Archer

He looks like he has a golfers tan, perhaps his interest in pool has faded away a bit and shifter to golf. Kim Davenport did just that, he had more interest on golf than pool. Everyone gets burned out from time to time. just a guess.

those pockets are huge, Archer played a smart set, he played a couple safe a couple times but let the other guy see the edge of the ball, he never locked him up.
 
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I agree with this assessment. Johnny from the late 80's and early 90's was a sight to behold.

Something happened, and while he is still a super world-class player, I just don't see the level of self-confidence he had back then.

I can sort of see where this comes from, though. The table pockets used to be bigger, and Johnny could knock a ball in from anywhere, get three rail position, and run out.

He can't go for the sorts of shots that used to be his bread and butter. Sorta sad. The equipment change reeled him back to the rest of the field. He still shoots straighter than most, but doesn't have the huge advantage that allowed him to be so dominant.

Russ
 
This is a interesting and timely post..

Russ Chewning said:
I agree with this assessment. Johnny from the late 80's and early 90's was a sight to behold.

Something happened, and while he is still a super world-class player, I just don't see the level of self-confidence he had back then.

I can sort of see where this comes from, though. The table pockets used to be bigger, and Johnny could knock a ball in from anywhere, get three rail position, and run out.

He can't go for the sorts of shots that used to be his bread and butter. Sorta sad. The equipment change reeled him back to the rest of the field. He still shoots straighter than most, but doesn't have the huge advantage that allowed him to be so dominant.

Russ
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Last Sunday while at league in Mr Cues II I watched the invitational with Johnny and Stevie Moore, Cliff Joyner ecetera and he was not breaking the nine very well ! in the match I saw he never made a ball on the break! He still wound up finishing (I believe it was second) but in 9 ball its hard to win when you aren't breaking in anything.
 
Russ Chewning said:
I agree with this assessment. Johnny from the late 80's and early 90's was a sight to behold.

Something happened, and while he is still a super world-class player, I just don't see the level of self-confidence he had back then.

I can sort of see where this comes from, though. The table pockets used to be bigger, and Johnny could knock a ball in from anywhere, get three rail position, and run out.

He can't go for the sorts of shots that used to be his bread and butter. Sorta sad. The equipment change reeled him back to the rest of the field. He still shoots straighter than most, but doesn't have the huge advantage that allowed him to be so dominant.

Russ
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I like your analysis of Johnny's present day game. Back in the 80's and 90's he played at a good pace and was exciting to watch and now his slow deliberate pace isn't exciting for the fans like it used to be.
 
Russ Chewning said:
I agree with this assessment. Johnny from the late 80's and early 90's was a sight to behold.

Something happened, and while he is still a super world-class player, I just don't see the level of self-confidence he had back then.

I can sort of see where this comes from, though. The table pockets used to be bigger, and Johnny could knock a ball in from anywhere, get three rail position, and run out.

He can't go for the sorts of shots that used to be his bread and butter. Sorta sad. The equipment change reeled him back to the rest of the field. He still shoots straighter than most, but doesn't have the huge advantage that allowed him to be so dominant.

Russ
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It's not the equipment. Johnny went into a long slump in the late 90s to early 2000's. He came out of his slump but hasn't played like the old Johnny. Now his game is ALOT slower, and the confidence looks like it's missing. In the early to mid 90's Johnny's 9ball game was the best out there. He had Efren's number in tournament matches. Efren was playing incredible pool in the early and mid 90's, but Johnny booked winners against him often. I don't know what caused his slump, but he hasn't fully recovered. If he was playing like the old Archer, nobody would want to gamble with him, except a few greats like Bustamante or Reyes, etc. I don't think Orcullo would have the "Any American gets the 7ball" standing if Archer was playing like he did over a decade ago.
 
cuetechasaurus said:
It's not the equipment. Johnny went into a long slump in the late 90s to early 2000's. He came out of his slump but hasn't played like the old Johnny. Now his game is ALOT slower, and the confidence looks like it's missing. In the early to mid 90's Johnny's 9ball game was the best out there. He had Efren's number in tournament matches. Efren was playing incredible pool in the early and mid 90's, but Johnny booked winners against him often. I don't know what caused his slump, but he hasn't fully recovered. If he was playing like the old Archer, nobody would want to gamble with him, except a few greats like Bustamante or Reyes, etc. I don't think Orcullo would have the "Any American gets the 7ball" standing if Archer was playing like he did over a decade ago.
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You are right. Parica used to walk into the PBA action room and say, Anyone but Johnny and Buddy Has the 8.
 
cuetechasaurus said:
It's not the equipment. Johnny went into a long slump in the late 90s to early 2000's. He came out of his slump but hasn't played like the old Johnny. Now his game is ALOT slower, and the confidence looks like it's missing. In the early to mid 90's Johnny's 9ball game was the best out there. He had Efren's number in tournament matches. Efren was playing incredible pool in the early and mid 90's, but Johnny booked winners against him often. I don't know what caused his slump, but he hasn't fully recovered. If he was playing like the old Archer, nobody would want to gamble with him, except a few greats like Bustamante or Reyes, etc. I don't think Orcullo would have the "Any American gets the 7ball" standing if Archer was playing like he did over a decade ago.
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IIRC, Johnny and Corey were excluded from Orcullo's "any American has the seven ball" challenge at this year's DCC. I agree that Johnny doesn't play the same "no doubt pool" that he did some years ago, but who does over that length of that time? About twenty odd years ago, when I couldn't really play but I could cut a ball in from anywhere, my favorite proposition shot was putting the object ball on the middle of the end rail, placing the cue ball one inch from the middle of the opposite end rail, and challenging anyone to call which corner pocket they wanted me to cut it into for any amount of even money. An older player said to me, "You know why you make that shot so regualrly? It's because you're too damn young and stupid to know how tough it really is!" The more I learned about the game, the more I realized how right he was!

Even with Johnny's slower speed and seemingly diminished confidence, his game is still a wonder to behold. One has got to realize that the tougher equipment and the increasing skill and depth of the field would have a telling effect on anyone. Still, I don't consider anybody in the world to be the favorite against him in nine ball over the long run, particularly considering his spectacular results over the last few months. And if the loser racks, forget about it!:D
 
One other thing to think about....

I watched Johnny a week ago at Mr Cues in between my matches and met his little daughter who was also there with him and his wife, I truly believe that having a new growing family can be a strain mentally adding much more weight to the already grueling life of a Pool Pro especially with all of the travel and stress of being away on the road that is entailed in this sport!

I used to travel extensively with my career (which thankfully was salaried and not as stressful as having to win to be paid!!!! ) and it was extremely hard on me in general and almost impossible to have and nurture a relationship ! I would not have wanted to do it as long as I did while trying to raise my children!

This all goes back to the issue of the lack of quality money and sponsors in pool! Johnny is fortunate to have the best of these but it still isn't Tiger Woods level backing! :( whichg while the travel etcetera is still there but when you are talking hundreds of thousands of dollars versus hundreds and possibly a few thousand ! there is much less stress and the ability to focus on the task at hand versus wheres the money!
 
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