I used to say the same thing as CJ when it came to the Magic Rack but I see things a bit differently now. Once you become accustomed to having a tight rack -- you are going to want to break tight racks. This can be done with any decent wooden or plastic rack but why go through the hassle of doing so?
Videos of Members Playing the Ghost??
- Thread starter Allen Brown
- Start date
I'm not sure its fair or credible to compare golf & pool. (Tee shot v's Break shot) Apples and oranges big time IMO.
The pool pro's do indeed make the game look very easy though. For me it can make me a little sleepy watching what seems like easy / repetitive rack after rack. The closest fair comparison perhaps is pro snooker - watching that keeps me awake a little longer, but I couldn't tell you precisely why ?
I think playing a sport & watching are 2 different things. I'd prefer to play pool, snooker and golf than spend the equivalent time watching someone else play it, even a pro. But that's just me...
Some sports / games are maybe better to play than to watch ? 9-ball in particular perhaps ?
Cheers.
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Hey mamics, you wont go to sleep watching me play. I get out of line on every shot and have to go 3 rails to try to get back in line. Ill be banking and sometimes kicking.....and one thing you dont see pros do often is....missing.
Yep, sounds just like how I play ! :thumbup:
You have made a lot of absurd statements lately, but these two are some of the worst and most offensive I've read. You want to equate a break to a drive? How about this here: McIlroy drives 436 yards. I would equate that to Shane making 6 balls on the break in 10 ball. If you find that boring to watch, you've led the wrong life. Making the wing ball on the break is like hitting the fairway on every par 4/5 and every green on a par 3. And I'll be honest, watching golf hoping for great shots is boring. Having tight competition is better. Only way to have tight competition in pool is alternate breaks.
As far as saying he has no chance with a regular rack is redicilous. As long as someone is taking the time the get a proper rack, the wing ball still goes. The reason the magic rack is becoming popular isn't because it makes the game easier. It's because it cuts down on the bullshit. Imagine in golf if the person you got paired with was the one teeing up your ball? Would you like that? I know I'd stop playing if that were the case. Would you watch golf then? It's like watching Mike Dechaine racking with a regular rack for someone else. I just want to go do something else at that point. With the magic rack, it puts both of them on the same level. The winner will be the more skilled player. Not the one who rigs best.
Do you like watching golf where the player is constantly hitting perfect and scoring birdie or par every hole? If it's only one player doing so, yea things get boring. But suddenly when two people are doing that, or three people. It's a completely different feel to the game. As of right now SVB is one of the only people to have taken the time to fully understand how and why the balls react and break as they do. Getting in and out of line of the shot in pool is just like being on the wrong or correct side of the fairway for that hole. Sometimes great shots get made.
Here's a challenge for you CJ. Enter every tournament that has winner breaks and a magic rack. If that magic rack rigs the game so much, you should have no problem in winning. Right? Or are you willing to admit that no matter how you start the game, it still requires skill to run out?
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The wing ball can be made quite easily with a standard rack as well. Ask Donnie Mills 
when racking is an "art form" it's a blatant sign for change.
And a magician can saw a woman in half.....both are just stage tricks. If the game has come to the point when racking is an "art form" it's a blatant sign for change. The game must change, it's gone too far with the magic rack, training cue ball, and gaff cues....there's not a champion player alive that will disagree with my statement.
And a magician can saw a woman in half.....both are just stage tricks. If the game has come to the point when racking is an "art form" it's a blatant sign for change. The game must change, it's gone too far with the magic rack, training cue ball, and gaff cues....there's not a champion player alive that will disagree with my statement.
The wing ball can be made quite easily with a standard rack as well. Ask Donnie Mills
Are you one of those guys that sit home and play pool on the computer?
I know you're my biggest fan, and you're going to love the exciting news.......
I won another 9 Ball tournament tonight, aren't you proud of me?
The Touch of Inside made the game seem so simple.....just hitting the same shot, no hard shots, no easy shots.......just shot after shot after shot after shot.....piercing the geometric center of the pocket.....time after time, after time, after time.
When's the last time you played in a tournament? For money? Do you even play pool, and if so where? Maybe it's time to buy a Meucci and step into the public sector.
Go play in a tournament this week, then report back, we'd like to hear all about it.
I know you're my biggest fan, and you're going to love the exciting news.......
I won another 9 Ball tournament tonight, aren't you proud of me?
The Touch of Inside made the game seem so simple.....just hitting the same shot, no hard shots, no easy shots.......just shot after shot after shot after shot.....piercing the geometric center of the pocket.....time after time, after time, after time.
When's the last time you played in a tournament? For money? Do you even play pool, and if so where? Maybe it's time to buy a Meucci and step into the public sector.
Go play in a tournament this week, then report back, we'd like to hear all about it.
Well all this banter re: the ghost ball video challenge got me keen enough to dust off the table tonite - it's been a while and the rust (in my game, not the table - lol) was quite evident ! :-(
Lets just say the 6 ball ghost isn't in danger of a loss in a race to 9 anytime soon....
<doh !>
Lets just say the 6 ball ghost isn't in danger of a loss in a race to 9 anytime soon....
<doh !>
What does it equalize? The only thing it equalizes is starting position. As a player I still need the skills to control the cue ball and get a shot on the one. If I lack there, no way am I able to run out. So if CJ Wiley and his mighty TOI isn't up to the task of winning every magic rack, winner breaks tournament. It shows that there's a lot more to the game than you see. I like watching people put 6 packs or better on other players. Did you by chance catch the Castle tournament from this weekend? In the last three matches streamed there were 2-3 break and runs out of like 50 games played. And it had nothing to do with balls being made on the break. It all came down to the players ability to run out, or lacking of ability. Most of the time it was a safety that killed the break and run.
As far as the magic rack, and other training aides are concerned. The magic rack is the least of the problems. Fancy training cue balls and sticks have no ability to train routes around the table. So no matter how many times a players says to themselves "I hit that perfect. Why didn't I get shape?" They fail to realize that they didn't hit it perfect. I'm sure there are many champions that don't agree with you CJ. You act as if you're the only voice of the players around here. But as far as I can tell, you couldn't be more disconnected with the pro scene.
I know you're my biggest fan, and you're going to love the exciting news.......
I won another 9 Ball tournament tonight, aren't you proud of me?
The Touch of Inside made the game seem so simple.....just hitting the same shot, no hard shots, no easy shots.......just shot after shot after shot after shot.....piercing the geometric center of the pocket.....time after time, after time, after time.
When's the last time you played in a tournament? For money? Do you even play pool, and if so where? Maybe it's time to buy a Meucci and step into the public sector.
Go play in a tournament this week, then report back, we'd like to hear all about it.
Cool. I bet you beat a lot of awesome players.
Derby is right around the corner. Can we expect to see you there, or is the competition there a little tougher than what you're used too?
Great clip, BasementDweller.
I'd ask for weight, but since you don't let anyone else get to the table, how can you know their speed? A 5-pack? Really?
After watching all of these clips, I'm pretty sure that I'm the worst player on AZ. It's a "Dear diary....." moment when I run a rack. I almost called the newspapers on the couple of occasions that I ran a 2-fer. A 3-pack is like Bigfoot for me. I've seen video footage of it. May have been in the woods with it. But, sadly never had a true encounter.
BasementDweller = World Class player, since he doesn't miss. I'll get serious and say that you're possibly Shortstop speed. I'd like to see you against some good competition. See how you respond.
Background Mood Music score: incomplete. I can score you, if you'll tell us what kind of chips you were eating.
P.S. Great job fading the ole cat-shark routine. I have a solid black one just like that. He loves to mingle around me while I hung for Bigfoot.
I'd ask for weight, but since you don't let anyone else get to the table, how can you know their speed? A 5-pack? Really?
After watching all of these clips, I'm pretty sure that I'm the worst player on AZ. It's a "Dear diary....." moment when I run a rack. I almost called the newspapers on the couple of occasions that I ran a 2-fer. A 3-pack is like Bigfoot for me. I've seen video footage of it. May have been in the woods with it. But, sadly never had a true encounter.
BasementDweller = World Class player, since he doesn't miss. I'll get serious and say that you're possibly Shortstop speed. I'd like to see you against some good competition. See how you respond.
Background Mood Music score: incomplete. I can score you, if you'll tell us what kind of chips you were eating.
P.S. Great job fading the ole cat-shark routine. I have a solid black one just like that. He loves to mingle around me while I hung for Bigfoot.
Another thing on the break in 9 Ball.
We have come a long ways since the 90's...
Watching the old matches from the 90's it almost seems like there was an unwritten rule that players wouldn't fuss too much about the racks. You take that and pair it with the fact that the players didn't know quite as much as today's players do about racking -- mainly because they just weren't as worried about it and what you get is a game that was totally different than today's version of 9 Ball.
It's laughable watching some of the older matches and seeing the 9 ball go rolling right for the corner pocket on the break rack after rack and nobody would say or do a thing about it. The player's just didn't waste much energy on the racks. Overall, it probably did make for a more interesting game but there's really no turning back now. The cat's out of the bag and all the top players understand the importance of a truly tight rack now -- not just having the top three balls frozen.
As far as my speed is concerned -- I think I still need weight from legit shortstops, at least what I consider to be shortstops in my mind. Here on AZ, many have referred to themselves as shortstops, using the term as if it means you’re just a decent player. To me, a shortstop has always been a really good regional player, not just the best league player in your small town.
P.S. I don't recall exactly what type of chips those were but I do know they had jalapenos in them and they were pretty good.
We have come a long ways since the 90's...
Watching the old matches from the 90's it almost seems like there was an unwritten rule that players wouldn't fuss too much about the racks. You take that and pair it with the fact that the players didn't know quite as much as today's players do about racking -- mainly because they just weren't as worried about it and what you get is a game that was totally different than today's version of 9 Ball.
It's laughable watching some of the older matches and seeing the 9 ball go rolling right for the corner pocket on the break rack after rack and nobody would say or do a thing about it. The player's just didn't waste much energy on the racks. Overall, it probably did make for a more interesting game but there's really no turning back now. The cat's out of the bag and all the top players understand the importance of a truly tight rack now -- not just having the top three balls frozen.
As far as my speed is concerned -- I think I still need weight from legit shortstops, at least what I consider to be shortstops in my mind. Here on AZ, many have referred to themselves as shortstops, using the term as if it means you’re just a decent player. To me, a shortstop has always been a really good regional player, not just the best league player in your small town.
P.S. I don't recall exactly what type of chips those were but I do know they had jalapenos in them and they were pretty good.
I know you're my biggest fan, and you're going to love the exciting news.......
I won another 9 Ball tournament tonight, aren't you proud of me?
The Touch of Inside made the game seem so simple.....just hitting the same shot, no hard shots, no easy shots.......just shot after shot after shot after shot.....piercing the geometric center of the pocket.....time after time, after time, after time.
When's the last time you played in a tournament? For money? Do you even play pool, and if so where? Maybe it's time to buy a Meucci and step into the public sector.
Go play in a tournament this week, then report back, we'd like to hear all about it.
So, instead of simply addressing the questions asked, you again go on to personal attacks.
Hi all. Let's keep in mind 99.99 percent of the members that actively post here are NOT pro players.
Probably 90% of the regular posters can't beat the ghost, using ANY rule set.
With that said, arguing about a wired wing ball is pointless.
This is supposed to be a fun competition and a chance to show off our skills of hitting the rails
Btw, it's not wired with a Magic rack. I'm a high C player and I definitely do not pocket it every rack. Maybe 65% of the time as a rough guess. I'm sure as the player gets better that percentage goes up. Meaning you still need the skill to hit the 1 pure.
Probably 90% of the regular posters can't beat the ghost, using ANY rule set.
With that said, arguing about a wired wing ball is pointless.
This is supposed to be a fun competition and a chance to show off our skills of hitting the rails
Btw, it's not wired with a Magic rack. I'm a high C player and I definitely do not pocket it every rack. Maybe 65% of the time as a rough guess. I'm sure as the player gets better that percentage goes up. Meaning you still need the skill to hit the 1 pure.
Question
This is more for confirmation than anything but I was told that racks typically play harder with the 2 and 3 on opposite sides of the 9? When i play the ghost I rack that way to make it as close to a real match and challenging as possible. I havent ever read any of the racking secrets books so am I dead wrong?
Also, my son just got a Go Pro for Christmas. Can I use that to record me playing the ghost? No video skills either. :embarrassed2:
This is more for confirmation than anything but I was told that racks typically play harder with the 2 and 3 on opposite sides of the 9? When i play the ghost I rack that way to make it as close to a real match and challenging as possible. I havent ever read any of the racking secrets books so am I dead wrong?
Also, my son just got a Go Pro for Christmas. Can I use that to record me playing the ghost? No video skills either. :embarrassed2:
...............
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FYI, standard "pattern racking" strategy (both offensive and defensive) is described fairly well in the online video here:
9-ball pattern racking strategy
Enjoy,
Dave
You're better than a C player!