2016 World 9-Ball Championship

[Cardigan Kid]

Than again I would not say he is "less" skilled either. I watched Albin play at ~14 years old in the world juniors in 2004 and he was already playing very high level pool. He is from a pool playing family with obvious fairly good genetics for the game given his sister is one of the top female pool players on the planet.

I would say as far as aptitude for the game goes Albin is up there near the top of the world. Shane has worked "very" hard to get his game to the level it is currently at. Shane is one of the hardest working pool players out there, there are people with more natural talent and aptitude but there are not many people who have "worked" as hard as SVB to get where he has gotten.

Albin is a beast, he has loads of natural talent AND he has the focus and commitment and support that has led to where he is today. He is easily one of the best players on the planet and this is not his first major win and the second time he has made the finals of the World 9-ball Championships, he took second place to Niels only 2 years ago in 2014 and won the China Open for $40,000 last year beating a world class field.

If SVB is playing Albin in the finals of a major world class event he has his hands full. Anyone who thinks SVB is the favorite is not really looking at the other guy close enough...

Yes, Sir.
I absolutely agree with your assessment.

After today's final match I had to wonder - what if Shane had the access to Albin's training environment.

The Austrian Billiard Sport Academy http://www.billiardsportacademy.com/training/#go_page_now

as well as the coaching. Couple those with Shane's work ethic - the possibilities are endless.

We have seen similar success in these types of environments, like the Ko family and Niels Feijen in the Netherlands (coached by Johan Ruijstik).

I suppose the point I was trying to massage was not that Albin isn't talented - but that his background and training has been better than Shane's and if Shane had access to such an enviorment even for one year....well let's just say, the results might be different.


More details to the point can be found here (from last year)....

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=406584

(I even quoted jasmine's pool coach Mike Neuman who has had an effect on young Albin)

 

[one stroke]

Doesn't look likely, as Mike has stated MULTIPLE TIMES IT DOES NOT MATTER............

Well id like to see a break down of where it does not matter because I doubt it's a apples to apples comparison by any stretch of the imagination

I would say Shanes a bigger favorit in any winner break tourny than he is in alternating break ,


1

 

[Keith Jawahir]

Well id like to see a break down of where it does not matter because I doubt it's a apples to apples comparison by any stretch of the imagination

I would say Shanes a bigger favorit in any winner break tourny than he is in alternating break ,


1

While we're crying about the format, I say Shane beats everyone shooting one-handed behind his back when they switch to bar tables and make every match races to 100, winner break, rack your own.

 

[BeiberLvr]

I believe in the American pool scene (bar box tourneys, etc) there is an element of if you can't play better than the pro then don't criticize. From what I have seen in the Euro mindset, you have world class players taking instruction from coaches who could never out play the pro, but in life, sport experience, their ultimate knowledge is that glue the pro needs to hold it together when pressure is on.

It's like that in every sport. Coaches aren't meant to have the same abilities as their pupils. They are meant to inspire and bring out the best in them. It seems that concept is completely lost on the American pool player.

I've said it before that Shane's biggest downfall is his mental game. It doesn't suck, but it can definitely be improved upon.

 

[spartan]

Writeup by Ted Lerner on semis and final and post match comments by Albin and Shane http://philboxing.com/news/story-121328.html

 

[MuchoBurrito]

I've said it before that Shane's biggest downfall is his mental game. It doesn't suck, but it can definitely be improved upon.

Well, Shane did grind out most of his wins in Qatar didn't he?...

 

[BmoreMoney]

Well id like to see a break down of where it does not matter because I doubt it's a apples to apples comparison by any stretch of the imagination

I would say Shanes a bigger favorit in any winner break tourny than he is in alternating break ,


1

That was a very sarcastic comment btw. Lol

 

[Nick B]

You can't be sober.

Very sober. Lots of camera angles and good resolution and lighting. I can do without the commentary. I paid for the TC & Busty match. Don't throw stones...keep score.

Here you go boys. One tray each that we can see on the screen because our guys can't count or keep track. :grin:

 

[Nick B]

I don't believe that playing on the bar boxes had any affect on transitioning to the 9 foot tables. An hour of practice should be more than enough to make the adjustment for a smart player at the Masters and Pro levels.

Really? Let's see for two weeks you play put put and never pull out the driver. You can get lazy with your PSR, Alignment and Stroke mechanics. Now change times zones and fly 18 hours....no effect.

Let me guess your the guy who walks into the pool hall and sees 20 x 9 foot Diamonds and walks over to the BB.

 

[pwd72s]

13-6? Yep, it was well described...a drubbing. Better luck next year for Shane.

 

[arps]

Question: Will Shane be participating in China Open late this month? Maybe he could stop Albin from defending his title as China Open champion.
Or is he going back to those small tables for the USBTC?

 

[Inaction]

Let me guess your the guy who walks into the pool hall and sees 20 x 9 foot Diamonds and walks over to the BB.

I didn't know they made tables that big. If I saw one, I certainly wouldn't play on it because I don't like using the bridge on almost every shot, and I can't see as clearly as I used to.

How many pieces of slate would such a table have? 12?

 

[Nick B]

You misunderstood quantity 20. Size of table 9. Not 20x9' tables. Which is not a 2:1 dimension but that's a different issue.


Regards

Nick B

 

[Blue Jam]

Please, stop confusing the Qataris.

Coverage has been light years ahead of anything the US open or any other major event has managed. Broadcast live to air on television, streamed online and via an app for free all with live commentary, instant replays and multiple camera angles.

 

[Bank it]

Coverage has been light years ahead of anything the US open or any other major event has managed. Broadcast live to air on television, streamed online and via an app for free all with live commentary, instant replays and multiple camera angles.

Really? They fumbled the ball with Kazoom & while they did recover to televise on Al Kass & the camera work was good listening to 2 Qatari broadcasters babble NONSTOP was a little distracting. Do those guys ever stop to take a breath?

 

[Blue Jam]

Really? They fumbled the ball with Kazoom & while they did recover to televise on Al Kass & the camera work was good listening to 2 Qatari broadcasters babble NONSTOP was a little distracting. Do those guys ever stop to take a breath?

Kozoom (not Kazoom) declined the contract so a national broadcaster stepped in, delivered the coverage they promised you're crying about it? Hmmmm.

And now you're crying about commentating in the national language? Wow. Didn't hear the same complaints from the Austrians. Maybe they know how to operate a volume control. :thumbup:

Anyway, congratulations to Albin, the best player on the day deservedly won with virtually flawless pool under the toughest conditions, bravo!

 

[tduncan]

Question: Will Shane be participating in China Open late this month? Maybe he could stop Albin from defending his title as China Open champion.
Or is he going back to those small tables for the USBTC?

Bar boxes. Easy $$ for him.

 

[GideonF]

Earl won back to back world titles in 1990 and 1991.



Archer won in 1997 and was runner-up in 1998.

Alex was runner up in 2003 and won in 2004.

 

[arps]

Really? They fumbled the ball with Kazoom & while they did recover to televise on Al Kass & the camera work was good listening to 2 Qatari broadcasters babble NONSTOP was a little distracting. Do those guys ever stop to take a breath?

the arabic language has lesser intonation, making it sound almost monotonous that it seems the speaker talks really fast and doesnt breathe at all.

 

[pwd72s]

Really? They fumbled the ball with Kazoom & while they did recover to televise on Al Kass & the camera work was good listening to 2 Qatari broadcasters babble NONSTOP was a little distracting. Do those guys ever stop to take a breath?

I just watched it on youtube. The mute button was my friend. No idea why SVB was so off...but he sure wasn't playing his usual speed. Albin played almost perfectly, so I dunno if anybody could have beaten him.