Thank God,9-Ball must die @ Pro level

[arian dacongan]

..I hope that finally, we all can wake-up and save what's left of this game we love so dearly,,,9 -ball must die for pool to really live or for that matter to even survive at least at the pro level...

..it's hardly the best player wins the tournament..it's who gets the luckiest on the break...i was starting to hate it...

..TEN ball for right now, would help keep the competition sane...

i like what Lou Butera said in his interview,,,in this game you can get rewarded for making a mistake or missing a shot....i like his idea-that if you miss you must be penalized maybe with a ball in hand...

...bottomline is- for this age and time ..we have to RETHINK pool and put some innovation into it..

..What say you ,folks

 

[mosconiac]

 

[Maniac]

..it's hardly the best player wins the tournament..it's who gets the luckiest on the break...

Unless you've got the "soft break" mastered !!!

Maniac

 

[LILJOHN30]

Ten ball

Ten ball all the way,I played in a apa master league on sunday where you play 8@9 ball match.The match was 3-2 in my opponents favor.I had the 1 st break in nine ball and my opponent never had a shot ,I b/r ran 3 racks and he was kicking any time he got to the table.The game was 2 easy ,I was dropping 3 balls on the break and I was saying,I'm out[aloud].My opponent didn't win a game at all and I won the match.All I play is ten ball and when I went to 9 balls and the break was working it was over.I was playing 6 ball when in all reality when I play ten ball or ten ball ghost I can get out regularly.

 

[av84fun]

..I hope that finally, we all can wake-up and save what's left of this game we love so dearly,,,9 -ball must die for pool to really live or for that matter to even survive at least at the pro level...

..it's hardly the best player wins the tournament..it's who gets the luckiest on the break...i was starting to hate it...

..TEN ball for right now, would help keep the competition sane...

i like what Lou Butera said in his interview,,,in this game you can get rewarded for making a mistake or missing a shot....i like his idea-that if you miss you must be penalized maybe with a ball in hand...

...bottomline is- for this age and time ..we have to RETHINK pool and put some innovation into it..

..What say you ,folks

thanks for your views. I share your concern over the future of the sport at the pro level anyway.

But I don't share your view that 9 Ball per se, is the culprit or that getting lucky on the break causes the winner to win.

Allison Fisher has won more WPBA tournaments than all other competitors COMBINED. She CAN'T have been THAT lucky.

One thing that is hurting the sport IMHO is the nonsensical winner breaks rule that still exists in a few major tournaments. Watching Gomez win rack after rack due to soft breaking into a tapped rack so that A) with wing ball went 10 of 11 times (or something close to that) and B) the 1 ball carried up to the left side rail and then out in front of the side pocket.

That was no MATCH...it was a Gomez exhibition. TV viewers want to see a COMPETITION not an EXHIBITION.

Tapping racks should be outlawed. If the balls won't freeze 100% that's FINE. Any imperfections will be faced by both players in an alternate break format and will address your view that the break overly influences the outcome.

But the REAL problem with pro tournament popularity...IMHO...is the fact that, as is true in all sports...TV ratings make or break the sport's popularity and the prize money available.

The problem is that to the "mass audience" making all those little 2-4 ft. shots looks EASY. The game just isn't exciting to people who have no idea how hard it is to get in position for all those little shots.

Then there are the fairly rare jump shots that ARE exciting but a large percentage of pool "insiders" HATE jump cues...which are banned at some of the major tournaments! Go figure.

Pool would probably be more popular if ALL shots had to be jumped! (-:

Kidding, but you get the idea.

Bottom line, pro tournament pool is a sick puppy with a handful of pros making a living. Back in the day the VAST majority of money made in this sport was "action" money and not tournament prizes. Maybe that is where the game is heading back to.

Regards,
Jim