Darren Appleton-How good is he?

[predator]

He uses minimum cueball movement. Always plays the smart shot, deadly safeties when good position is not guaranteed. Never panics or self destructs, always thinks he will win and he usually does. He strikes the same place on the cueball that his stick was pointing at. No flashy long backswing, very little if any head or body movement, cue moves only in straight piston like fashion, no nervous twitching at all. Very tough to beat.

Many people don't like his style precisely because it is so economical, i.e. perhaps not that exciting, but his way is the most optimal way to play the game I think. One would be wise to study him.

 

[7forlife]

He uses minimum cueball movement. Always plays the smart shot, deadly safeties when good position is not guaranteed. Never panics or self destructs, always thinks he will win and he usually does. He strikes the same place on the cueball that his stick was pointing at. No flashy long backswing, very little if any head or body movement, cue moves only in straight piston like fashion, no nervous twitching at all. Very tough to beat.

Many people don't like his style precisely because it is so economical, i.e. perhaps not that exciting, but his way is the most optimal way to play the game I think. One would be wise to study him.

well said, but that is the other thing, a lot of people don't know what they really want. Earl is toooo much and Ralf is tooooo little. Darren shoots a strong game as i have come to see as time has made him grow on me and meeting and talking to him and better half just sealed the deal. Ralf has always been my favorite player and still is, Earl and Johnny and Efren for what they have done that still stands, Shane great player, but what has drawn me to him is dedication, the amount of practice that he puts in for whatever it is that he want to get of of the game "and prob because i am a big practice head also".

All i am saying is i don't like when they start talking about the person like they were incapable of takingg a big tourney and because they did their level of play has some how peaked, and stuff like that.

I honestly feel that he will be the first to triple crown the Open.

 

[jay helfert]

In pool, just like in golf or tennis, we rank the best players by how they are doing most currently. Using that yardstick Darren has to be one of the top players in the world TODAY! Yesterday's hero's are old news, sorry to say. Johnny remains a top player, Earl not so. Sorry if that offends anyone, but that's how I see it.

 

[mosconiac]

To the people that say the celebration of Daz or SVB diminishes the glory of Earl & Johnny...why is your standard the only the standard? After all, you are the same short-sighted person you are complaining about. If not, why don't you celebrate Mosconi & Lassiter?

...because Earl & Johnny were peaking when you were watching. It's all about perspective, no?

EDIT: Daz has earned his moment in the sun. Let's give it to him.

 

[7forlife]

thanks for missing the point and being the people i expected you to be.

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

I think it'd be hard to argue that Darren isn't the best tourney player in the world for the last 2+ years (altho, I'm not familiar with all those dudes with four 3 letter names in Asia that primarily stay in Asia).

That said, Darren's got a long way to go before history will remember him along with Efren, Archer, Strickland, Mosconi, Lassiter, etc.

As a relating sidenote: Mika was killing everybody for a couple years, but he's dropped off a bit since Darren stormed on stage. A couple years of incredible performances does not a legend make.

 

[TheNewSharkster]

He is the best 9ball player in the world

 

[BobTfromIL]

If you saw the "make it happen" 8 ball even though he didn't win he still was
very impressive. He has to be considered one of the top players.

 

[wincardona]

In pool, just like in golf or tennis, we rank the best players by how they are doing most currently. Using that yardstick Darren has to be one of the top players in the world TODAY! Yesterday's hero's are old news, sorry to say. Johnny remains a top player, Earl not so. Sorry if that offends anyone, but that's how I see it.

Very well put jay, Darren Appleton is the "cream" along with Orcullo and Pagulayan when we're talking about the worlds best players. I'm very very impressed with how Appleton plays...all games...

Billy incardona

 

[TheNewSharkster]

I was going to be nice with you and explain myself, but you gave that up with the rest of the set.

By what you are saying or trying to say Strickland's being named The National Billiard News Player of the Year in 1984, multiple Player of the Year Awards, 5 US OPEN (MOST EVER IN THE WORLD), only player to win the WPA World 9 Ball "back to back" all took place during slouch season.

By what you are saying or trying to say Archer's Player of the DECADE, 2 WPA World 9 ball titles, 1999 US Open, World Summit of Pool, International Challenge of Champions "winner take all" also happened during slouch season.

I guess it easy to do going up agains a bunch of league player, hell anyone could pull that off.

TELL THAT TO THE NEW YORK YANKEES

Going by current date, not who is better all time... would you take Strickland over Appleton?

 

[Roadie]

I was going to be nice with you and explain myself, but you gave that up with the rest of the set.

By what you are saying or trying to say Strickland's being named The National Billiard News Player of the Year in 1984, multiple Player of the Year Awards, 5 US OPEN (MOST EVER IN THE WORLD), only player to win the WPA World 9 Ball "back to back" all took place during slouch season.

By what you are saying or trying to say Archer's Player of the DECADE, 2 WPA World 9 ball titles, 1999 US Open, World Summit of Pool, International Challenge of Champions "winner take all" also happened during slouch season.

I guess it easy to do going up agains a bunch of league player, hell anyone could pull that off.

TELL THAT TO THE NEW YORK YANKEES

Yes. When Strickland was on top in the United States his only real consistent competition was Buddy Hall and Mike Sigel. He won the WPA World Championships at exactly the time when there was only one other WPA world champion. Through the 90's pool was developing in Europe and in Asia. Now there are hundreds of players in Europe and hundreds in Asia who have an equal chance to beat Strickland (or any other professional) in any given set. People you never heard of running five and ten packs on tight equipment.

Anyone who knows anything about the state of the game understands that the average skill level is much higher today than through the 90s. Way higher. When Strickland was on top he was (and is now) about the same level as the pros today. But he was one of the elite few. Now no one can ever match his record because the fields are simply too strong.

Now granted when it came to the final stages of these events Strickland and Archer still had to bring it and win against tough competition. But they "only" had to beat two or three bonafide champeens of their caliber on the way to victory. The rest of the field was not in their league. And yes any decent player could have played over their head and put Strickland out of a tournament back then. But that was unlikely to happen and in fact Strickland maintained his strong play and simply crushed lesser players giving them no air. But today's players don't wilt and aren't afraid. They don't get name-stung and jsut play their top gear games.

So you can choose to believe it or not. Nothing will ever take away from Strickland and Archer's accomplishments. But the facts are that it's way harder to win a World Championship now than it was in the 90s. It's way harder to win a US Open now than it was before.

You can simply add up the accomplishments of the field without Strickland's or Daz's and see for yourself what the compared strength of the field's were. Most assuredly the two US Opens that Daz won contained far stronger fields than the ones that Strickland won.

Now Strickland can still win. He is not washed up in the least. But you can't deny Darren Appleton's accomplishments in the short time he has been playing pocket billiards. And those accomplishments have come in multiple disciplines.

 

[Fast Lenny]

Yes. When Strickland was on top in the United States his only real consistent competition was Buddy Hall and Mike Sigel. He won the WPA World Championships at exactly the time when there was only one other WPA world champion. Through the 90's pool was developing in Europe and in Asia. Now there are hundreds of players in Europe and hundreds in Asia who have an equal chance to beat Strickland (or any other professional) in any given set. People you never heard of running five and ten packs on tight equipment.

Anyone who knows anything about the state of the game understands that the average skill level is much higher today than through the 90s. Way higher. When Strickland was on top he was (and is now) about the same level as the pros today. But he was one of the elite few. Now no one can ever match his record because the fields are simply too strong.

Now granted when it came to the final stages of these events Strickland and Archer still had to bring it and win against tough competition. But they "only" had to beat two or three bonafide champeens of their caliber on the way to victory. The rest of the field was not in their league. And yes any decent player could have played over their head and put Strickland out of a tournament back then. But that was unlikely to happen and in fact Strickland maintained his strong play and simply crushed lesser players giving them no air. But today's players don't wilt and aren't afraid. They don't get name-stung and jsut play their top gear games.

So you can choose to believe it or not. Nothing will ever take away from Strickland and Archer's accomplishments. But the facts are that it's way harder to win a World Championship now than it was in the 90s. It's way harder to win a US Open now than it was before.

You can simply add up the accomplishments of the field without Strickland's or Daz's and see for yourself what the compared strength of the field's were. Most assuredly the two US Opens that Daz won contained far stronger fields than the ones that Strickland won.

Now Strickland can still win. He is not washed up in the least. But you can't deny Darren Appleton's accomplishments in the short time he has been playing pocket billiards. And those accomplishments have come in multiple disciplines.

Well said. :wink:

 

[CreeDo]

thanks for missing the point and being the people i expected you to be.

For every guy who roots for the hot new player, there's ten guys like you who jump up and say "Herp derp I'm a pool expert, I ate at a pro's house and played with his dog, and I'm telling you that guy's just the overrated flavor of the week."

It's not like there've been thirty threads the past week talking about how great Daz is, but you see one thread and immediately it's OMG LOOK AT ALL THESE NUTHUGGING BANDWAGON JUMPERS ON DARREN'S DICK!!!!!

Calm down. Nobody said he was the next willie mosconi. Nobody said "daz can beat any filipino leftie, he's better than efren, johnny WHO?"

Your attitude seems to be "I see through all the hype, you dummies are all missing the point. Now I'm gonna subscribe to the thread so I can bask in how clever I am for making such a bold statement!"

Please.

 

[The Saw]

For those that think Daz is in the same league as Shane or Alex, they wouldn't lose to Hatch playing even or giving Bartram the called 8.... I know those matches were a couple of years ago but he plays the same now as he did then, IMO. He wins a lot of tourneys because he, like most of the Brits and Europeans, train for and are conditioned for tournament length races.

In tourney matches, Daz is even money playing anyone in the world. Gambling? He doesn't want any of Shane, Alex, or Orcullo. Jmo.

 

[mosconiac]

....I know those matches were a couple of years ago but he plays the same now as he did then, IMO...

Let's play hypothetical: Is it possible that his *physical game* remains the same, but his *mental game* has reached new heights? IMO, the top pro's are all great mechanically...it's the mental game (which can waiver from tourney to tourney) that decides the majority of matches.

I watched the Hatch/Daz match & I thought Darren took himself out of the match. Things might be different now.

 

[btown]

Back in the time period you are saying that players were weaker, Earl run 11racks for 1million dollars didnt he?? get the old earl to play and he would be again one of the best

 

[Roadie]

For those that think Daz is in the same league as Shane or Alex, they wouldn't lose to Hatch playing even or giving Bartram the called 8.... I know those matches were a couple of years ago but he plays the same now as he did then, IMO. He wins a lot of tourneys because he, like most of the Brits and Europeans, train for and are conditioned for tournament length races.

In tourney matches, Daz is even money playing anyone in the world. Gambling? He doesn't want any of Shane, Alex, or Orcullo. Jmo.

I don't know. I seem to remember that Daz has some pretty heavyweight stake horses behind him. But I will certainly concede that his gambling record is well behind Mr. Van Boeing's and Mr. Pagulayan's.

For the record though he was I believe going to play Dippy one pocket in London for a huge amount and Dippy backed out. And if I remember correctly there was a standing offer for any player to come to England and play him American 8 ball for $50,000 and no one stepped up. They actually gamble a lot in England so I would not be counting Mr. Appleton out too quickly as a money player. He might surprise you.

 

[Roadie]

Back in the time period you are saying that players were weaker, Earl run 11racks for 1million dollars didnt he?? get the old earl to play and he would be again one of the best

Notice I didn't say that Mr. Strickland was weaker. I believe that if you transported a younger and less conflicted Earl Strickland to this time then he would be a top ten and probably a top five player.

I said that Mr. Strickland was one of the very few elite players. Now there are many elite players. Ko Pin Yi ran 10 racks and out to win a tournament against one of the top Filipinos after being down something like 9-1. And he did that when he was 18. Wu ran the last five racks on tight equipment in a race to 17 after being down 16:12 to win the World Championships. He did that when he was 16.

And in Mr. Strickland's 11 racks were something like four nine balls on the break if I remember correctly. In the 90s Jim Williard offered a $50,000 bonus if anyone ran a perfect five pack in his event and only Buddy Hall came close. Five packs are common in today's professional game.

 

[The Saw]

Let's play hypothetical: Is it possible that his *physical game* remains the same, but his *mental game* has reached new heights? IMO, the top pro's are all great mechanically...it's the mental game (which can waiver from tourney to tourney) that decides the majority of matches.

I watched the Hatch/Daz match & I thought Darren took himself out of the match. Things might be different now.

??? He was already a world champion and had several titles under his belt before Bart and Hatch.... The guy is just full on beast mode when it comes to tourneys....

 

[jalapus logan]

No matter how good he is....he is one of my least favorite players. Guess the american vs brit mosconi thing goes into play. But I personally want to see him prove himself on tar against shane.

What does Daz have to prove? He's already won everything in sight. Is SVB now the litmus test that great players need to pass in order to be considered great? They are both elite players and your proposition would be a good show. However Daz has already said that the race to 100 is not for him. Maybe this new, all around format would suit his fancy? It would be a great show and TAR viewers would snap it up I would think...