Fedor Gorst vs Tkon Nguyen race to 120 is Live
- Thread starter skor
- Start date
jax_joe
Well-known member
LMAO, more like the first three days.
Thanks for the kind words, Lou, but Skor has debated in a tone of respect and civility. His opinion differs from mine and his experience differs from mine, but his opinion matters. On the forum, we are all equals.
Hope you're well, my friend.
You know, maybe they really are playing for a 40k purse (split unknown). The production is first class, that costs money. Did someone in Vietnam fly Fedor there and put up his room and board, etc? That too costs money. It's not out of the realm of possibility that someone with those means could be putting up a 40k USD stake.
This is Vietnam. Hardly any of us have any first hand knowledge of the mentality there. It might be the same as here, and a dump fest of backers for 50 years in the past, or a "fake" purse in modern times. But it also might be something completely different.
This is Vietnam. Hardly any of us have any first hand knowledge of the mentality there. It might be the same as here, and a dump fest of backers for 50 years in the past, or a "fake" purse in modern times. But it also might be something completely different.
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The pool looks good. That's all I get out of it.
he was in the area, i believe china is his main destination. svb and fsr going too
different. I'm not sure I have ever met a pro athlete that is motivated to play to their highest gear when no money rides on the outcome of a competition. No, not even one
SJB. I usually agree with most of what you say but if not, can at least understand where you are coming from
But the above quote seems way off the mark
Just as an example- two boxers on equal pay in a fight-clearly they give their all. You could say a win gives them more money in the future but then what about pro athletes (tennis) that get to Olympic finals- surely they are in highest gear even if no money comes from the competition.
Look at the masters Rory wasn’t playing his best to win money, he was surely playing to win?
SJB. I usually agree with most of what you say but if not, can at least understand where you are coming from
But the above quote seems way off the mark
Just as an example- two boxers on equal pay in a fight-clearly they give their all. You could say a win gives them more money in the future but then what about pro athletes (tennis) that get to Olympic finals- surely they are in highest gear even if no money comes from the competition.
Look at the masters Rory wasn’t playing his best to win money, he was surely playing to win?
All I said was that I've never met an athlete that is motivated to play to their highest gear with no money on the line, not that they don't exist.
Boxing example is a good one, as trying hard means you don't get physically beaten, but Olympic example is not. Huge amounts of IOC money accrue to federations and athletes for their training, but only for the athletes that prove themselves worthy. Without that money, few of them can afford the time and cost of preparation for competition. It's a bit like a college scholarship for many a high school student - you don't get money but because your expenses are paid, you can afford to pursue the experience. In truth, the financial implications of even amateur competition can be substantial. At that level, few are competing for pride alone.
I've already noted in post #45 that the millionaires can afford to play for pride and agree that Mcilroy, with net worth of $250,000,000 would be an example. He'd have given his all at the Masters with no money on the line for sure, although the financial rewards associated with the win would have still boggled the mind.
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I've been fortunate enough to play some of the past generation's legends. To my experience, those guys had no off switch playing anyone; they always played hard.
I believe many set mental goals for themselves before the match to try to force themselves to play hard (i.e. "hold their opponent under ___". Having that been said, when the pressure is really on, the top guys seem to be able to squeeze out that little something extra. If nothing else, when real money is on the line (even backer's money), you can see the anguish and pressure on their faces more, sometimes you can even see it in their stroke. For me, that makes it more entertaining to watch.
In this match, it seems like they are both playing hard and want to win, but I don't see that anguish in their expressions. If I had to guess, neither has any cash to be won or lost on the line.
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That said, it's not common for most pros to find the themselves in situations in which nothing is at stake. Especially with team sports. It is more common in an individual sport, say pool or tennis. Top pool players play in plenty of exhibitions, for instance.
I don't get paid to play anything, but I play hard all the time. Heck, I don't even go easy on my kids, not now as adults or even when they were young. My wife used to get mad at me for not letting them win sometimes. I'd just say, they'll never learn anything if I just hand it to them. The need to learn to earn it.
Most times when I am playing pool with nothing at stake, I play to the best of my ability. It's a point of personal ... something. Pride, perhaps, or just the feeling of doing things well. My father would always say, if you are going to do something, do it right. Or do it well. That's my philosophy, too.
Of course, we are all human. Sometimes we take "plays' off. I was critical of SVB, for instance, during the PLP because I could tell there were times he was going thru the motions a bit. Sjm expressed surprise at my sentiment, but I saw what I saw. SVB didn't give it his all even when something was, in fact, at stake.
As for Gorst-Tkon, I think people have sold Tkon short. He plays more like a borderline 800 Fargo player than a 770 player. He is actually very, very good and was middle of the pack in the 2024 PLP.
That said, I do think Fedor has taken some shots he normally wouldn't in a big WNT tourney. Both players are playing to win, but the match definitely does not have the feel of a WNT quarter or semi or even the long race last year by SVB and Gorst.
This strikes me as about right. Most top pros play hard all the time, but they tend to have an extra gear when something is on the line.
That said, it's not common for most pros to find the themselves in situations in which nothing is at stake. Especially with team sports. It is more common in an individual sport, say pool or tennis. Top pool players play in plenty of exhibitions, for instance.
I don't get paid to play anything, but I play hard all the time. Heck, I don't even go easy on my kids, not now as adults or even when they were young. My wife used to get mad at me for not letting them win sometimes. I'd just say, they'll never learn anything if I just hand it to them. The need to learn to earn it.
Most times when I am playing pool with nothing at stake, I play to the best of my ability. It's a point of personal ... something. Pride, perhaps, or just the feeling of doing things well. My father would always say, if you are going to do something, do it right. Or do it well. That's my philosophy, too.
Of course, we are all human. Sometimes we take "plays' off. I was critical of SVB, for instance, during the PLP because I could tell there were times he was going thru the motions a bit. Sjm expressed surprise at my sentiment, but I saw what I saw. SVB didn't give it his all even when something was, in fact, at stake.
As for Gorst-Tkon, I think people have sold Tkon short. He plays more like a borderline 800 Fargo player than a 770 player. He is actually very, very good and was middle of the pack in the 2024 PLP.
That said, I do think Fedor has taken some shots he normally wouldn't in a big WNT tourney. Both players are playing to win, but the match definitely does not have the feel of a WNT quarter or semi or even the long race last year by SVB and Gorst.
Another good example of professionals going all out with no money involved would be in basketball. Back in the day Kobe, Kevin G, Kevin D etc..... would make their way into some of the most famous street ball games (Rucker Park) and lay it all on the line. These games were vicious, hard nosed, and I think it was definitely clear everyone was going 100%.
Who's Fred?
You know, Fred Ghost
What's the count?
90-81