Reyes clearly the best ever
- Thread starter wincardona
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Quick story about Ronnie Allen and Richie Florence. When I worked at Goldenwest Billiards in the early 80s a man came in an talked about a trip he took with both Ronnie and Richie (sixties or seventies) back to play Minnesota Fats, somewhere in the midwest, I think.
He was hoping Fats would play nine ball, but after Fats refusing nine ball they agreed to one pocket with a spot of 9-7 or 8-6, I'm not sure if this included the break or not.
Regardless, Fatty beat em' both and lessened the spot and still won.
This man was impressed with Fat's game.
However, what could Efren have given Fatty, 10-6 and the break?
I watched Efren give Little Al Romero (fifteen years ago or so) 11-6 and the break, and honestly not much of a contest.
I felt good when I played Efren 11-6 and the break and broke even. Thankfully we played only two sets. I just wanted to play the man to say I did.
Danny
He was hoping Fats would play nine ball, but after Fats refusing nine ball they agreed to one pocket with a spot of 9-7 or 8-6, I'm not sure if this included the break or not.
Regardless, Fatty beat em' both and lessened the spot and still won.
This man was impressed with Fat's game.
However, what could Efren have given Fatty, 10-6 and the break?
I watched Efren give Little Al Romero (fifteen years ago or so) 11-6 and the break, and honestly not much of a contest.
I felt good when I played Efren 11-6 and the break and broke even. Thankfully we played only two sets. I just wanted to play the man to say I did.
Danny
In a skinny minute.No doubt.
Andrew Manning said:
If I remembered it correctly in one of Effie's interviews, he said he stopped playing carom and balk line because no one wanted to play him anymore. Thus, his entry to the world of 9-ball.
Thunderball, believe it or not, Efren plays so solid, he could give a few touring pros that spot. I've never been much of a money player, never liked playing for my rent. So I only played him as a lark. I won the first race to 4 easily, playing well, but it became late and I'm usually in bed by 11PM. I still had opportunities to win the second set, but couldn't do it.
By the way, Efren has given very good players (that play on a pro level) incredible spots in nine-ball as well. Like 7,8,9 and the breaks, the 6,7,8,9 but no break spot. He usually wins.
Danny
By the way, Efren has given very good players (that play on a pro level) incredible spots in nine-ball as well. Like 7,8,9 and the breaks, the 6,7,8,9 but no break spot. He usually wins.
Danny
uwate said:Efren Reyes
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan
We live in a great era for sports fans
Wayne Gretzky
Dan Marino/Bret Favre
Efren won in '94.Blackjack said:
Then lost the finals in succession to Pierce, Morris then Strickland.
Efren won back to back world 8-ball at the Riviera, lost to Medina two years after the last one.
I believe...and fwiw I meant no disrespect.My point was I'd play him for the same reason...just to have done it.
uwate said:Efren Reyes
Tiger Woods
Michael Jordan
We live in a great era for sports fans
give Eldrick T. Woods his due, but in their primes i'd still pick Jack Nicklaus head to head.
DCP
mikepage said:
is it fair to say that DCP is the Efren/Tiger of AZBilliards forums? or perhaps its really Travis Trotter and his Cuetec cue?
DCP
DrCue'sProtege said:
No because Silver_Wombat had taken that title a long time ago.
No, more like Mike Tyson of AZB.DrCue'sProtege said:
efren is an amazing player born to play pool, and from what i have always seen of him, a top bloke too.
the thing that amazes me is not his ability to play pool as such. there are many others who could have been the subject of billy's thread if it was just down to ability. earl, sigel immediately spring to mind and there's many many more. but everybody else has fallen by the wayside one by one, whether to health problems, motivation problems, confidence problems, struggling with the mental game, cant be arsed anymore syndrome, whatever! but efren somehow just keeps doing the business. playing the game, making the balls, winning the tournaments. no messing around. no mental problems of any sort, and doing what a pool player should do, get better with age. because there's no reason why a player should be playing better at 20 than at 50, what with all the experience built up.
his mental game is the thing to behold i think.
the thing that amazes me is not his ability to play pool as such. there are many others who could have been the subject of billy's thread if it was just down to ability. earl, sigel immediately spring to mind and there's many many more. but everybody else has fallen by the wayside one by one, whether to health problems, motivation problems, confidence problems, struggling with the mental game, cant be arsed anymore syndrome, whatever! but efren somehow just keeps doing the business. playing the game, making the balls, winning the tournaments. no messing around. no mental problems of any sort, and doing what a pool player should do, get better with age. because there's no reason why a player should be playing better at 20 than at 50, what with all the experience built up.
his mental game is the thing to behold i think.
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Effie's standard appearance fee is 1K. Based on Ted Lerner's article. Effie been paid(cheaper) a long time just to play or appear in any of Angeles City's leagues (Pampanga, Phils.).
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sjm said:
Very strong post that I agree with 100%.
Re: the One pocket G.O.A.T., I had 1 Reyes, 2 Allen 3 Fitzpatrick, just as you said.
Re: Best overall, I also had Reyes #1 and Varner 2nd. But my point here is not to piggy-back, it's to say that it was very, very close in some catagories. I came very close to putting DeOro in at #2 and Varner 3 but gave Nick the nod with his WCs won vs tougher fields than DeOro faced.
I also struggled with putting Daulton in at around 9th on the all time best over all list, but I was careful not to let the fact that he's one of my very favorite players cloud my choice.
My comments on Billy's post is that I also agree that Reyes can give Joyner the 10-8 spot but RA couldn't (wouldn't) spot Champagne 9-8.
That very nicely shows that RA vs the best in HIS era was a lot closer than Efren vs the best of HIS era.
There is a much bigger gap between Efren and his rivals than there were between RA and his.
Also I believe there are many more killer one pocket players now than there were 30 years ago. So many more players are playing 1P today than ever before.
Again, these are my very favorite posts, the comparisions of the greats to one another. I appreciate everybody who has posted their opinion.
Bill I think you're preaching to the choir. I think people who disagree should please post and state why they disagree. We could then dissect their opinion and let them see the error of their ways. Efren is one of a kindwincardona said:
when I see some of his shot selections in one pocket I just scratch my head and think "who woulda thought of that" and what I think is so very refreshing is that Efren does not have a big ego he is so down to earth.
Bill, do you remember playing Efren at the Chgo Billiard Cafe? mid 80's?
You had the table reclothed in advance and you were getting the eight and the breaks. Efren played almost perfect and couldn't get the cheese.
So I think this admission of Efren's greatness coming from you holds more water. I wish George Fels would read this. He wrote an article about that session in the Billiard Digest. Philw
I agree with Billy, also. Efren is the best all around player.
I've said this is in early posts as far as Efren's 3 cushion play. In the first Billiard Digest article, "Thrilla from Manilla", Efren was interviewed during the US three cushion championships.
Efren pulled Raymond Cuelemans (sp) in the first round and was leading the match 48-37 in a race to 50. Raymond put a 13 on him to win the match.
After the match, Raymond said he knew he was staring at a future world 3c champion if Efren would concentrate on the game. That quote coming from a man who was 15+ times world champion was a pretty strong statement in my mind.
Stones
I've said this is in early posts as far as Efren's 3 cushion play. In the first Billiard Digest article, "Thrilla from Manilla", Efren was interviewed during the US three cushion championships.
Efren pulled Raymond Cuelemans (sp) in the first round and was leading the match 48-37 in a race to 50. Raymond put a 13 on him to win the match.
After the match, Raymond said he knew he was staring at a future world 3c champion if Efren would concentrate on the game. That quote coming from a man who was 15+ times world champion was a pretty strong statement in my mind.
Stones