Svb
OK, so I'm a huge fan of SVB. When Diamond tables and 10 ball first hit the scene it was played a certain way. In 2006 when he played Deuel he took the game to a new level. He set the bar. He was fresh, hungry, and determined, had tremendous fire power, and a more consistent and effective break than had ever been seen before. As a result he quickly became the man to beat.
He still had a thing or two to learn about gambling, tournaments, and moving. He lost to Alex in 07, blowing a big lead. He was a bit patchy, hitting a big gear but stalling out here and there. And his moving game was suspect. In games both players shot he was often outscored by as much as 2-1 by players like Alex and Dennis.
By 2010-2012 he had ironed out most of those wrinkles. He had learned how to win in every format. He still had the offense and drive, but he had improved his consistency, moving game, and his confidence was at an all time high. Just as importantly, while other players were catching up on the break, he still held a decisive lead in that department. He was very dominant and remained so for years.
By 2016-2017 a few things had changed. Now all of the 10 year olds that had been watching him in 2006 had turned 20 and were duplicating much of his arsenal. Players like Albin Ouschan, Klenti Kaci, Josh Filler, and so many more killers from the far East and the Philippines were on the scene. They didn't have his experience, but they all had similar fire power, and they all had huge breaks. But now they had something he was starting to lose. Desire. He was talking about retiring, going fishing, and doing other things. They were practicing like beasts and dreaming of taking his place.
In the beginning this wasn't quite enough. He still had the experience, confidence, and fear factor. Now, though, it is starting to show. SVB continues to have great matches, maintaining a high level of play as indicated by Fargo Rate. But while he has been making respectable runs, he hasn't been going all the way. And as we all know this is a slippery slope, because once the magic fails, the confidence begins to erode. Not that he doesn't believe in who he used to be, but he might struggle wondering if he's still on his game. For example, he played tremendously all through the US Open, but once he played Wu he struggled a bit which was all it took to be eliminated.
The match with Chang is very telling. He didn't seem to display the tenacity and drive that he once had. And, since this is no longer 2011, he can't rely on his high gear to save the day. Once it might have built him a comfortable lead and kept enough pressure on his opponents to give him an insurmountable edge. Those days are gone. Chang proved it by breaking nearly as effectively. The difference in breaking was slight, and Chang more than made up for it with focus, moving, and less unforced errors.
Now, SVB is still one of the greats, and I predict we'll see plenty more awesome pool and some big titles from him in the future. What I would say is that his dominance is over. Partly due to his waning desire, partly because of the new breed that have learned from him and can now duplicate his offense, all while adding their own contributions.
No shame in any of this. He is one of the all time pool greats. He can play the game at a level as high as anyone that has played 10 ball. He has many great wins and will have a number more. He is certainly a future hall of famer, and played a significant role in the evolution of the game. SVB has done so much for himself and the game, he deserves a salute and I wish him much future success.
Meanwhile Chang deserves a big tip of the hat for putting his game together this last year to a new level. Filler deserves props for plowing through the world's best in back to back majors. And the others that are starting to really make their presence felt are going to be exciting additions. Pool in the 2020s is going to be quite explosive with SVB level game no longer being unique, but almost the price of admission at the highest levels.