US Open May Provide Strongest Final Four Ever!

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Wow, the gaints of the game are really asserting themselves at the US Open, which is building to what is sure to be a great climax.

The last 8 on the winners side will consist of

Johnny Archer (World champion, US Open champion)
Mika Immonen (World Champion)
Daryl Peach (Word Champion)
Jose Parica (runnerup in US Open, 2003 and 2005)

and depending on the next round of play, it could possibly consist of:

Rodney Morris (US Open champion)
Thorsten Hohmann (World Champion)
Ronnie Alcano (World Champion)
Francisco Bustamante (reigning Derby City all-around champion)

With some US Open champions remaining on the losers side, including Deuel, Van Boening, and Souquet, we may be heading for the strongest final four of any tournament ever played.

For my money, the 2003 BCA Open produced the strongest final four ever, when Archer, Immonen, Bustamante and Souquet were the last four standing.

This is pretty cool!
 
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Chesscat said:
You are right on! Soquet is killing them on the loser's side.
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Great escape vs Badsteubner. I think Ralf trailed 10-6 in that one.
 
sjm said:
Wow, the gaints of the game are really asserting themselves at the US Open, which is building to what is sure to be a great climax.

The last 8 on the winners side will consist of

Johnny Archer (World champion, US Open champion)
Mika Immonen (World Champion)
Daryl Peach (Word Champion)
Jose Parica (runnerup in US Open, 2003 and 2005)

and depending on the next round of play, it could possibly consist of:

Rodney Morris (US Open champion)
Thorsten Hohmann (World Champion)
Ronnie Alcano (World Champion)
Francisco Bustamante (reigning Derby City all-around champion)

With some US Open champions remaining on the losers side, including Deuel, Van Boening, and Souquet, we may be heading for the strongest final four of any tournament ever played.

For my money, the 2002 BCA Open produced the strongest final four ever, when Archer, Immonen, Bustamante and Souquet were the last four standing.

This is pretty cool!
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The game of 9 ball has so many twists and turns. There is the break, the rack, and sometimes just the roll of the balls which can make this game so unpredictable.

Once in a while though the favorites gather at the end and then it's a "who Know's all over again. That to me is very exciting and what all the DVD's etc should be about.

I often get so caught up in it that I root for the person shooting and not really rooting against anyone. Sometimes it is a shame there is only one winner. There are though a lot of winners in this game.
 
It's official. The last 8 on the winners side:

Johnny Archer (World champion, US Open champion)
Mika Immonen (World Champion)
Daryl Peach (Word Champion)
Jose Parica (runnerup in US Open, 2003 and 2005)
Rodney Morris (US Open champion)
Thorsten Hohmann (World Champion)
Ronnie Alcano (World Champion)
Francisco Bustamante (reigning Derby City all-around champion)

For my money, the 2003 BCA Open produced the strongest final four ever, when Archer, Immonen, Bustamante and Souquet were the last four standing. We may be about to top that final four.

I'm seriously jealous of anyone who is there at the event.
 
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I know its not the most likely scenario, but I would love to see Tyler Edey pull it off.

He's become Canada's most consistent performer on the international stage.
 
Cameron Smith said:
I know its not the most likely scenario, but I would love to see Tyler Edey pull it off.

He's become Canada's most consistent performer on the international stage.
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You know, I was just talking about him last night. It'd be killer to see him go all the way, even if he only comes runner up to one of the other world-beaters!
 
Fatboy said:
Archer, Mika, Busta, and ??? are the final 4
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Fatboy, you must be confused. There are 8 left in the winners bracket. 4 WS matches to be played today at 1PM according to AZ..
 
I'm hard pressed to make a prediction with all these giants left on the winner's side.

I think the best story out there would be Parica, just a few months short of his 60th birthday.

Then again, Bustamante, whose career has been a long, cruel parade of near misses on pool's biggest stages, would be a great story, too.

And how about Rodney Morris, winner a week ago at the World Cup of Pool, and here with a chance to come full circle after the unfortunate circumstances that took some of his best competitive years away from him during his prime?

And, finally, if a dark horse emerges from the losers side to snap off the title, it will rate as one of pro pool's greatest ever shockers.

Yes, this is breathtaking!
 
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MOJOE said:
Fatboy, you must be confused. There are 8 left in the winners bracket. 4 WS matches to be played today at 1PM according to AZ..
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Confiused is not he...he wants to make referenced bet w/ you!
 
We sure are in for a treat. There were some great matches last night and I am hoping for the same today. It is a great week to be a pool fan.
 
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sjm said:
I'm hard pressed to make a prediction with all these giants left on the winner's side.

I think the best story out there would be Parica, just a few months short of his 60th birthday.

The again, Bustamante, whose career as been a long, cruel parade of near misses on pool's biggest stages, would be a great story too.

And how about Rodney Morris, winner a week ago at the World Cup of Pool, and here with a chance to come full circle after the unfortunate circumstances that took some of his best competitive years away from him during his prime?

And, finally, if a dark horse emerges from the losers side to snap off the title, it will rate as one of pro pool's greatest ever shockers.

Yes, this is breathtaking!
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Go Rodney!! He's confident after his world title and in great form!
 
I always wonder who's gonna come steam rollin' through the losers bracket, this event always has had a surprise from this side.
 
Island Drive said:
I always wonder who's gonna come steam rollin' through the losers bracket, this event always has had a surprise from this side.
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Lee Van Corteza is the name that comes to my mind. He just defeated Ralf Souquet last night.
 
Pulling for Parica and Archer...

For the home country guy I'm definitely pulling for Archer...there's been a lot of talk the last few years about him not being able to play as well as he used to, and I think it'd be kind of cool to see him prove he's still got it and be the first guy to repeat as US Open champ in quite a while...

But having said that...I think my sentimental favorite is Parica...he's been so close so many times before, he deserves it...I swear he has had more 2nd place finishes in the big ones, whether it be the US Open or the World Championships, etc. than any other player I can think of...I think it would be fantastic to watch him finally take it home this close to turning 60.
 
f210 said:
Lee Van Corteza is the name that comes to my mind. He just defeated Ralf Souquet last night.
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Ya also gotta wonder if the WPA payout situation is not on some of the players minds.........
 
edd said:
Go Rodney!! He's confident after his world title and in great form!
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Tough not to think of our dear deceased AZB friend Rude Dog, who was a good friend of Rodney. Many will recall that AZB sent Rude Dog as its amateur representative to the US Open a few years ago, and how he related the wonderful experience he had while there. I'm sure Rude Dog is looking down and smiling.
 
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