If only the balls fell like Austin's tears.
- Thread starter bumpypickle
- Start date
jasonlaus said:
I can't speak for Tim, but IMO....
No not sitting around playing vid games, but just being a kid. He doesn't have to forsake pool, just don't sacrifice the rest of what goes with being a kid. Personally, if my kids had happend to be prodigies in something, including football, baseball, I'd encourage them to diversify and taste a broader spectrum of life. Likewise if my kids had been mental giants, I would have encouraged them to get their noses out of the books and experience other things.
That, I think, is what Tim is getting at, in the grand scheme of life, pool or any other single diversion just isn't that important.
What is a shame?
is that Billiards is not treated as a sport.
is that Pro players can not make a living like other professional sports.
is that we don't have Billiards in Jr and Sr High as competition, and in the Olympics.
Austin, from what I have heard, is a fine player, and still learning, as most 14 year olds would be. But, irregardless of talent, kids develop emotional maturity at different rates. He will come into his own when he matures more.
Just for the record, Mosconi started when he was 3, standing on a wooden box. He won a National Jr. Championship when was 12.
Seems to me another player just came into his own within the last 2 years, his name is Shane Van Boening.
is that Billiards is not treated as a sport.
is that Pro players can not make a living like other professional sports.
is that we don't have Billiards in Jr and Sr High as competition, and in the Olympics.
Austin, from what I have heard, is a fine player, and still learning, as most 14 year olds would be. But, irregardless of talent, kids develop emotional maturity at different rates. He will come into his own when he matures more.
Just for the record, Mosconi started when he was 3, standing on a wooden box. He won a National Jr. Championship when was 12.
Seems to me another player just came into his own within the last 2 years, his name is Shane Van Boening.
He also plays baseball & tennis. Maybe he should go vandalize some buildings, key some cars, or start smoking & drinking would that be better? Did you ever think that maybe pool, tennis, & baseball are things that kids like? or do you mean that he should find something that he isn't good at or has no interest in? stamp collecting perhaps? bird watching? gardening? let me know when i guess right so we can notify AUSTIN.catscradle said:
olauzon said:
All of us, as pool players, regardless of our abilities should be supportive of him and his efforts in the match. Criticizing, putting him down and dismissing his efforts is an absolute disgrace.
He is 14 yrs old, has a lot of talent and should be encouraged by what he reads on here, not be subjected to a lot of the BS that has been posted about his abilities.
I highly doubt many of the people here would have done much better in that setting and against that opponent.
MBTaylor said:
At 28 he would have drilled me even worse. I'm pretty sure Murphy would kick my ass as well. The kid wanted the match to play against his favorite player and even promoted himself around the net and it worked. I voted for him and Efren to try and make it happen. I'm glad he got the match even though others here think it was 'boring'. Some even think this will kill his spirit, but I'd put money on it that it wont. The kid played his hero and won some games period. If I played Efren a race to 15 I'd consider myself a winner if I won just ONE game against him period.
Most people here that are dogging Murphy are doing it for one reason=jealousy.
powerlineman80 said:
I hope that it doesn't have any negative impact on him and that it does nothing but feed his desire to shoot. Hell, everytime I lose a match, it just pisses me off and makes me want to get better so I can chop that person's head off whether it be the next time I play them or a year or so down the road.
Hopefully it shows him what may be possible for his game and that he continues to work hard on his game and become as good as he possibly can.
LMAO, I would consider myself a winner if I even got to break and make a ball. First damn thing I would do after after the match would be to take the cue ball, whether I am allowed to have it or not, and ask him to sign it.
Terry Ardeno said:
What I don't agree about this comparison is that (1) you're implying that all of these people NEVER had a bad showing, and (2) you are picking world champions to compare to Austin. Austin is very talented and has performed very well against tournament winners (e.g. Hill-Hill against Basavitch). To judge Austin's career potential over his showing under incredibly nerve-wracking conditions is not fair imo.
EDIT: I realize you're not judging him, necessarily, but others in the thread are, so my comments go to the general idea being conveyed by some posters.
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Terry Ardeno said:
I am totally supportive of Austin, but I want to point out the fact that just because a child shows talent at a young age, even an IMMENSE leavel of talent, does not mean they have what it takes to be a champion.
Example from another game: Chess. Josh Waitzin was one of the most talented youngsters to ever pick up the chess pieces. Won multiple youth titles.
He never even made Grandmaster. I don't believe he ever even won a U.S. Championship, let alone made an impact on the international scene.
Hikaru Nakamura is another chessplayer. He was the youngest Grandmaster ever. He's won one U.S. Open, one or two other international tournaments, but nothing else indicative of the greater potential shown by his making Grandmaster younger than Bobby Fischer.
All this to say... Terry is right. Cut it out with the expectations. Our young Austin is a fine player, and that in itself is a great accomplishment. Anyone who wishes to support him while he strives for ever greater heights, by all means, do so. But acknowledge the fact that he has taken up a game that he has little chance to make a living at.
We honestly should probably congratulate him whenever he has a good performance, but follow that up with "So whatcha studying in school, Austin?", in a friendly tone. Let's always try to make it clear to Austin that we hope for him to be successful in life outside of pool, as well.
Russ
beetle said:
Beetle,
I appreciate your input in this thread.
As for me "implying that all these people NEVER had a bad showing", I can't see that in my post. To clarify, the people I mentioned did have bad showings from time to time. However, they were BEATING enough big names in exhibitions often enough that when they matched up, it was anybody's guess who would win. In other words, they won so many times that people kept booking exhibitions so others could see these kids prodigious talents. Surely they also lost some, but they won far more, and that's why they had so many exhibitions booked for so long. If they always got blown out, who would want to see them?
This is not to disparage Austin's talent or potential. But let's be equally fair to the other kids who were his age or younger who did somehow manage to do great exploits. Because Austin was not successful THIS time should not negate the great accomplishments of those we've mentioned when they were his age or younger.
Also, since he is such a strong talent at such a young age, what better yardstick to measure his progress so far than the other mega-talents when they were his age. To be compared with the Mosconi's, Greenleaf's and Mizerak's is very flattering, don't you think?
One thing is for sure. If Austin Murphy has another one of these big time match ups, can you imagine how the pressure of going thru that match with Efren has probably seasoned him! I think he'll be even stronger next time because lots of the "butterflies" won't be there next time. If he's the "real thing", the pressure he just experienced will help steel his nerves and his resolve to be the best.
Again, time will tell the story here.
Russ Chewning said:
Russ,
When I first read your reply, I grabbed my chest like Fred Sanford and staggered around in my chair! I never thought I would live long enough to see you agree with me on anything, pool or otherwise!
I was wrong....Thanks for helping clarify my thoughts. My posts can easily get long winded and I often am thankful for an "interpreter"!
Also, I didn't know you followed chess! You're right on all those you mentioned. Personally, I've been rooting for Gata Kamsky to do well, since he's know living in Brooklyn. He has an upcoming match scheduled with Veselin Topalov that is really going to press him.
That last sentence in your post is something that should be said to every aspiring pool talent. Very well stated!
