Could Willie make the team?
- Thread starter Boxcar
- Start date
Playing 9b? No.
Of course he could! He was the best player in the USA for what, 20 years? How could he possibly not make the team?
Well of course he could, lol.
Admittedly, he hated 9ball because he thought it was far too simple. But he could play on any size table, any pockets, could walk into any pool room in the country, 300 days out of the year and far past his prime, and run 100. And he secured a truckload of world championships against the best 14.1 mechanics of his generation.
For money and to support his family, he'd be all over the MC and be a monster. To say otherwise is to overlook history and is more than a little silly.
Lou Figueroa
Admittedly, he hated 9ball because he thought it was far too simple. But he could play on any size table, any pockets, could walk into any pool room in the country, 300 days out of the year and far past his prime, and run 100. And he secured a truckload of world championships against the best 14.1 mechanics of his generation.
For money and to support his family, he'd be all over the MC and be a monster. To say otherwise is to overlook history and is more than a little silly.
Lou Figueroa
L.S. Dennis
Well-known member
What an impossible question to try to answer, modern day nine ball and straight pool prowess are so completely dideferent and require a completely different set of skills to play at the highest level. We don’t know for example what Willie’s jump shot may have looked like, or what kind of break he may have had if he had practiced these things.
What Willie did have was pin point position play, which enabled him to destroy all his competition for the aforementioned 20 years or so. I always remember what Nicki Varner said about the comparison between nineball and straight pool,, he said “ In nineball you play area position, in straight pool you must play spot position”
What Willie did have was pin point position play, which enabled him to destroy all his competition for the aforementioned 20 years or so. I always remember what Nicki Varner said about the comparison between nineball and straight pool,, he said “ In nineball you play area position, in straight pool you must play spot position”
Wouldn't it follow then that a master of pure spot position could excel at any game?
Exactly.
As any good 14.1 player knows, your going for very tiny but exact CB movements -- that's what produces consist high runs. Mosconi was the master of that, whether the CB was out in the open or going off or through other balls. Frankly, you just don't see as much of that in today's play, 9ball or otherwise, IMO.
Lou Figueroa
Efren had a lousy break and almost never jumped and he dominated. Position play is king in all billiard disciplines. Willie would be the Shane of USA today.
sellingboe
Active member
Agreed. (good to see you back Boxcar!)
No way he makes the team, he had no jump shot.
Willie would cut the cue stick down and be as good as most players in 30 minutes. End of story.
I'm joking.
Anyone who plays pin point position can play friggin nine ball.
Playing 9 ball I don't think he would be beating anybody that was on the 2022 US Mosconi Cup team, so no, he wouldn't or at least shouldn't be making the team if he were time transported but we've seen worse picks (a lot).
With some time he might be able to break into one of the lower spots on the team, but the question that was asked was if he was time transported as he was, and he just wouldn't get there as is.
With some time he might be able to break into one of the lower spots on the team, but the question that was asked was if he was time transported as he was, and he just wouldn't get there as is.
VTEC John
Active member
I wonder. Consider that when you play good position in 14.1, you really don't have to move the cue ball around very much and you're in charge of your position on the next ball. Compare that to any one of those Mosconi races we just saw. The outgoing player has played safe, or missed and left good position on the next ball, but not the ball you have to shoot. Result: lots of multi-rail kicks, lots of long thin cuts, lots of spin often required, etc. Not Willie's forte--precisely because he did play such great position. Seems to me you gotta play a LOT of nine ball to play at the Cup level. But who knows?