Alex's performance in Turning Stone finals

remember, Rodney was the one who knock Alex to the b-side. maybe he just has his number on this tournament.
 
Taking zero away from Rodney's most impressive win, it was hard to ignore the fact that Alex was jumping up on so many shots (and missing some maybe because of it).

I wonder why he was doing this - maybe frustrated with how things were going?

I was only able to watch the final so didn't see any of his other matches to compare.

Did anyone notice this in his other matches?

Great stream and commentary, btw, v-e-r-y much appreciated. :thumbup:

Best,
Brian kc

Alex played bad. He miscued badly on a simple shot in game two and never recovered. He just was very jumpy and erratic. Even the times he ran out were not pretty. Impressive shots sometimes as he is always Alex but he didn't look confident at all.

He was probably worn out from playing so many matches but still spiking with adrenaline. Rodney just was his normal sedate self playing fast and loose and getting the breaks.
 
Alex played bad. He miscued badly on a simple shot in game two and never recovered. He just was very jumpy and erratic. Even the times he ran out were not pretty. Impressive shots sometimes as he is always Alex but he didn't look confident at all.

He was probably worn out from playing so many matches but still spiking with adrenaline. Rodney just was his normal sedate self playing fast and loose and getting the breaks.

And speaking of the breaks.....Rodney was making multiple balls on the break and Alex was having a hard time making a ball on the break.

I think the miscue by Alex in the early stages of the match took the wind out of Alex's sail. He played as though he was tired.

Maniac
 
I believe Rodney played the best pool all tournament and on paper should have been the winner. That said, if you have a split/chop/saver, or dump at that level you have no pressure and can free stroke. IMO this was more about points for the Mosconi Cup for Rodney than the money. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, but if I was either player I would have done the same thing. Pro pool is what it is. There is not enough money in it for the years of practice and devotion the top players put into it. Johnnyt
 
Sad...but true! The youth is the future...not the pros.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

All that says is you are of the opinion that the professional pool players are going to continue pissing in their own corn flakes until the end of time for small short term gains and large long term losses. You might very well be right, but that is one sad statement on this sport and the people who play it IMO.
 
And speaking of the breaks.....Rodney was making multiple balls on the break and Alex was having a hard time making a ball on the break. ...

True.

Morris broke 12 times -- dry once, made a single ball 4 times, 2 balls 5 times, 3 balls once, and 4 balls once.

Pagulayan broke 8 times -- dry 4 times, made a single ball 3 times, and 2 balls once.
 
congrats rodney!

Rodney was in stroke this tourney, and shot holes in everyone he played!
his overall play the whole tournament on these tough tables was spectacular. definately a pleasure to watch, rarely do you see someone make playing on diamonds look sooooo easy. rodneys stock is on the rise in my nasdaq:thumbup: congrats again Rocket!
 
I think it was an obvious split....with Rodney needing the Mosconi points !!!

-Steve

Um, Even if Rodney had gotten second he would have gotten exactly the same amount of Mosconi Cup points because he was the highest finishing American player at the event. I think.

There was no dump. Rodney played lights out and Alex just played too loose. Anyone who has known Alex and Rodney for a long time knows that they both played to win and Alex just didn't bring his A-game. Alex has been the same for as long as I have known him which is since 1998. Rodney too.

As for splitting the money maybe they did. They are good friends after all. But don't think that they both didn't want the win.
 
Are you kidding?

Alex is easily top 10 all around player in the world. He has won just about everything and only the elite players will gamble with him (sometimes). I would take Alex against anyone and come out on top. I mean come on....people are really criticizing his play....? Jumping up? Does anyone ever think that the cue has already been delivered?
 
Alex is easily top 10 all around player in the world. He has won just about everything and only the elite players will gamble with him (sometimes). I would take Alex against anyone and come out on top. I mean come on....people are really criticizing his play....? Jumping up? Does anyone ever think that the cue has already been delivered?

So you didn't have him in the final then? :smile:

Alex is a worldbeater and a great guy. to boot. :thumbup:

Last night in the final, he was like a jack-in-the-box on some of his shots.

Whether or not there was a split or saver or a dump (I'd like to think not a dump), all of that is pure speculation. I can see, though, how some might draw such a conclusion.

Regarding Rodney, he played brilliant in the final. He was even using one or two more rails than he needed to for position a number of times. Definitely freewheeling, he was. ;)

Best,
Brian kc
 
Also I'd like to mention that before people make accusations of dumping that they please try to remember that these are people you are talking about who read this site and who also have family members who read this site and lots of friends who read this site.

Ask yourselves if you would say the same thing to Rodney's face or to Alex's? If not then maybe it's best to just keep it to yourself.
 
The show...

Did you all enjoy the great pool show we got to see for FREE from a quality stream provider with world class competitors putting on a display of great skill and prowess??? Well, then I guess we got our money's worth!

Throwin' around accusations in an online forum about other's character and honor is a REAL bad idea folks, especially if you don't know the FACTS with absolute certainty.

I for one found it a real pleasure to watch a ton of great matches and enjoyed every minute of it. They even recorded every match so you can view it at your leisure! Wonderful quality as always from the accu-stat team.

On a side not, I hope that someone remembers to mention a thank you for all the unbelievable time and effort Mike Zuglan continually puts into producing this event as well. What a job man! You rock brotha!

PS...I'm REAL sorry the little lion man didn't measure up to his usually awesome standards last night... I'm quite sure you'll all get to hear his roar again though... I don't think he's gonna retire anytime soon. :p
 
Also I'd like to mention that before people make accusations of dumping that they please try to remember that these are people you are talking about who read this site and who also have family members who read this site and lots of friends who read this site.

Ask yourselves if you would say the same thing to Rodney's face or to Alex's? If not then maybe it's best to just keep it to yourself.
Good stuff, JB.

Unless you have proof, you should probably give them the benefit of the doubt.

Alex knows he's not gonna beat Rodney everytime, and TStone was Rodney's turn. Further, Alex isn't a dick about losing, he takes his lumps and will come back and getcha next time.
 
Its funny how after every tournament, someone claims the finals were dumped, split or they had a saver. Really gets old.
 
LMAO

We all know Sigel never showed off, for the rail! :grin: And he was never, really, a good entertainer????????????????/







I feel he played poor and got lucky in his match with Dan Heidrich. I don't like his game, he's good for pool, but it is showoff pool as far as i'm concerned. He can do what he wants, but i'd rather watch an amazing choice maker like sigel play any day over an entertainer. I mean, he tried to hook Dan behind the tip of the side on a shot, there were other shots there.... it's like he thinks more about what people will say than the actual best shot. That silly shot brought it to hill hill (ie not shooting that bad shot he could have won the match there). Then he got lucky on a kick shot to win the match after being hooked good.

THEN he took a very poor ball in hand one ball shot hill hill. He should have played straight in on the 2 and drawn straight back off the 2, I think even he would admit it looking at it. It was such a bad choice. But he got out. I know I sound like a doofus giving a guy who makes the final a hard time, but I feel my assessments are correct.

If anybody is interested:
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17187001
 
And you guys wonder why pool has a bad name? With NO evidence whatsoever, this thread has turned into Rodney and Alex obviously dumping. Why SHOULD pool get a better name, when the same people that complain about it having a bad name ensure that it does??

There should have been NO mention of a dump unless there was some type of evidence that there was one. And, less than stellar performance by one person does NOT constitute evidence!

You want to clean up pool? Then stop talking bad about it! All you do is put doubt in any potential sponsors minds. Doubt that shouldn't be there in the first place.

Neil, I agree with you except for one point.

And for the record, I personally saw no evidence of anything untoward during the TS final that, to me, would indicate anything shady. I simply pointed out in my op how Alex was uncharacteristically jumping up on his shots. Maybe I would have too after playing that many straight hours of pool. :smile:

Where I respectfully disagree with you, is over the recurring argument (certainly not only from you) on how we will scare away potential sponsors with talk about the dark side of pool. I am of the firm belief that all advertisers really give a crap about is getting exposure to their prospective customers and providing them with the right message, whatever that is, so they can sell their stuff.

Don't get me wrong as I, too, wouldn't mind if pool's image were to get cleaned up some. That would be a great thing. But to be honest, and I think you'll agree, there's almost an expectation based on history for there to be bad boys around our game. It's part of the mystique and for many, part of the allure. I rather enjoyed being part of the misfit pool hall demographic myself - I admit it. :cool:

Our sport isn't in quite the same situation, IMO, like what we've seen in golf, for instance, where advertisers grudgingly had to cut ties with Tiger over the very bad decisions he made. Those mega-corporations like Cadillac/GM couldn't fade their poster boy hooking up with so many low rent hoochies all while his beautiful, loyal wife and children were home waiting for him.

I don't believe that our prospective sponsors are looking to hold us to such a high standard - at least not yet. :rolleyes:

Best,
Brian kc
 
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People wonder why pool is getting bad rap? Why there is no money in it? Where's the big tournaments? Read this thread! It's all about ASSUMPTIONS about the people we want to play like, watch play and think the best about. Keep trashing pool and it's players on the largest pool site on the internet. Those that read it will understand why pool and the majority of it's players get such a bad rap.

Rodney Morris - WOW, You played incredible the entire tournmanet!
Alex Pagulayan - DOUBLE WOW for coming back, playing many hours and giving it your best after umpteen hours of pool.

AZBTV - Thank you for the FREE stream! I enjoyed all the days of watching, coming back and watching the recorded matches at great resolution, great commentary and multiple camera views. YOU GUYS ROCK!
 
And you guys wonder why pool has a bad name? With NO evidence whatsoever, this thread has turned into Rodney and Alex obviously dumping.

Up to the point you posted that noone has stated that Alex dumped the match. It has been suggested that a saver or split might have been in the works which took the pressure off of both players and made an exhibition out of the match, but that is not a "dump", both players still show up and play to see who wins, just without most of the pressure and stakes on the line anymore.

Splits are tremendously common in pool in these events and we have even had pro players come onto this very forum, admit to splitting big event pots in the finals, and justify it. And few people even get on them about that, pool professional is a tough racket. But all of that said, when you see a finals like this and people ask "what is wrong with Alex" the split is a very possible reason why he did not seem as fired up to win as we sometimes see him.

There is noone stating that Alex dumped, Alex just played fairly unispired pool against a guy who was shooing loose and shooting the lights out and got totally drilled.
 
I thought Alex had some problem with is elbow or something?, perhaps he just got wore out from it all.
 
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