Latest activity

Latest activity

 Social Media Forum list

How High Or Low Do You Cue For Maximum Spin And Had Dr. Dave Ever Studied This?

C
Nature Boy said:
How high or low do you cue the ball when attempting maximum spin?

The golfer in me knows that for maximum backspin, you want a downward strike. It would seem to me that physics would say the same would be true in pool, which would mean a slightly elevated butt.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Difference from the golf comparison is that turf will give but slate doesn’t. A downward strike in pool by elevating the butt will lose accuracy unless the ball is struck and followed through absolutely dead center, which is virtually impossible.
Click to expand...

Buddy Hall talks "Deflection"

GideonF
middleofnowhere said:
A bit off the original subject, I haven't watched a whole lot of this video yet but it's a little surprising how poor their safety play is. They would not like playing one of today's players.
Click to expand...

Parica then Efren really changed the way people played safe. Their kicking skills developed from playing Filipino rotation and carom was just not commonly available to most of the good players at the time (with some exceptions like Varner).

But it didn’t stop there. I remember watching a YouTube video of Appleton explaining that he had to relearn his safety game in light of the increased kicking and jumping skills. My recollection is he said when he started in the game, the smart play was to play a safe that gave you a 100% chance of leaving a blocking ball, even if the safe wasn’t air tight, but now he has to play for the air tight safety even if it means he sells out from time to time, because the simpem bare ball safety is going to hurt you (because the top players of today with jump it in or play a better return safety.
Click to expand...

WNT, WPA and 2026

sjm
JAM said:
I was also one of the small minority with you on this subject.

That said, I really admired the way Joshua and Pia Filler handled the social media cyberbullying by not responding to the Negative Nellies and kept on keeping on their pool journey. Thankfully, that Filler bashing, hopefully, is in the rearview mirror for those two. I admire them both.
Click to expand...
Yes, I recall that we were of one mind on the matter of the punishment dished out to Filler by Matchroom, and I appreciated that you often backed me up as I offered opinions that were very unpopular on the forum at the time.

Perhaps things are headed in the right direction now, as Filler played in the 2025 Mosconi and in the 2026 European Open, the opening event of the WNT year. I'll try to stay optimistic but, as we both know, not every battle scar heals and let's hope both WNT and Filler can move forward without apprehension.

I'm rooting hard for both Filler and Matchroom to enjoy nothing but success from this point forward.
Click to expand...

Castillo leather goods case 2x4

cuetify
I have a lightly used 2x4 Castillo case, used for storage. The case was handmade with crocodile-embossed leather. The case is in great condition, and it's a beautiful and sturdy case to have. The price dropped $450 shipped PP/FF.
Click to expand...

Attachments

  • 20231205_230428.jpg
    20231205_230428.jpg
    213.2 KB · Views: 359
  • 20231205_230356.jpg
    20231205_230356.jpg
    155.6 KB · Views: 354
  • 20231205_230312.jpg
    20231205_230312.jpg
    84.1 KB · Views: 337
  • 20231205_230235.jpg
    20231205_230235.jpg
    175.5 KB · Views: 348
  • 20231205_230229.jpg
    20231205_230229.jpg
    171.4 KB · Views: 344
  • 20231205_230158.jpg
    20231205_230158.jpg
    270.1 KB · Views: 358

WNT, WPA and 2026

J
Kris_b1104 said:
While I enjoy reading most of your posts as they are informative and unbiased, I do think you are severely underestimating Predator as a brand. They have been in business for over 30 years, and a majority of that time their shafts and cues have been selling like hotcakes, in an already small niche sport. Their sales from their cues/shafts alone dominate the market and probably generate more money than any other cue-making company.

Back in the days, almost every amateur wanted to or played with a Predator cue/shaft, even if they couldn't run 3 balls in a row, due to Predator's marketing and elite shafts like the first generation 314, 314-2 and Z2. It's only been recently that they are getting competition with other brands now making CF. At one point, they had the most amount of sponsored pro players ever, maybe still do. Their hold on the amateur market is very telling as well.

Predator makes A LOT of money in this niche sport. The only other pool company that I can think of that rivals them is Diamond when it comes to revenue. Any APA 3 knows who Predator is. Some have never even heard of Matchroom or WNT or even follow pro pool, but they for sure know Predator.
Click to expand...
I definitely do not underestimate Predator as brand or company, Kris. As I said in one of interminably long posts:

"The biggest mistake Matchroom and Frazer made was to underestimate the influence and power of Predator.

Predator is the most influential company globally in pro pool. It sponsors more top players than any other cuemaker. And it has close ties to the most powerful regional confederations. Make an enemy out of the pope and you might not get to heaven."

However ... the best estimates I could find of Predator's annual revenue is $5 million to $6 million a year. Selling pool equipment is not a huge revenue generator.

Matchroom has annual revenue in the $200 million to $300 million range.
Click to expand...

WNT, WPA and 2026

J
Kris_b1104 said:
While I enjoy reading most of your posts as they are informative and unbiased, I do think you are severely underestimating Predator as a brand. They have been in business for over 30 years, and a majority of that time their shafts and cues have been selling like hotcakes, in an already small niche sport. Their sales from their cues/shafts alone dominate the market and probably generate more money than any other cue-making company.

Back in the days, almost every amateur wanted to or played with a Predator cue/shaft, even if they couldn't run 3 balls in a row, due to Predator's marketing and elite shafts like the first generation 314, 314-2 and Z2. It's only been recently that they are getting competition with other brands now making CF. At one point, they had the most amount of sponsored pro players ever, maybe still do. Their hold on the amateur market is very telling as well.

Predator makes A LOT of money in this niche sport. The only other pool company that I can think of that rivals them is Diamond when it comes to revenue. Any APA 3 knows who Predator is. Some have never even heard of Matchroom or WNT or even follow pro pool, but they for sure know Predator.
Click to expand...
You are correct. Also, I'm no tax lawyer, but I'd be willing to bet that most, if not all of the cost of their events are a tax write off as an advertising expense, which is a huge advantage for them.
Click to expand...

Cuelees cues, anyone tried them?

Paul_#_
Cuelees EX Solid figure smaller.jpg


BigBreakSheikhYT rated Cuelees' shafts his top three shafts. Number one was EX Solid that looks like wood near the cue tip and carbon fiber near the joint. Its more complicated, however, than that. Near the tip are two types of wood ("internal reinforcement of . . . various wood species"). A few inches from the tip, the inner piece of wood is replaced with a carbon-fiber rod extending to the joint end. Near the joint, the wood core is encased with another carbon fiber rod to make a wood and CF sandwich there. See figure.


BigBreakSheikhYT said:
S Tier: (Best of the best)

Cuelees Ex Solid: My favorite shaft ever. 12.2mm diameter (which is just perfect imho) solid maple with a carbon fiber core with a carbon fiber base. This shaft is just perfect. Very low deflection - extremely solid - lots of feedback - and great power. There is nothing on the market that I've tried that feels remotely as good. Won lots of matches and tournaments with this shaft.

Cuelees CT2: I have less experience with this shaft, but its almost identical to the Ex Solid - same diameter - same materials. The main difference is that this shaft does not have a CF base. This results in a significantly less powerful hit and more "wood-like" performance. Still an incredible, high performance shaft.

Cuetec R360: Before the CF craze, this was, in my opinion, the best shaft on the market in terms of feel. Feel is the most important element of any shaft for me - with performance being second (since you can adjust to pretty much any shaft as long as you like the feeling). The R360 shaft just feels awesome, and the taper and deflection levels were ahead of their time. When you also take into consideration that this was a budget option at the time, it makes an easy S-tier shaft for me
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Keith McCready Alive and Kickin'

jazznpool
JAM said:
Reminds me very much of an AzBilliards "regular" who made a big chunk of cheese off of unsuspecting consumers.

So many characters back in the day! Keith said there were a "couple of Mercedes Daves. He asked me to ask you if the last name of your Mercedes Dave was "Hershey Corn" (phonetic).

The news anchor on the Johnston City news reel video clip is from Chicago local News 5 with Dick Kay occurred in 1972. I loved the broadcaster's deep voice narrating all the the festivities and the brief snippets of the attendees, showing the cash moving back and forth between hands. The news anchor speaks about the man in the python shoes, none other than Minnesota Fats, and my favorite line is underlined below. Everybody's got a little larceny in them, whether it's hustling pool, avoiding taxes, creative tax deductions, fibbing on a CV, et cetera.

Then there's the King of the Hustlers, Minnesota Fats, who helped put the Johnston City tournament together. Fats lives about 12 miles from the show bar, but he never plays in the tournament. He waits for someone to win the $20,000 prize money and then shoots them for the cash. That's his hustle, but according to Fats, everybody's got one.
Click to expand...
Yep, it was Dave Hersecorn (not sure of the spelling). I think Keith used to call him Hershey Corn sometimes. Lol. When I left that scene, I thought the entrance to Hell was located in Orange County!

After not seeing him for many moons, Dave make a comeback of sorts at Hardtimes circa 2007. I sold him a nice cue. A few years later when he died, his son had me sell it for him.
Click to expand...

Keith McCready Alive and Kickin'

jazznpool
straightline said:
That was HT2.


It was always the Palace to me (70s) I missed all the monster action. They did have the golf game going, I guess those guys were small businessmen. Anyway the Palace moved down the street a few blocks, they setup a room for the golf table and one maybe two other 10' snooker tables. maybe half dozen gold crownish tables including one super tight. I can't remember if they called that the Palace or Hardtimes. Next I know big Hardtimes was in full swing up the street. Keith should know all this stuff. @JAM ???
Click to expand...
I think that was the Palace that Morgan owned. He was a golf player on the 6x12. It was where Jack in the Box is now I think.
Click to expand...
Load more

Filter

Back
Top