Is Shane the best American ever at both

[SJDinPHX]

Harold Worst didn't duck the champions....and gave some of them weight.

I agree, but Worst was the kind of player (and gambler) that may only come along once a millenium!....One can only guess what he may have accomplished in pool, had he not died so young!..But, lets embrace Efren, SVB and Alex P., while they are here!..Any one of them may eventually equal the challenging mark he left on the pool world..Effie may be there already! :yeah:

 

[JoeyInCali]

Yes. Who has he ducked? Nobody, that's who.
Jason

Alex in one-pocket and over-all ( plus straight pool ).
But, nobody at 9-b or 10-b.

 

[jasonlaus]

Alex in one-pocket and over-all ( plus straight pool ).
But, nobody at 9-b or 10-b.

Just a matter of time, not sure why he isn't playing Alex or Frost one pocket.....he doesn't have to lose. Maybe not enough up side to give it a try. I'd bet on Shane.

 

[jay helfert]

Mike Sigel didn't gamble that much ?
Didn't he take on Efren playing rotation at the Red's and got bbq'd ?
Wade Crane ? Beat Buddy for the cash and was fearless too in his prime afaik.
St. Louis ?

Sigel would gamble, but needed to be staked and got beat by a lot of the other top players. I watched Efren pound him playing Rotation in Houston. Not a wise choice of games to play the greatest Rotation player of all time for money. Mike was not the cash game player that he was in tournaments.

Wade Crane was a decent tournament player, but never won like the other guys mentioned here. He was a very good gambler and I considered him in my answer above, but his tournament record in major events was spotty, with only one big win in Atlantic City.

 

[jay helfert]

Alex in one-pocket and over-all ( plus straight pool ).
But, nobody at 9-b or 10-b.

If they ever do (and they might not) play an All Around match (10 Ball, One Pocket and 14.1) my moneys on Shane.

 

[PoolBum]

If they ever do (and they might not) play an All Around match (10 Ball, One Pocket and 14.1) my moneys on Shane.

Jay, as a tournament player wouldn't you put Sigel near the top of the Americans at both 9-ball and 14.1?

 

[Neil]

Hey now wait just a minute! lol

I don't remember any of the old timers like Buddy, Varner, Sigel, McCready, etc. playing
jam up one-hole either.

To the OP: IMO, SVB has the best work ethic of any U.S. player.

To everyone:

IMO, SVB has just as much "gamble" as anyone who has ever played.
He has already proved himself in matches where he can grind it out and win.

As for tourneys, his competition is as tough--in some cases tougher--than in years
past. Let's be honest, there are more great players in tourneys these days.

SVB HAS to win a world title or two to cement his legacy.
He's been in the top four in a few world championships.
There's no reason why he shouldn't be able to do it eventually.

If Varner winning multiple one hole titles, including the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, doesn't count as jam-up one hole, I don't know what does.

(P.S.- Just takes a few key strokes to find out their records through google)

 

[Jaden]

yes...

I know it doesn't seem like he plays it that often but didn't Shane play pretty sporty one hole ( for not really being a one pocket player ) at DCC several times against top 1 hole players?

The only person besides Shane to win back to back DCC one hole, is Efren

Jaden

 

[SJDinPHX]

Mike Sigel didn't gamble that much ?
Didn't he take on Efren playing rotation at the Red's and got bbq'd ?
Wade Crane ? Beat Buddy for the cash and was fearless too in his prime **
St. Louis ?

Even though he was capable of playing very good, Mike Sigel should not even be mentioned in the same sentence, with guys like Parica and Efren, or Buddy! ..Sigel picked his spots very carefully, and was (as is said in pool circles) the ultimate "businessman"!..Its hard to respect someone like that!

PS..** If they played, it was probably for small stakes!..Buddy and Wade Crane, had a history of dodging each other..I believe they both claimed it was due to friendship, and it may well have been!

 

[jay helfert]

Jay, as a tournament player wouldn't you put Sigel near the top of the Americans at both 9-ball and 14.1?

Of course! He was the most successful tournament player of his era, even with Earl and Mizerak breathing down his neck. Earl may have been a shade better at 9-Ball and Miz at 14.1, but Earl didn't play 14.1 and Miz didn't have enough stamina to play five days anymore.

Did you know that there was a stretch when Mike won eleven tourneys in a row when he reached the finals. No one could beat him in a final match!

 

[pt109]

The only person besides Shane to win back to back DCC one hole, is Efren

Jaden

Alex Pagulayan....one-pocket and alround champion....2015 and 2016

 

[jay helfert]

Even though he was capable of playing very good, Mike Sigel should not even be mentioned in the same sentence, with guys like Parica and Efren, or Buddy! ..Sigel picked his spots very carefully, and was (as is said in pool circles) the ultimate "businessman"!..Its hard to respect someone like that!

PS..** If they played, it was probably for small stakes!..Buddy and Wade Crane, had a history of dodging each other..I believe they both claimed it was due to 'friendship'!

Bingo! I didn't want to say that on here. Mike did what Hubbart told him to do, and who to play and for how much. When he was on his own he didn't fare so well.

 

[PoolBum]

Bingo! I didn't want to say that on here. Mike did what Hubbart told him to do, and who to play and for how much. When he was on his own he didn't fare so well.

Ok Jay, since this thread is about Shane let me put you on the spot: where would you rank Shane currently on the list of greatest American players ever?

 

[SJDinPHX]

Ok Jay, since this thread is about Shane let me put you on the spot: where would you rank Shane currently on the list of greatest American players ever?

I ain't Jay, but let me offer my opinion!..He is probably in the top 2 or 3!..Are you ignoring Worst and Strickland?

PS..Also, I guess we are not counting Efren, Parica, or Alex either, because they are Filiipino's,..who just happened to have lived almost their entire pool lives, competing here in the U.S.?.. (best 'ever', will always be subjective)

 

[Neil]

Nick Varner-

1980 Professional Pool Players Association World Open 14.1 Pocket Billiard Championship

1982 Professional Pool Players Association World Nine-ball Championship

1986 Professional Pool Players Association World 14.1 Championship

1989 MPBA Brunswick World Championship

1994 World 8-Ball Championship

1999 WPA World Nine-ball Championship

1999 World Championship 9-Ball Bank

2000 World One Pocket Championship

The above is just his world titles in 5 different disciplines. He also has

1970 ACU-I Intercolleagiate Championship

1980 Billiard Congress of America National Eight-ball Championship

1989 US Open 9-Ball

1990 US Open 9-Ball

1990 World Series Championship

Plus 76 other professional titles.

I'd say SVB has a ways to go to be best all around American ever.

 

[King T]

Your right!

Hey now wait just a minute! lol

I don't remember any of the old timers like Buddy, Varner, Sigel, McCready, etc. playing
jam up one-hole either.

To the OP: IMO, SVB has the best work ethic of any U.S. player.

To everyone:

IMO, SVB has just as much "gamble" as anyone who has ever played.
He has already proved himself in matches where he can grind it out and win.

As for tourneys, his competition is as tough--in some cases tougher--than in years
past. Let's be honest, there are more great players in tourneys these days.

SVB HAS to win a world title or two to cement his legacy.
He's been in the top four in a few world championships.
There's no reason why he shouldn't be able to do it eventually.

Rather he does or doesn't win a world title he gets my vote of one of the best ever and the best American player because he's done it for longer and against tougher competition.

 

[King T]

Efren may be there?

I agree, but Worst was the kind of player (and gambler) that may only come along once a millenium!..One can only guess what he may have accomplished, had he not died so young!..But, lets embrace Efren, SVB and Alex P., while they are here! ..Any one of them may eventually equal the challenging mark he left on the pool world..Effie may be there already! :yeah:

Can someone give me the list of people that beat Efren at anything?

 

[caff3in3]

Also....Eddie Taylor ( probably the greatest all around player ever..until Efren ).
Buddy Hall ( in the 70's ) went looking for the best players!
Cole Dixon played everyone he could find.
Jimmy Rempe ( in the 70's & 80's ) ducked no one!
Gamblin was what we did in the 60's & 70's. Tourneys were just to get players together in one place to gamble.
Different game now ( 1 foul crap ). Different mind set. Everybody wants a stake horse. The 'pros' dont want to bet their own. Most of'em think they 'deserve' to get staked because there 'pros'. Its sad.

I expect the top players wanting to be staked may have more to do with the tiny prize money in tournaments compared to the days of old than not wanting to bet their own. Just a thought

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

 

[smashmouth]

Earl stopped gambling but robbed most of em before that including Keith

Mizerak on his best day could not touch Earl in 14.1, Earl was leagues above Miz and proved well after his prime he could play straights with the best of em

Shane is the Amercian for sure for tournaments and cash, non Americans is Alex,
Dennis if you count playing for pesos, lol

 

[Bigb'scues]

Although he has won 5 US open titles which is very impressive. He still has to hoist the hardware (more than once) at the world championships to even be considered as the best American ever. That's a huge monkey on his back...and no the world pool masters does not count or come close to the WPA title.