I just watched the last two games.
In the game at 7:8 with Lebron on the hill. Lebron breaks dry, Buddy tries to play safe attempting to draw the cue ball behind the seven and accidentally banks the ball in the side. The speed he played was the right speed to send the one ball below the balls at the other end of the table which would have probably been safe or left a long shot with the cue on the top rail. Instead he banked the one in the side and gets a shot on the two.
Then he has to play the two with finesse to reverse the cue ball off the bottom cushion to get into the right lane for the three.
From there he runs to the seven and gets funny on the 8 - this is where people CLAIM that Buddy was trying to scratch. Then he misses the 8 barely and leaves Mike jacked up over the nine. The 8 hit the tits of the corner pocket. Not exactly the type of miss that guarantees where the 8 will go.
Mike goes for it and dogs it and Buddy gets the easy layout.
Now, my question is, why does Buddy bother to run to the seven BEFORE trying to scratch? Why would he choose that angle to attempt to scratch when he could have EASILY dogged position for the three and then missed the three on purpose giving Mike the table and not waiting until there are only a few balls left to purposely miss on?
Why bother with trying to get perfect shape on the three, and why bother trying to play a perfect safe on the one if you're trying to dump?
Instead of dogging off the HARD shots he dumps on the easy ones with just three balls left?
That makes sense.
And..... regarding the comment that Buddy was not happy that Mike missed the eight in that game - why would he show happiness? Let's say there is no dump in the conversation, then would anyone remark on Buddy's expression? No they would not because he was probably pissed off at himself for missing position on the eight and ending up with a funny leave and then missing the eight. Then he was probably just relieved to get another chance. In any event the camera DID NOT SHOW BUDDY'S face after Mike missed the 8.
So not one person on this forum can say what Buddy's expression or emotion was when Mike missed the 8 because you can't even see it. And furthermore Buddy jumped out of his chair and was at the table before the 8 stopped rolling.
In 1991 $50,000 was a huge prize. Take the dump off the table and there was pressure enough.
--------------------------------------------
Now let's move to the hill game. Buddy breaks and gets on the one but has a tricky path back to the two. He scratches in the side. Now, if you think scratching in the side is so easy from there that Buddy picks that shot to do it go ahead and make your own video showing us that you can easily do it. He could have made the one and taken tougher position and then missed the two and no one is the wiser. Yet he tried for better position and the cue ball got away from him just as it did on the seven in the previous game from a similar angle.
Buddy could have chosen to go the other way with inside spin and purposefully hooked himself if he wanted to so why didn't he?
Now Mike makes the spotted one and misses the two ball. (Mike was obviously the only one who bet on Buddy....)
The camera catches Buddy as he approaching the table. Is he supposed to be showing joy at this moment because Mike missed? No he is focused and probably relieved to have another shot. He certainly was not showing anger towards Mike in my opinion.
Ok so again Buddy has opportunities to dog position enough to leave himself tough enough where a miss is not surprising. yet he runs out to the combo anyway. Where he lands the combo is NOT easy because he has to actually has to cut the nine slightly to the left. I would like to see you all set this shot up exactly and then try it for 50k and see what your percentages are. In any event what a fool for playing down to that point when he could have missed on purpose well before the combo.
Then Mike Lebron jumps up and comes with two great shots to win it. Kicks the eight in and holds the cue ball for decent shape on a long nine.
My opinion, no dump, all pressure. But IF a dump then the super champion Buddy Hall is the world's worst at it because he certainly didn't know enough to dump on the really hard shots. Guess he never learned that in the 30 years of pool experience he had going into this match.
Now, you all can read into it whatever you want. This is my take on knowing all the information presented. I find that calling a dump based on the videos on YouTube is really stretching. To me it's Jay's word against theirs and Strickland's word against theirs and the ONLY other person mentioned who is claimed to have been directly involved is Allen Hopkins.
IF Allen ever confirms that he was asked to participate then I will believe it happened. But until then it's all hearsay and the video isn't proof enough for me.
NOW I AM REALLY DONE. Keep flaming. I am unsubscribed.
..Amazing how some people just LOVE to fight windmills...and make themselves look even 'foolish-er' ! :sorry:
