2025 DERBY CITY ALL 3 FINALS ON LAST SUNDAY THOUGHTS....

There's nothing wrong with one pocket the way it is.

Some of the most interesting elements and shots of the game come up during the up table game. Grady and four ball rules remove an integral part of what makes one pocket so compelling. The problem is not the game, it's slow players. Instead of goofy rules we just need a shot clock for tournament matches.

Lou Figueroa
 
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You know me, I can’t resist;) :

If Diamond fixes their rails so they are not as short as a worn out pencil, the banks and one hole portion will go faster. Ha ha ha.
 
Ummm... I think the DCC is not a WPA sanctioned event. I think it has enough international players that failure to sanction causes a ban automatically. Or, I could be wrong.
It was (or maybe I'm confusing BCA...). The reason they changed from race to 7 to race to 9 was for the sanctioning. I believe that was about 15 years ago.
 
It was (or maybe I'm confusing BCA...). The reason they changed from race to 7 to race to 9 was for the sanctioning. I believe that was about 15 years ago.
DCC 9ball is a WNT event. I doubt anyone at Diamond really gives a shit about the WPA.
 
My main point is the 9 ball races should go back to 7 to save time. The impetus for them going to 9 15 some years ago was sanctioning. Since that sanctioning has not been relavent in many years, and since DCC has a track record of stupid hours, then go back to 7 now.
 
Here is another equipment one that will save time, especially in banks: Make the pro-cut 9’ pocket shelf the same as the pro-cut 7’ pocket shelf. They are a mile deeper, for those who don’t play on both regularly side by side.
 
My main point is the 9 ball races should go back to 7 to save time. The impetus for them going to 9 15 some years ago was sanctioning. Since that sanctioning has not been relavent in many years, and since DCC has a track record of stupid hours, then go back to 7 now.
I've argued this for years now, and if you look at the winners of the DCC 9ball from the days of race to seven, it's almost all hall of famers. The purists think that race to nine changes who will win, but experience says exactly the same guys find the finish line regardless of race length.

I am optimistic that Diamond will get it right this year, but if the upcoming changes don't fix things for 2025, I'd favor reverting to the days of race to seven in the 9ball event.
 
If you guys are interpreting this correctly, and they're going to make the banks and one-pocket finalists wait until Sunday to play, then this is the worst idea in the history of pool. Even worse than the purple 5-ball and the Sardo rack.

Lot of people plan their entire vacations and travels around just the banks, or just the one-pocket. Most are not going to extend their stay for days just so they can watch the finals of their favorite game.

Stupid, stupid idea.
 
If you guys are interpreting this correctly, and they're going to make the banks and one-pocket finalists wait until Sunday to play, then this is the worst idea in the history of pool. Even worse than the purple 5-ball and the Sardo rack.

Lot of people plan their entire vacations and travels around just the banks, or just the one-pocket. Most are not going to extend their stay for days just so they can watch the finals of their favorite game.

Stupid, stupid idea.
This and I usually play 2 of the events but since they are forcing you to get the room for the entire event to get the discount I’m just going to save the 1.5k I spend there and stay home. I might go watch for one day but that’s it. I’m sure they won’t miss me nor do they need me but it only takes a few bad decisions to destroy a good thing.

A pool room close to me used to have a monthly tournament that would have 60-70 players. TD decided to not have it for a few months and when he started back having it the players never came back. Maybe 20 players a tournament. Pool room has been closed now for about 2 years.
 
If you guys are interpreting this correctly, and they're going to make the banks and one-pocket finalists wait until Sunday to play, then this is the worst idea in the history of pool. Even worse than the purple 5-ball and the Sardo rack.

Lot of people plan their entire vacations and travels around just the banks, or just the one-pocket. Most are not going to extend their stay for days just so they can watch the finals of their favorite game.

Stupid, stupid idea.
No, stupid would be posting a top two finish in the banks event and not sticking around to try for the $20,000 Master of the Table bonus. I been to fourteen Derby City Classics and I've never seen anyone reach the bank pool final and then go home. In 2009, banks specialist John Brumback won the bank pool, then didn't go very deep in either one pocket or 9ball, but he still claimed the Master of the Table bonus. Based on recent experience, the most likely players to reach the bank pool final are Gorst, Filler, SVB, Thorpe and Lunda. Do you really think any of them would skip out after the bank pool event?

As for the one-event amateurs who stick around for the finals of their event, I agree that this is a bit of a negative. Of course, they can see the superstars of their event play down to two, so they won't miss seeing the most elite in their favorite discipline. Yes, unless 9ball is their one event, they will have to watch the finals on the stream. Alternatively, fans like me who pay for their seats in the tournament room (typically about $250 for an all-event pass) get an upgrade in the quality of the fan experience.

This is not as cut and dried as you suggest, but I understand where you are coming from.
 
Very few in the history of the Derby City Classic have reached two finals, and those that have are mostly hall of famers and future hall of famers. With respect to the 2025 Derby, we're probably only talking about Gorst, Filler and SVB as threats to reach more than one final, and I doubt any of them would be bothered by the prospect of this happening.

This is Inconceivable. Winning the banks has always been the fast track to Master of the Table. Nobody good enough to win the banks passes on the chance to win Master of the Table, which nets them an extra $20,000.
Also lets be real here, the chances of either player in the banks final not playing any other event is about as likely as my wife winning the NFL MVP
 
My main point is the 9 ball races should go back to 7 to save time. The impetus for them going to 9 15 some years ago was sanctioning. Since that sanctioning has not been relavent in many years, and since DCC has a track record of stupid hours, then go back to 7 now.
The 9 ball is the issue and has been for a long time. It needs to start 2 days sooner. OR go back to races to 7 which they will not do because they want to be recognized by MR.
 
No, stupid would be posting a top two finish in the banks event and not sticking around to try for the $20,000 Master of the Table bonus. I been to fourteen Derby City Classics and I've never seen anyone reach the bank pool final and then go home. In 2009, banks specialist John Brumback won the bank pool, then didn't go very deep in either one pocket or 9ball, but he still claimed the Master of the Table bonus. Based on recent experience, the most likely players to reach the bank pool final are Gorst, Filler, SVB, Thorpe and Lunda. Do you really think any of them would skip out after the bank pool event?

As for the one-event amateurs who stick around for the finals of their event, I agree that this is a bit of a negative. Of course, they can see the superstars of their event play down to two, so they won't miss seeing the most elite in their favorite discipline. Yes, unless 9ball is their one event, they will have to watch the finals on the stream. Alternatively, fans like me who pay for their seats in the tournament room (typically about $250 for an all-event pass) get an upgrade in the quality of the fan experience.

This is not as cut and dried as you suggest, but I understand where you are coming from.
As long as we're apparently keeping score, I've been to every DCC since 2001 when I first heard about it.

I'm not concerned for the finalists. Of course they're going to stick around. My concern, and the reason I said it's a stupid decision, is for the paying fans that might now be forced to extend their stays and vacations to watch the banks and one-pocket finals. I stand behind my earlier statement.
 
As long as we're apparently keeping score, I've been to every DCC since 2001 when I first heard about it.

I'm not concerned for the finalists. Of course they're going to stick around. My concern, and the reason I said it's a stupid decision, is for the paying fans that might now be forced to extend their stays and vacations to watch the banks and one-pocket finals. I stand behind my earlier statement.
I seriously doubt anyone there as a spectator who is interested in banks or one pocket but not 9ball will stay those extra days.

They will simply watch the final on the stream from their homes. It is hard to imagine any fan that has no interest in the 9ball event sticking around for four or five extra days just to see an event final. As noted, they can see their favorite event all the way up to the semifinals, meaning they can catch about thirteen rounds of play live and one on stream. Sorry, but that's not a big deal in the eyes of this fan. Obviously, it is a big deal to you, and I respect your point of view.
 
I seriously doubt anyone there as a spectator who is interested in banks or one pocket but not 9ball will stay those extra days.

They will simply watch the final on the stream from their homes. It is hard to imagine any fan that has no interest in the 9ball event sticking around for four or five extra days just to see an event final. As noted, they can see their favorite event all the way up to the semifinals, meaning they can catch about thirteen rounds of play live and one on stream. Sorry, but that's not a big deal in the eyes of this fan. Obviously, it is a big deal to you, and I respect your point of view.
I live 20 minutes from the venue, so I can be there whenever the banks and one-pocket finals are played.

It's entirely possible, and maybe even likely, that I'm just old and therefore don't like change for no good reason that I can understand.
 
I live 20 minutes from the venue, so I can be there whenever the banks and one-pocket finals are played.

It's entirely possible, and maybe even likely, that I'm just old and therefore don't like change for no good reason that I can understand.
Point well taken.

Certainly, the rationale for all the changes is to ensure that the event ends on schedule, something that hasn't happened in either of the last two Derby City Classics. In January 2023 and January 2024, I had to go to the airport to catch my plane on each of the last two Sunday mornings at the Derby and missed the 9ball final. I'm hoping these changes will fix things, but I cannot deny that it remains uncertain. If the Derby doesn't finish until 6:00 AM on Sunday, these changes will have amounted to nothing, but if the Derby runs on or nearly on schedule, the changes will have served their purpose.

Seems I'm a Derby City newbie compared to you. I retired in 2008 and have missed just one Derby City Classic since then.
 
Point well taken.

Certainly, the rationale for all the changes is to ensure that the event ends on schedule, something that hasn't happened in either of the last two Derby City Classics. In January 2023 and January 2024, I had to go to the airport to catch my plane on each of the last two Sunday mornings at the Derby and missed the 9ball final. I'm hoping these changes will fix things, but I cannot deny that it remains uncertain. If the Derby doesn't finish until 6:00 AM on Sunday, these changes will have amounted to nothing, but if the Derby runs on or nearly on schedule, the changes will have served their purpose.

Seems I'm a Derby City newbie compared to you. I retired in 2008 and have missed just one Derby City Classic since then.
I wouldn't call a guy I see on every streamed match a newbie. I haven't had one of those paid seats since 2004 at the old venue.
 
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