Shane / Scott Showdown

Thanks for the action, Lenny. Of course this time it didn't pan out but I'm sure we'll do something in the future.
 
westcoast said:
he has a long ways to go. Earl was the greatest tournament 9 ball player ever in his prime. Efren, the jack of all trades and Mosconi, the 14.1 master. All 3 maintained greatness over decades. Not saying Shane can't do it, but lets wait awhile to see.
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You are 100% correct. :smile: And when you talk nine-ball, do not leave out the great Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter, who whether it was tournament play or playing for cash, never seemed to fail. There was a standing offer to play anyone for any amount for many years and, sorry to say, no takers. I once went to see him play an exhibition of straight pool. I said to myself, "This ought to be a joke. He's a nine-ball player and I never heard of him playing straight pool." I figured he must need the money to be giving a straight pool exhibition. Not only that, with his style, position play seemed the last thing on his mind. Well, he had me fooled, He ran 150 and out in his "exhibition."

He, Willie Mosconi and Eddie "The Knoxville Bear" Taylor were the champions of my day. I just missed Ralph Greenleaf, Willie Hoppe, John "Rags" Fitzpatrick and a few other extreme talents. Whatever one might say negatively about pool, it has also had its shining moments and its fantastically great champions. I do not think this generation will disappoint either. As you might have guessed, I love the game of pool. :smile:
 
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Frost predicted Shane would eventually be a monster at the game a while ago...even before Shane made the finals of DCC, Scott said Shane plays so good and learns so fast that even a year ago he wasn't comfortable giving him any more than one ball.
 
Zorro said:
Perhaps. Currently my money's on him, so to speak.
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Thanks for your update Zorro; it's refreshing to have an older generation giving props to the younger generation. It's all to the good as we venerate our icon, Efren as well. :cool: If you can share more stories of Luther, Mosconi, you know we always would appreciate them.
 
1-hole Shane...Scott...Earl ?

If anyone noticed, Strickland IS playing very good One-Pocket ! I'm sure he is if the Shane school (shooting his was out of trouble and to victory rather than the old school conservative safe play). Any comments ?


westcoast said:
he has a long ways to go. Earl was the greatest tournament 9 ball player ever in his prime. Efren, the jack of all trades and Mosconi, the 14.1 master. All 3 maintained greatness over decades. Not saying Shane can't do it, but lets wait awhile to see.
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nancewayne said:
If anyone noticed, Strickland IS playing very good One-Pocket ! I'm sure he is if the Shane school (shooting his was out of trouble and to victory rather than the old school conservative safe play). Any comments ?
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Earl is a monster. Nothing is beyond his capability. Time will tell as he matches up more and more in the one-pocket arena.

Old school sounds funny to me. Maybe "really old" school is better for the safe, conservative play. Even as far back as Johnston City (sixties?) there were proponents of the extremely aggressive play. Today's style of play seems to fluctuate between the two extremes often all in one player. Try to force it, overwhelm, dominate, if that doesn't work, wait out your opponent. Whatever works. It's when you back's against the wall, what do you do? Do you place more faith in your ability to shoot your way out (take the flyer), or do you figure you can out-think your opponent and get to the next "good" shot before him? Shane seemed a tiny bit more inclined to fire away; Scott seemed more often to play it "smart." In the final analysis, whatever works is "smart." Either player, when they got momentum fired away all barrels. It looked at times that one could not withstand the onslaught of the other-- both players in turn. As it turned out, you could not count either player out of it, as they played a little rope-a-dope mustering up new energy for a comeback. Both are truly champions.
 
Zorro said:
Who would disagree? But don't forget, Shane is only 26/27. Efren is approaching 60. Shane has the same outstanding mechanics and stroke. Isn't it only a matter of time before he equals, maybe even surpasses, the great one? He pulled a few "magic" tricks of his own in the match with Scott. How he managed to pull off a couple of shots, I'll never know. I was wondering, "Is he that good, or was it luck?"
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Efren being 60 is not a positive. His game is 15 years past his prime. Shane and Efren are going in opposite directions and have been for a long time.
 
Celtic said:
Efren being 60 is not a positive. His game is 15 years past his prime. Shane and Efren are going in opposite directions and have been for a long time.
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Just to be a little more accurate, Efren will be 57 Aug 26th, 2011.:)
 
nancewayne said:
If anyone noticed, Strickland IS playing very good One-Pocket ! I'm sure he is if the Shane school (shooting his was out of trouble and to victory rather than the old school conservative safe play). Any comments ?
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Earl has always insisted that he plays all games well and gets offended when people call "the greatest 9 ball player ever"- he wants to be known as an all around pool master.
 
brandoncook26 said:
Varner was the king of the squeeze. His ideal game was locking up every ball and fighting for one ball at a time. Every Accu-Stats I have with Varner ends up in the "wedge". He was really a master at controlling the game the way he wanted.

I don't know if there is anyone playing today that is as patient as Varner was. He really could bunt balls and not shoot at his hole for hours. I would think the most similar players today would be Gabe or JJ. They both play a much more methodical game and don't mind moving. Granted, Varner was on a whole other level, but those two would be the closest today IMO.

-Brandon
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I can tell you that Nick Varner, even today, has significant offensive skills at one pocket. Against even low pro level players he often plays "8 and out or no count." His banking skills are unbelieveable, and HE GETS OUT. I would not advise leaving him a shot, hoping he's going to nudge balls upstream.

I recently saw him go 8 and out in 3 out of 4 games. Each 8 and out started with 3 banks, then 5 and out.
 
Williebetmore said:
I can tell you that Nick Varner, even today, has significant offensive skills at one pocket. Against even low pro level players he often plays "8 and out or no count." His banking skills are unbelieveable, and HE GETS OUT. I would not advise leaving him a shot, hoping he's going to nudge balls upstream.

I recently saw him go 8 and out in 3 out of 4 games. Each 8 and out started with 3 banks, then 5 and out.
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Where does he play? Somewhere in Kentucky?
 
Zorro said:
Anyway, I think the evidence is pretty convincing that the two are evenly matched. Forget the one ball, or is it one/half ball at 9-8 :grin:, but I'm sure Scott will not. I doubt the outcome would be any different if they had played even up
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:lol:

There's a reason there is a spot there.
 
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