Skins Day One
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
players to beat?
looks like the top 3 players to beat are...
1) Archer
2) Basavich
3) Sambajon
they played well and had the rolls
Bottom 2 that had no impact
1) McCready
3) Frank
these guys had no luck..but had more than enough chances and missed way to many easy shots...sorry jam
players to watch for..(don't count them out)
1) Morris
2) Deuel
3) Parica
just my opinion...I did not see the first 2 sets..
looks like the top 3 players to beat are...
1) Archer
2) Basavich
3) Sambajon
they played well and had the rolls
Bottom 2 that had no impact
1) McCready
3) Frank
these guys had no luck..but had more than enough chances and missed way to many easy shots...sorry jam
players to watch for..(don't count them out)
1) Morris
2) Deuel
3) Parica
just my opinion...I did not see the first 2 sets..
watchez said:
Watchez, I'm still thinking about how to describe the incident on the forum objectively, but this particular one hit my team hard and my bias may be too strong. To protect the innocent and not so innocent, I'm going to let it pass. I will say, though, that there are quite a few pro players who have very strong egos. Some know how to handle it better than others. And I guess I'm going to leave it at that. Enough said.
As Ronnie Wiseman says, "Everything is funny when you're winning big money," and this past weekend I truly did witness some great pool with some mighty fine payoffs.
Each match in the semi-finals and finals increased with intensity as the amount of monies got higher. When no one captured a skin by winning three games in a row consecutively [a skin], you could really see the dreaded look of defeat in the players' eyes when they missed a shot, but to witness each thrill of victory was magnificant. Everybody sitting in the audience had their interests piqued, I tell you.
Out of all 16 players who competed in this year's Skins Billiards Championship, my personal opinion is that Jose Parica was hitting 'em pretty doggone strong. Poor fellow won more individual games than anyone in the whole tournament. However, when push came to shove and the pressure cooker was on high, Santos is the one who managed to keep his cool. The last three balls he shot in for the $54,000, I could almost see his heart beating through his shirt, and he was taking very deep breaths before he addressed each ball.
In the semi-finals round of Jose's foursome, it went to SUDDEN DEATH. Jose got a skin early in the match, worth $4,000, but then in the race to 16, nobody won another skin. As you might guess, Santos once again snapped off this sudden-death skin in his semi-finals, worth $17,500. Santos won the most money because he captured two skins at the end of two very important rounds. Lady luck may have made a cameo appearance by Santos' side, but he did earn this championship. Santos takes home a whopping $72,000-plus, Danny collected $17,000 for second, and poor old Jose Parica, even though he won more individual games than anybody else in the whole event -- he told me 19, but that's subject to check -- did pocket $7,000. I know he was disappointed, but, hey, 7 dimes ain't too shabby for a couple days of work! Sure beats a blank.
Runall8, I saw the same game you did with Keith on day one, and you don't have to be sorry. I agree that he did not play well. I'm not so sure I'd chalk it up to missed opportunities as I would poor pattern play. During one game, he had what looked to me like a fairly straight-in shot in the side pocket on the 8, with the 9-ball sitting smack in the middle of the table. Why in the world he chose to BANK THE 8-BALL cross-side, with a miss, instead of lightly tapping it in the side and rolling up to the 9 is beyond me. I was standing next to WPBA Pro Carol Clark from NYC watching this game, and we both looked at each other and wondered WHY.
And here's another little Keith jewel. He's gunning for the 7-ball in one game and it's a little bit of a stretch. Instead of using a bridge, as Willie Mosconi would advise, Keith is in his rhythm mode and decides to shoot it left-handed as if it was a piece of cake. He should have stepped back and eye-balled this shot. Though he pocketed the 7, because of his unsteadiness, he ended up slightly out of line on the 8 ball. It was doable, but this weekend, Keith's head was not in his game. It was a careless error.
Bottom line, Keith got rattled before his first match. One thing about playing pool, you must have a positive frame of mine when you're shooting for this kind of dough, especially with the caliber of players at this year's Skins! There are so many variables to being the best that you can be. It goes without question that being in stroke is key, but the mental factor is a big part of it, too. Without a positive mind-set, you're a goner.
I gotta say a few words about Danny Basavich. The Kid Delicious was on fire this weekend. He was kicking like a mule and jumping like a jack rabbit. He was ever so close to winning that last skin for $54,000-plus.
All in all, the Skins was everything I expected and then some. For those who weren't there, it will be aired on ESPN January 2nd, 2006.
I got a couple of pics I'll post up later. I didn't get as many as I would have liked. Casinos frown on cameras, but I did manage to get me some.
JAM
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Thanks Jam but in regard to
Jose Parica, even though he won more individual games than anybody else in the whole event -- he told me 19, but that's subject to check -- did pocket $7,000. I know he was disappointed, but, hey, 7 dimes ain't too shabby for a couple days of work! Sure beats a blank.
7k over his entry fee or 2K or was the entry fee not 5K this year?
Jose Parica, even though he won more individual games than anybody else in the whole event -- he told me 19, but that's subject to check -- did pocket $7,000. I know he was disappointed, but, hey, 7 dimes ain't too shabby for a couple days of work! Sure beats a blank.
7k over his entry fee or 2K or was the entry fee not 5K this year?
Nostroke said:
The entry fee was $5,000 for all 16 players, and the event was $50,000 added, making it $130,000 total purse. I'm not sure if Jose was sponsored or "backed." I think Jose did play superb, but Santos just happened to be shooting in the right slot at the right time.
BTW, I heard that the Filippino contingency consisting of Santos, Marlon Manalo, and Jose Parica are on their way to Vegas tomorrow for the big event. Watch out for these three horses next week!
JAM
egos
JAM said:Watchez, I'm still thinking about how to describe the incident on the forum objectively, but this particular one hit my team hard and my bias may be too strong. To protect the innocent and not so innocent, I'm going to let it pass. I will say, though, that there are quite a few pro players who have very strong egos. Some know how to handle it better than others. And I guess I'm going to leave it at that. Enough said.
the guy i seen with the biggest ego was corey duell...and he didn't play all that great...but still made the final round
JAM said:Watchez, I'm still thinking about how to describe the incident on the forum objectively, but this particular one hit my team hard and my bias may be too strong. To protect the innocent and not so innocent, I'm going to let it pass. I will say, though, that there are quite a few pro players who have very strong egos. Some know how to handle it better than others. And I guess I'm going to leave it at that. Enough said.
JAM
Ok JAM, I'll respect your wishes to drop the subject. Obviously you had time to think about if it was worthwhile for the rest of the world to know. Hopefully, all the pool was won on the table & not off of it as it sounds like it might have.
Sorry to hear about Keith's brain freeze. I guess that is what makes players like Buddy Hall have the ability to win over a long period of years. They always make the right shot and if they lose it is not because of a mental error. One of the first "road trips" I went on, a friend of mine and me made plans to meet Buddy Hall down at Breakers in Evansville IN for a tournament. Buddy had his road partner (I forget his name but he helped write his book) with him and I would sweat the matches with him. I kept hearing him say over and over again, Buddy will make the right shot ALWAYS, win or lose. I will never pretend to play as good as Keith, Buddy, etc. but I tried to drill this philosphy into my play and kept saying it over and over last year while in the BCA team tournament. 'Buddy Hall shapes'....but most of the players on my team were better than me & kept looking at me if I was crazy.
Does anyone know what "big event" is going on in Vegas? I will be there this week, Tuesday and Wednesday, on business and it would be nice to see these guys in action.
ghost ball
T
Timberly
Guest
Don't quote me on this but I think it's a one pocket event. One of the west coast players mentioned something about it a couple of weeks ago. I have no idea when or where. If it's pool related, my first guess would be the Riviera.ghost ball said:
They're having a 9-ball,10-ball, banks, and a one pocket event. I don't know if the field for the nine ball is going to be top knotch due to the low entry fee and low payouts. The one pocket and banks are 175 to enter (versus 50 or 75 for the nine ball, I think) and a good number of "specialists" will probably be there. Rumour has it even Freddie the Beard will be in the banks. (Good luck FB)
Congrats to Kid D on coming an inch away in the skins... 17K is not too bad though.
Weren't some folks on AZ calling him a second tier player just last month?
Congrats to Kid D on coming an inch away in the skins... 17K is not too bad though.
Weren't some folks on AZ calling him a second tier player just last month?
Thanks for all the info. I found the website, www.playbca.com, they have a list of players and schedule. I'm on the strip but will probably be at the Plaza Hotel in downtown to check out the action, if any. I will report anything interesting when I get back. Thanks people.