I watched eleven of the fifteen matches played, and I'd have to say that the Bigfoot 10-ball event was unimprovable. Yeah, the rules sure did create a jokish final four of Souquet, Feijen, Bustamante and Van Boening. Oh wait - those guys are pretty good. Never mind. And, of course, using slop rules in nine ball brought us Van Boening as the champion.
As I've noted before on AZB, those who suggest that nine ball with slop is broken and that it randomizes the results of matches need look no further than the list of Derby City nine ball champions. It's an absolute who's who of pool, and cinderella stories just don't happen at the Derby City Nine Ball event. The last eleven winners were 2014 Van Boening, 2013 Pagulayan, 2012 Van Boening, 2011 Orcullo, 2010 Reyes, 2009 Van Boening, 2008 Souquet, 2007 Feijen, 2006 Souquet, 2005 Reyes, and 2004 Souquet, every single one of them a current or future BCA hall of famer. Slop counts, rack your own and no jump cues, all of which so many suggest block the cream from rising to the top, have made no difference year after year after year. ...
I've rebutted this many times, most recently just one month ago in this thread: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=346849. See post #30 and subsequent discussion after that post. I'm tiring of doing this over and over with you and Jay. Clearly, you are not going to change your minds (and I doubt I'll change mine). But your repeated listing of top players winning top events does nothing to address the points I and others make on this issue. Of course one of the top players will win. But under different rules, it might be a different one of the top players in any given event. And the order of finish, and money won, might be different on down the line.
When Appleton and Bustamante compete in a big match, I don't want it to end by one of them completely missing the 9-ball and slopping in the 10-ball (Bigfoot, Match #8).
But I will give Jay credit for a couple improvements in the rules. A year ago at Derby City, a 10-ball made on the break in any pocket counted as a win. Seven months ago at the Tunica Bigfoot event, a 10-ball made on the break in either foot-rail pocket did not count as a win. [And that was a timely change, because the 10-ball went in on the break 10 times in the final two matches!] This year at the DCC, a 10-ball made on the break in any pocket did not count as a win. All 3 events were rack your own.