SJM at the 2019 Derby City Classic

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
So what were the main takeaways from the Derby this year? I'll offer a few but would be interested in hearing the views of others on what we learned.

1) Skyler has arrived and must be viewed as among the game's most elite. He rose high at the International in October, coming third and playing JL Chang tough in the semis. He rose even higher at the Mosconi, winning MVP honors after breathtaking wins over Shaw and Ouschan in the late stages. Now he has ascended to one of the highest peaks in our game, the Master of the Table award at Derby City.

2) Josh Filler fears no-one. He split action matches with bank pool legend Shannon Murphy playing banks. He was the only person who bet high against JL Chang in the action room all week, beating him even in a 10-ball race to seventeen. Chang had narrowly beaten him in the Bigfoot final. The icing on the cake was Filler's 285 run in straight pool. This is one serious all-around talent. Had there been a Louie Roberts award, Filler would have won it.

3) Fedor Gorst is continuing to develop impressively as an all around talent. He cashed in the Bigfoot for the second year in a row, tying for third. Though he only reached Round 6 in bank pool, he tied for fifth in the one-pocket and was third in the nine-ball. Pretty sporty for a teenager. He pockets very well and plays position well. His break is solid and his kicking has improved. My feeling, though, is that he'll have to play better defense if he hopes to beat the guys at the very top, and I haven't seen much development in this area of his game in the last couple of years.

4) James Aranas looks poised to win something big real soon. This is a fine all-around talent, and his nine ball game is scary good. He is a clutch player in big spots and can come with some very difficult shots when he opts to shoot them. Very aggressive play seems to be his trademark, and he'll be fun to watch going forward.

5) Bustamante is ageless. How on earth does a 55-year old defend his one-pocket title at the Derby? Most of us thought that only one player in history would have been capable of such a feat - some guy named Efren. Francisco still has the skills and heart of a champion.

6) Omar Al Shaheen made a name for himself. I'd seen Omar play before, but never like this. After coming second in banks, he made it to Round 10 in one-pocket and Round 8 in nine ball. That's a very solid performance.

What did you learn from this Derby?
 
mvp

mvp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What a write up, to remember so much detail! I was there all week and I remember that biscuits and gravy served at 2000 degrees and a mt dew was six bucks, I remember the walk from the rooms to the casino was two mt dews long, I remember needing a winter coat while looking at the new jacoby carbon fiber shaft, I remember eating the chili dog before my match wasn’t a smart move, I remember the practice tables were 5$ for 30min,I remember the cue smith told great jokes, but I don’t remember who played who lol
 
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sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
mvp said:
What a write up, to remember so much detail! I was there all week and I remember that biscuits and gravy served at 2000 degrees and a mt dew was six bucks, I remember the walk from the rooms to the casino was two mt dews long, I remember needing a winter coat while looking at the new jacoby carbon fiber shaft, I remember eating the chili dog before my match wasn’t a smart move, I remember the practice tables were 5$ for 30min,I remember the cue smith tod great jokes, but I don’t remember who played who lol
Click to expand...

Well, I don't do it all from memory. At the Derby, each night before bed, I write down some notes about that day's play for about fifteen minutes. I just don't do my full write-up until the Derby is over.

Your thoughts help to frame the atmosphere there, too. Everybody experiences the Derby in a different way.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Andrew Manning said:
They were skidding and clinging a bit more than most of us were used to. Also a lot of people don't like that the cue ball is more translucent than most, making it harder to see the exact edge. But mostly, pool players will complain about anything that changes, and also anything that stays the same.
Click to expand...

Congrats on going to your first Derby. It was great meeting you.
 
Maxx

Maxx

AzB Platinum Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Thanks for taking the time to write this up, it’s a very enjoyable read!
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Thanks for the report Stu. You always have your finger on the pulse at whatever event you attend and are good at giving us absentees a sense of the vibe. I just don't relish traveling in severe weather anymore and the extreme cold chills me to the bone just thinking about it. Thanks again for your kind offer. You are generous to a fault. :thumbup2:
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
Thanks for the report Stu. You always have your finger on the pulse at whatever event you attend and are good at giving us absentees a sense of the vibe. I just don't relish traveling in severe weather anymore and the extreme cold chills me to the bone just thinking about it. Thanks again for your kind offer. You are generous to a fault. :thumbup2:
Click to expand...

You were missed, Jay, but I understand. I'm gradually getting too old for the nine day poolfest that is the Derby. It's not the travel or the weather, but managing my time and sleep seems to be getting increasingly difficult, and my stamina is not what it was ten years ago when I went to my first Derby.
 
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Cornerman

Cornerman

Cue Author...Sometimes
Gold Member
Silver Member
Among everything that has already beens said...

There were many new faces this year from the internet, including Andrew Manning (not be confused with Anthony Manning three times) and Kerry McAuliffe (who went 7-9 against Melling).

There were plenty of female players at this year’s event, and I hope that continues to be an upward trend.

Cliff Joyner played the event. He was noticeably limping, and his left arm needed additional time to lift onto the table, but he was there playing and competing.

The One Pocket Hall of Fame was a success as Scott Frost and James Walden were inducted. Cliff had front seats and was very emotional as Scott was giving out accolades to all who have shaped his game. Walden looked better than the reports, and is truly deserving of his Lifetime in Action recognition.

Scott... if you never met the real Scott Frost, you’re missing out This guy opens his heart up to everyone, despite his brash outward appearance. If every pro player was like Scott, pro pool would be a success. Btw, I won his Power One Pocket DVD at the HoF Banquet. Yay, me!

The late matches are too much for this old man. This is the second year in a row that I skipped the finals, instead choosing the pillow. I already saw Skyler and James at their best, so it was an easy choice.

There was an unworldly number of 200-ball runs at the 14.1 Challenge. I saw none of it. Too much going on (and that’s what Greg wants).

Ans yes, if we were still doing the Louie Roberts Award, Josh Filler would have potentially won it. But Katrina Tkach would have been right there as she was in the box quite a bit and wasnt booking any losers. I had the privilege to do her TV table 9-ball match. This young woman has a great game!

And speaking of booking, Ariel Roy Francisco (Roy’s Basement) would also have to be in the running for Action and Entertainment Award. His “stable” was in full action all week.

The Carl B. and George Breedlove show was on every day. And there were reports of Bobby Bellange action with someone (Pam Treadway, say the reports) early in the event, so there were many Pokemon Cards being exchanged all week.

Carbon Fiber everywhere including Jacoby’s (no longer in prototype stage) and Meucci (maybe ready for prime time, but confusing how to really order one). The heat at the casino was inadequate, so trying the carbon fiber shafts highlighted on downside: they’re cold.

For those that still have the DCC on the bucket list, you need to take it off. Come next year. And say hi.

Freddie <~~~ still sleeping
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Cornerman said:
Among everything that has already beens said...

There were many new faces this year from the internet, including Andrew Manning (not be confused with Anthony Manning three times) and Kerry McAuliffe (who went 7-9 against Melling).

There were plenty of female players at this year’s event, and I hope that continues to be an upward trend.

Cliff Joyner played the event. He was noticeably limping, and his left arm needed additional time to lift onto the table, but he was there playing and competing.

The One Pocket Hall of Fame was a success as Scott Frost and James Walden were inducted. Cliff had front seats and was very emotional as Scott was giving out accolades to all who have shaped his game. Walden looked better than the reports, and is truly deserving of his Lifetime in Action recognition.

Scott... if you never met the real Scott Frost, you’re missing out This guy opens his heart up to everyone, despite his brash outward appearance. If every pro player was like Scott, pro pool would be a success. Btw, I won his Power One Pocket DVD at the HoF Banquet. Yay, me!

The late matches are too much for this old man. This is the second year in a row that I skipped the finals, instead choosing the pillow. I already saw Skyler and James at their best, so it was an easy choice.

There was an unworldly number of 200-ball runs at the 14.1 Challenge. I saw none of it. Too much going on (and that’s what Greg wants).

Ans yes, if we were still doing the Louie Roberts Award, Josh Filler would have potentially won it. But Katrina Tkach would have been right there as she was in the box quite a bit and wasnt booking any losers. I had the privilege to do her TV table 9-ball match. This young woman has a great game!

And speaking of booking, Ariel Roy Francisco (Roy’s Basement) would also have to be in the running for Action and Entertainment Award. His “stable” was in full action all week.

The Carl B. and George Breedlove show was on every day. And there were reports of Bobby Bellange action with someone (Pam Treadway, say the reports) early in the event, so there were many Pokemon Cards being exchanged all week.

Carbon Fiber everywhere including Jacoby’s (no longer in prototype stage) and Meucci (maybe ready for prime time, but confusing how to really order one). The heat at the casino was inadequate, so trying the carbon fiber shafts highlighted on downside: they’re cold.

For those that still have the DCC on the bucket list, you need to take it off. Come next year. And say hi.

Freddie <~~~ still sleeping
Click to expand...

Nice post. I forgot to mention Tkach. She's got plenty of game.

Agreed about Frost, who was a bit brusque when he was younger, but has matured into a likeable, congenial guy who is a delight to be around.
 
J

JohnInNH

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The Derby was finished. JL Chang won the 10-ball, Thorpe won the banks and Bustamante won the 1-pocket. Skyler Woodward was the story of the week, though, winning the Bank Pool Ring Game, the 9-ball and the Master of the Table. Well played, Skyler. For the second consecutive year, the straight pool champion is …. nobody.

Conclusion
If you made it to the end of this post, congratulations. If you were at the Derby, I hope you enjoyed reliving it. If I had the chance to see and greet you, I’m glad I had the opportunity. If you were there and I missed you, I regret it. If you weren’t there, I hope you got a sense of what it was like to be there. If you’ve never been, I hope I made you curious enough to consider going in the future.

Thanks to all at Diamond for putting on such a magnificent show.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for providing such a great review of the DCC action for 2019, I was only at the Derby for 6 Days and I missed some of the 9 ball action.

It is amazing to me that young players such as Kacy, Filler, Omar, Chang, etc. etc. who don't play one pocket or banks can compete at such a high level, the player who in my opinion was the most exciting to watch was Omar Al Shaheed from Kuwait, his one pocket victory over T Rex (Tony Chohan) was unbelievable, his command of banks is just incredible, he gave Billie Thorpe all that he could handle in the Banks final, congratulations to Billie for the win.

Sorry that we didn't get a chance to meet, I can tell by your report that you enjoyed your time at the DCC, every time I got to watch a match at the TV table you were there flashing that big smile of yours.

This was my 12th year at this tournament and one of the most exciting DCC's that I have seen, congratulations to Greg Sullivan and Diamond Billiards for once again putting on a show this is truly my favorite event of the year.


John
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
JohnInNH said:
It is amazing to me that young players such as Kacy, Filler, Omar, Chang, etc. etc. who don't play one pocket or banks can compete at such a high level, the player who in my opinion was the most exciting to watch was Omar Al Shaheed from Kuwait, his one pocket victory over T Rex (Tony Chohan) was unbelievable, his command of banks is just incredible, he gave Billie Thorpe all that he could handle in the Banks final, congratulations to Billie for the win.

Sorry that we didn't get a chance to meet, I can tell by your report that you enjoyed your time at the DCC, every time I got to watch a match at the TV table you were there flashing that big smile of yours.

John
Click to expand...

Hope to meet you one of these days, John.

I am similarly awed by how players who don't play banks or one pocket at all are able to play it so well. For example, Ruslan Chinakhov won his first ten bank pool matches to finish fifth. I think we can safely assume that no bank pool is played in Russia. How, then, does he do it?

The emergence of some players in games they don't play much (or even at all) is part of the intrigue of the Derby.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
By the way, I am not aware of the results of the three midnight minis played during the Derby.

Can anyone fill me in?
 
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