Great Interview with Keith McCready!

Delaware Lar said:
I love watching Keith play pool. He's got showmanship. He'll get up and one-stroke a backward eight foot cut on the nine, and make it, instead of standing there picking lint for two minutes.

His "other half" hates it when he one-strokes a shot, and that messes with his game, I think.

There's some tough one-pocket action at Triple Nines during the afternoon. Bo Newport is a long-time gambleholic. Reggie might gamble but he's not a good loser.
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Bo Newport is triple smart and will never gamble with Keith unless Keith gives up a ton of weight, and Reggie always wants too much weight, no matter who he's playing. :D

I don't even konw where the Triple Nines is. That's how long I've been out of the local pool scene. :embarrassed2:

Not only will I advise *against* one-stroking a ball, but I cannot stand it when Keith doesn't check the rack with the rampant rack-rigging that goes on in today's tournaments. :smile:
 
Yes, there are more good and great players now than there were in the past. Certainly as many and enough to give even great players a lot of us grew admiring all they can handle. Players today have more access to knowledge, better equipment, and the ability to absorb everything the great players did and do through mediums like YouTube.

But as Keith proved a few years ago when he finished high at the US Open, he can still get up and dab it and NO ONE has to like it. Got my Keith story and I thank you for it Keith!
 
Im thinking something different for Keith.

He was a child prodigy, that's why I think he would get a kick out of the large group of youngsters.

Skyler, Jason, Landon, and the rest of this new young guns might look mighty familiar.

The line from the "Color of Money", when "Fast Eddie" says (speaking about "Vincent"), "It's like looking at home movies."

Ken
 
JAM said:
It was very gracious of AzBilliards to publish the interview.

And a big thank-you goes out to Geoff Conway for devoting his time and effort to make this happen. :smile:

For Keith, it means a great deal to him that he is remembered in the pool world, the only world he has known for the majority of his life. He misses pool terribly, but he hopes to be in the thick of it, come this spring. Appointments are lining up already, which is something he can look forward to. Local area pool rooms will be the first stop on his pool journey. Then it's on to Jersey and all throughout New England. Where it goes from there, who knows! :cool:

Our lives seem to center around our Mickey Boy now, and Keith absolutely adores Mickey. The two of them are best buddies. :smiling-heart:
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An "interview" is great…however…I'd rather see him play world class pocket billiards again.
 
macguy said:
Very nice interview. I think one of the more interesting comments was,
Keith quote:
"I don't really feel that I have to go out there and bust my butt in the pool world anymore, especially when every Tom, Dick, and Harry don't miss a ball."

I think that's true, there may be more good players today then ever before.
Years ago you could go on the road and beat anybody they called. Today there are world beaters you never heard of everywhere.
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When the "Filipino invasion' began in the 80s it shared some similarities with the integration of baseball in the late 40s. The competition got tougher and today baseball and pool have become international and the competition has become much fiercer. And with the internet it is difficult if not impossible to hustle anonymously as it used to be. Very few American players can compete at that high level anymore (and lots of that has to do with kids not hanging in pool halls like they used to.). Of those American world beaters of the 80s/90s you still have Earl and Archer (although not as active as before). Dennis Hatch whom I first saw at the LA open in 93 can still play. You might call him a world beater for taking down Darren for the cash in Vegas.

IMO these TAR matches are ideal for Keith since it eliminates the reasons for not attending tournaments and the pool world would love to see him compete again. Please get your "heart" back to compete and avoid making excuses about the tables and equipment of today. JUST DO I T, as the commercial says.
 
macguy said:
Very nice interview. I think one of the more interesting comments was,
Keith quote:
"I don't really feel that I have to go out there and bust my butt in the pool world anymore, especially when every Tom, Dick, and Harry don't miss a ball."

I think that's true, there may be more good players today then ever before.
Years ago you could go on the road and beat anybody they called. Today there are world beaters you never heard of everywhere.
Click to expand...

When the "Filipino invasion' began in the 80s it shared some similarities with the integration of baseball in the late 40s. The competition got tougher and today baseball and pool have become international and the competition has become much fiercer. And with the internet it is difficult if not impossible to hustle anonymously as it used to be. Very few American players can compete at that high level anymore (and lots of that has to do with kids not hanging in pool halls like they used to.). Of those American world beaters of the 80s/90s you still have Earl and Archer (although not as active as before). Dennis Hatch whom I first saw at the LA open in 93 can still play. You might call him a world beater for taking down Darren for the cash in Vegas.

IMO these TAR matches are ideal for Keith since it eliminates the reasons for not attending tournaments and the pool world would love to see him compete again. Please get your "heart" back to compete and avoid making excuses about the tables and equipment of today. JUST DO I T, as the commercial says.
 
JAM said:
Bo Newport is triple smart and will never gamble with Keith unless Keith gives up a ton of weight, and Reggie always wants too much weight, no matter who he's playing. :D
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You called that right, there is gambling & there is stealing & these 2 are lock artists
 
JB Cases said:
But as Keith proved a few years ago when he finished high at the US Open, he can still get up and dab it and NO ONE has to like it. Got my Keith story and I thank you for it Keith!
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2003 is not "a few years ago". I enjoyed watching those matches, though!
 
franko said:
Two of my favorite people in Pool are Keith and Jennie . In all the tears traveling with my good friend John to the US Open and Derby City our favorite matches always were the ones Keith was Playing in, the whole room would awaken and there would be a buzz . Those were were the best times especially at the Executive West. Here on AZ I love reading JAM's post she has a wealth of knowledge on the games and the players. I hope we get to hear and see more of both of them " and that's what I'm talkin about"
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This post could not be more true. Keith has grown into quite the humble appreciative man. I had the pleasure of speaking with him on the phone a few short months ago for at least an hour, and all he wanted to talk about were things I should practice that will improve my game!!
He was the most exciting player you could ever watch play. There wasn't an ounce of fear in that man and he sure knew how to take 'em down. That personality and color is missing in the game today but when I say that I'm thinking, maybe it's because there is only one Keith McCready provided per lifetime :-).
 
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JAM said:
Keith loved seeing that photo. He pointed to right where Bob's Billiards was. :grin:

His thoughts on returning to So Cal are these ---> HERE.

One of my brothers lives in Palm Springs, and I may have to drive out there and bring him back to the East Coast to get some medical treatment at the VA. He needs two hip replacements, and Loma Linda VA Medical Center is giving him the stall. He has bone-on-bone and cannot stand the pain anymore. Keith will love seeing California again. He truly is a California kind of guy. :cool:
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Bob's Billiards was practically a second home for those of us who played pool out of Orange County. Of course, Keith ruled the roost there but a lot of great talent came in and out of that room.

If you and Keith come on out, a lot of folks would be thrilled to see him again (myself included).
 
markgw said:
This post could not be more true. Keith has grown into quite the humble appreciative man. I had the pleasure of speaking with him on the phone a few short months ago for at least an hour, and all he wanted to talk about were things I should practice that will improve my game!!
He was the most exciting player you could ever watch play. There wasn't an ounce of fear in that man and he sure knew how to take 'em down. That personality and color is missing in the game today but when I say that I'm thinking, maybe it's because there is only one Keith McCready provided per lifetime :-).
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Thank you for the kind words about Keith, Mark! :)
 
8ballEinstein said:
Bob's Billiards was practically a second home for those of us who played pool out of Orange County. Of course, Keith ruled the roost there but a lot of great talent came in and out of that room.

If you and Keith come on out, a lot of folks would be thrilled to see him again (myself included).
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I would like to see California. My brothers, both of them, love it. One lives in the desert of Palm Springs, and my other one lives in the mountains of Northern California in a place called Happy Camp. Would love to meet you and hang out! :smile:
 
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