It’s the same as people saying Jim Brown couldn’t play in todays NFL. Like he couldn’t play for the Giants or Commanders or anybody else.Stupid
Could Willie make the team?
- Thread starter Boxcar
- Start date
Zerksies
Well-known member
Here's a video of Mosconi and Fats playing, 8 ball, 9 ball and something else. These guys are both great players. The game has changed ALOT in the 30 years since then. I feel that the route selections isn't optimal. But in the world of straight pool. I don't think most of the modern guys will cut it either.
Thanks for that.
I've never watched him play anything other than straight.
Good grief, with modern equipment I think he would be nearly untouchable.
jmho
ETA Top players today often put almost perfect sets together so on any given day WM could also get blanked.
I'd like to see the Earl and Efren from the COM play against today's field every bit as much as Willie.
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Since he's been dead for a while, I think he would barely make the team in his present condition.
Great video but the question was about Willie in his prime — for the matches with Fats he was an old man and *well* past his prime.
Lou Figueroa
Zerksies
Well-known member
The brain still works.
Mosconi in his prime has the talent to play with the modern players, But he's missing things that modern players have in their bag. He doesn't have a jump shot nor these four rail draw shots made famous by players like Effren. It's been 40 years since that video and route selection has evolved.
He probably didn't need all that fancy modern stuff. He could leave a cue ball any where he wanted to. This is not a quote, but a paraphrase, "Sure Mosconi wins a lot. He never has anything but straight in shots."
I don’t think there is a single shot that exists today that did not exist in 1950.
I’d say the only thing different is the template rack and reading the 9 ball gaps. But that could be taught to Mosconi in literally 3 minutes.
Ps, to settle this all we have to do is watch Fast Eddie, a straight pool player, run a 10 pack of 9 ball on “Friend”.
Zerksies
Well-known member
I guess you didn't watch the video. The route choices was not optimal
With a time machine I think a prime Willie would get slaughtered. But with a year of training with our best on how to break, jump, and kicksafe to today’s standard I’m sure he could get highly competitive.
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
similarly ridiculous 'debates':
- You think Wayne Gretzky could make an NHL all-star team?
- Would Pele make today's World Cup team for Brazil?
- Can dolphins swim?
- You think Wayne Gretzky could make an NHL all-star team?
- Would Pele make today's World Cup team for Brazil?
- Can dolphins swim?
They worked OK for Willie.
That’s akin to asking if Ty Cobb would be good enough to make a MLB roster today.
Allow me to share my opinion. If and when you are recognized as one of the greatest
to ever play, doesn’t matter if it’s a sport or game, you probably can more than hold
your own today. In Willie’s case, you don’t set world records in consecutive titles, high
runs and overall mastery of pocket billiards by not being one of the greatest to ever play.
Greatness is not measured in time, era or admiration. It is based on your accomplishments.
Lots of people have remarked about Willie’s play in his senior years.
I’m not here to push or promote Willie’s legend or anything like that.
In pocket billiards, there’s lots of debate as to which game of pool is
the best overall test or toughest or truest measure of a player’s skills.
I’m not here to push 14.1, rotation or any other pocket billiards game.
In all fairness, straight pool has long been considered a good yardstick.
If you consider 14.1 a pretty good test, even though you may believe a
different venue is a better one, the one undeniable is bigger is just harder.
Presuming that the pockets are the same size, ex., 4.5” CP & 5” SP, a 9’
table plays harder than a 8’ and in turn, a 7’. Willie didn’t play on 7’ tables.
He set his 526 record but it wasn’t on a 9’ table and the pockets were not
4.5” either. But what he accomplished on 10’ tables in the 40’s is impressive.
I’m not here to push or promote Willie’s legend or anything like that.
In pocket billiards, there’s lots of debate as to which game of pool is
the best overall test or toughest or truest measure of a player’s skills.
I’m not here to push 14.1, rotation or any other pocket billiards game.
In all fairness, straight pool has long been considered a good yardstick.
If you consider 14.1 a pretty good test, even though you may believe a
different venue is a better one, the one undeniable is bigger is just harder.
Presuming that the pockets are the same size, ex., 4.5” CP & 5” SP, a 9’
table plays harder than a 8’ and in turn, a 7’. Willie didn’t play on 7’ tables.
He set his 526 record but it wasn’t on a 9’ table and the pockets were not
4.5” either. But what he accomplished on 10’ tables in the 40’s is impressive.
Not so simple, and he did it without all the drama of today's players.