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SJM at 2025 Mosconi Cup: Way too Late Thoughts

lfigueroa
sjm said:
Hard to figure any of it. The Earl choice of a few years ago showed that playing in most Matchroom events is not a prerequisite for Mosconi inclusion. In 2024, however, Filler was excluded for missing one WNT major.

Hence, the inclusion of Justin Bergman, who does not play the WNT Tour, is not something that can be ruled out.

Wonder how well Justin plays these days.
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Jam

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Lou Figueroa
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Predator Men's 10 Ball JAX

sjm
skip100 said:
10 ball is boring enough in the best of circumstances, playing it on these tables makes it a complete snoozefest.
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Agreed. I always considered it a selling point of the Predator 10ball events that the pockets were a little looser than those found at the WNT majors.

Whether it is 9ball or 10ball, 4" pockets make the game a little less interesting to this fan.
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SJM at 2025 Mosconi Cup: Way too Late Thoughts

sjm
xproskier said:
And my "next years" Team USA would be...

Fedor Gorst (Of course.)
Shane Van Boening (Of course.)
Skyler Woodward (Solid, but NOT as a Captain.)
Justin Bergman (Somebody talk to this guy. Please convince him.)
Oscar Dominguez (Loose, happy and solid. Tyler Styer fundamentally solid but his nerves are his own worst enemy. Sorry dude.)
Jesus Atencio (PLEASE Mr. Trump, make this Venezolano superstar a US Citizen tomorrow! We DESPERATELY need him. Possible 6th guy.)
Anthony Meglino (Good friend of mine but not for this reason. Solid, robotic, quiet. IF no Jesus, and a 6th can be brought onto a team.)

Note: I did not include juniors like Lukas but certainly not ruling any out. Adding ONE junior per team could be a future MR decision.

NON-PLAYING Captain: Someone who understands the importance of physical training as well as mental, multi-drill coaching, team management and merging personalities all into ONE. Someone who absolutely gives a shit about winning and not just "making it to the playoffs."

Practice routine (per person): On Rassons' with 3.9" pockets. (I believe that was the spec for this year's MC. Correct me if I'm wrong.)

Lag x 1000
Cut-break x 8000 Maybe another 1000 pp just for good measure.
Long straight follow x 2000
Long straight draw x 3000
Drills drills and more drills
Anything into the side pockets and from every imaginable angle x 3000
End pattern run-outs (7, 8, 9) x 1000
Jumping x 2000
Defense strategies and shots x 3000
Playing under shot-clock conditions

You will have one full year to accomplish this. It's a grind. And each person should play in as many WNT events as possible for the exposure.

I would also try to find out what the euro's are doing for prep. Then double it. Does this guarantee a 2026 USA victory in Orlando? Certainly not. But maybe it brings the margin or gap a little closer and from that, we can hopefully learn something, and further prepare. I'm no billiards guru by any stretch, but I do play very well and have also played a sport at the professional level. I do know the importance of training, both physically and mentally and the preparation grind it demands. And I also learned that while I was sleeping, my enemy was training.
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This is certainly a well thought out post, but its premise is that we need only pick a different team and practice a little harder than Europe to win. If only it were so simple. Any suggestion that Europe is beating us at the Mosconi because they prepare better for the event itself really misses the boat, except in one sense, and that is that they are far more committed to playing the world pool calendar, which has built a European competitive pedigree that is the envy of American pool.

Over the past 10-15 years, so many Europeans have been very committed to playing most of the world pro pool calendar while few Americans have done the same. Put another way, the Europeans are much more prepared than the Americans for the Mosconi because they have been so committed for so long to playing in all the majors worldwide.

In short, we have long known what the Europeans do that make them prepared for success at the Mosconi, but few Americans have shown the willingness to do the same. Hence, your post is evasive of the real issue that has plagued American pool for many years and that is that American-born pros, as a group, have not been paying their dues and building their competitive pedigrees to the extent needed to consistently maintain world class play.

This cannot be fixed in the practice room alone, although what happens in the practice room is critical. Still, advances made in the practice room must be accompanied by a much greater level of participation in the most elite worldwide pro events if Americans are to close the gap between themselves and Europe.
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Love story about pool, hustlers, serial killers and some action. Who Am I?

H
markjames said:
you shore can talk baby
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markjames said:
you shore can talk baby
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700 WPM, no wonder Gary was always at the poolroom! I can make fun of myself. I know how I am. Appalachian witches raised me on bluegrass, and some weed when i was only about 5. They gave me a hit just to calm me down.
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