Reyes clearly the best ever

W

wincardona

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.

The reason I didn't include 9 ball is the break is too much a factor in the outcome, and when you judge who the best is I can't allow the big breaker to cloud the issue.
 
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wincardona said:
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.
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I would say 75% of the knowledgeable pool world agrees on this,he is the greatest living player.
 
He can play a little 9-ball too.;)

Nobody but NOBODY can get out of being snookered like Reyes- he sees the layout of the table so well.:eek:
 
If they only played games with 15 balls on the table, Efren would dominate to this day.
Be in one-hole, straight-pool, 8-ball or banks.
 
He's a phenom, and THANK GOODNESS he was born into pool. It wouldn't be the same without him.
 
wincardona said:
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.

The reason I didn't include 9 ball is the break is too much a factor in the outcome, and when you judge who the best is I can't allow the big breaker to cloud the issue.
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First, I agree, Billy. Efren is the best ever. I did though like Ronnie's end playing one pocket, like Jay, until the 2006 DCC. That performance put Efren a 10-9 favorite over Ronnie in my mind. Plus you have to consider Efren is 50+ and getting better at one pocket where Ronnie's skills started to deminish at 50. We are extremely lucky to be able to watch the greatest ever and should never miss a chance to better our game by watching.
 
wincardona said:
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.

The reason I didn't include 9 ball is the break is too much a factor in the outcome, and when you judge who the best is I can't allow the big breaker to cloud the issue.
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i recently bought the accustats dvd from the 2006 derby with Efren vs Alex P & Efren vs Jason Miller. (i think you were there Billy :D )

If it is possible to play better 1-hole, i don't see how.

Alex played a very very good game & came off with some great shots. Efren ran him over like a dump truck.

Jason Miller must have been watching the semi final match, or saw the tire marks on Alex's forehead, because he played like he knew he didn't have a chance. And he didn't.

Since you were there Billy, do you remember how many times Efren ran at least 8 during his games?

As you said during the match, i don't think anyone has ever played the game better. Not that i've seen every great 1 pocket player, just that i don't see how it's possible to play at a higher level.
 
The amazing thing about Efren is that even when his game is a bit off and he's struggling (according to him), he still runs out, and wins tournaments.
 
wincardona said:
Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.
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Billy, I agree with most of your post, and I think the consensus on the forum agrees with most of your post, but surely you're not saying Reyes is a better baulk-line player than Frederic Caudron? The guy's strung together baulk-line world championships the way Mosconi used to string 14.1 world championships, absolutely dominating the game.

I hear from carom players that while Efren is a very good carom billiards player, he's not good enough to compete with the top few players.

Anyway, the part about all-around best ever, I can agree with.

-Andrew
 
wincardona said:
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.

The reason I didn't include 9 ball is the break is too much a factor in the outcome, and when you judge who the best is I can't allow the big breaker to cloud the issue.
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Billy

Excellent post! In that thread, I had Efren listed as #4 on my 9 ball list, only because (personally) I was influenced MORE by the players I put above him. However, I do consider him - without question - the best player out of all the players on my 9 ball list, and he is by far the best all around player I have ever witnessed.

Also, FWIW, I don't consider Efren the best "living" player - I consider him the best EVER - mostly because of his superb skills in all disciplines.
 
wincardona said:
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.

The reason I didn't include 9 ball is the break is too much a factor in the outcome, and when you judge who the best is I can't allow the big breaker to cloud the issue.
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Great post. I agree with nearly all of it. Best balkline player? I doubt Efren would ever gamble with Fredric Caudron at balkline.

The one pocket topic is always the hardest. In the 1980's, Eddie Taylor said John "Rags" Fitzpatrick was the best ever, but Rags played the conservative grind-it-out style. Many who've seen him say that for that style of play, Rags was the best. Ronnie played a somewhat more aggressive style and most feel that Ronnie was the best at his style of play. Just as Ronnie had, Efren brought the game of one-pocket to the next level. Rags, Ronnie or Efren? Who's the best ever? I think there is a strong case for all three, but I won't argue with your choice of Efren.

In my view, the only player even worthy of consideration with Efren in the all-around category is Nick Varner, and, with due respect to Nick, he just doesn't measure up to the comparison. Efren is the best ever.
 
Fast Lenny said:
I would say 75% of the knowledgeable pool world agrees on this,he is the greatest living player.
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... and even some of us not-so-knowledgeable members of the pool world would agree.
 
sjm said:
In my view, the only player even worthy of consideration with Efren in the all-around category is Nick Varner, and, with due respect to Nick, he just doesn't measure up to the comparison. Efren is the best ever.
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just curious here.........in 9-Ball, how many World Championships have Efren and Nick won? how many U.S. Open championships have Efren and Nick won? i do know that in 1994 Efren beat Nick in the U.S. Open finals.

DCP
 
wincardona said:
I have been reading opinions on who the best was in all the games,and I personally feel that Reyes was clearly the best all around player that ever jointed a cue. Reyes is in the top 3 of 10 ball players,and could be the best. He is the best 8 ball player ever,best rotation player ever,and the best onepocket player ever.That leaves straight pool,and who knows how many balls he would of run if he played 14.1 regularly?? 1,000 maybe,think about it. Jay thinks Ronnie would be a favorite against Reyes playing one hole,but in my opinion Reyes was a solid ball better.I rarely disagree with Jay ,but on this one he's got action.Jay, how can you say that Ronnie was a better shot maker than Reyes,really.Ronnie couldn't give kelly 9 to 8 ,but Reyes can easily give Joyner 10 to 8.Incidentally,Reyes is the best Balk line player in the world too. I think I spelled that right,but in case I didn't that's still my opinion.

The reason I didn't include 9 ball is the break is too much a factor in the outcome, and when you judge who the best is I can't allow the big breaker to cloud the issue.
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I agree BIlly.

I think that one day people will look back and wish they were born in a time when they could have seen Efren play, just as they will look back and wish they had lived in a time when they could have watched Tiger Woods play golf.

We are all lucky to have been around to witness Efren's abilities.

Mike
 
hemicudas said:
Plus you have to consider Efren is 50+ and getting better at one pocket where Ronnie's skills started to deminish at 50.
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Just to add to your points, Bill: Efren's abilities were never dimished by the bottle. We'll never know how much more brilliant RA could have been on the natch.

Doc
 
uwate said:
Efren Reyes
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan

We live in a great era for sports fans :-)
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I think it's fair to say that Tiger Woods is the Efren Reyes of golf.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
just curious here.........in 9-Ball, how many World Championships have Efren and Nick won? how many U.S. Open championships have Efren and Nick won? i do know that in 1994 Efren beat Nick in the U.S. Open finals.

DCP
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Efren won the US Open in 1994

but...

I believe Efren has been in the finals of the US Open several times...

He lost in the finals to Reed Pierce in 1995 - and to Rodney Morris in 1996 - so Efren made the finals 3 years in a row 94-95-96... WOW ... and I may not be accurately describing that - I don't know who was in the finals in 1997 or 1998.

Nick won the US Open in 1989 & 1990 back to back.

He also won over 16 tournaments in 1989 and 1990 - a streak that actually started at the end of 1988.

Nick has won World titles in 9 ball (1998), 14.1 (1980 and 1986) and he finsihed second a handful of times also.

Earl has won 5 US Opens and I forget how many world 9 ball titles and countless Pro Tour titles.
 
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