Alex vs Shane US Open Semi is on YouTube Now!

great post

jay helfert said:
Alex did complain about Shane's rack as he has a right to do so - one time! After that, it's up to the referee (me in this case) to decide if the rack is acceptable. I did see a very slight gap in the rack and had Shane re-rack the balls until there was no gap. It didn't make much difference and I'll tell you why. NO ONE breaks like Shane! NO ONE! He hits the balls with more power than anyone else by a wide margin. The rack explodes on his break and the corner ball actually flies into the corner pocket, slightly elevated off the cloth. I could see this with my own eyes. Tight rack, loose rack, makes no difference. This guy is crushing the balls and when his break is working, there is no stopping him.

And it's not only his break that makes him so formidable. He can make any shot from anywhere, maybe better than anyone else, especially under pressure. And he can move the cue ball all over the table when necessary to break up problem balls. Simply put, when his game is on he's the best player on the planet today and everyone knows it. He simply overpowers the balls and the table, kind of like watching David Matlock on the bar table years ago. Shane dictates to the balls like no one else. He reminds me of how we used to feel about Earl when he was the dominant player. One speed above the world! Dennis played great in the finals, when he got a chance, which wasn't too often. If Shane could play like that all the time, he would win everything! Again just like Earl USED to do.

I confess that I'm a little embarrassed watching the match between Shane and Alex and seeing Alex foul in the first game. I was sitting right there and missed it, something that isn't supposed to happen. I realize that Alex had my view partially obscured, but that's no excuse. I could and should have moved quickly to be in position to see the entire shot and I didn't. This was a very busy tournament for me, probably making 40 to 50 calls on shots etc. Many of them were very close and I had to be in the right position to make the right call. I pride myself on being a good referee and for me a good tournament is one where I make zero mistakes! I don't have the luxury of missing a ball (or a call) once in a while. I've got to get them all right! Even one missed call makes it only an average tournament for me. Missing that foul by Alex (although it didn't affect the outcome of the match), makes this tournament a 'B' on my personal scorecard. To get an 'A', which I often do, I can't miss anything.

I will have more to say about this U.S. Open but it will have to wait until I'm ready to discuss it further. I left with a bad taste in my mouth and I'm just not ready to say why or what happened. Players getting paid late and with bad checks is only part of it. I agree this should not be happening again. It's embarrassing for me as the TD to have to explain to players why there is no one there to pay them, which in truth I didn't have the answer to.
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Great Post by you Jay. To hear you speak of Shane, his break, and game is spot on. I know you are a huge fan of Dennis, and we couldn't have asked for two better people in the finals. Dennis has owned him lately.

Give yourself a break on the foul, we are human. i didn't notice, and will need to go back and watch to see it.

I know they weren't using the magic rack, but we use it a lot, in fact the other night three of us played for a few hours and the wing ball was a gimmee. No gaps there. Gaps might hurt it going in. I watched Shane play in our pool hall, and they switched to racking the 9 on the spot. Within 5 breaks Shane had it figured it out. He might be the best at watching were the balls end up after breaking, and then adjusting his speed to alter the results.

Jay, you did good.
 
I wish that they put the start of the rack where Alex fouled on the jump shot to make the one ball and he hit the 7 ball slightly, nobody noticed it, not the players, not the audience, not even Jay helfet... it was amusing , even Shane didn't see it.

i think its due to the fact that everybody eyes was on the one ball.
 
Jay...thanks for taking the time to comment on the racking situation/questions...

I look forward to hearing/reading more on your impressions of the Open...when you're ready. :wink:
 
pooladdict said:
Thanks for the link. Nobody noticed that Alex's first shot - the jump - was a foul. The 7 slightly moves when he jumps over it
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I just started watching the match. That shot is the first thing I noticed. Seven clearly moved, Alex continued shooting. I would have to guess he saw it move.:eek:


Edit: Shot is about 1:20 mark.
 
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They edited out most of the match, but showed all of the racking.:confused::confused:
 
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What kind of cue does Shane use? I find it cool that he breaks and plays using one cue. Too many different cues for everything nowadays.
 
unwatchable

Not to be m.r. negative but I would prefer the stick in the eye LOL.

Did anyone notice after Shane rolled out to the jump shot in rack 1 Alex fouled on the jump shot and ran out...

edit: oh I just read Jays post,now I am embarassed for not reading all replies before relying myself.
 
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Luxury said:
Anyone else notice that whoever edited this cut out tons of shots and left in so many minutes of painful racking?
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No kidding! Shesh! Break, make one or two balls, then cut to the 9 ball shot then rack!

Oh Well thanks for the link anyway.

--Jeff
 
I disagree about "it's not only his break that makes him so formidable". He is the best american player because he has the best break, with an open rack there are quite a few better players than him. Yang, Pagulayan, Li He Wen, Appleton, Souquet, Reyes ( just a few ago, now not anymore. Obviously I'm not talking of Reyes of the 90's, by far better than SVB) come to mind and I'm sure I miss someone. Obviously I'm not saying SVB can't play, I simply say he shoots worse than other players, but he compensate it with the huge ( and controlled) break.
 
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Slh said:
I disagree about "it's not only his break that makes him so formidable". He is the best american player because he has the best break, with an open rack there are quite a few better players than him. Yang, Pagulayan, Li He Wen, Appleton, Souquet, Reyes ( just a few ago, now not anymore. Obviously I'm not talking of Reyes of the 90's, by far better than SVB) come to mind and I'm sure I miss someone. Obviously I'm not saying SVB can't play, I simply say he shoots worse than other players, but he compensate it with the huge ( and controlled) break.
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We are enjoying a time where there are several great players in the pool world. Maybe better than anyone who played before them. No question that Appleton, Alex and Dennis are also super players. Darren plays as good under pressure as anyone I ever saw. And Alex also handles most any situation well, although he somewhat gave up in his match with Shane when he realized he couldn't match his breaking ability. Only Dennis seems unfazed by Shane, ready to take him down at the first sign of weakness (which never came).

But this week, Shane played BETTER all week than anyone else, and the players knew it. It was reminiscent of his first U.S. Open win where he dominated the field. Shane has matured as a player since then, gaining confidence in all situations. I wouldn't be surprised to see him win internationally soon as well. He eschews the cut break, going for all out power to make balls. He quietly laughs at all the cut breakers, calling them sissies. Shane exudes confidence no matter who his opponent is. He's walking tall in the pool world right now!
 
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Slh said:
I disagree about "it's not only his break that makes him so formidable". He is the best american player because he has the best break, with an open rack there are quite a few better players than him. Yang, Pagulayan, Li He Wen, Appleton, Souquet, Reyes ( just a few ago, now not anymore. Obviously I'm not talking of Reyes of the 90's, by far better than SVB) come to mind and I'm sure I miss someone. Obviously I'm not saying SVB can't play, I simply say he shoots worse than other players, but he compensate it with the huge ( and controlled) break.
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Wow. Well we will have to agree to disagree then. Having watched Shane play A LOT on super tough equipment he runs out as well as anyone else in the game. There is not a single shot that I wouldn't trust Shane to shoot for my life. I am not saying he is better than any of the players you mentioned but he is certainly not worse.

And the fact is that in Las Vegas is a Diamond with 4 1/8th" pockets and $10,000 that anyone can win if they want to play Shane a race to 100. No one is barred, not any player in China, the Philippines, Canada, Taiwan, wherever they can all get played.

Now, can someone show me where the line is of players lining up to Shane and his backer's money?

Shane is the best American player because he works harder at being the best American player. When he goes overseas he fades strange conditions, weird cloth, strange food, jet lag, changing rules, and and and....same thing that foreign players face when they come to the USA and still Shane does ok and tries to mix it up wherever he goes and play money games when he can. He doesn't back down or duck anyone in their home rooms on their pet tables. Can't say the same for others who do duck Shane when they come to the USA.

So respectfully, Shane is not in any category worse than any of these players you mentioned. Put the toughest racks you can find on the table and start the cue ball at the same spot and I predict Shane will still run them out as much or more than all the players you mentioned.
 
Yea I always lol at people basing Shanes success more becasue of his break. He plays as well as anyone after the break and pockets maybe better than anyone.. and also under pressure.
 
jay helfert said:
It didn't make much difference and I'll tell you why. NO ONE breaks like Shane! NO ONE! He hits the balls with more power than anyone else by a wide margin. The rack explodes on his break and the corner ball actually flies into the corner pocket, slightly elevated off the cloth. I could see this with my own eyes. Tight rack, loose rack, makes no difference.
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It actually DOES make a difference. SVB does NOT normally make the wing ball "every time" straight into the corner at mach 10 when playing 9-ball with the magic rack or with a racker who is making sure the balls are racked properly. Neither does Alex, who began to mimick the same rack and got the same results until he lost the cueball into the side pocket. You can watch COUNTLESS matches on youtube of SVB playing 9-ball and getting proper racks where that wing ball is NOT doing that.

When you ignore something like this as the ref you cheapen the sport, you allow it to become gimmicky and hokey and it hurts the purity and integrity of the game. You allowed it to continue and by doing so you tarnished the entire event and the result IMO.
 
Celtic said:
It actually DOES make a difference. SVB does NOT normally make the wing ball "every time" straight into the corner at mach 10 when playing 9-ball with the magic rack or with a racker who is making sure the balls are racked properly. Neither does Alex, who began to mimick the same rack and got the same results until he lost the cueball into the side pocket. You can watch COUNTLESS matches on youtube of SVB playing 9-ball and getting proper racks where that wing ball is NOT doing that.

When you ignore something like this as the ref you cheapen the sport, you allow it to become gimmicky and hokey and it hurts the purity and integrity of the game. You allowed it to continue and by doing so you tarnished the entire event and the result IMO.
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Do you really think that Jay was allowing Shane to rig the rack? Honestly? And do you think Shane is that type of person?

I have always felt that Shane is an honorable player. I very much doubt that he was rigging the rack and I very much doubt that Jay was allowing it.

This is a hefty accusation to level at two of the best people in the game in my opinion. I have known Jay Helfert for more than 15 years and never once seen him do the slightest shady thing to anyone. On the contrary when he ran a few shows and events out in California he went out of his way to make sure we were taken care of no matter what we needed.

I have to go on record as saying I don't agree with you and would like to urge you to reconsider what you said.
 
Lumocolor said:
Pretty much why i think 9 ball needs to die, it's become nothing more than a pattern racking & rack manipulation game. The minimum needed is a referee to rack every single game.

It's sad that whats in some peoples minds the biggest US event has people racking their own like some weekly bar tournament.
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Maybe pro nine ball needs a slug rack?
 
Lumocolor said:
It's sad that whats in some peoples minds the biggest US event has people racking their own like some weekly bar tournament.
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This is the biggest issue right here. Why in the world there wasn't a neutral racker is what's ludicrous.

I can't recall there ever being a US Open in the past 14 years where the rules were the same two years in a row.

Maybe "Open" means open rules as well. The US Open 9 Ball Championships has more different rules than house rules 8 ball. :-)
 
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