John Barton
New member
buck15 said:
Apparently Shane didn't get the memo about it being harder to make a ball on the break in 10 ball. He was making up to four balls a break.
John
Action Challenge 2 !!!!!!!!
- Thread starter vrob
- Start date
Apparently Shane didn't get the memo about it being harder to make a ball on the break in 10 ball. He was making up to four balls a break.
John
I like the idea someone said earlier about the no jump cues, I think that would make the game a little different, also I would like to see both of them have to break with the same break cue with only a leather tip(no phenolic) provided by the action report, I think that would bring the break more into play and benefit the player with the most power. I think both of them having to use the exact cue would make them game a little more interesting.
Unbelievable to me. People acting like the Pearl cant play!
I will wait until all details are final and see if Earl has to go to Shane house to play but even then I take the odds an Earl.
Shane played very well but is he not supposed to???/ He is a Pro. Someone rate Coreys play and honestly even CD would probably say he played nothing like his top game. No where close.
He made tons of unforced errors and bad decisions. He also was in Shanes backyard and thats tough.
I give credit to Shane for playing well and winning but we need to get these matches on neutral turf and have the cloth at least a little broken in before starting.
How can Earl be an underdog when he would have all the people in London in his corner.
I will wait until all details are final and see if Earl has to go to Shane house to play but even then I take the odds an Earl.
Shane played very well but is he not supposed to???/ He is a Pro. Someone rate Coreys play and honestly even CD would probably say he played nothing like his top game. No where close.
He made tons of unforced errors and bad decisions. He also was in Shanes backyard and thats tough.
I give credit to Shane for playing well and winning but we need to get these matches on neutral turf and have the cloth at least a little broken in before starting.
How can Earl be an underdog when he would have all the people in London in his corner.
Did you guys even watch this match?! lol
I'm hearing guys on here talk about how Shane and Corey didn't make balls on the break, how there shouldn't be any jump cues allowed and how Corey really didn't put any heat on Shane...Good grief!
They made balls on almost every single break!! Shane was making two and three balls consistently!
There were no jump cues allowed in this one, why would they allow them in the next one?! Not that it looked to me like either Corey or Shane needed them, they both kick amazingly good (slight edge to Corey on this one.)
But the fact of the matter is, while Corey didn't play his top game. For at least at the start of the match he played very well. How do you put heat on a guy that never lets you to the table?! The fact of the matter is he just got out classed and got beat! Shane broke better than him, he played better patterns than him, his cue ball control was better, his shot making was better and he totally destroyed him on safety play!
I know Earl has a great gear when he hits it, but he has no chance in this match! I've now watched Shane several times in big matches and the fact of the matter is when anybody starts making a come back on him or starts putting it to him, he actually takes his game up another notch! The longer he plays, the better he plays!
In short, this kid is a phenom and nobody in the world has to like it playing him even! There, I said it!
I'm hearing guys on here talk about how Shane and Corey didn't make balls on the break, how there shouldn't be any jump cues allowed and how Corey really didn't put any heat on Shane...Good grief!
They made balls on almost every single break!! Shane was making two and three balls consistently!
There were no jump cues allowed in this one, why would they allow them in the next one?! Not that it looked to me like either Corey or Shane needed them, they both kick amazingly good (slight edge to Corey on this one.)
But the fact of the matter is, while Corey didn't play his top game. For at least at the start of the match he played very well. How do you put heat on a guy that never lets you to the table?! The fact of the matter is he just got out classed and got beat! Shane broke better than him, he played better patterns than him, his cue ball control was better, his shot making was better and he totally destroyed him on safety play!
I know Earl has a great gear when he hits it, but he has no chance in this match! I've now watched Shane several times in big matches and the fact of the matter is when anybody starts making a come back on him or starts putting it to him, he actually takes his game up another notch! The longer he plays, the better he plays!
In short, this kid is a phenom and nobody in the world has to like it playing him even! There, I said it!
I believe that Earl will be a good draw like John Barton said. I just think that there are more deserving players out there right now. Then again I could be wrong. One never knows what Earl will show up and no one knows for sure if Earl can still play jam up pool. This King of the Hill format can be big for pool once word gets around...but not if the matches continue to be one sided. Remember Joe Louis and the Bum of the Month Club? I?m not saying Earl is a bum, I?m just saying that there are much more worthy players out there right now. Johnnyt
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poolnut
New member
I'd be hard pressed to pick anyone over Shane after watching that. He was throwing safeties at Corey that would make Earl's head explode.
Was jumping allowed, just no jump cues allowed in the SVB/CD matchup? I'm pretty sure I saw Shane jump once, and it's the only one I remember.
I know one thing for sure. I'm going to think really hard before I pay for this event. I think the heavy favorite is Earl going down 20 games the first night and just packing up and calling it quits.
Was jumping allowed, just no jump cues allowed in the SVB/CD matchup? I'm pretty sure I saw Shane jump once, and it's the only one I remember.
I know one thing for sure. I'm going to think really hard before I pay for this event. I think the heavy favorite is Earl going down 20 games the first night and just packing up and calling it quits.
Possible matches I'd like to see for SVB:
SVB vs. Dennis Hatch - 10-ball
SVB vs. John Schmidt - 10-ball
SVB vs. Rodney Morris - 9-ball
Earl's day is done. Sorry, but there's a reason why his skills are deteriorating. It's called age. We don't stay in peak form through our 40s and 50s. It's just scientific fact. Everyone wants to remember the Earl of old, who could catch that gear and blow through rack after rack. The gears are stripped, the transmission is shot. He's no longer a Ferrari, he's a Corvette. Still fast, but not quite the same as he once was.
SVB vs. Dennis Hatch - 10-ball
SVB vs. John Schmidt - 10-ball
SVB vs. Rodney Morris - 9-ball
Earl's day is done. Sorry, but there's a reason why his skills are deteriorating. It's called age. We don't stay in peak form through our 40s and 50s. It's just scientific fact. Everyone wants to remember the Earl of old, who could catch that gear and blow through rack after rack. The gears are stripped, the transmission is shot. He's no longer a Ferrari, he's a Corvette. Still fast, but not quite the same as he once was.
Shawn Armstrong said:
Shawn, you read my mind. You picked the right guys. Only Johnny belongs on there too. These are all tough match ups for Shane.
Earl is a big question mark. And there is always the danger of a blow up with him. And that can't be a good thing. If Earl could show a new side in a couple of tournaments, he might be able to rehabilitate his image. Let him win the US Open next month and stay cool, calm and collected, and people will be shouting his name from the roof tops.
One more blow up at a major tournament, and an early exit, and Earl is pretty much pool history.
Jay,jay helfert said:
I like the other 3 players and I'd love to see Shane play them, but i'd skip the match if Johnny was in it not because he's not a great player and a great person, but his playing pace is so slow picking lint off the table and taking so much time between shots I just don't think he'd be fun to watch in a race to 100.
I think the reason on the matchup with Earl is 2 things. Like him or not, he is a legend with numerous championships. Number 2, the entry is 10k to play this event and apparently entry fees need to be offered and accepted. I think he was the first one to step up to the plate and offer. As with anything like this, it wouldn't happen if Earl's camp did not think he could beat Shane. There is no added incentive financially other than the entry to my knowledge.
Rick S. said:
Jose Parica is still a formidable opponent in any venue he steps foot in, and he's 58 years old today. Here's his track record from 2002 to 2005.
2005 U.S. Open, 2nd place
2004 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, November 20-21 Stop, Berlin, Connecticut, first place
2004 Brunswick Men's Pro Player Championship, 2nd place
2003 Great Seminole Senior Open, 1st place
2003 Pechauer Nine-ball West Coast Tour, Season Finale, 1st place
2003 Derby City Classic, One-pocket Champion
2003 Derby City Classic, Over-all Bonus Round, 2nd place
2003 US Open, 2nd place
2003 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, Stop 2, 1st place
2003 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, Stop 4, 1st place
2003 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, Stop 5, 2nd place
2003 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, Season Finale, 2nd place
2003 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, Stop 20, 2nd place
2003 Predator Atlanta Nine-ball Open, 2nd place
2002 Derby City Classic, All-around Champion
2002 Derby City Classic, One-pocket Division, 2nd place
2002 Capital City Classic, One-pocket Champion
2002 Hard Times Summer Jamboree, One-pocket Champion
2002 Joss Northeast Nine-ball Tour, Stop 24, 2nd place
2002 Atlanta Pro Open, 2nd place
2002 Senior Masters III, 2nd place
I think Jose took brief hiatuses from the tournament trail in the last couple of years, but I am sure he will be at the U.S. Open next month.
Speaking of the U.S. Open, let's not forget that "Spanish Mike" LeBron won the U.S. Open at 54 years of age.
There's still hope for the over-the-hill gang!
JAM
I make a comment about Earl's skills having diminished, and everyone brings up the EXCEPTIONS to the rules. Yes, there are a few players that play well into their 50s. From what I've heard, Efren was a better pool player in the 90s than he is now. He plays one-pocket at a speed better than mortals. How is he doing in the young man's game of 9 or 10 ball? He's OK, but doesn't have the same aura that he used to project. Bustamante seems to have more people quaking in their boots at the fast games. Spanish Mike, Parica, Earl, etc. are on the downhill part of their careers. Proof? Take a look at the average age of the last 10 US Open Champs and World Champs. I'm going to guess it's nowhere near 35 or over. There's a reason why Senior tours exist. The youngsters do have an advantage. That's just the way it is. Given Earl's physical deterioration, plus his mental issues, he's an easy target right now. Now, if Earl gets right in his head, and starts playing pool to the way that he is still capable of, that's a different story. However, if I could have this match between Earl and Shane played with SVB playing at his current speed, and Earl in the early 90s, Earl would walk away with the money. But we don't have that Earl. We have the 2007 version of Earl. Same bark, but a lot less bite.
Shawn,Shawn Armstrong said:
I wouldn't put Earl's physical condition in the same class as other players his age. He jogs, plays tennis and golf daily and he's in great shape. I've seen Earl just give up in matches the last couple of years and that was all mental and had nothing to do with his physical condition. Believe me if Earl is in a match mentally nobody has to like it! Even though Earl lost the match with Efren in Hong Kong, which was a race to 120 over 3 days, it was the best 9 ball i've ever seen. Earl and Efren both played superbly and I go back and watch that match every now and then since I have it on DVD and I enjoy it each time I watch it.