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Yes, that's a good point. The importance of in-game improprieties can be magnified when a sport already carries a tarnished reputation.

I'm not sure that the subject of side gambling by a manager has any relevance here. We are debating the subject of intentionally compromising the equipment and how it should be dealt with. On the other hand, you are right to bring up the money issue. If a batter loses just ten hits in a...

How is it doctoring the cueball conceptually different from a major league baseball pitcher doctoring the baseball. Yes, it compromises the integrity of the game and can affect the ability of batters to make a living at their trade. Yes, many steps have been taken to limit it. The same must...

A picture of the trophy would be useful here.

Well said. Agreed. The full internationalization of the majors, even the World 9ball, was still in progress when Earl won in 2002, but those tough fields in Cardiff were a sign of things to come. I've always considered Shane's win at the US Open in 2016 to be the crown jewel of his career. I...

Since Matchroom took control of the US Open in 2018, the quality of the field has gone through the roof. Picking the winner seems near impossible. Nobody that has won it since Matchroom took over the event is without a sanctioned WPA World Championship, as well, with Filler, Gorst, FSR and...

What I'm saying is that little is accomplished by trying to litigate the WPC after the fact, but as you note, I see the benefits of taking note of the player comments and turning it into a positive by adding rules and practices that will help to make the silicon/waxing issue go away. So, yes, I...

Looks like a very nice warmup event for the Florida Open with some very fine cueists.

I'm with Chua here. As the Greek philosopher and historian Herodotus once noted "the past is history." Little is achieved through any of these "unprovable" allegations of unfair play at the World 9ball. On the other hand, the observations of the players as a group matter very much in mapping...

I'd be OK with allowing a brief stoppage of the shot clock when a player must get their jump stick or the bridge, but I do not favor lengthening the shot clock to facilitate it. This is one of many examples for which attending to the game's best interests must take precedence over what the...

I won't name names here, but the silicon spray issue has been around for about twenty-five years. Only a few were believed to be doing it. Putting the spray on one's towel, on the outside of one's glove, on the outside of one's pants, or inside the pockets of one's pants were among the ways it...

Well said. Fedor is a champion of the highest order with a resume of titles that is extremely impressive and which will get even more impressive. He will be a BCA Hall of Famer one day, and we will all feel honored to have had the opportunity to watch a legend at his craft.

It comes down to whether you want people to watch pool or not. Emily won't compromise the quality of the professional pool product to cater to the whimsical and ridiculous request of a player.

If you took a look at the fields that were produced in Cardiff, you would not say this. Earl's win in 2002 was against a field of absolute beasts. The fields were internationally diverse by then.

Over the years, I have seen no evidence that having a longer shot clock increases the level of play. All a longer shot clock brings is slow play. Two of the slowest players of the modern era are Ralf Souquet and Eklent Kaci. When they play off the shot clock, they take forever and play well...

Ameer Ali is a part-time, though very talented player. He's not the first to concentrate on other pursuits while continuing to compete at pool where possible. If he has a kitchen appliance company as reported, he may feel that it is where his focus belongs. In the 1960s, Mizerak did not feel...

Nice post. Well said.

Great event. It was just another reminder how hard it is to prevail at the majors. To win at the majors, you have to beat champion after champion, with some table switches to navigate while you are doing it. You must adapt to changing conditions and the varying strategies of the opponents you...

Thanks. My bad. I'll correct my post.

Wake up. Josh is having a great year. At rotation games in 2025, he has won the Derby City 9ball, the Estonian Open, the Longoni Open, and the European Open. Gorst is still without a 9ball or 10ball title in 2025. Josh, Fedor, and Shane all have two WPA sanctioned World Championships. Carlo...