Thanks and understood. Regardless, I hope he regains his championship form. Good luck to Mr. Orcollo.
Question about Jose Parica
- Thread starter Positively Ralf
- Start date
Thanks and understood. Regardless, I hope he regains his championship form. Good luck to Mr. Orcollo.
Parica was the first to show up in America and Efren second. With respect to game they were both monsters. Parica had the better break. Efren the better safety game. In their prime I'm not betting on one against the other. But I would bet on either of them against Godzilla.
Saw Efren give up the nuts many times.One big difference between Efren and Jose
Efren only worried about playing pool and pool only and he always had the best of it.
He never gave up the nuts and if he saw he had the worst of it, he’d quit.
No shame about it because that’s what he was here for.
And, as The Professor said in one of his commentaries, nobody has outrun the nuts like Efren.
Just like Clint Eastwood, to the reporter in "The Unforgiven. "
Well played!
Now for the counterpoint, William F. Bucktooth Jr. of the National Review.
ahhh ummmm ahhh ehhhh.
Keith loved that shirt. It was his lucky shirt.
No, the time Keith beat Parica was in 2003 at the U.S. Open. It was a great match. Jose took the lead at the start, but then Keith dug deep and managed to get the win.
The photo was taken in 2006 at the IPT event in Vegas at the Venetian.
I first saw Parica play in 1984 at Caesars Tahoe nine ball tournament. It was my first exposure to Professional pool. I had the pleasure of watching our Northwest champion, Dan Louie play and defeat Parica on both sides of the double elimination event. Double amazing in that Danny was still on dialysis and made the trip to Reno for it during the tournament. My experience as a cab driver taking patients to and from dialysis showed me how draining the process was. Anyway I got as close as possible to the conversation post match and heard Parica say, "I am not the best player in the Philippines." It was '85 when Caesar Morales er uh Efren first came to the states.
Andam was considered a Tier One player in the Philippines, a level that rarely has more than five or six players in it. Tier One players would have included Efren, Francisco, Dennis, Lee Vann, Carlo Biado, Anton Raga and perhaps a couple of others (maybe Marlon Manalo, Rudolfo Luat, Antonio Lining and Ronnie Alcano) from time to time. Some very good players currently are borderline Tier One, like Johann Chua and Roberto Gomez. Many very good Pinoy players (who can win tournaments here) are Tier Two in the Philippines.
Alex is also Tier One if you include him among Filipinos, but for whatever reason (Canadian citizenship) he is considered a half-half Filipino. To the best of my knowledge no other Pinoy champion is a citizen of another country. They are proud to represent the Philippines!
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Parica's name would be on the list of the ten best pool players I ever saw. So would Efren, Dennis O. Buddy, Sigel, Mizerak and Earl are up there too. Among the old times Lassiter and Worst stand out. There were many other equal or near equal greats that are not so well known like Marvin Henderson, Greg Stevens and Billy Johnson/Wade Crane. Our own Keith belongs in a special category of one! None of the above were as smooth as him, and only Rafael was his equal at making circus shots.
Today's game is a completely different era! Guys like Filler, Gorst et al may just be better than any of the above players, but the equipment has something to do with that. That said, prime years Earl (9-Ball) or Mizerak (14.1), Buddy, Dennis (they know that) and Alex, would have definitely challenged these guys. Again Harold Worst is a special case. I'm confident he could raise his game to any level required to be a winner. He had something inside that is rare in any sport, kind of like a Tom Brady or Patrick Mahommes who will refuse to lose!
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I’d be curious to what you saw as “the nuts”.
I know Efren gave up weight to people but there’s a difference between the two.
I’ve seen the difference in what champions can give people and sometimes it just doesn’t make sense unless you know why.
few know what the nuts are or even what a good game is. that is why the better player almost always wins when gambling. as the weaker player over rates his own speed and doesn't understand how good a top or even an A player can play compared to them.
just by definition you cant out run the nuts.
just by definition you cant out run the nuts.
9-7 and the breaks to Keith.
5 ball and the breaks to Gerry Brunsetter.
6 out to Sergio in Riverside.
15-5 to AL Romero. Al himself told me he had the world. But, Efen outran it.
When Vitor was backing Efren, Efren took all matches that were made. Why wouldn't he?
They flew to play Wetch and CJ Wiley to their home court. Among the many .
PS
I saw Schmidt run over Parica getting 9-7 at Shooters. But, they wanted another ball from Efren. Tells me, Efren was a little.better one holder.
With due respect. None of those sound like the nuts.
Jimmy yes, a lot of players went to play him because he was a decent score at home. I absolutely know Efren never went looking for CJ. CJ was a different animal back then.
That doesn’t say much because they didn’t play so we don’t know anything about that.
Buddy Hall lost to quite a few guys giving up the 7, 8 and the breaks. Cornbread Red robbed the same people at the same game and was older than Buddy.
Efren lost to people but he would quit quicker than shit. He never looked at a losing game long at all.
He had mouths to feed back home. I hope you’re not taking any of this wrong because I’m friends with most of the Filipinos as I know you are too.
Except Efren gave him two games on the wire to 17 in Dallas.
CJ said here Efren actually broke better than he did that night.
I don't know what spot Bugs Rucker had, but it took Efren 3 nights to beat him.
I’ll check with CJ about he and Efren. I know he’s always said he was looking to play Efren.
I know it was a few years after Efren came to the States before he even started playing one pocket then it was mid 90’s before he started playing like a champion. Bugs was 16 years older so he was pushing 60 by then.
Well, according to him, he's played him several times.I’ll check with CJ about he and Efren. I know he’s always said he was looking to play Efren.
I know it was a few years after Efren came to the States before he even started playing one pocket then it was mid 90’s before he started playing like a champion. Bugs was 16 years older so he was pushing 60 by then.
The only I know of is the one when Vitor and Efren flew there to play him.
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We have both seen so many amazing players over the years. I only saw videos of Lassiter and he was older, never seen anything with Worst playing.
I agree with just about everything you say, I do feel the need to toss Rags name in the mix because my buddy George spoke so reverently of him , and he was not big on compliments, I wish I could have seen him play. George told me he was enough better than everyone else that it wasn't even a question among other players.
Also the Mysterious Phillipino guy who was a legend over there but couldn't get in the US. I can't remember his name, he must have been something else. .
I believe like you, that the equipment changes were so big that they changed the dynamics of the games , It is still a ball going in a hole though, and I am as sure as I can be that guys like Orcollo Filler and Gorst and others ,would have been just as good in 1965, as they are today.
My big question is how the players of the 20th century would have done on this new equipment, Some of those guys, Sigel comes to mind , used the whole pocket and about a foot of the rail to make balls . You can forget that today, The pockets are smaller the shelfs cut deeper, I think some of those olden guys would have had a terrible time on this new equipment. I have to give Earl Strickland a lot of credit, he had so many things against him with the equipment and father time and he still plays at a high level. He's number 8 of all US players, that's amazing!
I picked Efren based on many things, most of all , his dominance over all of his competition for over 30 years.
No matter who was the greatest, Efren advanced the games farther than anyone else imo, he was making kick shots in the hole or to a dead safety , when most champions were just trying to hit the ball, of course they had to get better and did. He mastered the tit shots before anyone else , the rail first banks in one pocket. Nobody was shooting those back in the 70s, before him they were just trick shots when you got bored, he made them viable weapons. Any pool room you go in and watch good players at one pocket, you keep seeing Efrens shots and moves over and over, No one knew where to leave him , because he always had a return shot that made you sick that you chose that spot to leave him in.
I do think his break especially at 9 ball was a big deficit, but he still beat all of the other champions despite it, that is hard to believe actually , because when you ask any great player what is the most important part of the game , it's always the break.
If he had the break of Wade Crane , Tony Ellin or Shannon Daulton, well, who knows.
And please everyone, I am a huge fan of Jose Parica, don't make it something it is not. I just reread this and realized we both slept "The Lion". He was one of the few guys that pushed Efren, an amazing player and worthy of any conversation about the "Greats"
I have one Parica story I think most will like. I watched him spotting a very well known player, I can't remember the spot exactly , but it was serious, like the last 3 or something like that in a race to 7, They were both playing one handed but Jose had to play jacked up.
Jose just ran out every game like he was using 2 hands , I would have bet every dime I could get my hands on , no one could play that well jacked up, especially someone his height . Maybe 5'4" ?
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many made a lot of money jacked up. i remember when guys would tell the player just leave him in the middle of the table when in a one handed game.
just made the shot easier if jacked up in the middle than a longer on the rail one handed shot. still few understand how to spot against a one handed player.
i remember miami playing a road guy nine ball in his room in paterson. and stuck pretty good even game. so miami said,, give me the 8,,, and ill play one handed and raise the bet a little. got all his money back and then some. hows that.
just made the shot easier if jacked up in the middle than a longer on the rail one handed shot. still few understand how to spot against a one handed player.
i remember miami playing a road guy nine ball in his room in paterson. and stuck pretty good even game. so miami said,, give me the 8,,, and ill play one handed and raise the bet a little. got all his money back and then some. hows that.
I was at Reds when Cesear Morales (Efren Arrived) He beat everyone/but.I’ll check with CJ about he and Efren. I know he’s always said he was looking to play Efren.
I know it was a few years after Efren came to the States before he even started playing one pocket then it was mid 90’s before he started playing like a champion. Bugs was 16 years older so he was pushing 60 by then.
Before his second to last match he played ''all puffed up'' Medina some 9 ball and ran over em.
Then, the Bullfrog, waiting for the Pinoy to wear down via his prior wins, took em down.
Buddy Hall
While working at the BCA trade show, I got to meet and talk with Eddie Taylor/Knoxville Bear.
It's unimaginable how many banks he made in a row.
Broke and banked 4 racks of 9 ball, then 1 more in the 5th rack.
Reason I mention him was his demeanor/character.
What a humble, happy, considerate/calm/smiling/unassuming person with great spirt/character.
I felt it was unfair that it was a ''trade show'' and the public never got to see this man like I did.
I don't think.... any player from any generation, would of enjoyed playing this man any game for the cash.
It's unimaginable how many banks he made in a row.
Broke and banked 4 racks of 9 ball, then 1 more in the 5th rack.
Reason I mention him was his demeanor/character.
What a humble, happy, considerate/calm/smiling/unassuming person with great spirt/character.
I felt it was unfair that it was a ''trade show'' and the public never got to see this man like I did.
I don't think.... any player from any generation, would of enjoyed playing this man any game for the cash.
In what I believe to have been 1996, Andam's world ranking went as high as #2. He was a very tough out.