So Many High 900's Ratings?

[Johnnyt]

Even though I enjoyed the "Make it happen 10 ball tournament". I find it interesting that so many high 900's were played in so few games and somewhat long races. Do you think the table was easy or that todays top players are better than 20+ years ago? Johnnyt

 

[EL'nino]

Even though I enjoyed the "Make it happen 10 ball tournament". I find it interesting that so many high 900's were played in so few games and somewhat long races. Do you think the table was easy or that todays top players are better than 20+ years ago? Johnnyt

When you have a hand picked field of the best players on the planet this can happen. Players today are way more knowledgeable about where balls are going on the break. Years ago players just smashed 'em and hoped for the best.... today you will go broke with that attitude. If Shane showed up in 1980 with his break he'd have 13 US Opens & 17 world championships.

 

[BasementDweller]

I think it's 50/50.

Today's top players are better than yesterday's. Pool is no different than any other competitive sport in this regard. Players get better over time.

I don't necessarily think they break the balls better overall but the balls are definitely racked better. It's actually a joke how poorly the balls were racked back in the 90's. You would consistently see the 9 ball fly into one of the bottom corner pockets on the break due to a loose rack. The crowd would applaud and another loose rack would follow.

Consistent racks must play a role in the higher TPA'S today.

 

[PoolBum]

Even though I enjoyed the "Make it happen 10 ball tournament". I find it interesting that so many high 900's were played in so few games and somewhat long races. Do you think the table was easy or that todays top players are better than 20+ years ago? Johnnyt

Mike Sigel averaged over .900 for entire tournaments, over 20 years ago.

 

[Johnnyt]

Mike Sigel averaged over .900 for entire tournaments, over 20 years ago.

I did not know that. Johnnyt

 

[jeffj2h]

I spoke with Pat Fleming today and asked him if he believes today's players are better. He does not believe so. However, he said in the 80's there were 2-3 superstar players and today there are several dozen, from around the world.

Regarding the TPA scale he explained that a score of 850 is generally considered the speed needed to win a major tournament. Sometimes this is referred to as "world class" speed.

-Jeff

 

[Tommy-D]

He's 100% right,Sigel would play practically perfect for entire tournaments,as long as his break worked.

When he won his 101st major title (before he retired),he missed exactly 2 balls in 7 races to 13 (undefeated,no one got past 6 games),and made NO other mistakes unless you count empty breaks as a mistake. Tommy D.

 

[spartan]

I did not know that. Johnnyt

Yes except cannot compare TPA of 10b with other games like straight pool, 9b
So your original question is still valid.
I would attribute it to invie of top players and that they broke well.
They made ball on break of 76% and B&R of 33% http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/break.html#statistics They mastered the break, open layouts for run outs. Shane and Shaw mastered it. Earl, Kevin mastered it at various times. I am most impressed with Thorsten who probably played best post break despite not breaking as well as others
:grin-square:

 

[sjm]

Rack your own, magic rack, pattern racking, and five balls whose path is known (one ball to the top corner, balls below the one tracking toward the side pockets and the two corner balls going four rails toward the bottom corners artificially inflates the accu-stats figures. Yes, the great field played well, but not historically well as the stats would have you believe.

A bit repetitious, like watching baseball with only fastballs thrown by the pitchers. Still a test of skill, but not a complete test of skills, and for me, that's a problem.

I think the 10 footer at the Derby will eliminate this because even seemingly routine layouts will require the most refined skills. At the very highest level, 10-ball on a nine footer is more broken than 9-ball ever was.