one pocket commentary

deanoc · Jul 22, 2016

if you didn't think Billy Incardona was the best
try listening to the bustamonte choan people

with the exception of comments by ed kelly anf pretty boy
it was terrible
these guys could not even get the score right,they were hypercritical of the players and very uninformative and boring

pfduser · Jul 22, 2016

Wasn't Bobby Cotton one of the commentators? Always thought he was very knowledgeable about the game.

TRWpool · Jul 22, 2016

I didn't see it but in my opinion, Billy I is the best. Not only because he is very informative but because of so many subtle reasons as well. One of those being he is always respectful of the players and shows no outward bias for or against. We can all learn a lot from Dr. Bill.

Tom

ed2000 · Jul 22, 2016

yep i think billy is the best also ,,then Double JJ or Nick V would be my next picks

tc in l a · Jul 22, 2016

I'm no expert in any game but I got a kick when ed kelly and jimmy mataya (I think that was the duo at the time) were reminiscing about las vegas in the early 70's.

They were card dealers at the time and because they collected their tips every day from the previous day they said "you were never broke for more than a day!".

They also remembered their 'break" when they were eventually hired into a bigger casino.

I had friends there at the same time and recall those days. It's nice to hear these stories from these senior players and although it's off topic from the game at hand it usually doesn't last long.

That same night someone else commented on someone's shot..."that was the worst shot ever".

After a few minor bugs getting online for the first night I thought Daniel and Gerry did a great job and the three day price was a bargain.

Best to you all
Tony C

DrCue'sProtege · Jul 22, 2016

If I was going to have my choice of announcers for a pool match I would want it to be Jerry Forsythe and Billy Incardona. They are both outstanding!

And for the record, Jeanette Lee is pitiful.

r/Mike

Cracktherack · Jul 22, 2016

Billy is number 1 in One Pocket commentary. I like Nick Varner's work in the booth as well as Scott Frost. They do a great job. The rest of them I can take only so long before I mute it. Their use of the English language, indicates they got through 6th grade, barely. They give three different options on every shot, two of which are a sell-out even if Efren is holding the cue.
One commentator I heard on a live stream in a critical shot situation said "Will you look at the headlights on that waitress delivering that drink." I'm surprised he didn't turn the camera on her. If they're paid free drinks, they're overpaid.

billiardthought · Jul 22, 2016

Scott Rabon/Dr Bill dream team

lfigueroa · Jul 22, 2016

deanoc said:
if you didn't think Billy Incardona was the best
try listening to the bustamonte choan people

with the exception of comments by ed kelly anf pretty boy
it was terrible
these guys could not even get the score right,they were hypercritical of the players and very uninformative and boring

Billy's commentary is OK on his own or with another. He was *great* with Grady, who brought him back down to Earth.

Lou Figueroa

pt109 · Jul 22, 2016

deanoc said:
if you didn't think Billy Incardona was the best
try listening to the bustamonte choan people

with the exception of comments by ed kelly anf pretty boy
it was terrible
these guys could not even get the score right,they were hypercritical of the players and very uninformative and boring

The score keeping was not good....I had to start counting the balls on the table....
....and then guessing.
The first night, in at least two games, Busty was running balls and TRex kept getting
credit for them. Several times I would look at the score and say "Did they start with 16
or 17 balls?"

...but I enjoyed the match all to hell

Nick B · Jul 22, 2016

Stream was good. Camera work was fine. Replay is a nice touch. I thought everyone did a fine job...except for the ball score stuff. This could have easily been fixed. Here guys use these two trays ONLY. Put them in plane site and all your balls must go in the tray or they don't count.

Having played Robert I can attest to him knowing the game. Quite often he was right and they did other things that didn't work so well. Sometimes it's just tough to see the shot from the viewed camera angle. We all know a 16th of an inch can make a huge difference in the way a shot plays or even if it's possible.

Problem solved.

Regards

Nick B

overlord · Jul 22, 2016

I think Grady is in the pantheon of pool commentators. He was in a league all his own. Bobby " Cotton " is a character and he knows one pocket and I liked his commentary. It was not his job to keep score.

Ed Kelley was a great champion but he was having trouble even identifying if a shot was able to be made.

JAM · Jul 23, 2016

TRWpool said:
I didn't see it but in my opinion, Billy I is the best. Not only because he is very informative but because of so many subtle reasons as well. One of those being he is always respectful of the players and shows no outward bias for or against. We can all learn a lot from Dr. Bill.

Tom

Billy is great. I remember in 2002 or 2003 at the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship at Chesapeake Conference Center, I decided to watch a match up in the bleachers behind the TV table. Place was packed, but I found a seat. There was one vacant seat next to me, and here comes Billy I wanting to sweat the match.

I did not know him well at that time but had been introduced to him. Here he goes talking about the match while it is in progress. It was like my own personal commentator. He could see things that I could not. It was pretty cool.

I learned back then how special Billy is. Great personality too!

JAM · Jul 23, 2016

One more thing to add, it's not easy being a commentator. You may be the best pool player in the world, know every shot and strategy, be familiar with the players, but being spontaneous with comments and good timing (knowing when to be quiet) is key. The spontaneous part is hard because it's like being on live TV. Once you say it, you usually can't go back and edit, as the game is in progress.

As well, being a commentator is a personal pleasure to these guys. Of course, everybody is going to have their favorites. But I just want to give a high-five to those who do this on a regular basis. It sure is not easy being a commentator.

JAM · Jul 23, 2016

One more thing to add, it's not easy being a commentator. You may be the best pool player in the world, know every shot and strategy, be familiar with the players, but being spontaneous with comments and good timing (knowing when to be quiet) is key. The spontaneous part is hard because it's like being on live TV. Once you say it, you usually can't go back and edit, as the game is in progress.

As well, being a commentator is a personal pleasure to these guys. Of course, everybody is going to have their favorites. But I just want to give a high-five to those who do this on a regular basis. It is sure not easy being a commentator in a pool match. Trying to spice it up and make it exciting if you've got two emotionless robot players, slow players, or a game that's not eventful.is not an easy task.

Mkbtank · Jul 23, 2016

Billy is the greatest, imo. Followed by JJ. Believe it or not, my next pic is John Schmidt, although he doesn't make it a habit. Scott is good as well.

barrymuch90 · Jul 23, 2016

I enjoyed the match thoroughly and thought the commentary was great especially the story telling. The only thing that got me was the fact Ed Kelly didn't know tony chohan at all he couldn't pronounce his name and was admit-tingly unfamiliar with him. I mean it's not a tournament with different players rotating on the stream it was a two man matchup and it was a little unprofessional and possibly offensive to tony for the commentator to not know him. Still I never heard Ed Kelly before and between him cotton n mataya all reminiscing I could listen for days.

TRWpool · Jul 23, 2016

JAM said:
One more thing to add, it's not easy being a commentator. You may be the best pool player in the world, know every shot and strategy, be familiar with the players, but being spontaneous with comments and good timing (knowing when to be quiet) is key. The spontaneous part is hard because it's like being on live TV. Once you say it, you usually can't go back and edit, as the game is in progress.

As well, being a commentator is a personal pleasure to these guys. Of course, everybody is going to have their favorites. But I just want to give a high-five to those who do this on a regular basis. It sure is not easy being a commentator.

JAM, you are dead on with these comments. I had the pleasure of doing a bit of commentary with Billy I, Scott F,, Larry S, and Jay H at the US Open a couple years ago.We all had trouble identifying the cyclops balls. That was pretty funny. Larry is a riot. Figuring out which ball was which was the least of my problems.

Being spontaneous over a live broadcast was not always easy but a lesson I learned, not so quickly, was that when working with a partner it is important not to dominate the microphone. Each commentator must work with the other and help lead each other into interesting conversation that still pertains to the match. Some commentators ramble on about their own past exploits far too much. Others are far too critical of the players or they may wish to show off their own courage, knowledge, and imagination by suggesting outlandish shots that have little realistic chances. It is easy to become power hungry behind a microphone. I know, I've done it but I learned from my mistakes. I hope some of the others who now find themselves more regularly behind the mic, can find the same restraint as the good Dr. Bill has shown. He works wonderfully with whomever he is seated.

Tom

lfigueroa · Jul 23, 2016

Sometimes there is a chemistry between two individuals that creates a whole greater than the parts. Billy and Grady had that and it made them one of the great sports commentary teams.

Lou Figueroa

SJDinPHX · Jul 23, 2016

lfigueroa said:
Sometimes there is a chemistry between two individuals that creates a whole greater than the parts. Billy and Grady had that and it made them one of the great sports commentary teams.

Lou Figueroa

Commentating in pool, is much different than all other sports..In other sports, someone like Kosell or Gowdy, (or several others) may become popular strictly based on their own personalities..Neither one ever played the game, or even knew very much about the intricacies of the sport at hand.. Yet both kept their viewers interested, with their insights into the players and the human nature aspect. They were strictly talented "announcers" and showman!

Pool commentating, on the other hand, demands an excellent understanding of the game itself..Thats why it is usually done by former (or current) champions..Also, the ability to fill in the dead spots, with specific pool-related anecdotes, is the only way to keep avid fans of the game interested..

Very few people can combine a good speaking voice, and those other needed qualities...Billy I., and the few others who are good at it, simply can't be everywhere at once!..Henceforth, we must often suffer through some very good pool matches, with some very boring commentary!..:sorry:

one pocket commentary

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