The state of pool in USA

[stephen_joyce]

Why do you think there were so few in the final stages from the USA?

Do you think that this is a blip statistic or will this trend continue in the next few events?

I myself think that it was just a blip and that in the next few events this will just prove to be a statistical blip.

 

[Bamacues]

Why do you think there were so few in the final stages from the USA?

Do you think that this is a blip statistic or will this trend continue in the next few events?

I myself think that it was just a blip and that in the next few events this will just prove to be a statistical blip.

Personally, I think that the great players from all over the world (including the US) are so closely matched that the final 6 could have been any of a bunch of players. I think the real problem for quite a few players, not only the US players, is that they have focused on 9 ball for so long that they are a little behind some of the European and Asian/Phillipino players who play a lot of competitive 8 ball in strategic play of 8 ball. Now that there is some real money in 8 ball, I think the level of play for ALL the players will only get better over the next year or so.

 

[jsp]

Personally, I think that the great players from all over the world (including the US) are so closely matched that the final 6 could have been any of a bunch of players. I think the real problem for quite a few players, not only the US players, is that they have focused on 9 ball for so long that they are a little behind some of the European and Asian/Phillipino players who play a lot of competitive 8 ball in strategic play of 8 ball. Now that there is some real money in 8 ball, I think the level of play for ALL the players will only get better over the next year or so.

I think you're half correct.

Yes, a lot of the American players focus primarily on 9ball...but I don't think the Europeans and Filipino players play a 8ball extensively...at least not the Filipinos. I don't think Filipinos play 8ball at all in the Philippines.

I think it's all in what game you grow up playing. Filipinos are raised with 15 ball rotation. Europeans, at least the Germans, grow up with a steady dose of straight pool. These two games are more "difficult" games to master, and they provide you with pretty much all the necessary tools needed to adapt to competitive 8ball (though, from two very different paths).

I believe the Americans suffer greatly because 9ball has been the game they've always played in competition. 9ball is child's play relative to straight pool and rotation. And things get a little more difficult once you add 6 more balls on the table.

Maybe this past tournament is actual proof that 8ball is harder than 9ball. Just look at the top 6. You have three rotation specialists (or two rotation specialist and a snooker specialist, if you want to categorize Manalo as so), two straight pool specialists, and a russian billiards specialist. No 9ball specialists.

 

[jsp]

Maybe this past tournament is actual proof that 8ball is harder than 9ball. Just look at the top 6. You have three rotation specialists (or two rotation specialist and a snooker specialist, if you want to categorize Manalo as so), two straight pool specialists, and a russian billiards specialist. No 9ball specialists.

Actually, I want to build upon this idea. Look at the top 18 players of the NA tournament...

Q. Hann
E. Stalev
E. Reyes
L. Nevel
D. Appleton
R. Luat
F. Bustamante
D. Matlock
D. Peach
D. Orcollo
R. Alcano
R. Souquet
M. Manalo
A. Pagulayan
T. Hohmann
M. Chamat
G. Owen
R. Diks

Do any of these 18 people play 9ball exclusively? The only two I'm not sure about are the Americans Matlock, Owen, and Nevel.

I believe Matlock specializes in barbox 8ball. I think I recall Owen saying that 8ball is his best game. Not sure about Nevel though.

 

[ironman]

Actually, I want to build upon this idea. Look at the top 18 players of the NA tournament...

Q. Hann
E. Stalev
E. Reyes
L. Nevel
D. Appleton
R. Luat
F. Bustamante
D. Matlock
D. Peach
D. Orcollo
R. Alcano
R. Souquet
M. Manalo
A. Pagulayan
T. Hohmann
M. Chamat
G. Owen
R. Diks

Do any of these 18 people play 9ball exclusively? The only two I'm not sure about are the Americans Matlock, Owen, and Nevel.

I believe Matlock specializes in barbox 8ball. I think I recall Owen saying that 8ball is his best game. Not sure about Nevel though.

Actually, David plays all games very well. Good 1 pocket, great on a snooker table, and his best game is probably 3-cushion billiards.
Gabe happens to be a good bar table player and a very good 1 pocket player.

 

[edatplaypool]

Nevel won the Wisconsin State Straight Pool title several times, against some pretty good straight pool players too. I watched him beat Craig Powers 125-0 in the finals, in a 2 inning game one year. He had a 100 and out, 1 inning matches another year.

Everyone knows he can play one pocket, so you can bet he plays all the games pretty well.

 

[PoolSleuth]

Why do you think there were so few in the final stages from the USA?

Because those from out of the USA just Played Better.... Americans maybe next time will be their time..

 

[Cornerman]

Why do you think there were so few in the final stages from the USA?

Do you think that this is a blip statistic or will this trend continue in the next few events?

I myself think that it was just a blip and that in the next few events this will just prove to be a statistical blip.

I think it's the game of 8-ball. The Germans have been playing 8-ball in an organized format for several years, while the professional Americans really haven't been for a while.

The Filipinos grew up playing another pyramid/triangle racked game that take similar cue ball paths, so the transition IMO is easier as compared to other games. Funny, even I played rotation more than anything else because it was the only game my father knew how to play.

I think that it's just a matter of the current strong Americans playing more 8-ball with the best in world, rather than trying to rely on their current knowledge base of 9-ball and 14.1. To be the best 8-ball player you can be, you have to play 8-ball.

Fred <~~~ plays lots of 8-ball