I always hear alex pagulayan or dennis orcullo's names thrown out there for who is today's best. In a race to 100 10 ball who wins?
Who is the best?
- Thread starter JasonCrugar
- Start date
i would have to go with alex. that little fellow plays his heart out whenever he's playing.
JasonCrugar said:
My Brother in the sport we all love Pool / billiards the best can not be quantified
One day Tom is top, and here comes Dick and Dick is on top, and then comes little Harry. No body knows where little Harry comes from but he is large and totally in charge, at least for a little while. This go's on and on and on and it never stop's. The future best player may be laying a crib in one our bed rooms as we speak.
I think once your achieve Pro status the best is a term that can only be used from tournament to the next tournament. In my opinion there is only one player that can be called the best with any billiards game, and that would be Willie Hoppe. Willie became so good at different Billiards games that he literally had no competition, and the powers to be of the sport at time had to invent new variations of the games just to continue to have National Championships. The games went from 14.1 to 14.2 Balk Line to 3-Cushion billiards. Now in pocket billiards no one has ever achieve a level of play that they were unbeatable at any game. I also doubt that it will ever happen, but I suppose it could happen!!!
Just my thoughts!!
good points but...
thx, i was more sayin in a race to 100 10 ball. and in that format i dont think the weaker player wins too often there :wink: i think a 3 day match against another player shows their true colors and the better player wins more often than notmanwon said:My Brother in the sport we all love Pool / billiards the best can not be quantified
One day Tom is top, and here comes Dick and Dick is on top, and then comes little Harry. No body knows where little Harry comes from but he is large and totally in charge, at least for a little while. This go's on and on and on and it never stop's. The future best player may be laying a crib in one our bed rooms as we speak.
I think once your achieve Pro status the best is a term that can only be used from tournament to the next tournament. In my opinion there is only one player that can be called the best with any billiards game, and that would be Willie Hoppe. Willie became so good at different Billiards games that he literally had no competition, and the powers to be of the sport at time had to invent new variations of the games just to continue to have National Championships. The games went from 14.1 to 14.2 Balk Line to 3-Cushion billiards. Now in pocket billiards no one has ever achieve a level of play that they were unbeatable at any game. I also doubt that it will ever happen, but I suppose it could happen!!!
Just my thoughts!!
I agree and disagree
By your statements above you would say Tiger Woods isn't the best golfer because he doesn't win every tournament. Well we all know he is the best golfer.
The reason we can't quantify the best pool player is because we don't have a structured format for these guys to compete. If we had a tournament schedule for pool where the best competed for say a 30 week season the cream would rise to the top. It always does.
manwon said:My Brother in the sport we all love Pool / billiards the best can not be quantified
One day Tom is top, and here comes Dick and Dick is on top, and then comes little Harry. No body knows where little Harry comes from but he is large and totally in charge, at least for a little while. This go's on and on and on and it never stop's. The future best player may be laying a crib in one our bed rooms as we speak.
I think once your achieve Pro status the best is a term that can only be used from tournament to the next tournament. In my opinion there is only one player that can be called the best with any billiards game, and that would be Willie Hoppe. Willie became so good at different Billiards games that he literally had no competition, and the powers to be of the sport at time had to invent new variations of the games just to continue to have National Championships. The games went from 14.1 to 14.2 Balk Line to 3-Cushion billiards. Now in pocket billiards no one has ever achieve a level of play that they were unbeatable at any game. I also doubt that it will ever happen, but I suppose it could happen!!!
Just my thoughts!!
By your statements above you would say Tiger Woods isn't the best golfer because he doesn't win every tournament. Well we all know he is the best golfer.
The reason we can't quantify the best pool player is because we don't have a structured format for these guys to compete. If we had a tournament schedule for pool where the best competed for say a 30 week season the cream would rise to the top. It always does.
I think there are too many variables to account for in a race to 100. Two players of similiar skill level as you cited in your example will have good runs and bad runs. They may play flawless for a stretch and then cool down for a period of time.JasonCrugar said:
When it comes to these great players their spans of terrific play are longer than most, and there "off" stints are much shorter than other players. They are able to recognize the adjustments they need to make and make those adjustments better than other players.
Because there are swings in their performance it is nearly impossible to catch both players at an absolute peak. Therefore, I believe you would have to guage the better player over the course of a much broader period of time.
I think so many additional factors come into play as well. Such as equiptment, physical condition, who got more sleep, who's getting the rolls, who's hungrier for the win, who has bills to pay, home life, etc.
All in all I think you pose a good question, but regardless of who would win in a race to 100, they are all champions in my book.
chicagomike said:
Isn't that though, the beauty of competition? Look for example at the uupcoming Super Bowl, it should be a great game and one will be crowned World Champion and they deserve it as they weathered the storm, but hardly the two best teams in the NFL. By the same hand, New England had the Fairy Tale season and should go down as one of the bet teams ever assembled, but, they are now just another NFL team because they blew the Super Bowl. At the same time, the Giants played a game of a lifetime and was crowned World Champion.
THe same thing happens in pool. We have guys often winning big championships who are to many just names seldomed mentioned. ON that day though, they came with it and made to Fairy Tale story.That is just the nature of sports. At race tracks they have a tote board because they understand the best horse doesn't win every race yet the majority bet him down to low odds, not understanding how he can get beat. The track though, stands there with their backs to the wall and lets the world bet as they please knowing few will leave winner.
Pool is often the same way. The best just doesn't often win the big event. This is good as there would be fewer and fewer entrants.
just about a said:
By your statements above you would say Tiger Woods isn't the best golfer because he doesn't win every tournament. Well we all know he is the best golfer.
Yes and No, he may be today but will he be in a week or a month or a year. What I am saying is there is always some one just out of frame who will be the next best. I am also saying that unless a game is changed because that person can't be beaten you can't say they are or were truly the best, like in the case of Willie Hoppe. Because if you do, you have done nothing but given you opinion, so isn't better to just say I think so and so is the best, that way you are never wrong.
Have a great night
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ironman said:
Ironman,
You're 1000% right...that is the beauty of competition. The fact that any human can win on any given day is a terrific thing. But who will be the best at any given time is a crap shoot given all of the factors that affect the outcome.
I think it's very tuff to predict beforehand, based on only the fact that the contest is one race to 100, who the best would be in anything... Given that two top players of the sport would be playing each other.
Of course everyone has their opinions and track records of the opponents come into play, but every now and again we see that anything is possible.
I'll go with Alex. Try putting anyone else in the world in the spot that Alex was in when he was stuck 22 games to SVB in a race to 100 playing 10 ball and see if they can come back and win. I saw it in person and it was hands down the most impressive performance on a pool table that I've ever seen.
What!?? Tiger Woods??!! the best golfer? Ha! I don't think so! He may have been in the #1 spot, but not now. He is outta the picture folks! Tiger may have exceptional skill, but I assure you, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia, and especially Phil Mickelson are just as if not more talented in other areas of the game. What irks me is that to me, you left out Ben Hogan, who in my book, was twice the man Tiger is today. Maybe at the end of his career, we can say that over all record, Tiger is the best, but he's still got a ways to go, baby.
The same goes for pool. There are top players, and then, there are legendary players. They all have immense skill and ability to concentrate. What matters is who has more heart during the time of battle. Any little thing such as a roll can create a turning point that swings in favor of one player over another. It could even be someone in the crowd, or a personal event happening in that player's life. To just say, who is the best is shallow. They are all great. Recognize that fact.
Enjoy pool knowing only that you do your best.
To seek the best in yourself is ideal, but to rate another individual over another is unimportant.
The same goes for pool. There are top players, and then, there are legendary players. They all have immense skill and ability to concentrate. What matters is who has more heart during the time of battle. Any little thing such as a roll can create a turning point that swings in favor of one player over another. It could even be someone in the crowd, or a personal event happening in that player's life. To just say, who is the best is shallow. They are all great. Recognize that fact.
Enjoy pool knowing only that you do your best.
To seek the best in yourself is ideal, but to rate another individual over another is unimportant.
JasonCrugar said:
I'd hate to have to pick this one. It could go either way. And the next time they play, it could go the other way. Yes, even in a Race To 100. You are talking about two of the premier players on the planet today. And you know that.
They have played shorter races in the PI, like to 25 and 30 on several occasions, and will continue to do so I'm sure. Thats is what keeps these guys so sharp. I don't know who is the overall winner between them. I watched them split two sets last time I was there, Races To 30 at One Side.
There is such a fine line between the two that I would call it a toss up.
you are right they are all great
The fact is you are right all of the top pool players are great. My point was we can't pin point the best one in a specific time period because we no tour. Nothing for them to be measured by like the PGA.
BTW - I know Tiger is hurt I was making a point about a tour and rankings. You are still way off Tiger Woods is robbing and I mean robbing everyone you mentioned, except Hogan. However, as we know it is very difficult to compare one generation against another. If I remember correctly Tiger won a major with a torn ACL. I'm not sure if Sergio won a major with two good knees yet.
deadgearplyr said:
The fact is you are right all of the top pool players are great. My point was we can't pin point the best one in a specific time period because we no tour. Nothing for them to be measured by like the PGA.
BTW - I know Tiger is hurt I was making a point about a tour and rankings. You are still way off Tiger Woods is robbing and I mean robbing everyone you mentioned, except Hogan. However, as we know it is very difficult to compare one generation against another. If I remember correctly Tiger won a major with a torn ACL. I'm not sure if Sergio won a major with two good knees yet.
Realistically, I doubt you'll ever see a race to 100 in short rack games, it takes too long. But, more to your question, I tend to agree with Jay. Once you get to the level these guys play at, it could easily go one way one day and the other way the next. Some times one player will dominate for a while but someone else will emerge shortly, and take over for a while.
just about a said:
True, but my money would be on Lord Byron Nelson! Eleven in a row will never be beat but the amazing stat is that his scoring average was well below Tiger's in his best year. Too bad Byron retired so soon in his career as his accomplishments would have been very interesting for the future of golf.
yep
hahaha well said
uwate said:
hahaha well said