Who is the best shotmaker in America? Strickland perhaps?

Of all the Americans active and in their prime right now, Shane is the one I want shooting the tough shot for the money. Not a doubt in my mind.

Things change over the years and most of the guys mentioned in this thread are or were clutch performers in their day. Buddy always amazed me by how he could come with the shot but I was just never was able to see him in those spots as much as I have seen Shane. When I was staking and betting on Shane (before TAR) I don't know how many times he had a long shot off the rail in a tough situation and I actually felt good that he was shooting it because I knew when he speared it in it would break his opponents heart.

Another guy mentioned that doesn't get much press is Harriman. In his matches with Schmidt he comes with the heat, but then so did John so I guess I put them both in that class as well.

I have not seen Archer in action much but I defer to Korn's opinion. He knows what he is talking about.
 
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Back on topic since I tend to stray sometimes, I would have to pick Shane, Schmitty and Archer as the best American shotmakers today. I don't know if I ever saw any better shotmaking than the match Shane played with Alcano for the hot seat at the 2007 U.S. Open. He came with big shot after big shot on a very tough Diamond table. Best of all, Accu-Stats preserved that match on DVD. That's one 9-Ball match I would highly recommend.

I love watching John Schmidt fire balls in off the end rail and no one today does it any better. For the cash, my gut still tells me Johhny came come with more heat than anyone else. He ain't done yet by any means.
 
A shotmaker story

2am US Open Auditorium
I'm watching Earl practice runout after runout. There is a guy next to me and really nobody else.

In walks Billy Incardona with his case, and Buddy Hall. Billy pulls out an old Joss and sets up a shot on the table ajacent to Earl. Cue ball about a ball width from the short rail near the top corner and the object ball is straight in to the bottom corner pocket by the first diamond. He needs to shoot along the long rail and make his object ball into the corner. He also needs to draw all the way back for his next shot. The pockets are tight and he has to jack up because he is by the rail to start.

The shot is brutal and Billy misses it for several minutes. Earl takes an interest and steps in. He misses it for several minutes. The pockets are too tight...the felts are so slick. One would need a super stroke for the position and a richeous line to make the shot. Buddy gets off the bench and offers to school these guys. He makes the shape but rattles the shot.

Out of nowhere, the guy next to me asks to try it. These guys cant offer him Billy's cue fast enough. He one strokes it and makes it with perfect grace, threading the corner and drawing all the way back with what loooks to be a soft effortless stroke. He sat back down.

I asked, who are you, the end of the world? He said my name is Bobby Hunter and he shook my hand. I said I wouldn't forget the name.

You guys may be right about Luther, Sigel or Louie...but Bobby Hunter is the best I've seen.
 
jay helfert said:
Back on topic since I tend to stray sometimes, I would have to pick Shane, Schmitty and Archer as the best American shotmakers today. I don't know if I ever saw any better shotmaking than the match Shane played with Alcano for the hot seat at the 2007 U.S. Open. He came with big shot after big shot on a very tough Diamond table. Best of all, Accu-Stats preserved that match on DVD. That's one 9-Ball match I would highly recommend.

I love watching John Schmidt fire balls in off the end rail and no one today does it any better. For the cash, my gut still tells me Johhny came come with more heat than anyone else. He ain't done yet by any means.
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thanks jay ,to even be mentioned is is quite a compliment .
 
Scott Frost is a helluva shot maker.

But today, when he is playing - if I had to pick one person to make a shot, pocketing the ball with english I would pick Corey. I am not saying he is the best player but I feel he is the best shotmaker.
 
watchez said:
Scott Frost is a helluva shot maker.

But today, when he is playing - if I had to pick one person to make a shot, pocketing the ball with english I would pick Corey. I am not saying he is the best player but I feel he is the best shotmaker.
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Hard to go against Shane and Johnny......but Corey is my pick as well.
 
mikeyfrost said:
I'm gonna have to go with SVB, Earl unfortunately has started to miss makeable balls he's still great and I'd probably take him as number 2. With a format like this, I have a feeling it will be who shoots the ghost the best. If you opened this up to a worldwide debate I doubt any American is in the top 2.
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Now this is strictly IMO, but missing an easy ball doesn't really relate to "who is the best shot maker". We all know they can make that "easy" shot. They just did what we all do in that situation when we miss dem der easy shots; we took them for granted. Of course now put the same person in a pressure situation where making what everyone knows is a difficult shot we all have a tendency to bear down more and take our time with them.
 
Randy9Ball said:
Earl doing wing shots at warp speed and behind his back is enough for me!
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You know, I'd almost forgotten about this. I never saw anyone do this the way he can. I've got a clip of him ending an exhibition with 10 in a row, the final behind the back. I've seen other guys do wing, but it's easier cuts or slower rolling and certainly not behind the back.

I think you may be right. Right now, it doesn't have to be earl, but in his prime... who else could do that?
 
CreeDo said:
You know, I'd almost forgotten about this. I never saw anyone do this the way he can. I've got a clip of him ending an exhibition with 10 in a row, the final behind the back. I've seen other guys do wing, but it's easier cuts or slower rolling and certainly not behind the back.

I think you may be right. Right now, it doesn't have to be earl, but in his prime... who else could do that?
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I would say the first 20 seconds of this video ends all debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8pDccgPKxo
 
Ktown D said:
Hard to go against Shane and Johnny......but Corey is my pick as well.
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For pure stepping up and shooting a ludicrously hard shot with perfect shape in an American I will also go for Corey if we are talking about today's American field. The story from above with Buddy shooting shots no other player even thinks of shooting, I have seen Corey shoot those shots a few times with remarkable results of success.

I can honestly think of no player alive today that has as much stroke as Corey when he decides to let it go. If he ever loses the chippy/soft breaking games and gets serious about being a world champion I don't think the current top players are going to like it.
 
Celtic said:
For pure stepping up and shooting a ludicrously hard shot with perfect shape in an American I will also go for Corey if we are talking about today's American field. The story from above with Buddy shooting shots no other player even thinks of shooting, I have seen Corey shoot those shots a few times with remarkable results of success.

I can honestly think of no player alive today that has as much stroke as Corey when he decides to let it go. If he ever loses the chippy/soft breaking games and gets serious about being a world champion I don't think the current top players are going to like it.
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If Corey would decide to concentrate on being a pro pool player instead of an aspiring pro golfer, nobody would like it...imo.
 
Once again, I'm left out. Not even an honorable fu#$ing mention. Every one of you can kiss my a$$.
 
IMHO the best shotmaker is someone we have all never seen at a tournament.

Here is my logic. I grew up playing at Executive Billiards in Indianapolis. We had a few guys there who were not top notch players by any means, not even shortstops, BUT they were incredible shot makers. What they lacked was just the ability to play better. They would make the impossible back cuts, the banks that your jaw would drop on etc. but couldn't put racks together.
 
I haven't seen all of the current players in person, but for sheer, jaw-dropping shot-making, I have to add another vote for Corey.

Scott
 
I've seen nevel play about as wide open as anyone could ever possibly do and get there. SVB is my pick to make the long, on the rail, jacked up, bs shots that come up. Corey can come up with a shot that no human sees. I've seen hennessee make some awesome shot too.
 
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