Let's open with the fact that we're talking rotation games here.
When it comes to big events, there are only two consistently strong American players, Shane Van Boening and Mike Dechaine. Of Archer, Morris, and Deuel, not one of them has more than two top tens in the last six major 9/10 ball events in America having a truly elite international field as well as wide representation from players across the entire United States. Earl doesn't even have one top 10 in these events, and it's a joke that he's ever in the conversation as one of the most elite Americans. I really don't see how you can make a case for anybody but Mike Dechaine as the second best American 9/10 ball pool player. Mike outperforms the others over and over and over and over. It should also be noted that Mike beat Shane in both the 2013 and 2014 Derby City Classic 9-ball events and, of course, he absolutely demolished Earl Strickland in their ten ball match with a set of rules selected by Earl camp. Rodney is probably the third best American and Justin Bergman is probably fourth best.
It happens every day here on the forum --- the efforts of a great player are discounted because he's unpopular. Pretty comical that anyone would leave him out of America's top five, and, to me, nearly as comical to leave him out of the top two. It might just be time to give a very accomplished and consistently excellent player his due. Shane's results make it crystal clear that he's America's best but Mike's results make it just as clear that he's second best. In 2013, with no thanks to Matchroom, America had to compete in the Mosconi without its second best player. Let's hope it doesn't happen again. Right now, Mike Dechaine and Justin Bergman are the ones that keep proving that their games are in tip-top shape and that's whey they are knocking off some of the game's superstars. Surely, any Team USA that hopes to be competitive must begin with Shane, Mike and Justin.
When it comes to big events, there are only two consistently strong American players, Shane Van Boening and Mike Dechaine. Of Archer, Morris, and Deuel, not one of them has more than two top tens in the last six major 9/10 ball events in America having a truly elite international field as well as wide representation from players across the entire United States. Earl doesn't even have one top 10 in these events, and it's a joke that he's ever in the conversation as one of the most elite Americans. I really don't see how you can make a case for anybody but Mike Dechaine as the second best American 9/10 ball pool player. Mike outperforms the others over and over and over and over. It should also be noted that Mike beat Shane in both the 2013 and 2014 Derby City Classic 9-ball events and, of course, he absolutely demolished Earl Strickland in their ten ball match with a set of rules selected by Earl camp. Rodney is probably the third best American and Justin Bergman is probably fourth best.
It happens every day here on the forum --- the efforts of a great player are discounted because he's unpopular. Pretty comical that anyone would leave him out of America's top five, and, to me, nearly as comical to leave him out of the top two. It might just be time to give a very accomplished and consistently excellent player his due. Shane's results make it crystal clear that he's America's best but Mike's results make it just as clear that he's second best. In 2013, with no thanks to Matchroom, America had to compete in the Mosconi without its second best player. Let's hope it doesn't happen again. Right now, Mike Dechaine and Justin Bergman are the ones that keep proving that their games are in tip-top shape and that's whey they are knocking off some of the game's superstars. Surely, any Team USA that hopes to be competitive must begin with Shane, Mike and Justin.
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