The Miz
- Thread starter wahcheck
- Start date
He suffered a stroke a few years ago which left him unable to play anymore. I heard he had sold his cues and is not healthy enough to play competitive pool anymore. The big man had lost a considerable amount of weight on the pics in the recent US Open. I hope his recovery from the stroke is going well...
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wahcheck said:
I saw Steve Mizerak at the US Open day before yesterday. He has obviously suffered a major stroke which has left his left side useless. He was slowly riding around in a wheel chair which he controlled with his right hand. He is still pretty heavy but I suppose at this juncture, weight loss wouldn't do him much good. He can still smile (barely) and he seemed genuinely glad to reach up and shake my hand. I was glad to be able to say hello to him. If you could see him, in that damn chair, well, it would break your heart.
He will always be "The Miz - The Master". If you've never seen him play straight pool in top form..well, you've missed seeing one of the most beautiful strokes ever. He was a jam up 9 ball and One pocket player as well. Played everything at a champion level. What is even more amazing is that when he was winning all of his world titles he was teaching full time. He has always been pretty inspiring to me personally.
Matt_24 said:
You mean he was a full-time teacher during his dominant era ? I always kind of thought that he put the teaching stuff aside while he was going around in tournaments. And yes, he's stroke was pure silk.
Hmm, hated to use the word "stroke" there. No pun intended
mjantti said:You mean he was a full-time teacher during his dominant era ? I always kind of thought that he put the teaching stuff aside while he was going around in tournaments. And yes, he's stroke was pure silk.
Hmm, hated to use the word "stroke" there. No pun intended
I think he won the US OPEN in straight pool for 4 years back to back (which hasn't been matched). During "that" time he was teaching full time. I think he taught for 10 years or so before quitting. After his famous Beer commercial he probably had the best opportunity to give pool his full attention, or at least pool and the business opportunities that awaited "him" in the pool world.
mjantti said:You mean he was a full-time teacher during his dominant era ? I always kind of thought that he put the teaching stuff aside while he was going around in tournaments. And yes, he's stroke was pure silk.
Hmm, hated to use the word "stroke" there. No pun intended
Pick up his book, Steve Mizerak's "Complete book of pool"
http://cgi.ebay.com/Steve-Mizeraks-Complete-Book-of-Pool-Panozzo-PB1990_W0QQitemZ4565781895QQcategoryZ378QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Not only will you find tips from the Miz, but he details some of his life when playing pool while working as a teacher.
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christopheradam said:
Thanks for the recommendation ! Amazing, how many other players have been working fulltime and picking up major tournament titles ?
Watching the Miz play straight pool is as soothing as watching Efren play top notch 9-ball. You just cannot move your eyes away from the screen, because everything that happens there is just pure magic.
Matt_24 said:
Mizerak seems to be overlooked whenever a "greatest
ever" post comes up. At his best he was definitely
up there with the best of them (Sigel, Reyes,
Strickland, Hall, Varner). I've only seen tapes of
him as far back as the 80's and he seemed truly
great then, but I've been told that he was even
better in the 70's! Amazing.
Bobby said:
Yea, being a lefty 14.1 player, watching him was like magic! his stroke was effortless. That along with his knowledge of the game and intimidating stature made him the triple threat guy!....glad there are Accu-stats to make sure we all have the opportunity to learn from him....Gerry
I just wanted to add my 2 pesos about the Miz. When I first got my pool table installed last December here at home, I wanted to make the first shot on the new table memorable. I have a pretty large library of books and I happened across Byrne's Treasury of Trick Shots. As soon as I turned to the one called "Just Showin Off", I knew I had to learn it and perform it on my new table. Although it wasn't the first shot, I finally did it on the second day of trying. My table is a 9' Olhausen. I will always remember the feeling of satisfaction I got as I watched whitey go 3 rails around to make the last ball. Thanks to the Miz for a gem. For those of ya'll who don't know, Steve has been in the Hall of Fame longer than anyone living (since 1980). Just useless pool trivia. 
Props to the Master.
Props to the Master.