Excellent observations and good points!
So Who Is The New MC Captain 4 2017
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Excellent observations and good points!
I agree that the Cup is more of an exhibition-type atmosphere, but the competitors do want to win with all their being. Jeanette is a great person and represents pool well to mainstream America, but the male players would not like working with her. I know how they react when Karen Corr, whom I adore, competes on the Joss Tour, especially when she beats them.
The captain should be someone the players can relate to. I don't think Jeanette Lee is that person. Sure, she's pretty, can play pool well, wears tight black outfits, and will look good sitting on the rail, but the captain should have a better role than that when it comes to working with Team USA members.
Here's a cute shot of Earl Strickland getting ready to play Karen Corr in Portland, Maine. He was outside before the match whining and moaning about how they let females in to play the males, yet the males can't compete on the WPBA tour. Deep down inside, Earl was sweating playing Karen Corr big time while he was practicing, with Karen sitting down by their designated table. Keith took the opportunity to rib Earl about having to play "the girl." Karen sat by stoically and didn't utter a peep.
Earl ended up winning, this time.
Here's a photo of Keith ribbing Earl about playing "the girl" while he's practicing before the match with Karen.Attachments
Double J is the only way
In the past, to me it always looked like the "Captain" was just a face but really wasn't in much of a Take Charge position.
Mark Wilson seemed to be a little opposite of that, as though he assumed a little more of a traditional coaching role,
but it has to be difficult to actually coach these guys. So as a coach/captain you have your team for about a month, max?
It has to be tough to assume a coaching role in that brief a time, particularly with level of talent, not to mention egos that you're dealing with.
You're pretty much captaining/coaching an all-star team. On that type of team there really isn't a lot of actual coaching that goes on.
I've been on those teams: "Try not to eat or drink too much" "don't get arrested" "curfew
is midnight" "game-time is 1:00, be here and dressed by noon" "any questions?"
Beginning level players that can't run 2 balls in a row sometimes hate to be "suggested"
to or coached, I can't imagine what that might be like to try and be a coach to a player
on the Mosconi Cup team.
So what is supposed to be the actual role of a captain/coach for The U.S. Mosconi Cup team?
Mark Wilson seemed to be a little opposite of that, as though he assumed a little more of a traditional coaching role,
but it has to be difficult to actually coach these guys. So as a coach/captain you have your team for about a month, max?
It has to be tough to assume a coaching role in that brief a time, particularly with level of talent, not to mention egos that you're dealing with.
You're pretty much captaining/coaching an all-star team. On that type of team there really isn't a lot of actual coaching that goes on.
I've been on those teams: "Try not to eat or drink too much" "don't get arrested" "curfew
is midnight" "game-time is 1:00, be here and dressed by noon" "any questions?"
Beginning level players that can't run 2 balls in a row sometimes hate to be "suggested"
to or coached, I can't imagine what that might be like to try and be a coach to a player
on the Mosconi Cup team.
So what is supposed to be the actual role of a captain/coach for The U.S. Mosconi Cup team?
How about Tommy Kennedy as Coach..... What a great representative... Very motivational..... Great Player (former US open Champ).... etc....
Just a Thought!
No it isn't.
The tone for Team USA's conduct has to be set before a single ball is hit in the Mosconi. Archer badly failed to establish the right guidlelines for his team, which embarrassed itself (read the post-Mosconi threads of 2013 if you need this corroborated) in its behavior. Forgiving this because, once the event began, he was a contestant, is being far too kind.
Has any captain ever presented American pool to the world with less skill than Archer did in 2013? I'm thinking no.
I don't know Shane, but, from what I have gathered over the years, he seems to a bit introverted. Maybe somebody who actually knows him can confirm or deny this assumption.
I don't think you need a "wall flower" as a captain/coach. I think you need somebody with a "take charge and move out" leadership ability.
You can't do much of anything with a group of elite pros who all have different personalities, playing characteristics, and "game smarts" in the short periods that they all get together.
That is why I suggested that they all be "quarantined" into a "boot camp" for at least a SOLID month, immediately before the Mosconi Cup. You have to get EVERYBODY on the SAME game plan...just like preparing for battle. You can't have everybody trying to jump out on their own trying to be RAMBO. You need a team of people who are trained and prepared for the mission at hand. I think their minds need to be adjusted more than their actual playing abilities.
Adjustments in the game plan and strategies can be fine tuned once the MC starts, but you don't want to have to reinvent the plan in the middle of the war.
a Captain makes zero difference if the players don't really care
If a captain can help at all, they have to first of all need no negative history with anyone on the team, in addition to being well-liked and respected.
That means archer can't work because [he had history with Dechaine](http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=4314712&postcount=1), and unless they've grown close recently, he probably can't inspire Dechaine to play his best game.
Earl at some point has had conflicts and personal attacks on just about everyone, and while some players have the ability to shrug it off and laugh (Shane) others may not have this gift.
A truly neutral guy with no history against anyone might be one of the former Euro coaches, or a current Euro player. Ralf Souquet always struck me as a good, patient guy who didn't get into drama with anyone. But I'm not sure if Americans will accept a foreign coach as it sort of feels like "we can't beat 'em so we had to join 'em".
It's ok if the coach is not top-pro speed, I think. They aren't gonna teach americans anything new about how to make shots, play position, or break.
I think the single best thing any coach can do is teach the americans to A: try for a safety instead of going for the tough shot and B: make the safety a good one that forces a kick, rather than selling out a look at the whole ball.
If you look at the recent break stats, we are neck-and-neck in terms of making a ball on the break successfully, and running the rack from the break. I mean it's almost identical. But the telling difference was that we won only about 50% of the time from our own wet breaks, and europe won about 75%, without actually doing more break and runs. That means they won the tactical battles.
That means archer can't work because [he had history with Dechaine](http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=4314712&postcount=1), and unless they've grown close recently, he probably can't inspire Dechaine to play his best game.
Earl at some point has had conflicts and personal attacks on just about everyone, and while some players have the ability to shrug it off and laugh (Shane) others may not have this gift.
A truly neutral guy with no history against anyone might be one of the former Euro coaches, or a current Euro player. Ralf Souquet always struck me as a good, patient guy who didn't get into drama with anyone. But I'm not sure if Americans will accept a foreign coach as it sort of feels like "we can't beat 'em so we had to join 'em".
It's ok if the coach is not top-pro speed, I think. They aren't gonna teach americans anything new about how to make shots, play position, or break.
I think the single best thing any coach can do is teach the americans to A: try for a safety instead of going for the tough shot and B: make the safety a good one that forces a kick, rather than selling out a look at the whole ball.
If you look at the recent break stats, we are neck-and-neck in terms of making a ball on the break successfully, and running the rack from the break. I mean it's almost identical. But the telling difference was that we won only about 50% of the time from our own wet breaks, and europe won about 75%, without actually doing more break and runs. That means they won the tactical battles.
It is not hard to see why the USA are doomed to forever taste failure.
Put simply, there is not one player whó would be able to command a place on the European side even if there were ten places on the team
The are not nearly good enough because they lack the FUNDAMENTALS. A sound cue action stands up under pressure.
Each of the 10 or 12 players who might populate a short list has one or more flaws in their game.
But they haven't got the stomach to accept that their game needs to get off the plateau where it is stuck, except when they slip a little further down the slope.
Unless this skill gap is plugged then I think that we will continue to witness 11-1 , 11-2 or at the best 11-5 scorelines
Mark Wilson made an honest attempt to stem the tide but he was never going to succeed with players who did not recognise their own shortcomings. Instead, they thought that they just had to turn up at the table and hope that they found a bit of form.
But what is not needed is more of the ‘same old same old’.
I would love to have the job because I have the key to bringing success back to the American Camp.
The first person to whom I would reach out would be Joey Aguzin. This AZ stalwart has qualities that even he does not realise but he would be a very influential recruit. Then we would set about matching up a specialist coach to each player who makes it on to our program. There are some players who might win two or three events a year but with flawed actions (and possibly flawed attitude) that they are not prepared to work at reach for higher ground.
Lee Brett has issues that would make him a No Go for the role of team captain. But he has a range of skills that could enhance another player’s performance.
Bert Kinster had a hand in developing the technique of Niels Feijen when the Dutchman spent his ‘learning years’in the States. He has plenty to bring to the table in One On One situations.
Scott Lee would certainly be a Reach Out Choice to fulfil certain players ambitions to be the best.
Mark Wilson could still help Justin Bergman and Justin Hall to be complete players.
If you want to be World Class you have to work with World Class people. Ralf Eckert falls neatly into this category.
So all we need now is to bite the bullet and get this campaign under way.
Put simply, there is not one player whó would be able to command a place on the European side even if there were ten places on the team
The are not nearly good enough because they lack the FUNDAMENTALS. A sound cue action stands up under pressure.
Each of the 10 or 12 players who might populate a short list has one or more flaws in their game.
But they haven't got the stomach to accept that their game needs to get off the plateau where it is stuck, except when they slip a little further down the slope.
Unless this skill gap is plugged then I think that we will continue to witness 11-1 , 11-2 or at the best 11-5 scorelines
Mark Wilson made an honest attempt to stem the tide but he was never going to succeed with players who did not recognise their own shortcomings. Instead, they thought that they just had to turn up at the table and hope that they found a bit of form.
But what is not needed is more of the ‘same old same old’.
I would love to have the job because I have the key to bringing success back to the American Camp.
The first person to whom I would reach out would be Joey Aguzin. This AZ stalwart has qualities that even he does not realise but he would be a very influential recruit. Then we would set about matching up a specialist coach to each player who makes it on to our program. There are some players who might win two or three events a year but with flawed actions (and possibly flawed attitude) that they are not prepared to work at reach for higher ground.
Lee Brett has issues that would make him a No Go for the role of team captain. But he has a range of skills that could enhance another player’s performance.
Bert Kinster had a hand in developing the technique of Niels Feijen when the Dutchman spent his ‘learning years’in the States. He has plenty to bring to the table in One On One situations.
Scott Lee would certainly be a Reach Out Choice to fulfil certain players ambitions to be the best.
Mark Wilson could still help Justin Bergman and Justin Hall to be complete players.
If you want to be World Class you have to work with World Class people. Ralf Eckert falls neatly into this category.
So all we need now is to bite the bullet and get this campaign under way.
I love Ralph Eckert for this role. Alex Lely also fits the bill.
Jay Helfert and Mark Griffin also have a lot to offer by way of resources and knowledge of the game. They both have expressed interest and a willingness to invest in this endeavor.
Allen Hopkins is also somebody that could step up to the captain's plate. He's still got game, but he also knows how to make things happen in the pool world. He is very passionate about pool and its players. If you ever get a chance to speak with him, you will know.
The role of Captain is more of a managerial one. Ralf could bring a lot to the party but not as Captain. Alex can probably be ruled out on the grounds that he has already captained the European team when the Mosconi Cup was played in Malta.
Jay and Mark both have bullet points.
But Jay would be too focussed on keeping in with the players and organisers and Mark would probably take an opposite stance to that.
Allen's credentials are as good as anybody touted so far but once again it reeks of 'the same old same old.
None of these solutions tackles the problem that AMERICAN PLAYERS NEED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THEIR PLAY.
Addressing that problem and solving it will engender increased confidence and in it's wake will come the team spirit which makes the Captain's job just a formality
The k
The List of EUROPEAN PLAYERS capable of stepping straight into an AMERICAN team grows ever more formidable.
NIELS
FEIJEN VAN DEN BERG SHAW GRAY APPLETON EKONOMOPOULOS OUSCHEN SOUQUET IMMONEN HOHMANN BOYES PEACH MALAI MELLING ALEXANDRIS CHINAKOV STEPANOV ORTMANN ALCAIDE MAJID
Even Journeymen European players like Chamat, Petroni, Putnik, Hybler, or youngsters like Joshua Filler, Ivo Aarts or Maxim Dudanets would be able hold their place in the US team.
Get off your backsides US players. But to do some work and not just to let them be kicked.
The List of EUROPEAN PLAYERS capable of stepping straight into an AMERICAN team grows ever more formidable.
NIELS
FEIJEN VAN DEN BERG SHAW GRAY APPLETON EKONOMOPOULOS OUSCHEN SOUQUET IMMONEN HOHMANN BOYES PEACH MALAI MELLING ALEXANDRIS CHINAKOV STEPANOV ORTMANN ALCAIDE MAJID
Even Journeymen European players like Chamat, Petroni, Putnik, Hybler, or youngsters like Joshua Filler, Ivo Aarts or Maxim Dudanets would be able hold their place in the US team.
Get off your backsides US players. But to do some work and not just to let them be kicked.
Yeah... there is a palpable sense of apathy. Like its not really worth their time to even be on the team. "What an honor, I am so honored to have this honor." and I feel that and don't really blame them. Pool is hard scrabble now in the states. Its like the dregs right now.
How do you get fired up and motivated in half a plane just before it hits the side of a very small hill in Delaware? or Cleveland....?
Point is. Its hard to get fired up when there is no Espirit de Corps, Pride in the Team, a will to fight. Some good old fashioned HUAHHHHH! R. Lee Emery is a good example of the positive driving force we need to be honest. No cheerleading, just a person that knows and understand pool and can break his foot off in someones behind when they need it.
I hereby nominate Jay Helfert with Black-Balled as the motivational speaker.
Lesh
classy
well we need a captain and i give this some serious thought. over the years playing from coast to coast I met some classy pool hall owners and players. the man on top of my list is Dave Hemma...he has always showed and given the utmost respect to players and always gives you a great smile, and he can play. my second choice would be Mike Page a true ambassador to the game for everyone.
well we need a captain and i give this some serious thought. over the years playing from coast to coast I met some classy pool hall owners and players. the man on top of my list is Dave Hemma...he has always showed and given the utmost respect to players and always gives you a great smile, and he can play. my second choice would be Mike Page a true ambassador to the game for everyone.
While I do agree Euros in general have a good focus on fundamentals, I don't know if this is our main problem.
Looking at the break stats, USA and Euros have near identical break and run ability.
That sort of implies that shotmaking is similar. And most of the team has pretty standard fundamentals...
Shane's ok, Mike's are very solid, Rodney's are good though he can't get away with rushing shots like he used to.
Where I think they differ is in decision making and safety play. I see a lot of US safeties where they're
content to leave distance but allow a look at the whole ball. Euros seemed to lock us up more
and are less inclined to go for flyers, especially right after the break.
If we dog it more under pressure, I don't know if that's fundamentals so much as lack of pressure practice.
Other than the US Open, most of the team gets very little practice in world class events.
You look at a guy like Mark Gray, he doesn't have a huge list of titles like others on his team, but every year
he plays in either the world cup of pool, world pool masters, or world 9ball. Sometimes more than one of these.
