Too bad this wasn't rack your own. Every post I see from you on here is about MD racking or something. Weird.
Congrats Mike Dechaine Ocean State Champion 3-PEAT!!!!!!!!!
- Thread starter Kickin' Chicken
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Too bad this wasn't rack your own. Every post I see from you on here is about MD racking or something. Weird.
Yes, Mike is a good local player who is 2-0 against Shane this year, with one win coming in the Derby City Nine ball and the other coming at Turning Stone.
As for Sossei, the guy Mike beat in the "rack for your opponent" final, Jeremy beat Shane in their last hookup at the Steinway Clasic 10-ball in August.
Just curious, what players must one beat to graduate beyond the level of "good local player?"
Mike is a good local player! If he wants to graduate,,,, simple, he needs to start traveling!
Playing in mostly New England tourneys, he needs to get out a bit!
If I was to make one very simple suggestion for Mike, he should pack it up and head out to PI for a yr! But that costs money and while lot of true belief in yourself! I'm sure he believes in himself but I'm talking about deep down.
Mike is a great player, but he is getting older, and if he doesn't get out there and do something,,,, he's gonna end up right where he is at, a good local player! And that's sad because he definitely has the ability!
If by local, you mean the USA, then I guess you're kinda right.
With the players so anal about racking today and having all balls touch, only the MR should be used. I know some on here say, "Learn how to rack". MR's are priced too cheap to afford anything but giving the tournament the racks. Nobody can rack all balls tight on all tables with, wood, metal, or plastic racks, used balls, and cloth...nobody. I'd like to see some of the, "learn how to rack guys" rack for Mike D in a race to 21 alt break. They would all need a back adjustment after the match. Use a ref to rack, with no looking by breaker or the MR. Johnnyt
Mike's game travels well, as we've seen in his last three trips to play in the Derby City 9-ball event, where he has come 3rd, 3rd and 6th in the last three years. He also has three straight top 10 finishes in the US Open 9-ball, including 4th this year.
That said, I think there is much truth in your post. As you say, he has the ability but needs to compete more often against the most elite international players to reach his fullest potential, and to do that he'll have to travel.
Still, right now he's outperforming every player in America not named Shane, and by a lot. He's a great national player, not just a great local player.
And Mike always beats Earl. Everytime I see tourney with both of them playing Mike always wins. I mean the H2H between them must be something like Mike 5-0 Earl or more
What was that about? Mike seems to a way to get Earl's number, he must studied every part of Earl's game
Earl can make any shot imaginable, but he still doesn't shoot as straight as Dechaine. Dechaine controls the game so much better. Smarter 2 way shots and better safes. He isn't going to take flyers like Earl does when he's down or out of line.
Jeremy should never have taken that shot on the 9. If he had to go for it, it seemed to me the billiard was a much better option given the bad angle he left himself for the combo. I feel if he played safe (or played the billiard) I think he would have taken home the big trophy. He played like a world champion the rest of the tourney.
I was torn, as I would have like to see Jeremy take this down, but I was happy for Mike that he got his three-peat, even if his play was less than stellar this time around. Folks say he doesn't have heart, but I thought he ground his way to a nice win against a player who was clearly outgunning him at the time. That takes more courage than almost any of us could bring to the table IMHO.
BTW what's with Shaw these days? Just weeks ago he seemed unbeatable at TS. I hope it's just his beautiful baby girl keeping him up nights that's the problem, and he will be back in winning form real soon.
Jayson was unlucky to draw Sossei in the second round of the Ocean States.
Those who follow the Joss tour know that nearly all the titles are won by Dechaine (the tour's dominant player), Shaw or Sossei. That's right, Earl, the fourth ranked player on the Joss tour, is winless in 2014 on the Joss tour.
After Jayson's unlucky draw, Jeremy drilled him, forcing him to travel the "B-side route" to get to the finals, just as he did at Turning Stone. Jayson won a bunch of matches but eventually drew an in form Earl, who played very well to beat and eliminate him. I've been very impressed with Earl's play of late, with some really solid stuff at both the Accu-Stats "Make it Happen" 8-ball event and the Ocean States.
I would have to dispute any suggestion that Jayson isn't playing well. He drew two of the Joss tour's top four players before the late rounds and wasn't up to the challenge. Believe me, in some of the matches he won, Jayson looked like a champion of the highest order.
In his 9-2 win over Davis, Sossei broke 8 times; all were wet (no dry or fouled breaks). Sossei won the game on 6 of those wet breaks (including 3 B&R games), and he won the game on all 3 of Davis' breaks.
In their 2-set finals match (3-9 and 9-7), break results for Dechaine and Sossei compared as follows:
• Broke wet and won game -- 5 of 13 for Dechaine; 7 of 15 for Sossei
• Broke wet and lost game -- 6 of 13 for Dechaine; 4 of 15 for Sossei
• Fouled on break -- none for either player
• Broke dry and won game -- none for Dechaine; 1 of 15 for Sossei
• Broke dry and lost game -- 2 of 13 for Dechaine; 3 of 15 for Sossei
• Break-and-run games -- 3 for each player.