Archer V Strickland

[Robert602]

yeah I'm keeping an eye on it. I find it a weird game to watch to be honest, it looks so easy but I know it can't be. The commentary's pretty good considering they seem to be struggling to see the table.

Are there any rules about ungentlemanly conduct or similar in international pool? Earl especially earlier on was incredible.

[hegeland]

Well this is more of an entertainment exhibitional match than a championship one. In the US Open or the World Championship that sort of attitude might have resulted in a warning from the referee. Although the attitude against what the britons call ungentlemanly conduct is, by British standards, very liberal, which IMO doesn't mean it's too liberal.

The commentators are two old legends in the game with Mike Siegel being easily in the top 3 greatest players ever. It's not that easy, the pockets are pro cut, meaning they are very tight by pool standards.

9-11 now and Archer has missed two quite easy shots with Earl running out each time. But while Earl can still be brilliant on his day, those days are too far between for him to still be considered a top player IMO.

[calebk]

agreed! then again apart from shane van boening all the top american players are ageing fast....strickland, morris and archer to name a few....

[checkSide]

There's no doubt that table looks **** easy to play on!

[hegeland]

I have to say both players are making way too many mistakes, missing easy balls and losing position. And these are supposed to be two of the currently best players in the USA.

The Americans are simply not a top nation in pool any more. Just watch the Asian 9-ball tour. The quailty there is so much higher, any of them players would whipe Archer or Strickland off the table most times!

I just want to assure any snookerfans watching this and not into pool, that this is not as good as it gets by any means. Even I rarely make so many unforced errors in one match as they two have made today.

Sure, both Archer and Strickland can win over anyone - on their day. But they are too simply too old now and have lost that consistency that is so crucial.

[Semih_Sayginer]

great

glad some folk watched it

ill see it in a few weeks (probably)

[dantuck_7]

Thanks for the updates as the match went along Hege...

I managed to miss this match and the Mosconi Cup. Don't suppose anyone has recorded the Mosconi Cup?

[Ekphantos]

You can download the Mosconi cup on billardstracker. Tony Drago celebrating is really worth seeing

[calebk]

that jig was classic!! i love tony drago!!

[bongo]

Well, i've watched the IPT chalenge match between Johhny Archer and Earl Strickland. Being honest, I wasn't impressed. I expected it to be like the King of the Hill tournament, and the World 8-Ball Championship in 2006 (when it was on last). I expected it to be really cool and the MC saying 'LETS GET REAAADY TO RAAACK UPPPP' something like that if you know what I mean. I expected it to be in a proper arena with lights and typical American style because they always put on a good show. I expected typical American style.

But what was it. In a room, with a Diamond Table that did not even look new. I also looked too small. It was in room with about 20 spectators, they were around the sides on bar stools, it was squashed in a tiny room. The commentators were Mike 'The Mouth' Sigel and Grady 'The Professor' Matthews, that was good, they have great knowlegde of Pool. Mike Sigel on the otherhand though, could not even say "I'm joined in the box by the professor Grady Matthews" He kept messing it up. I watched it on the IPT website the day after, I didn't watch it live, so at the beginning, the cameraman said, right two minutes till live steaming. That was alright but they suddenly started and you didn't know if it was the real programme or not! Mike Sigel said "right, its a race to 15" then that IPT advert came up explaining the rules with that American "Here is the International Pool Tour Rules, The Gaaame is 8-Baaaal, traditional tough tournament conditions conditions apply", etc etc, then it said it was a race to 8! So it was unorganised. Also, the camera kept getting in the way.

If I continued then i'd be repeating myself but it is below the IPT standards in my opinion.

Sorry to repeat what others are saying on this thread but it is below the standards that the IPT hav already set.

It is on the IPT website, it was an unorganised match in my opinion.

OK, I may be over reacting and it does not really matter, the tournaments matter but the only typical IPT thing was the table lights, small but a bit like the lights in the King of the Hill tournament last time.

I was a bit crazy on my other post on this thread but it was not a setting that I expected.

[bongo]

I hope that Earl's behavior does not make think that is the standards of all 9-ball players, as poolqjunkie said. I agree too, he is not helping pool. And also when hegeland said that some lady called another lady 'IPT Pro' and then asked "do you play pool"...a bit stupid

What are other opinions

[checkSide]

Anyway, how much did the winner win?

I think it was like 5 grand or something. I don't recall exactly.

With regard to the broadcast. I thought the room and setting were pretty cool. It reminded me of playing in a pub. With a few people hanging around watching! lol.
It made me think that's how pool started out with a couple of peeps battling in out in bar for cash.

The standard of the broadcast was completely amateur! The "roaming reporter", that blonde chick, was absolutely clueless. The commentators couldn't link the broadcast together. Some of it was funny. Some media students could have done a better job.

Overall, I enjoyed it though, and thought Archer was very gracious in victory.