left with a full ball hook! I had to kick 2 rails and made a great hit but I left him an easy out, which he made and then broke and ran out the last rack for the set! (I hate that kid!!LOL) That would have given me at least 3rd, but that's 9-ball!!!! I'll take a 1st and a 4th finish, it makes for a great weekend!! 3.21.2008
RESULTS FROM THE ALLEN HOPKINS BILLIARDS EXPO 2008 PRO EVENT
I didn't play all that great in my first match but I caught a gear late in match to close it out 10 to 7! I was matched up against GABE OWEN in my 2nd round match and again I didn't play all that great and he beat me pretty good at 10 to 3!! In my last match I was up against the Giant Killer, Jeremy Sossie! He won the Rhode Island State Championship this year and he came in 2nd at the TURNING STONE CLASSIC X event in February. This kid can really play!! I started the match off with a good first rack leading 1 to 0. Then I started missing some easy stuff letting him get out to a 7 to 1 lead. Again I caught a stroke and fought my way back winning the next 5 racks to bring the score to 7 to 6!! NOW IT WAS A MATCH!! At this point I was getting the crowd support showing them I came to play by not giving up and putting together a great 5 game streak!! But once again, I started missing some easy stuff and I let him take the match 10 to 6!! I'm disappointed I gave it away but I am really proud of the 5 pack I put together under those circumstances!! I had a chance to go farther but I was just not up to the challenge on that day! However, getting the crowd support along with some encouraging words from the tournament director, I firmly believe that I am on the right path to reaching my goals....and a tournament win!!! 2.25.2008
RESULTS FROM TURNING STONE CLASSIC X
I had a great time at the TURNING STONE 9-ball event. I was lucky enough to be matched up against an inexperienced player in my first match and I shut him out!!! 9 to 0!!! That really boosted my confidence for my next match. My second round match-up was against a great CANADIAN champion, Edwin Montal. This guy is a champion for a reason, he can play!!! I kept the match close for as long as I could but I gave away some games with some bad play and I let him take control with a 9 to 5 win. I might have lost that match but I gained some much needed experience!! My 3rd round match was against Vinroy Logan, I know him from RAXX here on Long Island! I had a lot of confidence playing him and I easily took control of the match and closed it out 9 to 2! That win put me into the weekend rounds, that's where it really starts to get hard!! My 10 o'clock match on Saturday was against Dave Fernandez, this guy can also play good. I started out playing pretty good and took a 2 to 1 lead, but that's where my good play stopped! I started getting out of line with open tables, I would run to the 7 or 8 and get out of line, or miss, leaving him an easy out! I must have given him 4 or 5 racks that I should have won easily. I didn't play great at all and I handed him the match 9 to 5!! That left me tied for 49th out of 128 players, not great but not really that bad either, (I did beat out half the field!!) Over all it was a great experience and I learned alot. If I had not given away those 2 matches I might have finished very high in the event. 12.20.2007
SEASON COMES TO A CLOSE
Well the 2007 Blaze Pro-Am 9-Ball tour has come to an end and I am extremely happy to announce that I have taken second place on the Points list!!! I finished just a handful of points behind the "Player Of The Year" points leader, Matt Krah!! Even though I did not reach my goal of being Player Of The Year, I couldn't be happier finishing in 2nd place! The competition all year was fierce, and there were some pretty great battles on the table! I had a lot of great wins, including wins over Earl Strickland, Mike Davis, Shin Park, and George San Souci, just to name a few! I also had a few close call losses including HILL HILL matches, and tough come from behind matches against my friend Shaun Wilkie. I'll beat him next year!!! My original goals at the beginning of the year were to finish in the top 10 on the points list, which I accomplished finishing 2nd!, and to win 1 event! Although I did not win an event this year I did have 3 strong 3rd place finishes a 4th place finish and 3, 5th place finishes!! I also had a number of top 10 finishes! I also had a 2nd place finish in a local open event beating George San Souci 5 to 1 to get into the finals against Jeremy Sossie! My confidence has gone through the roof and my game has reached new levels! I will continue to move closer to my ultimate goal of winning a major pro event! Next year I plan on playing in bigger and better events such as the Joss Turning Stone events, the Allen Hopkins Pool Expo Pro event, Tony Robles Predator 9-Ball Tour and the US Open 9-Ball Championships. I would like to thank a bunch of people for helping me this past year including my wife Cheryl for letting me play in all the events! Rob Omen for helping me with this great web site, Jose Burgos for running a great tournament, and the list goes on and on!!! I hope every one who has checked out my site has received some enjoyment out of it and I hope they keep on checking up on me from time to time! I hope I have made myself known to the pool world, and I hope they look out for me in the years to come because I am here to stay!!
Thank you all for your support,
FINGERS
12.4.2007
FINGERS CLOSES GAP WITH ONE EVENT LEFT!!
I closed the gap on the points leader Matt Krah with a strong 5th place finish at this weeks BLAZE TOUR event. Matt finished 9th to 12th so I made up some much needed points and with only 1 points event left It will all come down to the next event!! It has been a tough year fighting for every point I could get. I started out wanting to finish in the top 10 and with some great play and some strong wins over some of the strongest players around I topped the points list and knew I could go all the way!!! Matt played very well himself and he took back control of the points list with only a handful of events left. It's been a real dog fight so far and it all comes down to the next event!!! I have not come this far to roll over and die! I will grind it out all the way and with a little luck I will reach my goal!! WISH ME LUCK!!!
11.21.2007
FINGERS TAKES 2ND AT RAXX TUESDAY NIGHT OPEN TOURNEY!!
I had a great time Tuesday night beating some top players to take second place in the open event! I had a tough hill hill win over RAXX's own Rob Omen, I was down 4 to 2 in my next match and had to grind out the 5 to 4 win!! My next match was against Bobby Blackmore which went all my way with a 5 to 1 win. Then I had to play George "Ginky" for the winners side finals! He's one of the best 9-ball players around having won a few major pool events!! He broke first, not sinking anything, leaving me an open table. I calmly ran out that rack and broke and ran the next for a 2 to 0 lead!! I played within myself, not letting who I was playing affect me!! I stayed "inside the rails"!! I stayed calm and took advantage of any mistakes GINKY made and took the match 5 to 1 for a place in the FINALS!!! I had a while to wait for the last match between GINKY and Jeremy Sossei ( who just won the Rhode Island State Championship!!) to determine my opponent! It was Jeremy!! This kid can play!! I started out uncomfortable and let him get 2 games on me. I calmed down and tied it at 2 apiece! The match went back and forth and it tied up at 4! I still wasn't playing in my comfort zone and I let him take about 4 racks in the match by missing some shots I should have made and I let the match slip away by a score of 7 to 4!! Overall I played pretty well and was happy to take 2nd in a tourney with such heavy hitters like Frankie Hernandez, Shin Park, George San Souci, and Jeremy Sossei!!!
11.11.2007
Blaze Pro-Am Event, Comet Billiards I had a pretty good event considering that I did not play all that great! I had a buy in the first round, I managed a really good win over Joey Kong(who just won a JOSS event, beating Karen Corr in the finals) 7 to 3, and an easy win over my next opponent. My next match was against my friend and MONSTER player, Shaun Wilkie! I won the first rack in convincing style but couldn't make a ball after that, only running out 1 other rack, I let him take the set 7 to 2. I played a very poor set and he hammered me! My next match on the 1 loss side was against Carmine Lombardo and after getting to 2 all, again I let him walk away with it 6 to 2!!CRAP!!! The good news was that I gained the 60 points I needed to tie up Matt Krah for overall Points lead!! Only a few more events to go. Wish me luck!!!
11.2.2007
Blaze Pro-Am Event, Atlantic City Billiards I won my first match, lost a close hill hill second match, won a close hill hill 3rd match, and lost what should have been a close hill hill 4th match against the "new" points leader Matt Krah 5 to 3!! CRAP!!!! It wasn't a bad event for me, I really only missed 1 or 2 balls, but they came at a time I really needed to pocket them! So, I will lose the lead on the points list to Matt Krah, who has been playing really well lately! The next 2 players on the points list, Shaun Wilkie and Eddie Abraham are closing in fast with top 3 finishes last week! With only 5 points events left I have my work cut out for me!! I have to cut this news flash short because I need to get back on the practice table!!!
9.29.2007
FINGERS TAKES THE LEAD ON THE BLAZE PRO-AM POINTS LIST!!! After months of long and hard fought matches, I finally took control of the points list!! With my recent 4th place finish at VINELAND NJ, I secured the top spot on the points list by 30 points over previous points leader MATT KRAH!! With only 8 points events left and SHAUN WILKIE tearing up the field at almost every event, I am determined to hold the lead and increase the distance between myself and my nearest competitors!!! My goal at the start of the year was to finish in the top 10, now that goal has changed!!!! I am determined to finish at the top of the list and capture the BLAZE PRO-AM PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD!!! Wish me luck!!!

Victory at Vineland

9.5.2007
FINGERS WINS AGAIN AT LEISURE TIME!!! Playing in a field of 14, I had to give out lots of weight to everybody! I had a tough time with all my matches. Missing at the beginning of the rack left my opponents a short run to their spot ball, missing in the middle of the rack left them only 1 ball to make, and missing at the end of the rack left them only the 9 to make for the win!!! I had to fight it out each and every rack!!! I held tight, stayed focused and made my way to the winners circle!!!