Aren't they talking about Mark Wilson?
Could this man be the Mosconi Messiah
- Thread starter pro9dg
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Aren't they talking about Mark Wilson?
Kathy Keegan
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I managed rooms for years. Guys think they can stand up and play after they have been sitting around drinking beer or coffee for weeks and never open their case. Guess what. They are wrong.
OP - are we confirmed that Blackpool will include the USA? or are you trying to jerk-a-knot, in hopes that USA will continue?
in Europe/UK, it's easy & cheap for the team to practice. it's like going from SC to GA for the day. some suggestions:
- have our players INVEST out-of-pocket, for practice, in order to WIN. they are guaranteed loss $. take it from that. wouldn't you invest $1K, to earn 50% more?
- change the pot. what was it this year? $20K/10K? or $20K/15K? (i forget - i think the latter) WHAT INCENTIVE DO THEY HAVE TO WIN? their expenses are covered. make the "split" @ higher ratio.
- cut the pot & give more to the coaches, and up-front, to be used for practice $$$$. at $1K/player - that's $5K.
- have a Plan B, for players whose etiquette isn't up to par.
- get a coach, who can wrangle the team. i'm pretty sure that Johan's now available for a few weeks @ the right price....wouldn't THAT be a COUP?!?! he is the epitomy of LEADER. he's big. he's scary. he's German/Danish accent. and he works around-the-clock w/ his team. i watched him jerk-a-knot in his player @ the Beatles Bar. and yet, he's personable, if you get to know him.
i don't know of Mark Wilson. but i do know how they beat us, repeatedly.
in Europe/UK, it's easy & cheap for the team to practice. it's like going from SC to GA for the day. some suggestions:
- have our players INVEST out-of-pocket, for practice, in order to WIN. they are guaranteed loss $. take it from that. wouldn't you invest $1K, to earn 50% more?
- change the pot. what was it this year? $20K/10K? or $20K/15K? (i forget - i think the latter) WHAT INCENTIVE DO THEY HAVE TO WIN? their expenses are covered. make the "split" @ higher ratio.
- cut the pot & give more to the coaches, and up-front, to be used for practice $$$$. at $1K/player - that's $5K.
- have a Plan B, for players whose etiquette isn't up to par.
- get a coach, who can wrangle the team. i'm pretty sure that Johan's now available for a few weeks @ the right price....wouldn't THAT be a COUP?!?! he is the epitomy of LEADER. he's big. he's scary. he's German/Danish accent. and he works around-the-clock w/ his team. i watched him jerk-a-knot in his player @ the Beatles Bar. and yet, he's personable, if you get to know him.
i don't know of Mark Wilson. but i do know how they beat us, repeatedly.
If my memory serves me good, in 1991/1992 , Mark` Wilson`s ranking in MPBA ( Mens Professional Billiards Association ) was 25. Around that time he was married to a WPBA `s Pro player.
Things CAN'T go on the way they are now......
Some EXISTING pros won't appreciate what Mark brings to the table of that there has never been any doubt.
As to your point about "Picking players from colleges to be on TEAM USA or Team North America may not be strong enough to win.", it appears that the previous crops of top players hasn't gotten the job done either. The younger players MAY just be able to handle the heat BETTER than the old guard. Until a new guard is tested, NO ONE truly knows how they will perform; we can only guess.
If I were a professional pool player who wanted to play on the Mosconi Cup Team, I would get my house in order, embrace the idea that a non-playing Captain can LEAD and CAN enhance the USA Mosconi Cup Team. If not, just plan on picking up some of that easy money at some of the US regional and national events.
There are lots of talented US players that haven't been tested in the Mosconi Cup who might perform BETTER under that type of pressure. I think any Mosconi Cup player must be playing for a lot more than a paycheck. If that's all they are playing for, they won't make much progress against the U-Rupp Team.
JoeyA
Some EXISTING pros won't appreciate what Mark brings to the table of that there has never been any doubt.
As to your point about "Picking players from colleges to be on TEAM USA or Team North America may not be strong enough to win.", it appears that the previous crops of top players hasn't gotten the job done either. The younger players MAY just be able to handle the heat BETTER than the old guard. Until a new guard is tested, NO ONE truly knows how they will perform; we can only guess.
If I were a professional pool player who wanted to play on the Mosconi Cup Team, I would get my house in order, embrace the idea that a non-playing Captain can LEAD and CAN enhance the USA Mosconi Cup Team. If not, just plan on picking up some of that easy money at some of the US regional and national events.
There are lots of talented US players that haven't been tested in the Mosconi Cup who might perform BETTER under that type of pressure. I think any Mosconi Cup player must be playing for a lot more than a paycheck. If that's all they are playing for, they won't make much progress against the U-Rupp Team.
JoeyA
That's the kind of thinking that's put America into such a big hole. I'm sure the Europeans would play just as hard even if they were paid less because they have pride and respect for the game.
That's the problem with American professional pool in a nutshell. Money first, nothing else matters. Many on here will agree with that sentiment (gamblers).
"....I think that the major deficiency that has emerged from the contemporary Mosconi Cups is the inability of the US players to act as a team and display some genuine national pride. ...."
That is NOT completely true. They do have pride. Pool is not a Team Sport.
The Pro players that played for USA are not APA league players and they have been playing pool as individuals in very intense competitive situation against each other for more than 25 years ( Except SVB and in his case it is more than 10 years) . They have been rivals to each other to win the Pro events.
How realistic is to expect them to burry their hatchets, hug & kiss and develop COHESIVENESS as a Team after one dinner ( arranged by Mosconi cup) the day before the start of the Mosconi Cup?
Let us get realistic and cut some slack for our Pro s.
That is NOT completely true. They do have pride. Pool is not a Team Sport.
The Pro players that played for USA are not APA league players and they have been playing pool as individuals in very intense competitive situation against each other for more than 25 years ( Except SVB and in his case it is more than 10 years) . They have been rivals to each other to win the Pro events.
How realistic is to expect them to burry their hatchets, hug & kiss and develop COHESIVENESS as a Team after one dinner ( arranged by Mosconi cup) the day before the start of the Mosconi Cup?
Let us get realistic and cut some slack for our Pro s.
I think you are very right and it seems important that there is team that respects each other.Selecting a coach that pleases industry is one strategy, but I think it will depend on *who* the players are. There must be relationship between the coach and players, I think, in order for the team to be effective. :smile:
As it stands today in 2014, not many people in the American pool culture respect the players.
Any coach will have a tough time developing a team if the team consists of players that are deemed as jobless bums, pariahs, and no-good hustlers.
Captains or coaches come in different models and makes. I am not so sure that a great player could do the best job. Just because players have been there in the past is not good reason they are there now. IN fact I think it is weak reason.
Look at what loylty did to the Dalls Cowboys when they felt such loyalty to TOm Landry and as great as he was , hung around too long.
Oddly I feel a captain must demand that they respect themselves and walk the walk.
Agree, but is it too much to ask that they be civil and not embarass the US or the game?
I would ask the same from any high school student athlete, is that too much to ask our professional player who have the honor of representing us?
I find most folks meet the level of expectation.
I find your comment silly and insulting to all pool players. Come on now, these are grown men and you are saying they cannot control themselves?
Silly.
Ken
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The Europe team players play against each other all year and seem to bury the hatchets come MC time. Most of the America pros treat the MC as their year end bonus and some have done business in tournaments (think Seminole for some) to get on the team when points were important. I cut them no slack. Johnnyt
Doubles Play
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but from what i saw our scotch doubles play was especially horrible and the Euros were right on track and at ease with it. I thought our communication (or over communication) was very flawed. Rodney was the worst and even seemed at times to be distracting and sharking his partners. It was very evident to me and when he played with Johnny he was really bad and seemed all wired. Telling your opponent where you want the ball on nearly every shot with a good partner is not the way to play scotch doubles and is very distracting. Communicating with each other on something difficult on occasion is cool and supportive. But telling a fellow Pro player how to get shapes on a easy table on nearly every shot is not productive and gets you out of the flow of the run. Even for the pros. I think this issue needs to be addressed by future captains.
I don't know if this has been mentioned, but from what i saw our scotch doubles play was especially horrible and the Euros were right on track and at ease with it. I thought our communication (or over communication) was very flawed. Rodney was the worst and even seemed at times to be distracting and sharking his partners. It was very evident to me and when he played with Johnny he was really bad and seemed all wired. Telling your opponent where you want the ball on nearly every shot with a good partner is not the way to play scotch doubles and is very distracting. Communicating with each other on something difficult on occasion is cool and supportive. But telling a fellow Pro player how to get shapes on a easy table on nearly every shot is not productive and gets you out of the flow of the run. Even for the pros. I think this issue needs to be addressed by future captains.
I agree and have said the same thing many times on here. Way too much talking. Johnnyt
It's not tough to get along for the sake of winning. The Bulls did it in the 90s. 6 championships and I assure you they weren't all best friends. But when game time came they set any differences aside.
Might also be because they had one of the best coaches. A guy that was NOT a great player before he became a coach.
I don't know if Wilson would be the best coach for Team USA, but I'm very certain he would be better than the ones we've had recently.
Might also be because they had one of the best coaches. A guy that was NOT a great player before he became a coach.
I don't know if Wilson would be the best coach for Team USA, but I'm very certain he would be better than the ones we've had recently.
^^^agreed^^^
It all depends on one`s expectations,imagination and perceptions of a Professional pool player. Pool community in general is used to seeing players move and act like Robots. Anything other than Robotic behavior is considered as sacreligious by many in the pool community.
As a general rule, ( with the exception of News,History Channels,cooking classes etc ) things seen on TV should have entertainment value. Robotic movements do not have entertainment value for the general public and it does not mean that the players should act like animals in the jungle.
I read many negative comments on the behavior of the player members of the Mosconi Team.
I did NOT consider the behavior of US Team during the Mosconi cup as inappropriate or embarassing to USA. I thought, on the contrary, the palyers provided some entertainment. It all depends on one`s expectations & perception.
Professional pool, since it`s inception, has been a individual sport and NEVER been a Team sport. It takes time for transition from Individual to Team concept and it is not realistic to expect miracles to happen overnight.
PS: One should not forget one of the core cultural values of United States Of America and it is: " Rugged Individualism".
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