Hohmann??
- Thread starter Cornerman
- Start date
Cornerman said:
BCA Open Champion
Sudden death 7 ball (I know its 7ball
)World Pool League Champion
European 14.1 Champion
That's four titles this year. I think Hohmann is so highly touted because of his young age, at 25 years old he hasn't reached his full potential yet but he is already playing on the same level as other top pros.
Hohmann has only been known since 2003, and he immediately gained a steady following after winning the WPC showing no signs of nerves. His fundamentals are perfect, he shoots as straight as Dennis Hatch did when he was a world beater. Hohmann seems to be much more consistent than most other young up and coming players. John Schmidt is an incredible player, but the last few matches I've seen him play, he wasn't playing that well. I've seen alot of Hohmann matches and he shoots at the same level all the time. People see how consistent he is and think that his game can go nowhere but up.
Hohmann not elite? Let's get real. In this decade, only two players have consistently stepped up to the plate when the pressure is greatest, Thorsten Hohmann and Alex Pagulayan.
In the last three years alone, Hohmann owns a WPC title, a BCA Open title, and a 2nd place in the US Open. His domination of the 2003 NJ Straight Pool Championships had some of the legends of the game describing him as playing some of the greatest straight pool they had ever seen. His performance in the European Straight Pool Championships this year, in which his combined score against six opponents was about 750 - 60 (best guess) rates as one of the greatest ever performances in competition. As noted earlier in this thread, he is experienced in eight ball.
The slow cloth will make no difference at all in this event, and the new guard will shine.
I cannot disagree that it's possible that, in such an elite field, Hohmann will fail to get through the first round, but what player in the field brings stronger credentials to the table than Hohmann? For my money, nobody.
Who cares who was playing well five years ago? What matter is who is elite today, and Hohmann is the very definition of elite. His fellow pros that I've chatted with seem to agree.
Of course, the deck is stacked in favor of the hall of famers, but I think the stars of today will have their way with the old guard. Looking forward to finding out if I'm right or wrong.
In the last three years alone, Hohmann owns a WPC title, a BCA Open title, and a 2nd place in the US Open. His domination of the 2003 NJ Straight Pool Championships had some of the legends of the game describing him as playing some of the greatest straight pool they had ever seen. His performance in the European Straight Pool Championships this year, in which his combined score against six opponents was about 750 - 60 (best guess) rates as one of the greatest ever performances in competition. As noted earlier in this thread, he is experienced in eight ball.
The slow cloth will make no difference at all in this event, and the new guard will shine.
I cannot disagree that it's possible that, in such an elite field, Hohmann will fail to get through the first round, but what player in the field brings stronger credentials to the table than Hohmann? For my money, nobody.
Who cares who was playing well five years ago? What matter is who is elite today, and Hohmann is the very definition of elite. His fellow pros that I've chatted with seem to agree.
Of course, the deck is stacked in favor of the hall of famers, but I think the stars of today will have their way with the old guard. Looking forward to finding out if I'm right or wrong.
i'm sure Corey was just simplifying. Regardless, Corey knows what he's talking about. Argue semantics if you want, but the man can play and that does all the talking I need to hear.
Shorty said:
Cornerman said:
Hohmann didn't even break a sweat thrashing Marlon Manalo at the BCA Open. He led 9 - 1 at one point en route to an 11 - 6 victory.
Hohmann even managed 5th at the WPC this year despite playing the entire event with bronchitis. Yes, I know, Manalo was 3rd.
Let me know when Manalo starts beating the superstars of pool when the game's biggest titles are in his sights.
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I think Manalo will be right up there beating some of our faves very soon... This thread makes me a little dumbfounded, because I like to see someone very intelligent and capable play pool... Hohmann is both. He also exhibits some of the best discipline and sportsmanship of any pool player ever. I look for him to be at the top for a long time, and not talking about IPT.
Manalo consecutively beating Django and Efren in the 2004 WPC and placing 3rd in this year's WPC isn't enough? Also, him placing 2nd in last year's WPC 8ball championships, beating out Pagulayan in the semifinals and a whole mess of superstars before that point is still not enough? Okay, so you may think that Hohmann is better than Manalo, which is understandable, but it seems like you're just not giving Manalo the respect he deserves. In the 1st Round Bracket Picks thread in the IPT forum, you didn't even pick Manalo to make it among the top 3 in his group. Do you just not think that Manalo is any good? Seems so from your posts.sjm said:
jsp said:
I was reacting to the statements that Manalo is the hottest player in pool and that Hohmann is not one of the superelite. I consider both of them to be among the elite, but Hohmann's credentials are superior to those of Manalo. No doubt, Manalo should be ready to claim his first major title soon, as he's a wonderful player.
Gabber said:
Thanks. I mean, that's what I thought.
Sniper and LastTwo, you answered what I was thinking. That he looks like he's on his way to be one of the head of the pack.
SJM, it's not that I disagree with you, it's just that I watched him in person a few times and I don't get that same "elite" feeling apparently. Maybe I haven't seen him in top form. And I know I keep talking about the BCA like it's a cakewalk, but it's tough to point to that event when they have the easiest equipment year after year.
When people talk about controlled, mechanical, within himself etc., he certainly is all of that, but the elite of those words IMO is Fong-Pang Chao, who won again at the Challenge of Champions. When he's in his groove, which seems to be every time I watch him live, that guy exudes eliteness. That's what I'm talking about. Maybe one day, I'll have the pleasure of seeing it in Hohmann. I just haven't yet, and I've watched him play more than I've seen Chao. That's why I'm asking if I've missed something. I think you're telling me I have.
Fred
Cornerman said:
Chao is a monster when he gets going, but I have even more respect for Yang's game. He strikes the ball more solidly, and his cueball controll is just as precise. I would love to see a marathon ahead-set between Yang and Manalo for some serious money. Who else would pay to see that, huh? I'm drooling just thinking of it.
The Baby's Arm
Banned
Thorsten is one of the best players on the planet, but he and Ralf went to downtown Athens with us a few years back and he almost puked when I bought him a shot of chilled Crown. He needs to practice a lot before he can be considered an elite drinker.
Fred,Cornerman said:
Not to get into semantics or name-calling here... But when I mentioned you were dead wrong, I was referring to Hohmann's 8 ball background primarily, which apparently you were unaware of.
I'd also disagree with you on the elite issue. I quite simply cannot conceive of a world champion, a BCA champion, a U.S. Open runner-up, a 400 hundred ball runner (and that does count though not in itself, perhaps), and a #4 ranked player in the world who beats Archer 7-0 (the latter one of those you consider "elite") as not "elite." You also seem to think of Bustamante as an elite player, but *Bustamante* has no majors under his belt. Hohmann does.
I guess the question is, what is your standard for "elite"?