When I first moved to Greenville, SC, I saw Tony play in the Smoky Mountain Shootout. It's a 9-ball event on bar tables. Tony played well, finishing second to Larry Nevel. I certainly noted Tony's skill, but I was frankly more impressed with Stevie Moore's precision cueball control and Larry's overall talent.
Periodically, since then, I'd see Tony play at local bar table 8-ball events, and honestly, I was not that impressed. Yet many of my friends talked reverently of Tony's play. I would counter, saying, maybe in 9-ball, but he doesn't seem to control the cueball well enough or pattern well enough in 8-ball to be a dominant player. I just didn't see that much to get excited over.
However, after watching Tony play in Shannon's Southern 8-ball tournament this weekend, I have an entirely different perspective. Tony played superbly. His patterns were lock-tight solid, cueball very controlled, and shot making equal to his legendary status. He blew through Gabe Owen (4-1) and the A set final with Stevie Moore (6-0) like an unstopable locomotive. A roll here or there and he could well have had Stevie in the final race to four, which ended at 4-3, Stevie. (Congrats to Stevie, who played a great tournament.)
Anyway, even in a losing effort, my hat is off to Tony Watson. Now I get what the guys who've known him for years are talking about. What a talent! Why in the world is this guy not in the IPT?
Periodically, since then, I'd see Tony play at local bar table 8-ball events, and honestly, I was not that impressed. Yet many of my friends talked reverently of Tony's play. I would counter, saying, maybe in 9-ball, but he doesn't seem to control the cueball well enough or pattern well enough in 8-ball to be a dominant player. I just didn't see that much to get excited over.
However, after watching Tony play in Shannon's Southern 8-ball tournament this weekend, I have an entirely different perspective. Tony played superbly. His patterns were lock-tight solid, cueball very controlled, and shot making equal to his legendary status. He blew through Gabe Owen (4-1) and the A set final with Stevie Moore (6-0) like an unstopable locomotive. A roll here or there and he could well have had Stevie in the final race to four, which ended at 4-3, Stevie. (Congrats to Stevie, who played a great tournament.)
Anyway, even in a losing effort, my hat is off to Tony Watson. Now I get what the guys who've known him for years are talking about. What a talent! Why in the world is this guy not in the IPT?
