Efren Reyes, a worthy champion

[cuetechasaurus]

I'm so happy for the Magician for winning the IPT WOrld 8-Ball Championship. I'm very proud of him. I wish with the generous money that he got, he could get a doctor to checkup on his coughing, buy scissors to trim his ugly mustache and perhaps if its ok, get an orthodontists to fix his teeth. KT put a lot of money and risk to make this tournament very professional, respectable and prestigious... it is the least the magician can do and it's good for him. He will be on the front covers of all billiards magazines and e-zines... I mean com'on.. also he was coughing all the time in his tv matches... of course he still deliver his spectacular shots and i really like it.. but common... i won't blame Earl if ever he complain Efren's coughing distracting him...

Efren has emphysema...so chill out.

 

[jay helfert]

I guess Efren's win cements the fact that he is the most accomplished 8ball player in billiards history. This is his THIRD DIFFERENT "World" 8ball title that he has won. He won at least one or two PBT World 8ball titles. Two years ago, he won the inaugural WPA World 8ball title. And now, he has won the IPT World 8ball title. Not too shabby.

Just a couple of comments on the match...

I still think a single race to 8 is ridiculous. Neither of them had found a real rhythm. If there was a second set and Rodney find his break, the match would have been completely different.

No one has mentioned the great call by the ref on Efren's foul. Sure, we post thread after thread about a supposed bad call by a ref. But when a ref makes a great call, there is no acknowledging of it whatsoever. Efren's shot on the 8ball was very close, but the replays have proved that it was indeed a foul. Much props to the ref for making that correct call. Not only that, he announced the foul immediately, without hesitation, and with confidence.

Efren dogged two 8balls, missed a moderately easy cut shot in the corner, only made two balls (I think) off the break...and he still won. Efren clearly didn't play his best. When playing Efren, you rarely get this much opportunity. The title was there for Rodney to grab...he just didn't execute.

How bout that position shot on the final 8? I'm sure I wasn't the only one that almost had a heart attack.

Ken Shuman is a terrific Ref. They had the right guy in the box.

 

[crosseyedjoe]

After thinking more about the final match, having it to be a short race is not really that bad. First of all being in the finals is already a tremendous task. Who ever get there has nothing more to prove. If he got lucky during the final, it's fine.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

However he hasn't qualified yet for WPC.

It's so funny, he said, he's having trouble positioning the cue ball because he's nervous. Well, I guess even the great one gets the jitters.

It's also interesting that Efren's cornerman is Santos Sambajon, a US pool circuit player. I'm not so sure if they've known each other for quite sometimes.

Santos used to give me lessons back in the late 90's. When Efren came to California he would stay with Santos and a couple of other Filipinos.

 

[Nostroke]

I'm so happy for the Magician for winning the IPT WOrld 8-Ball Championship. I'm very proud of him. I wish with the generous money that he got, he could get a doctor to checkup on his coughing, buy scissors to trim his ugly mustache and perhaps if its ok, get an orthodontists to fix his teeth. KT put a lot of money and risk to make this tournament very professional, respectable and prestigious... it is the least the magician can do and it's good for him. He will be on the front covers of all billiards magazines and e-zines... I mean com'on.. also he was coughing all the time in his tv matches... of course he still deliver his spectacular shots and i really like it.. but common... i won't blame Earl if ever he complain Efren's coughing distracting him...

Efren has a full set of choppers that he used to put in for events in the US but I imagine a full set feels like a big foreign object in there and he said screw it.