I doubt that going younger will help the USA team.
You have to go younger eventually as older player do loose their game... BUT the younger American players do not get the tough competition as young European players on a daily basis so the overall level is lower.

The tradition of pool is different between the USA and Europe, while in Europe it is a sport with all the aspects of it, In the USA it's just a game, a bar pass time, a gambler's game and it's all about the immediate money (why work hard to become a world champion if you can hustle in you local bar and get paid more? attitude) and these differences in mentality, approach and tradition have finally (last decade or so) caught up with the USA and Europe has passed the USA by miles without even looking back.

Take Poland for example, 15-20 years ago they here mid tier in Europe and even less in international levels, Today they can put up a Mosconi team that will beat the USA.... they have some of the strongest players in the world and you will fine a polish player at the last 8 of many major events. This is the path and the distance that European pool has gone through while America pool stayed at the same spot.
This has nothing to do with covid or whatever other excuse you can think about. it just what it is and most Americans, even pool fans are OK with it.

Stu,

As always I much appreciate your clear view even if I don't like what you are saying.

There was a time when team USA could getaway with not being cohesive. That time is gone, long gone. I haven't watched Mosconi Cup in a good while but even watching a match or two later, I never get a feeling there is a team USA. It seems to be too much to ask for the US players to be fiercely competitive all year then pull together as a team. At least that is the impression I usually get.

Another issue that has hurt team USA over and over was that when played in Europe, the Europeans have home field advantage. When played in the US, particularly Vegas, it's party time! I haven't paid attention for years so maybe this isn't as true as it once was. Our win came with a real coach which says something. We usually have a group of individuals playing a team. That is always a hard bridge to cross.

Just my thoughts which may be out of touch by now. Reading your reports always conveys a lot of information and makes me think, two good things!

Hu

Island Drive said:

Stu thx for the weeks write up, couple great observations.
Starting to see you again AZ front page.
Standing .
Help me with my perspective.
Team Coaches.
Busty.... when his at table players needed help, Busty was called/so to speak.
USA did not do the same>
USA.... The team players would jump in many Coached.
A great coach understands the Game better than all it's team members.
I'd prefer to see Nick Varner Coach 2026 and pick the team.
His knowledge is Efren like.
Plus it would be nice to see nick move Fast )))))))))))))).
bm

Click to expand...

Oddly enough, the last time an American coached Team USA to victory was in 2009 and the coach was Nick Varner, whose knowledge of the game is, undeniably, encyclopedic. I have long believed Nick to be the greatest ever 9ball decision maker in American pool history, and he is in the conversation for being the most knowledgeable pool player of the last fifty years.

Until the 2025 Reyes Cup, I felt that Matchroom had no interest in having a veteran Hall of Famer coach at their Team events, but Bustamante, a sixty something, proved I was mistaken. Perhaps Nick is an option after all.

Nonetheless, I believe that 90% of the coaching job must be done prior to the beginning of the Mosconi Cup. Unless Nick got in the face of Team USA and showed them how to make better decisions at the table, I doubt he would be successful as a coach.

I am going to give this a little more thought, Bill, but those are my initial impressions.

Ģüśţāṿ said:

I was about to buy something from ebay and the seller was also in Canada. I couldn't believe how much the fees were that were added on in checkout, so I backed out.

Feels like we're going a bit backwards here

Click to expand...

It’s better to go through the back door, you can use escrow services. I do it for many of my buddy then I drive to Niagara Falls to give the cues to my buddy in buffalo, New York. I usually sit and chat with him about cues and such. Just relax and give him the cue to ship it out from buffalo, New York.

SUPERSTAR said:

No apologies necessary.
If the shoe fits...

I'm just amazed at what some of these people say. Especially if they come off like total trash, to people just commenting. Not even being mean.
Just having conversations.

Click to expand...

It's the world we live in, look at all the kids of celebrities that have ZERO talent or ZERO relevance that are now ""influencers"" w millions of young followers for no earthly reason other than their parents are famous! If your dad isn't Ernesto or Stan Shuffet I could give two shits what they have to say because it's not gonna be relevant to professional pool. If your parents own a pall hall I would somewhat care but if they didn't have previous involvement with amateur/pro pool before their kid was born who cares!

tg_vegas said:

I recently made a deal to buy a USED mezz cue and shaft from a guy in Toronto. We haggled a bit on price but ended up at a price, SHIPPED, that we could both live with

I paid him via PayPal, friends and family. All good so far.

Next day, Paypal hits me with a $31 transaction fee. No explanation since it was not a G&S transaction.

Then the cue got stuck in customs for a couple of days but eventually made it to me after a little more than a week later.

THEN, the bills came.. Duty fees, and Trump Tariffs, etc... another $46.50 in fees.

In the end, if I had known that I would have almost $100 in fees to buy this used cue from an AZB member in Canada, I would never have bought it.

Buyer beware

Click to expand...

Well, say thank to President Trump while ya can. It has nothing to do with the Canadian guy, it’s the tariff that USA imposed on Canada recently.
While the Canadian been paying for that fee on Canada government as the beginning of time.
How much was the cue valued on duty paper? Usually I put 50$ or 100$ to make sure there are some value on the item and ups won’t lose it.

I was about to buy something from ebay and the seller was also in Canada. I couldn't believe how much the fees were that were added on in checkout, so I backed out.

Feels like we're going a bit backwards here

Snooze fest. Races to 7 are about all that is watchable, imo. No wonder pool never attracts casual viewers.

NevadaP said:

Dogs in the Moonlight?
Shot at Redemption?
Cartoons in a Cartoon Graveyard?

Click to expand...

Bonediggers?