PRO PEER the Cream of the Crop Pick the Top Players in 12 Categories, and Then Share Their Tips for REVIEW Reaching Superstar Speed
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PRO PEER The cream of the crop pick the top players in 12 categories, and then share their tips for REVIEW reaching superstar speed. —By Mason King FREN REYES. He’s the best. Hand’s and international pool commentator Jim the technically flawless (Ralf Souquet), Edown. Nobody else comes close. Wych. We culled results from 32 respon- the silky stinger (Alex Pagulayan) and the Anyone surprised? dents in all. distorted but beautifully effective (Efren We had to get that one out of the way For fun, we also threw in a few cat- Reyes). With 17 players named over- before moving on to meatier discoveries egories related to social skills: Most all, one thing was apparent: Just about in BD’s first skills survey in 20 years, in Generous, Best Dressed, and Best everyone at this level has a potent stroke. which we asked a critical mass of pool Chirper, i.e. most entertaining chatter- So, the majority of respondents went pros to name the top players in a dozen box at the table. (Strangely, the Worst with the most impressive power stroke categories. You can settle up those bar Dressed category stumped everybody, with wicked action. And that belonged to bets now — although there was no Best apparently due to so many qualified Wisconsin strongman Nevel. Player category, Reyes received the most candidates.) “I’ve seen him do some crazy stuff on a votes overall by a wide margin (see Admittedly, the results aren’t quite up pool table,” said Rodney Morris, describ- opposite page). He’s not the four-time to the standards of “Scientific American.” ing one of Nevel’s signature stunts. “I’ve winner of the Derby City Classic Master Although a healthy chunk of the respon- seen him do a one-handed jacked-up of the Table Award for nothing. dents hailed from the Philippines and shot where the cue ball is frozen on the There are more intriguing questions to Europe, the survey sample and results end rail and the object ball is all the way ponder. Who is the toughest guy to beat are still slanted a bit toward the U.S. — on the other rail, and he jacks up with in a final? Who would you pick to spear Reyes excepted. It was also evident that one hand and pounds the cue ball. He that eight-foot cut shot for the cash? Who a few players received votes based more makes the ball straight in the corner up will break your heart with a jump shot on reputation than current performance. table, and the cue ball draws all the way after you play a great safe? Who can But the results and subsequent inter- back to the other end of the table. It’s keep it together with a world champion- views with many of the winners provide unbelievable.” ship on the line? And who’s going to pick a fascinating look into why certain play- Gabe Owen thinks that Nevel has a up the check after dinner? ers excel at different areas of the game. future on the trick-shot circuit. Nobody knows better than the pros And as a bonus for readers, we asked “It’s just the way he draws the ball and themselves. We asked more than two- several of the winners to share pointers effortlessly moves the ball around the dozen current players to answer the sur- on their particular talents, so you can table,” Owen said. “The only stroke I’ve vey, which included a mix of physical bring your skill set up to their speed. So, seen that you can compare to his stroke skills and some more intangible quali- that’ll help with the perennial question: is Mike Massey. And Larry Nevel might ties (see opposite page). Respondents “How can I become as good as Efren?” be as good or better.” could choose up to three candidates Nevel isn’t exactly sure how he devel- for each category. For good measure, -MASTER STROKE- oped such a powerful weapon. “I’ve just we also asked a handful of seen-it-all Larry Nevel always had it,” he said. “I used to prac- industry veterans to weigh in, including The pros interpreted the Best Stroke tice it all the time — crazy draw strokes U.S. Open promoter Barry Behrman, category in a variety of ways, rewarding and stuff like that. I guess maybe the dif- + TIPS+ The Best Break: See Johnny Joust OT ONLY does Johnny Archer have the most • Use of English: “I aim a little above center, Ncontrolled break, according to the pros, he but my stroke always comes down and adjusts has the best break overall. Here are his keys to to that. It’s not that I try to do it. I just know my an effective opening salvo: break. So if the cue ball is going forward a little • Cue-ball delivery: “The key is hitting the 1 ball on the break, I’ll aim a little bit lower. To be hon- as solid as possible. Whatever side you break on, est with you, if the cue ball is going forward [after and whatever angle you’re going at, it needs to hit rack impact], a lot of times I’ll aim even a little the fattest part of the 1 ball. There is no favorite higher, because that makes me come down more. side, no right side, no nothing. If you do that, hit it I kind of trick myself. solid, there’s only two ways it can go — forward or • Follow-through: If I’m not breaking well, most backwards, it can’t glance off.” of the time I’m not following through very well. I’m Don’t forget to • Power vs. control: “What I try to do is hit not really that strong, so I have to get power from follow through. them as hard as possible where I still can control a big follow-through and weight transfer. I have to the cue ball. And it might be different speeds get everything going at once, so my timing has every day. It may be 60 percent of my total power, to be pretty good. But follow-through to me is a it may be 70 percent, it could be 80 percent. big key, and it gives you just that little bit of extra Each day is different. ‘oomph’ on it. And it helps you shoot straighter.” 36 BD • APRIL 2007 BBDsurvey_skills.inddDsurvey_skills.indd 3636 33/12/07/12/07 11:45:43:45:43 PMPM • 32 respondents • Each could name up to three BD SKILLS SURVEY RESULTS players per category. • Players with 2+ votes listed LARRY NEVEL (7) “As far as stroking SHAWN PUTNAM (11) “With phenolic tips Efren Reyes (6); the ball and drawing Earl Strickland (5); today, anybody can Rodney Morris (4); it around four rails, Yang Ching-Shun (4); jump balls. It’s with Ralf Souquet, Larry has that. He’s Johnny Archer (3); the leather tip that Alex Pagulayan (3); on a different level.” Choa Fong-Pang, you need technique STROKE Dennis Orcollo, Mika Immonen, — Gabe Owen JUMPING and skill.” Mike Massey (2) Thorsten Hohmann (2) — Putnam FRANCISCO “No one has timing NICK VARNER (5) “I grew up watch- BUSTAMANTE (11) action on the cue Alex Pagulayan, ing Nick [on video] Larry Nevel (8); ball like he does. You Efren Reyes, and just the way he Charlie Bryant (5); have to coordinate Johnny Archer, grinded and tried Wu Chia-Ching, like 10 different body Ralf Souquet, hard, no matter HEART BREAK (POWER) Jeff DeLuna (2). movements.” Jose Parica (3); what the score was.” — Charlie Williams Francisco Bustamante, — Gabe Owen Buddy Hall (2). JOHNNY “For as hard as he’s RALF SOUQUET (13) “He’s one of those ARCHER (20) hitting them, his cue- Efren Reyes (8); players who can be Francisco ball control is fantas- Johnny Archer (6); focused every time. Bustamante (4), tic. That’s hard to do Nick Varner (2). He only thinks posi- Ralf Souquet, at the same time.” tively about what he BREAK (CONTROL) Cory Deuel, Wu — John Schmidt has to do.” Chia-Ching (2). — Thomas Engert MENTAL GAME MENTAL EFREN REYES (17) “He’s the king when it JOHNNY ARCHER (15) “When I play in the Buddy Hall (6); comes to working out Efren Reyes (8); finals, I know there’s Nick Varner (3); angles and getting Ralf Souquet, just one match left FINAL Johnny Archer, through very small Earl Strickland (3); to win now, and I Alex Pagulayan, openings.” IN Thorsten Hohmann, guess that loosens Thorsten — Jim Wych Francisco me up a bit.” POSITION Hohmann (2). Bustamante (2). — Archer BEST EFREN “When I first came to Top Vote-getters In All 12 Skill Categories REYES (29) the U.S., everybody Jose Parica (2). just chance-kicked. 1. EFREN REYES (89) 5. Earl Strickland (18) I knew how to kick 2. Johnny Archer (54) 6. Larry Nevel (16) properly, and they 3. Ralf Souquet (28) 7. (tie) Nick Varner (14) 4. Francisco Mika Immonen (14) KICKING were shocked.” Bustamante (23) Alex Pagulayan (14) — Reyes 10. Shawn Putnam (11) JASON MILLER (8) “Most of it is feel, Most Generous Efren Reyes (6); because conditions Shannon Daulton(5); change. Some play- RODNEY MORRIS (8) “It’s from from grow- Brian Gregg, ers use systems, but I Efren Reyes (5); ing up in Hawaii. Mika Immonen (4); don’t think they hold Thorsten Hohmann, Everybody over there Nick Varner, Alex Pagulayan (3); will do anything to BANKING up too well.” John Brumback, — Miller Mike Massey, help someone out.” Tony Fargo (2).