WPBA 3 years later - observations.

JohnnyP said:
Why don't they use "chess clocks"?

Specify a total time for the match, each player can use up to half of it.

http://www.wholesalechess.com/chess/BHB+Chess+Clock+Special

The flag drops and you lose.

Don't know if you can stop both clocks for racking, though.
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JP,
While I believe a shot clock is essential to help keep spectator interest; a chess-clock is not the answer.

In many games, one player will have 7 or 8 shots, the other player may have none or one. One player may win the first 8 games, allowing almost no shots for the opponent. It is difficult to see how a chess clock would work given the unequal number of shots. It is equally difficult to decide how much time to give the competitors - the matches may last anywhere between 9 and 17 games - quite a large range.

Do we really want to see the player that is trailing 8 games to 0 taking 4 minutes to shoot every hanger???
 
smashmouth said:
pool's version of the WNBA
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Sm,
I will have to disagree with this assessment. I think that the women's events seem more professional and more entertaining than the men's - I would not say that about basketball. The men have a lot of ground to make up before they have a tour as good as the WPBA. JMO.
 
Wally in Cincy said:
We understand your status as BMOC :D
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Wally,
No need to resort to insults (BMOC = Big Mouth On Campus). If I was 5 inches taller and 100 pounds heavier I'd teach you a lesson (well....maybe 125 pounds heavier....errr...well, I never really studied fisticuffs...please ignore this post). See you next year.
 
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Williebetmore said:
If I was...100 pounds heavier .
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Watch it there !!!!

:grin:

BTW I have a couple of nice 42L sport coats I might never wear again if you want them

:grin:

see ya on the tournament trail. There's a good chance we'll hit DCC next year
 
Williebetmore said:
Pace of Play:
The play was in general slow, slower, and glacial. The usual exceptions were Vivian and Kelly - always enjoyable to watch (though Kelly's game seemed more deliberate and thoughtful than before - definitely a force to be reckoned with).

The last matches of the day (which are usually not subject to the shot clock) are often so slow as to be unwatchable to many of the fans; myself included. Is it really a good trend to see spectators filtering out of the final round matches late Saturday night? At one point, all 4 matches were on break, and a fair percentage of the spectators left with the final 4 still undecided. I didn't time them, but those matches were LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

It still seems that the fairness of the competition suffers from having some matches timed and others not. Also, the "volunteer" timekeepers are often inappropriately dressed (myself included) and lend an amateurish air to the proceedings.
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I've found from watching sports that most spectators like some action in their sporting events and from what you have described above about the SLOW PLAY i'm glad I wasn't there. If there's one thing about watching a pool match that I don't care for it's players taking forever to shoot. 9 ball isn't that difficult of a game and I can figure out what I need to do pretty quickly and I would think a professional player who plays pool for a living could figure out what to do much faster than I can.

Doesn't the WPBA realize that the spectators aren't interested in watching a player study the table looking for every possible shot after every ball is pocketed?

James
 
SCCues said:
I've found from watching sports that most spectators like some action in their sporting events and from what you have described above about the SLOW PLAY i'm glad I wasn't there. If there's one thing about watching a pool match that I don't care for it's players taking forever to shoot. 9 ball isn't that difficult of a game and I can figure out what I need to do pretty quickly and I would think a professional player who plays pool for a living could figure out what to do much faster than I can.

Doesn't the WPBA realize that the spectators aren't interested in watching a player study the table looking for every possible shot after every ball is pocketed?

James
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Be careful what you wish for. There are online sites that have matches (propoolvideo.com) with everything but the shots editied out. I have to tell you, you definitely miss a LOT!! You dont get to see what other shots he considered,, what his biggest worry was, how he was considering hitting the ball, the players state of mind and a whole host of other facts normally discernible through simple observation.
 
sjm said:
Thanks, Melissa. You've always been one of my personal favorites and it is always nice to see you. I was pleased I caught up with so many of my WPBA buddies, nearly all of whom greeted me very cordially.
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Hear that world? I'm one of his personal favorites! Don't be jealous!! :D (And he happens to be one of mine as well. A class act all the way!)
 
Nostroke said:
Be careful what you wish for. There are online sites that have matches (propoolvideo.com) with everything but the shots editied out. I have to tell you, you definitely miss a LOT!! You dont get to see what other shots he considered,, what his biggest worry was, how he was considering hitting the ball, the players state of mind and a whole host of other facts normally discernible through simple observation.
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I agree that you have a point and what I was referring to was just plain SLOW play. Picking lint, walking around the table more than once looking at everything imaginable etc.

James
 
Great post. This was the first WPBA event I've been to and I'm kind of kicking myself for not going out sooner.

With rare exception, the women were all very friendly and polite to the fans and yeah, some of the rackathons were getting a little boring, but I didn't mind it so much. I was wondering why they weren't able to take more advantage of the gaps Joe Tucker style, but without knowing what kind of gaps were occuring I guess it really tough to say.

Those tables were tough. After Saturdays matches we (with permission)went up to one of the tables and two balls side to side would not clear the points. I'm estimating they were somewhere between 4 1/4-3/8 inches at the points and the rails were more "V" shaped then usual as well.

Again great post D and I'm sure we'll run into each other again sometime soon.
 
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