Efren: Is it Time?

BeiberLvr

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Watched a little bit of the Efren/Darren match last night.

Efren has and always will be my favorite player to watch, but it made me really sad watching him play last night. Not because of the misses and unforced errors. That's to be expected when you reach his age. It was because of his attitude when they happened. No longer was he smiling and scratching his head when he missed. Instead, he would hang his head in sorrow and "slam" the butt of his cue against the floor. Not every time, but just once is more than I'm used to seeing from him.

Obviously I can't know what's going on his head, but looking in from the outside, it just appears he doesn't love the game as much as he used too. Beating Darren (even though he's been in a slump) is no small feat, and it just proves that despite all of what I've typed above, you can't take The Magician lightly.
 
BeiberLvr said:
Watched a little bit of the Efren/Darren match last night.

Efren has and always will be my favorite player to watch, but it made me really sad watching him play last night. Not because of the misses and unforced errors. That's to be expected when you reach his age. It was because of his attitude when they happened. No longer was he smiling and scratching his head when he missed. Instead, he would hang his head in sorrow and "slam" the butt of his cue against the floor. Not every time, but just once is more than I'm used to seeing from him.

Obviously I can't know what's going on his head, but looking in from the outside, it just appears he doesn't love the game as much as he used too. Beating Darren (even though he's been in a slump) is no small feat, and it just proves that despite all of what I've typed above, you can't take The Magician lightly.
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I watched half of the match. It was getting pretty late, so I'm sure he was tired, as was Daz. Hell, I was nodding off myself and I'm only 38. Then again, that could have been due to the beer, merlot & prime rib my wife & I enjoyed whilst fireside...
 
I must have been watching a different match. Not to mention you are going to have a few extra rolls and balls get out of line on a 10ft that they pretty much never play on elsewhere. Efren broke well and played a ton of good banks and safeties. Lets see how does against Busty in the next round.
 
Was watching Efren play one pocket on the POV stream and it was amazing and really got me into and appreciating the game.

The next day he was playing 10 ball and hooked himself many times and the commentator said that Efrin made a remark that 10 ball was more demanding. After seeing him play both games the 10 ball seemed boring compared to the way he plays One Pocket.

He did miss pocketing a few balls but then it was understandable as the table had 3 7/8 pockets, and that affects many things when playing.

I would think it would be the opposite.

It could be that Efren needs to get eye glasses or wear contacts.

🎱
 
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I think it has more to do with demanding on Efren than it being the more demanding game. One pocket is chess...moving the balls where you want, not necessarily pocketing but setting up that "kill". Efren is constantly engaged, as well as able to be creative in one pocket. Meanwhile 10 ball forces him to focus throughout, even though at times it can seem monotonous (to him). I could be way off base, but I think Efren more enjoys the challenge of one pocket to 10 ball.
 
What I see is that with age ball pocketing becomes more difficult, more so on 10ft. Rotation pool is a game of making very tough shots at times on this level. When you played at the speed he did it must be tough to accept that you cant execute the way you once did. This is what retires most of the best players.
 
If it's not fun anymore, it might be time.

He can go home and his fans will watch him try to beat the ghost as long as he's able.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
Actually Darren played way worse than Efren. Almost like he did not even want to be playing. Efren had an OK game, below his normal self speed. He still he had about 3 B&Rs. Shot near .870 TPA
 
Efren retiring?

If and when Efren retires, I hope he saved some of his money. I know he has been very charitable (probably supporting friends and family back home) but it would be sad to see him continuing to grind because he needed the money. If I'm not mistaken, he's probably won more money than any other pro. I know his sponsor must have gotten a big share of it, though.
 
djv122385 said:
I think it has more to do with demanding on Efren than it being the more demanding game. One pocket is chess...moving the balls where you want, not necessarily pocketing but setting up that "kill". Efren is constantly engaged, as well as able to be creative in one pocket. Meanwhile 10 ball forces him to focus throughout, even though at times it can seem monotonous (to him). I could be way off base, but I think Efren more enjoys the challenge of one pocket to 10 ball.
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Efren likes his chances on one-pocket or any 15-ball variety more.
 
3 Break N Runs and an 874 TPA on a TEN FOOT is not in any way weak but the OPs point was more with Efren's alleged change in attitude i believe.
 
Efren is in constant action in the Philippines and from what I have been told by Filipinos that I know it is not because of need. I think that the reactions you now see are from real regret that he is not making shots that he used to make easily. I think that he still loves the game but that it is getting away from him and that that causes his frustration.

Last year when he won that 1 Pocket tournament, I forget what it was called but it had Danny Smith and the other top 1 Pocket players, the exuberance that he showed upon winning was not his reaction of previous years. He was really thrilled and he showed it.

I, along with others, who watched him over the years at Hard Times have seen the very gradual erosion of his 1 Hole game and his overall skills. But he is still Efren and I will always root for him against whoever he is playing because he has given me more "what the hell just happened?" moments than I ever dreamed were possible.
 
jalapus logan said:
Hell, I was nodding off myself and I'm only 38.
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I'm 45 so that explains why I fell asleep between the 2 matches. Well, maybe it had to do with the 3 or 4 (or 16) vodka tonics I had. :) Last thing I remember is Shaw packing up his cue after the win.
 
BeiberLvr said:
Watched a little bit of the Efren/Darren match last night.

Efren has and always will be my favorite player to watch, but it made me really sad watching him play last night. Not because of the misses and unforced errors. That's to be expected when you reach his age. It was because of his attitude when they happened. No longer was he smiling and scratching his head when he missed. Instead, he would hang his head in sorrow and "slam" the butt of his cue against the floor. Not every time, but just once is more than I'm used to seeing from him.

Obviously I can't know what's going on his head, but looking in from the outside, it just appears he doesn't love the game as much as he used too. Beating Darren (even though he's been in a slump) is no small feat, and it just proves that despite all of what I've typed above, you can't take The Magician lightly.
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Yes - it is clearly time for Efren to retire after beating Darren Appleton on a 10 foot table. Excellent observation.
 
alstl said:
Yes - it is clearly time for Efren to retire after beating Darren Appleton on a 10 foot table. Excellent observation.
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Please re-read my OP, as well as NoStroke's post on the previous page for clarification.
 
In sports we see it often where an elite athlete stays on the field (or course, track, court, etc) competing longer than they should. I think it comes from the competitive fires that burn inside them, the same ones that made them so great.

Just last night I placed a small wager on Busty in his match with reigning world champ and superstar Ko Pin Yi knowing it was gonna be tough action for the Pinoy.

Danny D commented on how Busty's game was on the decline as expected with age, and that Busty was playing world speed in the 80's before a lot of the guys in The Bigfoot Challenge were even born.

I loved it when Busty won this match decidedly (shooting a TPA .917, btw) and it just goes to show us all that a world champion should never be counted out.

Efren will always be The Magician and I believe he still has another big trick or two left in his bag.

He may be less competitive with age but, like Busty, don't ever count him out. :thumbup:

best,
brian kc
 
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Sometimes things mean more than others. Emotion can be a good thing at times. I would never want a team mate that simply was playing to play & did not CARE about the outcome.

Some shots mean a lot in a match & a miss of a shot that you know was important can cause a reaction on the outside instead of the usual cloaking of it on the outside while the burn is on the inside.

Sometimes one does not really know why a miss happens & it makes one smile & 'scratch' their head.

Other times one knows exactly why they miss a shot & it was the failure to execute it properly & hence one appropriately feels the responsibility & hence the blame & true competitors do NOT like that & hence the slamming down of the cue butt on the floor.

That can spur one to be more focused & cut down on that feeling & rise to playing to a win.

Truly competing & winning can at times be a bit of a complex thing & sometimes it is as easy as pie.

Jack Nicklaus is the most 'proud' of the tournaments that he won when he did NOT have his "A" game, but still got it done.
 
"Do not go quietly into that good night,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light"
 
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