What Do You Consider?
- Thread starter Nine Ball
- Start date
Here is a list I found googling...
2007 Shane Van Boening
2006 John Schmidt
2005 Alex Pagulayan
2004 Gabe Owen
2003 Jeremy Jones
2002 Ralf Souquet
2001 Corey Deuel
2000 Earl Strickland
1998 Buddy Hall
1999 Johnny Archer
1997 Earl Strickland
1996 Rodney Morris
1995 Reed Pierce
1994 Efren Reyes
1993 Earl Strickland
1992 Tommy Kennedy
1991 Buddy Hall
1990 Nick Varner
1989 Nick Varner
1988 Mike Lebron
1987 Earl Strickland
1986 David Howard
1985 Jimmy Reid
1984 Earl Strickland
1983 Mike Sigel
1982 David Howard
1981 Allen Hopkins
1980 Mike Sigel
1979 Louie Roberts
1978 Steve Mizerak
1977 Allen Hopkins
1976 Mike Sigel
Southpaw
2007 Shane Van Boening
2006 John Schmidt
2005 Alex Pagulayan
2004 Gabe Owen
2003 Jeremy Jones
2002 Ralf Souquet
2001 Corey Deuel
2000 Earl Strickland
1998 Buddy Hall
1999 Johnny Archer
1997 Earl Strickland
1996 Rodney Morris
1995 Reed Pierce
1994 Efren Reyes
1993 Earl Strickland
1992 Tommy Kennedy
1991 Buddy Hall
1990 Nick Varner
1989 Nick Varner
1988 Mike Lebron
1987 Earl Strickland
1986 David Howard
1985 Jimmy Reid
1984 Earl Strickland
1983 Mike Sigel
1982 David Howard
1981 Allen Hopkins
1980 Mike Sigel
1979 Louie Roberts
1978 Steve Mizerak
1977 Allen Hopkins
1976 Mike Sigel
Southpaw
Southpaw said:
Gees, you keep getting the ones I keep forgetting, and you're right about Hopkins being missing in the pic. So that makes six living U.S. Open champs not in the pic.
Name 'em individually, as opposed to the list!
You've got five out of six so far. You need one more to get the blue star.
JAM
muttley76 said:Just had to say (since my name was thrown in as a shortstop), that apparently shortstops are idiots who need a bunch of weight, but that will bet high-Matt
lol, Matt, by that definition I would be a shortstop too.
This is a horrible question to try and answer....
There are so many variances between location table etc... The real measure has to be on a given set of circumstances. I can sit and practice and beat the twelve ball ghost(occasionally), but up until recently, for the money, I was even money to lose playing a b player.
Can you go by ability? I don't know. Can you go by who they beat and whether it be in tournament or action play? Do you break it down by what type of game you're playing? I mean, what is Efren at one pocket a SUPER PRO A to the fifteenth power? The differences between players at the top levels are so miniscule it's funny.
I was commenting with a top california player visiting from the netherlands not long ago about how we could probably give each other the eight or even the seven and it would still go back and forth for the most part and he agreed with me. The only thing it really does is boost your confidence at that level. I mean, how often is someone at that level going to get out to the eight and miss or scratch while making the seven. Not very damn often.
As long as you're aware of that and capable of playing without the added confidence that a spot gives you, it's a toss up on any given day and for any given set.
Top pool is not like other sports at the highest level, because it is played at practically a perfect level. It would be the equivalent of Tiger woods occassionally scoring a 21 in golf. It just ain't going to happen, EVER. But in pool it's not unheard of for someone to break and run nine racks of nineball or run 150 and out in straight pool.
In snooker, people run 147, which is phenomenal on a somewhat regular basis too.
Because people play pool at such a top level I think it's common for people to attribute super human requirements to playing at an "A" level, but there are so many people that play at an A level occassionally it's not even funny. What differentiates the common A player from the Pro is the consistency of play, the knowledge of what allows them to play like that and the determination and dedication it takes to get and stay at that level. I'm hoping to get to that level of consistency and stay there myself.
I've heard that John Schmidt once said that he just woke up one day and played at a different level and was afraid that when he woke up the next day it would be gone. Is that how it works?? I don't know, I'll let you know if I ever wake up and can't easily be beat by someone. I'm actually sure I won't have to let you know because you;ll be seeing my name plastered on the front of AZ if that ever happens.
OF course only a few of you know my real name so you might not recognize it even if you saw it. I am starting to play pretty good, so it might not be that far off. I can only hope.
Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to share my thoughts.
Jaden.
There are so many variances between location table etc... The real measure has to be on a given set of circumstances. I can sit and practice and beat the twelve ball ghost(occasionally), but up until recently, for the money, I was even money to lose playing a b player.
Can you go by ability? I don't know. Can you go by who they beat and whether it be in tournament or action play? Do you break it down by what type of game you're playing? I mean, what is Efren at one pocket a SUPER PRO A to the fifteenth power? The differences between players at the top levels are so miniscule it's funny.
I was commenting with a top california player visiting from the netherlands not long ago about how we could probably give each other the eight or even the seven and it would still go back and forth for the most part and he agreed with me. The only thing it really does is boost your confidence at that level. I mean, how often is someone at that level going to get out to the eight and miss or scratch while making the seven. Not very damn often.
As long as you're aware of that and capable of playing without the added confidence that a spot gives you, it's a toss up on any given day and for any given set.
Top pool is not like other sports at the highest level, because it is played at practically a perfect level. It would be the equivalent of Tiger woods occassionally scoring a 21 in golf. It just ain't going to happen, EVER. But in pool it's not unheard of for someone to break and run nine racks of nineball or run 150 and out in straight pool.
In snooker, people run 147, which is phenomenal on a somewhat regular basis too.
Because people play pool at such a top level I think it's common for people to attribute super human requirements to playing at an "A" level, but there are so many people that play at an A level occassionally it's not even funny. What differentiates the common A player from the Pro is the consistency of play, the knowledge of what allows them to play like that and the determination and dedication it takes to get and stay at that level. I'm hoping to get to that level of consistency and stay there myself.
I've heard that John Schmidt once said that he just woke up one day and played at a different level and was afraid that when he woke up the next day it would be gone. Is that how it works?? I don't know, I'll let you know if I ever wake up and can't easily be beat by someone. I'm actually sure I won't have to let you know because you;ll be seeing my name plastered on the front of AZ if that ever happens.
OF course only a few of you know my real name so you might not recognize it even if you saw it. I am starting to play pretty good, so it might not be that far off. I can only hope.
Sorry for the rant, I just wanted to share my thoughts.
Jaden.
Whoops, guess I never answered the original question. For the most part in the southeast, Iba and Vette have it correct. Shortstop basically means you play good enough to play roadplayers, but probably not good enough to beat the top level ones.I've always joked that I play just good enough to play anyone I don't know, and just bad enough that I can't win. JMO-Matt
I think that taking one of those tests of breaking with 10 ball or 9 ball and taking ball in hand, and then counting the points is a good accurate description of the speed of the person. The funny thing is you could technically get to A status or higher without ever running out a rack, because it is just based on how many balls you pocket, not necessarily which ones. But I think that consistency is THE factor is determining what is what as far as "speed" is concerned.
There are a lot of threads that talk about just losing your game, or playing like a different player from one rack to the next, or even a few balls to the next. Good players don't really have this problem. Sure they may not run out a rack they should have, and then get out of the next one. But its not like (already mentioned) Glen Atwell wakes up and worries if he can't put a rack of 9 ball together. But in reality I think when Bob Jewett's tour kicks off, and they have a minor leauge so to speak leading to professional pool, these distinctions wont matter as much. We will know who has the goods and who doesnt.
There are a lot of threads that talk about just losing your game, or playing like a different player from one rack to the next, or even a few balls to the next. Good players don't really have this problem. Sure they may not run out a rack they should have, and then get out of the next one. But its not like (already mentioned) Glen Atwell wakes up and worries if he can't put a rack of 9 ball together. But in reality I think when Bob Jewett's tour kicks off, and they have a minor leauge so to speak leading to professional pool, these distinctions wont matter as much. We will know who has the goods and who doesnt.