Rodney Morris in Japan

mullyman

Hung Like a Gnat!
Silver Member
So, Rodney Morris was in our local room this evening doing challenge matches. Real good time all around. I was the only English speaking person in the room, besides my wife, so I got to talk with Rodney quite a bit. Really nice guy. When he came in I thought he was a pretty big guy but then when I got next to him I realized he's a few inches shorter than me and about a hundred pounds lighter. Doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things though.

I joined the challenge matches and got in at the 4th spot. I wanted to get in after he'd had a few sets to warm up. We were racing to 7 and I lost 7-5. One of them was a scratch on the 8 by him. He cut the 8 in and went 3 cushions around the table and went right in the side pocket. A win is a win though. hehe!!

After we were finished I got to sit with him for a few minutes and ask some questions. My first question was "So, how'd I do?".....of course you're going to ask a pro that. Anyway, he said I shoot pretty good but if I want to take a step up I need to work on being more precise with where I hit the cue ball instead of full spin here and full spin there. He also said he really played in my match. I told him not to blow any smoke up my ass but he gave me kudos on a good game. I felt good about that and watching him play all night has inspired me to put some practice time in.

Man, he plays solid, that's all I can say. His speed is damn near perfect. One thing I found very interesting is that his cue ball movement looks really heavy. On quite a few shots I thought "He hit that too hard" but the cue ball would get about to where it needed to be and just died. Other shots I thought he hit too soft but the CB had that little extra "umpf" to get where it needed. Totally and completely impressed with his play. I have to work in the morning so I left the pool hall around 20 after 1 but I would have liked to have stayed and picked his brain some more.

Oh well, it was a good night all around. Hats off to Rodney Morris for being a total gentleman of the game and a helluva straight shooter.
MULLY
and I thank him for lying to me about my game:smile:

By the way, I watched about 12 matches. I got 5 games, 2 other guys got 4 and everyone else was zero, one, or two. Another high point of my night.
 
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cool experience!

Rodney's game just looks so effortless - he's probably bit underrated as well i'd say compared to some of the other top pro's.

Class player, and top bloke by all accounts!
 
So I take it, it was worth the $100!

He plays at this ridiculous level and can turn it on whenever he wants!

And all-around nice guy!
 
I'd be happy to play him a race to 7 for $100.

Hey Mully, I have layovers at Narita 5 or 6 times a year. How far are you from there?
 
mully-
I have to wonder: perhaps his "heavy" cueball control is because he has such precise control of the correct amount of english. Like if he needed inside to get the right angle off the rail, you of course have to hit it a bit harder to get there - I'm always surprised how much the cb dies off the rail with inside.
 
jondrums said:
mully-
I have to wonder: perhaps his "heavy" cueball control is because he has such precise control of the correct amount of english. Like if he needed inside to get the right angle off the rail, you of course have to hit it a bit harder to get there - I'm always surprised how much the cb dies off the rail with inside.


Oh yeah, no doubt about that. But every shot, whether it was inside, outside, or no spin at all, his cue ball rolled like it was heavy. Very impressive to say the least. I really liked it.
MULLY
 
Cuaba said:
I'd be happy to play him a race to 7 for $100.

Hey Mully, I have layovers at Narita 5 or 6 times a year. How far are you from there?

About 3-4 hours. A bit too far. If you ever get out for a stay though....
MULLY
 
When I was in Japan and playing tournaments in the Kanto area, one of the common things that some of the better Japanese pros would use to describe a really good player was a guy that plays with an "omoi tama" or heavy ball. And it's exactly as you described. Wondering if you've ever heard the term before? Watching players with a "heavy ball" appears as if they're playing on a glass surface. The cb looks like it's gonna die short on almost every shot, but for some reason always has that extra 6-8 inches. Mullyman, I don't know if you've played or seen him yet, but there's a Filippino guy named 'Dondon' that lives in the Tokyo area, and can be found at any of the major house tournaments. He took 2nd to Reyes a couple of years ago at the Japan open. Anyway, he's one of those types that plays with a 'mono sugoi omoi tama!!' Real fun to watch, and a real drag to draw in the early rounds of any given tournament.
I sure miss the pool scene in Japan where everything was a 9 foot Brunswick, the balls were clean, good cloth, and there was a tournament every night of the week within a 30 minute drive!!
dave
 
Sounds like fun Mully. I guess you were making the seven ball. We still haven't planned our next trip, but it could be as soon as New Years.
 
Tony Zinzola said:
Sounds like fun Mully. I guess you were making the seven ball. We still haven't planned our next trip, but it could be as soon as New Years.


Yeah, I don't know what the problem was when you were here. I'd hit everything really good up until the 7 ball and then shit out. Those days happen though. That would probably stop if I gambled.
MULLY
 
We'll be in the Tokyo area next year some time, hopefully. Taking the baby to meet family. Anyway, are there any sites where I can find information on upcoming tournaments? Maybe we'll schedule our trip during a time when there will be a tournament. We may be there as long as a month.
 
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