New MC cup captain team USA

Kickin' Chicken

Kickin' Chicken

Kick Shot Aficionado
Silver Member
pro9dg said:
Let's not be fooled by the jingoistic tones of many posters on this (and related threads).

US pool needs some European, (particularly UK) influence to give it some backbone.
Johann's appointment is just the tip of an iceberg. Darren, Jayson,Mika, Thorsten are all raising the standard in US tournaments.

Now Darren has shown you how to run a proper professional event with his World Series and The World 8 Ball and World 9 Ball Championships were rooted in Britain.
The World Pool Masters, The World Cup of Pool and The Mosconi Cup are all masterminded from the UK.
Finally Allison, Karen, Kelly, Julie Gerda, Ewa and Jasmin are keeping ladies pool alive.

Oh and I nearly forgot Mark Cantrill is the star of American Billiards Radio and
J P Parmentier is pool's greatest photographer bar none.
Still they keep coming - Mosconi Cup referee, Welshman Nigel Rees and Florida Tour supremo Tony Crosby

WHO IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MAN IN POOL? It's a No Brainer - Luke Riches
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Doug;

I generally enjoy and even agree with your views and contributions here on azb but what I've highlighted in red above is offensive. It may well be your opinion but it is offensive, nonetheless, at least to me.

Like you Brits, we Americans have a lot of pride and despite performing poorly in MC play for many years, I'm sure we do not require "some European, (particularly UK) influence to give it some backbone."

With all due respect.

best,
brian kc
 
JCIN

JCIN

TheActionReport.com
Gold Member
pro9dg said:
Let's not be fooled by the jingoistic tones of many posters on this (and related threads).

US pool needs some European, (particularly UK) influence to give it some backbone.
Johann's appointment is just the tip of an iceberg. Darren, Jayson,Mika, Thorsten are all raising the standard in US tournaments.

Now Darren has shown you how to run a proper professional event with his World Series and The World 8 Ball and World 9 Ball Championships were rooted in Britain.
The World Pool Masters, The World Cup of Pool and The Mosconi Cup are all masterminded from the UK.
Finally Allison, Karen, Kelly, Julie Gerda, Ewa and Jasmin are keeping ladies pool alive.

Oh and I nearly forgot Mark Cantrill is the star of American Billiards Radio and
J P Parmentier is pool's greatest photographer bar none.
Still they keep coming - Mosconi Cup referee, Welshman Nigel Rees and Florida Tour supremo Tony Crosby

WHO IS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL MAN IN POOL? It's a No Brainer - Luke Riches
Click to expand...

Oh please. Backbone. The US team this year would drag its balls across a mile of broken glass to gamble with the Euro team every day for a month. Tournament pool and made for tv gaffe events are not all pool is about. Luke Riches is a nice guy but to Americans he has virtually no impact compared to a guy like Greg Sullivan.

If Europe is so awesome all the Euros would of stayed there. They didnt. They came here. Where they got their top level education in the game.

This coach choice is terrible and will really hurt the enthusiasm for this years cup. One player from this years team is already talking about not playing if picked again this year. No one wants a European coach. No one. If they follow through with this I am done giving a shit about the Cup and I suspect there will be many others on both sides who feel the same way.
 
tduncan

tduncan

Bet something...
Silver Member
JCIN said:
Oh please. Backbone. The US team this year would drag its balls across a mile of broken glass to gamble with the Euro team every day for a month. Tournament pool and made for tv gaffe events are not all pool is about. Luke Riches is a nice guy but to Americans he has virtually no impact compared to a guy like Greg Sullivan.

If Europe is so awesome all the Euros would of stayed there. They didnt. They came here. Where they got their top level education in the game.

This coach choice is terrible and will really hurt the enthusiasm for this years cup. One player from this years team is already talking about not playing if picked again this year. No one wants a European coach. No one. If they follow through with this I am done giving a shit about the Cup and I suspect there will be many others on both sides who feel the same way.
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I agree. It's a joke & purely for TV ratings, bringing added drama to the made for TV event. They will hype it big on Sky Sports.
 
Celtic

Celtic

AZB's own 8-ball jihadist
Silver Member
JCIN said:
The US team this year would drag its balls across a mile of broken glass to gamble with the Euro team every day for a month.
Click to expand...

Beyond SVB that statement is BS. Oscar stepped up to try Karl in a long session for big cash and is currently getting his nuts shot off. Almost no one in the Action Room was taking Oscar even, everyone wanted to bet on Karl unless they were getting odds on the money. American chances to beat the top Euro's for the cash (the ones that gamble) begin and end at SVB.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Celtic said:
Beyond SVB that statement is BS. Oscar stepped up to try Karl in a long session for big cash and is currently getting his nuts shot off. Almost no one in the Action Room was taking Oscar even, everyone wanted to bet on Karl unless they were getting odds on the money. American chances to beat the top Euro's for the cash (the ones that gamble) begin and end at SVB.
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Notice that his statement is mostly a hypothetical. "Would" gamble. As long as we've been getting our asses handed to us this has always been the hypothetical - in long races, in gambling matches, the Mosconi Cup is a gaffed tournament, blah blah whine whine ego ego.

The only problem with this captain pick is that if American egos are too fragile, if we're too stupid, and if we're more interested in BS hypotheticals too protect our egos than to actually try to improve. And we all know that it's true, that is the American character right now. So it was a terrible pick, for no other reason than our egos and our stupidity. And in light of that I guess it was the perfect day to make the pick. I hope I'm wrong, but it sure seems that way.
 
Tin Man

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here is the problem: US cannot win now.

If we lose to Europe, we lose to Europe.
If we beat Europe, we needed a European coach to beat Europe.

Either way the US loses and the flame wars continue.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tin Man said:
Here is the problem: US cannot win now.

If we lose to Europe, we lose to Europe.
If we beat Europe, we needed a European coach to beat Europe.

Either way the US loses and the flame wars continue.
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That doesn't have to be true. It's only true if our egos are too big and stupid. If we're adults there's no problem whatsoever in getting help from a European coach.
 
TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
Was Nick Varner busy that week? Archer? Heck, how about Strickland?
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All three are busy coaching the European team.

Selecting a European to coach the USA team is a joke. Even if he does a good job and we win, we lose.

Matchroom, you still have time to change this moronic decision. I usually watch the competition, but I view this Us versus Them team competition as contrived. This, however, is actually laughable.
 
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H

HelloBaby-

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JCIN said:
Oh please. Backbone. The US team this year would drag its balls across a mile of broken glass to gamble with the Euro team every day for a month. Tournament pool and made for tv gaffe events are not all pool is about. Luke Riches is a nice guy but to Americans he has virtually no impact compared to a guy like Greg Sullivan.

If Europe is so awesome all the Euros would of stayed there. They didnt. They came here. Where they got their top level education in the game.

This coach choice is terrible and will really hurt the enthusiasm for this years cup. One player from this years team is already talking about not playing if picked again this year. No one wants a European coach. No one. If they follow through with this I am done giving a shit about the Cup and I suspect there will be many others on both sides who feel the same way.
Click to expand...

Let's see if "he" follows through with his "talking" lol. Sorry no offense but I'd take a bet that's not gonna happen. Wake up! It's free lunch and is a damn big one for almost all of them
 
TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
BRussell said:
That doesn't have to be true. It's only true if our egos are too big and stupid. If we're adults there's no problem whatsoever in getting help from a European coach.
Click to expand...

Getting help or coaching is one thing, but a team captain is another.
 
JCIN

JCIN

TheActionReport.com
Gold Member
Celtic said:
Beyond SVB that statement is BS. Oscar stepped up to try Karl in a long session for big cash and is currently getting his nuts shot off. Almost no one in the Action Room was taking Oscar even, everyone wanted to bet on Karl unless they were getting odds on the money. American chances to beat the top Euro's for the cash (the ones that gamble) begin and end at SVB.
Click to expand...

Was Oscar on the Cup team this year?
 
JCIN

JCIN

TheActionReport.com
Gold Member
HelloBaby- said:
Let's see if "he" follows through with his "talking" lol. Sorry no offense but I'd take a bet that's not gonna happen. Wake up! It's free lunch and is a damn big one for almost all of them
Click to expand...

Yeah. I have a long history of not knowing what I am talking about.
 
Tin Man

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
no ego

BRussell said:
That doesn't have to be true. It's only true if our egos are too big and stupid. If we're adults there's no problem whatsoever in getting help from a European coach.
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I get what you're saying, but I still feel this way. It's not about ego. It's about needing help from the opposition to win.

If I play someone and need games on the wire to win, it's not a blow to my ego, but it is an admission that I can't win even up.

I think getting a European coach is tantamount to resigning altogether.

That said, I am a big fan of our US Players and will be rooting them on.
 
Celtic

Celtic

AZB's own 8-ball jihadist
Silver Member
JCIN said:
Was Oscar on the Cup team this year?
Click to expand...

Because Sky or Rodney or Dechaine are really chomping at the bit to play Karl straight up you figure? Oscar seems to be one of the few people actually getting out there and trying to match up with better players.

Your whole "The US team this year would drag its balls across a mile of broken glass to gamble with the Euro team every day for a month" is crap if you are talking about rotation pool. Shaw played on the MC last year, who do you like on team America to beat him, SVB maybe? Would you bet a single dime even in rotation pool on ANYONE else from Team USA against Shaw? Because I can tell you flat out the entire Action Room will line up to take your action even if Shaw plays Dechaine, Justin, Sky, or Rodney at this point.

Appleton gambled back in the day before his back started getting screwed up. Do you really think Sky or Dechaine or Rodney or even Justin were chomping at the bit to play Appleton straight up for cash in rotation pool? Yeah freaking right... Back when Appleton was healthy and gambling he was playing the top guys, the squibs were not knocking on his door, at all. Most tried to get him to play one pocket, they wanted none of him in rotation pool.
 
JCIN

JCIN

TheActionReport.com
Gold Member
Celtic said:
Because Sky or Rodney or Dechaine are really chomping at the bit to play Karl straight up you figure? Oscar seems to be one of the few people actually getting out there and trying to match up with better players.

Your whole "The US team this year would drag its balls across a mile of broken glass to gamble with the Euro team every day for a month" is crap if you are talking about rotation pool. Shaw played on the MC last year, who do you like on team America to beat him, SVB maybe? Would you bet a single dime even in rotation pool on ANYONE else from Team USA against Shaw? Because I can tell you flat out the entire Action Room will line up to take your action even if Shaw plays Dechaine, Justin, Sky, or Rodney at this point.

Appleton gambled back in the day before his back started getting screwed up. Do you really think Sky or Dechaine or Rodney or even Justin were chomping at the bit to play Appleton straight up for cash in rotation pool? Yeah freaking right... Back when Appleton was healthy and gambling he was playing the top guys, the squibs were not knocking on his door, at all. Most tried to get him to play one pocket, they wanted none of him in rotation pool.
Click to expand...

Believe what you will. Far as I'm concerned the Cup has went full retard with this move. They do shit like this to drum up drama and interest. I'm done caring about it.
 
P

pro9dg

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How many of you cognoscenti on AZ have made the connection between the Next Big Thing that you are predicting namely Ruslan Chinakov. Johann is his coach.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JCIN said:
Believe what you will. Far as I'm concerned the Cup has went full retard with this move. They do shit like this to drum up drama and interest. I'm done caring about it.
Click to expand...

The only reason they did this is that they're desperate for the Mosconi Cup to be competitive, and Ruijsink has a reputation as a great coach who turned Europe from losers to winners.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
BRussell said:
The only reason they did this is that they're desperate for the Mosconi Cup to be competitive, and Ruijsink has a reputation as a great coach who turned Europe from losers to winners.
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Actually, it's one part desperation combined with two parts stupidity.

The desperation is reasonable, as Team USA has performed poorly in the past few years, but it's just plain stupid to believe that a coach alone will even come close to bridging the giant gap between Team USA and Team Europe.

The coach that turns Team USA around will be the one that works with his players to improve specific skills in which they've shown weakness in Mosconi Cups past. The idea that a coach living overseas will be the one to accomplish this is just plain stupid.

Hence, after tabulating, it's one part desperation and two parts stupidity.
 
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