Alfredo de Oro?fan-tum said:
I suppose Joe Davis would also qualify if you treat snooker and English billiards as separate disciplines.
Just How Great is Efren Bata Reyes?
- Thread starter AnitoKid
- Start date
I suppose Joe Davis would also qualify if you treat snooker and English billiards as separate disciplines.
PROG8R said:
Both Earl and Mike competed in all those 4 tournaments. Efren won the 2001 Tokyo Open with more than 700 players in the field.
Whether or not Efren got paid the full prize is a separate issue. The fact is he won it.
I've seen both Efren and Parica play three feet away....
I've seen both Parica and Efren play... Efren taught me about BHE..... I saw Parica out out a seven pack play a safety in the eighth rack and then run out and break and run the last rack for a perfect match..... That was some awesome pool; however, the things I watched Efren do eclipses any player that I've ever seen.... It's not even that he's so amazing, even though he is, it's also the seeming ease and free flowing stroke...He doesn't even appear to think, he just executes, but I know for a fact that he is thinking a lot and his unsurpassed ability in one pocket is a testament to how much he does think.... I even have heard that he is pretty good at chess....He's the best player to pick up a cue and many of the best and myself should only hope to be 80% as good as Efren.
I just wish that people wouldn't say that Americans aren't supportive of americans if they think Efren is the $h!t. I happen to think Earl is one of the best players to ever wield a cue also... His attitude used to turn me off to him, but after watching the Mosconi cup and seeing how this champion player was treated by the audience and his teammates, although he was initially out of line for complaining that that one shot was a double kiss, the rest of the attitude that he showed was justified IMO because of the way he was treated by the crowd and his opponents.
I've seen both Parica and Efren play... Efren taught me about BHE..... I saw Parica out out a seven pack play a safety in the eighth rack and then run out and break and run the last rack for a perfect match..... That was some awesome pool; however, the things I watched Efren do eclipses any player that I've ever seen.... It's not even that he's so amazing, even though he is, it's also the seeming ease and free flowing stroke...He doesn't even appear to think, he just executes, but I know for a fact that he is thinking a lot and his unsurpassed ability in one pocket is a testament to how much he does think.... I even have heard that he is pretty good at chess....He's the best player to pick up a cue and many of the best and myself should only hope to be 80% as good as Efren.
I just wish that people wouldn't say that Americans aren't supportive of americans if they think Efren is the $h!t. I happen to think Earl is one of the best players to ever wield a cue also... His attitude used to turn me off to him, but after watching the Mosconi cup and seeing how this champion player was treated by the audience and his teammates, although he was initially out of line for complaining that that one shot was a double kiss, the rest of the attitude that he showed was justified IMO because of the way he was treated by the crowd and his opponents.
lol lol lol
and a terrible speller
CrownCityCorey said:He's a teribble singer
and a terrible speller
SlickRick_PCS said:
Well... Billiards in general were invented in France back in 17th century in the form of something like carom. I have seen almost all of his matches the past decade and i havent seen him making a jump. But, i am with you that hew did it. One? One? Just one?..... You got the point..
SpiderWebComm said:
Hmmm...Willie played jam up for over 40 years and was much more dominant in his era than Reyes has been in this one.
And Willie did it during the absolute hey day fo billiards in America. Most sports have evolved over time where today's athletes...in general...are FAR more advanced than those of 40+ years ago.
But I am not at all sure that is true with pool...primarily because most other sports have risen massively in popularity...and MONEY, whereas pool has been in a steady decline in America anyway, for several decades with only two bumps due to Hustler and TCOM.
When Willie came up most major cities had THOUSANDS of pool halls. There were reportedly over 5,000 in NYC alone.
MANY of those players are today, considered to be the best that have ever played...and not only 14.1 but 9 Ball too.
So I'd have to nominate Willie as being "The Greatest for the Longest."
Regards,
Jim
kgeorgia said:
You got to remember something here, Athenian: Before Carom was even into existance, the English started to create a game that involved a large, green table (reminisant of grass) with balls and big "L" looking shaped clubs called a mace. They turned the mace around (which look like an acutal shaft) so that on long shots, they could pot balls. No wonder on why snooker/English Billiard players have that flat side on their butt portion of their cues. Then when English Billiards transfered over to the other side of the English Channel, the French started to find ways to not pot or "in-off" the balls. So they cushioned the whole rectanguar table to consistantly play cannons and created the Carom games that we play today.
But there is definately one thing that I could back you up there, KG. Bata is definately a pinoy that you will most often not see using a jump cue and always plays "old school": he kicks and pulls kick-safes, he banks, his position play is entirely impeckable, and he will aways have that intelect, calm, down to earth attitude that every fan will magnetize to. There is just no doubt about that.
Efren deserves respect because he plays pool on the edge he sees shots others don't, he attempts shots no self respecting pro would touch (and he makes them) he plays like an aggressive banger ... with world class skill.
I like watching him play because his game is what all pros should be.. go for it.. press... play safe only when you HAVE to.
A lot of top pro's seem to only take a shot if they can't find a good safe.... Efren only plays safe when he can't find a makable shot... not an easy shot... not a tester.. any shot that can go.. if he finds it he will shoot it. The few pros with an eye even in the same ballpark as his might see that shot but would never attempt it. Efren will take it and make it and THAT is why he is so feared. He won't play safe for the sake of playing safe... and when he does play safe your toast.. if he can't find a shot from the spot where he leaves you... no one can.
I like watching him play because his game is what all pros should be.. go for it.. press... play safe only when you HAVE to.
A lot of top pro's seem to only take a shot if they can't find a good safe.... Efren only plays safe when he can't find a makable shot... not an easy shot... not a tester.. any shot that can go.. if he finds it he will shoot it. The few pros with an eye even in the same ballpark as his might see that shot but would never attempt it. Efren will take it and make it and THAT is why he is so feared. He won't play safe for the sake of playing safe... and when he does play safe your toast.. if he can't find a shot from the spot where he leaves you... no one can.
PROG8R said:
This video has been mention is this thread already, but to see how dominate Efren is watch the 2006 finals of the DCC one-pocket. The semi's against Alex was also a great match. Just listening to the commentators go crazy over his play goes to show how great of a player he really is. Ask Billy Incardona what he thinks about his game! Billy has seen them all and knows the game as much as just about anyone.
av84fun said:
Willie did dominate in his era more then Reyes, but... First off, I believe most of Mosconi's championships used a round robin format. You know that the better player will do better with this format. One bad match will not cost you the tourney. Also, many of the "championships" in 14.1 were ,in reality, challenge matches between two players. I think Efren would have won many more championships in his career if he only had to play one opponent over a long period of time. Lastly, 14.1 has a much less luck factor then 9-ball. Amongst the top players, certain tournaments are won by the person who breaks the best. One pocket also has much less of a luck factor then 9-ball and see how Efren has done playing that game. He has not done too bad playing 8-ball either!
Plus Efren is nicer then Willie!
rossaroni said:Willie did dominate in his era more then Reyes, but... First off, I believe most of Mosconi's championships used a round robin format. You know that the better player will do better with this format. One bad match will not cost you the tourney. Also, many of the "championships" in 14.1 were ,in reality, challenge matches between two players. I think Efren would have won many more championships in his career if he only had to play one opponent over a long period of time. Lastly, 14.1 has a much less luck factor then 9-ball. Amongst the top players, certain tournaments are won by the person who breaks the best. One pocket also has much less of a luck factor then 9-ball and see how Efren has done playing that game. He has not done too bad playing 8-ball either!
Plus Efren is nicer then Willie!
Excellent points.