Mosconi Cup: Nine-Ball, Big Pockets, Short Races

jokrswylde · Dec 6, 2018

garczar said:
Snooker and Chinese 8ball are both extremely popular all over Asia. Look how many Asian players are currently on WorldSnookerTour. Some of the Korean and Chinese players are very good.

I guess I just mistakenly assumed with the great chinese and taiwanese players that pool was the bigger cue sport. But then again I am not a huge snooker fan, so I don't keep up with it much. Shoot, as much as space is at a premium in many Asian cities, I am surprised they aren't playing on six foot mini tables:grin:

briankenobi · Dec 6, 2018

Yes the average and above average player likes to see pros on tough equipment, however, it is the casual fan that we need to buy in for the sport to grow. There has to be a reason why they watch. And that number of people outnumbers us players by an exponential value.

ctran · Dec 6, 2018

and i can tell it's more about the rail not bouncy enough, pockets and jaws looks good to me but it's the under bouncy rails make balls travel closer to rails after contact

jokrswylde · Dec 6, 2018

Heck there are a variety of ways to make it tougher that don't even have to do with the table. everything from racking to how ridiculous it is that professionals get to use a jump cue, when most league players have to jump with their player.

If we are going to say the pros need tougher conditions, shouldn't we also advocate that they shouldn't get to use the "crutches" of break tips and jump sticks?

skip100 · Dec 6, 2018

Big pockets mean the players are more aggressive and go for shots. The Mosconi Cup pressure and short time at the table to calibrate break shots means we aren't seeing a parade of break and runs so obviously the pockets are not too big. They would probably be too big for a typical tournament though.

poolhallbanger · Dec 6, 2018

Good Luck today- Mosconi Team USA....

Nobody adjust better to table conditions than the USA. Take away snooker sized
pockets friendly to cue ball movement, banks and jump shots is a recipe favoring
the USA. 9 ball is not a snooker type game it is a shooters game really.
The Mosconi Cup promoters hit the target with rules,table conditions and playing
conditions to make the game much more appealing to the masses as a spectator
sport. I look forward to the US Open in 2019 which hopefully will be the same:thumbup:

9andout · Dec 6, 2018

Swighey said:
It’s an exhibition of sorts but certainly not an exhibition match judging by the reactions of the players. They appear to be going through the full range of emotions associated with being in a pressure cooker situation. Pretty exciting in my book. Long races offers a different kind of excitement. I’m a pool player and think both have their place - in this kind of match up longer races would be boring and would actually defeat the object of the competition.

As for winner breaks, I think a majority of “pool players”on the planet that you are living on find alternate break fairer, more relevant and more exciting.

Not a bad take overall.
The alternate break comment???
NO WAY.

gogg · Dec 6, 2018

I suggest cheerleaders in skimpy attire....

jasonlaus · Dec 6, 2018

What's amazing to me is all the people complaining about big pockets, loud crowd, short races, etc.

Did any of you watch the international open???? 6 people on the rail, 3 of them sleeping, 2 on their phones and 1 watching. Yeah, that's exciting.

You obviously know NOTHING about what people want to see, and YOU are the reason pool is not on TV and is boring as hell.

The place is packed, selling drinks like crazy and everybody there PAID to get in, guess you guys would rather watch in a Church with 3" pockets cause you're all elite pros and watching pool with these pockets is so far below you.

Get a clue!

Jason<---not here to make friends

Paul8ball · Dec 6, 2018

The Mosconi Cup is a made for TV event. The short races are to accommodate that. The pocket size is not so important because the table has new cloth. This means that the table will play easy in spite of the pocket size, due to the slickness of the new cloth.

As for alternating breaks, that is the format on the European Tour, so Matchroom adopted it. It was probably a wise decision due to the shortness of the races.

ChrisinNC · Dec 6, 2018

ctran said:
it's a contest of pressure like nothing else

do you ever see Kaci miss so many shots? Shaw rattle that many shots?

dont spoil the fun by mentioning the table, it affects players equally. EVERY YEAR there are posts about the table.

they got so many things right: the venue, the crowd, the pressure, alternate break, clock shot, team/double/single matches... I actually like the shorter races in such events because it simply allow less margin for errors, thus increasing the pressure.

after all, the teams who put in most efforts in preparation, and play with greater hearts will be rewarded.

As for the spectators, too bad they can't be just a little closer to the table. Why there has to be 20-25 feet of nothing on all 4 sides of the table I can't understand. Those that say this is nothing but an exhibition match are dead wrong, unless you consider the Ryder Cup of golf an exhibition match as well. All you have to do is look at the face of Kaci to know how much winning this event means to the players, as well as to us fans.

ChrisinNC · Dec 6, 2018

Paul8ball said:
The Mosconi Cup is a made for TV event. The short races are to accommodate that. The pocket size is not so important because the table has new cloth. This means that the table will play easy in spite of the pocket size, due to the slickness of the new cloth.

As for alternating breaks, that is the format on the European Tour, so Matchroom adopted it. It was probably a wise decision due to the shortness of the races.

New cloth is precisely the very reason why the pockets do need to be cut tighter for players of this caliber. 4-1/2" corners on newly installed Simonis play like 5" pockets.

Slasher · Dec 6, 2018

garczar said:
Snooker always had a big following in the U.K. It just took Barry Hearn to get it out of the 'ol smoky clubs and on to t.v. The nature of the game itself leads to longer matches. Pool, not so much. If the MC had gone with super tight pockets and longer matches it would not have lasted so long. I could see a MC-style snooker event with club-size pockets and shorter matches. I'd watch for sure. I love watching snooker but its the time issue that keeps me from watching more.

Historical error, Barry was no where near World Snooker when it hit the tv screens.

Grilled Cheese · Dec 6, 2018

jasonlaus said:
What's amazing to me is all the people complaining about big pockets, loud crowd, short races, etc.

Did any of you watch the international open???? 6 people on the rail, 3 of them sleeping, 2 on their phones and 1 watching. Yeah, that's exciting.

You obviously know NOTHING about what people want to see, and YOU are the reason pool is not on TV and is boring as hell.

The place is packed, selling drinks like crazy and everybody there PAID to get in, guess you guys would rather watch in a Church with 3" pockets cause you're all elite pros and watching pool with these pockets is so far below you.

Get a clue!

Jason<---not here to make friends

Well said. No, I don't want to be your friend. But you speak truth here.

Pool, on its own - no matter which way you package it or present it, has a tough time gaining favor with fans. The MC is pretty much about as fast and exciting and aggressive as you can make pool.

I'm not counting the nonsense of 7-ball and other formats tried by ESPN...

That said, all these hard core fans and their opinions are awful for the game.

Speaking of churches. While at the MC they silence the crowd for the shot - I appreciate the loudness. It's more fun for the fans. The heckling is not so good, but fan noise is OK.

I've been to several high level tournaments....

AWFUL. I did not enjoy them at all. And I don't attend them anymore. I'm not a rowdy person at all, pretty quiet actually - but it isn't fun to be so restricted. The atmosphere at these tournaments sucks.

I don't care if it effects their concentration. Learn to concentrate with the noise. In most sports, top athletes have to deal with noise. Are you a pro or not? Of all the things pool could have adopted from other sports, it adopted the WORST thing ever from golf, and that is being silent during shots.

The players are all hypocrites anyway. At a major tournament, they demand silence and stillness. But world class players will slug it out for even more cash in a pool room with the jukebox blaring the most obnoxious rap or metal music, skimpy dressed waitresses walking around, people banging balls, yelling at hooting at the bar, smoke, food being served and eaten....

Whatever!

Pool players and their fans deserve each other in a race to the bottom.

garczar · Dec 6, 2018

Slasher said:
Historical error, Barry was no where near World Snooker when it hit the tv screens.

You are correct. PotBlack started in late '60's sometime. When Hearn and S. Davis hooked-up is when players actually started making serious coin. In '80 first place was 15k(pounds). From that point on the money, both tournament and sponsorship, has skyrocketed.

AlienObserver · Dec 6, 2018

Grilled Cheese said:
I don't care if it effects their concentration. Learn to concentrate with the noise. In most sports, top athletes have to deal with noise. Are you a pro or not? Of all the things pool could have adopted from other sports, it adopted the WORST thing ever from golf, and that is being silent during shots.

While you have a (half) point and I can (almost) agree with you, you are ignoring some important things.
Yes, in most sports athletes deal with crowd noise, but NOT in precision sports. Pool is nothing like swimming for example, almost the complete opposite. But pool has some common aspects with archery, air pistol shooting to name a few precision sports. Have you ever heard drunks shouting "EUUUUUUROOOOPE" or "USAAAAAAA" on the olympics while an athlete takes his/her bow to shoot a target???

Btw, being silent during shots isn't exclusive to those precision sports. Have you watched a tennis match? The ref calls for silence in the entire duration of the point (or rally, i don't know what is called in English). Same in table tennis. Are you telling me that Federer can't play if you cheering him on? Of course he can play, but maybe not to his best.

Being a spectator isn't fun only if you are shouting. Can't you appreciate what is in front of you while silent for the duration of the game??

BTW, being silent as a spectator isn't exclusive to sports in general. Classical music concerts require the audience to keep their mouth shut and minimize their movements to eliminate all other sounds. Still, people who go to see and listen to an orchestra enjoy the experience, even tho they didn't sing themselves.
Yeah, the musicians that play in the Berlin Philharmonic are world class musicians and can play their instrument while being at a party with everyone shouting and stuff. But when it comes to play seriously and follow the conductor and produce the feelings required to do the music justice they are gonna ask you to be silent.

pt109 · Dec 6, 2018

Icon of Sin said:
Looks like a shit (show )to me... but that's part of it's success and appeal. It's the one pool event where the crowd gets to interact well more then what they should... the crowds rowdy reaction is also an example of what might attract the average channel surfer. They might stop on their favorite UK sports channel and see pool on. Where they might normally watch for a couple minutes, they instead watch a little longer because the event is more fast paced, rowdy, and exciting.

The tournament overall is a gimmick and the table is a gaff and the crowd is a joke... add all these things together and throw the best pool players in the world in the mix and you got something that pool fans and non pool fans can watch.

Am I happy US is doing well this year? Sure. Do I really care if they win? No. In the grand scheme of things it is a glorified exhibition match and free pay day that does not showcase the players true abilities.

Not only this event, but other majors as well, it seems the equipment is a bit too easy at least when it comes to ball pocketing. I've seen so many shots that should hang up or spit out but are accepted... but I guess this also goes towards the entertainment side of the game. Who wants to watch pros rattle balls? Not the average viewer... they want to see them spear the long table length straight in shot at Mach 1.

In my opinion,( the average to above average pool player likes to see the pros struggle on a tougher table.) It reminds them that the pros are human as well and can miss the same shots you are missing. It also gives a greater respect to the pro when they so spear that hard shot on tighter pockets. When they fire the ball straight in rather then hitting 1 or more diamonds up with the pocket still accepting it.

Key word...it IS a show....and it’s earned it’s place in the game....
...would I like to see more of these?....NO....but I want the Mosconi every year.

And the game needs more than players for spectators...it needs everybody...
....snooker’s success is partly due to a great many spectators who can’t hit the end rail.

poolguy4u · Dec 6, 2018

gogg said:
I suggest cheerleaders in skimpy attire....

.

:thumbup:

I was thinking yesterday that there should be woman at least carrying the pool cues into the playing area.....kind of like the ring girls at UFC fights.

.

WoodyMPW · Dec 6, 2018

poolguy4u said:
.

:thumbup:

I was thinking yesterday that there should be woman at least carrying the pool cues into the playing area.....kind of like the ring girls at UFC fights.

.

And mud wrestling. Then at least the wooooooo's might make sense.

hang-the-9 · Dec 6, 2018

Paul Schofield said:
I mention it every year. The most exciting, interesting, and successful event in our sport, the Mosconi Cup, chooses to host short races playing nine-ball, alternate breaks on generous tables. Looks right to me. I don't see ten-ball, long sets, winner breaks, on stingie tables, a path to growth and popularity.

I don't mind the shorter races because there are 11 of them, at least. And alternate break evens out the luck a bit as well make it more even in a shorter race. I would like to see no jump cues. Although this year was the first time US took advantage of jumps to win games and matches. No way can you have long sets in an event like this with many different match-ups. Maybe if they made it a race to 9 sets, races to 7.

Mosconi Cup: Nine-Ball, Big Pockets, Short Races

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