Reveal: Blue or Pink?

If I can share something with you all (in confidence of course, right?), I do not understand the gender reveal thing that has gone viral the last few years.  Maybe if I was in my fertile age wanting to have kids, it would make more sense to me.  Or, maybe if I had any friends who were prego, I would understand more.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's interesting and different, I just grew up in a different era where this didn't happen.

I have seen car smoke colors, release of balloons, cake cutting, etc, but I have to admit that when I saw the gender reveal of Sky Woodward's child-to-be with his girl Ashlee, it got me excited!  So, maybe that's what was needed!  A connection to something I love (pool) to make sense about the reveals.

I thought that was super cool!!  What did they do?

Check out the photos!

Congrat's to Sky and Ashlee - baby boy coming in April 2021!

Lessons Are Valuable

I was skimming through Facebook the other day (something I don't do that often anymore), and something caught me eye.

It was this post from Joey Gray:

Hopefully you all remember I interviewed Joey (and his best friend Chip) in Dec 2018.  In that interview he mentioned he gives lessons.

But what caught my eye was these two kids in the photo and what Joey said about them (click the image above if you need to enlarge it). He said, they are both "checking their elbow alignment" (as both kids are looking behind themselves while in stance).

Checking their elbow alignment?

What?

This is a perfect example to let you know how valuable lessons are.

You see, I don't know anything about 'elbow alignment.'  I mean, I kinda remember a few people throughout the 25 years of me playing pool saying something about it, but it was never something I worked on, really knew about, or learned about.

These kids are learning this important part of their stance and stroke at such a young age!  And as person who never took lessons, can you imagine how much sooner my game would have improved and also how it would have helped me throughout my entire pool journey if I had?!

It kinda reminds me of golf.  MANY people take golf lessons. How come we don't have the same attitude and respect toward our pool game?

Obviously, players can get well and have success without knowing about this thing called 'elbow alignment.' But, imagine how great it would have been if I already knew about this and had incorpated it in my game.

Just another blog post expressing how important lessons are.

P.S. If you want to know more about Joey and his lessons, where he will be, or contact him, check him out on Facebook at "Joey Gray Coaching."

Scotch Doubles Help from the Pros

One of my clients/friends/students that I spar with, her name is Tina. She calls me her "Mentor" which is super sweet and flatters me to no end.  We have become great friends through this "sparring" and so it's really cool that the first time I reached out to her a few years ago to spar has led to a beautiful friendship today!

Okay, put down your Kleenex's, lol.

Well, the other day she was going to play in a scotch doubles tournament and she posted a quote from a pro to her social media account that she said she loved. When I read the quote, I thought to myself, "Yikes, that's not good advice."

Evidently there is a big scotch doubles event going on somewhere in the world with the pros.  I admit I have no idea about this tournament, as I don't follow much pool anymore. Don't judge, lol!

But I can tell based on the few posts I see on Instagram something is going on (I don't really go to Facebook that much anymore).

I wanted to find out why she liked that quote, but more so, did it help her? (why or why not?)

So, I dug into my little keyboard on my phone and inquired for us, because as you know inquiring minds want to know!

I honestly figured Karl wrote that after he or his partner had a fantastic rescue! I personally don't think rescuing your partner is what scotch is about. I think it's more about having fun, trusting your partners' skills, and shooting shots you would normally play (not shots you think your partner wants you to play).

But, who cares what I think, let's see what Tina's thoughts were as to why she loved that quote.

"Well," she confided, "that quote by Karl really change my way of thinking. I was always trying to leave my partner perfect position on every shot, when all along I needed to just trust in their skills."

Hey, that sounds familiar!  (smile)

I found it so interesting she gathered that from his quote.  I became excited!

I continued in inquisition:  "Did you notice a difference when you played in your scotch tourney?"  (hoping the answer was yes)

"Absolutely.  That little phrase has changed my scotch doubles playing life!"

(So cool, right?!)

I replied, "Wow, that's pretty powerful. I'm so happy his words helped you so much!"

She shared, "I was happy, too. I have been watching the World Cup of Pool all weekend..."

[edit to add, oh that's the pro tournament that was going on hahaha]

"..... and I see how the partners in the scotch doubles format we're struggling - even though they were pros. Plus, the quote really did change my way of thinking."

I can imagine how relieved she feels - no wonder she played well in her recent scotch tourney (they placed 4th!). That is a lot of pressure if one thinks you have to leave your partner perfect shape every shot, wow! And, what a relief for her to see pros miss in scotch doubles - seeing them make mistakes makes us realize we are all human.

I get so tickled when words penetrate and they impact people deeply. And I also loved how my interpretation of the quote was completely different from hers - I love learning!

Jeremy Jones Interview - Billiard Buzz June 2019

The June issue of Billiard Buzz is now available and I was very happy to get to interview a true representative of our sport, Jeremy Jones! Check it out today and get to know Jeremy better! You won't be disappointed; I promise.

Might as Well Learn While You Lose

One of my friends captured on video (I believe it was live stream via Facebook) about 5-10 minutes of a match in a big tournament in Vegas. And what I saw on the video disappointed me. I mean, I understood what I saw, but I was still disappointed.

You see, the match pitted one of the top players in the world against an amateur.  The video was showcasing a REALLY tough out by the pro.  The pro (some guy named Shane Van Boening) didn't have an easy out, but of course made it look easy, lol.  But it was his opponent who I was also focused on.  His opponent was looking away from his own match, I'm guessing because he was perturbed about being beat and that Shane was running out (yet again I presume).  Instead of watching and learning from the top player, though, he was looking elsewhere.

It was a HUGE missed opportunity!

He could have spent his time (instead) wisely while sitting in that chair to watch, learn, and absorb from one of the best players on the planet! Instead, he seemed kinda miffed and deflated Shane was running out.

In the short clip, he sat holding his cue looking at anything but his opponent. He would glance back over to his own table right before Shane made each shot, but then quickly look away disinterested when he didn't miss.  The guy finally set his cue down and looked somewhere else while Shane continued a pretty phenomenal out.  

I get it.  I really do!  Who wants to get beat?  Who wants to not have a shot?  Who wants to lose?

No one.

But, if you can already tell that Shane is going to beat you, why not take advantage of the front row seat you have?  Why not watch his stance?  Or his shot selections?  Or how he would get back down on shots he wasn't comfy with?  Or how walked around the table looking for the best position for his cueball for his next shot?  Or what pattern he chose?  The guy only glanced occassinaly back at the table to see if Shane missed or not.  

There is so much more to this game than making balls - and to be able to watch Shane is a huge treat!  To be able to watch how pro's approach the table (literally and figuratively), what choices they make, what patterns they choose, and how they take their time with their shots....  Omg peoples, take advantage of these learning opportunities!

New Relationships and Talent

I don't know if y'all have ever heard about this before, but there's some unwritten philosophy (or maybe there are a ton of technical papers written about this for all I know lol) that people feel if you find yourself in a new, strong relationship that it might affect whatever it is that's going well in your life.

Okay hang on with me people, hang on, lol!

Let me think of an example maybe you've heard before.  How about like.... a prodigy child who is amazing at music or the best baseball pitcher anyone has ever seen at 11 years old.  All of a sudden, they start to be interested in girls and then they are no longer focused on music or baseball. That's the only example I can think of right now.  Have you heard of something this before?  I sure hope so or you may think I'm off my rocker, lol.

And the point of this blog post is to share with you that this happened directly to me.

No, I wasn't a great pitcher or music prodigy (sorry to disappoint, lol), but in the mid-90s I started to date one of the top pool players in Texas.  His game was so good, people were talking about him all over the country.

However, when we first started going out, some of the guys in the pool room (which I feel they shouldn't have done this), told him that he should not go out with me. They told him that having a new girlfriend would be a distraction and it would affect his game (and all the work he put into it).

That actually caused him to have some doubt in our relationship, because there were these little voices chipping at his ear telling him their thoughts.

And you can understand that for someone who was top of his game, when he would play badly all of a sudden or not finish well, he wondered, "Are those guys right?  Should I not be with her?"

And as you can imagine, when you have that much skill and when you're that talented and you're all of a sudden at the top of your game and finishing well in almost all of the big tournaments you're playing in, and you're all of a sudden all over the magazines, the one thing you don't want to do is derail that.  Especially since playing pool was his dream.

I'm not saying I wasn't worth it, but even I would say I wouldn't want to get in the way of his dream career.

We eventually would break up a couple of times while we were together for 5 years and part of the reason was because I was a very immature girlfriend.  But, the other part of it was because it did seem like I was affecting his game.  At first it was because he wanted to be a good boyfriend and didn't want to travel and be away from me, but eventually it was because I wasn't a mature enough girlfriend for him at the time.

You see, I wasn't a strong woman in my late 20s.  I was also still treating people like I was treated growing up in a verbally abusive house - I yelled, instead of talked when I was upset.  I was also extremely jealous.  And being that I didn't understand most of the emotions I was feeling, I overreacted with crying and getting upset at him.  Not realizing that I had a ton of inner turmoil and learning to do to become the stronger, more mature, happier, and confident woman who is typing this out today.

I'm lucky that he was SO talented that he kept playing top-notch pool - heck, he even skyrocketed to 2nd place in rankings on the pro tour while we were together!  (so, I couldn't have been that bad of an influence, right?  lol.)  While I didn't necessarily affect his game detrimentally the entire time we were together, I do admit that if I had been a more mature, more understanding, less emotional girlfriend, he might have won even more tournaments - instead of trying to play his best pool while having to deal with a crying girlfriend back home lol who was overacting about stupid shit.

But, this blog isn't about me crying or being a bad girlfriend - that's for another time, right? haha - but what I am saying is I have experienced directly the affect a new relationship can have on someone who's very talented.

But, what if I had been a strong girlfriend? What if I wasn't so emotional and unconfident? Yep, I still think I would have affected his game somehow.  I'm not saying every new relationship affects a young music or sports prodigy, but what I am saying is having a new, deep relationship for the first time in your life does cause a certain amount of distraction. It's a normal thing, really.  And that's why all the Mom's and Dad's want their kids to stay far away from the opposite sex for as long as they can lol.  How many kids do you know who were on their way to college and got derailed because they "fell in love."

His friends were correct. I distracted him from playing top-notch pool like he had been playing before he met me. But again, he was talented enough to overcome the obstacles, still became a top pro, and is still today, actually.  Thank goodness!

Great White and Billiards

Pro player, fantastic billiards instructor, and previous Mosconi Cup team captain, Mark Wilson, posted something on Facebook that caught my eye the other day.

He went to see the rock band Great White.  If you don't know who they are, then you are just too young anyway and should stop reading (just kidding!).

This is what Mark shared:

"Great White lead guitarist, Mark Kendall, is a terrific pool player and I was not sure if I could beat him, so I brought along some extra firepower, World Champion Nick Varner."

Here they are with the band and check out how excited they are to be next to Nick Varner (I mean, we all act that way, but still):

Mark Wilson went on to say that two guys in the front row recognized Nick Varner, "And it was priceless. They displayed facial expressions of shock, bewilderment, and delight, while trying to play it cool. We all fist bumped 👊🤘."  lol

I didn't know the guitarist played pool - love hearing that!

Keep It Simple Method

A lot of us think that the top players are good because they make hard shots all the time.  Right?  They can execute them much more consistently than us average players.  Damn them!  j/k :)

However, that is actually not true.

I wrote a few years back how I noticed a top player was always leaving shape in the middle of the table (on a bar box).  Us amateurs try and get perfect shape all around the table (and usually fail from trying to move the cueball all around).

A top player recently told me, "When we play good, it's not the hard shots we make; it's the shots we make easy."

I asked him to clarify:  "Great pool is about making things easy, and making every easy shot.  It's not making hard shot after hard shot.  Playing the simplest of shape always makes the game much easier."

And he's right!  Think about how many times we have heard, "This pro makes pool look easy."  Or how about how we secretly kinda wish the players on tv would miss more - to show the general audience that this is truly a tough game!

But the key is - pros are pros because they ensure they make all the easy shots (a lot of us amateurs taken them for granted and rush the easy ones) and they also keep things simple.  They notice the patterns and the correct side of the object ball to be on, otherwise it IS harder and tougher on them.  However, they have learned the secret:  keep it simple, make it easy.

How are you playing today?  Making it hard on yourself or easy?

Pics from Daytona Shoot-Out from 1999

In 1999 while living in Florida, I drove to Daytona Beach to take photos for AZBilliards.com of some players battling it out in the open air for everyone to watch/see/cheer, during bikefest in Daytona Beach.  I ran across these pics the other day and I thought I'd share:

Steve Mizerak, Jeanette Lee, Ming Ng and Mike Sigel!

Emily and Harry (video clip)

Pretty dang cool when pool makes mainstream, right?

My friend and professional pool player, Emily Duddy, was on the show "Harry," which is a daytime talk show hosting by the hot singer/actor himself, Harry Connick Jr.

Here are two clips from the show of the episode she was on just this week:



and:



I unfortunately first met Emily in a match at BCAPL Nationals in Vegas, lol.  I thought I would get to shoot more, as every time a tough shot was in front of her, I knew I'd get another chance at the table. Well, I was WRONG. She made tough shots and had great outs.

But I enjoyed meeting her and it has been so cool our paths have crossed throughout the last 8 years, where we get the usual selfies and hugs.

It's also been cool as fellow female player to see her rise to stardom.  I am so proud of her accomplishments on the table and in the media (she has been on other tv shows as well and in print magazines a lot).

Show her some love over at https://www.facebook.com/BilliardBombshell

Or, follow her and other pros at the WPBA US Open THIS weekend!  All six tables are being streamed live.  Check it out.

Congrat's, Emily, on being on the show!

Mika Immonen Quote

One of the players I learn from the most online because they share so much with us (we are so lucky!), is World Champion Mika Immonen.

Recently he posted right after the finals of the China Open that he played "solid all week, lost a heartbreaker quarterfinals last night 11-10.  Nice win/loss ratio @ 50/30.  Lotsa world-class opposition."

12 hours later he would post this gem, as he usually does after some reflection, for us (again, aren't we lucky to learn from him!).  I decided to make it into a graphic:

Follow him on twitter and be impressed.

Pro Racking For You

I wrote before how Warren Kiamco played in the April Omega Billiards Tour stop. 

At the next Omega Billiards Tour stop a month later, one of the players was saying and bragging to those around him that he "still has the photo of Warren racking for me."

Then he added, "yeah, I don't share with my friends that it was an 'alternate beak' tournament, tho."  LOL. 

Pros Visiting Omega Tour

I have to admit it's really cool to have a top pro or well-known pro get to play or visit the players at an Omega Billiards Tour stop.

Not many players get to mingle with the pros at mixed events (amateur and combined pro events) or some don't ever get to travel to big events where they might see pros.

So, when they attend an Omega Tour event, I love seeing all the photos on Facebook afterwards.  It proves how excited the players are to meet them.

Here are a few from when Warren visited at the end of April at the Omega stop at JR Pockets in Denton, Texas:

(click any photos to enlarge)

Learning From Warren Kiamco

Warren Kiamco played in the last Omega Billiards Tour stop in late April (which he won btw) and I have to say that it was a joy to see him play but more so to watch how he handled himself in his matches.  I was so impressed how he handled people rooting against him or excessively for him, that I just had to ask him questions a few times throughout the tournament to learn from this Champion.

What I recognized most was how stoic he was.  He never showed any emotion and seemed to not let ANYTHING get to him.

I asked him how he handles all the different types of atmospheres he plays in and he shared:

I am on the road a lot, so I had to learn to deal with it.  I learned to ignore things around me and not let things get to me.

In the tournament on Sunday, he played a local player who was getting a lot of claps from the crowd and huge support.  You would have thought Warren had earplugs on.  I never saw him flinch or get upset or even show any emotion at all.  He sat stoic, waiting for his turn at the table.

He said he recognizes that people are rooting FOR his opponent and not against him, which is obviously very helpful for the mental part of the game.

At another time, I was calling a shot and the player at the table playing Warren actually said out loud, but under his breath, "I'm going to shoot this kick safe like this and then fcvk him."

I was mortified he said that and then felt SO badly Warren might have heard that.  He was a guest, and I was embarrassed.  Although the player was drunk and that's his way of being funny, if you didn't know him, it would /have/ to rattle or upset you, right?

I recall looking right at Warren after the player said that shitty comment, and Warren sat there stoic with no emotion or react to the words.  He was just calm, cool, and collected.

Afterwards I tried to apologize to Warren for the guys' actions and words and Warren tried to tell me not to worry about it and not to apologize at all.  He acted like he didn't hear the guy and just shooshed my apology away because he thought it was unnecessary and not needed.  Turns out he DID hear the player say that.  Warren told me, "it's okay Melinda.  I knew he was drunk and it's part of competing sometimes.  I just didn't let it bother me, and you shouldn't let it bother you."

There's a whole lot to that exchange.  He didn't want me to apologize, he was trying not to let me know he heard the guy (admirable), he just didn't let the player bother him, and he knows it's part of traveling to play pool sometimes. 

You'd think the words from the drunk player would have gotten to Warren, but instead he just ignored it and focused on playing pool.   Because as he shared, "if you let things like that get to you, it affects your game. "

I really was impressed.  I've seen many players handle situations in a match, but to see Warren be so stoic consistently throughout an entire event was awesome to witness.  I pride myself on being able to handle situations well while competing.  I've been complimented on how I handle myself during matches.  However, if something has upset me, inside I am torn and struggling getting past the issue, even though on the outside you may not see it in my body language or with emotions or facial expressions.  However, Warren really just does not let it bother him at all - even internally.  To be able to bend his ear, and he be open with his experience and knowledge was super cool.

I hope he gets to play again soon!

Here is a snapshot after Warren won the tournament:  Anthony Shea, myself, and Warren:

Elbow Position Using a Bridge

I was practicing one day about 6 years ago at my normal jaunt and I had to use a rake (I like to call it a bridge, so hence-forth bridge means the rake, not the bridge you make with your hand when shooting).  

 

I grabbed the bridge, got down on my stance and shot (and made) the ball in front of me.  As I walk around the table for my next shot, my friend Robbie (and a local favorite in the pool room) comes flying from the other side of the room, "Melinda, Melinda!"  

 

Sheesh, what??

 

He said, "I don't normally interfere in people's practice session, but I noticed how you were using the bridge and I learned a long time ago from..." (of course now I forgot the person's name).... "to use the bridge with your elbow to the side, not like you were using. "

 

Huh?

 

I replied, "oh okay."

 

I went on my merry way and didn't have to use a bridge again during that practice session, but when I did the next time, I positioned my elbow up and to the side, instead of my elbow being straight down.

 

You all may already know this.  Heck it's probably in every pool book and I just don't recall, but I had to share this in case others are unaware like I was.

 

I have seen every snooker-backgrounded player use a bridge this way, yet I never did!   In A Mind for Tennis, the guy talks about learning from imitating and watching, yet I saw so many pros use the bridge that way and never did.  

 

 

When I started to use the bridge in that position from then on, I felt more comfortable, more solid, more secure.

 

I hope you see a difference, too.

 

I admit there is never true right and wrong in pool - there are OPTIONS.  But I beg you to try using a bridge with your elbow to the side (if you aren't already) and notice how much more stability you have.  At first it might feel awkward, but only after a few shots (or strokes), you will notice you do have much more control. 

 

 

What I See in this Video (Drill by Daren Appleton)

I saw this video the other day from Darren Appleton:

1-15 rotation one pocket drill brutal.. Completed it 4 times but 3 of them wasn't clean slightly nudged a ball so I kept going till I did it without contacting a ball... Great drill one of the toughest I've ever done .
Posted by Darren "Dynamite" Appleton on Wednesday, February 17, 2016

I am not sure what others see in this video, but what I see is GREAT fundamentals!  I realize the drill is a good drill and tough, don't get me wrong, but what I what really stuck out for me was these two KEY very important points:

1. Darren stays down and follows through on every single shot.
2. He chalks his cue every single time.

What does this mean?  It means he treats every shot the same and has fabulous fundamentals.

What people don't understand is it's very easy to get lazy on drills.  And also because there is no pressure practicing by ourselves, we rush our shots.  So, it's refreshing (and this is why he's a Champion) to see Darren taking his time on each and every shot.  He also has the slight pause each time, staying down REALLY well on each shot, following through beautifully, and doing his pre-shot routine on every shot (looking at the shot as he chalks his cue and steps INTO the line of the shot).

I mean, seriously, how many times have you practiced by yourself and not chalked your cue because you were just "hitting" balls around?  Treat every shot even in practice with the same due-diligence as if you were competing. 

The reason this particular video is also good to show how important fundamentals are, is you can see how long his cue stays still after he shoots each shot (that great follow through).  From the angle of the video, it looks as tho he is laying his cue on the table after each shot - that's how well he stays down and follows through - the keys to great pool.  :)

Enjoy!

Learn from Dennis Orcollo vs Corey Deuel 10-Ball Match (video clip)

Here is a great match to self train with!

Dennis Orcollo and Corey Deuel, 2013 10-ball finals, U.S. Bar Table event Reno.

Camera man is very close to the players and table on all the shots throughout the match.

You can really study front hand “bridge hand” back hand “stroke hand and  grip”  many times.

Also, eye pattern with shooting and overall playing the runouts and game.

Also, stance and strategy is all very clear, as well as observing “bear down“ that happens a lot.

See how many times the player will not rush and at times will get up off the shot until he is sure of what and how he wants to execute.

These champions are really determined and their determination is shown (you'll see it).

More Tools in the Toolbox - Example from a Pro

I wrote before how there are many tools in our toolboxes that we may not even be using, or have thought of.

I heard about one such tool while I was in Vegas for BCAPL Nationals.

During one of the pro events, Shane Van Boeing (SVB) was playing Alex Pagulayan.  If you don't know Alex or haven't ever seen him, he's a short, animated player who lives in Canada but from the Philippines.  SVB is another top professional pool player from the US.

The match was close - maybe 8-8 or so and SVB found himself in a position after the break with no shot, so he decided to roll-out.

He surveyed the table and saw that his best choice was to roll out to a jump shot.

HOWEVER - it wasn't just ANY jump shot.  He left the cueball to where Alex could NOT jump because of his height!  Alex actually jumps very well - but if he can't reach it, well....

So, Alex had no choice but to hand back the table to SVB.  Alex joked, "I blame my parents!"

It was super funny, actually.

But, SVB used a great tool in his toolbox - he literally sized up his opponent when he decided where to leave the roll-out jump shot.

Pretty clever, imo.

SVB jumped the ball, made it, and ran out.  However, Alex eventually won the match 10-9.

Remember all your available tools!

Getting Trumped

I mentioned that I went to the doc to try out mono-vision contacts.  (see the follow-up here).

I mentioned to my new optometrist that it was important that I made sure my dominant eye was fitted with the correct contact, because I played pool.

He's looking at the big back-in-the-future-like wheels and making adjustments on them in front of my eyes and asks me.

"You play pool, huh?

"Yes."

"Do you play well?"

"I think so."

"That's good.  Pool is a fun game."

At this point, I feel it's necessary to explain it's not a recreational sport for me.  It's a serious game!  And I can't afford to mess that up with these new contacts.

"Yea, I've won state tournaments, and a national tournament just last year."

I really don't like talking about myself, so I was speaking soft and trying not to sound like I was bragging - I was merely trying to express that I played fairly decent and this was important.

"Oh yea?  You must play pretty good then."

He seems surprised and impressed.  So then I got a little giddy. 

I laughed, blushed, crack a slight smile, straightened my back to be a little taller in my chair because he was impressed and replied, "Yea, I guess so."

He counters with, "When I was in San Antonio, Vivian Villarreal was one of my patients."

OMG!

Bubble bursted, lol.  I slouched back down in my chair.  No longer feeling like super woman, and feeling all of a sudden deflated.

"Well, she plays much better than I do...."  as I duck away from the convo, lol.

If he knows her, then he's not impressed with little miss state-and-national-title-girl, lol.

Vivian is a good friend of mine, so it makes the story that much funnier to me!

The Shape of Pros

I admit that I pride myself on trying to get good shape.

If I'm really playing well and focusing on the game in front of me and I'm giving it my best, then I'm walking around more and seeing where I need to be on the next ball to get on the third ball. This is simply called 3-ball shape.  What this means is it's best to get on the correct side of a ball in order to get to your next ball in order to get to your third ball because if you get on the wrong side of a ball then bad shape can curtail a run.  And then you find yourself with tough shots because you got on the wrong side of the next ball to get on the next ball.

I hope I'm making sense lol.

So I was surprised the other day when I was playing a top player from my area and I was paying close attention to his patterns.  At one point after he shot the first ball he didn't even walk around the table to see what side of the next ball he needed to be on. So I stopped him before he shot and I asked him why he didn't walk around the table and check out his angles that we're coming up.

He said very matter-of-factly and simply, "well, all the balls go and I didn't see any trouble spots." 

It really got me thinking about how he could do this and be such a top player. 

I remember back in the 90's a professional said one time to "just get in the center of the table."  Between me and you I can't just get in the center of the table to run out.  Further, if the balls are open and they all go I still need to figure out what my CORRECT angles are to get on the next ball well for a run.

So after watching this top player play a few more racks, it dawned on me very vibrantly why he didn't have to worry about angles when the table was wide open.  Bottom line:  top players and pros can move the cue ball much better than amateurs.

He could maneuver the cue ball no matter what shot he had in front of him.  Whether it's drawing full table, coming around a different way than expected, going forward and getting below the ball, or power stroking, whatever it was that the shot required for him to get on the next ball, it just didn't matter because he can do anything with the cueball because he is so talented.

I fully admit that a couple of times he had to really come with it and he did.  So, if he did look more at angles then he wouldn't have to come with shots.  But because he has the stroke, knowledge, and experience, when the table is wide open he doesn't need to walk around and analyze 3-ball shape like I constantly do when I'm playing.  It really was an eye opener to witness such great cue ball control no matter where he was on the table.

I, on the other hand, will need to continue to look at my angles for 3-ball shape lol.