MOSCONI CUP LIVE (Score Updates)

P

pocketsplitter

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
why is the strongest player on USA (bergman) i) only playing once and ii) playing last when it could be already basically over for USA, instead of first or second to get some momentum?
 
H

HoustonInt

Big John's Cue Repair
Silver Member
I think trying not to suck is a terrible mindset and a pathetic way to start the MC. I also think the shot clock plays a huge role in the US being uncomfortable in this setting. To me, this is a much bigger issue than the size of the table or the placement of the 9 - these guys have all played in those conditions but not with a shot clock.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Cardigan Kid

Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
West Point 1987 said:
As I see it, there are three reasons we aren't winning now, and you can see it clearly...

1. Team. The Euros lay all their emotions, self pity and blame on the side of the road and show up and support their team mate(s) when they play--every time. The only team mate the US has counted on is Skyler and sometimes Rocket, the others appear to be MIA or in the practice room. I wouldn't be surprised if Shane specifically waved off any team support, thinking it sharks him. Sitting in his chair alone pouting isn't working, either. These players fight hard and politic to get on the team every year, yet the coach seems to have no leverage to make these guys act like a team? Barry Hearn might actually like the drama of a coach sending a team member home early and putting in a substitution...and I don't care how many Opens somebody's won.

2. Lack of a real tour. Those of us that are bemoaning "the rolls" or the format or whatever need to take a closer look at pool in Europe the past few years. European pros play on a couple of tours that are selective, require strict qualifications and are quite happy to hire a professional, certified coach to work with them year round. Our players are all self taught (for the most part) and rely on the crucible of the pit to sharpen their skills. The problem is that B players like me can enter virtually any event in the U.S. if they have the money and get it in early. Look at any field, including the U.S. Open...there are plenty of B players, weak A players donating to the pot. SVB gets to coast until he hits a real world beater, which isn't good for his ability to stay in gear, which is why he excels at long races and gambling matches, but can get flummoxed in a short race and find some difficulty getting back in stroke.
Euro tour players are guaranteed a tough match every round, so they HAVE to stay sharp all the time. No rest for the wicked...So, until we have a closed tour, with a governing body, standard rules/equipment and a rigorous qualification regime, our players will be starting out at a deficit.

3. Technique. Something I really paid attention to this year, because I had a theory about this based on the proclivity of Euro players to hire coaches/instructors and spend hours upon hours doing drills...every single player on Euro's team has a laser straight stroke and delivery. Their stances varied, but even their PSR was similar. They aren't missing shots. They're missing safeties and occasionally going for ill advised low percentage flyers--but correct that error in judgement immediately. Now look at the US players...their strokes are significantly less straight; lots of hitches, wiggles movement in the bridge hand, etc. The hallmark of a self taught player, as phenomenal as they may be; but that tendency is what lets them down under pressure and causes misses. Our players are (for the first time in a couple of years) actually playing tactically smarter than the Euros, never taking a flyer when a better safety is available, and rarely (if ever so far) missing a safety. They're just missing shots, and pedestrian ones at that! The coach needs to hire a team of coach/instructors to work with the selected and alternate team as early as possible, and stress to the field of hopefuls that personal coaches would be welcome and at large picks would be well advised to have a coach if they intend to get picked.
Click to expand...

Your assessment is well written and I agree.
However, on #2, I think euro tour stops are open as well and lower calibre players are peppered throughout. I've always understood the only cue sport tour that one needs to qualify for to get a tour card was snooker.

And that leads me to your #3 which is so spot on. I truly believe in the pool instructor, no matter how great one is. I see so many players around the world obtaining instruction, except for the elite Americans. Even Niels Feijen who was coached by Johan Ruijsink in his country traveled to America in his early days to obtain instruction from American instructor Bert Kinnister.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
West Point 1987 said:
Our players are (for the first time in a couple of years) actually playing tactically smarter than the Euros, never taking a flyer when a better safety is available, and rarely (if ever so far) missing a safety. They're just missing shots, and pedestrian ones at that! The coach needs to hire a team of coach/instructors to work with the selected and alternate team as early as possible, and stress to the field of hopefuls that personal coaches would be welcome and at large picks would be well advised to have a coach if they intend to get picked.
Click to expand...

You need to watch more carefully.

Tactically superior, huh?

In Match 1, the Team vs Team match, racks one and two were both lost due to errors in safety play by Team USA, one by Skyler and one by SVB.

In Match 2, with Team USA leadin 1-0, a horrible SVB safety denied Team USA a chance to take control of the match.

No flyers, huh?

In Match 6, which set the tone for Day 2, Skyler took a flyer hitting a seven ball hard into half a pocket and selling out a key rack. Later in the match, he took a flyer on a difficult long cut of the two ball when plenty of defense was available.

In truth, Europe has consistently gained with great safety play, the US rarely. Mark Gray's defense has been particularly effective throughout this Mosconi Cup. Europe doesn't take many big risks, preferring to play for control of the table with defense, and Team Europe has gained because of it.

Team USA has barely played a two way shot (just one that I recall) in the entire Mosconi Cup while Europe has gained often with them.

Not only is Team USA being outmoved, the gap has grown since last year. I would have laughed pretty hard if you suggested that Team USA is nearly as good tactically to Team Europe, but when you suggested that Team USA has played smarter than Team Europe, my laughter went into another dimension.

Team USA is not a tactically superior team held back by poor execution of offense. I recall that a year ago, through day two, the US had missed fewer balls than Europe but still trailed 6-4. Though you don't seem to realize it, Team Europe gets far more good looks at the table, and if you look at the combined stats for the past two years, it's not because of the break, where the stats have been close. Team Europe year in and year out gets way more good looks at a runout because of its in rack decisions and its outstanding defense, kicking and two way shots.

Forgive my harshness, but if you think Team USA has been even tolerable tactically, you are mistaken.
 
Last edited:
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
So far so good. SVB/Dechaine break and run for a 1-0 lead. Oh yeah.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
SVb misses a three ball by a mile and the USA fail storage command. same old story. Europe break and run and it's 3-1.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
pmac666 said:
wouldnt matter if the races were to 100 lol
Click to expand...

It is actually a much longer race than you think. Well over 100 games of pool will be played in every MC. More like 140 or 150 games in total. It's a marathon match (Race to Eleven) broken up in single set Races to Five. Only difference in this and a long TAR style match is that there are several players on each side and not just one on one.

If two guys played a match that was Race to Eleven, and each point decided by a Race to Five, we would think that match was entirely too long! :rolleyes:
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Conident run out in rack 5 keeps SVB/Dechaine in it, 3-2 behind.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
SVb misses a three ball by a mile and the USA fail storage command. same old story. Europe break and run and it's 3-1.
Click to expand...

Sounds like Shane is falling apart. Wonder what the excuse will be afterwards? My dog died ;).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top