Yow! Semih Sayginer, and Mike Massey on ESPN2, Aug 7, 7:00pmEST

ericyow

ericyow

WPA Masse World Champion
Silver Member
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up. (And you can expect me to beat this one to death with 'bumps'.) :eek:

"3 Cushion Grandmaster" airs August 7, at 7pmEST on ESPN2.

I'm as excited about this as I've ever been excited about anything pool-related. Let it be known that I appreciate all the support and encouragement that the many of you have showed me. I'm honored to share with you that August 7 I make my ESPN2 debut. I feel so blessed to be a part of this show and I continue to thank Ira Lee for the opportunity. Semih Sayginer is my lone hero in the game, so to meet him, and compete with him, was an incredible experience. Moreover, to be a part of the first 3-Cushion billiard event to ever air on ESPN is indescribable. I hope that my successes bring joy to you and Glory to God. (Colossians 3:17) I praise Him, knowing that I could never do this on my own.

Please show your support of the shows and let ESPN know that you want to see more 3-Cushion!

Eric "The Preacher" Yow!
 
Here we go again. I don't care what the promoters have chosen to call it, ESPN will NOT be televising three-cushion billiards. Here is a quote from Bob Jewett in an earlier thread on this event:

"Technically, it's not 3-cushion. 3-cushion is governed by a specific set of rules. Different rules will be used in this competition. I think the competition would best be described as a special artistic billiard competition. The shots are similar to artistic billiards but they are not the shots of the official artistic billiards competition, nor is the scoring or format the same. As for what to call it in general, I suppose a better title would have been 'Carom Billiards Premiers on ESPN'."

Mark
 
I look forward to it!

You have every right to be excited! I'm looking forward to seeing the show. I suppose that I'll wait until after it airs to e-mail ESPN raving about how great it was and how much I liked that Eric Yow guy. ;)

Maybe you can get some chain e-mails started on some female sites and get them to e-mail ESPN. Thousands of Yow groupies, that would impress ESPN!

Hu

PS Glad it worked out for you and I really do look forward to seeing it.


ericyow said:
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up. (And you can expect me to beat this one to death with 'bumps'.) :eek:

"3 Cushion Grandmaster" airs August 7, at 7pmEST on ESPN2.

I'm as excited about this as I've ever been excited about anything pool-related. Let it be known that I appreciate all the support and encouragement that the many of you have showed me. I'm honored to share with you that August 7 I make my ESPN2 debut.
Please show your support of the shows and let ESPN know that you want to see more 3-Cushion!

Eric "The Preacher" Yow!
Click to expand...
 
I also can't wait for it. It's definitely a trick shot competition, similar to most others, but not similar because there are supernatural massé and force follow/draw shots that I don't think are possible on a pool table with regular cloth... not to mention the balls can roll forever, making 999-railers possible.

I'd go as far to say 3c billiard trick shots are a whole different league from what we're used to seeing (not to put down the amazing stuff done on pool tables) and I'm really glad to see it finally get on TV here. I think it'll open a lot of people's eyes and maybe even get them curious about 3 cushion in general.
 
And here's a quote from Mark, directly to Ira Lee, the show's producer.

mbvl said:
Ira,

Thank you for all your hard work in getting ESPN to show some carom billiards. I am amazed that you got them to stay away from the usual gadget shots. Based on ESPN's history of cue sports coverage, I had expected they would insist on props, extra balls, and people with cubes of chalk in their mouths.

I apologize for being so negative beforehand.

Mark
Click to expand...

With all due respect to Bob's former post, it IMO should not merely be called just any kind of carom billiards premiere. What Bob the day before the show was filmed was that this was not an exhibition of trick shots that happened to be themed around 3-cushion caroms. Rather, as the producer put it, it was a stroke shot challenge of sorts, where the contestants were required to make a legal three cushion billiard in a manner of their choosing, restricted only by a single criterion per shot. (Hence, Mark, it was never called a "3-Cushion Billiard MATCH" which would be governed by a specific set of pertinent rules with which billiard players are already accustomed.) For instance, one shot was called "Super Draw," where we could make a legal three cushion however we wanted, but it must utilize a maximum draw stroke. The judges would tally their subjective scores following each player shooting 5 such shots, each of which, I reiterate, were legitimate 3-cushion billiard points. Semih Sayginer often muttered, "carambole," after scoring his points. Even the finale shots that we were each given opportunity to shoot, one last chance to impress the judges, were 3-cushion billiard shots - only they were the crazy-awesome-masse kind. :D

Thanks to all of you who show your support for the show. It will be a huge success for all those who participated, both on scene and behind, for ESPN, and for the world of 3-Cushion Billiards!

Thanks to Ira Lee for having the vision and dedication to seeing 3c on TV for the first time. Let ESPN know that you want to see MORE...and time will tell.

-yoweezy!
 
Yeah buddy! I kinda hoped you'd show up at Sharpshooters the other day. I don't meet too many AZers until I get to Valley Forge or Vegas, or one of my shows. We oughta play sometime.

Though, I just had surgery on my knee (this morning!). So, getting around a table might be a little slow for a while. Doc said 3-6 weeks before a multiple-rail masse. :p haha Ok, he said 3-6 weeks before I'm back on the mtn bike. But that probably also means I won't be propping up on a table for a nasty masse anytime soon either. ;)

Thanks for the support!
 
I've been going to High Pockets everynight for slightly over a week. I got to meet one gentleman from the site and he decided it would be a cute way to start the night by pocketing the 9 on the break :D

Yeah, like I said before, I got reemed, but it was still fun to play with one of you :) Yow, next time you go out to a hall here, tell me where... I'll make a special trip there :)
 
Can't Waig

Hey Yow, Can't wait to c this on the tube. :cool: I don't care what they called it, this is a great event, highlighting 3 great shooters.

The fall Super Billiards Expo is August 3, 4, and 5 so I can definately b home to watch your event on the 7th. I shoot in a league on Tuesdays, but I will give they plenty of advance notice. I never miss league play, so I'm sure they will understand. I hope ESPN 2 will put more billiards events on their calendar. What I'm really hoping for is to c "live events". Is that asking too much? :confused: They have many othger sporting events live, what's wrong with billiards? I have never seen Sayginer shoot. This is a definate "no miss" event. :D

Best of luck in the future. Hope to c u at Valley Forge again.

Charlie
 
Yokel, I'm not sure how well I'll get around a table, but I might play Friday. If I do, I'll let you know.

Charlie, you're the man. That's all I really wanted to say. ;)

-yow!
 
ericyow said:
And here's a quote from Mark, directly to Ira Lee, the show's producer.



With all due respect to Bob's former post, it IMO should not merely be called just any kind of carom billiards premiere. What Bob the day before the show was filmed was that this was not an exhibition of trick shots that happened to be themed around 3-cushion caroms. Rather, as the producer put it, it was a stroke shot challenge of sorts, where the contestants were required to make a legal three cushion billiard in a manner of their choosing, restricted only by a single criterion per shot. (Hence, Mark, it was never called a "3-Cushion Billiard MATCH" which would be governed by a specific set of pertinent rules with which billiard players are already accustomed.) For instance, one shot was called "Super Draw," where we could make a legal three cushion however we wanted, but it must utilize a maximum draw stroke. The judges would tally their subjective scores following each player shooting 5 such shots, each of which, I reiterate, were legitimate 3-cushion billiard points. Semih Sayginer often muttered, "carambole," after scoring his points. Even the finale shots that we were each given opportunity to shoot, one last chance to impress the judges, were 3-cushion billiard shots - only they were the crazy-awesome-masse kind. :D

Thanks to all of you who show your support for the show. It will be a huge success for all those who participated, both on scene and behind, for ESPN, and for the world of 3-Cushion Billiards!

Thanks to Ira Lee for having the vision and dedication to seeing 3c on TV for the first time. Let ESPN know that you want to see MORE...and time will tell.

-yoweezy!
Click to expand...

Eric,

I do not retract my comments to Ira -- given the format and ESPN's track record with respect to trick shot competitions, this was the most that could be hoped for. But I do not condone the way this program has been, and is being, promoted. Even after Bob pointed out very early on that it was improper to call this event three-cushion, the promoters have chosen to ignore his sage advice.

The argument that every shot WOULD be legal IF the contestants were playing three-cushion is completely specious. The same could be said of straight rail, one-cushion, and balkline, but no-one in his right mind would even consider promoting this event as straight rail, one-cushion, or balkline.

This event has virtually nothing in common with three-cushion billiards other than using the same equipment. At least 90% of what makes up three-cushion billiards is missing. Perhaps you are less culpable, because you don't know three-cushion, but Ira certainly knows the difference.

Suppose ESPN discovered that Mike Massey is a tremendous straight pool player, even world-class at one time, and that there was an untapped pool of potential viewers who cherished the game of straight pool. So ESPN decides to change the name of "Trick Shot Magic" to "Straight Pool Grandmaster" and to promote the renamed show as "straight pool comes to ESPN for the first time in history". Don't you think this would be dishonest? Don't you think this would be cheating straight pool fans? Don't you think this would be detrimental to the future of real straight pool on television? If ESPN ever did decide to televise straight pool in the future, why should anyone believe them?

I feel lied to, and cheated, and I think the potential for real three-cushion on television is diminished.

Sincerely,
Mark
 
mbvl said:
it was improper to call this event three-cushion, the promoters have chosen to ignore his sage advice.

The argument that every shot WOULD be legal IF the contestants were playing three-cushion is completely specious.
Click to expand...

MB,
As one who was fortunate enough to be in the audience that day, I would definitely disagree with your assessment (and BJ's as well).

We saw 3-cushion trick shots, we saw masters at work. No one there implied we would see anything else, no one used any props. It was just an example of some of the beauty inherent in 3-cushion billiards. I totally fail to see how this would in any way "harm" the sport, I think the majority of spectators were VERY impressed, and have a new appreciation for the game. I know I certainly do.

Perhaps you guys are being a little over-sensitive.....it's only a game.
 
Odd. How odd. Mark, dude, chill. OOOOOkkkk so it isn't the standard 3c tournament that will be aired on Aug. 7th, but they are all legal shots. Not only legal, but the eye popping, mouth drooling, candy type of legal shots. I don't know one 3c player that doesn't love to watch these kind of hits. You can't go from 0 to 60 in 0 seconds... it takes time. You can't put a standard 3c tournament on ESPN when so many out there don't know what that damn table with no pockets, taking up room, is even for. I don't know for sure but this eye candy on Aug. 7th, I'd wadger, will also very slyly educate what a legal 3c hit is. And from there, maybe the finals of some tournament, maybe something else, but at least there is a "from there" now... see it's started. And it really is going to be something to watch.. sit back, enjoy it. And wow, Eric.. really nice work.
 
Stacy, I look forward to the day I get to meet you. Consider this an "I.O.U." for one hug. ;)

Have a blessed day!

-yow!
 
Williebetmore said:
MB,
As one who was fortunate enough to be in the audience that day, I would definitely disagree with your assessment (and BJ's as well).

We saw 3-cushion trick shots, we saw masters at work. No one there implied we would see anything else, no one used any props. It was just an example of some of the beauty inherent in 3-cushion billiards. I totally fail to see how this would in any way "harm" the sport, I think the majority of spectators were VERY impressed, and have a new appreciation for the game. I know I certainly do.

Perhaps you guys are being a little over-sensitive.....it's only a game.
Click to expand...

Consider this fictional future conversation.

Billiards Promoter (BP): I'm having a three-cushion tournament in a few months and I'm wondering if you would be interested in televising some of it.

Television Executive (TE): Absolutely! The viewers loved that last thing we showed. Are Sayginer, Massey, and Yow going to be in it?

BP: Well, Sayginer is invited, but not the other two. This will be a world-class tournament and they really aren't up to this level of competition.

TE: Wow, you must really have some heavy hitters lined up.

BP: This will be a different format, and, yes, we will have the best players in the world.

TE: Different format? You had better explain that.

BP: The final rounds of the tournament will be 40 point games, single elimination.

TE: Good. That first thing we did the guys scored like 150 points in a half hour show, so this time we ought to be able to show 3 or 4 matches in half an hour.

BP: Well, no. As I said, this is a different format. The player can only score one point per shot.

TE: OK, let's see, 40 shots is like five racks of 9-ball, so we can easily get that in a half hour show.

BP: No, you still don't understand. Even the very best players will almost certainly take 60 or more shots to score 40 points. Some matches may take 80 shots per player.

TE: Wait a minute. You say these guys are the best in the world, and they may miss half the time? Tell them to set up easier shots!

BP: No, no, they don't get to set up the shots. They have to shoot the balls from where they stopped after the previous shot.

TE: I thought you said this was three-cushion billiards. The last time they got to put the balls anywhere they liked.

BP: Not in this format.

TE: Well, let me think about it. When you have diagrams of all the shots they will be shooting, send them to me. Just make sure there are plenty of those shots where they jump over balls and jump onto the rail.

BP: We don't know in advance what the shots will be, and it's pretty unlikely that there will be any jump shots.

TE: In that case, I don't think we're interested. If you ever decide to put on some real three-cushion billiards like last time, maybe we can talk. Don't call us; we'll call you.

Sincerely,
Mark
 
mbvl said:
TE: I thought you said this was three-cushion billiards. The last time they got to put the balls anywhere they liked.
Click to expand...

This part of the conversation won't happen, because you seem to be the only jackass on the planet who can't figure out how to deal with the term 3-cushion being used to describe trick shots that are also 3-cushion billards. Your argument hinges on the unreasonable assumption that people can't tell these are trick shots, or don't know that trick shots are different from competition play.

When arguments are based on unreasonable assumptions, they are unreasonable arguments. When unreasonable arguments are brought up over and over again in threads where an up-and-coming player is just trying to bring attention to his work, then that's just being belligerent.

So take your belligerence elsewhere, instead of badgering an artistic billiards professional who chooses to be part of our community, and go look someone else's gift horse in the mouth.

-Andrew
 
Edited to take place if the trick shot competition did not exist.

mbvl said:
Consider this fictional future conversation.

Billiards Promoter (BP): I'm having a three-cushion tournament in a few months and I'm wondering if you would be interested in televising some of it.

Television Executive (TE): No.
Click to expand...
 
well put Andrew

Andrew Manning said:
This part of the conversation won't happen, because you seem to be the only jackass on the planet who can't figure out how to deal with the term 3-cushion being used to describe trick shots that are also 3-cushion billards. Your argument hinges on the unreasonable assumption that people can't tell these are trick shots, or don't know that trick shots are different from competition play.

When arguments are based on unreasonable assumptions, they are unreasonable arguments. When unreasonable arguments are brought up over and over again in threads where an up-and-coming player is just trying to bring attention to his work, then that's just being belligerent.

So take your belligerence elsewhere, instead of badgering an artistic billiards professional who chooses to be part of our community, and go look someone else's gift horse in the mouth.

-Andrew
Click to expand...


IMHO
Any television coverage is good coverage.
In this (US) market it is highly unlikely
that we'll see 3c matches on ESPN if
they don't even cover 1% of the "big"
tournaments that happen all over the
country, all the time.

There is a way to get pool onto TV
but it's not 3c, IMO. Most of it would
be edited out to only showcase the
fanciest seat of your chair shots.
It's just not cost effective.

We've found that ESPN will air
ring games and obviously they
love trick shots and 9 ball.

Most pool players don't have a clue
how to play 3c and what of the rest
of the US.. they've never even seen
a "billiards" table.

Trick shot pool is getting a little tired
and this will bring some life back into it.
Hopefully people will see it and realize
there's more to pool than just 8 and 9 ball.
Things they've never seen or heard of.

This is one of the best things to happen
for our sport in years, it's a new door opening.

so... quit crying about how it's not real 3c
and start promoting it.

reps for everyone on this thread with a positive
contribution, esp. to eric for his cue wizardry.

since I'm in a good mood, no bad rep for Mark's
bogus hypothetical conversation.
:ignore:
 
I, for one, didn't bother reading Mark's post. But PKM's edit is hilarious, and right on point!

For those who are in the NYC area, Ira Lee is throwing a viewing party of sorts at Carom Cafe the day the show airs. It's a league night so it'll already be a full house, so count on having a killer time.

For those who are in the Memphis area, a viewing party is in the works right now but I haven't settled on a venue. I'm open to suggestions.

-yow!
 
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