So far, do you think C J Wiley is doing the best thing for the Mosconi cup and USA?

Emotions are GOOD FOR THE MOSCONI CUP.

BasementDweller said:
The part in bold is the part that I was thinking CJ would change a bit this year. There is always the excessive celebration after each match. I think all the fist pumping and ra ra stuff after each win makes for good tv but it doesn't help keep the players focused on winning.

To me, it sort of like stopping after each mile of a marathon and getting all excited about how fast that last mile was. It removes your focus on the entire match and it creates EVEN MORE pressure on you and your teammates for the next one.

If you look at nearly ALL the great players in other sports I think one thing they have in common is they control their emotions and they don't get too excited while they are still in the fight. They save all that for the end.
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It's a balancing act. First off, I think showing emotion for the Mosconi Cup is a GREAT THING. The Mosconi Cup is not ONLY about performance. In my opinion, the Mosconi Cup is a handsome spectacle of pool. The emotion is part of its attraction.

It is the job of the players and the captain to keep the players attention on playing well in the midst of all of the ooo-rahh. It's a team effort. Johnny Archer is surely THE ROCK of the USA Mosconi Cup Team.

Handling the pressure of the Mosconi Cup, modulating the emotions of each player and performing well at the same time is what it's all about.

The modulation of the emotions is like a light switch. More players should be like Tommy Kennedy when it comes to handling emotions and performing well. That guy can be jocular one moment, laughing and fooling around but when he comes to the table, he just switches into auto-pilot and is all business.
 
Neil said:
Why even make a comment like that if you aren't trying to start something?? And, just for your info, you are totally wrong. You would be amazed at the number of people on here that don't think very highly of him. But, that has nothing to do with this thread, so why would you even bring it up?? I ask a simple, pertinent question, and several of you have to crap on the thread trying to start flame wars. This place is really getting sickening.
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Please amaze us Nancy.
 
I don't know how CJ is doing as far as motivating but his strategy at throwing players is flawless so far. Look at this briefly.

Singles matches: Euro has Melling, NVB, and Nickos left while USA has Hatch, Archer, and SVB. I think that favors USA from that stand point.

Now look at Doubles matches. CJ can put Dechaine and Shuff with more senior players and run the odd man out for the singles match(smart thing to do). You have Niels and Daz who will certainly be playing in both doubles matches having to sit on the sidelines for singles play. With that said Advantage Europe but only slightly because doubles matches are even more of a toss up than the singles matches.

It's clear CJ is giving his vets a chance to win with pressure and taking as much heat off Shuff and Dechaine as possible. I'm having a very hard time seeing how Team USA doesn't win today as well. Day 3 is the next chance Europe will have to swing the power back to their side and they'll need to play their weakest against SVB or Archer to do that...CJ knows what hes doing.
 
Neil said:
Why even make a comment like that if you aren't trying to start something?? And, just for your info, you are totally wrong. You would be amazed at the number of people on here that don't think very highly of him. But, that has nothing to do with this thread, so why would you even bring it up?? I ask a simple, pertinent question, and several of you have to crap on the thread trying to start flame wars. This place is really getting sickening.
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Neil, if people are misreading the intent of your post as being "anti-CJ", it's only because of your past behavior towards the guy. You bring it on yourself.

People are trying to have a discussion about whether he's doing a good job or not, and you're jumping in basically trying to kill the thread by saying nobody can form a valid opinion without being in the same room.

You think you're bringing up the level of discourse on AZ by trying to squash a perfectly reasonable thread?
 
Much of CJ's job was surely done before the first match. I don't know how he pumped, prepped and trained with them. Last year I spoke with Johan at length @ how he got his guys ready and he went into detail @ exercise, diet, sleep, and basically doing everything together. He went so far as to claim that CW and his team was rather deficient in these regards.

If I were captain, I'd do somehting like this (I posted this in another, low viewed thread):

I think it would be awesome to practice with a time clock and with crowd noise and hecklers. I'd measure the decibel level at the venue and practice with noise a bit over that, so come Cup time, it seems less loud. You could have someone with a "noise machine" with a bunch of pre-programmed noises - cheers, boos, oohs, ahs, etc. Then put a few bodies there as spectators that will throw in an appropriate heckle here and there.

How better to imitate what the players will be faced with?
 
CreeDo said:
Neil, if people are misreading the intent of your post as being "anti-CJ", it's only because of your past behavior towards the guy. You bring it on yourself.

People are trying to have a discussion about whether he's doing a good job or not, and you're jumping in basically trying to kill the thread by saying nobody can form a valid opinion without being in the same room.

You think you're bringing up the level of discourse on AZ by trying to squash a perfectly reasonable thread?
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"Past behavior towards the guy" was nothing he didn't give me first. So, you and anyone else misreading a simple question falls on YOU, not me. It's YOUR fault that you want to find fault with everything I write, not mine. I'm not trying to kill anything except the crap you and others enjoy throwing my way. The fact that you see what you do is only due to your own prejudice, not what was actually wrote. If you bothered to actually read what was written, instead of only seeing what you wanted to see, you would have seen a basic question, same as someonelse later stated, nothing more. So, instead of getting down on me, start looking at yourself for a change.

That's the last I have to say on the subject in this thread. Sorry Lock that some decided to use your thread to try and knock me.
 
From what I can tell, he's saving his best 7s for last. He sorta low-balled the first one to get a feel for what the other team was going to do, so now he can control things. He needs to keep an eye on time-outs, make sure his players keep kosher with the shot clock and in general have everybody feeling like a contributing member. Oh, and stay within the 23 point handicap! :eek:

I only hope that Shane doesn't try to get out of scoring a match here or there. You know how those high ranked players can be..
 
JoeyA said:
It's a balancing act. First off, I think showing emotion for the Mosconi Cup is a GREAT THING. The Mosconi Cup is not ONLY about performance. In my opinion, the Mosconi Cup is a handsome spectacle of pool. The emotion is part of its attraction.

It is the job of the players and the captain to keep the players attention on playing well in the midst of all of the ooo-rahh. It's a team effort. Johnny Archer is surely THE ROCK of the USA Mosconi Cup Team.

Handling the pressure of the Mosconi Cup, modulating the emotions of each player and performing well at the same time is what it's all about.

The modulation of the emotions is like a light switch. More players should be like Tommy Kennedy when it comes to handling emotions and performing well. That guy can be jocular one moment, laughing and fooling around but when he comes to the table, he just switches into auto-pilot and is all business.
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I completely agree that the emotions are good for the Mosconi Cup. I really enjoy seeing it too.

I just don't think it's in the players best interest to display their emotions so much. I think it's one of the variables that has hurt the U.S. team the last few years. I think specifically of a guy like Rodney Morris who doesn't typically get so emotional at the table, but yet during the MC he was really emotional.

It's one thing if you are an emotional player to begin with (like Earl), it's another thing if that's totally foreign to how you normally play.

Like I said, it's good for TV, but I don't think it brings out the best in the players.
 
MahnaMahna and Neil ...

If I need to answer any further complaints between the two of you there will be time off the board.
 
Mr. Wilson said:
MahnaMahna and Neil ...

If I need to answer any further complaints between the two of you there will be time off the board.
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Hello Mr. Wilson,
Merry Christmas to you and your family. And I wish you a very Happy New year. Family means so much all the time, but on certain Holidays they mean even more if that is possible.
Thanks for getting AZB back up to speed. Keep up the great work!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Dennis got bad luck with that cue ball just now. That wasn't poor position play just lady luck slapping you. Hope he keeps it together. It's not over til it's over.
 
JoeyA said:
Dennis got bad luck with that cue ball just now. That wasn't poor position play just lady luck slapping you. Hope he keeps it together. It's not over til it's over.
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Dennis goes down. And the US is down 5 - 4. Dammit. We need this next match!
 
Let's face it: pool is, by-and-large, a very individualistic sport. About the only time I can think of a "captain" having an impact on the outcome of a match is during bar table leagues when an astute leader can arrange the players and match ups, coach shot selection and strategy, and point out the occasional rules violation.

But at high powered professional pool? Fergitaboutit.

I also seriously doubt that at the MC the captains are coming out of the back office and unilaterally giving the refeee the day's line up. Much more likely is that the line up is being gamed by the team as a whole, with strong input from the experienced players, like JA and SVB.

BTW, during the little bit of the MC I watched yesterday, the captains were up in the stands... with the spectators.

Lou Figueroa
 
Neil said:
I'm just curious how anyone that isn't there can answer that since no one has a clue what he is actually doing??
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I know, I'm rooming with him, JA, Hatch. So I KNOW and yes he is doing one hell of a job!!! I wont go into details, as its not my business to discuss. Things are good, we were up until 3:35am "working it out" this morning, now team meeting same place same time everyday. What happens there is his decision to talk about or not. But everyone can be sure (not just my opinion) but as it appears the team is happy with CJ, and IMO thats what counts.

damn its cold here,

cheers,,
eric :)
 
Txstang1 said:
He's there. He may be in the practice room with the players for the upcoming doubles match.
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thats correct, he has been there 100000% of the time either practice room or @ the box, As have I, usually the opposite of him, I watch the cues etc in the practice room and help out(towel boy work) if needed.

In addition to the TV time he is with someone from the team just about every moment of the day doing something, its a full time gig. Some times its been social and thats important too. but he aint been 100 yards from the venue or hotel(next to each other) all week, we all eat across the street & in the rooom at night. I'm crashing on the couch(well cott kelly has the couch) in the living room/dining hall/ living room part of the room we all share. after the sessions, great room(more like a condo than a hotel room),full kitchen. Props to Match Room for EVERYTHING. Wow they do it right.

its lots of work, believe me, this aint my first rodeo doing this. its a long 4 day's for everyone. There is a pile at stake here, everyone feels the pressure, the girls too, they have to take care of the food cause were done late at night, its lots more than anyone gets unless your here. It took 4 days to set up before a ball was on the TV box, I got pic's of them setting up all the stuff(seats, lighting, TV equip, table, and 1000 more things) its a huge production for pool. york hall isnt wired ahead of time, so there are 4-5 huge trucks behind the building, it took a crew of 12 -15 guys just to set up the place over the 4-5 days. And that dont count the table fitters-who did a brilliant job!


This is first hand quality information, not keyboard hero's with creative imaginations.
 
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