Mika Best I've every saw in 60 years.
- Thread starter Johnnyt
- Start date
You're almost right, Johnnyt. Here's how it went, inning by inning:
Inning 1:
No missed shots for Klapp. One missed shot for Immonen. One dry break for each player.
Inning 1:
- Immonen broke and ran 6 games, then broke dry in game #7. Score: 6-0.
- Klatt made 5 balls, then played safe. Score 6-0.
- Immonen slopped in the 8-ball while shooting the 6-ball, then missed a jump shot on the 6-ball. Score: 6-0.
- Klatt ran out the 7th game, then broke and ran 3 games, then broke dry in game #11. Score: 6-4.
- Immonen played safe. Score: 6-4.
- Klatt made a kick hit on the 1-ball, but left a shot. Score: 6-4.
- Immonen ran out game #11, then broke and ran 4 games. Score: 11-4.
No missed shots for Klapp. One missed shot for Immonen. One dry break for each player.
That was an epic match.
I agree. But I think it was moderately flawed in one way. In all 15 games, the breaker broke from the same spot (maybe 10" - 11" to the right of the head spot), played a cut break shot, and made the right-side wing ball in the right-side corner pocket behind the rack 13 out of the 15 breaks.
Sure, it's "fair" because both players can attempt the same thing every time. But is that really the way we'd like to see 9-ball played?
I agree that it does moderately flaw the match. It reminds me of the famous U.S. Open match from 1990 when Varner and Sigel broke from the same spot every game and made the corner ball all 21 times.
Mika played great--he played one of the best matches I've ever seen. But Klatt played great too, and took four straight racks after he finally got to the table. If Klatt wins the lag, he may win the match 11-7 or something like that, given the predictability of the break.
Obviously Klatt is a very good player, but is he great or is it more accurate to say he has recently stepped up his game? I ask only because I saw him at the US Open 10 Ball earlier this year and he seemed like a middle of the pack level player (did not finish in the top 32) and have not heard that much of him until quite recently.
Mika is a Hall of Fame pro.
Very nice summary! I can just visualize it from this alone! Sounds as if Mika's miss was not a "makable" shot ? would it have been 1.0000 rating for both players then ?
nevermind...
I don't want to rain on your parade, but it does look a little tacky to say that Mika is the best you've seen in 60 years after the beating he took last week. Mika is an extrodinary player, but it does look a bit out of place to make the remark you made in the title after he just lost 10 grand + what ever he had on the side last week. Now if the SVB match was last year, then I wouldn't bat an eye to your comment. But we are talking last week.
I think he was quoting Danny Diliberto. It was Diliberto who said it.
However, his resilience is tremendously commendable. He could have been down on his luck after losing to Van Boening, but he has kept his head up.
We could be talking 3 in a row tomorrow night.
If you look at the youtube video shot in Las Vegas when they agreed to play the match. Mika said that he always loses before the U.S. Open.
Just sayin...