Dr. Dave's Billiards Digest piece on the racking debacle

[Paul Schofield]

I read the article. It identified the usual problems and put forward the usual solutions. There was nothing new or innovative.

Here is the bottom line: It does not matter who racks the balls. It does not matter what racking gadget is employed. It does not matter where the balls are racked. It does not matter what behavior rules are implemented. Keep the ball-on-the-break and you keep a load of problems that go along with it. Get rid of it. In my view, it is just not worth it.

I am saying this for Eight, Nine, and Ten-Ball.

 

[realkingcobra]

I read the article. It identified the same old problems and put forward the same old solutions. There was nothing intuitive or innovative.

Here is the bottom line: It does not matter who racks the balls. It does not matter what racking gadget is employed. It does not matter what behavior rules are implemented. Keep the Ball-On-The-Break and you keep a load of problems that go along with it. The net result is that it can never, ever be fixed. In my view, it is just not worth it.

I am saying this for Eight, Nine, and Ten-Ball.

And i feel strongly that if matches were played to a race to 21 games, or 3 hour match time limit, single elimination....how a player racks, or don't rack....it'll all balance out in the end. And to avoid any lopsided matches, a 10 game lead by either opponent should result in an early win by KO, as to not drag out an obvious mismatch of players.

 

[iusedtoberich]

And i feel strongly that if matches were played to a race to 21 games, or 3 hour match time limit, single elimination....how a player racks, or don't rack....it'll all balance out in the end. And to avoid any lopsided matches, a 10 game lead by either opponent should result in an early win by KO, as to not drag out an obvious mismatch of players.

Even die hard fans like us are not going to watch a race to 21 games format tournament. I'd rather stab my eyes out.

 

[AtLarge]

Even die hard fans like us are not going to watch a race to 21 games format tournament. I'd rather stab my eyes out.

But he also has a 3-hour time limit on each match, so, with 10-Ball, quite a few matches won't go all the way to 21.

[Maybe 3 hours is too long for you?]

 

[realkingcobra]

Even die hard fans like us are not going to watch a race to 21 games format tournament. I'd rather stab my eyes out.

I wouldn't really worry yourself over watching, i pretty sure there's a whole lot more people out there who will, as I'm not to concerned with the US viewers, when there's a world full of other viewers that would love to watch their LOCAL Pro's play

 

[iusedtoberich]

But he also has a 3-hour time limit on each match, so, with 10-Ball, quite a few matches won't go all the way to 21.

[Maybe 3 hours is too long for you?]

A special marque match between the 2 top dogs, race to 21, once in a while, is good.

An entire tournament, of race to 21, even with a 3 hour limit, is horrible. No one will watch. Waste of time. Mosconi cup has the best format. Short races is what's enjoyable for fans to watch. Not endless matches.

YMMV, but I'm a paying customer

 

[336Robin]

A special marque match between the 2 top dogs, race to 21, once in a while, is good.

An entire tournament, of race to 21, even with a 3 hour limit, is horrible. No one will watch. Waste of time. Mosconi cup has the best format. Short races is what's enjoyable for fans to watch. Not endless matches.

YMMV, but I'm a paying customer

I bet you're not the only one with an opinion. Put up a Poll and see what most people like for something like that.

 

[buckshotshoey]

People today have attention spans that can be measured by the second hand on the clock. Too busy to sit still for that long. Hell, you cant keep people off of their phones for more then 5 minutes. It will be wonderful for the players, but a snooze fest for the average viewer. IMO, there just isn't enough pool enthusiast to make it pay off.

 

[Echelon]

I've read so many opinions on this I can't remember the holes poked in template racking. I know they can be manipulated but a quick look will tell you if all balls are frozen. Maybe rack the 9 on the spot for winner break formats? Sounds like they are considering templates for the derby.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[realkingcobra]

But he also has a 3-hour time limit on each match, so, with 10-Ball, quite a few matches won't go all the way to 21.

[Maybe 3 hours is too long for you?]

People have no idea how a match time limit changes things. Starting on Saturday, for a 32 player event played on 8 Diamond 9ft ProAms, 1st round of play starts at 10am- 1pm, 30min break, 8 players are out, 24 remain. 2nd round 1:30pm-4:30pm 8 players are out, 30 min break,16 remain. 3rd round 5m-8pm 8 players are out, 8 players remain. Tournament ends for the day.

Sunday, 1st round, 10:am-1m, 4 players are out, 30 min break, 4 players remain. 1:30pm-4:30pm, 2 players are out, 30min break, 2 players remain. 5pm-8pm, 1st place and 2nd place are decided, tournament is over. Total tournament time 20hrs over 2 days, 10hrs per day, ALL players paid right after a loss. All rounds of play pay $8,000 a round divided by the players in that round, 6 rounds of play @ $8,000= $48,000 plus winner gets 1 extra round of pay@ $8,000 × 2= $16,000.

1st round= $250
2nd round= $500
3rd round= $1,000
4th round= $2,000
5th round= $4,000
6th round= $8,000
Winner = $8,000×2= $16,000

Who's NOT going to submit a skill level test score, and who's NOT going to show up!!!

16 pros, 16 local players, based on drawing names from a bucket, required skill level test on file, name placed in the draw bucket, must be present to be entered, no entry fee!!! All local players are seeded with a Pro in the first round.

 

[realkingcobra]

But he also has a 3-hour time limit on each match, so, with 10-Ball, quite a few matches won't go all the way to 21.

[Maybe 3 hours is too long for you?]

By involving the local players, it guarantees more participation from the community locally, which is very important. And the 10 game lead will be in effect, being 10 games behind and the match is stopped by KO, and is declared a missmatch.

 

[iusedtoberich]

You better get off of AZ, and make your glue and videos come faster, with those predictions :grin-square::grin-square::grin-square:

He who has the money makes the rules. This is all just mental masterbation by everyone, me included.

 

[realkingcobra]

You better get off of AZ, and make your glue and videos come faster, with those predictions :grin-square::grin-square::grin-square:

He who has the money makes the rules. This is all just mental masterbation by everyone, me included.

Grass grows by inches, not by feet!!

 

[Icon of Sin]

But he also has a 3-hour time limit on each match, so, with 10-Ball, quite a few matches won't go all the way to 21.

[Maybe 3 hours is too long for you?]

I believe Klenti was hitting the 3 hour mark in races to 11 at the US Open. You can fully expect some 5 hour matches in a race to 21 now with speeds like his.

 

[realkingcobra]

I believe Klenti was hitting the 3 hour mark in races to 11 at the US Open. You can fully expect some 5 hour matches in a race to 21 now with speeds like his.

Not when the match time limit is 3 hours period, who ever is ahead os declared the winner, no exceptions!

 

[Cardigan Kid]

A special marque match between the 2 top dogs, race to 21, once in a while, is good.

An entire tournament, of race to 21, even with a 3 hour limit, is horrible. No one will watch. Waste of time. Mosconi cup has the best format. Short races is what's enjoyable for fans to watch. Not endless matches.

YMMV, but I'm a paying customer

I agree here.
If the main goal is to attract the causal player or the interested stranger or the ESPN executive, race to 21 10 ball is out of bounds.
And really what is the main goal of any professional tour? To make money. Plain and simple.without it, the show can't go on.

The ultimate 10 ball that was around 10 years ago was an excellent format. And it wasn't the fans that let that down, it was the industry/BCA that ignored a wealthy motivated backer and a winning format.

Yes, pool has all been reduced to mental masturbation. If pool is to succeed on the professional level, it's not the game played but the organization and hierarchy that has to be established first.

Look at other niche sports...fencing, curling, damn table tennis!!...the common denominator is a motivated and organized governing body.

 

[Cardigan Kid]

Not when the match time limit is 3 hours period, who ever is ahead os declared the winner, no exceptions!

Then you have a situation where the final hour, the player with the 3 rack lead starts slow playing and safety playing to run out the clock. The final hour is a disaster for the fans, but strategically, a smart move for the winning player.

We had the ultimate 10 ball tournaments, and they were fantastic.

 

[realkingcobra]

I agree here.
If the main goal is to attract the causal player or the interested stranger or the ESPN executive, race to 21 10 ball is out of bounds.
And really what is the main goal of any professional tour? To make money. Plain and simple.without it, the show can't go on.

The ultimate 10 ball that was around 10 years ago was an excellent format. And it wasn't the fans that let that down, it was the industry/BCA that ignored a wealthy motivated backer and a winning format.

Yes, pool has all been reduced to mental masturbation. If pool is to succeed on the professional level, it's not the game played but the organization and hierarchy that has to be established first.

Look at other niche sports...fencing, curling, damn table tennis!!...the common denominator is a motivated and organized governing body.

On a Pro level tournament, single elimination tournament, the viewers are going to be able to get their moneys worth no matter what, but they're NOT going to be exposed to ANY long, drawn out match watching hour after hour of slow play....waiting for someone to FINALLY win, as I've already said .any times already, ALL pro matches have a MAXIMUM time limit of 3 hours, and who ever is ahead is declared the winner, if they're tied, then the first player to win 1 game to break the tie during the 30 minute break is declaried the winner, the tournament stays ON TIME and on SCHEDULE.

 

[realkingcobra]

If the player you want to watch, is playing in the next round, then as a viewer, you should be able to expect when he's starting his match, and the longest it can possibly last, as you may have other things you want to do with your time too, when not watching.

 

[buckshotshoey]

On a Pro level tournament, single elimination tournament, the viewers are going to be able to get their moneys worth no matter what, but they're NOT going to be exposed to ANY long, drawn out match watching hour after hour of slow play....waiting for someone to FINALLY win, as I've already said .any times already, ALL pro matches have a MAXIMUM time limit of 3 hours, and who ever is ahead is declared the winner, if they're tied, then the first player to win 1 game to break the tie during the 30 minute break is declaried the winner, the tournament stays ON TIME and on SCHEDULE.

Would you include a shot clock with the 3 hour limit? Say.... 45 seconds per shot?