Varner's domination in 1991 is probably no more impressive than Immonen's 2009. in which Mika truly did dominate the game on an international level.
Shane Van Boening: What about him....
- Thread starter JoeyA
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Varner's domination in 1991 is probably no more impressive than Immonen's 2009. in which Mika truly did dominate the game on an international level.
I watched the match at Buffalo Billiards in Metairie, LA tonight but could not hear the commentary because they had the speakers turned off for the other sports going on. I wish I could have heard the interviews after the match. :frown:
I did notice both players missing an extraordinary number of relatively easy shots. The table must be extremely tight for those misses to have been repeated so often. At their level, they would seldom miss an of those easy shots on the standard pockets on most Diamond tables.
I've got mixed feelings about the super tight tables like the one they played on tonight.
Two matches in a row with a score 25-17 Van Boening over Appleton
means just two great matches in a row for Shane.
We'll just have to see if he has the ability to dominate this year on the world scene.
LOTS of really big tournaments coming up this year.
I may go to the 4Bears Casino event in North Dakota and then there's the DCC which I won't make and the Southern Classic in Tunica MS in June and some other BIG TEN BALL tournament in the making around the same time. Shane will likely be playing in most of these events. I'll be keeping an eye on Shane Van Boening to see how he compares this year to 2012.
Just seem to think that he is getting stronger every year. His work ethic is second to none.
I did notice both players missing an extraordinary number of relatively easy shots. The table must be extremely tight for those misses to have been repeated so often. At their level, they would seldom miss an of those easy shots on the standard pockets on most Diamond tables.
I've got mixed feelings about the super tight tables like the one they played on tonight.
Two matches in a row with a score 25-17 Van Boening over Appleton
means just two great matches in a row for Shane.
We'll just have to see if he has the ability to dominate this year on the world scene.
LOTS of really big tournaments coming up this year.
I may go to the 4Bears Casino event in North Dakota and then there's the DCC which I won't make and the Southern Classic in Tunica MS in June and some other BIG TEN BALL tournament in the making around the same time. Shane will likely be playing in most of these events. I'll be keeping an eye on Shane Van Boening to see how he compares this year to 2012.
Just seem to think that he is getting stronger every year. His work ethic is second to none.
I'm curious if the players in general like the tight pockets on this table.
What was Mika's 2009 record comparatively? Varner's was Pro Billiards Tour and in the US only if I remember correctly.
I know Mika had a good year in 2009 but what does that mean? How many big events were there and how many of them did he win? I don't recall domination but then again I also don't pay that much attention anymore to the specifics of player's records.
Shane looks at least like he's got another US Open in him, which would make him a rare breed, only sigel and earl have more than 2.
Mika's 2009 record, for the curious:
http://www.azbilliards.com/thepros/2000showplayer2009.php?playernum=192
A lot of these are smaller tour stops but we have several majors:
$40,000 1st place Qatar International Open
$25,000 1st place World Classic 10-Ball Event
$25,000 1st place Tournament of Champions
$40,000 1st place US Open 9-Ball Championship
$60,000 1st place World 10-Ball Championship
Also 2nd in World Straight Pool.
He's had a couple of other 6-digit years, tough in a sport where there are very few opportunities to win even 10k at a single event.
Mika's 2009 record, for the curious:
http://www.azbilliards.com/thepros/2000showplayer2009.php?playernum=192
A lot of these are smaller tour stops but we have several majors:
$40,000 1st place Qatar International Open
$25,000 1st place World Classic 10-Ball Event
$25,000 1st place Tournament of Champions
$40,000 1st place US Open 9-Ball Championship
$60,000 1st place World 10-Ball Championship
Also 2nd in World Straight Pool.
He's had a couple of other 6-digit years, tough in a sport where there are very few opportunities to win even 10k at a single event.
In the US Open final it looked like Dennis was the one who gave up.
Shane is sponsored by Cuetec. I doubt if his cue is either off the shelf or from a fan.
I remember when Shane was coming to Louisiana from overseas if I am not mistaken and the airline had lost his luggage and his cues. He called and asked if I would take delivery of another set of cues from his sponsor and I asked at that time if they would be the same cues as what was lost and he said "Yes", that they were stock cues. His "lost" cues finally showed up and Cuetec did not have to ship another set.
I am pretty confident that Shane's cues are precisely what Cuetect sells. He might have a different tip on them than what they come with but I would guess that is about all of the alteration there is to them.
My thinking is that Shane may have had some input into how his cue was designed but that Cuetec would be remiss if they didn't make that particular line of cues exactly the same as what Shane is playing with.
I think you're right, Joey. Didn't he also say in the most recent podcast that it was a stock cue? He mentioned the tip he puts on them, but other than that they are the real deal.
Yes he said on the podcast that it was a regular Cuetec cue with their R360 shaft and it was given to him by some guy although he said it is practically identical to the one he was using before that was from the company. He is using a Kamui brown medium tip, but has used the hard in the past.
Well Joey -
As I said in the past I think you are excellent in booth, but I dont see anyone taking all comers and offering them weight.
Everyone talks about Louie Roberts and Keith McCready (Im a fan of both of them too), but Buddy robbed them over and over and over. He gave them the 8 and then the 7 and then other spots.
So when you have a champion (SVB) offering to do that, then you can put them in Buddy's class....
Secondly, Efren changed the game. Name someone else that has changed the game. IMO, when Efren and Earl were nip and tuck that was really top notch.
It kinda reminds me of Scott Frost when he said he would spot ANYONE in the pool with a spot in one pocket. (He later backed up and said ANYONE except Efren)
The best pool player I have seen in my lifetime is Efren. I would like it to be an American as I am American, but it is Efren.
Ken
As I said in the past I think you are excellent in booth, but I dont see anyone taking all comers and offering them weight.
Everyone talks about Louie Roberts and Keith McCready (Im a fan of both of them too), but Buddy robbed them over and over and over. He gave them the 8 and then the 7 and then other spots.
So when you have a champion (SVB) offering to do that, then you can put them in Buddy's class....
Secondly, Efren changed the game. Name someone else that has changed the game. IMO, when Efren and Earl were nip and tuck that was really top notch.
It kinda reminds me of Scott Frost when he said he would spot ANYONE in the pool with a spot in one pocket. (He later backed up and said ANYONE except Efren)
The best pool player I have seen in my lifetime is Efren. I would like it to be an American as I am American, but it is Efren.
Ken
The cue was given to Shane by a local West River supporter of Shane's,A good player that experimented with this Cuetec and found that it had a good hit.He likes it and has played with it ever since.I think the shaft may be low deflection but that may be the only modification.
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I would be willing to bet something...
Ken
What do you know that I don't? Send a PM or email me if you don't want to publicize it.
Thanks,
Time will tell.
Ken,
Thanks for the nice words about my commentary. You might be hearing me in the booth a little more this year. Some big events coming up and I might take part in some of them both in competition and maybe some exclusive booth work.
I have some new ideas that will be put into effect for pool commentary in the coming months and we'll see how they shake out but I sincerely appreciate the kind words. I would like to improve my commentary and think some of the new ideas will help with that.
Efren is the GREATEST of all the pool players of the world. I'm not in denial. He has dominated like no one else.
I'm just curious if Shane has or is reaching that span of time in his career where he has figured out what it takes to win in spite of your opponent's skill in that particular discipline, their good luck, or his own bad luck.
The parity in the skill level of today's top players dwarfs the parity that existed decades ago in Sigel, Hall and Varner's era. This is one of the reasons that it is so difficult for top players to make a living at pool. There is always a new top talent coming out of the woodwork from some country or city that we never suspected before. Back in the day, it wasn't hard to enter a tournament and you would have to play a few matches before you hit any tough spots in the road. Today, you're liable to play your first match against a real gunslinger. It just isn't as easy as it once was. I'm not taking anything away from yesteryear's champions when I say that either. The great back in the day were great and no comparison is going to change that..
Ken,
Thanks for the nice words about my commentary. You might be hearing me in the booth a little more this year. Some big events coming up and I might take part in some of them both in competition and maybe some exclusive booth work.
I have some new ideas that will be put into effect for pool commentary in the coming months and we'll see how they shake out but I sincerely appreciate the kind words. I would like to improve my commentary and think some of the new ideas will help with that.
Efren is the GREATEST of all the pool players of the world. I'm not in denial. He has dominated like no one else.
I'm just curious if Shane has or is reaching that span of time in his career where he has figured out what it takes to win in spite of your opponent's skill in that particular discipline, their good luck, or his own bad luck.
The parity in the skill level of today's top players dwarfs the parity that existed decades ago in Sigel, Hall and Varner's era. This is one of the reasons that it is so difficult for top players to make a living at pool. There is always a new top talent coming out of the woodwork from some country or city that we never suspected before. Back in the day, it wasn't hard to enter a tournament and you would have to play a few matches before you hit any tough spots in the road. Today, you're liable to play your first match against a real gunslinger. It just isn't as easy as it once was. I'm not taking anything away from yesteryear's champions when I say that either. The great back in the day were great and no comparison is going to change that..
Doesn't that shaft come as low deflection? I don't think he modified it at all.
You can mark it down that I wrote it today. By the end of the year, the line will be SHANE VS. THE FIELD just like it was Tiger. This kid is about to set the pool world on fire. This will be the Shane era, until SHANE decides to let it change. The doubters will say this that and the other thing, but the kids low gear his higher that some of the other "pros" high gear.
best,
Justin