I have played that shot in a few times...if I feel good on the shot.Exactly. Against lesser competition, these demoralize the opponent and get them to play worse. Against world class killers, they realize he is shooting straight up in the air, and all they need to do is keep applying pressure and once a few of em wobble and sell out a few games, he's toast. As in... for the entire session.
Reminds me of a One Pocket match I was playing way back in the day.. It kept coming down to the last ball being down table and near a corner pocket. I'd pocket the ball and leave him on his side of the table, pegged in the pocket, with the last ball on the spot.The money was staying even, and this shot kept getting him back to even from being 1 game down.
My opponent kept shooting at the ball on the spot and cutting it back into his pocket. The third time he shot it, while I am racking for my break I told him straight up (with a little gamesmanship in mind..), "Hey man... I'm gonna keep giving you that shot... Because one of these times you are gonna hit it a hair fat and scratch in my pocket, and you'll never make that shot on me again."
And that's exactly what happened the next time he shot it. Hero shots can pull your bacon out of the fire, but as you said, they are nothing to rely on. Tony relies on them FAR too much at this point.
...the trick is never to hit it thick...if you miss it altogether...you spot a ball...
..and the fight is still on.