2014 Mosconi Cup Pick

John Novak

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Time for a change. Some new blood and hunger for a victory

1. SVB
2. Oscar Dominguez
3. Landon Shuffet
4. Jeremy Sossei
5. Scott Simonetti
Coach Tony Robles
 

MOJOE

Work Hard, Be Humble. jbk
Silver Member
Great pick on the coach. I think Tony would make an awesome captain. A switch up on players sure could not hurt.
 

West Point 1987

On the Hill, Out of Gas
Silver Member
If we were smart, we'd choose a coach known for his expertise at coaching. Someone like Coach K or Mike Ditka. Choose a pool player, and that's all you usually get...and the players feel in their hearts that they're better than the coach (that's why they're playing and the coach (decades past his prime) is coaching)...but if you have an expert in motivating and team building, the whole "I could give this guy the orange crush" thing is irrelevant. When Mike Ditka tells you team breakfast is at 0630 and go hit the practice table or I'm pullling you off the next rotation, maybe you'll listen.
 

John Novak

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If we were smart, we'd choose a coach known for his expertise at coaching. Someone like Coach K or Mike Ditka. Choose a pool player, and that's all you usually get...and the players feel in their hearts that they're better than the coach (that's why they're playing and the coach (decades past his prime) is coaching)...but if you have an expert in motivating and team building, the whole "I could give this guy the orange crush" thing is irrelevant. When Mike Ditka tells you team breakfast is at 0630 and go hit the practice table or I'm pullling you off the next rotation, maybe you'll listen.

Tony Robles is the best motivator in pool.
 

rackemup20

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Time for a change. Some new blood and hunger for a victory

1. SVB
2. Oscar Dominguez
3. Landon Shuffet
4. Jeremy Sossei
5. Scott Simonetti
Coach Tony Robles

Ouch we might get skunked with that team!! 3 out of 5 picks are ok but not shuffet an simonetti!! Replace those 2 with dechaine an deuel!! Landon will def be there one day but now is not his time
 

putt-putt44

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tony Robles.........!!!

I love the idea of Tony Robles...

Now there's a Class Act,!!!

Alan......
 

West Point 1987

On the Hill, Out of Gas
Silver Member
Tony Robles is the best motivator in pool.

I'm sure he is...but I still see merit in a coach who's a proven expert at coaching come in with NO history in pool. A pool player as coach comes in with a ranking in the pack, no matter how good a cheerleader he may be. A coach from the outside comes in as a pure coach with a resume the team can't challenge based on relative skill at pool.
 

John Novak

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ouch we might get skunked with that team!! 3 out of 5 picks are ok but not shuffet an simonetti!! Replace those 2 with dechaine an deuel!! Landon will def be there one day but now is not his time


One thing about Scott Simonetti. He never gives up. Just look at his heart for the game. I doubt anyone here would pick up a cue if life threw you the curves that has been thrown his way.If that cant motivate you, then nothing can. Landon, in my opinion doesnt cave in to pressure. He is focused. He couldnt do any worse than anyone in the past few years on team usa
 

nicksaint26

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
my picks

1. SVB
2. Archer
3. Deuel
4. Dechaine
5. Bartrum

I think Bartrum would handle the pressure great and surprise a lot of people!
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Time for a change. Some new blood and hunger for a victory

1. SVB
2. Oscar Dominguez
3. Landon Shuffet
4. Jeremy Sossei
5. Scott Simonetti
Coach Tony Robles

Those picks, aside from SVB, are great if you want to win a local tour stop or maybe cash in the US Open, but I doubt it's good enough to out and out beat the top Euro players, unless they also go with younger players and not who they had this year.
 

CaptainHook

NOT Mike Sigel
Silver Member
Well, whoever gets picked better have a pretty thick skin, the hecklers will be out in full force.:angry:
 

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Well, whoever gets picked better have a pretty thick skin, the hecklers will be out in full force.:angry:

Now you are talking CaptainHook! It's not ALL about pocketing balls. It's about staying cool, concentrating, giving 100% and playing for one's country.

HERES WHAT OUR TEAM SHOULD CONSIST OF........

Johnny A- "Non-playing" coach -Experienced

SVB-Oblivious to external stimuli-for obvious reasons
Oscar-Professional at all times
Deuel-Always plays to win
Robles-Positive attitude and a good role model
Wildcard-I know someone from Arizona who is gonna be the perfect Answer to this team.
He's gonna seemingly come out of "nowhere."

This team above is experienced yet young enough to build a dynasty.
They are our future of pool, both on and off the table. Get aboard folks!!!

and with all due respect.......

NO MORE EARL-Disrespectful to everyone
NO MORE DENNIS-Too emotional
NO MORE RODNEY-Doesn't have enough killer instinct
NO MORE JOHNNY (COACH ONLY) We need your coaching, Johnny
 
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spanky79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Time for a change. Some new blood and hunger for a victory

1. SVB
2. Oscar Dominguez
3. Landon Shuffet
4. Jeremy Sossei
5. Scott Simonetti
Coach Tony Robles

there are not 5 American players you can find that will have a chance against the Euros.
 

BasementDweller

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't quite understand why you guys are writing off Archer. Over the course of the past few years he has been the most solid player for the U.S. You have to keep him on the team.

Here's my thoughts on a few others:

SVB - Best of the U.S. players, but needs to show up to the Mosconi a little more focused. I'm wondering if he wasn't quite able to hit the practice table for as long as he is accustomed to this year. Seemed to start out a bit shaky.

Archer - Still rock solid if you ask me. Got out of line a few times but still came with some good shots. Got trounced by Feijen but it wasn't really because of bad play on his part.

Strickland - Stick a fork in him.

Rodney - Just too loosey goosey for this type of event. Doesn't mix well as a partner with other more methodical players. He tends to one stroke the ball at the worst time.

Hatch - Just doesn't seem as interested in pool as he once was. I think his best days are behind him.

Deuel - If someone could light a fire under him, the U.S. Team could sure use him. He really needs to play solidly for a year first though.

Dechaine - Seems to be at a cross roads. Needs to get serious about his game and maybe he could be a big help to the U.S. but from hearing him in interviews and reading a few of his posts on here, I'm just not sure he has the hunger for the game that he needs to get to that next level.

I don't know...I really feel bad for the U.S. players. The Mosconi Cup should be a great conclusion to the pool season, but unfortunately there really isn't a pool season. There are several good players that could be suitable players for the Mosconi if there was actually a tour that they were playing in to stay sharp. I've mentioned it before but we really lost a whole decade's worth of pool players after the IPT folded. All those players between Archer and Van Boening in age that would be on the MC Team but they just don't play that much. Guys like Schmidt, Jones, Williams, Owen, Dalton, Harriman and a dozen others that just don't play that much anymore. That’s the age group of the guys that should be carrying the touch for the U.S. Team right now but they are nowhere to be found.

I think we are screwed.

Here's my team:

SVB
Archer
Player to be named later (maybe Corey Deuel).
Player to be named later.
Player to be named later.
 
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hlymnstr14

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
all young, hungry guys.

SVB- player capt
mike davis
Brandon shuff
mike dechaine
corey deuel

shuff got lost in the mix last year, he actually played pretty well. that experience would go along way. they need a capt they can relate to and have seen in his prime. buddy hall is obviously and all time great but probably doesn't relate.

Strickland is just toxic to a team. love him or hate him, no one can deny that he is not a team type of guy.

you gotta have guys that are willing to calculate the odds and play with precision and intelligence, not just jump up there hoping to catch a gear and just wing it like hatch and morris.

and I'm just tired of seeing archer. you can't send him back after losing 6-0 in a singles match. great guy, great all time player, but the USA needs some new blood. and I think they would rally around SVB as capt.
 

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
all young, hungry guys.

SVB- player capt
mike davis
Brandon shuff
mike dechaine
corey deuel

shuff got lost in the mix last year, he actually played pretty well. that experience would go along way. they need a capt they can relate to and have seen in his prime. buddy hall is obviously and all time great but probably doesn't relate.

Strickland is just toxic to a team. love him or hate him, no one can deny that he is not a team type of guy.

you gotta have guys that are willing to calculate the odds and play with precision and intelligence, not just jump up there hoping to catch a gear and just wing it like hatch and morris.

and I'm just tired of seeing archer. you can't send him back after losing 6-0 in a singles match. great guy, great all time player, but the USA needs some new blood. and I think they would rally around SVB as capt.

We don't want a player/captain. That doesn't work. You think SVB has the leadership skill set for this kind of event?
Leadership is not about pool skill, it's about being able to motivate men toward a goal. SVB is a good guy,
but certainly not the leader type. He manages himself quite well, and that's one ingredient we certainly need from our guys.
But to ask him to do that for the other guys AND to play like he can is asking way too much of him. He's still maturing.

SVB's role is that of a technician; one who is consistent and always shows up for work.

Johnny for captain. Currently he would do better as a captain than as a player. We need to fill each role
intelligently. It makes no sense to have one guy do two things at once.
 
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