The Mike & Mike Show at Fat Cat’s Billiards


December 15-16, 2007: Fat Cat's Billiards in Arden, NC hosted The Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour this weekend for their Grand Opening Celebration. The Tournament featured both a $1500 added open event and a $500 added amateur event with a total of eighty-two players and a prize fund for both events totaling over $6000. The field for the open division drew in many notable players including Mike Gulyassy, Sparky Ferrell, Brian White, Mike Davis and Eddie Little as well as local favorites such as Mark Parlier, Andy Twitchen, and Brian Davis. Needless to say, the competition was fierce. The open division had a field of forty-five players with seven free entries for women participants and a total prize fund of $4380. The amateur division had thirty-seven players with twelve free entries for the junior and women participants for a total prize fund of $1680.

Fat Cat's Billiards is a brand new pool room in Arden, North Carolina and is just minutes away from Asheville with easy access from the interstate. The room features a full bar and kitchen with an awesome menu. They have eighteen brand new Brunswick tables that are in excellent condition. The owners have done an amazing job in designing the room and creating a perfect atmosphere for players of all kinds. The Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour would like to thank Fat Cat's for graciously hosting this weekend's event and we look forward to the next tournament at their location.

The Open Division path to the finals:
Eddie Little drew a bye in round one then proceeded to send his opponents to the one-loss side beginning with Aaron Frady 9-6; Sam Brannon 9-3; with an upset he defeated Brian White 9-8 sending White to the one-loss side. Little was sent to the one-loss side by local favorite Mark Parlier 9-8. Once on the one-loss side Little eliminated his opponents beginning with Andy Twitchen 9-3; Sparky Ferrell 9-7 in the quarter finals and Mark Parlier in the semi-finals 9-4.

Mike Davis was a strong favorite in the field as he rolled through the top half of the bracket sending each of his opponents to the one-loss side. He drew a bye in round one and proceeded to defeat Bruce Yarborough 9-2; Greg Gilliam 9-2; Mike Gulyassy 9-6; Sparky Ferrell 9-8; Mark Parlier 9-7; and ultimately defeated Eddie Little 9-3 in the finals to win the tournament.

On the amateur side of the board, the path to the finals was as follows:
Mike Janis had a strong showing this weekend as he rolled through the top half of the bracket undefeated sending his opponents one after another to the one-loss side. Janis drew a bye in round one, setting him up on his journey to then defeat Brenda Lind 7-1; Randy Parker 7-3; Josh Newman 7-5; Adam Conard 7-3; in the "hot seat" match Janis defeated Jim Davis 7-4 and facing Jim Davis again in the finals Janis won the tournament 7-1 in the first set completing his undefeated victory.

The Viking Tour would congratulates Mike Janis in his first Viking Tour win, after over five hundred attempts. Unfortunately for Mike, this win also disqualifies him from competing in any more amateur events for the rest of the season as per the tour rules. The rule states that any player that places in the top four of the amateur division field three times or wins two events will have to sit out for the rest of the season and re-apply in the next season for amateur status. Janis previously placed in the top four places two other times this season with two second place finishes.

Jim Davis made is way through the bottom half of the bracket undefeated until the "hot seat" match. Davis drew a bye in round one, then defeated Tina Woody 7-1; Matty Ledford 7-3; Chris Parlier 7-5; Don Falkenbury 7-2; was sent to the semi-finals by Mike Janis 7-4; defeated Randy Parker in the semi finals 5-3 only to be handed his second loss of the event in the finals by Janis by a score of 7-1.

Open Division Payouts:
1st Mike Davis $1700
2nd Eddie Little $800
3rd Mark Parlier $600
4th Sparky Ferrell $400
5th/6th Andy Twitchen/Brian Davis $200
7th/8th Frank Tullos/Ron Park $140

Amateur Division Payouts:
1st Mike Janis $660
|2nd Jim Davis $450
3rd Randy Parker $280
4th Don Falkenbury $180
5th/6th Adam Conard/Josh Newman $75