Efren. Nice guy? Or bad shot?

BazookaJoe

BazookaJoe

Destroyer of stickers
Silver Member
A friend once told me of a statement made by a guy who had just lost a match to Efren during DCC one-pocket tournament.

"I'm just happy he let me shoot"

Just now, I was watching a Reyes vs. Babica video from the 2000 EmpirePool.com world pool championships.

Efren was playing at his usual level of excellence.
Babica was playing, let's say, less than excellent.

Then it happened.
On a couple of shots, Efren half-heartedly shoots to nowhere.
On what could have been relatively easy safties, even if he only froze the cue ball to the foot rail and the object ball on the head rail, Efren seemed to lay down a little.

Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Do you think there are times when he may feel like he can afford to throw the other guy a bone?

Let me just say that I am in no way implying that he was doing any shady business.
 
BazookaJoe said:
A friend once told me of a statement made by a guy who had just lost a match to Efren during DCC one-pocket tournament.

"I'm just happy he let me shoot"

Just now, I was watching a Reyes vs. Babica video from the 2000 EmpirePool.com world pool championships.

Efren was playing at his usual level of excellence.
Babica was playing, let's say, less than excellent.

Then it happened.
On a couple of shots, Efren half-heartedly shoots to nowhere.
On what could have been relatively easy safties, even if he only froze the cue ball to the foot rail and the object ball on the head rail, Efren seemed to lay down a little.

Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Do you think there are times when he may feel like he can afford to throw the other guy a bone?

Let me just say that I am in no way implying that he was doing any shady business.
Click to expand...


he's human (even though sometimes it seems otherwise) i'm sure he gets a little lazy sometimes when he's playing someone that isnt playing that well or doesn't play that good.

VAP
 
I thought he did that with Baracks at DCC. But... he
did stay with Baracks' family once I heard so...?


BazookaJoe said:
A friend once told me of a statement made by a guy who had just lost a match to Efren during DCC one-pocket tournament.

"I'm just happy he let me shoot"

Just now, I was watching a Reyes vs. Babica video from the 2000 EmpirePool.com world pool championships.

Efren was playing at his usual level of excellence.
Babica was playing, let's say, less than excellent.

Then it happened.
On a couple of shots, Efren half-heartedly shoots to nowhere.
On what could have been relatively easy safties, even if he only froze the cue ball to the foot rail and the object ball on the head rail, Efren seemed to lay down a little.

Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Do you think there are times when he may feel like he can afford to throw the other guy a bone?

Let me just say that I am in no way implying that he was doing any shady business.
Click to expand...
 
BazookaJoe said:
A friend once told me of a statement made by a guy who had just lost a match to Efren during DCC one-pocket tournament.

"I'm just happy he let me shoot"

Just now, I was watching a Reyes vs. Babica video from the 2000 EmpirePool.com world pool championships.

Efren was playing at his usual level of excellence.
Babica was playing, let's say, less than excellent.

Then it happened.
On a couple of shots, Efren half-heartedly shoots to nowhere.
On what could have been relatively easy safties, even if he only froze the cue ball to the foot rail and the object ball on the head rail, Efren seemed to lay down a little.

Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Do you think there are times when he may feel like he can afford to throw the other guy a bone?

Let me just say that I am in no way implying that he was doing any shady business.
Click to expand...


The boy must be on speed....we now have his 2nd longest post. (in the same day nonetheless)
 
vapoolplayer said:
he's human (even though sometimes it seems otherwise) i'm sure he gets a little lazy sometimes when he's playing someone that isnt playing that well or doesn't play that good.

VAP
Click to expand...

One of the things that really got me was.
Well, you know the little smile he always has when he goofs?
It wasn't there.
 
BazookaJoe said:
One of the things that really got me was.
Well, you know the little smile he always has when he goofs?
It wasn't there.
Click to expand...


I'm thinkin' that you need to go find a job and earn some money. You have too much time on your hands.
 
BazookaJoe said:
A friend once told me of a statement made by a guy who had just lost a match to Efren during DCC one-pocket tournament.

"I'm just happy he let me shoot"

Just now, I was watching a Reyes vs. Babica video from the 2000 EmpirePool.com world pool championships.

Efren was playing at his usual level of excellence.
Babica was playing, let's say, less than excellent.

Then it happened.
On a couple of shots, Efren half-heartedly shoots to nowhere.
On what could have been relatively easy safties, even if he only froze the cue ball to the foot rail and the object ball on the head rail, Efren seemed to lay down a little.

Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Do you think there are times when he may feel like he can afford to throw the other guy a bone?

Let me just say that I am in no way implying that he was doing any shady business.
Click to expand...


I say maybe he knows he is gonna win, so he was just movin balls around to make them easier to make in another inning.

Ya know, like the other guy ain't gonna run out anyways.

Or maybe he wants to the see the speed of the other guy for future reference.
 
Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Click to expand...
He does.
First time I saw Efren was in San Diego the year Swaney died.
Efren was playing a local player.
Efren let off on him a little after getting ahead like 6 zip.
 
noticed he did this against baraks while watching the 05 derby city classic semi-finals/finals accu stats video. he gave baraks a push that was an easy shot with an angle after he was ahead 4 or 5-0. didnt seem like something that would happen because of a mistake because there were tons of places where reyes could have left baraks besides there.

i think before that reyes was shooting .1000 and baraks was still at 0.0
 
BazookaJoe said:
Efren seemed to lay down a little.

Do y'all think maybe he does this a little?
Do you think there are times when he may feel like he can afford to throw the other guy a bone?

Let me just say that I am in no way implying that he was doing any shady business.
Click to expand...
He does. He did exactly as you described the first round of this year's DCC against a guy he couldn't lose to. I was watching close until he made a couple of obviously half-hearted attempts... then I left the vicinity. I have the impression he does that in more serious matches as well, but of course I have no smoking gun.
 
for cryin out loud ...

Jeez, haven't you figured out that every good player does that at
different times ...

1) When he is shooting with a girlfriend or a friend that can not shoot
that good (doesn't want to make them feel bad)
2) When he is trying to hustle someone (why beat them 7-0 or 7-1 and
have them quit after 1 set when you can beat them 7-5 and keep
them gambling and not have them ask for weight or more weight)
3) When a good player is playing league and if you slaughter everyone,
your handicap average will shoot up a lot, when you can just barely
beat them and keep your handicap average down.

The only time you ever see a good players true speed is when they
are playing for about as much money as they can, and they are behind
in a set, then you see how good they really are.
 
drivermaker said:
I'm thinkin' that you need to go find a job and earn some money. You have too much time on your hands.
Click to expand...

I think he's ignoring you Drivermaker.......lol

Christyd
 
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Just like many players I'm sure Efren eases up when he realizes his competition isn't that tough. Maybe he saves all of his concentration for the tougher matches so he doesn't wear himself out.
 
gamble

I heard this could also have to do with how much gambles in cards ect... He often stays up late during tourny's gambling. And if there is more money gambling in the night then a $5000 frist place win, well then he stays up and gambles.

Mack
 
i would expect that if efren was hanging out with friends or was in some informal game.

i would expect him to have more respect for his talent and the game, and that he always give 100% in a tournament match
 
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