The REAL winner from Asian 9Ball Tour...
- Thread starter daddypool
- Start date
Celtic said:
Perhaps, but let me tell you that Strickland and especially Morris are both highly respected in Taiwan. In fact, if you watch tournaments broadcasted in Taiwan, you often hear those three names mentioned as the only U.S. players that pose a threat to Asian pool in any significant way (Archer, Morris, Strickland). Corey used to be on that list, and maybe he will be again...
In case you forget, Strickland won the WPC in 2002, and reached the final 8 in 2003 and final 16 in 2004. The man is 45 years old, and still a threat to win the world championship everytime he enters. The Taiwanese players/fans/commentators treat him with all due respect (despite his antics, lol)
-Roger
Morris seems to be the most respected. He apparently went to Taiwan before he went to jail and cleaned up the gambling tables against the likesof Chao, Yang, Chang (WPC runner up 4 or 5 years ago) and etc. That was more than 7 years ago I think. Things have changed since, but the respect's still there. Archer's not so much feared, because he has lost so many matches to taiwanese players in recent WPCs, though he's still respected. Earl's always respected, but he has never done that well playing in the tournaments in taiwan. The other players from the US are usually no-shows for Asian tournaments.
I doubt there will be a flood of Taiwanese players comming to the US for tournaments. There are enough tournaments in Asia (Taiwanese tour, Asian tour, Japanese tournaments, and etc) and most players are invovled in other businesses (either as a coach or as a room owner) to allow them to come to the US. Most tournamnets in the US don't pay more than the tournaments in Asia. It costs quite a bit to come to the US (air fare + hotels) for a tournament. If the US has a $30K+ tournament at least once a month, then maybe you'll see them comming. Otherwise, only the tournaments like the BCA and the US open will attract them.
I doubt there will be a flood of Taiwanese players comming to the US for tournaments. There are enough tournaments in Asia (Taiwanese tour, Asian tour, Japanese tournaments, and etc) and most players are invovled in other businesses (either as a coach or as a room owner) to allow them to come to the US. Most tournamnets in the US don't pay more than the tournaments in Asia. It costs quite a bit to come to the US (air fare + hotels) for a tournament. If the US has a $30K+ tournament at least once a month, then maybe you'll see them comming. Otherwise, only the tournaments like the BCA and the US open will attract them.
turquoisecrazy
Banned
SplicedPoints said:
Very well said, it is exactly true!
SplicedPoints said:
True, and plus the fact that most don't speak English well, if any at all...it is really a discouragement if you can't converse well with Americans or while in US. Of course some players learn English while on the road, but that's still rare. Imagine top ten Taiwanese players go on the road together, not speaking a word of English..just kicking asses in silence! haha!
When i met Yang, i spoke to him in English, and he replied to me in Mandarin! (lucky i spoke the language). he's humble, but with a very soft handshake! (i guess he's living proof you don't need to be strong to have a powerful break!)
whitewolf said:
You're talking about last year's World Pool Championships which was held in Taipei, Taiwan. It will be in Taiwan again this year, except in Kaoshung City (where Chao and Yang are from)
And yes, the crowd will again be..."Far East"...
-Roger
I think Celtic nailed it when he said Asia is ahead of the US right now, the results don't lie. At last years WPC Archer and Strickland went out to Chang Pei-Wei and Kuo both from Chinese Taipei, both Chang and Kuo are much younger inexperienced players and aren't even Asia's best in most people's opinion (Yang, Chao) The Strickland vs Kuo match wasn't even close. With young talents like the Wu's coming up and no serious contender here on the North American scene I fully expect Asia to dominate the international scene within ten years. You can have your opinion, but the results speak for itself.
BTW, from what I've read, the two young Wus aren't brothers. I think they're from different towns actually. Wu Chia Ching has been playing semi-pro/pro pool in tw for a couple years now. I remember seeing him playing Yang once on TV 2 years ago; he lost narrowly. The Wu that won the world junior's not as well known and was only a middle school kid when he won the championship.
sniper said:
Pretty much yep. The USA will have noone that really has a hope of winning the WPC, they will watch their US Open money and trophy go back to Asia, they will be lucky that Asia has such a strong tour that pays decent money and keeps those players busy for the most part and away from the American tournaments. Morris went in 7 years ago and cleaned house, well Asia 7 years ago was also not the Asia of today, it is mostly young talent rising to hige levels of talent I am talking about so Morris missed playing those people who were 10-15 at the time. Plus with the San Miguel tour being such a phenomenally strong tour as far as player talent and such consistent money those players who are allowed to play in it (Asia only) have a huge advantage over the Americans who dont have a real tour and have to search around finding various tournaments from different organisations to choose to play. Then when the American finds his tournament it never has the depth of the San Miguel tour unless it is the US Open or the BCA, thats pretty much it. 2 tournaments a year to play in that are all top calibre players is not going to compete with Asia and their tour with tons of stops and every player in the event being as good as the 5th best American player at the low end and the top end having tons of players at the same level as Americas best of which there is 1 player, Archer. Let Morris try to go take out Asia now, I will be shocked if he got out with as much money as he goes in with. Let him try in 10 years, he would have no hope in hades the way that area is going up in skill.
The only thing that could save America is a strong tour and some YOUNG talent comming up that are playing awesome, I am talking about 14 year old that are running multiple racks already and playing at the speed of a Gabe Owen or Basavich. Thats what it would take because smart money would have been on Chia Chang Wu against Basavich last year for cash, and this year at 16 I dont think Basavich would want any of that kid at all and his recent 2nd in the Singapore stop of the San Miguel proves the kid can play, Basavich I dont think would have any hope of making a 2nd place showing in a tourney like that.
America needs a solid tour with predictable tour stops and decent money, nothing huge but a guarenteed $15,000 1st place down to $500 for 17-24 every week and about 20-30 tour stops. A tour where you have to qualify to play in it, you need to be a touring pro and when you are such you are into all the events on the tour, you dont have to pay to enter them, you are in as a pro. Huge money would come from the qualifiers for the tour set up alot like golf, corperate sponsership also would jump at the chance to get their name on a tournament for a tiny fraction of the price of golf on the hopes the new solid tour takes off much as golf did when it finally woke up and got its act together.
turquoisecrazy
Banned
I would like to see a womens tour in Asia as big as the San Mi tour...there r so many great female players in Taiwan. I always wonder about the filiopine, is there any good female player there at all?