Chopdoc said:

Well, I don't usually follow this stuff, but I have noticed some things at the pool hall. The other kids have gizmos and whiz banger attachments.

I see butt extensions, joint extensions, and joint weights. So I looked on the web and sure enough, they are all for sale "mainstream".

What surprised me was that the OP said " it's almost impossible to play without one". I found that statement striking. What changed?

I don't keep up with the organized sport anymore, when I watch videos they are from the last century. So I looked at what is going on. I saw one article where a promoter uses fake smoke machines so the tournament looks smoky on camera, to create the expected atmosphere.

They have shirts available that look like they came off a pro bicycle rider. Some kind of "high performance" spandex-like material. I went and looked at Jayson Shaw's high run and he was wearing one. He beat Mosconi, and Schmidt, by a lot. Jason had the shirt, but didn't use an extension. Was it the shirt? Of course, Mosconi's run still stands as an actual competition run.

While Shaw famously popularized playing with a permanent 7-to-10-inch rear extension for years to gain added stability, weight, and reach, he actually removed it before his major straight pool milestones. Was this a stunt? A daredevil maneuver? Like- "Don't try this at home kids."

So, further investigation reveals there is special underwear for pool now as well. And shoes.

Mosconi set his record in actual competition with a Rambo cue. No extension. No spandex. I have no idea what kind of underwear he was wearing. He was wearing black leather dress shoes.

So, these are coming back? Well, except this is made of wood.

On a side note, a few years ago a dude came up to me at the pool hall. He said another dude said to ask me because I knew a lot about cues. He said he wanted to buy a mid extension for his cue but he didn't know how to make sure it matched the taper of his cue. Not kidding.

I have no extension. I might be a daredevil.

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DeeDeeCues said:

Guy claims that he was a hundred ball runner before extensions were a thing, now it is impossible to play without one.

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jbart65 said:

Frazer did hint at the Florida Open at another potential major in the U.S. in the future Really seems like WNT is putting a lot of eggs in the US basket, and I have to wonder why. What are they seeing?

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GideonF said:

Tony Drago.

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nmh2008 said:

It makes me play like I'm that one ~60 yr old European snooker player who used to play 9 ball and make Earl look like he plays slow

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skogstokig said:

i also think JJ has the best player knowledge. if the three of them had to go on their own and start a sportsbook for pro pool, he would do best

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Chopdoc said:

Well, I don't usually follow this stuff, but I have noticed some things at the pool hall. The other kids have gizmos and whiz banger attachments.

I see butt extensions, joint extensions, and joint weights. So I looked on the web and sure enough, they are all for sale "mainstream".

What surprised me was that the OP said " it's almost impossible to play without one". I found that statement striking. What changed?

I don't keep up with the organized sport anymore, when I watch videos they are from the last century. So I looked at what is going on. I saw one article where a promoter uses fake smoke machines so the tournament looks smoky on camera, to create the expected atmosphere.

They have shirts available that look like they came off a pro bicycle rider. Some kind of "high performance" spandex-like material. I went and looked at Jayson Shaw's high run and he was wearing one. He beat Mosconi, and Schmidt, by a lot. Jason had the shirt, but didn't use an extension. Was it the shirt? Of course, Mosconi's run still stands as an actual competition run.

While Shaw famously popularized playing with a permanent 7-to-10-inch rear extension for years to gain added stability, weight, and reach, he actually removed it before his major straight pool milestones. Was this a stunt? A daredevil maneuver? Like- "Don't try this at home kids."

So, further investigation reveals there is special underwear for pool now as well. And shoes.

Mosconi set his record in actual competition with a Rambo cue. No extension. No spandex. I have no idea what kind of underwear he was wearing. He was wearing black leather dress shoes.

So, these are coming back? Well, except this is made of wood.

On a side note, a few years ago a dude came up to me at the pool hall. He said another dude said to ask me because I knew a lot about cues. He said he wanted to buy a mid extension for his cue but he didn't know how to make sure it matched the taper of his cue. Not kidding.

I have no extension. I might be a daredevil.

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nmh2008 said:

Scott, Karl, and JJ all have such different styles.

Karl is totally cool with long and awkward pauses but light-hearted, funny, and a little self-deprecating.
Scott talks a lot, comes across as super complimentary and everybody's best buddy. Kind of the exact opposite of his on-table demeanor.
JJ is all business, he's not there for small talk he wants to talk about how Shane got a little funny on this 7 ball, will he settle for the long tough 8 ball or does he pound it pound it to the rail, bringing the miss into play but making the 8 & 9 ball easier.

I do like JJ best, but they are all pretty good in my opinion. This becomes obvious when you watch the abomination that is the Predator and women's announcers. Absolutely brutal

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lfigueroa said:

I have zero interest in buying a $3k cue only to have to sent it off for an extension, wrap, refinish, whatever.

If I were to have another cue built I would insist it be fitted for an extension.

Lou Figueroa

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WestElder said:

I have made solid wood furniture for many years but am just learning woodturning. I want to make a shaft for my favorite cue using something other than maple. I'm looking for wood that has some color and variable grain. Are there other woods that can make a low deflection shaft with low potential to warp?

David

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slide13 said:

I typically see most mid-extension users using them to get to a comfortable hand position where they're not falling off the back of the cue rather than keeping the same type of arm/hand position and sliding it forward. So you're right if they were just using it for extra length and keeping their back hand in the same position and relative to their body...but I think most are using them to get a more comfortable position instead. Which is unlike what many people who leave a rear extension on all the time are doing.

I use a 30" shaft, at just a hair shy of 6' that works for me great. I have a buddy who's got a solid 4-5" on me and uses a short mid extension for just that reason, he'd be too cramped on a standard length cue without and couldn't put his hand into the position he uses with his extension. the balance relative to your rear hand doesn't really change in that scenario.

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