I like what I saw today at the Mosconi.

JAM said:
With first-day jitters out of the way, I expect to see Team USA play more relaxed on Day 2.

About Shane, though some believe Shane should be more animated, that's just not his style. He's always had that cool, calm, and collected tableside demeaner. That's a good thing, I think. Not everybody should be animated like they're at an MMA fight -- or like the well-refreshed Euuuuuuuuuuuurope fans. :D

I wan't able to watch the entire Day 1 games. Some of us have to work for a living, so I shall live vicariously through you all when I'm unable to attend via my ESPN3. :p

Man, I was thinking I would be waking up to an American goose egg. What a pleasant surprise to be on the board with 2 points! Keep it going, Team USA! :cool:
Click to expand...

Yea I was thinking they were gonna do better on day 2 as well I'm excited
 
JAM said:
With first-day jitters out of the way, I expect to see Team USA play more relaxed on Day 2.

About Shane, though some believe Shane should be more animated, that's just not his style. He's always had that cool, calm, and collected tableside demeaner. That's a good thing, I think. Not everybody should be animated like they're at an MMA fight -- or like the well-refreshed Euuuuuuuuuuuurope fans. :D

I wan't able to watch the entire Day 1 games. Some of us have to work for a living, so I shall live vicariously through you all when I'm unable to attend via my ESPN3. :p

Man, I was thinking I would be waking up to an American goose egg. What a pleasant surprise to be on the board with 2 points! Keep it going, Team USA! :cool:
Click to expand...

Hi Jen,

I thought Shane looked very strong, but a couple of bad rolls and some excellent shot making against him made his scoreline look weak.

So long as USA stays close, they will be a very different team to last year. All it takes is some hope and a few rolls and a few good shots to believe, and it looks like we're gonna see that kind of back and forth stuff this year, which is great!

Colin
 
boogeyman said:
Excellent point, Chicago RJ. Not every member on a team gets fired-up on every shot.
I hate false emotion anyways. Shane is real. He is all business and he is pacing himself.
If Team U.S.A. wins he will be as emotional as everyone else. You can count on that one.

Until then, and as long as the team maintains their unity, please quit with the emotional-analysis.
The team is there to play quality team pool, not show how many times they can pump their fists.


(I had enough of that from Earl last year).
Click to expand...

I like Shane's temperament and I don't see any benefit in him generating more emotion. I don't think it's going to help him play any better... If anything he needs to stay calm to play better imo... and seeing a false excitement is not going to bring any entertainment because that is not Shane. Shane's calm focus in the midst of the storm is entertaining to me... or at least watching him try to get to that place.

Having said that I will also say that I love Earl's emotion also. It's great for him because he plays best when he's excited and it's great to watch too because it's real. That real emotion should not be considered a bad thing imo.

I don't find myself too concerned with how the players need to act in order to play their best. They know what level of e cite mentioned brings them the best results and that is what they should go for. I also am not too concerned with how the players act to an extent when it comes to the question of "what's best for pool". Keeping it real is what's best for pool imo, as long as it doesn't get to real for tv, but showing anger etc. Is great if it comes from the heart. There is no need to make Mike Dechaine behave like a perfect gentleman or Earl, or Hatch, or Tony Drago or whoever. The concern, when it comes to what's good for pool needs to be focused on the emotions of the fans. Both Earl and Shane have shown that they can get fans excited. Let both of them keep it real imo... again, to an extent.

http://youtu.be/stJqzaHMNZs <<< good entertainment.
 
sprben83 said:
compared to last year, almost anything is better. Hope they stay sharp. Noticed the team has more focus, and not so much loud mouth nonsense that was present from last year. Dont get me wrong, hatch, morris, and strickland are a bunch of rockstars, but I feel that all the excessive verbal roughhousing worked backwards for the US
Click to expand...

Yes, and my last ride on the Staten Island Ferry was a smoother voyage than that of the Titanic.

Seventeen of the first twenty Mosconi teams won at least eight matches.

Anyone who will be satisfied with outperforming last year's team can start celebrating now, but to me, anything worse than 11-8 would be an embarrassment, and would firmly establish this team as one of our worst ever.

That said, this team is in position to win and might just pull this off. Day 2 should be fun. We can do this. In Mark we trust.
 
I'm USA all the way but I was very impressed with Team Europe's defensive play on Day 1. I'm convinced that there were a few lucky rolls thrown in the mix, but I recall Team USA being snookered and forced to bank/jump just to make contact a number of times.

Overall, I think we have a strong team and I look forward to today's match.
 
sjm said:
Yes, and my last ride on the Staten Island Ferry was a smoother voyage than that of the Titanic.

Seventeen of the first twenty Mosconi teams won at least eight matches.

Anyone who will be satisfied with outperforming last year's team can start celebrating now, but to me, anything worse than 11-8 would be an embarrassment, and would firmly establish this team as one of our worst ever.

That said, this team is in position to win and might just pull this off. Day 2 should be fun. We can do this. In Mark we trust.
Click to expand...

Don't forget when we won at least 8 games the first 20 years that most of Europe hadn't really got into pool yet, in fact most years they had 1 or snooker players. Today playing against ALL of Europe and Canada makes the U.S the underdog going in. Johnnyt
 
JAM said:
About Shane, though some believe Shane should be more animated, that's just not his style. He's always had that cool, calm, and collected tableside demeaner.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is a point I'm struggling with a bit. Coach Wilson named Shane his playing captain, though, and helping to manage the team's emotions is, to me , part of the job of the playing captain.
 
Johnnyt said:
...Today playing against ALL of Europe and Canada makes the U.S the underdog going in. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

Can Canadians play for Team Europe? That just seems backwards to me. If that's the case, I say we should be able to recruit some Filipinos.
 
I think people underestimate just how toxic Earl's presence was on the team

Ithink people also underestimate also how past his prime for this particular format the likes of Rodney and Johnney were

As a neutral, great to see USA put on a good showing, Shane seems so much at ease in the leadership role in the team
 
sjm said:
Yeah, this is a point I'm struggling with a bit. Coach Wilson named Shane his playing captain, though, and helping to manage the team's emotions is, to me , part of the job of the playing captain.
Click to expand...

I think Shane showed a little bit of nerves at the start, understandable when one adjusts from playing for yourself to playing for your team and country, but he seems to have recovered nicely.

As for emotion, the SVB I prefer is the stone cold assassin that played in the finals of the US open against Dennis O. this year. That is the emotion he does best and will inspire confidence and resolve in those around him. Once more........go team U.S.A.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KRJ
Desmondp said:
I think people underestimate just how toxic Earl's presence was on the team

Ithink people also underestimate also how past his prime for this particular format the likes of Rodney and Johnney were

As a neutral, great to see USA put on a good showing, Shane seems so much at ease in the leadership role in the team
Click to expand...

Yes, but the thing is that Archer went 6-0 just two Mosconi Cups ago in an absolutely breathtaking performance in the English pressure cooker called York Hall. He has shown that he can still deliver in the clutch in his forties, even in a hostile environment.

Agree on Earl and Rodney, who are past their respective primes.
 
Desmondp said:
I think people underestimate just how toxic Earl's presence was on the team

Ithink people also underestimate also how past his prime for this particular format the likes of Rodney and Johnney were

As a neutral, great to see USA put on a good showing, Shane seems so much at ease in the leadership role in the team
Click to expand...

Yes, Earl can be toxic and the effect of it can be underestimated. One has only to watch the dynamic between him and SVB a couple of times when teamed for the World Cup of Pool. His being openly upset does not help his teammate(s) especially when his upset is a knock against them. I bring this up because, although, Earl and Shane share a mutual respect, Earl just cannot seem to help himself. His heart may be in the right place but his competitive nature and lack of self control does cause problems in a team environment.

I became concerned early on in last year’s match. My concern was twofold. I felt that the U.S. team was trying to pump themselves up while team Europe were calmly confident, leaving the pumping to their fans. Secondly, and with a feeling of dread, I watched as the children of some of team U.S. members came running down to high five the players that were in the midst of a match. While some might find this cute television, I did not feel this was helpful to the focus of the players in the match; especially as contrasted by the quiet support that the Captain of Team Europe has always given his team (family members of Europe have no profile at all). In previous years conflict between the U.S. team family members and European fans have added to the distraction of the team members.

As a playing captain I think Johnny Archer was in a difficult position and lost any semblance of leadership from the start. I am heartened by the atmosphere around team U.S.A this year so far in terms of leadership and support to each other.
 
crow said:
We need to win some lags esp in single matches
Click to expand...

Yes, it's nice to own the double hill break, but we've yet to have a double hill match in this Mosconi Cup. Perhaps today's the day.
 
ChicagoRJ said:
Exactly... sometimes you need to stay in the moment, and just play your game. Getting too excited and getting pumped up works for football, but pool is less about emotion and getting the adrenaline pumped... need to stay calm and stay the course. Play your game, play the table, the last thing on my mind would be am I NOT smiling enough ;)
Click to expand...

Exactly right! Not football - Just play their game. imho
 
Celtic said:
You could be down 4-1 atm even easier.

The doubles match Deuel and Hall won was pretty surprising, given Boyes and Appleton are the current World Cup champions and how lousy Deuel and Hall both played in that match. Appleton missed a hugely uncharacteristic 9 down the rail or else it is 4-4 with Europe breaking and holding ALL the momentum.

You were big underdogs when Appleton was down on that last 9-ball.
Click to expand...

How bad did hall play? He missed 1 bank and 1 kick, if that's bad then I'm god awful.
 
sjm said:
Yeah, this is a point I'm struggling with a bit. Coach Wilson named Shane his playing captain, though, and helping to manage the team's emotions is, to me , part of the job of the playing captain.
Click to expand...

I actually saw him do this yesterday in the Corey's doubles match I think. I think it was after Corey played a not so great shot and lost the rack Shane came down out of the stands to talk to them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top