Efren's luck

[cuetechasaurus]

The better you play, the lucker you get. It's the bad players that complain about the rolls.

When was the last time you ever saw Efren complain about a bad roll? And believe me, he gets them.

 

[bobson_215]

divine intervention

 

[mikepage]

divine intervention

big religious-beliefs-in-the-US survey in USA TODAY yesterday. Surprising was not that most people believe in a "divine," but rather that for nearly 20% of the respondants, their "divine" favors the US in world affairs.

So this makes Efren's ability to beat Rodney even more remarkable...

On another note, what is the *real* evidence thet Efren played better twenty years ago than he does now? Seems to me people sort of assume that at 52 he *must* be on the downhill side and that it's just a matter of where in the past the top was. Is it not possible he's playing the best pool of his life right now? Rather than apply our preconceived notions about the life-path of pool performance to Efren, perhaps we should be use Efren to modify our notions about the life-path of pool performance?

 

[Sargo]

Religion/the divine is one way to explain the unbelievable or unacceptable. Efren is really winning the big money tournaments. Let's accept he is just the best.

 

[thebighurt]

I'll agree with you that at 52 and considering the grueling format, it is incredible.
However, I felt that on Sunday it was Rodneys to win or to give away. It appears the latter. Physical fatigue plays a big part, but mental fatigue is tough to overcome. The break failed him and that was his big chance.
Is Efren just lucky? Yes, anytime you miss two 8 balls in one set and still win the set, you are extremely lucky.
Efren is great, but, I'm sorry, Rodney gave this one away.
Devinely lucky as Doc stated, sorry, that makes me just a bit nervous.

For anyone who thinks Rodney is the favorite against Efren playing 8 ball put your money up. Better yet ask Rodney if he wants to lock the door and play Efren for everything Rodney's got or can get backed for- his answer will be hell no! I love these luck comments, you guys still don't get it. Tokyo open $ 160,000 winner Efren, Color of Money against Earl $ 100,000 winner Efren, Challenge of Champions $ 50,000 winner Efren, King of the Hill $ 200,000 winner Efren, Reno World 8 ball open $ 500,000 winner Efren, Derby City Master of the Table bonus winner Efren. Man you guys are right everytime they put up big money this guy gets lucky and wins it... go figure!! Rodney played a great tournament but Efren even at 52 is the favorite before the tournament started and he won enough said!!
You guys should appreciate while you can what you are getting a chance to witness, a once in history player! These guys may now be able to beat him playing 9 ball because of his break (even though I still don't see anyone calling him out) but if you put 15 balls on the table none of these guys have a chance especially if the money is big!!

 

[chefjeff]

Efren’s success can be attributed to good luck the same way DCPs frustrations can be attributed to bad luck.

Bingo....I tried to give you a rep point, but apparently I've done that before for you, so you can't have anymore right now. nyaa.

Standard deviation explains the "luck" factor; skill explains his consistency.

Jeff Livingston

 

[f210]

For anyone who thinks Rodney is the favorite against Efren playing 8 ball put your money up. Better yet ask Rodney if he wants to lock the door and play Efren for everything Rodney's got or can get backed for- his answer will be hell no! I love these luck comments, you guys still don't get it. Tokyo open $ 160,000 winner Efren, Color of Money against Earl $ 100,000 winner Efren, Challenge of Champions $ 50,000 winner Efren, King of the Hill $ 200,000 winner Efren, Reno World 8 ball open $ 500,000 winner Efren, Derby City Master of the Table bonus winner Efren. Man you guys are right everytime they put up big money this guy gets lucky and wins it... go figure!! Rodney played a great tournament but Efren even at 52 is the favorite before the tournament started and he won enough said!!
You guys should appreciate while you can what you are getting a chance to witness, a once in history player! These guys may now be able to beat him playing 9 ball because of his break (even though I still don't see anyone calling him out) but if you put 15 balls on the table none of these guys have a chance especially if the money is big!!

well before the final match started, Efren was the underdog basing it on the comments of the posters here in azbilliards and other forums. Even Rodney said that he is confident he will win over Efren by a score of 8-6. Efren did not make any predictions though.

 

[thebighurt]

well before the final match started, Efren was the underdog basing it on the comments of the posters here in azbilliards and other forums. Even Rodney said that he is confident he will win over Efren by a score of 8-6. Efren did not make any predictions though.

As I said I guess you guys just don't get it. Rodney made that prediction... how did he do?

 

[bobson_215]

For anyone who thinks Rodney is the favorite against Efren playing 8 ball put your money up. Better yet ask Rodney if he wants to lock the door and play Efren for everything Rodney's got or can get backed for- his answer will be hell no! I love these luck comments, you guys still don't get it. Tokyo open $ 160,000 winner Efren, Color of Money against Earl $ 100,000 winner Efren, Challenge of Champions $ 50,000 winner Efren, King of the Hill $ 200,000 winner Efren, Reno World 8 ball open $ 500,000 winner Efren, Derby City Master of the Table bonus winner Efren. Man you guys are right everytime they put up big money this guy gets lucky and wins it... go figure!! Rodney played a great tournament but Efren even at 52 is the favorite before the tournament started and he won enough said!!
You guys should appreciate while you can what you are getting a chance to witness, a once in history player! These guys may now be able to beat him playing 9 ball because of his break (even though I still don't see anyone calling him out) but if you put 15 balls on the table none of these guys have a chance especially if the money is big!!

PROOF:

when you get lucky, you get more money...

thus money is proportional to luck.

So the higher the money on the line... efren has more luck.

So with more luck = higher chance of winning.

win = more money which leads back to...

luck is proportional to money.

 

[Cameron Smith]

Since Efren is as good as he is, when he does actually get lucky (as everyone does) it is devastating.

 

[BlowFish]

Efren WON....Luck or Not.

As a Catholic (Efren) and the Philippines, being predominantly Catholic, Divine Intervention surely works. Amen.



You guys are so funny.

 

[bobson_215]

Luck

looking at a different point of view...

efren got into the finals definitely NOT because of luck.

in the final's match... he's being called lucky because morris scratched 3 times on the break...

well you can call it lucky. but what if rodney didn't scratch but had 3 dry breaks? - still luck?

and also what if rodney won... then he'd be called lucky because efren missed two 8balls.

my point is.. it doesn't have anything MUCH to do with luck.

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

looking at a different point of view...

efren got into the finals definitely NOT because of luck.

in the final's match... he's being called lucky because morris scratched 3 times on the break...

well you can call it lucky. but what if rodney didn't scratch but had 3 dry breaks? - still luck?

and also what if rodney won... then he'd be called lucky because efren missed two 8balls.

my point is.. it doesn't have anything MUCH to do with luck.

Good post Bobson. Efren has made a lot of amazing shots over the years, which many people might consider lucky. However, on these difficult shots that Efren has made, it takes skill to visualize the shot and of course, execute it.

IMO, all this talk (which is really nothing more than gossip and innuendo) about Efren being lucky unfairly tarnishes what he has accomplished.

 

[djkx1]

Lets not forget that Efren merely played OK to get the job done, where as Rodney played the tourney of his life. Luck can be described as an unusual occurence, and in that regard Rodney was the lucky one.

 

[berberov]

efren is one of the luckiest men on earth to have been born with the talent that he has.
anybody thinks he's not lucky? nobody without a certain amount of luck could win this kind of money. especially when they are as old as efren.

 

[bobson_215]

efren is one of the luckiest men on earth to have been born with the talent that he has.
anybody thinks he's not lucky? nobody without a certain amount of luck could win this kind of money. especially when they are as old as efren.

with a small amount yes... but saying it is the main reason why he won is no. I'm answering the question "whether luck is part of his game or not".

 

[justnum]

anyone know what kind of cereal effren eats for breakfast.

I've been eating lucky charms for 10 months and aint nothing been happening except a delayed stomach aches.

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

anyone know what kind of cereal effren eats for breakfast.

I've been eating lucky charms for 10 months and aint nothing been happening except a delayed stomach aches.

Efren probably eats Cherios (the breakfast of Champions).

 

[sniper]

It's not Efren's fault if "Rodney gave this one away." Rodney was the one who scratched three times on the break so he has no one to blame but himself for his misfortune.

In many sports, on any given day the "better player" does not always win for any number of reasons. However, given the round robin format and the high caliber of players Efren had to beat, Efren's victory was convincing enough. The better all-around player won.

Well said, this match was there for the taking and Efren jumped on the opportunity that Rodney gave to him by scratching three times. Can anyone honestly say that Rodney deserved to win? He certainly didn't play his best nor did Efren, but the better player won IMO.

 

[crosseyedjoe]

Like they said, luck favors the prepared or in this case, the more skilled. For the most part, Efren and most of the Filipino players playing safety is always a second choice. He would rather do a 3 rail shot if he knows he can do it than play a safety. Maybe, that's why they think he is lucky. He's actually fearless.

His peak game has long passed that's when he was going toe-to-toe with Jose Parica the no.1 player in Phil then. I guess pool skill degrades slowly.

You didn't see much during his early days after the Red Texas Houston event because he was screwed by his Filipino backer until he was picked up again by an American backer in the last 80's.