Sylver Ochoa story of mine....
Sylver went through a world class one pocket field to get to the finals against Frost. It is currently hill-hill in the final match.
Sylver is playing JAM UP 1 hole. He is playing all the right shots, and executing them as well. His object ball and cue ball speed are consistently perfect. His shot selection is top notch.
He has Frost looking sick in his stomach, taking 1 minute to spot a ball after he scratched probably thinking to himself "why me".
I vote for Sylver Ochoa being the best one hole player in the world (since many are "claiming" Efren has been dethroned by Frost.
Sylver Ochoa best in the world!
Back in 2006 (I believe... or later), I remember playing 8-ball with a good pal of mine, Julian, for a race to 10 on the 9' Olhausen tables at Fast Eddies in Edinburg after college. Both Julian and myself were at the exact same speeds (or so I believe). We both played into top notch gear (almost B status) and were were both straight shooting. He was beating me at one point by three games and I just came right back and just took him out in a very close 10-9 win for me. I was on fire with shots left and right.
Suddenly, Sylver's friend, Manny, shows up and wanted to play me 9-ball... I insisted and beat him as well. I was just on fire. Sylver shows up and Manny just comes forward and asks, "Have you ever played Sylver before?"
"Yea, in my dreams," I replied, "and even then, I still lost to him."
Well, Sylver insisted into playing me and Manny just goes off telling Sylver to lay back on me a little. I told Sylver, "Don't do it... just go all out." Well... I ought to becareful for what I wish for...because I will just get it.
Sure enough, I broke the rack with rattling nerves. Nothing made. Sylver makes two balls before he just apathetically misses one of the other balls. I tried to make a shot and out of slop I just left him on a safe... or so I thought. Next thing you know, he kicks the ball and you just hear him say, "OHH, you know that's going in!" making the 3-ball in the corner. My reaction was, "Ohh $h!*, I am SO f***ed!" Sylver just ran out afterwards and played me another game and loss to that one.
I saw Sylver playing 8 ball on another table and I asked him (out of just being whooped the last two 9 ball games) if he wanted to play me on 8-ball. After beating my friend those two games, I felt that if Sylver had a weakness in one of those disciplines, it MUST'VE been 8-ball. Well... I couldn't have been any more wrong. I made a few balls and just missed an easy shot and Sylver just
slaughtered me.
Thoughout those three whole games that I played him on, it felt as if I was in some dream. Right after I went to my truck, heading back home in shock (literately), I called Julian and told him who I played. He said that he can take him down. I told him, "Dude, NO YOU WOULDN'T!" Right there and then, I was contemplating on retiring from pool (after the 6 years of pool that I have played) after he did that.
Mind you, I am a year older than him. Friends of mine that know me from pool have told me that I CAN beat Sylver if I set my mind into it. True... I believe I can as well, but to be honest with you, Sylver is a great person and I wish for him to become an actual world champion. He has the integrity, heart, and joy for the sport that he has solely put himself into. I enjoy playing pool, but I look alot forward into Carom than anything. Pool is still a great game (or sport... I should say), but I would much perfer to get more into Snooker and Carom. Sylver Ochoa, IMHO, is due to become that next great American pool player.
Wishin you luck from a valley native,
