Efern and tomorrows IPT match

[jason]

We are seeing a legend play a kid who could be the next legend and you blame the pool community for that? I say the pool community was pretty damn smart IMO.

I blame the pool community for being so broken and fractured that two of our players can be bought to perform a circus act for anyone willing to throw a buck at them, and sold to the public as something of importance!

Watching a legend and a prodity playing is great, but in this context? It would be 1000 times better if Austin was playing Efren in the finals of the DCC. That way we know they earned their way there through a field of quality competitors and it has some merit.

What was so special about Mike S. playing Lori JJ in the first exhabition match? Nothing. It was a joke, but guaranteed that one of KTs friends would be handpicked to be King of the Hill, then to be later destroyed by Efren.

Is this just a popularity contest? If so, then we very well could see a match between Britney and Johnny. Why not a match between Britney and Paris? or JayZee and Prince? We may not see a pro at all! In fact it would be a lot more interesting for the public because the players wouldnt be making "all those simple shots".

Would Tiger Woods play a heads up match against a top 14 year old prodity? I don't think so unless it was for charity.

 

[frankncali]

I blame the pool community for being so broken and fractured that two of our players can be bought to perform a circus act for anyone willing to throw a buck at them, and sold to the public as something of importance!

Watching a legend and a prodity playing is great, but in this context? It would be 1000 times better if Austin was playing Efren in the finals of the DCC. That way we know they earned their way there through a field of quality competitors and it has some merit.

What was so special about Mike S. playing Lori JJ in the first exhabition match? Nothing. It was a joke, but guaranteed that one of KTs friends would be handpicked to be King of the Hill, then to be later destroyed by Efren.

Is this just a popularity contest? If so, then we very well could see a match between Britney and Johnny. Why not a match between Britney and Paris? or JayZee and Prince? We may not see a pro at all! In fact it would be a lot more interesting for the public because the players wouldnt be making "all those simple shots".

Would Tiger Woods play a heads up match against a top 14 year old prodity? I don't think so unless it was for charity.

You act as if the "pool community" is a strong financial organization. In all
honesty there has never been a Pro pool sector that has been a strong financial organization. Even if just looking at individuals spread across the globe we represent a very weak group financially speaking.

In every industry there are always "shows" that aid and fund in the devleopment of the industry. Pool should be no different. We need to find ways to expose more people to players in general.
You need to think more like the general public. They don't know who Austin Murphy is and not even Efren. Its appealing. Heres a legend where almost every person agrees is the greatest of all time and he is the next great thing possiblly. Its intriging even to pool fans. I don't care that its a pony show. Its FREE and features the greatest player of all time.

Would pool be any better without this event or if Efren had declined?? NO

Would pool be any better if Schmidt would tell them to stick it and he wants a 20k appearance fee and Murphy has to be replaced??? NO

To the general pool community its a great opportunity to see Efren, Oliver and Schmidt. Some may not have seen those Top players before. Its also a chance to see a guy that could oneday be a force. Its a chance for others to say "I can beat him!" or " that kid at my hall is better than him" or " I enjoyed the straight pool, never seen that before. Can you believe that breakout!"
At least people will be talking and maybe oneday billiards will figure out a
way to reach the masses as a sport and not just a game that millions like to play on occasion.

IMO the answer likely solution to a better professional pool world has been in front for than a century. People like team events and love to be a fan.
Team Billiards is poopular in the masses of the pool community in league play and partner pool. Even in auto racing people cheer for owners and teams.
If you have never been to a big League Nationals or to the Mosconi Cup then you havent seen how passionate people can be for team billiards.

 

[uwate]

ortmann v schmidt 14.1
FREE

Efren playing against a top USA junior player.
FREE

man, cmon its FREE...how much more do you have to know?

if you think its not worth your time...DONT WATCH. your entrance fee to the show will not be missed.

I hope Landon plays jamup and makes Efren play to win. The 14.1 match alone is worth logging in to check out. I wish the IPT had made it a 1p challenge match undercard but hey i'm not complaining...ITS FREE

 

[Bigdogbret]

This is no different than years ago if Tiger Woods at 14 yrs. of age would have played Jack Nickolas or Arnold Palmer in an exhibition match. I would have loved to see that and I am looking forward to tonight's match.

Efren's skills are declining with age, though he is still one of the top players in the world today. Austin is a young player wigh a lot of potential and who is not intimadated by playing top players. He sees it as an opportunity to see how he matches up with the best in the world.

I am looking forward to a good match tonight.

 

[Rubyron]

It's too bad that the IPT doesn't have a chat feature like TAR. It is a blast. Maybe we could log on to the chat room here on AZ during the match.

 

[Roy Steffensen]

Hawaiian Jimmy, one of the better one pocket players in Los Angeles, lost getting a 10 to 5 spot. It's hard to imagine how someone can run so many 10 and 11's so consistently, but he does. This man is truly amazing.

And he got the breaks too???

I am printing this thread, and gonna bring it back to Manila.

I will tell Efren that I will no longer accept 10-5, I will now demand 14-2 and the breaks + 1 game on the wire.

Man, he's been hustling me all the time....

 

[Celtic]

I blame the pool community for being so broken and fractured that two of our players can be bought to perform a circus act for anyone willing to throw a buck at them, and sold to the public as something of importance!

Watching a legend and a prodity playing is great, but in this context? It would be 1000 times better if Austin was playing Efren in the finals of the DCC. That way we know they earned their way there through a field of quality competitors and it has some merit.

I guess you look back at the early exhibition matches in which a very young Mosconi was matched up against the best player in the world at the time Ralph Greenleaf. Mosconi lost the first matches as well as the bulk of the matches they played in their exhibition tour. But that early exposure and those matches are talked about to this day, almost 3/4 of a century later and likely helped Mosconi become perhaps the most dominant pool player the world has ever seen.

Funny thing, those exhibition matches were played during a time when pool was doing much better from a relative point of view then it is today. You act as if this up coming match is some sort of a new thing and the sign of a dying sport and yet it is instead a throwback to a time when the sport was doing a heck of alot better then it is today, especially in America.

Beyond a hard core pool player or fan who even knows the DCC exists? Or the US Open, or the friggin WPC 9-ball championships for that matter? A non-golfer and person who does not follow the sport will at least know who Tiger Woods is and what the Masters is, but ask the average person walking down the street who Johnny Archer is or Efren Reyes and be prepared to see blank stares. What is the DCC doing for the sport? What is it doing to increase the popularity and make it more mainstream? Absolutely nothing, thats what. It is a tournament where the subculture of pool gets together and some money matches take place and beyond the tight knit pool playing community not a soul hears anything about it or even knows it exists.

The DCC and other events like that are doing nothing to move this sport forward. Will this match? Maybe not, but at least it is something different and you know what, if they allow the TV stations to do some quick interviews and give them some footage of the match they probably CAN get some TV time on the news showing a young prodigy playing an top pro and maybe make a few people other then AZBilliards posters to realize that there is a sport called pool that actually exists and has tournaments and the whole thing instead of just being that table in the pub you hit balls around on while you drink beer.

 

[yobagua]

Efren's skills declining with age? And he gives Hawaiian Jimmy 10/5 and the breaks and Tang Hoa 11/7? What kind of decline is that. Top one pocket players wont play him unless they get 9/6 and the breaks. Last year in the Phillipines he whopped that young whippersnapper. Ronnie Alcano, in Rotation. I think its better to play him even cheap than to get a spot and play him large. Because like Corey Deuel says "I dont care what spot you give me Efren, I cant beat you" in one pocket..
Its true I saw him miss a ball last nite and saw him scratch once. Amazing. Will wonders never cease. Did he lose? No.......

 

[dabarbr]

And he got the breaks too???

I am printing this thread, and gonna bring it back to Manila.

I will tell Efren that I will no longer accept 10-5, I will now demand 14-2 and the breaks + 1 game on the wire.

Man, he's been hustling me all the time....

Oops, I didn't mean to knock Efrens action. I know he's trying to keep his game under undercover. Don't tell him it was me.

 

[UrackmIcrackm]

I hope Landon plays jamup and makes Efren play to win.

I believe Austin Murphy is playing in this match and from what I understand, the young man has grown about 6 inches since the majority of us last saw him. It will definitely be a little surprising to see him at that height considering I saw him prior to the growth spurt not too long ago.

 

[MJ_Ro]

Anyone know how long untill the match is gonna start?

 

[dabarbr]

Efren's skills declining with age? And he gives Hawaiian Jimmy 10/5 and the breaks and Tang Hoa 11/7? What kind of decline is that. Top one pocket players wont play him unless they get 9/6 and the breaks. Last year in the Phillipines he whopped that young whippersnapper. Ronnie Alcano, in Rotation. I think its better to play him even cheap than to get a spot and play him large. Because like Corey Deuel says "I dont care what spot you give me Efren, I cant beat you" in one pocket..
Its true I saw him miss a ball last nite and saw him scratch once. Amazing. Will wonders never cease. Did he lose? No.......

This is what I'm talking about. In a two hour span I saw him miss a combo and get out of line once with position. Imagine that. I never saw that before.

 

[UrackmIcrackm]

Anyone know how long untill the match is gonna start?

I was told the first match which is John vs. Oliver 14.1 is supposed to start at 8pm eastern, which is an hour and a half from now.

 

[MJ_Ro]

I was told the first match which is John vs. Oliver 14.1 is supposed to start at 8pm eastern, which is an hour and a half from now.

Ah crap, hope i can stay awake . Is now 1:40am

 

[stan shuffett]

"I believe Austin Murphy is playing in this match...." not Landon.



UrackmIcrackm, Ucrackmmeup. I hope Landon is not playing. We have made no arrangements.

All kidding aside the best of luck from Landon to Austin.

Stan Shuffett

 

[RunoutalloverU]

I just have this feeling the feed is not going to go smoothly, I hope im wrong.

 

[MJ_Ro]

Can you make the video window bigger? Stream seems to be fine right now.

 

[nympfisher]

dang,, i cant even get access.. (access denied)

 

[Nine Ball]

Is this straight pool match live or is it just a recorded match being played before the live with Efren?

 

[Tristan]

Wow, Mike is talking trash like a mother and Neither of them will shut up about "knapp cloth." I wish I could turn this ridiculous commentary off... (yes yes I know I can just mute it, but I want to hear the balls)