Question for the USA Mosconi Cup fans

[PETROBOY]

As soon as the team was set all I seen on these fourms was that some of the players shouldnt be there and Earl, Corey, Denis should be on it and Charlie being captian that it should have been someone else, My question is why didnt the fans embrace the team and cheer for them? It must be hard to be a player who earned your spot and see that alot of fans think you dont belong. Its my thoughts that only the players who earned their spots belong on the team. Negative comments and attitudes create negative results.

 

[JCIN]

As soon as the team was set all I seen on these fourms was that some of the players shouldnt be there and Earl, Corey, Denis should be on it and Charlie being captian that it should have been someone else, My question is why didnt the fans embrace the team and cheer for them? It must be hard to be a player who earned your spot and see that alot of fans think you dont belong. Its my thoughts that only the players who earned their spots belong on the team. Negative comments and attitudes create negative results.

Its a made for TV event with criteria for entry that changes every year.

Its really not that big of a deal. To put it in perspective.....if the Mosconi Cup paid zero dollars and the only payment the players received was the chance to represent their country how do you think it would go?

How much would they care?

Why be surprised at backlash when teams are chosen to represent the USA when the USA has no say in how they are chosen?

I personally like how Matchroom chose the teams this year. Top 5 in points go. Perfect way to do it. They dicked up the Captains choice about as bad as possible but its their nickel they can spend it how they want.

American pool fans are just tired of the bullshit IMO and its starting to show.

 

[justadub]

I agree that the spots on the team must be earned. I think they got that part right.

I'm not a fan of many of the statements made by a couple of the team members this past year. I won't keep flogging that deceased equine, but those individuals aren't my favorites as a result. Still, if they earned a spot through their play this year, they're our guys, as far as the actual Cup contest goes. I don't have to root for them after that, and I won't.

CW for the Captain..... I believe that was a poor choice, and I believe that it was politically motivated on the US behalf, financially motivated on the Matchroom behalf. Obviously, when given CW as a choice, the people he represents on the team will choose him. Matchrrom probably included him in the choices in order to continue to foster a business relationship in other parts of the world where Dragon Promotions flourishes. (Purely speculation on my part, based on what I have read, admittedly.)

I rooted for the US team, though I was unhappy with the captain selection.

 

[ironman]

Its a made for TV event with criteria for entry that changes every year.

Its really not that big of a deal. To put it in perspective.....if the Mosconi Cup paid zero dollars and the only payment the players received was the chance to represent their country how do you think it would go?

How much would they care?

Why be surprised at backlash when teams are chosen to represent the USA when the USA has no say in how they are chosen?

I personally like how Matchroom chose the teams this year. Top 5 in points go. Perfect way to do it. They dicked up the Captains choice about as bad as possible but its their nickel they can spend it how they want.

American pool fans are just tired of the bullshit IMO and its starting to show.

It pays ZERO???? Are you serious??

 

[JCIN]

It pays ZERO???? Are you serious??

Think you misunderstood what I wrote.

Mosconi in its current form is a decent pay day for those selected.

 

[Swede59]

It pays ZERO???? Are you serious??

Are u Drunk? lol

 

[Island Drive]

Matchroom is a promoter, CW is a promoter............I think a HOF member should be chosen for this job.
Better yet, let's send in Our player/matchmaker phenom....
My Vote....
Billy Incardona

 

[Donny Lutz]

Arrogance on Mosconi team?

As soon as the team was set all I seen on these fourms was that some of the players shouldnt be there and Earl, Corey, Denis should be on it and Charlie being captian that it should have been someone else, My question is why didnt the fans embrace the team and cheer for them? It must be hard to be a player who earned your spot and see that alot of fans think you dont belong. Its my thoughts that only the players who earned their spots belong on the team. Negative comments and attitudes create negative results.

Some would say that many American players are arrogant and disrespectful.
Some would say that CW looked like he had a hangover and could barely keep his eyes open.
Some would say that the Americans are too egoistic and too used to playing for their individual selves. ???

I would say that perhaps the Euros are better conditioned, more humble, more courteous, and play as a team.

Donny L
BCA/ACS Instructor
Gainesville, Fl

 

[PETROBOY]

Matchroom is a promoter, CW is a promoter............I think a HOF member should be chosen for this job.

I think it shouldnt be a active pool player who could have made the team or played on it in the last 5 years. why not go outside of pool and have a coach like a Joe Rogan or someone like that, they are only there to motivate the players im sure most decisions are made as a team.

 

[spanky79]

Some would say that many American players are arrogant and disrespectful.
Some would say that CW looked like he had a hangover and could barely keep his eyes open.
Some would say that the Americans are too egoistic and too used to playing for their individual selves. ???

I would say that perhaps the Euros are better conditioned, more humble, more courteous, and play as a team.

Donny L
BCA/ACS Instructor
Gainesville, Fl

New Post of the Year

 

[pt109]

I think it shouldnt be a active pool player who could have made the team or played on it in the last 5 years. why not go outside of pool and have a coach like a Joe Rogan or someone like that, they are only there to motivate the players im sure most decisions are made as a team.

Personally, I'm happy when Nick Varner is the captain.
But if a change was going to happen, my choice would be Mark Wilson.

But I like the fact that if something is felt to be wrong.....
...we on AZ will speak up.
Save the euphemisms for the politicians....
...although I did like Justadub's 'deceased equine'...:lmao:

 

[metallicane]

They say the same thing about the Ryder Cup...Americans are too selfish....we can't play as a team....

I don't buy it. The Euros played better.

 

[cardiac kid]

I agree that the spots on the team must be earned. I think they got that part right.....

Think the problem with "earning" the spots is it favors the players with the most sponsorship or personnal funds. Not necessarily the best players. No system is going to be perfect though and this years player choice was pretty good except for leaving Dennis off the team! Please don't ask me who I would have dropped.

Lyn

 

[OTB]

well said..............OTB

Its a made for TV event with criteria for entry that changes every year.

Its really not that big of a deal. To put it in perspective.....if the Mosconi Cup paid zero dollars and the only payment the players received was the chance to represent their country how do you think it would go?

How much would they care?

Why be surprised at backlash when teams are chosen to represent the USA when the USA has no say in how they are chosen?

I personally like how Matchroom chose the teams this year. Top 5 in points go. Perfect way to do it. They dicked up the Captains choice about as bad as possible but its their nickel they can spend it how they want.

American pool fans are just tired of the bullshit IMO and its starting to show.

 

[sjm]

As soon as the team was set all I seen on these fourms was that some of the players shouldnt be there and Earl, Corey, Denis should be on it and Charlie being captian that it should have been someone else, My question is why didnt the fans embrace the team and cheer for them? It must be hard to be a player who earned your spot and see that alot of fans think you dont belong. Its my thoughts that only the players who earned their spots belong on the team. Negative comments and attitudes create negative results.

What we have here is called piling on.

I thought we'd already heard every possible excuse regarding Team USA - a) the wrong guys were on Team USA, b) Europe got the rolls, c) we could have won this match and that match and that would have changed everything, d) Team USA had the wrong captain. e) the European players get Olympic money, and Americans don't (actually, English players don't get Olympic foundation money, yet Team USA would probably not be favored by the bookmakers against an all-England team of Darren Appleton, Karl Boyes, Darryl Peach, Chris Melling and Mark Gray). Now you want to put some of the blame on the fans, who, by your assessment, failed to offer sufficient support to the team. Shame, shame, shame.

Time for Team USA and its many apologists to stop living in denial. We lost to a better team.

Europe, very much to their credit, has become a thorn in America's side when it comes to profesional pool. Once upon a time, the Americans dominated in nine ball. Now, Europe has won the last four US Open nine ball events, the last two Mosconi Cups, and the last three Challenge of Champions events. Once upon a time in 14.1, America dominated. Now, since the emergence in 2006 of a truly world class 14.1 event, Europeans have won all six of them (Thorsten Hohmann twice, Oliver Ortmann twice, Niels Feijen once and Stefan Cohen once), with every single one of these events contested on American soil. Somehow, though, American players don't give credit to the European players to the extent that is appropriate. Let's hope the Europeans don't take up serious one-pocket or bank pool any time soon!

Time for Americans to start making fewer mistakes and fewer excuses. Preparing for the next Mosconi Cup should be the focus, not moaning about the Mosconi Cup that's already behind us. Beating a team whose players hone their skills year round by competing in the most elite events on three continents is a tall order indeed, but it is possible if the desire and work ethic are there.

 

[Celtic]

sjm is right.

The Europeans are better, that is it.

The USA has one single player that is at the level of the top Eurpeans and that player is SVB. SVB is heads and tails above every other player in the USA. Europe has at least 5 people that play at the level of SVB. That is the difference.

Team USA cannot beat a team of 5 SVB level players because they only have 1 SVB level player and the other 4 on team USA no matter who they pick is a dog against SVB level players either due to a lack of skill, a lack of commitment to the game, or both.

It does not matter if they pick Dennis Hatch, he is not as good as SVB. It does not matter if you put on Corey because he does not play near enough pool to play as good as SVB does, Earl has no head game and will self destruct just like he did against SVB once the fans put pressure on him.

There is not a team of 5 USA players that are even money against the 5 best players that Europe can field, the USA simply don't have 5 guys of that level anymore.

 

[demonrho]

Let's hope the Europeans don't take up serious one-pocket or bank pool any time soon!

The Mosconi event needs to modernize and drop nine ball in favor of one pocket. Or at least make it 1pkt, banks, and 9 ball like the DCC.

 

[Celtic]

The Mosconi event needs to modernize and drop nine ball in favor of one pocket. Or at least make it 1pkt, banks, and 9 ball like the DCC.

9-ball to 1-pocket makes no sense at all. 10-ball instead of 9-ball would be a change that I think would be worth looking into, but you don't change a 9-ball event into 1-pocket...

 

[oldzilla]

9-ball to 1-pocket makes no sense at all. 10-ball instead of 9-ball would be a change that I think would be worth looking into, but you don't change a 9-ball event into 1-pocket...

Agreed, 10-ball would be a good change imo.

 

[Scott Lee]

Tap, tap, tap.:thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

What we have here is called piling on.

I thought we'd already heard every possible excuse regarding Team USA - a) the wrong guys were on Team USA, b) Europe got the rolls, c) we could have won this match and that match and that would have changed everything, d) Team USA had the wrong captain. e) the European players get Olympic money, and Americans don't (actually, English players don't get Olympic foundation money, yet Team USA would probably not be favored by the bookmakers against an all-England team of Darren Appleton, Karl Boyes, Darryl Peach, Chris Melling and Mark Gray). Now you want to put some of the blame on the fans, who, by your assessment, failed to offer sufficient support to the team. Shame, shame, shame.

Time for Team USA and its many apologists to stop living in denial. We lost to a better team.

Europe, very much to their credit, has become a thorn in America's side when it comes to profesional pool. Once upon a time, the Americans dominated in nine ball. Now, Europe has won the last four US Open nine ball events, the last two Mosconi Cups, and the last three Challenge of Champions events. Once upon a time in 14.1, America dominated. Now, since the emergence in 2006 of a truly world class 14.1 event, Europeans have won all six of them (Thorsten Hohmann twice, Oliver Ortmann twice, Niels Feijen once and Stefan Cohen once), with every single one of these events contested on American soil. Somehow, though, American players don't give credit to the European players to the extent that is appropriate. Let's hope the Europeans don't take up serious one-pocket or bank pool any time soon!

Time for Americans to start making fewer mistakes and fewer excuses. Preparing for the next Mosconi Cup should be the focus, not moaning about the Mosconi Cup that's already behind us. Beating a team whose players hone their skills year round by competing in the most elite events on three continents is a tall order indeed, but it is possible if the desire and work ethic are there.