Question about incredible shot...

[TheBigLebowski]

Hi Keith,
I have two questions for you.
First, I was watching a match between Efren and Earl and it was a fantastic match. Tied at twelve, Efren, going for a safety, accidentally pocketed the 5, i believe, as it caromed off the 6, leaving the cueball in jail down table and the 6 frozen on the middle of the short rail. He then proceeded to uncork the best shot I've witnessed on a pool table, kicking at the 6 back, forth, then back again, and pocketed the 6. (I really hope you know what shot I'm talking about. It's tough to describe a shot in words.) At the end of the match, Strickland said that in all his years of playing, that shot has been pocketed only twice by one of his opponents. By Efren, and by you. My question is what's the story behind that match and that shot?

Next question. Did you get tired of people asking you if it was like a nightmare? I deal blackjack, and when Jerry Macguire came out, it took all I had to not tear my hair out everytime someone said, 'Show me the money!.'
That must have been quite an honor having Tom Cruise co-star to you in that movie.

Thanks for the posts.

The Other Keith

 

[jazzn4444]

Next question. Did you get tired of people asking you if it was like a nightmare? I deal blackjack, and when Jerry Macguire came out, it took all I had to not tear my hair out everytime someone said, 'Show me the money!.'
That must have been quite an honor having Tom Cruise co-star to you in that movie.

Thanks for the posts.

The Other Keith[/QUOTE]

And I guess for you "it kept getting worse"? Sorry guys...Had to!
That sounds like an incredible shot. Where do I have to go to get the footage?

 

[stolz2]

I have that match on tape, its a great shot. Another great one is when earl beats nick varner 11-0 Nick never really has a chance. Nick Varner was the number 1 player at that time and the pearl just works him over.

Mack

 

[azhousepro]

That was from a Reno Open years ago. It is a very well known shot. The video is available at accu-stats.com

Mike

That sounds like an incredible shot. Where do I have to go to get the footage?

 

[jazzn4444]

That was from a Reno Open years ago. It is a very well known shot. The video is available at accu-stats.com

Mike

Thanks Mike. Is there any specific catalog number I should be looking for?

 

[TheBigLebowski]

Wow...

Another great one is when earl beats nick varner 11-0 Nick never really has a chance. Nick Varner was the number 1 player at that time and the pearl just works him over.

Mack


That sounds like quite a match. The Varner and Strickland. Is that on accustats as well? Was Strickland running rack after rack? You know, come to think of it, I've watched several matches on espn and elswhere, but I've never seen anyone run several racks. As in 6 or more. Is this very rare for the pros? I mean, of course you have to be shooting good, but gotta get a little lucky here and there to run and run. Would like to see that match tho.

Do you remember the most you've run Keith?

 

[DoomCue]

Thanks Mike. Is there any specific catalog number I should be looking for?

Mine says S21-11. It's from the Sands Regency Open XXI, finals, 1995.

-djb

 

[fxskater]

Yeah that shot always amazes me. I have seen better shots before for actual skill involved, but that shot is still the most amazing to me. Picture it in you Mind's eye for a moment. Hill-Hill in the finals of one of the biggest tournaments, with only 4 balls left on the table (i think) to have to kick, twice across the table, at a ball nearly frozen in the middle of the back rail. It was incredible!

 

[stolz2]

Another great one is when earl beats nick varner 11-0 Nick never really has a chance. Nick Varner was the number 1 player at that time and the pearl just works him over.

Mack


That sounds like quite a match. The Varner and Strickland. Is that on accustats as well? Was Strickland running rack after rack? You know, come to think of it, I've watched several matches on espn and elswhere, but I've never seen anyone run several racks. As in 6 or more. Is this very rare for the pros? I mean, of course you have to be shooting good, but gotta get a little lucky here and there to run and run. Would like to see that match tho.

Do you remember the most you've run Keith?

Yes, he runs 5 or 6 racks, He just plays perfect shape every shot, and makes 2-3 balls on every break. Nick only has a few chances, and they where after earl played great safe's. I have yet to see a better played accu tape.

Mack

 

[Jon]

Yes, he runs 5 or 6 racks, He just plays perfect shape every shot, and makes 2-3 balls on every break. Nick only has a few chances, and they where after earl played great safe's. I have yet to see a better played accu tape.

Mack

What is the number for that tape, i can find it through Accu-Stats search thing...

Thanks,

Jon

 

[sixpack]

Another great one is when earl beats nick varner 11-0 Nick never really has a chance. Nick Varner was the number 1 player at that time and the pearl just works him over.

Mack


That sounds like quite a match. The Varner and Strickland. Is that on accustats as well? Was Strickland running rack after rack? You know, come to think of it, I've watched several matches on espn and elswhere, but I've never seen anyone run several racks. As in 6 or more. Is this very rare for the pros? I mean, of course you have to be shooting good, but gotta get a little lucky here and there to run and run. Would like to see that match tho.

Do you remember the most you've run Keith?

There is an accu-stats match of Danny Medina running 9 against I think Billy Incordonia. It's some pretty good shotmaking including a long rail kick-in of the 1 ball to keep the run alive.

Cheers,
Regas

 

[TheBigLebowski]

Wow

There is an accu-stats match of Danny Medina running 9 against I think Billy Incordonia. It's some pretty good shotmaking including a long rail kick-in of the 1 ball to keep the run alive.

Cheers,
Regas

I guess Incordonia could've played in that match and commentated as well pretty easily. Might have to pick that up.

 

[GeraldG]

I have that match on tape, its a great shot. Another great one is when earl beats nick varner 11-0 Nick never really has a chance. Nick Varner was the number 1 player at that time and the pearl just works him over.

Mack

If Earl catches a gear, I don't think anybody in the world can beat him. It's awful tough to beat an opponent that never lets you get out of your chair. What changes that now is the alternating breaks format.....the jury is still out on that for me.

 

[Keith McCready]

First, I was watching a match between Efren and Earl and it was a fantastic match. Tied at twelve, Efren, going for a safety, accidentally pocketed the 5, i believe, as it caromed off the 6, leaving the cueball in jail down table and the 6 frozen on the middle of the short rail. He then proceeded to uncork the best shot I've witnessed on a pool table, kicking at the 6 back, forth, then back again, and pocketed the 6. (I really hope you know what shot I'm talking about. It's tough to describe a shot in words.) At the end of the match, Strickland said that in all his years of playing, that shot has been pocketed only twice by one of his opponents. By Efren, and by you. My question is what's the story behind that match and that shot?

I remember the shot. The difference between Efren's and my shot was I had to call mine. It was similar to Efren's, but Efren didn't have to call his.

It occurred in Richmond, Kentucky, between me and Earl. Earl won it 11 to 10. I missed the 7-ball to win it, and Earl, in his usual form in those days, beat me to the finish line.

Next question. Did you get tired of people asking you if it was like a nightmare? I deal blackjack, and when Jerry Macguire came out, it took all I had to not tear my hair out everytime someone said, 'Show me the money!.' That must have been quite an honor having Tom Cruise co-star to you in that movie.

Actually, it just started growing on me, hearing "It's like a nightmare." I still smile when I hear it.

Working with those great movie people was quite an experience, and it's something that I'll never forget.

 

[stolz2]

What is the number for that tape, i can find it through Accu-Stats search thing...

Thanks,

Jon

The tape just says this hope it helps.

Earl Strickland (11) Nick Varner (0)
efren reyes (11) Allen hopkins (2)
Commentary: Incardona, Wilson, Mathews, Hall
108 min long
Sands regent open XI reno, nv

Mack

 

[turquoisecrazy]

I remember the shot. The difference between Efren's and my shot was I had to call mine. It was similar to Efren's, but Efren didn't have to call his.

It occurred in Richmond, Kentucky, between me and Earl. Earl won it 11 to 10. I missed the 7-ball to win it, and Earl, in his usual form in those days, beat me to the finish line.



Actually, it just started growing on me, hearing "It's like a nightmare." I still smile when I hear it.

Working with those great movie people was quite an experience, and it's something that I'll never forget.

I love that role u play. Ur stroke was just beautiful! They should have asked you again of the other pool movies.

 

[Celtic]

Actually, it just started growing on me, hearing "It's like a nightmare." I still smile when I hear it.

Working with those great movie people was quite an experience, and it's something that I'll never forget.

Funny thing is Kieth you actually acted extremely well in the movie. I guess you were largely playing yourself so simply acting natural was the key to success but you held your own with the likes of Cruise and Newman and that is saying alot. Comparing your acting to say Brett Farve in There's Something About Mary for example as another sports personality in the movies, really no comparison at all between you really looking and acting your part to a tee and him standing like a statue nervous as hell and 100% out of place.

 

[onesocket]

Say what?

Thats just it he wasnt acting. They told him to shoot pool ok what part does he have to act?

 

[Mustache]

The Shot

That shot is the best shot ever, given the situation, the finals, and the tape does not show the true difficulty. You can not the the curve off tghe second rail. The balls were all wrong for natural angles and Efren knew it. He loaded up the cue with high inside and off the second rail it curved a lot. I was lucky enough to be sittin in the secon row directly in line with the angle off that rail. I cannot imagine we will ever see an equal to that shot.

Watching that sent a susrge of energy up you spine, everything seemed unreal for a minute, another world. It wasn't just me who felt so. I remember Pat Fleming sayin the same thing. When I asked Efren about it later he said he just hoped to hit it and didn't like his chances. It was an impossible shot that was made. Too bad the video doesn't capture the true impossibility of it.