SJM at the 2025 International Open
- Thread starter sjm
- Start date
He’s a legend that hasn’t fully exited the GOAT conversation. He definitely is a talker and unfortunately hasn’t paid attention to happenings of pro pool for the last 40 years. Having him in the booth was a real disservice to the players on the table for him to not know who they are. But I don’t blame Mike. In any other sport he would have been in the studio with a broadcast professional providing post-match analysis and other hot takes on the event. Never would he be put into a lead match commentator role. It’s a poor broadcast production choice for an event so dated that poor broadcast production choices is on brand.
Last edited:
Skyler really played some great pool this past week. It would be nice if his form is as strong at next week's Mosconi Cup.
Yapp has become a very special player. I recently asked one of the top few ranked players in the world what they thought of Yapp, and their answer was simple. They called him "the man to beat." Enough said, for right now, that is exactly who he is.
The 2020's have seemed to feature a dominant player each year. In 2022, FSR had one of those special years. In 2023, it was Filler putting together something similar. In 2024, it was Gorst wowing us over and over. Now it is Yapp, as obvious a player of the year as the last three.
Pat went big (ala Super Expo) when he probably should have gone small and focused on the main event, the pro 9-Ball. I agree the timing of this event couldn't have been much worse. And ten days long! A bit on the expensive side to attend this one.
Last edited:
Eurotour have not been proper pro event in long time. Money is pathetic. Affects nothing. It is just to WPA and European rankings...
E. Coaster...................
He hast to do some changes, Helfert also reflected this. Or like I said earlier, tag along the TX USOPEN9Ball Rumor.
An undeniable complication, Bill, is that 2025 has likely introduced us to how pool is going to be from now on. It's very possible that the pros will, again, spend two months in Asia next September and October. The breadth of the world pool calendar has made things very complicated for players to manage both their schedules and their expenses. Still, there is no denying that, more than ever, they can pick and choose their events, no longer obligated to play in everything to earn a living at pro pool.
The rapid globalization of the game in the past decade has, unquestionably, made our sport better, but it has come with some growing pains, and players, event producers, and even fans face new choices.
Billy is, by a mile, the best ever American commentator.
Amazingly enough, Molina Mike once invited me onto his podcast, but, with gratitude, I declined. I really don't need the attention.
To me, most of the guys are now just, payin the rent, enjoying life in your youth in their section of the planet.
$1,000,000 first prize event need to happen now, not more 20-50K.
MR give us some action.
Do more with less.
With the Cost To Live so much higher, Again.... the locals are now paying their local pros rent/food. etc
Comparably, the great players of the 60's and on, had it better.
It feels like most these guys are just gettin' buy. Again.
Interestingly, three SMEs in the pool world—Mike Panozzo, Phil Capelle, and Pat Fleming—praised Mike Sigel’s commentary. They noted how well he calls the shots, breaks down patterns to a tee, and layers in strategic insights. In that regard, Sigel is undeniably strong in the booth.
But it’s also true that he’s out of touch with today’s professional pool landscape and the current roster of players. Most AzB’ers are far more plugged into the latest news, regional events, and global happenings. That’s likely why some take issue with him being in a commentary booth in 2025.
One thing worth noting is that Sigel’s presence did provide an opportunity to promote his ABL (American Billiards League), complete with the “Cash Is King” slogan. I did see a few ABL commercials.
And yes, Mike Sigel is a talker. Anyone who’s spent time around him knows he has the gift of gab. I admire his enthusiasm for the game and his ability to build a solid living around something he excelled in, something not all pool pros manage to do. He definitely has a big ego, but so do many champions in any field. Strong self-confidence often spills over into that territory. Some handle it better than others. Efren Reyes comes to mind.
Gonzo09
Active member
Thanks for this recap Stu. I only made it for one day but I should have stopped to introduce myself. If you'd like to hear about the Sigel/Strickland matchup in great detail, you can hear Billy's version in Part 4 of our interview with him on our podcast, "Legends of the Cue". Here is the link: https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/sjm-at-the-2025-international-open.582124/
Gonzo09
Active member
So glad you enjoyed this story and hope you were able to catch all 6 of Billy's episodes! Thanks for listening.
not all great players make great comms. the yapp v sky match he was ok. most other matches he started ok but soon fell into the me, me, me stuff and mark didn't get half a word in. i don't mind stories either. and i can tolerate him not knowing the players. it's just too much about him and it soon gets tiresome.
billy is brilliant, mark is very good too. i wish they could have schmidt or scott in.
Thanks for that. So, about seven times as many matches at Derby City in the same ten-day stretch. Wow!