Theoretically, if the US Open changed...

[worriedbeef]

Yes, this would be great.

As it is, young people are not taking up the game because it takes WAY too long to get good at.

Let us now, take 9 ball, and make it even HARDER, so the young "borderline" pros can't ever win a match against the top pros, thereby discouraging them from continuing to practice/compete.

IMHO, 9 ball has it's place firmly entrenched in American pocket billiards. Start another Open even with 10 ball if you want to, but DO NOT take away the US Open 9 Ball event.

I think reshaping the US Open 9 Ball championship into a 10 ball event is a HORRENDOUS idea. Yes, the best of the best would win more often. And much like all of us going to our weekly bar tournaments and KILLING them, the domination of a few pros over the the US Open 10 Ball Championship would slowly kill off the attendance, the way it does with weekly tournaments.

A big reason a lot of players attend the US Open currently, is for the chance to catch a groove and beat ONE big name pro. That is just not going to happen in 10 ball. The same player who might get beat 11-7 by Archer in 9 ball, might well get beat 11-4 or 11-5 in 10 ball.

And they very well may reflect aftwerwards, "I got no chance to win a match except against someone of my own speed. What am I doing here?"

And the next year, they don't come.

I say, leave the US Open 9 Ball championships alone.

Russ

good points, and in some respects i agree with you.

however there are many reasons why pool isn't been taken up by that many people, not just the fact that it's hard.

I mean look at snooker. To a complete beginner it's most certainly more difficult to put a few balls in the hole than pool, yet it's quite popular over here and a hell of a lot of people play regularly at the local club.

I don't nessecarilly think we should sacrifice the natural progression and evolution of our game for the sake of pandering to a lot of the flaws in modern society (lower attention spans, lack of effort, rather sit on their ass eating chips playing computer games, etc etc).

 

[arsenius]

Hehe, some of the responses in here are kind of funny. It's turned into a debate about whether the change should happen, instead of whether it would still be the same, longest running tournament. Some people got the point, and others missed it. Thanks for all your responses, especially the ones on topic!

I think it would be the same tournament myself. The change is too small. I think the promoter, venue, time, green jackets (I think that's the US Open, isn't it?), paid entries for former winners, etc. all together are what make it the US Open, not how many balls are on the table.

As to whether they should change it, the point that 9-ball will draw more weaker players is very valid. And the point about the current WPA call shot/call safety and pocket a ball 10 Ball rules. That's totally silly to me. If they don't fix that rule, I could definitely see how you would consider it a different tournament.