Top Ten Pool Players

westcoast said:
I understand that the Color of Money match was very meaningful, but I don't think that it necessarily means that Efren was a better 9 ball player. Earl's 5 US Opens and World Titles do indicate that he was the better 9 ball player overall.

Gotta give credit to Efren though for playing great on that final day. It was mostly Efren playing great, but Earl played somewhat of a role in his own demise by melting down at the very end.
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Not to diminish those accomplishments, since Earl is pretty much the Nicklaus of tournament 9 ball, but (probably going to sound like a broken record) I'm just basing my perspective on how old school players felt about tournies vs. the "backroom."

Parica was never really that dominant in tournaments, yet all these World Champions dodged him, and/or needed weight if they played him, meaning they felt they weren't better players even if they had more tournament trophies.

And I do think Earl is a better 9 baller than Efren, whether in a tourney or the backroom. He really should've won the Color of Money by 20 or 30 games, but he choked, and kind of like the 17-0 Patriots (a much better team than the Giants, who probably win that match up 90 times out of 100), Earl didn't shine in the clutch in what was probably the most important match of his career at that point, and something pool fans will always point to in the Earl vs. Efren rivalry.

Maybe Earl scalped Efren in more challenge matches we don't know about, but Efren will always have that notch in his belt: winning a long race challenge match for the biggest purse in pool history (at the time) against the supposed best 9 ball player in history.

It's painful stuff, and why I never really watched that match. Couldn't imagine how Earl felt.
 
When you talk about the top 10 players, one has to look at the best all-around players. A huge percentage of the players that are mentioned in this thread are no doubt super players, but most of which are single-game specialists.

Playing all-around on a tight-pocketed table, the list should begin with (in no particular order):

Efren, Sigel, Hopkins, Mizerak, Worst, Varner.

Playing 9b, 8b, 1pkt, 14.1, rotation and banks... no one else being mentioned would really want to grind it out with the above players for the cash. Earl would get heisted, Hall wouldn't like it, Fats had zero chance Greenleaf/Mosconi wouldn't like it.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
When you talk about the top 10 players, one has to look at the best all-around players. A huge percentage of the players that are mentioned in this thread are no doubt super players, but most of which are single-game specialists.

Playing all-around on a tight-pocketed table, the list should begin with (in no particular order):

Efren, Sigel, Hopkins, Mizerak, Worst, Varner.

Playing 9b, 8b, 1pkt, 14.1, rotation and banks... no one else being mentioned would really want to grind it out with the above players for the cash. Earl would get heisted, Hall wouldn't like it, Fats had zero chance Greenleaf/Mosconi wouldn't like it.
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Just so you know, Earl has run 408 balls in 14.1, won the 2010 U.S. bar table 8 ball championship, 2007 Carolinas One Pocket division title holder, 1999 Camel Pro 8 ball Open. His specialty is 9 ball, but don't think he can't play the other games also.

Also, Lassiter was 5 time all around winner of the Johnston City tournaments, so he belongs on the list also. I agree that Varner should be right up there if not at the very top of the list.
 
Neil said:
Just so you know, Earl has run 408 balls in 14.1, won the 2010 U.S. bar table 8 ball championship, 2007 Carolinas One Pocket division title holder, 1999 Camel Pro 8 ball Open. His specialty is 9 ball, but don't think he can't play the other games also.

Also, Lassiter was 5 time all around winner of the Johnston City tournaments, so he belongs on the list also. I agree that Varner should be right up there if not at the very top of the list.
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Not saying Earl couldn't play those games, but he was a dog to all those other guys with the games you had to think a little. He ran 408 balls through sheer retard-strength -- he's a MEGA dog to those guys playing 14.1 and playing for something. For instance, I think Hopkins's high run in 14.1 is 410 but that doesn't mean he and Earl were in the same universe with that game. Earl would never win a game when they were both in their prime.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Not saying Earl couldn't play those games, but he was a dog to all those other guys with the games you had to think a little. He ran 408 balls through sheer retard-strength -- he's a MEGA dog to those guys playing 14.1 and playing for something. For instance, I think Hopkins's high run in 14.1 is 410 but that doesn't mean he and Earl were in the same universe with that game. Earl would never win a game when they were both in their prime.
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Yet that dog made it to the final 8 in the last world tournament. :wink:
 
His 14.1 prowess is recent, but still not in the same league as the others. Earl is a super, super talented player zero doubt. Not on a top 10 list of best all-around players though. He might be the best ever 9b player, however.


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SpiderWebComm said:
His 14.1 prowess is recent, but still not in the same league as the others. Earl is a super, super talented player zero doubt. Not on a top 10 list of best all-around players though. He might be the best ever 9b player, however.


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I was just reading this thread again and your and Neil's post got me thinking about Earl vs the others. No one can be correct in a matter of opinion. However, years ago, 14.1 was the game of champs. Earl won his 9 ball championships when if was the pro game of choice. And yet he still has a 400+ ball run in 14.1. Very impressive.

Regarding the six players spider mentioned, I agree with those. Of the recent batch of champs, it should be obvious that svb is on the list. I would also be considering Appleton and feijen. Lastly, I might consider souqeuet to round out the list of best ten all time to date.

Hard to call, but all these are worthy, IMO.
 
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