With the 9-ball division of the Derby City Classic underway, players with high finishes are looking to earn points for a chance to win the Derby City "Master of the Table" title. In order to win that title, a pool player has to show their ability to beat their opponent in all aspects of the game. For an example of beating their opponents in all aspects of the game, pool players need look no further than last weekend's NFC Championship game, where Carolina Panther's quarterback Cam Newton (and the rest of his team) dominated the Arizona Cardinals in offense, defense, special teams and any other measurable aspect of the game.
From the opening break, Newton, the most recognizable member of the Panther's team, played a near perfect game, and easily took advantage of many miscues by the Cardinals team. Poor play selection, combined with ill advised risk taking, left the Cardinals behind the eight ball way too many times to be able to mount any sort of fight against the much stronger Panthers on this day.
The Panther's (who are the home team of this site's writer Skip Maloney) will now face the Denver Bronco's in the upcoming Super Bowl 50. The Cardinals (home team of this article's author Mike Howerton) will spend the offseason thinking about what they need to do in order to prepare themselves for an opponent as well rounded as the Panthers in the future.
