The most useless yet highly discussed stat in pool

[Ekojasiloop]

Let me start off by saying I’m not hating. I actually really like John Schmidt and his game.

I think the stats he has in straight pool, although no doubt legit, are seriously overrated. I’m sure there’s been tons of great players who have put unheard of nine ball packages together in their basements, but who the hell cares?!

Mike Sigel ran 150 and out at least a couple of times I know of in major competitions. That’s a stat. He won major straight pool tournaments. That’s a stat.

Some people may say other players can’t do it. Can’t do what? Concentrate for long periods of time while they are practicing. Well, you’re right about that, but who cares?

I don’t appreciate the 400 stat at all, not that I feel it means nothing, I just don’t think it has any bearing on his status as a player whatsoever. His performances against other players, which has historically been quite good, is what sets his status level. He’s quite taken with the stat himself, but I really think if you sat him down and read this post to him, he’d begrudgingly agree.

 

[mikepage]

Let me start off by saying I’m not hating. I actually really like John Schmidt and his game.

I think the stats he has in straight pool, although no doubt legit, are seriously overrated. I’m sure there’s been tons of great players who have put unheard of nine ball packages together in their basements, but who the hell cares?!

Mike Sigel ran 150 and out at least a couple of times I know of in major competitions. That’s a stat. He won major straight pool tournaments. That’s a stat.

Some people may say other players can’t do it. Can’t do what? Concentrate for long periods of time while they are practicing. Well, you’re right about that, but who cares?

I don’t appreciate the 400 stat at all, not that I feel it means nothing, I just don’t think it has any bearing on his status as a player whatsoever. His performances against other players, which has historically been quite good, is what sets his status level. He’s quite taken with the stat himself, but I really think if you sat him down and read this post to him, he’d begrudgingly agree.

The flip side is that we have so few stats in pool that are absolute measures that there is nothing wrong with honoring those few....

 

[Cracktherack]

If you think John Schmidt isn't capable, you should ask him to play some for a friendly $$$ wager. Go ahead, knock some wind out of his sail by beating him down on the table.

Warning; A fool and his money are soon parted.

He is known as Mr.400. He likes 9 ball, 10 ball, 14.1 and One Pocket. Take a cushion for the seat of your chair and you'll be more comfortable while he runs out on you.

 

[Black-Balled]

He’s quite taken with the stat himself, but I really think if you sat him down and read this post to him, he’d begrudgingly agree.

What kind of dumb shit are you typing?

My only hope is that you have given the matter such a low amount of thought to find it 'unimpressive'.

The man has a documented run of 400+balls. 200 is impressive and the envy of many.

The man won the us open.

Name another American and there was a point john schmidt played better.

He is a bad mofo and your silly thought wont change that.

 

[Z-Nole]

Let me start off by saying I’m not hating. I actually really like John Schmidt and his game.

I think the stats he has in straight pool, although no doubt legit, are seriously overrated. I’m sure there’s been tons of great players who have put unheard of nine ball packages together in their basements, but who the hell cares?!

Mike Sigel ran 150 and out at least a couple of times I know of in major competitions. That’s a stat. He won major straight pool tournaments. That’s a stat.

Some people may say other players can’t do it. Can’t do what? Concentrate for long periods of time while they are practicing. Well, you’re right about that, but who cares?

I don’t appreciate the 400 stat at all, not that I feel it means nothing, I just don’t think it has any bearing on his status as a player whatsoever. His performances against other players, which has historically been quite good, is what sets his status level. He’s quite taken with the stat himself, but I really think if you sat him down and read this post to him, he’d begrudgingly agree.

What are you smoking? You know, they don't call it dope for nothin

 

[Roscoe]

Straight pool separates the men from the boys.....

Roscoe

 

[strmanglr scott]

What are you smoking? You know, they don't call it dope for nothin

Sometimes I check the time stamp of the post after reading incoherent or ignorant posts and think yeah, someone is not entirely themselves rt now.

 

[Pushout]

Straight pool separates the men from the boys.....

Roscoe

This^. Absolutely, positively.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Op must be a rotation fan
This is typically rotation player bullshit , I will never understand how those games breed such a toxic culture
They don't have the mental fortitude for hard games


Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool
Than to open it and remove all doubt

 

[dogginda9]

Let me start off by saying I’m not hating. I actually really like John Schmidt and his game.

I think the stats he has in straight pool, although no doubt legit, are seriously overrated. I’m sure there’s been tons of great players who have put unheard of nine ball packages together in their basements, but who the hell cares?!

Mike Sigel ran 150 and out at least a couple of times I know of in major competitions. That’s a stat. He won major straight pool tournaments. That’s a stat.

Some people may say other players can’t do it. Can’t do what? Concentrate for long periods of time while they are practicing. Well, you’re right about that, but who cares?

I don’t appreciate the 400 stat at all, not that I feel it means nothing, I just don’t think it has any bearing on his status as a player whatsoever. His performances against other players, which has historically been quite good, is what sets his status level. He’s quite taken with the stat himself, but I really think if you sat him down and read this post to him, he’d begrudgingly agree.

Ummmm, what?

 

[Ekojasiloop]

If you think John Schmidt isn't capable, you should ask him to play some for a friendly $$$ wager. Go ahead, knock some wind out of his sail by beating him down on the table.

Warning; A fool and his money are soon parted.

He is known as Mr.400. He likes 9 ball, 10 ball, 14.1 and One Pocket. Take a cushion for the seat of your chair and you'll be more comfortable while he runs out on you.

Who said John Schmidt wasn’t capable?

Learn to read bro.

 

[Ekojasiloop]

What kind of dumb shit are you typing?

My only hope is that you have given the matter such a low amount of thought to find it 'unimpressive'.

The man has a documented run of 400+balls. 200 is impressive and the envy of many.

The man won the us open.

Name another American and there was a point john schmidt played better.

He is a bad mofo and your silly thought wont change that.

Learn to read.

 

[Tin Man]

high runs in 14.1

I am willing to concede that achievements in one's basement don't necessarily equate to results in competition. It is an incomplete measure as it doesn't factor in psychology, confidence, attitude, and heart.

That said, a high run in straight pool is a great measure of physical and technical skill.

Suppose you set up a spot shot and wanted to find out what someone's make percentage was. You couldn't have them just shoot it once. The results either way wouldn't be accurate. Of course the thing to do would be to have them shoot it many times and average it out.

That's fine to measure competence at one shot. But what about one game? How can you measure your overall technical skill at a game like straight pool? Which shot would you set up that would encompass being jacked up over the rack, using the bridge, speed control, nudging apart clusters, thin break shots, pattern play, etc?

There's only one way. To play the entire game.

And since there is no binary win/loss like with an individual shot, you can't play the entire game and 'take an average' of your success rate. Instead, the high run serves this purpose.

If someone is 50% to pocket any ball, then 1 in 10,000 times they should be able to run 8 balls. If someone is 95% to pocket a ball then they should have runs of 50+. Of course transitions rack to rack make some parts of the rack tougher on an individual ball basis, but overall running a lot of balls can reflect someone's overall consistency and ability to execute. Someone that's a banger simply isn't capable of a 50 or 100 ball run, it would be virtually mathematically impossible. So when someone does run 100 it's a milestone, because it reflects a high level of mastery over the entire array of skills needed to play successful pool.

Now, similar to the guy posting about the pointlessness of the 10 ball ghost, I will agree this doesn't equate to winning straight pool tournaments or competing under pressure. They are two different things. But in practice most people that can run multiple-hundreds of balls have tournament wins as well. I believe using your example that Mr. 400 has a US Open 9 ball title under his belt to go along with it. The fact that he considers them both meaningful should indicate the value it provides. Only an elite player can build a game that is capable of executing a run that long and challenging without an error.

 

[vapoolplayer]

What kind of dumb shit are you typing?

My only hope is that you have given the matter such a low amount of thought to find it 'unimpressive'.

The man has a documented run of 400+balls. 200 is impressive and the envy of many.

The man won the us open.

Name another American and there was a point john schmidt played better.

He is a bad mofo and your silly thought wont change that.

Guy wins US Open and feels like his documented 400 run is just as coveted to him.

Guy on azbilliards says it means nothing......

This place hasn’t changed a bit.

 

[JoeyInCali]

The Euros' domination of the Mosconi Cup.

 

[Mr. Bond]

It is neither useless nor highly discussed.

 

[Saturated Fats]

Of course, this means that Mosconi's 526 is nothing either.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

Of course, this means that Mosconi's 526 is nothing either.

Nothing that anyone else can do that is
Not on any size table or pockets

Although I'd bet that if schmidty would take on the task of going for it on an 8fter with 5 inch pockets, he'd prolly do it at some point

 

[Danimal]

Several guys have run 400.

JS is Mr. 400 because he's run 400+ twice.

He's also also in the hall of fame of the funniest pros you will ever meet.

 

[Black-Balled]

Learn to read.

I do not see your defense of the claim that running 400 balls is a useless stat.