Pool is more than just playing well. A large part of the game is psychological. If you let your opponent rattle you, you have already set the stage for losing a match. As for McCready, he has always been very vocal and says funny and sometimes outlandish things. But, when he was at the top of his game, he backed up his trash talking with spectacular playing. The game needs more like Keith McCready. Too many pros are simply robots with no personality and who always make the expected shot. Players like McCready and Reyes both are fun to watch because they pull out shots that no one expects and few believe are makeable. That is, until they make the shot.
He was being a condescending prick and there is no excuse you can devise that'll justify him calling the greatest "my little man". That might fly in a bar room, but on mic on tv, it was deplorable. Period.
Roger Scott Cathey Agreed. Not being a loud jackass doesn’t make you a robot. These people are called “Professional” because they’re the best at what they do. People watch PROS to see the *game* played at its highest level, not to see dumbass antics. If you want to distract and fluster someone when you’re gambling at a bar that’s fine, but professional play should be all about your skill level, and if your skill speaks for itself, you don’t have to. Before and after the game is another story. Floyd Mayweather was a loud obnoxious jerk when he wanted to get in his opponent’s head or hype up a fight, but once he got in the ring, he was all business. No flashy BS, no loudmouth antics.
Señor Reyes you are the MAESTRO you take your loses.with grace . I still have my one dollar bill you signed back in the 90s while at a pool championship in Las Vegas I had a great time watching you win , hope and pray that you and your family are doing well.
Efran Reyes.. has turned me into a fanatic pool watcher on u tube...can't wait to finish whatever I'm doing...to go watch him play....the quiet achiever.(.go effren..)..
I don't see anything wrong about McCready tho. It's just plain old school trash talking and it's been said that he's a pool hustler so it's his normal character. Ang nag agree sa OP's comment masyado pong balat-sibuyas.
Why?...there always has to be someone holding down the other side of the tracks. If everyone played like Reyes then what would you remember him for? I enjoy characters like this trash talker. Nothing wrong with it...don't think he crossed any lines of sportsmanship.
going to say being in a Tom Cruise movie makes you more known at that point in time. Efron Reyes wasnt a legend at that time in the 1980's. think much?
Id said his 2nd only to Earl Strickland him and Wimppy Lasitor Mike Segal & Irving Crane are like all 2nd to Earl. I know tourny n trophy champions chasers you will call out Steve Mizerak he as the most trophies Willie Mosconi The Kaiser yes all great in they're perspectives but real every day players for money 💰 tournament all around hustler's I say my list is the real an see actual in my opinion Earl, Efron, Willie, Crane McCready on a Mosconi cup team I'd like to see that woth The Kentucky Colonel as Coach n back up player Nick Varner.
@MikeyMikethegamer0803 Mayweather is great but Every GOAT needs a way of loosing themself to find a better version of themself. Look at Mayweather. His boxing career maybe great but after that, he is just a husk of a man left with only money he can't gain back. While every other GOAT managed to not only be the greatest but be the better man than when they didn't loose. From Mohammad ali to Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Manny Pacquiao. Efren Reyes may not be the greatest in Pool but he certainly became the greatest in the history of pool by being a daring pool player who wouldn't trash talk his way to victory but would certainly amaze you by his skill and talent.
@@justforfun5391 Just to clarify- I was referring to Mayweather when I said he was not the best, I was following the replies and somebody mentioned Mayweather. As for Efren Reyes, nobody can beat his records , he won in different disciplines of billiards unlike most champions. He has made the most difficult shots in pool that nobody can replicate. He is humble, does not look down on his opponents even as he beat them again and again. A true Legend, for me Efren is the GOAT!
McCready is just a balloon full of air --- where is he now? He's nowhere to be found, unlike Efren who still manages to keep his star up above... humility and skill sure beats hot air from a popped balloon (like McCready)... huh?
McCready was insecure. He feared himself. Compensated by trash talking. They should NEVER have allowed that crap on nationally televised matches. It damaged pool credibility severely.
it's quite sad actually. it turned out he was LGBTQ and was being bullied for it as a child, so when he left school, to prevent himself from being the target of bullying, he became the bully himself 😢
"Chicken wing" McCready sets such a terrible example for others. One might wonder why pool never made it to the level of golf and other big sports. Because people like trash talk McCready lower the level of the game to backroom gambling status. People want to see skill and respect (except for hockey where the fights are the biggest draw. Hmm full contact pool maybe? I digress) in the players. The sad thing is, people like McCready don't care what they are doing and that it is disrespectful. It boosts their ego. "It's just how the game is played!!" BS!!!! I could never respect a person like that. Lame human being who's name is mostly forgotten. Efren has won more of everything than anyone else in the game and has done so quietly and respectfully. The PERFECT player with amazing heart and incredible skill. Met him once. I really humble and gentle person!
I'm sure he's battled his demons for a long time. McCready is a serious player. He is not to blame for the degradation of pool, in fact, he helped inspire people to pick up a cue and play. Next are you going to say Minnesota Fats hurt the game because of his antics? I wasn't around during these men's heydays but I am sure to say that I appreciate what they have done. It is not the player's fault that Cornhole is bigger than pool in the US right now... We can think of a whole lot of reasons why Americans have lost interest in a game that has a learning curve... I am merely speaking for the United States and am in no way or shape saying that McCready has impacted the game more than Efren, I am only saying it is the people to blame not the person.
Im a filipino but i dont admire manny.. hes a great boxer really but not a politician.. giving money even if its not on election day is still vote buying
@@DM-bs2oz did you smoke weeds? What is wrong with sharing your winnings? It's biblical!! Is it because you missed out in the hands out? The gives because he's got plenty to give and it most importantly he did not steal it, but worked hard on it with pain, sweat, blood and guts!!
This was mid 80's when efren was barely in the scene. He wasn't the legend he would later become plus Keith was one of the best nine ball players in the world
@Legend Efren Reyes Your videos are excellent! Thank you for capturing, and keeping alive, the wonderful world of billiards. This is a great channel! Thank you, sir.
I used to watch these guys hustle eachother in the 80's. Keith had his comedy show, but Efrin's clan had their food. Where Efren went, the buffet came right behind him. Oh man those were the days. Good times.
yahh but when i look up on the GOOGLE engine.. for whom was the pool master in the world..well😅😅 MACCREADY NOT FOUND! BUT LOSS!😅😂😅 EFREN WINS AND still! 😅
If you want to be the best at anything, you have to deal with whatever comes your way, great players nevertheless, it was a lot fun watching this match. 👏
Tactics by a weak minded player needing an edge because he knew his skill alone could not beat Efren. If it weren't for some lucky flukes, some bad rolls, AND a bad foul call on Efren, McCready would NOT have won that match. He shamed the gamed. It should be won by pool skill alone.
@@physicsguybrian indeed! He simply jumped onto the foul call, didn't care whether Efren is challenging or not... "I don't know, I'll take it anyway". Yuck!! 😖🤮... Simply went ahead with pocketing.
Just found this video and damn. Even legends like Efren had to go through this kind of flop, like some of the missed shots are like 90% easy shot in his 40 y/o and up. Guess time really does made no one to someone.
There is another match on youtube where McCready appears to be tweaking! He's managed to lose a few front side teeth, so has a bizarre looking bulldog overbite thing going on and is doing that mouth/lip flappy thing you see people without teeth doing and he is talking to himself. It is disturbing. So sad to see, what was once great potential, become such a washout. Perhaps had he been a humble and kind person, his future would have turned out better than a vague memory by only those really into pool that know enough history to have heard of him. Efren, on the other hand, is quite literally a legend and STILL going strong!
McCready had a serious problem with drugs and alcohol. I remember him and a few other player's BS ing one night and his remark to one comment was, he's at least $100,000 up his nose over time. That was over 20 years ago.
His nickname was “Keither with the ether”. He was one of the last real hustlers, the game used to be very different than it is today, and to be fair pool could use more characters (not defending anything, just being honest), guys like him and Earl brought more eyes to the game than almost anyone, and make no mistake, Keith was absolutely a top 5 player in the world for years, at least for rotation. While his antics could be over the top and out of line (excuse the pun), it’s really sad that more people don’t know who he is. Efren is the GOAT and always been nice when I’ve been around him, but frankly pool could use someone like KM more so than another Efren. There are huge numbers of great players now, FAR more than any other point in history, but pro pool is still on life support.
you got to give props with this guy. he's funny as hell, and knows how to press pinoys button without being punch in the face. lol pinoys will never get American sacasm unless you are a fil/am. lol but don't get me wrong, experiences like this makes underdogs Legends and that's what Efren Bata Reyes is, my Pinoy Billiards idol! :)
Suggestion lng pre, dont explain the shot before it happens we want to see it our self.. I kinda feel like your spoiling the shot before it begins or maybe its just me
So what about for people who don't understand much of what is going on and don't know the rules of the game? How will they absorb the video if no info is being given to them? It's not a "spoiler" ksi itong video na toh luma na. This video is more of an analysis or breakdown of what happened in the game.
Good thing he didnt insult him but called him my "little man"...you cant blame mcready for talking its the social pschology of pool hustlers in america at the time😂😂 ..the last trash talk though😒
I love hearing commentary of sports from back in the day bc hardly any of those guys even played the sport of the players they criticized as time went of course networks and companies realized how stupid they sound n started to involve people who had played the game before, were HOF, or at the very least understood n knew what they were talking about
I really felt so pitty of Mang Efren on this game. Mc Cready kept on bullying him and what made things worst was when commentators kept on smalling and belittling his 15USD cue stick. And he even lost this game. I felt so bad.
