Interviews

Christina Fuchs Interview

Rainz — Sat, 27 Mar 2004 00:13:00 GMT

Foosworld presents Susan's interview with 9-time Major titleholder Christina Fuchs. Aside from her great foosball career, Christina uses her other talents working with Jim Stevens at InsideFoos Productsions. Here is her interview:

Where were you born & raised?

I was born in Santa Monica, California on March 4th, 1968 and raised in the Venice area of Los Angeles. I currently live in Huntington Beach, California with my boyfriend Jim Stevens (the "Fooscaster") and my dog Smoky.

How old were you when you first started playing?

I began playing in 1989 at the age of 21 at the Sports Harbour tavern in Marina Del Rey, California. at the time it was one of the L.A area's real foosball hotspots with several weekly tournaments and really good competition. Players like Terry Moore, Evan Stachelek, Gregg Perrie, and Ron Sipiora used to regularly attend these events, so I had to get good quick, and I guess I did. I won my first tournament (a weekly DYP) just 2 months after starting, and I was hooked on the sport from there.

What was your first major tournament ever played?

The first major tournament I attended was the U.S. Open held in San Bernardino, CA in 1990. It was a real eye-opener. I had played against some good players in L.A. but the depth of talent at that major tournament was amazing to me. I played, and did okay, but I realized then that I still had a ton to learn!

What was your first Major title ever won?
I won my first major title in 1995 with Liz Hill in Womens Doubles at the U.S. Open in Cleveland, OH. We had just begun to play together that season, so to win that soon out was very exciting. Of course Liz was already, at the age of 18, one of the top lady forwards in the sport, so it was nothing new to her. But to me, it was exhilarating!

What is your primary position?

I've been fortunate enough to have won four Female Goalie of the Year titles, so I guess I'm a goalie. But I also enjoy playing forward, and have done so on several different occasions during my career. But most of my forward play comes when I play singles, or when we need to give the opponent a different look on the defensive five, or when defending the 3 rod.

Which do you like better?

By far the goalie position. I've spent most of my career in the back, playing with the likes of Liz Hill, Tom Yore, Dave Gummeson, and now Adrian Zamora. I enjoy the challenge of going up against the best forwards in the world and trying to out-think them. I especially enjoy Mixed and Open Doubles where I can go head to head with the big boys.

Primary & secondary shot as a forward? As a goalie?

When I first started playing I shot a pull shot. But in 1995 I switched to the roll-over which would now be considered my primary shot. I don't think I really have one single back up shot, but I can always shoot my old pull shot if necessary. At the goalie position I use a standard pull series with variations of course and different passing options. To be consistent at goalie I think it's important to have a basic shooting/passing series with lots of options to always keep the opponent guessing.

How about passing series. What is your primary? Do you have more than one?

When I DO play the forward position, I use a near wall brush and/or tic-tac series. If I'm not feeling comfortable with either, I'll switch to the far wall brush. I have a tendency to rush sometimes, and with the far wall series I seem to take more time and be more under control. Now as a goalie one of my strengths is my passing ability. I'm not a great scorer from goal, so I just try to continually feed my partner the ball. It has proven to be a very effective strategy over the years.

What is your favorite tournament?

Well, you can't really argue with either the World Championships or the Hall of Fame Classic as being special. They are both awesome events with first class competition. If I had to choose between them I guess I'd say my favorite tournament would probably be the Hall of Fame Classic, because it's in Las Vegas, and you get to see all your foos buddies after a 6 month tour season layoff. Not to mention it's closer to my home here in southern California. Now if you were to ask me my favorite venue, I'd say anything in Minnesota. I have had strong showings at many of the tourneys that I have attended in the Twin Cities, including a first place finish in mixed doubles with Adrian Zamora at last year¹s National Championships. I also have a few Minnesota State titles and won my only Open Women's Singles title at the 1996 U.S. Open at the Minneapolis Hilton.

What is your favorite event?

I really enjoy competing against the men in either Mixed or Open Doubles. Going against their natural speed and power and Trying to outsmart them with my wits and experience is truly the most exciting challenge in the sport for me. Of course I also enjoy going up against (and hopefully beating) the top lady forwards like Moya and Cindy. But to occasionally defeat a Terry Moore or Tony Spredeman in a big match really gives you a feeling of satisfaction.

What players have had the most influence on your game? What have you learned from them?

Early in my career I really enjoyed watching Thor Donovan because of the effort that he puts into each and every ball. In reality the first point of every game is just as important as the last, and I think Thor truly exemplifies that kind of play. Of course my old partner (now retired and raising children) Liz (Hill) Hellstern was probably the biggest influence on me. I loved playing with Liz. She was such a great partner and taught me so much. And of course my partner in life Jim Stevens who taught me to play "professional style" and continues to coach me to this day.

What was your biggest learning curve as a goalie?

The most difficult thing I had to learn early on was how to hit the ball with any power whatsoever. I was diagnosed with the severest form of Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 18, so my wrists simply don't work the way they are supposed to. I had to learn how to shoot pull shots (my main offensive series from goalie) by using a palm roll or open handed style in order to generate the power necessary to be any kind of offensive factor. I still am not a great shooter, choosing to primarily pass or clear the ball, but I seem to get the job done.

In your opinion, What is the hardest shot to defend?

I'd like to think that I can block them all. It's really a matter of finding your opponent's tendencies and adjusting appropriately. Knowing their weaknesses, timing, shot selection, tells, etc. makes it easier to get a read and hopefully a good percentage of the blocks. As a goalie in the open events, when playing against the top forwards, you are seldom going to stop every shot. So it's important to make sure you block a good percentage of them, to allow your partner the opportunity be successful at his or her offensive end. I have had some of my better performances playing against the men in Open and Mixed Doubles. The top pros always know why they're shooting to a specific hole, and they usually execute about 99% of the time, which makes it easier to think along with them and anticipate the shot. And of course you can generally count on the fact that they're not going to stub or spray the ball to the wrong hole.But if I had to pick one style of shot, I'd say (long pause) probably a pull-kick, since I rarely see them anymore. But if and when I do face them I'll be doing some serious reading and adjusting.

What training tips would you recommend for beginners?

Of course spending as much time on the table as possible is a big key. I always advise new players to practice handling the ball, passing from man to man, rod to rod, slowly at first, and gradually developing speed. When you can do what you want to with the ball, the rest (shots, passes etc.) comes much easier.
As a goalie, you want to start by perfecting the three basics: Blocking the slop, keeping the ball in your area after a block or opponent's missed shot, and developing a consistent offensive series in order to clear your zone. Scoring from goal is a bonus. If you can do the three basics, and block a decent percentage against the opposing forward, you're going to be a successful goalie.

It also helps to find an experienced player or "coach" to help you along. I think playing in a league definitely helps a "beginner" because he or she is motivated to do well for the team, and it's a good way to get some personalized coaching. Oh, and of course watch the videos of the top players from insidefoos.com!

How do you prepare yourself for a tournament?

I just try to get in some quality table time, both by myself and playing against other players. My daily practice regimen includes ball handling (as discussed earlier) and practicing the execution of the shots, passes, and defenses that I will use in tournament play. I also watch videos to pick up other players tendencies and strategies, and to review my performances against certain players. Of course I get my best practice playing against my boyfriend Jim (Stevens, the "Fooscaster")) to see who has to do the dishes or walk the dog. I hate doing the dishes (and so does Jim) so our games get pretty competitive.

What was your most memorable match?

I can remember almost all of them. Winning my first Mixed Doubles title with Tom Yore (at the time my regular partner) back in 1996 at the Masters in Atlanta is a great memory. After winning the winner's bracket, we were faced with a possible double-dip after a first set defeat. But we turned the match back around and came back to defeat Bob Diaz and Angela Sine for our first title together. It was an overwhelming victory for me. What a feeling! It felt like all the hard work had finally paid off in a big way. It was a huge step in my career.

My most memorable "weekend" would be the 1996 U.S. Open held in Minneapolis. I won my first and only singles tour title at that tournament, and finished 2nd in both Women's Doubles (with Liz Hill) and Mixed Doubles with Bobby Diaz. That tournament made me feel like I could compete with anyone on the pro tour, even though winning the singles title was as big a surprise to me as it was to everyone else.

What female players games do you respect?

The first female player to come to mind would be Cindy Head. She's been at the top of the sport for almost two decades and is showing no sign of stopping anytime soon (until she retires of course). She has numerous tour wins with an amazing 33 World titles alone. With a record like that how could you not respect a player like Cindy. You've also got to love the intense way that she plays the game. It's a lot of fun to watch her when she really gets rolling. Although not so much fun to play against her.
Moya Tielens is another player that I greatly respect. Not only has she proven herself by competing and winning mutiple titles in the lady's events, she has, on more than one occasion, raised many eyebrows with her success in the open events as a forward playing against the men. Her win this year in Vegas playing forward in mixed was an amazing achievement!
Of course my first regular partner, Liz Hellstern (aka Liz Hill), also had a huge impact on my playing career. She took a chance playing with me (I was only rated an expert at the time) back in 1995 and we hit it off immediately, winning our first 2 major tournaments. Liz at that time was among the top 3 lady forwards in the world and had already won more than 20 titles.
She taught me teamwork and camaraderie on and off the table. No matter what situation we may have found ourselves in, I always knew she wouldn't give up on me nor I her, not only for the sake of the "team" but also for not wanting to let your friend down. Playing beside her for more than five years, I learned what most of my strengths and weaknesses were, and she shared her time, insight, strength, knowledge and friendship with me. To this day we're still very good friends (even though she lives in Oklahoma and I'm in So Cal), and hopefully we'll see her out competing on the pro tour again in the future.

Do you think women get the recognition they deserve in this sport?

Yes, I think they mostly do. When I hear both male and female players talk about the most dominant players in the sport of foosball, Cindy Head and Moya Tielens are always two of the names that are immediately brought up. Of course when women make up only about 10% of all tournament attendees, you can't expect them to get as much notoriety as the men. Hopefully in the future, the sport will grow enough to where all players, men and women, will get more recognition from both their peers and the general public.

Thanks Christina!

Todd Loffredo Interview

Rainz — Fri, 26 Mar 2004 00:12:00 GMT

Foosworld presents Susan's interview with "The Duke" of foosball, Todd Loffredo.
Todd is considered by many to be the greatest fooser of all time and he was

kind enough to share his time and insight with us:

Where were you born & raised?

I was born in Aurora Colorado Aug 17 1960. Most of my Childhood was spent in Denver

except for 5 years that I Lived in Madrid and Toledo Spain. My father was in the Military.

How old were you when you started playing?

The first time I touched a table was when I was 12 at the Aurora mall with my brother.

The first time I played a tournament was when I was 14 and I played against Tom Spear

for the finals, I Won, it was also his first tournament. The next tournament was a

singles tournament and he beat me for first and we went on like that for a few

tournaments and then started to play together. The first Tour Tournament I played

in was the 1976 World Championships on Tournament Soccer.

When did you win your first major title?
In 1977 at Worlds I won Open doubles with my best friend and Partner Gil Jackson..

We Played Jim Wiswell and Doug Fury for the Winner of the Winners bracket and

then Ken Allwell and Mark "smiley" Shuer, I also won the Draw with a middle aged

guy that really helped guide me through that weekend, I can't remember his name

but I do remember that he really helped my confidence that weekend.

Which players have you learned the most from?

The obvious ones are Mike Bowers, Tom Spear, Gus Trevino. But the real list is
of the not so obvious. Like a Colorado local guy that doesn't play anymore named
Bob Sciba. He was a lefty who really taught me a lot about the 5 man and had a
great 5 man. Russell Dyerly, another Colorado player was another guy who I used to
practice with that showed me how to come up with creative solutions when I am
stumped. He was the first guy to really use the one hand on two rods effectively
to where I thought it could be advantageous to learn it. We would practice all
sorts of ball control styles and we were constantly trying new ideas on every
rod against one another. It definitely helped me to have confidence in my
creativity on offense and defense. I have learned so many different things from
listening and paying attention to the game from all sorts of players, both
rookie and pro. I have borrowed/stolen and modified many trick shots, passes and
defenses through the years. Collaboration with your fellow players and partners
is huge in the learning experience. Two people that want answers can see the
truth much easier than one I feel. I have ask a lot of questions over the years
to all sorts of players and am relentless in finding answers to certain problems
I have faced in the game.. Sometimes your answers can come from a player that you
watch in a bar and sometimes from a match or a fellow player at a tournament
just shooting the breeze.

In what ways has foosball evolved since the 70’s?

The game itself has gotten smarter over the years from the natural evolution of
the game. The game defensively has gotten better and the offenses much more
structured. The game use to have much more variety but now with video people have
learned what works best and are learning those things. For example, you don't
see many people shooting kick shots from the three rod and that is because it is
harder to learn, harder to shoot and harder on your arm through a tournament
than a one man shot. That is why you don't see them anymore, they don't win
enough. If it wins, it stays.

In what ways has your game evolved since you started playing?

Well I really think I first won because I had a very good 5 man and knew how to
time men on the three man and didn't realize that my process was so unique until
I became a student of the game and asked a lot of question and really paid
attention to learning..My five man was much better then than now just because I
had superior passes than most others and had a very fast wall pass to keep the
guesses honest on dee. Not to mention that 5 defenses were much much worse back
25 years ago.. Now I am smarter. I have a much better middle than I used to on my
pull shot.. My five bar is decent on offense and much stronger on defense. I
understand defense now and usually know what to do in dire times where most get
panicky. I used to rely on my offensive game much more. You do have to realize
that because of the table changes and having to play on seven different tables
over the years with about 20 different balls that it has slowed the process of
evolving and I have had to revamp my game a few times because of table changes.
Some tables play slow and some fast and some have more control than others. It
is still coming along and the players of today would beat the players of
yesterday until the older players learned some of the new ways. . As the table
gets better, so do the players and you just simply cannot avoid it.

Do you feel that there is still something left for you to accomplish?

It is the same game for me as it is for you. No matter how much you win, you
still want to win. It may get harder to get motivated sometimes in the beginning
of a match or I may get a little more lazy but the wanting to win is still the
main goal and thing to accomplish. All the records of wins that I have are just
me trying to win every time I play. It has never been to accomplish anything but
to win the next coming tournament. I practice more for worlds because the money
is more and I take it more personally when I lose there because I have always
revered the World Championships as the moment of truth. But there is no title
that really drives me, nor some dream goal I have set. It's like most things we
do in life. We do it to feel good, And When we win it feels good. I guess if
there is one thing every person wants to accomplish in every sport, it is to
have a game that is so strong that it always win. But then the challenge would
die and so would your love for the game. It's a nice catch-22.

What is the one thing you have struggled with most in your career?

I was always creative but lacked discipline. Like to get on my table and shoot a
hundred shots a day or something like that.. I had to learn it and was lucky
enough to live with Tom Spear for a few years and saw how much discipline was
what made his game so great. He was a machine at practicing. And the way that he
practiced was so strict and structured. It almost hurt to watch..hehe But after
watching his game improve from it I knew it was foundation of reliability in the
game and especially if you want to change something in your game.

Typically, how do you prepare yourself for a major tournament?

For me Major means Worlds.. It is the only tournament I really train for. I practice

the things I want to use at the tournament often and start about 4 to 5 weeks

ahead of the tournament. I play as much as I can. And the formula I use
is simple. The more I play, and the more serious I practice = The better I play.

How do you maintain a championship level of play while only attending a few tournaments per year?

I don't really know..lol

Tell us about the pros and cons of the Brush, Stick, and Tic-Tac as a primary passing series.

With The brush pass it's easier to control the attack position.The moment that
the pass is struck. So What it boils down to is that with a brush you can fake
repeatedly to expose the defense and at the same time create pattern habits that
you can use to your advantage if you hide the moment of impact on the passes.
Mis-direction, with a good brush series is a key to having a good five man.
Stick passes are harder to catch and take a bit more guess work, but still can
be valuable to use at times. And they *** in the goal more often than most
passes. A Tic-tac with a fast rhythm is hard to block if the person doing it
can tic-tac and read the defense at the same time. It is hard to do but hard
also to read. Can be devastating when done well.

Is there a rule you would like to see added or changed in foosball?

Yes. I think that when the ball is shot from the three bar and then comes off of
the table that the goalie defending the shot should get the ball. A rule should
reward superior play and not give an unfair advantage.

What are your thoughts on the Rollover?
I feel that the hardest hurdle to overcome in foosball is the same as in boxing
or karate, even Tennis and many other one on one sports.. The art of striking or
a sudden attacking movement without giving away the point at which one strikes.
I see it time and time again from player to player. Players will give away the
intent of what they want to do often with their body language in response to
what they see in the defenses ahead of their movements on the table. Players
need to learn to hide those intentions until the moment of action. This is a
giant key to scoring consistently. Good defenses challenge the slowest and or

weakest part of a shot sooner or later and can make a shooter reveal their intentions

ahead of time. Bobby Diaz for example is a Goalie that knows how to make a player

question their speed to a baited hole. That pressure that he creates can easily make a

player reveal what they are intending on shooting or passing through little telegraphing
idiosyncrasies ahead of the action of their choice of shot that they are about
to take. Most players fail to hide their intentions when facing such
circ*mstances and that is why they get shut out. The best shooters in this game
have not only learned how to hide the intent of their choice but even reveal
intentions that are false to throw off the baiter. Tommy Adkinson is one of the
better players that is good at this deceptive art at times. The art of hiding
intent is the 1 quality that I see more people fear in a shot that any other.
And it is the art that takes the game to a new level when you can hide that
intent until the last moment. I feel that the roll over eliminates this art
because speed is easily achieved without the control and giveaway issues that
come from a pivoting shot. To have a pivot point, a shot must have a back swing.
There are two directions that the man has to travel to initiate impact. The rollover

has eliminated this move/pivot and there for the shots intent is hidden much
much easier. Its obvious to most people that there is not much race anticipation
in a decent roll over, so you cannot get a body read nor apply pressure to make
someone feel fear of the race to the baited hole. And that inner game of
learning to hide the take off on your shots is 1/2 of the art of mastering this
game we call foosball in my opinion.

What is your theory on the origin of the Rollover?

The Rollover was invented by (Jet) He is a large German man that visits our

tournaments often. John Smith shot it as a trick shot and tried it a few times when

his wrist was wearing down from a weekend of pullshots because it is easy on the

wrist and a few people would see it every now and then. Terry Moore was the first

to practice it as a serious shot and after about a year started to make an impact

with it and the rest is history .

What is the key to overcoming pressure in a finals match?
The key is to embrace it as a normal part of fighting to win. Expect it, look forward to it.

And then understand that the fear is the reason you practice and play. And obviously

the fear is where the pressure comes from. So when you feel the most fear , you know

that you have arrived to the place where you can face it and do something about it..

Its a strange catch-22 I have always tried to have a good sense of humor when it comes

to pressure. I laugh when I am afraid. But I also laugh when I am having fun. I have

noticed that many top players use humor to communicate to thier partners at times

under pressure and I think it has a positive effect on your partners.

Thanks for your time Todd! And congratulations on your HoFC title!

Terry Moore Interview

Rainz — Tue, 15 Jul 2003 00:07:00 GMT

And here it is, Susan's interview with the legendary 47 time major titleholder Terry Moore:

How did you get into foosball and how old were you when you started
playing?
I started playing foos, when I as about 10 or 11. I played in an arcade in
a suburb in San Diego called El Cajon. They had two of the older Tornado
glass top tables there. I was a video game junky, but everyone else there
played foosball. On Friday and Saturday nights the tables were packed with
all the older teenagers and adults. One weekend my best friend and I decided
to put some quarters up on the table and see what happened. Well, needless
to say we got our asses whooped. But we were hooked. I really don't consider
my first 5 years of foos as really playing pro style foosball. The people
who played in that arcade, only played bar style foos. I mean, they knew
what a pull shot or a push kick was, but they had no idea what a five bar
passing series was or what at goalie defense was. They would just drop it
and poke at it and hope to catch it on their three rows or just sit still
with a race defense and try to race EVERYTHING. I didn't really get exposed
to pro style foosball till I was 16. After I got my drivers license, my best
friend and I drove a couple of towns over to a pool hall near San Diego
State University, where they had four Dynamo tables. They also had
tournaments on Sunday nights. So, my friend and I decided to come back on
Sunday and kick some ass at this tournament (seeing as we had become the
best two bar style players at our local arcade over the past five years).
Well, we had a rude awakening on Sunday. There were a lot of good players
playing in San Diego back then. I met Evan and Edan Stachelek, Dave
Gummenson, Gregg Perrie, Thor Donovan and Adrian Zamora at some of these
tournaments. I got to see what real foos was like. From that point on I
never looked back.

What players have been your biggest mentors?
Well, I have two really. First, has to be Todd. He taught me pretty much
everything I needed to know to become the player I am today. With out his
help, I think I would have been a good pro player at best. When I was coming
up, I was just some pudgy snot nose kid that wanted to get to know the great
Loffredo. Well, Todd took time to talk to me and teach me. Next thing I
knew, we were friends and I was staying at his house in Denver for a couple
months and he was teaching me everything. The best part of it all is that
over the years, we have become best friends. The second person is Evan
Stachelek. When I first started playing foos at that Sunday tournament, I
was the guy that NO ONE wanted to draw. But Evan still took time to talk to
me and teach me the basics. But the one thing I learned from Evan was
attitude. No matter what happened, Evan always had a good attitude and
always had a good time. When I started getting better, sometimes I would get
a bad attitude or talk s**t after I lost a match. I learned from Evan that
you don't have to be like that. Just have fun, and forget about the rest of
the bulls**t. That was one of the most important things I learned. Always
have fun and enjoy the game, that's what it's all about.

What players games do you have the most respect for and why?
Well, first off, I'd have to say Todd. I mean come on, he's Todd Loffredo.
He's done it all. There is pretty much nothing he can't do. He's been
winning for almost thirty years now. You can NEVER count him out. He has
made so many amazing comebacks over the years. Sometimes I almost expect
him to come back from a two games to zero deficit. Then there is Rico, he is
amazing in his own way. The guy has incredible hand speed. He can grab a
ball that ninety-nine percent of the players out there would never have a
chance at. And the fact that he has won some many titles in such a short
time is amazing in itself. Plus, he is one of the best sportsmen I have ever
played. Tony Spredeman is also someone that I think people need to keep an eye
on. He has tons of talent and desire, and he is still very young. I wouldn't
be surprised if he wins a major here in the next year.

What was the first major tournament you ever played in, and how did
you do?
My first Tour Major was the 1986 World Championships. I did pretty well. I
got third in Amateur doubles and fifth or seventh in Novice singles. The
first major tournament to me was five grander in Northern Cali in Fremont at
Galaxy game room in 1985, and I got my ass kicked in everything.

What were your key breakthrough performances?
Well, I think that my most significant tournament was in 1988 at the
Nationals. I played with Ron Sipiora in Open Doubles, we were both amateurs.
We got fifth place. We beat a lot of top seeds alone the way, including Tony
Bacon and Mike Roussuea. We finally lost match ball to Loffredo and Trevino.
I think at that tourney, I realized that I could win a major tournament some
day.

How often do you practice and what practice techniques do you
recommend?
I never really practice anymore. I only practice before the major
tournaments. Usually I will practice for two weeks before a major and for
three weeks before the Worlds. I practice repetitive passing and shooting to
get my consistency and confidence up. I would recommend to someone who is
starting out to practice ball control as much as they can. Good ball control
is the basis of any great player, and makes everything else a lot easier to
learn. Also, play as many tournaments as you possibly can. There is no way
to practice what you can learn in tournaments.

You have been one of the few players to defeat Frederico in Singles
on Tornado in recent years. It also seems that he has been improving
every year. What will it take to accomplish this feat again?
For me, the key to beating Rico is to be on the top of my game. I know that
if I make mistakes because of mis-execution or lack of confidence, he is
going to beat me. He is playing too well to make mistakes against. Even if
I play my best game, he still is capable of winning. But without my skills
at their best I don't have a very good chance of beating him. A little luck
always helps too.

What is your favorite major tournament and why?
I'd have to say the Hall of Fame Classic. For two reasons, one I always seem
to do well at that tournament. I don't now why, but I think I have won at
least one of the Open events there since they started having it in Las
Vegas. And the other is, IT'S VEGAS BABY!!! What's not to like about it!

Since 1998, Todd frequently switched from forward to goalie in the majors,
winning world titles left and right with Frederico. There have been
rumors that you may start doing the same thing. If so, could you tell
us who you might play with as your forward and when?
I have been pondering playing goalie lately, although I haven't made any
serious commitments to doing it. If I did, it would have to be with someone
that I believe has a strong mental game up front. My whole philosophy to the
forward position is to out think my opponent. So I would only feel
comfortable playing with someone who thinks in a similar manner. If I had to
pick someone to play goalie for right now, it would probably be Tony
Spredeman. But, I don't think it will be in the very near future. Maybe in a
year or two I will. Who knows?

Is there anything about foosball you would like to see changed?
I guess would like to see more people playing the sport, more table
manufacturers promoting tour events, and better media exposure, as well as
better sportsmanship and respect for your fellow players. I would also like
to see a player's organization that is not owned by the table manufacturer.
I think we as players would be better off if we could dictate our wants and
needs, and not have them dictated to us by the manufacturer.

In your opinion, list the players that have the best Forward shooting?

Rico, he has an awesome shot and he still has the advantage
that we, the American players, don't get to play Euro pins very often.

Goalie shooting
In doubles, it would have to be Todd. He is just so
unpredictable and he can hit just about any shot. In singles, I think my 2
rod is about as versatile as they come. Ron Nevois also has a great 2 rod in
singles. I saw him once beat Loffredo in singles three straight games, and
he scored 13 of his points from the back.

5-bar offense
To me, its Tom Spear. His five row passing is so smooth and
so sweet. I think I have played matches against him and never blocked even
one pass.

5-bar defense
I think that Evan Stachelek has one of the best all
defensive five bars. Scotty Wydman has some good five row "D" as well.

Goalie defense
That's an easy one. Diaz. Without a doubt.

Ball Control
There are few people out there with some ridiculous ball
control skills. First off, there is Loffredo. The guy was built to foos.
Terry Rue has some really great skills in ball control. Tom Yore also can do
some amazing s**t. Tommy Adkisson could do some really unbelievable things
with his ball control too.

Singles Game
Right now, Rico is the man. His game is sharp and we are all
chasing him. Todd's singles game has always impressed me. Mares has some
great hand speeding singles too. Honestly, when my singles game is on, I
like mine better than anything else, I really love playing singles and
shooting from my two rod.

Thanks Terry!

Rick Macias Interview

Rainz — Mon, 16 Jun 2003 23:50:00 GMT

Recently Foosworld's very own Susan had a chance to talk with Rick Macias, one of the most knowledgable and respected foosers on tour, and a great player too. Rick had come close to winning a major title several times in his career, and it finally happened for him this year when he and Terry Moore captured the 2003 HoFC Open Doubles title. Here is what he had to say:

Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Des Moines Iowa, raised in a little bit of everywhere. My family lives in Texas, but i've spent time in Germany, Japan, Nebraska, California, and Oregon.
I’ve resided in NC for the last 16 years.

How old were you when you first started playing seriously?
I was around 15, hanging out at the mall with some friends, when I started to play foosball competitively. I enjoyed competing head to head with the opponent across the table.

Was there anyone you started with?
In San Antonio I had a friend who took me under his wing. For 2 consecutive tournaments I won the winners bracket and he came back and double dipped me. The next tournament his partner didn’t show up and my partner was injured performing normal chores. We teamed up and ended up being a pretty good team in the area for a couple of years. His name was Keith Maynard and he taught me quite a bit about the game.

What is your primary position?
I used to play the forward, mainly because of my strong passing series. My weakness is my shot, but I get the ball often, so sometimes my game plan is to tire my opponent and maybe they’ll let me win.

What is your favorite passing series?
My primary pass is a hard near wall stick series. Out of desperation I sometimes switch to a far wall brush series, you’d be amazed at how many people have trouble with this.

What is a good passing series for beginners to learn?
I would encourage beginners to start with a brush pass. Tornado tables are more so now than in the past, built for the brush.

How many tables have you played on?
I’ve probably played on at least a dozen different types of tables.

What’s the first table you ever played on?
I played on a Deuscher-Meister when I was around 12 in Germany. After that I played on a Dynamo green top, the old Texas players used to play on that type of table, it was actually similar to the original Tornado.

In your mind, what is the hardest shot to defend?
Any shot is hard if the opponent is shooting his options well. If an opponent has consistent options, then you have to respect all of them, and it becomes a guessing game. Some forwards insist on shooting only certain options, and this type of tunnel vision plays back into the goalies hand, making them much easier to defend. Pulls and rollovers can be difficult. A good push kick is tough to defend, especially if they’re using the long in combination with a nice dink. The good shots will force you to take chances and play the percentages.

What is your favorite event?
I used to like Singles, but now that I’m older I prefer doubles events. I like DYPs, there’s something about drawing someone you know nothing about and I usually adjust well. I’m not the easiest person to play with but I’ve toned down as I’ve gotten older.

What is your favorite shot?
Anything that works? The pull is my primary shot up front. My secondary front shot is a push kick. I also shoot a push from the back.

When did the snake shot originate?
Supposedly from what I’ve heard the shot started with a player in North Carolina in the mid eighties. In Texas, John Smith saw the same guy shooting the shot, and someone nicknamed the shot the “Julio Wrist Pin”. The comment was often made that it was a novelty shot and that no one would ever win a major title shooting it.

Is the snake the easiest shot to learn?
Depending on the individual. In some ways it’s great and in some ways it’s sad because so many players learn the snake, and they learn a pass, and that’s all they learn. If they have trouble passing or scoring then they have to move to goalie and end up looking foolish back there. They just didn’t learn the fundamentals.

There are many pro-masters that disapprove of the rollover. The primary reason seems to be that there is no learning curve, and that snake shooters have an unfair advantage over players that shoot more difficult shots. What do you make of all this?
Well, it pretty much comes down to you either accept it or quit. It can be frustrating, especially for a player like me who has been working on a pull shot for over 20 years, and a rookie who has played for 6 months with a snake and a brush pass can hang with you shot for shot. It has definitely changed the game, for better and for worse. Many of the great goalies of the past have trouble blocking the snake. It’s a different mentality, going through your whole career, blocking from one side to the other, and then switching to worrying about the center as well as the corners. The good rollover shooters shoot 3 holes, the center and the two corners. The great shooters shoot 5 holes, working the inside too.

It’s been especially frustrating for me because my shot is my weakness, and haven’t quite picked up the snake and maybe I’m a bit jealous with all the good snake shooters out there.

When and why did you start refereeing?
I wanted good seats! I started refereeing about 18 years ago. A lot of it was to get a birds eye view of the game, and also to learn what wins. Most of what I’ve learned has been from watching, not from being taught. I would have loved to had a great player teach me the game when I was younger, but that time has passed now. For example take Frederico, at his young age to have an all time great like Todd teaching him the tricks of the trade, that is a golden opportunity.
As a ref you learn a lot about the people on and off the table. You have to differentiate between who takes the rules to the limit, and who crosses the line. There are a lot of people out there that will cross the line with no remorse. If you say nothing then they’ll say nothing.
Being a ref can earn you a little extra money, and soften the blow if you had a bad weekend at a tournament.
It’s good to have short memory and when it comes to reffing no one is perfect. No matter how good you are, you’re going to miss some calls, no matter what sport.

Whatever happens, you keep your personal feelings out of the match. I try to get along with everybody.

When did officiating start with foosball?
Refs have been around for a while, but enforcement has just started to pick up recently. To take foosball from a bar game to the next level that has to happen. A lot of players still have bar room habits, and they believe part of the game is pulling the sheet over the officials head. Some players actually practice these techniques, and to me, if you get caught doing that you should be forfeited right there on the spot – that fear should be there to keep the game honest.

Do you think officiating should be mandatory in Majors?
There’s more on the line so emotions are higher and you need to set the tone. Players are more aggressive and may do something they normally wouldn’t do just because there’s more on the line. Most players don’t want a tarnished match and an official helps insure a clean victory. The players don’t want to have to worry about whether an opponent is taking too much time or resetting.

What do you enjoy more, officiating or playing?
Playing, definitely.

How have some of the rules changed since you started?
Some rules were added for the rollover. For a while you had to wait for a full second in shooting position before shooting the ball. Then you didn’t. Then you did. Then you didn’t. It was so tough to call, and eventually it was decided that you didn’t. I personally liked the one second rule for the rollover.

When did the time limits start on each rod?
I believe they started in the late 70's. Back in the old days your opponent would just wait you out. When I first started playing the time limit on the 3-rod was 20 seconds. There’s actually a big difference between 15 and 20. When I started playing you couldn’t switch positions during timeouts either.

How often do you practice before a big tournament?
I’m probably one of the worst when it comes to practicing. At a worlds in the late eighties I practiced hard and every day before the tournament, and I was just tired the whole tournament and it didn’t help me a bit. There’s no shame in practicing hard, but I just don’t have the drive.

For practice I might go to a draw but nothing spectacular. I’ve had a table at home for 20 years but I hardly ever practice on it or have people come over and play on it. I usually just hang my jackets on it. I’ve had people offer to buy it, but I guess it has sentimental value. I’d rather be playing at a tournament than practicing. There’s so many flaws in my game that I could improve, but I just don’t have the desire. I’ve given a lot of people fits, even with my inconsistency. Sometimes it can be amusing to play someone that practices so hard and you can stumble in and actually give them a run for their money and beat them, it’s a good feeling.

How did you and Terry decide to team up?
Process of elimination. He had the pick of several great players and picked me over all of them! At an IFP Kentucky tournament Terry asked if I was going to Vegas and I told him I hadn’t really planned on it unless someone good was going to give me a phone call. Later he called me on a Sunday 3 weeks after Kentucky, and said that Todd Loffredo, Bobby Diaz and Louis Cartwright had all endorsed me over his other picks. When Terry Moore asks you to play with him it’s hard to pass that up. It certainly worked out for the best.

How were you and Terry able to double dip Mike and Brandon?
For one, we played within ourselves. We didn’t give up, even when we were down 2-0 in the first set, we just fought through it. Terry and I were both struggling, I think we were trying to do too much, but we managed to fight through it. There was some luck involved, a few breaks. Once we got past the first set, we just put the heat on them and rode the momentum. After scratching and clawing in the first set we had gained a lot of confidence. They had been in a commanding position, including having a shot to win. After losing that set they were probably down and frustrated and had lost their momentum. Even though it didn’t happen, they were certainly deserving of the victory because of their play and beating some great teams on the way to the finals.

How did that feel, finally winning your first major?
It was a great feeling. I had already resigned myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to win a major because I felt my game wasn’t consistent enough, so achieving what I thought I couldn’t was a great feeling. One of my major goals had been attained, there are others but this was an important one for me.

Who are some of your favorite players?
I have to put Todd at the top of the list. He’s a natural. Awesome player, and a pretty good guy. Real laid back, and he has nothing to prove. He’s also not afraid to share knowledge, which is a rare quality with many great players.

Terry. He’s a student of the game and the model of consistency. Any major tournament, the road is going to run through Terry.

Rico, for his talent and what he’s done with it.

AZ and Ron Sipiora. Two solid players, but also two classy guys, those guys don’t get the credit they deserve.

How about the female players?
Cindy Head, she’s in a category all by herself.

Moya, she has come a long way.

April Devito was a good player out of NY who shot a rollover.

Lotus, a really steady player.

Tina Roton out of Colorado, a great player.

Cami Carter, a great player to play with, really had the fire.

Liz Hill and Tiffany Moore, very consistent players.

How has the foosball scene changed since you started. Was it bigger back in the 70s and 80s?
There was a pro tour in the 70s. The exposure was great. People swear by the old Tournament Soccer tables, but they were an inferior product. They had huge tournament back then, the tournaments now can’t compare. Players now have more talent and skill, but the raw size of the scene was just bigger back then. I think some things could be done that could help the game. Endorsements, lower entry fees, bigger payouts, changing mixed doubles from 2/3 to 3/5. Later start times for Open events. More majors spread throughout the country.

Why do you think foosball isn’t an Olympic sport yet?
They have had foosball tables at the Olympic villages and even the Olympic athletes playing around with the foosball tables have asked that same question. I think one of the biggest problems is that it’s hard for foosball to be a spectator sport. With ping pong you have 2 people spaced apart and it’s easy to see the action. With foosball you have four people cramped in a small area. The players hide a lot of the action. There are many other reasons, but the spectator issue is one that comes to mind.

Which players do you think have the best Forward shooting?
Terry Moore, Tracy Mcmillin, Rico, Gummeson

Goalie shooting?
Todd, Brandon-after what I saw at the HoFC Brandon impressed me. Billy Caylor- you couldn’t ask for a classier player.

5-bar offense
Terry and Rico have a really smooth 5-bar. Spredeman has his own style, and Tom Spear to name a few.

Singles game
Terry, Todd, Rico, Mares. They’ve all butted heads through the years, when any of them is on they’re a threat to win any title.

Who do you think in the next 5 years will be a threat to the Mares, Macias, Todd and Terry of today?
You can leave Macias out of that group . I can see Brandon and Spredeman getting better. Sometimes you wonder how good they can get. Right now Spredeman is where Billy Pappas was a few years ago. Billy is a great pro master, but at his level now it’s a lot tougher and there’s a lot more pressure. That’s why it’s amazing when a player like Todd, who has had a bullseye painted on his chest for ages, is still at the top of the game.

It sounds like you have quite a bit of respect for Todd, have you played any big matches against him?

I’ve known Todd for 18 years, met him at the US Open in Oklahoma City in 1985. He acknowledged me! He beat me twice in singles, he put me in the loser’s bracket and also knocked me out. I’ll never forget the first match because he scored the first 10 goals. That was when I was actually fairly good, and was able to come back and take the match to a 5th game. The next match against him in the losers bracket also went to a fifth game. I just ran out of gas. He ended up winning and I placed 3rd. 5 years later in the US Open in Denver, the same thing happened with Todd and I taking 1st and 3rd in singles.

Thanks for your time and sharing your story!