MOSCONI CUP 2023 AZB Watch Party / Master Thread

It is truly sad that the USA does not have the talent to compete effectively at the international level in pool. It is obvious that it will continue as well. I see no immediate way that might change that either.

We have a long road ahead if we desire to develop the talent necessary as well. Our junior level has some hope but once again if you look closely the international juniors are a cut above ours now as well.

We need to look specifically at what the competition is doing on the junior level and implement a similar system if we wish to win or be at least competitive in the future.

I’ll be shocked if Matchroom is not already considering a new form of Mosconi Cup that includes a true international contingent.
 
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This is pretty much a ‘is pool dead’ conversation. There is no ‘how do we beat Europe’ conversation since I can just say pool is dead and that causes a lack of talent. My generation is the last when the best young player in the pool room is 35 years of age. Similar to the birth rate and mortality rate.

In the past there is a huge gap between the youngest and oldest player. Today you don’t see kids 18-25 in pool halls. It is known as a bar game so parents are not taking their kids to learn it since mom use to hang out at bars and associate the game as such.

Also pool time is a big factor. My local pool hall charges more than minimum wage per hour.
 
shooter_Hans said:
This is pretty much a ‘is pool dead’ conversation. There is no ‘how do we beat Europe’ conversation since I can just say pool is dead and that causes a lack of talent. My generation is the last when the best young player in the pool room is 35 years of age. Similar to the birth rate and mortality rate.

In the past there is a huge gap between the youngest and oldest player. Today you don’t see kids 18-25 in pool halls. It is known as a bar game so parents are not taking their kids to learn it since mom use to hang out at bars and associate the game as such.

Also pool time is a big factor. My local pool hall charges more than minimum wage per hour.
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Even fake pool news is worth posting. It helps check who is participating in discussions.

SVB did not grow up in a poolroom and he is a killer.

Intensive home training is better for American kids, they can have sleepovers at the rich kid house.

Its better than having a coach or trainer that can abuse them or worse.

However the rich kid house will need an actual manager and all that human support staff.
 
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Oikawa said:
No need to be scientific to have a point indeed but at least give some basic level explanation to have some merit in your idea. If what you say is true, there are reasons/explanations behind it. What are they? If you don't know, then that is a valid thing to say too. But not even mentioning reasons in any way makes your point pretty useless to most.

There's top pros who play primarily with a closed bridge. Do you think they are doing it wrong?
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Show me one with good results in major tournaments in todays era of tight pockets. Especially one that plays long shots with closed bridge, I'll wait for you to come up with one, then ill go check if he indeed does use closed bridge in long tough shots. -- And I don't mean just one shot, you said primarily with closed bridge...go on

I'll wait, probably forever...
 
justnum said:
American boys need a beating from Top WPBA pros. However Team USA is too cheap to pay for instructions.

Can someone sponsor them lessons with WPBA development pros? The training structure for Team USA has been failing and neglected for years with Shane just hoping players make the shot.

Team USA needs female management like Ara Shaw. You know how boys are they too scared to ask mom for help when they know dad cant get it done.
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Back on ignore for you, I can no longer afford to get dumber with every post I read.
 
LeftyIke said:
Josh Robert’s would have been a better choice than Woolford, and so would Oscar Dominguez or Billy Thorpe.
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You want to back Josh Roberts against Wolford, I'll back Shane.

I wanted Oscar on the team but Wolford showed me some things that have me thinking he should be back.

If the MC was 1P, Josh would be on the team. I truly hope Josh gets motivated to play more 9ball. He's a great player. He's terrific in the booth as well.
 
smoochie said:
Show me one with good results in major tournaments in todays era of tight pockets. Especially one that plays long shots with closed bridge, I'll wait for you to come up with one, then ill go check if he indeed does use closed bridge in long tough shots. -- And I don't mean just one shot, you said primarily with closed bridge...go on

I'll wait, probably forever...
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we've been through this. filler utilizes the closed bridge a lot:


i think lil ko does it too (just a hunch) but maybe not as high %. shane obviously does it. them three may be outliers compared to the rest of the top elite players, but it's obviously not incompatible with play on tight pockets.
 
Talk about a lot of over-reaction
Play it again next week and USA could win it. No way does Van Boening miss those easy shot again (they kind of set the tempo for this tournament early on).
All 10 players are top quality pool pros. A few key misses and some nice rolls are the difference (same as it always is when pros play each other).
Europe are good. That doesn't make USA bad.
 
OverTheNut said:
Talk about a lot of over-reaction
Play it again next week and USA could win it. No way does Van Boening miss those easy shot again (they kind of set the tempo for this tournament early on).
All 10 players are top quality pool pros. A few key misses and some nice rolls are the difference (same as it always is when pros play each other).
Europe are good. That doesn't make USA bad.
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I don't believe we'd win it, but I believe it would be quite a bit closer and definitely more competitive
 
what about Hennesey? ton of heart and can play with anyone. beat Shaw 9-0 a couple years ago at derby..ton of heart.
 
If German sports programs were designed back in the 40's, then does Filler represent everything 40's Germany wanted?

I prefer Thor and Ralf to Joshua.
 
smoochie said:
Show me one with good results in major tournaments in todays era of tight pockets. Especially one that plays long shots with closed bridge, I'll wait for you to come up with one, then ill go check if he indeed does use closed bridge in long tough shots. -- And I don't mean just one shot, you said primarily with closed bridge...go on

I'll wait, probably forever...
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Why did you skip the first part of my post? If you know something the rest of us don't, please elaborate. I have no issues believing that the open bridge can be more beneficial, I use it myself for almost all shots, but I've heard many say they are more comfortable and play better with a closed bridge. And among the pros, there's both open and closed bridge users. So, it would seem it's a matter of preference, perhaps depending on the intricacies of the player's physique and other parts of the players technique, such as sighting and stroke.

I made a thread recently on here asking if people could give me explanations for why a closed bridge might be better. The overarching conclusion from that thread was the same as what I had already assumed; personal preference.

That is my opinion for why one should pick open or closed, what is yours? Why do you think open bridge is better objectively?
 
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justnum said:
Even fake pool news is worth posting. It helps check who is participating in discussions.

SVB did not grow up in a poolroom and he is a killer.

Intensive home training is better for American kids, they can have sleepovers at the rich kid house.

Its better than having a coach or trainer that can abuse them or worse.

However the rich kid house will need an actual manager and all that human support staff.
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Thank goodness I only read to the 2nd sentence. Yes he did. LOL
 
This dream of beating Europe is great but we can say a dying pool population and lack of participation from the youth is the cause.

I have met and seen so many old timers pass away versus meeting a new regular young player. Such a shame their knowledge can’t be passed down. They either gambled or didn’t care to teach. I was fortunate enough to drink with them and they would teach me shots that most probably wouldn’t know. God bless them.

When you hit a certain age you’re the man in the pool room. Today is a bunch of retired men that play.

That is just the reality from my experiences and for a state as big as California we have very very few pool rooms.
 
LeftyIke said:
Josh Robert’s would have been a better choice than Woolford, and so would Oscar Dominguez or Billy Thorpe.
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Better choice is subjective.

Same result is not.

Wolfort choked more times than I can remember in this event but everyone seems just ok about it? Missed moderately difficult shots by a mile. Shots pros should almost never miss I don't care the "stage".

Yet he is the best we have and that's sad.
 
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