U.S. OPEN 2026, Frisco, Texas, August 25-30

Completely agree with this. We want to grow the sport and polarizing figures like Rogan aren't the way.

Matchroom mistook having a huge audience for being an effective bridge to a new audience. 9 Ball is back on ESPN and they picked the most divisive cultural ambassador they could find.
You scared of Joe Rogan? That's crazy.
 
I spent a couple days in Frisco at the tournament. The players were absolutely amazing on and off the table. They signed autographs and took pics for 10 minutes straight if need be. They were very personable with all the attendees. JJ, Frost, and Emily were just as cordial. And all the attendees were respectful and attentive. Beautiful venue and great event overall.
 
Speaking of - anyone know what Capito was inhaling in his match? Obviously nothing illicit since he was doing it on live tv but when he was on the hill i noticed he pulled out a chapstick looking thing and took a whiff in each nostril. Also saw he's sponsored by "buzzup" which i couldn't find anything on. Was wondering if it was some kind of caffeine or nicotine thing.

asthma medicine sounds probable?
 
You scared of Joe Rogan? That's crazy.
Please explain how thinking he's a poor choice of ambassador for pool if we want to attract more people to the sport equates to being scared. I just think he comes with too much baggage.

I did at least appreciate that he stayed on topic and didn't peddle any bullshit. Wouldn't have known it was him if they didn't make a big deal about it.
 
I have hated the 9 on the spot with the cut break. I know a change was needed because the best players were breaking a running so well. To me the cue ball slashing back and forth through the rack looks uncontrolled and amateurish.

Watching a lot of the tournament, I realized the new break takes a little skill,but as planned, the outcome of it is very random. At a mich higher percent the breaker would be left without a good shot or even safe. This led to many more pushouts, allowing both players to the table and showcasing strategy.
 
Please explain how thinking he's a poor choice of ambassador for pool if we want to attract more people to the sport equates to being scared. I just think he comes with too much baggage.

I did at least appreciate that he stayed on topic and didn't peddle any bullshit. Wouldn't have known it was him if they didn't make a big deal about it.
What other famous person gives a rat's ass about pool?.....

We can't just silence the voices of those we disagree with.
 
Completely agree with this. We want to grow the sport and polarizing figures like Rogan aren't the way.

Matchroom mistook having a huge audience for being an effective bridge to a new audience. 9 Ball is back on ESPN and they picked the most divisive cultural ambassador they could find.
It seemed more a spur of the moment deal. It wasn't publicized that he would be commentating, he was only there for a short time. You couldn't even hear him half the time, whoever was running the sound dropped that ball. And JJ kept constantly talking over him, he just can't help himself.
 
Please explain how thinking he's a poor choice of ambassador for pool if we want to attract more people to the sport equates to being scared. I just think he comes with too much baggage.

I did at least appreciate that he stayed on topic and didn't peddle any bullshit. Wouldn't have known it was him if they didn't make a big deal about it.
Because he may very well turn more people off than he attracts. Like I said, tone deaf.
 
Speaking of - anyone know what Capito was inhaling in his match? Obviously nothing illicit since he was doing it on live tv but when he was on the hill i noticed he pulled out a chapstick looking thing and took a whiff in each nostril. Also saw he's sponsored by "buzzup" which i couldn't find anything on. Was wondering if it was some kind of caffeine or nicotine thing.
Maybe a Vicks inhaler...
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Joe Rogan would be great if he had just stuck to sports. Unfortunately, he didn't. Some people actually value the US Constitution, and loved the US, before it was turned over to a bunch of grifters with zero respect for the law, for the Constitution, who protect sexual predators and pedophiles. Maybe if Joe hadn't become a mouthpiece for those people I wouldn't mind hearing him commentate about pool.

Like those grifters like to say, just because you have freedom of speech doesn't mean you don't pay consequences for it. The consequences for it in my case is I consider him a piece of S who is a traitor to his own country and I don't want to hear him, ever.

This is probably why he shouldn't be commentating on pool, in spite of what all of the tone deaf people say about ah shucks he is great for the sport. He is too divisive to people without their head in the sand.
I've been a regular Rogan listener for well over a decade - the guy has 0 political agenda and has beliefs all over the political spectrum. He's been supportive of some of Bernie Sanders' ideas, some of Andrew Yang's ideas, some of Gary Johnson's ideas, and yes some of the Trump/Vance ideas.

"would be great if he had just stuck to sports" ... he is literally famous for having long form conversations on his podcast about things he's interested in. Aside from UFC, his podcast is about 0.0001% sports lol
 
If people think Jayson Shaw is a hall of famer, then FSR is certainly destined for the hall. He has a much stronger resume than Jayson.
I think people debated FSR after his historic 2022-2023 run. He achieved more than most in a single year. There was a debate whether if he accomplished nothing else would he likely get in once eligible. Some saying yes for getting 8-ball WC (1st), 9-ball WC (1st), US Open (1st) and 10-ball WC (2nd in the same year). More than anyone else in a career. But some still like to see more than a flash in the pan. Some look at impact to the sport and longevity. But honestly if it was debatable before, this second US Open win years later certainly cements it for him.

And to your point. There are people that argue for Jayson for his longevity and impact. Especially his Mosconi Cup dominance is impactful in the industry. But in an international era where people have multiple US Opens, multiple World Championships, etc. There are definitely people that think Jayson needs one or two more major achievements to get out of the grey zone. And that’s with some major titles under him already. It’s just not a resume that stacks up to even an Albin or Biado. As crazy as that sounds when you know who he is to the sport.

So yeah, FSR is clearly across a black and white threshold now. It’s only a matter of time. Maybe first ballot. Maybe not. But eventually is a certainty.
 
alcaide deserves a shootout too. semifinalist at 47 (48?).

everybody should look at what the spaniards are doing, and have been doing for a while. they live fairly close, they have training sessions/sparring, they travel together. iron sharpens iron
 
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I think people debated FSR after his historic 2022-2023 run. He achieved more than most in a single year. There was a debate whether if he accomplished nothing else would he likely get in once eligible. Some saying yes for getting 8-ball WC (1st), 9-ball WC (1st), US Open (1st) and 10-ball WC (2nd in the same year). More than anyone else in a career. But some still like to see more than a flash in the pan. Some look at impact to the sport and longevity. But honestly if it was debatable before, this second US Open win years later certainly cements it for him.

And to your point. There are people that argue for Jayson for his longevity and impact. Especially his Mosconi Cup dominance is impactful in the industry. But in an international era where people have multiple US Opens, multiple World Championships, etc. There are definitely people that think Jayson needs one or two more major achievements to get out of the grey zone. And that’s with some major titles under him already. It’s just not a resume that stacks up to even an Albin or Biado. As crazy as that sounds when you know who he is to the sport.

So yeah, FSR is clearly across a black and white threshold now. It’s only a matter of time. Maybe first ballot. Maybe not. But eventually is a certainty.
FSR and Shaw are both clear HOFers. The standard is not SVB or Earl, or else there'd be no more than about five people in the HOF.

Kim Davenport
Rodney Morris
Tom Rossman

Are all in there (and I just looked at the 2011-2018 inductions). A bunch of "industry titans" are in there. If a US Open champ, a 7x Mosconi Cup champ, and the world-record holder of 832 (!!) in straight pool, plus dozens of other tournament wins, isn't a HOFer then the HOF is not doing its job of identifying and immortalizing the top players of each generation.
 
I'm no Rogan fan but it's not like he's any worse than people like Pat McAfee or Stephen A. Smith, or ESPN alumni like Colin Cowherd or Skip Bayless.

Par for the course if pool is going to be on ESPN.

Yeah, I'm not a Rogan fan either, but I do think he could be good for the sport. He's got a huge audience and I don't think it's as demographically homogeneous as people often think it is. And it is to be expected that he, or someone like him, would be used by ESPN to bring some sense of familiarity to new viewers who might have tuned in to check it out on ESPN.

I hope we get more pool on ESPN in the future. But I do worry if the viewership numbers will be there now with so many of us subscribing to WNT.TV. I don't have access to ESPN, I'm not a huge sports guy except for the Packers and I can get most of those games over the air or on a streaming services I already have, I maybe miss one or two a season. I watched on WNT.TV.
 
I haven't read this entire thread.

What kind of cloth were they playing on?

And what was the color?

And I assume that was a Diamond ProAm built with drop pockets vs a ball return. Correct?

I am going to ask again.

What kind of cloth were they playing on?

And what was the color?

And I assume that was a Diamond ProAm built with drop pockets vs a ball return. Correct?
 
I am going to ask again.

What kind of cloth were they playing on?

And what was the color?

And I assume that was a Diamond ProAm built with drop pockets vs a ball return. Correct?

Man, you need to get a phone with the Google.

CPBA cloth, a WNT sponsor
Grey
The main table was had ball return with the pocket returns blocked, so it behaved like a drop-pocket table
All other tables were ball return
 
After Filler won the UK Open earlier this year, there was chatter on here that nobody was on his level.

But he has not even sniffed the finals of these last few WNT events, and it's still anyone's game as far as 800 + Fargo rated players go.
 
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