[AtLarge]

Originally Posted by justnum

... Billy and Sky were on the mic in disbelief, that the great SVB would give up a 30 game lead over two days.

Shane never had a 30 game lead.

His largest lead was 22, twice on Day 2 -- at 74-52 and 76-54.

[AtLarge]

Originally Posted by TATE

Are you going to do break stats?

Yes. But, first, I'm hoping to see a replay of a game I missed when the stream was down. I'd like the stats to be complete. But I can tell you that the aggregate stats for the 3 days were just about as close as the final score.

[Island Drive]

Originally Posted by AtLarge

Yes. But, first, I'm hoping to see a replay of a game I missed when the stream was down. I'd like the stats to be complete. But I can tell you that the aggregate stats for the 3 days were just about as close as the final score.

I wouldn't argue with Justnum, he's always right.

[TATE]

Originally Posted by AtLarge

Yes. But, first, I'm hoping to see a replay of a game I missed when the stream was down. I'd like the stats to be complete. But I can tell you that the aggregate stats for the 3 days were just about as close as the final score.

Looking forward to it, thanks!

[Tin Man]

Each to their own, but for me I prefer never to publicly speculate about two things in pool matches: Substance use and dumping.

Yes, these things happen. There are times when things play out in rather suspicious ways. And of course there are times when people have hard data.

But hard data aside it is impossible to be conclusive with just the eye test. Adrenaline is a natural drug that can have amazing impacts on people. It can be really positive and look like speeding, or it can be really negative and look like dumping. In either cases we can't determine whether anything more than a natural reaction to pressure was taking place.

I remember winning a tournament once and after it was over my friend asked me if I was on speed. He told me I was behaving as if I had popped some pills or snorted something, the way my eyes looked and moved, the way I was zoned, the way I was a little OCD about how I placed the chalks on the diamonds between shots, and many other things. I was really surprised to here this. I was just dialed in and in dead punch.

So while these things do happen, and while there are times when we might personally speculate, I would prefer to see none of these types of suspicions lobbed around in a public venue. One can say that is what AZB is for, discussing these things among friends. But rumors have a way of snowballing and can be damaging to reputations. There is a fine line between a pool discussion and gossip. When it is unfounded and potentially damaging I think we should choose discretion.

[TATE]

Originally Posted by jay helfert

One more thing. Dennis does NOT use drugs! He plays on the "natch" and is quite used to playing long matches that last all day and night. THAT is the Filipino way!

Deserves to be stated again. Unfairly claimed in the first place:

One more thing. Dennis does NOT use drugs!

[jasonlaus]

Originally Posted by ChrisinNC

It’s a real shame the commentators for such a great match couldn’t even manage to stay sober.

$40 for a stream and we had to listen to that BS is ridiculous.

Maybe they can get Earl to commentate over it, really a shame.

[TATE]

Originally Posted by jasonlaus

$40 for a stream and we had to listen to that BS is ridiculous.

Maybe they can get Earl to commentate over it, really a shame.

My wife was in a room near me and I had the sound turned up pretty loud - she said "Those guys are the two biggest hicks I've ever heard!" - I thought Sky and Billy were hilarious, Hullaballoo meets Beavis and Butthead. I thought it was the perfect commentary for this outrageous match.

[justnum]

Originally Posted by ChrisinNC

It’s a real shame the commentators for such a great match couldn’t even manage to stay sober.

Billy and Sky let them have their fun while they are young.

At least they shoot decent. Based on how they talked about SVB upset, Team USA sounds like a bunch chicken players afraid of Team Europe. If their top guy gets demolished in the late rounds, then Billy or Sky wouldn't do much better.

And Billy is pretty good with original pool phrases.

Sky is better at color commentary. He focuses on the challenges of being a pro with a mullet.

I hear he gets a lot of bad vibes sent his way for the mullet.

[westcoast]

Originally Posted by jasonlaus

$40 for a stream and we had to listen to that BS is ridiculous.

Maybe they can get Earl to commentate over it, really a shame.

It would have been much better if Jeremy Jones remained in the booth. Oh well!

[overlord]

Shane is a great champion and no one wins all the time.

He will be back.

Congratulations, to Dennis for a great comeback.

I didn't see the match but it sounds like one for the ages.

[terryhanna]

Originally Posted by overlord

Shane is a great champion and no one wins all the time.

He will be back.

Congratulations, to Dennis for a great comeback.

I didn't see the match but it sounds like one for the ages.

Here is the final rack video

https://www.facebook.com/RoysBasemen...88491308196553

[wahcheck]

Originally Posted by jay helfert

Dennis beat Shane 22-5 in the last 27 games! He was down 114-98.

This kind of comeback reminds me of the Color of Money match between Efren and Earl...........

[sjm]

Two negative things about this otherwise memorable match stand out to me:

1) Drunken commentators, whether or not some find it amusing, are unacceptable in a pay per view stream. On a free stream, it's something you, sadly, sometimes have to live with.

2) Only in pool do you get a smoking break at the very moment a match has built to a climax. Why must Dennis take a smoking break just after Shane scratches on the break less than five minutes from the end of the match? I, for one, agree with Mike Zuglan's go-to line at Joss events: "There's no such thing as a smoking break. If you have to go to the bathroom, go." Player timeouts in our sport have a way of reducing the excitement level when it ought to be at its highest.

[Tin Man]

I root for Billy and Sky when they play. I admire their ability on the table and their dedication to the game.

As for commentary, I prefer people that are absorbed in the game. I've seen this before too, when commentators lose focus on the match and start talking about other stuff, playing around in the chat, multi-tasking, it just makes it hard for me. Maybe this is a new age where people are used to streaming and entertaining the audience themselves, but the only entertainment I want is on the screen. And I focus really hard on the match at hand, and find it very disruptive when people's attention lapses continuously. I find it like surfing a cell phone while at an opera.

While both players had ups and downs the level of play achieved at times on both ends was extraordinary. Both players ran through difficult racks with problem balls, clusters, banks, tough shots, tricky cue ball maneuvers and dicey layouts. They did it so continuously I can see why the untrained eye could lose interest thinking it's easy. That is why commentators should be there to keep people focused on the game and on the key parts of the game, mental and physical. Sure they can add some color and mix it up a hair, but it should be a spice, not the main dish. In my opinion.

I'd like the chance to do some commentary someday. I anticipate it will happen at some point. I have no formal training and background, but I can tell you this- I would be laser focused on the match, hanging on every ball, and would be talking about the challenges on the table and how the players responded to them.