WNT Florida Open 2026, August 4-9, Orlando, Caribe Royale

nmh2008 said:
Scott, Karl, and JJ all have such different styles.

Karl is totally cool with long and awkward pauses but light-hearted, funny, and a little self-deprecating.
Scott talks a lot, comes across as super complimentary and everybody's best buddy. Kind of the exact opposite of his on-table demeanor.
JJ is all business, he's not there for small talk he wants to talk about how Shane got a little funny on this 7 ball, will he settle for the long tough 8 ball or does he pound it pound it to the rail, bringing the miss into play but making the 8 & 9 ball easier.

I do like JJ best, but they are all pretty good in my opinion. This becomes obvious when you watch the abomination that is the Predator and women's announcers. Absolutely brutal
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The UK broadcast style is less talk. If you watch snooker (or golf or tennis with UK commentary) they let the game breath. I like it. I don’t think we need to hear blow by blow on open cosmo racks. That probably influenced Karl and I like it.

Scott is way better when he’s NOT on a main Matchroom broadcast, IMO. Like the one from Classic Billiards - he’s much more natural. On the MR broadcasts he tries too hard to be a “broadcaster” like Phil Yates.

JJ is great to me.

By the way, I actually like some of Predator announcers. Erik Hjorleifson and Ben Francis are both very good IMO.
 
uk_9_ball_convert said:
UK pool has tight pockets and everyone uses wooden cues, including Jayson Shaw when he was Blackball rules world champion. Jayson would be fine if you put him back to the Mosconi area. Do you think all the pool tables in the random shitty pubs you end up in playing in the Glasgow league have pristine super fast tournament cloth?

Do agree with the basic point that it's impossible to compare eras though as equipment/play styles/rules/culture/professionalism all change so much. People try it in every sport as it's a fun conversation, but it's not like there is an actual correct answer to any of these debates.
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My point is that game of straight pool in 1950 is a totally different animal than it is today. Back then, you could wack the rack and 2 balls would come out. Then you'd have to use them to go into the rack again—and again. With today's equipment, especially the balls and cloth, most straight pool break shots scatter everything in one go. That's much, much easier. So...... high runs really can't be compared historically.
 
The legitimate complaints about the day 6 arena setup should not be allowed to obscure the fact that the Florida Open was a superb event.

As the play has been covered already in this thread, I won't repeat it other than to say "Well played, SVB, the deserving champion."

The first five days of the event had a great setup with four stream tables and every outer table offering some good seating. It was my kind of event, allowing me to drift from match to match, stopping wherever the action was hottest.

The Caribe Royale hotel was brilliant. My room was comfortable and luxurious. Outside of Turning Stone, it is definitely the best hotel to which my pool travels take me.

I am delighted that the event will return in 2027 and am truly hopeful that I will have the opportunity to attend.

To all at Matchroom, thanks for a great event in Florida.
 
LowRight said:
Does this answer your question? All seating at table level. Couldn't see a thing. And we had "premium seating." What a complete ripoff.

View attachment 923023
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Good lord.. that needs bleachers for sure. Why even be there.

This reminds me of when the pga got a new ceo and he went to his first even and was like why the hell is anyone coming to these touraments.. you can’t see anything. Lol so he started building up areas at the courses where the balls were hit so poeople could actually see.
 
LowRight said:
My point is that game of straight pool in 1950 is a totally different animal than it is today. Back then, you could wack the rack and 2 balls would come out. Then you'd have to use them to go into the rack again—and again. With today's equipment, especially the balls and cloth, most straight pool break shots scatter everything in one go. That's much, much easier. So...... high runs really can't be compared historically.
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I recall reading I believe it was Johnny archer when he was in his prime (could be wrong it was a while ago) showed up for a straight pool tournament and won it playing super aggressive.. blowing racks wide open. It was a different form of straight pool then they were used too. Again I could be wrong about this…it’s been a long time lol
 
GideonF said:
The UK broadcast style is less talk. If you watch snooker (or golf or tennis with UK commentary) they let the game breath. I like it. I don’t think we need to hear blow by blow on open cosmo racks. That probably influenced Karl and I like it.

Scott is way better when he’s NOT on a main Matchroom broadcast, IMO. Like the one from Classic Billiards - he’s much more natural. On the MR broadcasts he tries too hard to be a “broadcaster” like Phil Yates.

JJ is great to me.

By the way, I actually like some of Predator announcers. Erik Hjorleifson and Ben Francis are both very good IMO.
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i like hjorleifson too. ben francis, if that is who i think it is, doesn't have the voice for commentary..
 
sjm said:
The legitimate complaints about the day 6 arena setup should not be allowed to obscure the fact that the Florida Open was a superb event.

As the play has been covered already in this thread, I won't repeat it other than to say "Well played, SVB, the deserving champion."

The first five days of the event had a great setup with four stream tables and every outer table offering some good seating. It was my kind of event, allowing me to drift from match to match, stopping wherever the action was hottest.

The Caribe Royale hotel was brilliant. My room was comfortable and luxurious. Outside of Turning Stone, it is definitely the best hotel to which my pool travels take me.

I am delighted that the event will return in 2027 and am truly hopeful that I will have the opportunity to attend.

To all at Matchroom, thanks for a great event in Florida.
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agree 100%... I loved the set up and the hotel and facilities. But I left Friday and wasn't there to watch the Saturday/Sunday matches. I'm sure that would have been tough for the vertically challenged that didn't get an early seat.
 
Does anyone have access to the Kazakis vs Makkonen match? I mentioned the shot Petri played up 9-8 - the shot on the 8 he played with slow inside and missed. I didn’t think to record it and now I can’t find it on the MR site or YouTube (only finding the next rack - the hill hill game).
 
GideonF said:
Does anyone have access to the Kazakis vs Makkonen match? I mentioned the shot Petri played up 9-8 - the shot on the 8 he played with slow inside and missed. I didn’t think to record it and now I can’t find it on the MR site or YouTube (only finding the next rack - the hill hill game).
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It is available on wnttv.com but you have to find the right session.

The session can be found by looking on wntlivescores. Late Saturday on table 2.

Search "florida" in the wnttv videos. It is the only match in this video:

wnttv.com/en/video/637600

Here is the shot. It looks like center left. It hit about half a ball too full at the pocket. Maybe more.
1787249143911.png
 
Bob Jewett said:
It is available on wnttv.com but you have to find the right session.

The session can be found by looking on wntlivescores. Late Saturday on table 2.

Search "florida" in the wnttv videos. It is the only match in this video:

wnttv.com/en/video/637600

Here is the shot. It looks like center left. It hit about half a ball too full at the pocket. Maybe more.
View attachment 925097
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Thanks Bob. I found it. By the way, do think he got a skid on the 8b? I’m not sure I see it but his reaction suggests it.
 
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