Who has to be the favorite
- Thread starter cueball1950
- Start date
I don't know what to do with Mike Sigel. I'm not going to put 'em in the "dark horse" category, that would be ridiculous... so I'll just ignore his entry and anxiously wait to see what he'll do.
Faves: Bustamante, Pagulayan, Hohmann
A step below: Niels Feijen, Souquet, Reyes, Morris
How could I possibly pick only one???
Faves: Bustamante, Pagulayan, Hohmann
A step below: Niels Feijen, Souquet, Reyes, Morris
How could I possibly pick only one???
lewdo26 said:
Hey, Lewdo. Hope all's well. Great picks.
You know, even though you mention him, I think many tend to overlook the absolutely incredible credentials of Souquet. For example, did you realize (and I've posted this before):
Ralf Souquet has won the World 9-Ball Championship
Ralf Souquet has won the Sands Regency 9-ball Championship
Ralf Souquet has won the US Open 9-ball Championship
Ralf Souquet has won the US Open 14.1 Championship
Ralf Souquet has won the BCA Open 9-ball Championship
Ralf Souquet has won the Derby City Classic 9-ball Championship
Francisco Bustamante has not won the World 9-Ball Championship
Francisco Bustamante has not won the Sands Regency 9-ball Championship
Francisco Bustamante has not won the US Open 9-ball Championship
Francisco Bustamante has not won the US Open 14.1 Championship
Francisco Bustamante has not won the BCA Open 9-ball Championship
Francisco Bustamante has not won the Derby City Classic 9-ball Championship
Good point, sjm. All is well here, same to you.sjm said:
Souquet is just downright one of my favorite players, period. Not very photogenic or glamorous or flashy (at all...), but that's precisely why I got my money on him. Next to him, no player in the world could even SPELL consistency (with the possible exception of Archer). Methodical players are the ones I identify most with. So, naturally, I pay a lot of attention to this particular player.
I didn't know about his Sands and BCA titles, but everything else I'm aware of. Likewise, I'm aware of Bustamante's lack of first prizes in the majors, which is just amazing. That's why I'm picking him. It's now or never for him this year as far as I'm concerned. He's playing well enough (not that he didn't before)!
As far as Efren being a step below, I just think Efren has a better chance these days at the Derby than any other tournament (possible exception being the world 8 ball champs). Of course, you can never rule him out of any god-forsaken thing, but 9 ball was never his best game, and I think that pattern will only be further exacerbated as he gets older. Let's see...
Catch you soon, sjm.
T
Timberly
Guest
Shawn Putnam was a dark horse in Pittsburgh and in VF..... I'm just saying....
Timberly said:Shawn Putnam was a dark horse in Pittsburgh and in VF..... I'm just saying....
After watching him at the Joss finale I would not consider Shawn a dark horse. Prior to watching him play I can say that it would suprise me but now it definitely would not. He is definitely an upper echelon player.
Koop
T
Timberly
Guest
I agree with the "upper echelon" part, and I do think that he's as capable as anyone to win it... notice though that no one has mentioned him... no one thought he would win the 1st two UPA events either.... that's where my "dark horse" reference comes in... I might have the wrong impression of the term...Koop said:
Timberly said:I agree with the "upper echelon" part, and I do think that he's as capable as anyone to win it... notice though that no one has mentioned him... no one thought he would win the 1st two UPA events either.... that's where my "dark horse" reference comes in... I might have the wrong impression of the term...
Good point and I agree. I just meant that Shawn is too good not to be considered but seeing how nobody did, I see where you are coming from.
Koop
EL'nino said:
I reckon, based, on 2005 form, Bustamante would seem the favorite, but if those two met in the semifinal or final of the US Open, I'll take Souquet (if they meet earlier, no opinion). Ralf really gets it done in big spots, and tends not to get the respect he deserves when discussions of the great ones take place. Last time I can remember the two of them meeting in the late rounds of a big tourney was when Souquet beat Bustamante in the final of the 2003 BCA Open.
Still, seeing Bustamante win the US Open would make me very happy. He's been so good for so long.
T
Timberly
Guest
sjm said:
Did I just see someone from NYC "say" "I reckon"??? LOL
Souquet is a finisher, and he doesn't get the credit he deserves for the same reason Varner, Jeremy Jones, Okumura, and a few others don't: because their style is the anti-Strickland. They are methodical, crafty, percentage players, and most 9 ball fans do not appreciate that sort of thing. In the straight pool days they might have gotten much more recognition.sjm said:
Busta's lack of major titles almost makes me think that there is some mental block there... Everyone knows he's got the game to take anything, and yet, he doesn't. Some players are just like that: when it's time to close the deal and take it all, they won't. They'll do everything else, get everyone's recognition, etc. But they won't drive that nail to the coffin like an Archer or Souquet would.
I can think of many parallels in other sports and games, where a guy who is recognized as one of the best, actually doesn't take 1st place very often.
Timberly said:
LOL
You did!
By the way, Timberly, calling Shawn a dark horse is simply saying that he's one of the less obvious choices for the title but that he seems to be the kind of player that may be ready to make a statement on one of pool's greatest stages.
A year ago, there was this dark horse named Gabe Owen that did pretty well!
EL'nino said:
based on his perfomance in the past 3-4 years........he's NOT a favorite to win ANY tournament.......let alone the US open.
he's just not the same player he was. hopefully he'll step it back up soon. but as of right now i would definitely put him in the dark horse category.
VAP
