I copied these 3 posts from another thread here on AZB re: this same subject. I think they were exceptionally insightful.
(Hope this don't violate no copyright infringements....
)
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Today, 06:03 AM
jay helfert
Hollywood 10-Ball 5/24-25
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Quote:
I stayed off this thread for a long time, but this post got me motivated to respond.
I've watched Austin develop over the last few years and he has a lot of potential as a player. Will he make it to the top remains to be seen. Among the very young players I give Landon and Chuckie the best chance at pool stardom. They seem better suited to handle the rigors of pro pool. I wish Austin the best, but he needs to develop a little more maturity as a player. Getting upset will only hurt your game, not improve it.
As far as the young filipinos are concerned, I've seen several in the 14-16 year old range who could give Efren problems RIGHT NOW! He would have to get down and play his best to win. Efren would be the favorite over these filipino kids, but they wouldn't be nervous and they wouldn't fear him. They would be trying hard to beat him. And they have some serious firepower as well, and Efren knows it! He knows who they are better than me.
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Last edited by jay helfert : Today at 06:07 AM.
#145 Today, 08:19 AM
JB Cases
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You're right about the Filipino kids Jay! But that brings up the question of environment. Those kids are among the very best in the world all the time so the "training" they get is tougher than any other place on Earth. The only other place that is close is Taiwan.
In the USA our kids are taught to lay down to trap opponents in order to keep the action flowing. Our kids go to tournaments and they are treated as circus freaks rather than serious competitiors.
Austin will go one of two directions, either he will bear down and put in the work and get as far as his talent will take him or he will quit. Pool is not a matter of survival for Austin as it is with so many others, including a lot of the Filipino kids.
It's a different story when your existence hangs on the game.
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#146 Today, 09:13 AM
cuetechasaurus
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In my humble opinion, I think that Austin should have waited until he was a little bit older and more mature as a player to play Efren in this setting. I have seen Austin play, and the kid plays STRONG! I don't think that he is pro level. He is a good shortstop, and that says alot for someone who is 14 years old.
I really think it would have been better if Austin just challenged Reyes to a small money game at some tournament later on down the line. I wanted to see two champions battling it out, not a mismatch. And the reason why it was a mismatch is because a group of people voted for Austin 100x per day.
He needs to get a reputation before he belongs in a challenge match of this sort, playing someone like Efren. I don't think Austin was selfish, but I really don't think he deserved to play.
I hope I'm not talking down on Austin, I am just saying how I really feel about the whole thing. He claimed that he was ready to play Efren, and he really wasnt. Austin was CLEARLY off his game. But when he was campaigning for votes here, he implied that he would pose a challenge to Reyes. He didnt. Instead of a great match, we got a mismatch, so it was a little dissapointing to me.
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