SJM Sizes Up 2024 in Pro Pool

For those who follow the one pocket scene, what were the highlights of 2024 in one pocket?

For those who follow the action scene, what were the best action matches?
 
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sjm said:
For those who follow the one pocket scene, what were the highlight of 2024 in one pocket?

For those who follow the action scene, what were the best action matches?
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Probably at least T-Rex vs. Justin with the latter making a solid 9-out in the final rack. Not too much 1p action this year, IIRC. It was nice to see Justin back in the saddle.
Edit: Great analysis by sjm! 🤩
 
sjm said:
For those who follow the one pocket scene, what were the highlight of 2024 in one pocket?

For those who follow the action scene, what were the best action matches?
Click to expand...

I would have say the best action match of 2024 was the SVB vs Gorst race to 120 in 10 ball.
 
Although I didn't watch until the last week of the year, let's add "The Tale of Texas Pool" to the highlights of 2024.

If you haven't seen it yet, it's on amazon Prime and will cost you $6. Worth every penny of it!
 
mjantti said:
Probably at least T-Rex vs. Justin with the latter making a solid 9-out in the final rack. Not too much 1p action this year, IIRC. It was nice to see Justin back in the saddle.
Edit: Great analysis by sjm! 🤩
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Yeah, but I found it to be a sad reminder of what a talent the world of pool lost when Justin Bergman stopped competing in tournaments.
 
sjm said:
Yeah, but I found it to be a sad reminder of what a talent the world of pool lost when Justin Bergman stopped competing in tournaments.
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he has been coming out of his shell a little bit in 2024, and won two (?) ultimate pool's barbox tournaments. let's hope it's a trend
 
sjm said:
Yeah, but I found it to be a sad reminder of what a talent the world of pool lost when Justin Bergman stopped competing in tournaments.
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I agree with you 100%. It also is a stark reminder that even being as skilled as Justin does not provide glorious and easy pool professional career. Actually being a pool pro takes a lot of mental toughness and resilience. Also a reason why there are just a few of them playing year in year out. Had a brief chat with a pro playing about this in one of the Predator events. Even though everything looks very nice in Instagram, it doesn't mean that the constant travelling and playing is glorious and easy. And despite prize money being quite nice nowadays, the millions are definitely not pouring in.
 
skogstokig said:
he has been coming out of his shell a little bit in 2024, and won two (?) ultimate pool's barbox tournaments. let's hope it's a trend
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I thought that Tom Cat guy won one of them? I always pull for Bergman, in anything!
 
Here's about as good as any match I've ever watched.
The board play is exceptional.
Game begins around the 25 minute mark.

Roda also has the ''rail'' helpin' em. :):), best Pinoys in a grouping.
Good stuff....

 
mjantti said:
I agree with you 100%. It also is a stark reminder that even being as skilled as Justin does not provide glorious and easy pool professional career. Actually being a pool pro takes a lot of mental toughness and resilience. Also a reason why there are just a few of them playing year in year out. Had a brief chat with a pro playing about this in one of the Predator events. Even though everything looks very nice in Instagram, it doesn't mean that the constant travelling and playing is glorious and easy. And despite prize money being quite nice nowadays, the millions are definitely not pouring in.
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Agreed for the most part, but I see Justin Bergman as a special case. At 9ball, he may well have been America's best after-the-break player. He was, clearly, America's best defensive player, even better than Woodward. He posted many a top five in the biggest events but could never get over the finish line because he had a weak break.

With four-inch pockets, break from the box and nine on the spot, Matchroom has given 9ball a face lift, and the break matters less than before and defensive and tactical play matter more than ever. I think Justin has the kind of game that would take fullest advantage of these changes, so I will always wonder what might have been.
 
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sjm said:
Agreed for the most part, but I see Justin Bergman as a special case. At 9ball, he may well have been America's best after-the-break player. He was, clearly, America's best defensive player, even better than Woodward. He posted many a top five in the biggest events but could never get over the finish line because he had a weak break.

With four-inch pockets, break form the box and nine on the spot, Matchroom has given 9ball a face lift, and the break matters less than before and defensive and tactical play matter more than ever. I think Justin has the kind of game that would take fullest advantage of these changes, so I will always wonder what might have been.
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Spot on, I would add that qualities of a top of the line 1pocket player like Justin just fits the profile of a careful strategic player who knows when to pull the trigger and in a way to give the best ”ROI”. And stay cool under pressure. And the break is different nowadays too, MR nineball break is not that hard to learn and doesn’t require too much power. What has been said, I totally agree with you that competing Justin would make a really nice impact on American pool.
 
P:ro Pool in USA is Bush League Sport, most Pro Players make PEANUTS compare to Real Sport s like NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, Pro Golf, Tennis, or Hockey.

Feel sorry for the Pro Pool player but they choose wrong profession.

JMHO
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
P:ro Pool in USA is Bush League Sport, most Pro Players make PEANUTS compare to Real Sport s like NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, Pro Golf, Tennis, or Hockey.

Feel sorry for the Pro Pool player but they choose wrong profession.

JMHO
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Yes, and by that logic, every truck driver should have been an investment banker but chose the wrong profession. Nobody with the skills to be an investment banker drives a truck for a living and nobody that has the skills to be a top pro in a first-tier sport has chosen pool as their profession.

Interesting that you see a thread that celebrates the year in pool as an opportunity to take a cheap shot at the sport we on the forum love.
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
P:ro Pool in USA is Bush League Sport, most Pro Players make PEANUTS compare to Real Sport s like NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, Pro Golf, Tennis, or Hockey.

Feel sorry for the Pro Pool player but they choose wrong profession.

JMHO
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but most sports are "bush league" compared to those few. there would be no weight lifters, skiers, table tennis players either if everybody reasoned like that. yet there are, along with a hundred other sports that also don't pay NFL money
 
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