I'd like to see Lukas Francasso Vernier get a chance. He is an excellent young player with good results against the top pros. He also happens to be a good money player, so he can handle pressure.
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Europe has some new blood, two very good young players added. Meanwhile the USA looks like the same old, same old. We know how this one is going to end. High expectations going in and complete disappointment coming out. My line is USA +5.
i think being a WNT pro is a criteria. what about oscar?
Agree 100%.
Team Europe will build for the future with two Mosconi rookies who have made big strides this year in Pijus Labutis and Moritz Neuhausen. Pijus and Moritz will learn from Shaw, Filler and Alcaide, all of whom have great track records at the Mosconi Cup.
I'm definitely a Billy Thorpe fan but feel that a) Lukas has outplayed him this year, as evidenced by more prize money won in WNT events, and b) it's time to go young and start building for Team USA's future.
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I’ve said it before and will say it again. Lukas is not ready. Yes, he beat Billy on points, but not by much. His Fargo is 30 points lower at 758. Nor has he beaten many top ranked players. Every time he comes across one he usually gets knocked out of a tourney.
Thorpe might be playing the best pool of his career. He’s had some good wins this year and got to the quarters of the Peri.
With Europe starting two rooks, the last thing the US should do is add an even less experienced player with zero big titles to his name. The lowest Fargo on Europe is Labutis at 812.
Thorpe gives us more experience and the best chance to win. Just grabbing a younger player because we’re tired of the same old faces is not a good way to build a team.
My gut say this US team is going to do well and keep it close. More than anything, we need SVB and Gorst to play like superstars. They haven’t the last two years.
Oscar didn’t play in many events. I think you have to reward players who do. Oscar should have gotten on the team last year, but this year is a different story.
I think Oscar gave up trying to get points when he found out that they were ignored.
So if he didn't get on last year, why would he have gotten on this year if he ended up in the same situation? You people really think all people are dummies, eh?
I'm going eye test alone and feel that Lukas is ready. I've seen quite a bit of his play live this year and like his progress. I do not agree that Billy is playing the best pool of his life, and he certainly did not play well at the 2024 Mosconi.
Yes. He said so several times.
Didn’t see the need to state the obvious or belabor the point.
I like his progress too, but I want to see another year of major progress. In any case it’s a moot point now as you know.
Matchroom Pool
The Banker is BACK! 🤑 Team USA Captain Skyler Woodward selects Billy Thorpe as the final man for his American side 💥🇺🇸 The Stars and Stripes head to Ally Pally unchanged, looking to finally wrestle...
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Interesting to see MR’s Facebook page give Filler some love, with Filler retweeting. Good stuff. Hope a full reconciliation happens. Josh will still play in lots of Predator events, as well he should, but he should be a centerpiece of WNT promotion as well.
Great River City match with Atencio, displaying a US flag, taking down Carlo 9-8. He was down 8-4. Atencio’s wife is American, he lives here and he is seeking citizenship. Dreams of playing the Mosconi. Big crowd was there in Jacksonville to cheer Atencio on.
Great River City match with Atencio, displaying a US flag, taking down Carlo 9-8. He was down 8-4. Atencio’s wife is American, he lives here and he is seeking citizenship. Dreams of playing the Mosconi. Big crowd was there in Jacksonville to cheer Atencio on.
Interesting that this thread is getting so much play. Does anyone really think Team USA has any chance against Team Europe? It's like doing the same thing over and over and thinking you will get a different result. Ain't gonna happen!
Yes, congrats to Billy, for whom I have always rooted.I like his progress too, but I want to see another year of major progress. In any case it’s a moot point now as you know.
Matchroom Pool
The Banker is BACK! 🤑 Team USA Captain Skyler Woodward selects Billy Thorpe as the final man for his American side 💥🇺🇸 The Stars and Stripes head to Ally Pally unchanged, looking to finally wrestle...
team europe has two rookies, a filler that's been sub-par the latter part of this year and a jayson with some mental scars from the asia trip. problem is team USA players (minus shane) hasn't shown anything lately to suggest they can take advantage of this
FargoRate says that Team USA has about a 30% chance to win the Cup.
HelfertRate says about 10% chance. It would be the upset of the century in pool!
They have the wrong Thor. 
Should be Thor-sten not Thor-pe.
This ageing hitman can still shoot. $15K prizemoney just bit less than Thorpe but this multiple World Champion veteran has far more firepower and better big match player than Thorpe. Thorsten also has better record in WNT so called majors this year- in the money 17th in 2 majors and 33rd in 4 majors while Thorpe only placed 17th in 1 major Florida Open.
If Queen E (or Boss as some players call her) can tweak rules so that Gorst can play for USA, she can most certainly do same for Thorsten.
It’s the Golden Rule-The one with the gold makes the rules.
E and MR can make the rules in this own private invitational as they see fit and don’t have to follow some Sillypics or international sporting federations rules on eligibility.
MR just have to sneak in a “deeming provision” in the rules and deem that Thorsten is eligible to play for USA even though he is not citizen because he has green card and has lived in US for years.
But of cos, we know that will not happen.
Cos (a) Thorsten not a social media star (b) he is old folks (c)path of least resistance for Sky is to just simply call up his buddy Thorpe
Should be Thor-sten not Thor-pe.
This ageing hitman can still shoot. $15K prizemoney just bit less than Thorpe but this multiple World Champion veteran has far more firepower and better big match player than Thorpe. Thorsten also has better record in WNT so called majors this year- in the money 17th in 2 majors and 33rd in 4 majors while Thorpe only placed 17th in 1 major Florida Open.
If Queen E (or Boss as some players call her) can tweak rules so that Gorst can play for USA, she can most certainly do same for Thorsten.
It’s the Golden Rule-The one with the gold makes the rules.
E and MR can make the rules in this own private invitational as they see fit and don’t have to follow some Sillypics or international sporting federations rules on eligibility.
MR just have to sneak in a “deeming provision” in the rules and deem that Thorsten is eligible to play for USA even though he is not citizen because he has green card and has lived in US for years.
But of cos, we know that will not happen.
Cos (a) Thorsten not a social media star (b) he is old folks (c)path of least resistance for Sky is to just simply call up his buddy Thorpe
Agree. Just email her at emily.frazer@matchroom.com (according to this https://matchroompool.com/wp-content/uploads/Final-SVB-Junior-Open-Contract.pdf ).
Create a new gmail azbarmchairgangcomplainstoE@gmail.com and send.
Is Oscar "cleared to play" after his snafu comment when commentating for MR match few years ago ?
If 800+ is A, Europe has 5As. USA has 3 As. It's 5 of a kind vs 3 of kind or Full house at best. Last I checked 5As wins.
To win USA needs 3 things to happen
(a)Fedor and SVB pplay at their speed and are not the worst performers like last year
(b)Filler self destruct (cos of friction some folks say between him and rest of team. Even Panozzo claim friction between Filler and Moritz I think is unlikely)
(c)The 2 rookies implode. Maybe Pijus who is totally new. Moritz should be steadier got some experience at Reyes Cup.
They can make (a) happen but (b) and (c) is out of their control
It's same team 3 years in a row.
There is a word for doing same thing over and over again despite same results--->> Insanity !
Second year in a row. Not thrice. Wolford was the fifth pick two years ago.Agree. Just email her at emily.frazer@matchroom.com (according to this https://matchroompool.com/wp-content/uploads/Final-SVB-Junior-Open-Contract.pdf ).
Create a new gmail azbarmchairgangcomplainstoE@gmail.com and send.
Is Oscar "cleared to play" after his snafu comment when commentating for MR match few years ago ?
If 800+ is A, Europe has 5As. USA has 3 As. It's 5 of a kind vs 3 of kind or Full house at best. Last I checked 5As wins.
To win USA needs 3 things to happen
(a)Fedor and SVB pplay at their speed and are not the worst performers like last year
(b)Filler self destruct (cos of friction some folks say between him and rest of team. Even Panozzo claim friction between Filler and Moritz I think is unlikely)
(c)The 2 rookies implode. Maybe Pijus who is totally new. Moritz should be steadier got some experience at Reyes Cup.
They can make (a) happen but (b) and (c) is out of their control
It's same team 3 years in a row.
There is a word for doing same thing over and over again despite same results--->> Insanity !
If the U.S.was so dependent on the fifth player, the Mosconi is already lost.
The definition of insanity, to me, is picking less talented players, players not on the tour or players out of form simply to try something different.
Wolford got the call in 2023. Young up and comer. He did all right, but what has he done since then? He certainly has not gotten better.
Our best players simply need to play better.