It looks like I'm not going to make it this year. My band has a gig in Delacroix at some festival there and the producers are going to put us up over night and take us fishing in the Gulf. I am bummed about missing the tournament this year, but with PinBurgh also on the same day, I think a lot of the high level players will probably be elsewhere too.

Priorities Mike, priorities

BUMP! 23 days away! This show is always amazing! Get here! Cheap motel/hotels to be found everywhere. Two airports with tons of cheap flights to DFW and Love Field. There is always a HUGE and deep lineup of games! This year is going to be amazing because of the location and being near tons of good places to eat. There will be a big cigar smoke out! Gonna be a great great time! I can't wait!

Oh yes there is one place about 8 to 12 miles down the road that is AMAZING PLACE to eat!! No it's not a chili's bennigan's, fridays, cheddars, red lobster or maguires it's much better. Can't wait to get there, Do not forget you can indoor sky dive right there as well while waiting around, This is a great location! Oh just so some people know, HWY121 or Sam Rayburn is a toll road. Nice area and clean!

GO WILDCATS!!! Rat_Tomago

Entertainment while you dine? Ask Marc, sounds like his kind of place.

I know Barry.. I'm going to miss you not being there... come down to New Orleans some time.

Anyone taking a breakshot, party zone, or DE Simpsons?

I think Barry is bringing a Breakshot if I am not mistaken.

If we can get it working 100% yes. Last I checked , Dan and Brian were changing a cracked pop bumper body that was held together with staples and glue

The pop bumper got fixed. Game seems to be working well now.
Game had some intermittent switches not working that other time you came out and that is when I changed the two connectors. Dan and I will play it some more tomorrow. Though the rubbers need to be changed. Switches all seem to be adjusted very well right now so all 3 pop bumpers have some really good action to them.

Change the rubbers? You know I'm really not cut out for 'advanced repair and maintenance' like that

Surely you don't want a rubber to break do ya, Barry?

No , not again. Oh, you mean on a pinball machines. Whew , I got scared there for a second

Barry, you are a scary person.

Ed, Does the grand prize raffle winner of the Star Trek pin have to be present to win?

Yes, Brian . The idea is to get people to attend the show.

We'll see about that.

Oh I think I just heard Breakshot break 20 miles away.

Funny story. One year Scott Martin won a Beautiful Judge Dredd. We had about 15 games to take down and load up and we were in the back screaming. We don't want it, don't let us win, no, no, no.....Then all the sudden they pulled a ticket. Nobody came to the stage....They must had left. Then they pulled another ticket. It was Scott's. I just put my head down knowing we would have to be moving another Williams widebody onto the truck.....Too funny....

Yes.
http://texaspinball.com/tpf/awards-prizes/tpfraffle/

Koozies came in today. Be sure to stop by and grab one. No better way to hide a beer not sold by the hotel

SDC11222.JPG

Nice color. Those must be the LE Koozies.

Nice Marc!

Good idea.

Thank you.

I aim to please.

This will be our 2nd year. Me, my son, and nephew. Can't wait!!!

Second year for me going, will be the first for the wife. Looking forward to it!

We lived in Plano for a while post Katrina & the year b4 the storm I worked briefly with Paul McKinney - he was a contractor working on-site at my office in NOLA (temp project) - I remember the day he walked by my desktop and noticed my pinball desktop wallpaper - he told me all about the TPF & sadly even while we lived in Plano I couldn't make it but finally this year I may be able to - really hope so as after all of these years I'm back into pinball.

We bought a machine last summer & are ready to add a 2nd machine ASAP.

My wife's recent luekemia (cancer) and upcoming possible stem cell transplant and a ton of visits to MD Anderson in Houston have put a dent into our funds but pinball is something we can both play at home and comes in handy right now>.

Does anyone know if Paul is still associated with the TPF? I lost touch with him several years ago. The bank which i worked for was bought by a major credit card company & my actual office is split between VA and Plano (though I work remote 99% of the time from SE La.) - trying to setup a Plano site visit right now for the end of March & finally make the TPF (glad we got back into pinball last year)

It would be easy to find Paul McKinney on facebook. He is in the DFW Pinball group on facebook. I am sure he would like to hear from you if you were a co-worker, friend or acquaintance .

I am pretty positive Paul is still heavily involved.
http://texaspinball.com/tpf/about-us/

There isn't any contact info for Paul on that page but Ed may can relay a message or get you his contact info.

He is still heavily involved. I'll PM you.

Nifty LED is excited to be a vendor at TPF, make sure to stop by and say hi

Never heard of your company before. Have a website?

http://www.niftyled.com/

I bought a set of 50 clearance bulbs that NiftyLED advertised on Pinside back in December and was very happy with them. Planning on checking out their table at TPF.

This crazy Canuck just booked a flight! Looking forward to ALL OF IT!! Bring it ON TPF!!

Nifty is looking for a few Stern games to use in our booth, we need 2 of the same title... Met Pro, AC/DC Pro, Tron Pro.. Free LEDs for your game and just maybe one of our yet to be announced products

I'm there. Wife and Kid'o in tow. My wife has been actually been praticing! Never saw that one coming....

Great. Glad you, BrianZ and the family, will be making it out to the Expo. Like to hear what you think about some of the new games.

Not a pin but Warlords will be in my booth and my guess is it will get non stop play. Not many games offer 4 player simultaneous play. This thing is a beer drinking, shit talking game if there ever was one.

IMG_00000776.jpg

Man I though you said Shit taking and was laughing trying to imagine this thing backed up to a shitter while you take a dump!

I believe I need to check out this Warlords machine. Never played one.
Gotta see what all the madness is about with this one.

It's like 4-player pong/Rampart on steroids...... spinner controls your paddle, you push the button to catch and release the fireball, which if released at the corners of your movement will go straight across to the castle on that side, or if you fire it at an angle it can go all kinds of wierd directions. Assuming that the fireball isn't caught but just deflected off several paddles it can get going pretty stupid fast.

Warlords cocktail is also special in that the upright was black and white only, while the cocktail is in color. I'd love to own one, but I doubt I ever will given the price of them.

You need to adjust the legs on that sucker Marc. The great thing about that game is the legs can be adjusted so you can stand and play. I think that'd be perfect for the show.

Also, if you hold onto the fireball too long, it will start eating away at YOUR castle! Really fun game with four players. Surely will be a big hit at the show.

--
Rob Anthony
Pinball Classics
http://LockWhenLit.com
Quality Board Work - In Home Service
borygard at gmail dot com

Sweet! Haven't played that since middle school.

Ready to roll

image-936.jpg

Restaurants heads ups.... **Must have a car**

http://tierneyscafeandtavern.com/ (Small but amazing)

http://www.trufire.us/
(Must have reservations)

http://www.seasons52.com/wine/default.asp?cmpid=S52_PPC_GOO_S52_Plano_BR_Menu_1385
(Must have reservations)

http://www.randyssteakhouse.com/menu
(pricey but very good)

I said I would give you some heads-up. We have arrived in Frisco and are ready. No, I haven't lost my mind, I am working before the show. My normal job!

Marty you said dinners on you, RIGHT? Lol! Just kidding. Will see you there.

The nice thing is that you can walk about 3/4 mile East to In-N-Out Burger on Preston between Gaylord Parkway and the Rayburn Tollway (TX Rte 121). For those who never have had, it's a must try. You can be healthy and get a single without cheese, substitute the special sauce with mustard. But order fries. Get Iced tea or water and you have a relatively balanced meal.

Or....you can just have some fun and order your burger AND fries animal style, assuming you're not allergic to milk or eggs, and you don't despise something oddly akin to thousand island dressing and grilled onions that are perfect.

Their fries are...different. Fair warning. They use a different kind of potato so the texture is not what most people are used to. I love em, but I do know some locals that still swear by Whataburger over In-and-Out...I don't get it, at all, but hey.....