2007-your Man In Manila
- Thread starter jay helfert
- Start date
^totally agree, but with or without flashes, players still get distracted, the place is so quiet, we can here camera's clicking!
crosseyedjoe said:
There are two television arenas with excellent chair seating on risers for about 500 people in each. Then there are two platforms with three tables on each. Great semi circular seating (theater style seats) all around each platform. Easily a thousand people can watch these three tables. Great set up! They are expecting over 5,000 people later this week. That should be something and prove that Pool can draw a crowd. They will have giant screen TV's set up so everyone can watch the TV tables.
No match with Gabica last night. I saw him early in the day at the venue and he told me he was "tired". I wonder if Shane demolishing his buddy Jeff had anything to do with his being tired. No one is beating a trail to get to Shane! Not even over here. And Shane is willing to play anyone. He says to me each day, "I just want to play!"
Shane wanted to go to One Side last night, but I needed a rest. I didn't get much sleep the night before and had to be down at the arena at 9AM for the television call. So I slept in after work. He may have gone on down anyway. I'll find out later. I told him to go ahead without me.
I am currently working the #2 TV table. This feed goes out all over the Philippines and Southeast Asia (like Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos etc.). Table #1 is the International feed. I just show up and do my job. The Director decides who to use on which feeds. We have six commentators total!
Shane wanted to go to One Side last night, but I needed a rest. I didn't get much sleep the night before and had to be down at the arena at 9AM for the television call. So I slept in after work. He may have gone on down anyway. I'll find out later. I told him to go ahead without me.
I am currently working the #2 TV table. This feed goes out all over the Philippines and Southeast Asia (like Thailand, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Laos etc.). Table #1 is the International feed. I just show up and do my job. The Director decides who to use on which feeds. We have six commentators total!
I like the Group Stages, with 16 "eight player" DE tourneys. No shenanigans here. Every match is equally important. Very simple too. You must win twice to move on to the final 64. If you lose twice you are out! Most of the good players are getting thru so far.
We had a blackout last night in Quezon City. About Midnite all power went down. The city was dark! For about 45 minutes. I asked Mikaela how often this happens. She said maybe once a month or every few weeks. The infrastructure is fragile here. Mail may or may not go thru. Basically nothing is a guarantee here. One day the bus runs, one day the driver takes a day off. You get the picture. But life buzzes along endlessly in this teeming metropolis of 12-15 million people. There is no accurate count, no census here is realistic.
With it's problems, Manila is still the place for me. The people are SOOO friendly, so unlike so much of America. And of course, it helps that Pool is so big here. Not to mention the gorgeous girls and the fact that nearly everyone speaks some English. The language barrier is not a problem here, as in other Asian countries.
Got word last night of a big money match between Efren and Ronnie Alcano. They played Rotation for some serious money and once again Efren thumped him. Ronnie tries to get Efren's Rotation crown every few months and Effie's not giving it up yet. Everyone knows Efren is the best One Pocket player in the world. What most don't know is that Efren is also the best Rotation player in the world. Still the King of these two most difficult games at age 53!
Players are matching up during the Group stages because they have days off before the "Knockout" stages begin on Wednesday. Once that starts, the remaining players will get down to business. No more late nights at the pool hall. This tournament is just too big for that.
I have to report for work in one hour. We are working a 3:30 PM to 12:30 AM shift for the next five days to accommodate the European audience. The filipino audience would watch if it was at 4 AM. It's on nearly every TV here all day. Try 15 million viewers in a country of 90 million people. The "ratings" are thru the roof here. The most watched sports shows ever!
We had a blackout last night in Quezon City. About Midnite all power went down. The city was dark! For about 45 minutes. I asked Mikaela how often this happens. She said maybe once a month or every few weeks. The infrastructure is fragile here. Mail may or may not go thru. Basically nothing is a guarantee here. One day the bus runs, one day the driver takes a day off. You get the picture. But life buzzes along endlessly in this teeming metropolis of 12-15 million people. There is no accurate count, no census here is realistic.
With it's problems, Manila is still the place for me. The people are SOOO friendly, so unlike so much of America. And of course, it helps that Pool is so big here. Not to mention the gorgeous girls and the fact that nearly everyone speaks some English. The language barrier is not a problem here, as in other Asian countries.
Got word last night of a big money match between Efren and Ronnie Alcano. They played Rotation for some serious money and once again Efren thumped him. Ronnie tries to get Efren's Rotation crown every few months and Effie's not giving it up yet. Everyone knows Efren is the best One Pocket player in the world. What most don't know is that Efren is also the best Rotation player in the world. Still the King of these two most difficult games at age 53!
Players are matching up during the Group stages because they have days off before the "Knockout" stages begin on Wednesday. Once that starts, the remaining players will get down to business. No more late nights at the pool hall. This tournament is just too big for that.
I have to report for work in one hour. We are working a 3:30 PM to 12:30 AM shift for the next five days to accommodate the European audience. The filipino audience would watch if it was at 4 AM. It's on nearly every TV here all day. Try 15 million viewers in a country of 90 million people. The "ratings" are thru the roof here. The most watched sports shows ever!
in this vesrion of wpc, 1 miss, you die!
i'll try to look for you cuaba, i'll be there around 630pm, coming from my office.
Shane is amazing. From what I've heard, he hasn't lost a money match yet. I wouldn't be surprised if the Filipinos are a little scared of playing him for money right now... with his willingness to play anyone, it's unbelievable that none of the top Pinoys like Cortezza, Orcullo or even Efren are taking him on. The Pinoys seems to be getting beat on their own turf. I am Pinoy and I would always favor a Pinoy over any other player... except Shane. So far, he has bested Orcullo at 10-ball (which was supposedly Dennis' best game) and recently Alcano at the US Open twice!
I would love to see a money match between Shane and Yang Chin Shun.
I would love to see a money match between Shane and Yang Chin Shun.
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hardknox222 said:
Uhhhh, maybe they are concentrating on the World Championships, and maybe they haven't even been challenged yet..
I wouldn't bet against Shane, but I don't blame Gabica 'to be chickened', if he takes rest rather than matches up during the WPC.
Yang, still probably the best of all (unless SVB takes his crown), doesn't match up during tournaments, which is professionalism IMHO.
Some people play as much as there is opponents or practise when there is an empty table (SVB), some takes rest. It only tells you how the player likes to prepare himself, nothing else..
hardknox222 said:
I don't think it's chickening out for most of the Pinoys. There are probably matches already setup for them before the WPC even started.
The only player that I know who has the credit to just say YES on the spot and have a backer immediately is Efren Reyes.
crosseyedjoe said:
Well, I hope that some of these matches happen. I would love to hear at least one Pinoy beat SVB in a money game in Manila... so far, none have succeeded. SVB is fearless and would play anyone without hesitation, even Efren. I am not sure if the backers are the ones chickening out but after SVB beat De Luna convincingly, SVB hasn't been getting any action lately. In any case, I think the backers/or the players are a little wary about matching up with this American... I really hope that I am wrong about SVB coz right now, I think he is the best... and that's shocking to hear especially for Filipinos.