AZB: I am at the US Open with Mike Coltrain. Where have you been. We havn't seen you at any tournaments lately.

Mike: I decided to take a little break. Back in April of this year, I got a little disgusted with my game and things that were going on with pool in general. There were also some personal things back home that I wanted to take care of. I had been staying in Atlanta for about 6 months and I went back home to take care of those things. I just got away from pool and enjoyed life for awhile outside of pool. There is more to life than just pool. I just decided to take some time off and clear my head. I spent some time with my family and made some investments in my home town. Now I am ready to come and play.

AZB: Your hometown is?

Mike: Raleigh, North Carolina.

AZB: Speaking of sponsors, I understand you have some good news in that respect.

Mike: Yeah, I just signed a contract with Sigma Sports. They are a new cue company coming out with a line that will be on the market shortly. I signed a year contract so I will be playing with that cue for at least a year and hopefully many more years to come.

AZB: Good deal. Do you know of any other players signed by Sigma?

Mike: Yeah, Jon Kucharo, Kid Delicious, Teddy Garrahan and Troy Frank are all playing for Sigma.

AZB: So, you are back here at the open. Have you played a match yet?

Mike: I played this afternoon and beat my opponent 11-4. I played Bill Hogan. I think it was his first or second time here. He is a solid player but I felt good and I performed pretty good. I am looking forward to playing tonight and the rest of the tournament.

AZB: A lot of us saw you playing in last year's Mosconi Cup. Looked like you were having a little bit of a problem there. What was that all about?

Mike: Well, the year before was my first Mosconi Cup. I was playing pretty solid pool at that time. It was a little different approach to pool than I had ever been involved in. As far as the amount of pressure that I was under. Pool and everything else to me, had become a big mind game.

Sometimes I tend to let things get to me. I think about them too much. More than I should think about them. So, the first year at the Mosconi Cup, I was expecting an intense atmosphere and that is exactly what I got. But, I was playing pretty solid at the time so a little quivering in my arm was barely affecting me. I had a pretty solid tournament.

I got invited back last year because I was on the team the year before. Since there was no tour, they just took the same players that played the year before. They made one adjustment but they basically had the same team.

Last year, I was not playing good pool going into the tournament. That pressure and intensity inticed me to do some things and feel real uncomfortable about what was going on. It made me really play bad. It being such a different magnitude than what we have over here, it really got to me. I was down going into the Mosconi Cup and that just magnified it and made it worse. That really led to me taking the break two or three months later.

I think I am now ready to come back. My mind is clear. I know I am one of the best players out here. I have a lot of talent and I have good friends out here. Jeremy Jones and Johnny Archer are good guys to follow. I have a lot of support from my family, friends and peers. I am looking forward to getting back on a tour and hopefully it will take off as a sport and we can make something of it.

AZB: Well, we are all glad to see you back. Good luck the rest of the way.

Mike: Thanks