I watched the Shane/Earl match last night. Even though few if anyone could have beat Shane breaking the way he was, I still came away from the match very sad. I've been alive long enough to have seen a lot of the great hero's in sports stay in it too long. Babe Ruth, The Brown Bomber, Mickey Mantle, Broadway Joe and I could go on and on. I get why most stay in too long is because they're broke...but it's still very sad to see for me.
I think Shane backed off in the end and I respect the hell out of him for that. Johnnyt
Anyone who watched that match would have see plain and clear that Shane's opponent should no longer be competing. Excuses for him not being able to win were:
1) There are side pockets on the table
2) The accu-rack, magic rack or whichever one that they were using doesn't work
3) The players shouldn't even be racking
4) Shane (and others) are only winning because he's out-breaking him, never mind that Shane shot over a 0.950!
5) The table plays WAY too easy
6) Players should be forced to break from way over on the side of the table playing 10 ball, etc., etc., etc.
I think that Shane broke his last rack from way over near the side of the table as a way to gently poke his opponent. Frankly, I think what Shane's opponent was doing was demeaning Shane's play, even though he meant it to everyone, including Shaw, his previous opponent.
But you are right....it is truly sad to watch. All Danny and Billy could do was to laugh (uncomfortably) at it all....