Recent content by sjm

I doubt Fedor meant anything by this. Obviously, Shane's hearing issues made learning how to play world championship level pool harder for him than for others. If the ability to tune out noise gives him a slight edge while playing, so what? Shane was dealt a difficult hand to play in life and...

I watched part to of one of Savannah Easton's matches. She has improved her pattern play.

Yes, but in the years in which they fought for acceptance and recognition, the snooker players dressed for success, and it worked. They also proved that one can shoot very straight regardless of attire. Pool can, but has chosen not to, take notice.

Because it's a festival of pool more than a serious competition.

Yours is a well-presented and well-reasoned post. Needless to say, I agree in principle, but the fragmentation that makes such a result improbable is not specific to pool. It exists in numerous sports. I'm not as sure as you are that the standardization of rules which we'd both prefer would...

Please. This is not a sanctioned event. Independent events can use any rule set they like, and the Texas Open has been a winner that has captured the public's imagination for several decades now. I like standardization in major sanctioned championships, but what they do at independent events...

Of course. The top players are used to much tougher than this. Everyone was running packages at the Derby City 9ball, not only because the pockets were looser, but because the break box in use was much wider than the Matchroom break box. This format takes us back to the days when you could be...

When did this happen?

Yup, it's all very complicated. On May 7, a letter issued jointly by WPA and Matchroom offered “an agreement has been reached, ensuring that WNT events will be ratified by the WPA going forward.” Player license suspensions were lifted and a pledge made by WPA not to suspend players that play...

Wow, what an effort by Shane. Can't fault Fedor in this one.

Watching since 3-0. SVB in dead stroke.

Nobody mentioned New York city either, but the reason is the same reason nobody mentioned LA. I discussed the matter of why there are no big events anymore in the biggest cities with frequent event producer and friend Pat Fleming over dinner one night at the (?2018?) Mosconi Cup. He offered...

Quite simply, Yapp is the man to beat, and even Josh and Fedor know it. Nobody knows how long his stay at the top will last, but all hail the king.

Whether an event is played where or near where there are a lot of pool players is of secondary importance. In fact, Atlantic City was great in this respect. One reason the arena was packed every day during the US Open was that Philadelphia, New York City, Baltimore, and Washington DC are all...

This is the real issue. How the balls are prepared and cleaned by tournament officials before and during matches is not what we are worried about. If players covertly modify the playing conditions during a match by doctoring the cue ball, however, it is a big problem and is illegal under the...