I noticed that all the players that played on the USA team live in USA, but at least 2 of the players from Europe live in the US also. Also I don't understand why it is our country against their entire continent. I would think that if they are now living in our country they should play for our team not wherever they move here from.
Why is Mosconi Cup Europe vs USA/Europe?
- Thread starter 9ball mike
- Start date
What you posit demands some thought.
Let's say SVB decided to make his residence in Malaga, Spain.
Does that mean he would then play for the European team?
How long would SVB have to live in Spain in order to claim that
he is now representing the Continent, and by definition, the European contingent?
I would have to think that Mika Immonen, who lives in the NY area has NOT formally expatriated.
I am sure he still holds his mother country's passport. Or has he?
If so, he may even hold dual citizenship and if so, how does that translate to which team Immonen may represent.
I gather it gets rather complicated in our smaller world.
Personally, I think Immonen is here temporarily.
No doubt, he has every right to sojourn where he wishes.
Just to make things simple, it should be where you were born. Has anyone suggested that Bustamante play on the German team?
Mika has lived in NYC for over 10 years, hasn't he? It seems he is here to stay. How is he able to stay here basically year round if he isn't a citizen? Does he have a green card? work visa?
Somebody mentioned that the MC might be more fair if it was North America vs. Europe- that could include guys like Paguylan and John Mora. Who else is a great player from Canada?
Well, hang-the-9, you make a great point. Your where-one-was-born view, to me is indeed the way to look at this.
This goes for the MC , Olympics, or any other world-related sporting event.
Let's look at a real-world example.
Remember Toni Kukoc of the Chicago Bulls?
He was born in Croatia and it is safe to say, that when he played in the NBA he lived in the good 'ol U.S.A.
Mr. Kukoc practiced and competed in his sport where he found his work—a contract in this case.
When it came time for the Olympics, he represented, no surprise, Croatia.
And so it should go for a player, say, like Mika Immonen.
He practices and competes in his sport where he feels he can find work.
In this case however, he is an independent contractor; finding his work, traveling to his work, and ensuring for his own logistics.
Heck, he may even be subsidized by someone or some government, but the bottom line is Mr. Immonen is in charge of getting to his work and earning his money.
As we know, Mr. Immonen is from Finland, so when the MC event comes around it only makes sense that he represent his home country.
All that said, I'm against co-opting "foreign" players for the U.S. team just because they decided to visit or even move here.
If you're representing the U.S.A. then you should be born in the U.S.A!
CASE CLOSED.
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It's pretty common in sports to represent the country you were born in or have citizenship. For example Novak Djokovic represents Serbia in the Davis Cup but resides in Monaco. In snooker, Ding Junhui spends most of his time in the UK I believe but still represents China in all events.
I think it's up to the player however. In Alex's case he has represented both Canada and the Philippines. In snooker, Marco Fu learned much of his game in Canada but represents Hong Kong.
I think it's up to the player however. In Alex's case he has represented both Canada and the Philippines. In snooker, Marco Fu learned much of his game in Canada but represents Hong Kong.
In the UK we have a sport called cricket which you may or may not be familiar with (for those that aren't, the closest thing you have to it is baseball), but that aside, there is a rule which allows you to switch which national team you represent after 5 years of not representing another team (so long as you meet the citizenship requirements of your new country etc.).
Personally my view is that until you have represented a country you are free to choose (if you have dual nationality), but once you have, you should stick with that country, for example if you have a UK passport, represent Europe, but then gain a US passport, you shouldn't be allowed to switch. However if from birth you have a US and a UK passport, then you should be free to choose, but must stick with that choice.
That said, I think Matchroom see it differently as some players in their tournaments have represented 2 countries at various times (they presumably have dual nationality) and fair enough I guess, their tournaments, their rules!
Personally my view is that until you have represented a country you are free to choose (if you have dual nationality), but once you have, you should stick with that country, for example if you have a UK passport, represent Europe, but then gain a US passport, you shouldn't be allowed to switch. However if from birth you have a US and a UK passport, then you should be free to choose, but must stick with that choice.
That said, I think Matchroom see it differently as some players in their tournaments have represented 2 countries at various times (they presumably have dual nationality) and fair enough I guess, their tournaments, their rules!
Any excuse...
I wondered the same thing about Mika since he's lived in New York for years! Since Europe encompasses many countries we should be able to include Canadians (Alex). How would we have done with Johnny, Shane, Alex, Mika, and Corey! I think it would have been a different story at the end with those players. Maybe this should be brought up for next year?
I know we wouldn't have had to mute the mike during the matches with this line up. The profanity used during the matches by a couple of our players is inexcusable! I never heard a negative word from the Europeans.
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New excuse
I hadn't heard that excuse before. The US just doesn't have enough players to compete with Europe?
Well, how about the gigantic Phillipines? They have a population about 1/6 that of the US, yet can field at least two teams stronger than any American contingent.
A Mosconi Cup featured North America vs. Europe cannot happen. The US has far too much ego to ask for "help" from Mexico and Canada.
Personally, I'd much rather see the Euros play an Asian team, or a team from China or the Phillipines...much better pool and not all the BS.
I hadn't heard that excuse before. The US just doesn't have enough players to compete with Europe?
Well, how about the gigantic Phillipines? They have a population about 1/6 that of the US, yet can field at least two teams stronger than any American contingent.
A Mosconi Cup featured North America vs. Europe cannot happen. The US has far too much ego to ask for "help" from Mexico and Canada.
Personally, I'd much rather see the Euros play an Asian team, or a team from China or the Phillipines...much better pool and not all the BS.
It's rubbish anyway. Taking the UK as an example, there are hundreds of thousands of english pool players and probably barely a few thousand american pool players.
there goes the NHL
That's confusing a bit, the NHL is not a country vs country competition. In the Olympics, don't NHL players play for their country? Since the Olympics is now a pro sport thanks to basketball.
There is a lot of talk on here about the fact that the Europeans can choose their players from a wider spectrum of countries if they want. But the number of European countries must equate closely to the number of States that comprise the USA.
A Russian playing with an Italian throws together two very different characters.
Likewise an Okie is surely going to be different from a Hawaiian.
My point is that both teams have a massive population from which to select FIVE players from a range of cultures.
A Russian playing with an Italian throws together two very different characters.
Likewise an Okie is surely going to be different from a Hawaiian.
My point is that both teams have a massive population from which to select FIVE players from a range of cultures.
I do not know the latest stats, but ifI remember the numbers right, the DBU (the head organisation of billard sport in Germany) has about 25000 members (out of 80Mio people).
I'd say that most of these 25000 people have never heard the name of the German Champions (neither team or singles) ...
This year for the first time in I think 10 years, we had a TV coverage of this years "World Cup of Pool" on free TV (sadly we did not have Ralf and Thorsten to represent our colors, yet Dominic Jentsch did a great job on Ralfs side)
No, pool is not big in Germany and certainly there is no way to make a living out of it, if you are not on Ralfs speed and make your money oversees ...
Still the amount of great young players coming up from the youth programms and such is amazing ... still our head organisation does not even have the money to pay for our players to travel to the European Championships ... this must mostly be paid by the players (maybe some small funds are found in some cases, I do not know about that though)
I'd say that most of these 25000 people have never heard the name of the German Champions (neither team or singles) ...
This year for the first time in I think 10 years, we had a TV coverage of this years "World Cup of Pool" on free TV (sadly we did not have Ralf and Thorsten to represent our colors, yet Dominic Jentsch did a great job on Ralfs side)
No, pool is not big in Germany and certainly there is no way to make a living out of it, if you are not on Ralfs speed and make your money oversees ...
Still the amount of great young players coming up from the youth programms and such is amazing ... still our head organisation does not even have the money to pay for our players to travel to the European Championships ... this must mostly be paid by the players (maybe some small funds are found in some cases, I do not know about that though)
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Are you talking about a few thousand Americal pool players that live in the UK? Or just in America? Because that is WAY off base. The APA alone has over 250,000 members according to their site.
"Join over 250,000 other members for just $25!"
And I know many great/good players that refuse to play in the APA and either don't do a league at all or play for a different league.
He talks about a few thousands Brits that play American Pool (which is what is called "normal pool" as we all know it, compared to english 8-ball, which was i.e. Darrens roots)
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Ah, OK hehe, the wording "barely a few thousand american pool players" sounds like he's talking about American Pool Players, not as players that play American Style Pool :smile: