World Summit of Pool on tv tomorrow Tuesday 10-26

Four excellent matches with four excellent players: Mike Davis, Danny Harriman, Santos Sambajon and Earl Strickland. I won't give away the ending for those who don't know the results, but I promise that one of the matches is for the ages. And two others are cliffhangers.
 
Gremlin said:
I was just wondering why it would be aired against the World Series.

Because pool is low on the pecking order at ESPN. They would not put on a traditional sport such as college football because sports fans will be watching the Series.

They figure they are going to get between 250,000 and 500,000 viewers for pool regardless of what it is on other channels.

If you will recall they ran the 2002 Mosconi Cup on a Sunday afternoon against the AFC and NFC Championship games.

It's a throwaway.
 
WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
** SPOILERS FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN TONIGHT'S MATCHES YET **










I caught the end of the Strickland/Harriman match at a friend's house. (I was taping them at home). You have to feel for Harriman to have Earl come with that shot at hill-hill after Danny played that great safety.

How do you fade something like that after you play that good a shot?

Mike
 
What makes it worse is that it was against earl, and he's normally complaining about his lack of luck, they showed a close up, and he had made a really nice shot, he had the cue ball within a quarter inch of the obstructing ball. I didn't like how they called it the shot of the decade, all earl was trying to do was make contact, besides getting ridiculously lucky the thing i noticed is how the 2 ball came up behind another ball and the cue ball was stuck on or near the rail if he hadn't of made the 8, danny had a really tough safety in his next shot. Danny made a really nice cross side bank/cue ball carom into the 9 to win one game, he made a bank in cardiff in 2003 i didn't think was possible, really solid player, shame he had to lose, especially like that.
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Smooth or rich? (LOL)

I have always been a big Danny Harriman fan. He has one of the best breaks in the business (IMO), and he played brilliantly under pressure at Grand Central Station. It is a shame the race to 7, as opposed to 11, is done for the TV purposes.

Having said that, I think the level of play by Earl was professional like the true champion that he is. Listen to how they announced his name, five-time this, six-time that, six-time that. His presence added a lot to this tournament for TV purposes (IMO). Earl moved around the table like a panther, and he truly shot balls in effortlessly. He made 4 balls on the break twice. I think the shot clock went to Earl's advantage, as he thinks quick and follows through instinctively. Danny did execute a great safety, but Earl managed to hit it and luck in the 9. I still wonder if it was ALL luck, i.e., whether Earl had that game ball in his sights! All in all, it was a gutsy shot. I was happy to see Earl win the match, even though I do like Danny Harriman. Must have been a little sweet revenge for Earl after Danny won a match against him earlier in the tournament.

Danny Harriman seems to be in GREAT form. I will never forget watching him on TV at the ESPN Zone 7-Ball Challenge when he made 6 balls on the break. Now, that's rich AND smooth!

How about that lucky spectator having a shot at $30,000 by making the 9 in on the break?!

I really liked the Grand Central Station venue. I believe it added an air of elegance to pool. The spectators consisted of pool players, UPA staff, vendors, and many of the same pool enthusiasts I have seen at other tournaments I attend. Not very many strange faces in the crowd. I do believe that the ESPN exposure will be a boost in the arm for pool in general. I really enjoyed the commentary about the history of the place, Vanderbilt and all. I also like Jim Wych's style in the booth.

Last, but not least, I liked those Amber Bock beer commercials, just like I enjoy the commercials during many football games, especially the pug dog who is rich, but not smooth. How in the world did they train that dog to lift his leg up like that?!

All in all, I believe the World Summit of Pool in NYC was rich and smooth, and organizers should be proud of pulling this off. Great show! :)

JAM
 
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AzHousePro said:
...You have to feel for Harriman to have Earl come with that shot at hill-hill after Danny played that great safety.

I know Earl was happy but his celebratory performance of a mini-version of the "church lady dance" was a bit much :D

If I got that lucky I would tone it down I think.

Having said that, it sure is fun to watch him play.

Mike you need to hit your server with a hammer again. This site is so slow it is virtually unusable.
 
AzHousePro said:
WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING
** SPOILERS FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE SEEN TONIGHT'S MATCHES YET **
I caught the end of the Strickland/Harriman match at a friend's house. (I was taping them at home). You have to feel for Harriman to have Earl come with that shot at hill-hill after Danny played that great safety.

How do you fade something like that after you play that good a shot?

Mike


Mike,

I don't feel at all for Harriman and I think Harriman doesn't feel bad about it either, Earl came with at great kick shot and benefitted with the luck in 9-ball (also helping was the large pockets). Most importantly Earl got really excited, which got the crowed excited and I am sure watching on tv the tv audience got excited about it as well. 9-ball is a fun game to play and I think the luck involved in 9-ball makes it so. That is partly why everyone plays it from amatures to top players. It was the best match of the entire tv matches aired on espn. Both players came with great shots and great run outs. The rest of the matches were anticlimatic.
 
A great four hours of Pool. When was this match held? I sure wish ESPN would announce at the beginning of every telecast when the match was held.

It is TV Wally and I am sure that the players were instructed to show a little enthusiasm if they won. If you notice every winner on ESPN jumps for joy, so to speak. Yet they don't do this when not playing before the camera.

I would have to think that Earl was not just playing to hit the 2 ball when he kicked at it but to hit the side of it so that it would go to the end rail and back while the CB went to the side and to the end rail. Thereby giving him a chance at a safety. And he did leave a pretty tough shot on the 2 if the 9 didn't drop. I wonder if it crossed Earl's mind that the CB might hit the 9 and send it into the corner pocket? Maybe someone can ask him.

Jake
 
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