That sounds profound but I would disagree and think Buddy would as well. In 9 ball getting too close is not that good. It is a mistake a lot of straight pool players make and hurts their 9 ball game. When you get too close that wedge area you are going for to get to the next ball gets very small when you are too close.
It is the first thing you notice when you watch Efren play. He doesn't care that much about being a little farther away. He is more concerned about the correct angle. Watch a few videos on youtube of most of the Filipino players. They all seem to play like that. A little distance it fine within reason.
Darn right. Distance from the object ball is not the most important measure of position play quality in nine ball. Maintaining the right angles comes first.
Just like Efren, Earl didn't try to play shape especially close to the object ball, because doing so was sometimes against the percentages for superb pocketers of the balls.
Playing to ensure getting on the right side of the ball first and maintaining the best angles in pattern play is how most of the elite go about their business these days. Getting close to the object ball is nice, but given the level of pocketing seen at the top of our game these days, it's not nearly as important as it might seem.
As you said "a little distance is fine within reason." I don't think I can improve on that.