Hey Knupkid! Glad you finally came out of the shadows
You may want to lurk around some of the threads on soil discussion. Do a search for the word "haydite" and you'll find a lot of good info (and some bad info, so be a careful reader).
As to the roots, a maple can handle a good amount of root pruning. It might have been better to prune the roots before the leaves came out, but I think it can still handle a good hacking before it gets too bushy.
The roots can be shaped just like branches can. Do a search here for the word "nebari" to see what I mean.
rotsaruck!
pootsie