Mark Wilson To Change Face of Mosconi Cup

DogsPlayingPool said:
Great article, but I'm unclear on the whole premise that Mark gets to pick all the players. Can someone post a link to the reference where Matchroom has stated the Captains will be choosing their teams for next year? I hadn't heard that. That's certainly not how it's been lately and would be a welcome change. This past team, picked entirely by Matchroom, was doomed from the get go imho.
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See paragraph one in the following AZB main page article:

http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/10941-mark-wilson-is-named-usa-mosconi-cup-captain/
 
sjm said:
Interesting prediction, Darren. I must admit that these are all solid, well-respected players.

This team would certainly be a young, talented one and Shane would, I believe, be the oldest member of the team. ...
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Though he may not look it, Sossei is 4 years older than Van Boening!
 
The thing to remember is that Mark has plenty of time because he is there for the long haul. Not just this year but long term. So he could go for a mixture of teenagers and young men. SVB obviously, but Shuff and Dominguez deserve another chance and Mike Dechaine is still a class player who only made one serious mistake (and that was under extreme pressure) in 2011.

He might seriously test Mark's qualities as team boss to resolve some bad blood that existed between Mike and Shane. But what a formidable pair they would make in the doubles.
So that makes four experienced players who are likely to perform better under Mark's setup in the Blackpool Cauldron. Then he could round out his squad with other youngsters like Justin Bergman, Joey Gray, Landon Shuffet and Skylar Woodward.
Possibly one or two could make the team but they would all benefit to feel part of the squad setup which would make them feel part of the team and they would all be chomping at the bit in 2015.
 
pro9dg said:
The thing to remember is that Mark has plenty of time because he is there for the long haul. Not just this year but long term. So he could go for a mixture of teenagers and young men. SVB obviously, but Shuff and Dominguez deserve another chance and Mike Dechaine is still a class player who only made one serious mistake (and that was under extreme pressure) in 2011.

He might seriously test Mark's qualities as team boss to resolve some bad blood that existed between Mike and Shane. But what a formidable pair they would make in the doubles.
So that makes four experienced players who are likely to perform better under Mark's setup in the Blackpool Cauldron. Then he could round out his squad with other youngsters like Justin Bergman, Joey Gray, Landon Shuffet and Skylar Woodward.
Possibly one or two could make the team but they would all benefit to feel part of the squad setup which would make them feel part of the team and they would all be chomping at the bit in 2015.
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Doug:

In the bolded above, you hinted at the main problem why the American team isn't really a team at all, but instead a globbing of individuals. In a word or two, inflated egos. I agree with Mark Wilson's implied premise that he might bypass the primadonnas, and instead go for younger blood more willing to do their homework and work together, that is less susceptible to egos or even region-specific biases (e.g. "the South will rise again!" civil war bias crap still seen today in the U.S. older generation). This is stuff you don't see in the Euro team, which makes it a team first and foremost.

In this way -- going for younger blood -- he can mould and shape a real team.

-Sean
 
JCIN said:
Great interview. I can't wait to see what Mark can put together. Props to Matchroom for stepping up and making a real effort to change things by naming Mark this early and allowing him time to work.
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I love seeing Rotation as part of the match! What a great game it is.
 
SVB No-brainer.

Dechaine imo also a no-brainer.
Look at the money lists for american players last year.
You SVB, 4 hall of famers, and then Mike.

But 3 of 'em the HoF guys got their earnings inflated by $10,000
for semi-showing up to the Mosconi Cup.
Subtract that and Mike is right up there as one our most winning players.

Justin Hall seems to have arrived.
Beyond that... I dunno.
 
SVB
Dechaine
Bergman
Joey Gray
Bartram

Alternate pics

Justin Hall
Chip Compton
Corey Deuel
Danny Smith
Jesse Bowman (incredible bar box, hard to believe his game wouldn't be good on 9ft.)
 
im euro so probably shouldnt but:

drop hatch (good but cant handle the MC pressure)
drop morris (brilliant but cant handle it either)
drop archer (unless he steps up his game again)
drop strickland (reason obvious)

is zion zvi a US citizen? i think hes a great player. other than that:

svb
deuel
dechaine
daulton
davis

"Shane and the D boys" :grin:

i write daulton because he's really good under pressure, even if he mostly plays 1p
 
TSW said:
IMO the only shoo-in is SVB, and the only shoo-out (as it were) is Earl based on Mark's "behavior" comments.
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I don't think Earl is the only shoo-out. I would be shocked if Mark picked Rodney or Hatch due to past MC's they have been in and how they acted.

I think Archer is going to have a very slim chance of making the team even. His actions outside of the MC and the politics he brings into the game are exactly what Mark does not need.

I would say Mike Dechaine has a chance due to his youth, past tournament success, and skills. He has showed a lot of nerves in past MC's but that is what Mark will likely work on, getting these guys far more battle ready for the event and getting them able to tune out the crowd and react to the pressure in a more positive way.

I would not be surprised if Landon makes the team. As said above Mark might want to avoid the look of favoritism, but as far as young players in the USA goes he is one of the best of the younger group coming up.

Bergman I think is a STRONG favorite to make the team.

I think Bartrum should seriously be considered and I hope he is looked at very seriously. If Bergman is making the team then the guy that just beat Bergman for the cash and who has a rock solid pressure game like Bartum should have a really good chance.

SVB is as said a shoe in.

I am not sure about Corey, he has clearly not been playing much, he showed a massive loss in skill at the DCC and looked flat out weak. I think he needs to re-focus on the game of pool if he ever wants to get back to the MC at this point. He might be the most naturally talented player of his generation, but natural talent alone does not get you there, you need to commit to the game and practice as well.

Oscar shows a lot of heart at times, conducts himself very well, and is the type of player that Mark would probably seriously consider. That said he fell apart in his match against Earl in the Bigfoot at the end, he got to the table in almost every rack from the time he was up 8-4 and never managed to win a game and lost 11-8, the nerves clearly got him and the nerves in the MC are going to be 100-fold worse.

It is going to be interesting to see who Mark goes with. SVB is a shoe in, I think that is the one guy that Matchroom themselves probably told Mark is a given "he must choose" because if you don't pick the only current active full time professional pool player the USA has it is hard to see how you are actually trying to "win" the event.

SVB is often a very solitary person at the MC, he is a lone wolf and not a very team orientated player, but I am pretty sure Mark has probably talked to him and basically told SVB that the team needs him to not only step up and be a part of the team, but become something of a spiritual team captain and help the younger players deal with the pressure and help them in overcoming the challenge that lies ahead. SVB needs to be on the team, but on a young team he is going to need to step up and be there to pull the other team members up by their boot straps when they slip or start to falter under the pressure. He can be far more valuable to the team then simply winning his own matches.
 
Everyone has their own personal favorites as to who and why they should be chosen for the USA Mosconi Cup Team.

I just hope that Mark doesn't let this forum's popular opinion sway him one way or the other.

If he sticks to his guns, he can sleep good at night before and after the nex Mosconi Cup.

Mark may read this thread but he is in trouble if he lets ANY of our opinions sway him one way or the other.

JoeyA
 
If it is about growth and character our skill level may be limited. I love Mark's dedication and with his criteria I see the following team:


Shane Van Boening
Landon Shuffett
Skyler Woodward
Brandon Shuff (possibly)

The fifth player could be any of 100s of "good" players around the country. Age aside, I think Johnny is the other best American player. His recent failure to come through with the items he "sold" to sponsor Buddy Hall, I believe, forfeits him on the character portion.
 
iba7467 said:
If it is about growth and character our skill level may be limited. I love Mark's dedication and with his criteria I see the following team:


Shane Van Boening
Landon Shuffett
Skyler Woodward
Brandon Shuff (possibly)

The fifth player could be any of 100s of "good" players around the country. Age aside, I think Johnny is the other best American player. His recent failure to come through with the items he "sold" to sponsor Buddy Hall, I believe, forfeits him on the character portion.
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I would add Mike Deshaine to that mix.

As a side note I think Earl Strickland should be considered. I know some will say he is hard to handle but he has been a huge winner in the past and might be willing to tone it down for the good of all. Ok, now you can tell me I am out of my mind; I deserve it probably. But I am an eternal optimist and feel like anything has a possibility of working out.
 
BigDeal52 said:
I would add Mike Deshaine to that mix.

As a side note I think Earl Strickland should be considered. I know some will say he is hard to handle but he has been a huge winner in the past and might be willing to tone it down for the good of all. Ok, now you can tell me I am out of my mind; I deserve it probably. But I am an eternal optimist and feel like anything has a possibility of working out.
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Earl will not be considered unless Earl can show that he is 100% willing and able to control himself.

I think Earl has all the firepower and desire one could ask for in a competitor. But he is not a team player from what I have seen. But then the teams haven't really been teams either - just a collection of individuals who were invited to come together and play on a team weeks before the event.

This year the team will be established and working as a team long before the event so if Earl makes that team then I have no doubt he will be a stellar part of it.
 
liakos said:
I agree with you! I don't think people read the interview. Anyway, I'm fairly confident that he was talking about dechaine when he made that comment about the ocean state, but one person I think can do a great job for the cup would be a past ocean state winner,shorty! I think his attitude is awesome and he definitely has the work ethic!

I know some will disagree with me about shorty and the work ethic, but I think if he is asked to possibly play for the cup, he will put the time in!
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I would have to agree with u about shorty he has beaten the best in the world an has the perfect attitude for the Mosconi Cup. Haven't seen him in a while but definitely remember the kid can play.. If he put the time in he would be better then Dechaine
 
This is interesting to me. I'm not sure if totally going young is the thing to do - if you are actually interested in winning.

I guess I still think Archer should be considered for the team because he can handle the heat. What I don't think he has handled the greatest is being in a leadership position. If you eliminate the distraction of being the captain and also eliminate the distraction that his family brings to the arena I think he could still be a very integral part of them winning the Mosconi Cup.

Archer is really the only "older" player that I could see a case still being made for. Him along with SVB and a refocused Dechaine wouldn't be a bad place to start. Then Mark could throw in a couple of younger guys that could get the job done but still have a couple of calming influences on their side.

I guess I'm just not ready to write off the Scorpion.
 
BasementDweller said:
This is interesting to me. I'm not sure if totally going young is the thing to do - if you are actually interested in winning.

I guess I still think Archer should be considered for the team because he can handle the heat. What I don't think he has handled the greatest is being in a leadership position. If you eliminate the distraction of being the captain and also eliminate the distraction that his family brings to the arena I think he could still be a very integral part of them winning the Mosconi Cup.

Archer is really the only "older" player that I could see a case still being made for. Him along with SVB and a refocused Dechaine wouldn't be a bad place to start. Then Mark could throw in a couple of younger guys that could get the job done but still have a couple of calming influences on their side.

I guess I'm just not ready to write off the Scorpion.
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I like seeing Johnny Archer in there too. He was playing really well last year and I think he has a renewed desire to be at the top again. Also what a great guy to have to show the other players how to conduct yourself. All teams have that veteran that shows the young guys the way and I think Johnny would be perfect for this.
 
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