Unless you're a big dog like SVB/Gorst sponsorship deals aren't real big.
Predator Wisconsin 10 Ball
- Thread starter Joe_Jaguar
- Start date
i've come around too. mostly because of the table being challenging enough, the shot clock and the free, well produced stream. mark and tony gets thumbs up too.
yapp or kaci will win this
While I don't like the shootouts, I love the short races. I also love the fact that they play on the shot clock. It is the short races that make the Mosconi Cup so great. In a short race, every shot is magnified. I do feel, however, that it should be alternate break.
All that said, it is not clear to me why this format would attract a different type of pool fan. Two short races with a tiebreaker is not new --- it was always the format at the Challenge of Champions, which I wouldn't say drew a different type of fan than other events.
Lee Vann vs Kazakis
I agree it should be alternate breaks for short races.
As a pool player, I prefer a 10 ball event like this where there is call pocket. 9 ball to me, is for a broader audience where slops count as entertainment. Not quite sure if this answers your last question ... maybe you were getting at something else.
I think about the objective a little differently than attracting a "different type of fan." Forget non pool players. That's a nut that imo will never get cracked and is not worth our attention.
Think of a pool-engagement bell curve kind of like the Fargo Rating distribution that has in just in the US maybe 500,000 people. These are the people with pool as part of their life in some way. A ton on the bottom third of the bell --rated under 350 in pool enthusiasm--have heard of the most famous pool players; you know, the Black Widow and Paul Newman. A ton in the middle--450 or so-- have heard of Efren Reyes or Shane Van Boening in addition. A ton in the upper middle--550-- have heard of Mosconi cup but would be shocked to hear US players don't dominate the world. As we go up the curve there are fewer and fewer people. The 650s watch some pool streams and are aware when Derby City is going on. Then you get to us--the elite, the consciente. We're like the 700+ Fargo Rating of pool enthusiasts.
A worthy goal, imo, and the right way to move forward, is to try to get the 675s to be engaged more like the 700s are now and the 650s to move up to 675 in engagement. When we get down to the fat part of the distribution, it would be good if they see Gorst and so "oh, I've seen him; he's from Moscow." We're trying to get to where the typical average league player has the FargoRate APP in their hand because that is how they see their league stats. And it has the US Top 100 list and the World Top 100 list right there. We want them to realize so-and-so from the next county over is on the US list. When this pump gets primed, it starts doing the work because a few people at league and in the weekly tournament know more and they tend to bring the others along.
The format being more engaging is about THIS, imo. And everytime a person watches two matches instead of one or finishes a match instead of moving on or alerts a friend to something interesting it is a baby step in this collective mountain moving...
Yes, call shot is a lure for the die-hard fan, but it also makes the game harder to follow and it eliminates some of the most imaginative multi-purpose shots. I think Garczar is suggesting that this version of pool will attract fans who aren't serious about pool. I'm not saying he's wrong, but I can't see why this would be the case.
Well said. The jury is out and we'll see if this format is more engaging.
The first couple of times I watched this format I thought the shoot out was stupid. Now that I have seen more it's growing on me. The entire room stopped to watch Oi make 14 to beat Atencio's 13, the stream should be able to cover that and probably will in the future.
The other thing is the shoot out takes away the lucky roll on missed shot when hill/hill.
The best players end up winning....until just now when the pressure got to Yapp.
The other thing is the shoot out takes away the lucky roll on missed shot when hill/hill.
The best players end up winning....until just now when the pressure got to Yapp.
Enjoyed watching tonight
Congrats to Alexander Kazakis.
Nearly fell of my chair when the commentator suggested that this was the first major of Alex Kazakis' career. This was no major and the field was much easier than that found at the 2021 World Pool Masters, which Kazakis won by beating Shane 9-0 in the final.
The field at Wisconsin, which had just 5 of the top 25 based on Fargo, was far easier than that at the 2021 World Pool Masters, which had 11 of the Top 25 by Fargo rate, a far greater gathering of pool's most elite. Although a few might, I wouldn't even call the World Pool Masters a major, but Wisconsin isn't even close, regardless of the size of the winner's check. To win majors, one must outlast the most elite fields. When Kazakis won the World Pool Masters, all of the top four by Fargo rate were in the field, and it represented a far greater achievement than Wisconsin.
That said, congratulations to Alex Kazakis. Well done!
| Name of Fargo Top 25 Pro | '22 Derby City | '22 Wisconsin | '21 W Pool Masters |
| Joshua Filler | Yes | No | Yes |
| Shane Van Boening | Yes | No | Yes |
| Fedor Gorst | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Jayson Shaw | Yes | No | Yes |
| Francisco Sanchez Ruiz | Yes | No | No |
| Dennis Orcollo | No | No | No |
| Jung Lin Chang | No | No | No |
| Eklent Kaci | No | Yes | Yes |
| Carlo Biado | Yes | No | No |
| Aloysius Yapp | No | Yes | No |
| Albin Ouschan | Yes | No | Yes |
| Alex Pagulayan | Yes | No | No |
| Niels Feijen | No | No | Yes |
| Naoyuki Oi | Yes | No | Yes |
| Wojciech Szewczyk | No | No | No |
| Alex Kazakis | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Johann Chua | No | No | No |
| Wiktor Zielinski | Yes | No | No |
| James Aranas | No | No | No |
| Mario He | Yes | Yes | No |
| David Alcaide | Yes | No | Yes |
| Mark Gray | No | No | No |
| Mike Dechaine | No | No | No |
| Sky Woodward | Yes | No | Yes |
| Jeffrey Ignacio | No | No | No |
| Fargo Top 25 Entrants | 14 | 5 | 11 |
The field at Wisconsin, which had just 5 of the top 25 based on Fargo, was far easier than that at the 2021 World Pool Masters, which had 11 of the Top 25 by Fargo rate, a far greater gathering of pool's most elite. Although a few might, I wouldn't even call the World Pool Masters a major, but Wisconsin isn't even close, regardless of the size of the winner's check. To win majors, one must outlast the most elite fields. When Kazakis won the World Pool Masters, all of the top four by Fargo rate were in the field, and it represented a far greater achievement than Wisconsin.
That said, congratulations to Alex Kazakis. Well done!
imbillmoney
Registered
Does anyone have a link to the completed final 16 bracket?
At the bottom here https://usproseries.fargorate.com/bracket/9
That’s funny. Obviously uninformed. I think pool has a problem defining what is one of “The Majors” and what is “a major”.
I feel like “The Majors” is World Pool Championship, US Open, Derby City Classic, and maybe a couple more events that have a strong tradition and clearly identify who is a world champion caliber player. Things like the UK Open is likely to be one very soon.
I feel like “a major” tournament is just another word for any tournament with pro level competition present. That could be the Predator series, Turning Stone, Swanee, NBL, Super Billiards Expo, etc.
imbillmoney
Registered
That seems like it’s the full bracket that isn’t complete cause they re drew at the final 16 right?
Am I missing something?
Thanks!
imbillmoney
Registered
Nvm I see it lol
I believe he said major event that was not an invitational, even though he did mention Kazakis win at the WPM. You are right that the WPM was a more competitive field over which Kazakis won, but the commentator Tony Robles was technically correct and he is a great commentator also. Maybe not at the level as JJ but he was good and provided great commentary.