A quality billiard cue case is a necessity to keeping that valuable collector pool cue of yours in good shape. There’s more than one quality that a person should be looking for when considering. These qualities may include, but are not limited to: heat and moisture protection, impact protection, aesthetics of the case itself, and whether or not it will carry shafts of a custom length.

There are numerous styles and variations cue cases. The soft case is the least desirable, because it gives very minimal protection — only preventing minor accidental dents while traveling to and from the pool room. The most important but often least considered element is the prevention of warpage. A cue should never be left leaning against a wall for any length of time. Similarly, if stored in a soft case, one would need to take particular care not to leave their cue (in the case) not leaning against a wall, such as in a closet during hot summer months. A soft billiard case also has little barrier against moisture should there be any kind of water that inadvertently might come into contact with your cue during storage.

The old time box style case will significantly help prevent warpage by holding your cue flat at whatever the angle you choose to lay it at. It also does a moderate job of protecting against moisture, but it leaves little room for any of the more popular accessories. Usually the inside is less padded, thus causing a lot of rattling that can be hard on your cues delicate urethane finish. Many folks choose this type of case because it is more economical and can be easily filled with cloth or tissue to fill any of these voids.

The hard tube style case and its many variations is a popular favorite among the players. The hard shell tube case is by far the most popular cue case because it protects the best against moisture and rattling. I believe that the tube style cases which incorporate a hard foam inside, which is described by many as a “Cue Safe,” are the least desirable of the tube type of case. One might think that foam molded to fit the shape of the cue would be the best protection; however, that is only when one does not consider the many diverse styles of tapers, diameters and lengths of a cue. When you take into consideration that the cases themselves vary in the tightness of the foam itself, it is almost impossible to get that perfect fit. Making matters worse is that some are lined with felt, while others are not. The non-felt lined ones generally end up having a more abrasive foam, which will rub your cue each time your cue is taken in or out. Something important to take into consideration is if you choose to use a joint protector, the pool cue fits even snugger because the case top has to push your cue down harder into an already too tight fit! Over time these cases can leave friction marks, dulling and scratching the finish of your pool cue.

A little known fact is that some of the highest priced cases are actually made overseas in China for the lowest production cost possible. Many of these cases are popular because they find a happy medium between the too loose box case and the too tight cue safe, have large pockets, and are made of genuine leather, but many are bought simply for the name brand recognition. These cases allow the cue to have a little movement, but not enough that it rattles. Some incorporate simple padded fabric dividers, while others incorporate small lined tubes for each shaft and butt.

There are two moderately priced, popular brands of the hard tube type of case made by American manufactures Joe Porper and Giuseppe. My personal favorite is the Giuseppe case because of the high grade of vinyl, the solid feel, the leather tacks on the bottom that protect the vinyl from wear, and the fact that they will let you customize your case with many variations in color and length of the pockets - at no additional cost and with a quick delivery time. They are also longer as a standard stocking models, easily holding a 31″ shaft with joint protectors. Still, for a mere $5 Giuseppe will make an even longer case. There is little to no possibility of having a customization like this done by an overseas manufacturer. This case uses a hard outer tube shell and hard inner lined tubes which are not tapered. The advantage to having the inner tubes untapered is that it allows for varying tapers of cues and for the many users who like to place their cues bottom end in first - allowing the protection advantage of holding the cue securely between shots.

The size of pockets must be considered when considering a case. You must know and foresee what types of accessories you have or might intend to purchase at a later date. The fact that small jump cues are gaining in popularity has made the size of the pockets increasingly more of an important issue. The imported Instroke case has long incorporated a special side zipper and sleeve in the side of their case pocket to hold the small butt end of the jump cue, and now Giuseppe has made a 14 inch pocket for this same reason. Although the Giuseppe does not have the sleeve to hold the jump cue, one could easily wrap the jump cue butt to fit.

Lastly, the only other features to carefully consider are the size and weight of your cue case. The popularity of break cues has almost made it almost a necessity to have a case that will hold two cues and two shafts. Some manufactures, such as Meucci, make their high-end cues come standard with two shafts, and so you will then need to consider purchasing a cue that holds 2 butt 3 shafts, add a special jump cue and a 2 butt 4 shafted case is necessary. Adding to the weight of your case would be choosing to purchase a leather case or a foam filled case, along with all those special new doodads that we all must have.

Tags: billiards, case, cue case, pool, sportsbilliards, case, cue case, pool, sports

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Sunday (12/18)


Best:
T’Wolves @ Mavericks: Garnett and Nowitzki are as always the showcases of this match-up. If either Dallas or Minnesota wants success in June, they’ll need help from the supporting cast. Josh Howard is back for Dallas, as is Troy Hudson for Minnesota. Szczerbiak is the T’Wolves #2 man, but Dallas has an enigma with Terry, Howard and Daniels all producing sporadically.


Runner-up:
Rockets @ Lakers: This was always the game where Yao Ming would breakout for a 30-pt performance. With Shaq gone and Chris Mihm in, is Yao going to come and play? McGrady and Kobe provide perhaps the only one-on-one match-up in the NBA where both players are assured to score 30+ points.


Blowout:
Spurs @ Hornets: Western teams are always going to give their best against the Spurs, but even then it doesn’t translate to a W. The Warriors were in a similar spot earlier this year and lost at home by 30. The Hornets have had to travel between Baton Rouge and Oklahoma City just for home games, so facing the Spurs isn’t much of a break. How long can the Hornets continue play hard before they crack like the Saints did?

Monday (12/19)


Best:
Pistons @ Grizzlies: Two of the best defensive teams in the NBA face off in Memphis. Stoudamire and Jones have added veteran leadership on defense, something that Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells didn’t have the patience for. Detroit wins all their close games, so Pau Gasol will have to step up (again) to give Memphis a win.


Runner-up:
Warriors @ Celtics: These are two teams that might miss out on the playoffs solely because of inexperience. Only Fisher, Davis and Calbert Cheney have been in the playoffs for Golden State. Boston isn’t much better and doesn’t have a player who has been to the Finals. Golden State has a slight advantage, since Delonte West will have issues covering Baron Davis.


Blowout:
Raptors @ Magic: Toronto’s willingness to play hard has begun to waver. Jalen Rose is now on the bench for a serious lack of production. Jose Calderon is injured, which means there’s a lot of standing around. With Grant Hill back, Orlando’s offense is more fluent and shouldn’t struggle to take advantage of the Raptors weak D.

Tuesday (12/20)


Best:
Sonics @ Suns: Last year, the Sonics were the only team to win in San Antonio, Phoenix, Dallas and Miami. This year the Supersonics can’t even maintain their home court. Phoenix is better version of Seattle; still the two teams play exactly the same way. Expect no defensive pressure in this one. Both teams are prolific scorers and lethargic defenders.


Runner-up:
Spurs @ Bucks: Both teams rely heavily on their supporting cast, particularly Milwaukee. The Bucks need Ford, Redd, Simmons, Magloire and Bogut to all produce. The 3-pter is going to be tough for Milwaukee; they lead the League in 3-pt shooting, but San Antonio is one of the best teams in terms of defending the outside shot. Simmons and Bogut will have to get points in the paint for a Bucks win.


Blowout:
Hawks @ Heat: Only if Shaq and Wade don’t try at all; that’s the only way this isn’t a 30-pt blowout by halftime. Zaza Pachulia and Al Harrington are far too undersized to make a dent in Shaq’s box score. Joe Johnson wants to be a superstar but will get a rude awakening when he faces Dwyane Wade. If Miami is anything close to Detroit, they’ll put this game away after the 1st quarter.

Tags: basketbal stats, basketball, basketball review, boston basketball, boston celtics, NBA, sportsbasketbal stats, basketball, basketball review, boston basketball, boston celtics, NBA, sports

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After kicking off the NBA season on a winning note, the Zen Master’s return to the Lakers looks good. Perhaps, it was Jackson’s Zen-like power that propelled Kobe Bryant to a huge game, including a last second game-winning shot in OT against the Nuggets. Or maybe the Kobe/Phil antics are behind each of them and, they are ready to return to their winning ways.

Phil Jackson, despite nine championships (6 with Chicago, 3 with L.A.), returns to try for a record tenth after seemingly being content with walking away from the game. But if he’s looking for another ring any time soon, L.A. doesn’t appear to be the place. Even with players like Lamar Odom and Devin George, the Lakers don’t have enough fire power to compete with the San Antonio’s and Phoenix’s in the West, or even the Houston’s and Dallas’, andthe list continues. Chris Mihm won’t be able to contend with the NBA’s elite big men night in and night out, and the Lakers will likely be competing once again this season for one of the last two playoff slots, and Phil Jackson realizes this.

So did he return just to coach the closest thing to Jordan whom he called uncoachable in his eyebrow raising book? This might be the best reasoning out there. But his return to L.A. also has to do with coming back to a team that, for the most part, already knows his triangle offense, besides boasting the best all-around player in the game. He has proven himself to have confidence in Kobe’s ability to take a team on his shoulders, and often times will just let Kobe be Kobe at the ends of quarters and down the stretch in close games.

The success of the Lakers this season will tell how big of an asset it is to have Phil Jackson sitting behind your bench. As for now, I’m not sure how much it will matter. Michael Jordan was graced with another hall-of-famer Scottie Pippen to help him run the show. And Horace Grant rattled off consistent double-doubles on top of that. The Lakers of a few years ago, were of course led by Kobe and Shaq, but also relied on Derek Fisher and Robert Horry for big production. Lamar Odom is very talented but is no Scottie Pippen, especially on the defensive end, and Devin George will need to be a much more consistent player than he was during the Lakers’ championship run.

So it is still yet to be determined how Kobe will fare without the Diesel in the middle. Last season’s struggles were an indication, but I’ll give Kobe another shot again this year with Phil back in his corner. If there relationship doesn’t sour once again, which it has no reason to with Kobe being the main man, the Lakers should improve upon last season’s disappointment and make the playoffs. But I think it will become apparent to all that Shaq is the missing link in L.A.

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