3-Cushion Premieres on ESPN

M

mbvl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, not exactly. There will be no strategy, no defense, no position play, no real-time shot selection, and no runs. What will happen is that the shooter will get to put the three balls wherever he wants, blast away, and if he misses, he gets to put them back and try again.

Come to think about it, it has virtually nothing in common with real three-cushion billiards other than using the same equipment.

Thank you Highrock Productions, Dragon Promotions, and ESPN.
 
I see that they're going to do the taping on May 16th, but I wonder when it will air on ESPN? Perhaps it'll be one of those "TBA" deals.

Doc
 
gulfportdoc said:
I see that they're going to do the taping on May 16th, but I wonder when it will air on ESPN? Perhaps it'll be one of those "TBA" deals.

Doc
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It's Trick Shot Magic -- they'll probably show it a million times. But who cares. Here's a direct quote from one of the "competitors": "Mike is arguably the best on the pool table and I'm not too bad myself, but neither of us play 3 cushion."
 
How many threads can we start to b**** and moan about this? Yes, the promos call it 3-cushion. No, it's not an actual 3-cushion match. Get over it. It's still 3 of the best strokes in billiards (probably the two most impressive strokes I've ever seen are Mike Massey's and Semih Sayghiner's, and "the other guy" happens to be a masse world champion and fellow poster), letting all their stroke out performing extremely difficult shots (legal 3-cushion billiard shots involving extreme masses are not easy!). If you don't want to watch it, buy some accu-stats 3C matches and get over it.

-Andrew
 
I figured it was high-time I gave someone some "rep points", fwiw, and you got 'em! lol All I know is, as long as people keep talking about the show, the more exposure it's going to get.

-yow!
 
Andrew Manning said:
How many threads can we start to b**** and moan about this? Yes, the promos call it 3-cushion. No, it's not an actual 3-cushion match. Get over it. It's still 3 of the best strokes in billiards (probably the two most impressive strokes I've ever seen are Mike Massey's and Semih Sayghiner's, and "the other guy" happens to be a masse world champion and fellow poster), letting all their stroke out performing extremely difficult shots (legal 3-cushion billiard shots involving extreme masses are not easy!). If you don't want to watch it, buy some accu-stats 3C matches and get over it.

-Andrew
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Promoting this event as three-cushion billiards is exactly analogous to promoting Trick Shot Magic as one-pocket or straight pool. It's dishonest. Why not call it balkline -- all the shots would be legal if they were actually playing balkline.

All of the noise; none of the beauty.
 
DoomCue said:
I'm going to guess you've never seen Sayginer's exhibitions....

-djb
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Bad guess.

I'm going to guess that you've never seen real three-cushion billiards.

There are already too many people like Andrew who think that all there is to three-cushion billiards is hitting three rails and both object balls. That's like saying that all there is to one-pocket is knocking balls into your hole. Suppose they televised a one-pocket event and all that was left after editing was a "highlight reel" of balls falling into pockets. That would not be good for the game of one-pocket. Events like the one proposed here are not good for the game of three-cushion billiards.
 
mbvl said:
Bad guess.

I'm going to guess that you've never seen real three-cushion billiards.

There are already too many people like Andrew who think that all there is to three-cushion billiards is hitting three rails and both object balls. That's like saying that all there is to one-pocket is knocking balls into your hole. Suppose they televised a one-pocket event and all that was left after editing was a "highlight reel" of balls falling into pockets. That would not be good for the game of one-pocket. Events like the one proposed here are not good for the game of three-cushion billiards.
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Bad guess.

Are you going to tell me next that Sayginer's exhibitions aren't beautiful?

Don't you think it would be a little more prudent to complain AFTER you see the event?

Three-cushion isn't all that popular in the States. I know of one room in Raleigh with billiards tables. If artistic billiards fills those tables up, how is this a bad thing? Exposure is good. I understand your semantics argument, but they are having to make legal shots based on three-cushion rules on a billiards table.

-djb
 
Funny thing, that semantics. hehe See, when you break it down, life doesn't have to be as complicated as one might make it. Take, for instance, the phrase "trick shots". While it may be deceptive and preposteruous to this fella, it's likely because of his misconception. You see, the word "trick" modifies "shots". And since we're on a 3c table and each of the shots are 3c shots, they're called "trick" because they are fancy shmancy shots. So, if it'll help you sleep at night, we can all be more specific and say "trick 3-cushion, but this is to be considered separate and apart from a real game of 3 cushion billiards, shots". :D

djb, I'm not a bettin' man, but if I was, my money would be on the fact that dude watches the show anyway... :p

-yow!
 
DoomCue said:
Bad guess.

Are you going to tell me next that Sayginer's exhibitions aren't beautiful?

Don't you think it would be a little more prudent to complain AFTER you see the event?

Three-cushion isn't all that popular in the States. I know of one room in Raleigh with billiards tables. If artistic billiards fills those tables up, how is this a bad thing? Exposure is good. I understand your semantics argument, but they are having to make legal shots based on three-cushion rules on a billiards table.

-djb
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I've seen many trick shot exhibitions and I would not call them beautiful. If you want to see the real beauty of three-cushion billiards, get Accu-stats 3C03-06. Sanchez demolishes Blomdahl averaging 2.647 billiards per inning. This performance by Sanchez has it all: shot selection, speed control, position play, long runs, and defense. The proposed event will have none of these.
 
I could see being disappointed that ESPN is not showing an actual 3-cushion match, but I'm not sure why a fan would be so hostile towards this event.

I don't particularly like the usual ESPN trick shot competitions because the format makes for pretty uninteresting shots, but I have little fear that it is hurting pocket billiards. I'll watch this one because I've seen some of Sayginer and Yow before, and quite simply they are fun to watch.
 
Eh, I don't care what it takes to promote the sport here in the states. I love playing 3C, I don't do it much because it's hard to find someone who will play with me, and I am honestly horrible at it (I think my high run is 3 :o ) but I love trying to see the shapes, and it has done wonders for my banking and skills with english. I say who cares what they call it, just accept it for what it is. I call myself a pool player and I'll bet mbvl would throw a fit about that after watching me attempt to play the game. :rolleyes:
 
mbvl said:
I've seen many trick shot exhibitions and I would not call them beautiful. If you want to see the real beauty of three-cushion billiards, get Accu-stats 3C03-06. Sanchez demolishes Blomdahl averaging 2.647 billiards per inning. This performance by Sanchez has it all: shot selection, speed control, position play, long runs, and defense. The proposed event will have none of these.
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I agree with what you said here but I do believe that the upcoming exhibition will provide great exposure for 3 cushion billiards. There are many people who have never seen, quoting another poster, "a pool table with no pockets".

This exhibition will provide the opportunity for many to witness any type of Billiards for the first time and hopefully it will generate enough interest to be a stepping stone for airing of "3 cushion matches" that you would prefer, as would I.

But in the mean time let us be happy that any type of 3 cushion on TV is better than none.

I must add that I have the DVD "Magic Show", with some 40+ shots by Sayginer that I consider to be the finest video of any cue sport, bar none. And I am looking forward to the competition between Semih, Mike and Yow.

Steve
 
More crap to make billiards look like nothing but trick shots. Is there any other sport that just shows players doing a lot of bogus trick crap that makes non players think that it is something that takes place in every game?

Basketball does come close with the Harlem Globetrotters and the Slam Dunk Contest but I think everyone knows that it is just for exhibition and not part of the real game.
 
Look we should be greatful that there's something that's going to be shown on National TV. What's the complaint. I've been palying for 30 years and still fall asleep watching 3C games. This is simply a start of something that hopefully will grow some interest. We can't expect ESPN to show 45 a minute match. But showing the extreme end of this game may excite the average viewer most of which have never even heard of
3C much less ever even seen a 3C table.

I've traveled for the last 15 years all over the midwest and 90% of pool hall owners have never even heard of this game. Just the mentioning of the game on ESPN is a great thing.

The only thing I expect to be disappointing about this is with all pool and billiard tapes and broadcasts we never get to see the stroke used. The camera always zooms in on the balls and the shot. We never see the stroke.

There's a lot more to complain about with this game, but having the masses get a peak at the extreme possibilities with a cue ball is not one of them.
 
3kushn said:
...The only thing I expect to be disappointing about this is with all pool and billiard tapes and broadcasts we never get to see the stroke used. The camera always zooms in on the balls and the shot. We never see the stroke...
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I have the same concern and intend to voice it prior to filming. It is particularly important to me that the entire masse stroke be filmed because it's the one facet of the game that perplexes most spectators. You'll see least three distinct stroke differences during the shows, on the masse shots - I shoot with a dart grip, while Mike shoots overhand, and Semih favors a dart-like grip, holding the cue between thumb and index finger knuckle. You'll see quite a variety of techniques and shots, all of which will be beautiful.

-yow!
 
I think this will bring attention to 3 Cushion like no other event has ever done before in America.
Even if it doesnt change overnight, it's definitely a start

Congrats to all involved in making this happen
Cant wait to watch!
 
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