2008 US Open and Efren Reyes

I think if Efren wants to win it bad enough,there will be no one in his way.
The key will be the first few matches.If he gets on a roll early and tastes blood,the fire within will be scary to watch.
He knows his days are numbered, so if he gets some good draws early....WATCH OUT.:eek:

GO EFREN.
 
> Buddy told me himself the best player he ever SAW play 9-ball was Lassiter,but the best player he ever played against consistently was Mike Sigel.

He said he just knows from having seen Mike's game from the chair and Luther's game from the bleachers that Luther was a solid ball better CONSISTENTLY than Mike when he really felt like playing,but didn't have much of a "gear" above that,where Mike had a "gear" above his daily speed.

He added that he did indeed play Luther,and won a few times,but added that Luther was an "old man" by the time they got to play.

On topic,I don't get surprised when Efren wins something any more. The problem is more of the tables than Efren's break. He'll get stuck up if the tables are playing in such a way that the 100% blast break is the best way to make balls,particularly the corner balls. I can think of 50 players liable to be in attendance that break better than he did even at his best.

In conditions where the cut-break or some variation of the soft break is the way to go on those tables,or if balls just aren't going and it's a moving game,I think he'll be right there because he's so superior in tactical areas. Tommy D.
 
Let's be real, there is no player in the tournament who is "likely" to win it. Likely implies that you have a better chance of winning it than not. The last player to be likely to win the US Open was Earl.

Efren will be tough this year, I guarantee it, but I feel like the winner will probably be someone no one would expect.
 
I second this, kabayan!
And I kid you not!

:)

gopi-1 said:
I've heard Efren say that 9 ball is his weakest game countless times, but I'll take his "weakest" game any day against anybody's strongest game.
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Earl vs. Efren...maybe I was not clear in my OP

Nostroke said:
I will bet with you cheap as to who finishes higher Earl or Effie- $100 max. Ill take 6/5 as Earl has the 'advantage' as you say.

let me know.
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Instead of saying Earl has the advantage, I should have said Earl's US Open accomplishments are and will probably remain unsurpassed. Having won 5 times is amazing, regardless of how anyone feels about Earl as an individual.

Now I won't bet as to who finishes higher in the tournament because Earl is erratic as we all know. Were he not so volatile I would have taken that particular bet...but if you want to bet cheap as to where you think Efren might finish like jasonlaus does send me a PM.

And for the record I am more a fan of Efren than I am of Earl...I simply respect Earl's pool accomplishments as well. They just seem to get overshadowed by his personality...which is too bad. He could have been a wonderful spokesman for the game for the USA. Oh well.
 
I've noticed that it takes Efren longer and longer to warm up over the last few years. That's why he does so well at the DCC, or in those long races for money in the Phillipines. It takes him a while, but once he catches stroke, he has the highest gear out there. In alot of these tournaments with fairly short races, and Efren bows out early, I think that he just didn't get a chance to catch stroke yet. In a very long race in 9ball, I think he would still beat anyone in the world right now.
 
inside_english said:
I am going to get blasted for this but so what.

I was chatting with a friend last night and mentioned that Efren has no chance of winning the US Open ever again. He agreed.

I can almost "feel" some of you getting angry at that statement. But ask yourself...is Efren the greatest 9-ball player that ever lived...or the greatest all-around player that ever lived? There is a difference.

I would love nothing more than for him to prove me wrong. I am a huge fan and LOVE watching him play, and have been for years. I love when he wins, the way he conducts himself as a professional, always gracious, courteous, gentlemanly, and always a threat.

I think his career is winding down...or so it seems. This is a man who fought countless battles, both in tournaments and in the back rooms (where he is probably the most feared) and it has taken its toll, sorry to say. Declining health is also a factor.

Do I want him to lose? Of COURSE NOT! But let's face reality here.
I root for him every single time he plays, and I hate when he does not even make it to the finals of the greatest nine ball tournament there is, but c'est la vie.

Don't bother replying in anger to lecture me about his accomplishments, they're well documented, and I have seen him gamble close-up...so I know. Besides, your anger is missplaced. I am not criticizing the Beloved Magician, I am just accepting reality, and managing my expectations for this year's US Open.

And yes, I think Earl Strickland is a better 9-ball player, and probably is THE best 9-ball player that ever lived. Why do I say that? Let's start and end with 5 (FIVE) US Open titles...a feat that will probably never be duplicated. Efren won it once. Earl's run out patterns are objects of beauty, efficiency and tenacity, all rolled up in one.

Don't get me wrong, who doesn't like watching Efren play, well, anything?
But...their respective personalities aside...I think Earl has the overall advantage in 9-ball. He is a pure 9-ball machine.

Just my opinion of course.
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That's an easy thing to say, player X won't win the U S Open. Ask your friend who he thinks is going to win the U S Open and what kind of odds he will take. Give us a name.
 
This has been discussed before, about Reyes on a downhill, not going to win anything anymore then suddenly he wins the IPT and other major tourneys :)
 
inside_english said:
Are you saying you wanna put some cash on where Efren places in this year's tourney? If so, PM me with the details.
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Will you be at the open? Not sure if I'm going yet.
Is Efren going to show for sure?
 
Nostroke said:
Ill give 7-1-Pick any player-He must win the whole thing.
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Exactly, it's easy to say so and so is over the hill, he won't win the U S Open.
 
Efren has a same chance to win like any player in a tournament. He might not be as dominating and fearsome like before. His game has indeed gone down. Why? 1. Yes he's got health issues. It is being treated now but it is the kind that will really sabotage anybody's game. Can't tell you folks here for respect to Efren's privacy. 2. He doesn't practice anymore. 3. He is not a hungry player. 4. He is rich. 5. Efren has nothing to prove to others and to himself. SO the question lies....Where will he get the motivation to play best pool?
Efren is still and will always be pleasurable to watch.
 
His game has fallen considerably in the last few Years..... now He can only give the best Players in the World the 7!!! :grin:
 
EL'nino said:
His game has fallen considerably in the last few Years..... now He can only give the best Players in the World the 7!!! :grin:
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He might as well give them the crush too, that's the weakest part of his game anyways...
 
It's a pleasure to watch Efren play. I really think he is the greatest player but his age has caused him to play worse but it's still a treat to watch him play. I'll be at the Open watching.
 
jimmy-leggs said:
I hope your wrong cause it's like "watching poetry in motion".
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yeah i hope im wrong too, hes one of the greatest players ever and did tons for the game...but the fact of the matter is his time is over and its someone elses turn now ( i believe it will be SVB ).
 
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