Team USA Still in the Lead

Bank it said:
I agree with that but I didn't raise any snowflakes & despise those that did. They sissyfied an entire generation.
Click to expand...

I'm not a snowflake, so you must be talking about your generation. Oh wait we are both using terrible generalizations and anecdotes.....

The fact is your generation has just as many sissies. I work with mostly established adults and they mention stuff "not being fair" more than my set of friends.

You old folks don't have much better to do than criticize the way we are taking over your crappy world.
 
Get_A_Grip said:
What you said about playing overly aggressive in these short races is the KEY. Sky also took a flier all of the way down the long rail to lose the game when there was an relatively easy safety to play instead. You could almost see the look of amazement of Team Europe when he chose that shot.

But to me, this is the Captain's fault. The players need to be trained for this exact situation and coached on how to win short races without taking virtually any low percentage shots unless the shot carries the same percentage to win the game as the safety.

I mean, it all comes down to execution under a very high pressure situation. But the key word used by the commentators that seems very appropriate for this type of match is to master the art of CONTAINMENT shots and wait for the right opening to go offensive.
Click to expand...
I can see you being correct in this. Mark Wilson might be coaching them to be aggressive which is the wrong move. Like it was said early, Mark is very proficient with the Junior players and is doing one hell of a job of helping the future of pool. However, they are amateurs and not the elite.

Ultimately, I have no idea what is being said via the coaching of the team but the coach really should get be able to get the players aggressiveness under control.

Also, the table isnt helping them choose more tame shots. They see aburd shots go in (ie Mark Gray's 7 ball) and figure they have a really good chance and take the flyers. Kinda like what I do when I get on a Valley box LOL :D
 
Bank it said:
No what those sports have is the rules they have always had. Pool is not tennis, basketball, football or any other sport, it's pool, it's different & should remain that way. You want "your fair turn", go play one of those sports, don't change a sports rules to make it more palatable to your delicate sensibilities snowflake, leave it to those that are attracted to that kind of challenge
Click to expand...

Nonsense again.

All sports' rules evolve over time. Until 1961 you had to keep a foot on the ground when serving in tennis. Football (again, real football) didn't have a back pass rule until 1992, so goalkeepers could handle passes from their own time.

Just two examples.

And carry on with this snowflake rubbish all you like; it's not helping your point at all. The idea of a delicate millenial mentality is tiresome in and of itself, but to try to apply that to something like the alternate break rule makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
 
must be a mental thingy as we see here..... the US losing their dominance everywhere, tennis, golf, pool and some probably older folks are still dreaming of the good old times..... and regarding their presidental votings there are alot of those out there!
 
SakuJack said:
Nonsense again.



All sports' rules evolve over time. Until 1961 you had to keep a foot on the ground when serving in tennis. Football (again, real football) didn't have a back pass rule until 1992, so goalkeepers could handle passes from their own time.



Just two examples.



And carry on with this snowflake rubbish all you like; it's not helping your point at all. The idea of a delicate millenial mentality is tiresome in and of itself, but to try to apply that to something like the alternate break rule makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
Click to expand...



Perhaps it makes no sense to you, but you're European aren't you? Dismissed.
 
Bank it said:
Perhaps it makes no sense to you, but you're European aren't you? Dismissed.
Click to expand...

So, I get the warning from Wilson in this thread, but you can call me an asshole, and basically dismiss someone's comments because they're European...?
 
pmac666 said:
must be a mental thingy as we see here..... the US losing their dominance everywhere, tennis, golf, pool and some probably older folks are still dreaming of the good old times..... and regarding their presidental votings there are alot of those out there!
Click to expand...

Well, we still have basketball and the Olympics.
Please, no politics here, no more about the presidential votings.
There's another forum for that if you feel the need.
 
JAM said:
Ah, yes the soft break aka "bird break." It was interesting watching English professional player Daryl Peach win his world championship title in 2007 against Roberto Gomez in Philippines using that bird break. It was the talk of the tournament!
Click to expand...

Well obviously. You're not going to see any Americans at the deep end of a tournament too often these days
 
It's little consolation to me that the US was able to consistently drub Europe back in the day s when the ratio of US nine ball players to European nine ball players was at least 50-1.

It is only in recent years that Europe has taken nine ball seriously, but there are still at least ten nine ball players in the US for every one in Europe.

A British poster suggested yesterday that the UK has just 300 nine ball players. And yet, a team UK of Appleton, Shaw, Boyes, Peach and Gray would give Team USA all it could handle.

Our day will come again, but knowing that we played better nine ball than Europe back when Europe, for the most part, didn't play nine ball, doesn't ease the pain I've felt in recent Mosconi Cup competitions.
 
BRussell said:
I'm not at all sure about that. I don't see any signs in US pro pool that things are changing for the better.
Click to expand...

My thoughts are because we have no governing body of professional pool, no professional tour. The BCA divorced itself from professional pool. It's an industry vendor organization now.

The cost of traveling overseas is expensive, and when the payouts in 2016 are the same as they were in the '80s, yet the cost of living has quadrupled, it is just not feasible, except for maybe a handful of Americans who have sponsors/stakehorses who pay their way.

In 1980s, an American could make a living playing pool -- barely. In 2016, it's a rich man's high. That's all it is. Those who have passion will continue to play and sacrifice a lot to follow their pool dreams.

I hope it changes, though. I'm not sure what needs to happen. But it's all about the money, IMO. American pros get little to no respect. Just a quick read on this forum tells the story. Who would want to invest in that? :(
 
JAM said:
European tournament soldiers are one-trick ponies. The Mosconi Cup is tailored to European style of play -- short races to 5. Let those tournament soldiers play a long race for real money and see who comes out on top. My money is on the Americans.

The Mosconi Cup is all fun and games, and I enjoy the festivities. I know where the real strength lies in pool. That's why most European players move to the States and live. Where does Jayson live? Where does Darren live? Speaks volumes. ;)
Click to expand...

Sounds like a tournament player vs. cash player argument.

The tournament players are the best. It's documented.

Long races have more to do with a "high-gear" (doesn't last) vs. consistency.

Tournaments documented (real). Cash play is more romantic fantasy - mostly single incident stories passed on via word of mouth... No proof.

99% of the Euro are structured tournament players; so yes, the MC format favors them.

We in the states have 0 structure, consistency, nor organization. We lost before we showed up to play. That's the problem, not: short races, big pockets, crowd noise, nor rolls. We lost what we once had, and from what I've seen and experienced, we're a long way from any form of return to glory.

I applaud the boys for giving it a go. It takes a lot of guts to get out there in front of the world knowing you're going to get your brains beat in. Worse than losing, is just playing poorly.

Miracles do happen I guess - I've seen some in movies...
 
CrownCityCorey said:
Sounds like a tournament player vs. cash player argument.

The tournament players are the best. It's documented.

Long races have more to do with a "high-gear" (doesn't last) vs. consistency.

Tournaments documented (real). Cash play is more romantic fantasy - mostly single incident stories passed on via word of mouth... No proof.

99% of the Euro are structured tournament players; so yes, the MC format favors them.

We in the states have 0 structure, consistency, nor organization. We lost before we showed up to play. That's the problem, not: short races, big pockets, crowd noise, nor rolls. We lost what we once had, and from what I've seen and experienced, we're a long way from any form of return to glory.

I applaud the boys for giving it a go. It takes a lot of guts to get out there in front of the world knowing you're going to get your brains beat in. Worse than losing, is just playing poorly.

Miracles do happen I guess - I've seen some in movies...
Click to expand...


Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I don't necessarily agree with all of them, especially the action v. tournament play, but it's nice to read someone share their opinion in a comprehensive manner.

I do agree that the MC format favors the European style of play -- short races to 5 and slop counts. Of course, the equipment is kind of interesting this year. :o
 

Attachments

  • 15380355_10154835858630152_5034853458469112787_n.jpg
    15380355_10154835858630152_5034853458469112787_n.jpg
    25.7 KB · Views: 472
In the first dozen years of the MC Europe filled their team from Snooker players. The U'S had played pool for over 100 years, while most countries in Europe just started playing it. At this time Europe and Asia have passed the U.S in pool. IMO you could take the U.S.A's BEST MC team over the years and put them up against the last 6-8 Europe's teams and the U.S would lose. Johnnyt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top