Hohmann is for real...Straight pool king

[Salamander]

People please, just stop swinging from his nuts. He shoots great. Better than I could ever ask to, but he's not god. He's not the best player in the world. I really don't think anyone in this forum is that ignorant. I'll bet he would admit to it himself. He's 2nd rung, under the elite. AA striving to be that AAA.

Mike

Hohmann is hardly 2nd rung. Any of these players can beat anyone else on a givin day. Hohmann's list of accomplishments put's him in the top tier in my opinion. If anything, you're list putting Manalo and Wu as top rung is a little premature. It is true that both players have had a good run recently, but have yet to show they can stay consistantly on top. There are least another dozen players off you're top ten list that could possibly be there.

As for Charley Williams being on the list....well, there is a prime example of 2nd tier in my opinion. Other than a BCA open title, he does not impress me too much.

Regards,

Doug

 

[gregory]

BD article on hohmann

i think it's probably been posted here before, but there is a feature on hohmann in a recent BD

http://www.billiardsdigest.com/current_issue/jul_05/

 

[gregory]

Archer
Efren
Duell
Strickland
Pagulyan
Busta
Charlie Williams
Jeremy jones
Manalo
Wu
If were going tourneys then you have to throw Gabe in there. Since tourneys mean so much...

i guess you were right when you said

The only time Europe has produced elite in anything, is when the rest of the world doesn't compete at that particular thing...

No Europeans are even in the top 11.

 

[jhendri2]

Here's a site a friend sent me...http://www.billard-union.de/pool/sbpool/spielertabelle.php

HS is high run in straight...GD is average over 1 year

Jim

 

[frankncali]

Like I noted, just stay tuned. Obviously, those on your list are wonderful players, but Hohmann is a player well worth watching. Hope you get the chance. Have a good one.

I think you said it best that he is defintely a player to watch. Players have to work their way up and he is hungry for sure.

I could probably add a few more Pinos to CantEverWin's list.

I have much respect for Gallego, Alcano, Parica, Luat, Andam and
just a couple months ago a local fillipino transplant said that there is
a new young guy that is tearing it up.

Even in america there are a few guys stepping up that might have to be moved up a level when thinking about their games.

I hate to come back to this but all the talk is mute and is destined for
disagreements (which is not bad). Until theres a real tour with decent dollars
with the top player hitting each of them its super tough to decide who plays better.
Heck Hohmann has an advantage with the Euro pool scene more organized than the US.

The Fl tour and the Joss tour seem to get alot of top guys playing consistently.

 

[onepocketchump]

People please, just stop swinging from his nuts. He shoots great. Better than I could ever ask to, but he's not god. He's not the best player in the world. I really don't think anyone in this forum is that ignorant. I'll bet he would admit to it himself. He's 2nd rung, under the elite. AA striving to be that AAA.

Mike

There's no swing from his nuts required. Hohmann is one of the elite. His peers know it. They have said as much. You all just didn't see him until 2003. He was tearing up Germany and Europe long before that. Hohmann was one of the first players to start beating Bustamante regularly in German tournaments. He plays world class nine ball, straight pool and eight ball. He will probably play world class one pocket if he chooses to learn that game.

John

 

[14.1player]

Archer
Efren
Deuel
Strickland
Pagulayan
Busta
Charlie Williams
Jeremy jones
Manalo
Wu
If were going tourneys then you have to throw Gabe in there. Since tourneys mean so much...

With that list you made, you just proved your pool diet consists of ESPN and nothing else.

Have you even watched or followed any Asian 9-Ball Tour, Eurotour, European Pool Championships, WPC, or Matchroom events?

Archer, Hohmann, and Manalo are the form players of the moment. Some of Hohmann's achievements of the past year include 2nd US Open, 2nd Challenge of Champions, EPC 14.1 champion, 3rd EPC 9-ball, 2005 BCA Open Champion, 3rd Predator FL Open.

Efren, Pagulayan and Bustamante have had ordinary results this year, with Bustamante breaking a long losing streak by winning the 2004 World Pool League, and then the Bali Open. In the A9BT, however, as one of the top seeds he has yet to even come close to winning a stop. Efren, although winning Master of the table at DCC, and A9BT Jakarta Leg, has not dominated as he did in 2004, where he was top of the money list by far. Not getting out of the WPC group stages for the first time ever being a surprise.

Strickland has had some poor finishes in events we would expect him to win easily, APN Invitational and Gavle Open being prime examples. And the fact that you put Williams in, what has he won to date?

 

[sjm]

Efren, Pagulayan and Bustamante have had ordinary results this year,

Yowser. Was there a more dominating performance in pool in the past twelve months than that of Efren Reyes at the Derby City Classic, in which he snapped off two of the three tournaments and the all-around championship?

Alex and Francisco -- there, you've got a point.

 

[14.1player]

I think Efren had the most successful year of his life in 2004, winning almost every tournament he entered. What came as a shock this year, was that he only won the one leg of the Asian 9-ball Tour, when last year he dominated the field, winning 3 out of the 5 tour stops. He finished 2nd in the rank behind Yang, having finished 1st in all previous years of the tour's existence. Also his group stage exit at WPC came as a surprise.

But how can I critique the great man, there's still the World 8-Ball crown to defend this year!

 

[sjm]

I think Efren had the most successful year of his life in 2004, winning almost every tournament he entered. What came as a shock this year, was that he only won the one leg of the Asian 9-ball Tour, when last year he dominated the field, winning 3 out of the 5 tour stops. He finished 2nd in the rank behind Yang, having finished 1st in all previous years of the tour's existence. Also his group stage exit at WPC came as a surprise.

But how can I critique the great man, there's still the World 8-Ball crown to defend this year!

Derby City was in 2005, but I know where you're coming from, and you're right. Efren's very ordinary results on the San Miguel tour and his disappointing WPC still add up to a mediocre year by his standards.

World 8-ball title? That will belong to either Mike Sigel or Loree Jon Jones on August 20. I guess Efren's got the winner, LOL.

 

[TheOne]

Derby City was in 2005, but I know where you're coming from, and you're right. Efren's very ordinary results on the San Miguel tour and his disappointing WPC still add up to a mediocre year by his standards.

World 8-ball title? That will belong to either Mike Sigel or Loree Jon Jones on August 20. I guess Efren's got the winner, LOL.

The world 8 ball champs will be in the middle east, UAE (fujeirah - spelling?) again sometime at the end of this year. The other thing is just a challenge match although he does talk about holding a world 8 ball open championships with a $500,000 first prize!!!

I often joke (big joke) that Efren hasn't been the same since I play him about a week after he conquered all at DCC. He was so shaken he is still trying to recover lol!

 

[sjm]

I often joke (big joke) that Efren hasn't been the same since I play him about a week after he conquered all at DCC. He was so shaken he is still trying to recover lol!

....and you haven't been the same since you came to NYC and practiced with me. You've been playing jam-up pool ever since! Hope to see you in these parts again real soon.

Finally, your listed location cracked me up!

 

[sjm]

The world 8 ball champs will be in the middle east, UAE (fujeirah - spelling?) again sometime at the end of this year. The other thing is just a challenge match although he does talk about holding a world 8 ball open championships with a $500,000 first prize!!!

Are you absolutely sure?

 

[14.1player]

Efren won the WPA 8-ball World Championship last year in the UAE. Its pretty clear the IPT match above is not sanctioned by the WPA, and so we'll have 2 8-ball champions, Efren and Sigel, except Efren went through a field of world class players to win it.

On the WPA calendar on www.wpa-pool.com the 2005 World 8-ball Championships is scheduled for 8-14 Nov, in Fujairah, UAE.

 

[huckster]

Just what pool game do you consider tough? There is a straight pool player from Cleveland but I believe is now living in Detroit named Leil Gay. Having never played One-Hole in his life, he went to one of the U.S. Open One-Pocket tournaments in Kalamazoo and won it. Does this meen one-hole is just not a very tough game for any good pool player?
Dick

"Never played One-Hole in his life" ???? Did J.R tell you that before he emptied you??

 

[vapoolplayer]

.................

 

[JrockJustin]

Are you absolutely sure?

I second it... an even bigger pay out is soon coming, Riley is correct...

 

[TheOne]

Efren won the WPA 8-ball World Championship last year in the UAE. Its pretty clear the IPT match above is not sanctioned by the WPA, and so we'll have 2 8-ball champions, Efren and Sigel, except Efren went through a field of world class players to win it.

On the WPA calendar on www.wpa-pool.com the 2005 World 8-ball Championships is scheduled for 8-14 Nov, in Fujairah, UAE.

Forgive me but how can the best man (arguably since efren is the current world champ?) v the best women (dont know if there is a current womens 8 ball champ?) be called the 8 ball world championships? Isn't that a little like the old joke about how many of the sports in America are called the "world series" but only a handful fo countries participate?

I have been dying for 8 ball on the 9fts to take off as I think making 9 ball the game of choice amongst pro's when the game of 8 ball is the most widely played and understood game of cuesports in the world was a real marketing own goal. This event is surely just a PR event to launch the new 8 ball tour? I surely hope it works out but lets not for one minute think that the winner of this one off match deserves to be called 8 ball world champion! They need to beat a world class field or at the very least Mr Reyes before they can be claiming that prize?

PS
Thanks SJM, wont be long if I survive that long, and its so tru btw! I pleased you laughed, that was the aim ;-)

 

[JrockJustin]

Forgive me but how can the best man (arguably since efren is the current world champ?) v the best women (dont know if there is a current womens 8 ball champ?) be called the 8 ball world championships? Isn't that a little like the old joke about how many of the sports in America are called the "world series" but only a handful fo countries participate?

I have been dying for 8 ball on the 9fts to take off as I think making 9 ball the game of choice amongst pro's when the game of 8 ball is the most widely played and understood game of cuesports in the world was a real marketing own goal. This event is surely just a PR event to launch the new 8 ball tour? I surely hope it works out but lets not for one minute think that the winner of this one off match deserves to be called 8 ball world champion! They need to beat a world class field or at the very least Mr Reyes before they can be claiming that prize?

I totally agree with you there Riley and do believe that it is primarily a PR event with intentions of bringing back the most known and played pool game in the world, 8-ball.I don't know why they are calling it the world 8-ball championships either since only 2 players are participating. I guess it is just another ploy to boost ratings world wide. I doubt I would even watch this event because their is no thrill involved. If the players earned their way up through a tournament to reach this plateau than maybe I would be more entertained. Not taking anything away from these two outstanding players but they definitely didn't earn the right to be in this match called a world championships of 8-ball...

 

[SplicedPoints]

Archer
Efren
Duell
Strickland
Pagulyan
Busta
Charlie Williams
Jeremy jones
Manalo
Wu

I would definately take out Jeremy Jones and Charlie Williams on that list. Charlie Williams might be too busy with his business to put in enough practice time, and it shows. He hasn't won anything big and didn't make it past the group stages at the WPC with a pretty lousy record. Jones is a solid player, but from the matches I've watched, he is a bit off from the elite players. Duell is kind of inconsistent, as with Bustamante recently.

Try adding a few more Taiwanese players and European players in that list, they're outperforming some of the players in that list on a regular basis. Players like Chao, Yang, Kuo, and Chang (whom just won in Europe beating Hohman).

Wu will be playing in some tournaments in the States this year.