Justin Bergman going to Mosconi Cup for Team USA

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Oze147

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wow...this is a surprising decision.
Johan definitely didn't went the easy way there.

In my eyes this will put some extra pressure on the coach, Justin and team USA in general.
And even if all goes well and team USA even defents their title, it might bite them in the ass next year, when the players think they can ignore the selection process and hope they might make the team, if they just put together a stellar performance at the right moment.

But that is a decision every coach has to make every now and then: do you reward the hard worker or do you reward the shining star.
We will see how it will turn out...it definitely adds some extra spice to this years MC.
 
Cardigan Kid

Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BRussell said:
Yeah, I agree. I think it was the right decision in the end, but it means that the last 3 months of the selection process didn't work.
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Aside from having a defined North American pro tour that regularly plays on Mosconi caliber tables in Mosconi caliber conditions, I don’t know if there can be a selection process that doesn’t have flaws.

Coach Marcus has the top 3 ranked Euro tour players and 2 captain’s picks.
Coach Johan has 5 captain’s picks. So many variables to consider.

I thought it was Corey’s spot to lose since he was on last year’s team, but was also the most under performing player on last years team.
I also understand Max beat Justin in the mini tournament to go with the team to Moscow. He performed well in Moscow, but in my opinion, he never looked comfortable under the pressure in that format. He looked very tense and rigid, and came with some big shots to win his 1 on 1 match, but I wasn’t entirely convinced he could play better than Corey did last year under the lights and cheers of the Mosconi Cup.

Now, Bergman, to me, was one of the few players who looked comfortable in the Mosconi environment back when Coach Wilson picked him for the team. Billy Thorpe is another American that just looks comfortable and performs as such at Mosconi.

I seriously think, Billy and Justin, or Skyler and Justin can win against any two European players in a race to 5.
Can’t say the same about Billy and Max/Corey or Skylar and Max/Corey.
Just my opinion and view point, that’s all.
 
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sgonzalez34

sgonzalez34

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
Johan gets a lot of credit from me for having the balls to make the right decision for the team. There is no question that Justin is playing better than any other U.S. player right now so how can you overlook that, especially if your goal is to have the winning team.



In other professional sports players get traded, cut and sent down all the time. That is the nature of the game. Why shouldn't a pro billiards coach be able to do what's best for his team? Good for Johan and Jeremy too. They made a tough call, but the right one imo.
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Completely agree.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
jasonlaus

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
Max or Corey lost a minimum $15,000 up to $30,000 at the Int Open. That's a huge entry fee!

Bergman won an additional $15k min possibly $30k at the Open.

That's a big hit for as little as they make to begin with.
 
D

decent dennis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just saw on Max's Facebook page that he congratulated Justin as the pick. Very classy response but thats what i expected from him.
 
jasonlaus

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
decent dennis said:
Just saw on Max's Facebook page that he congratulated Justin as the pick. Very classy response but thats what i expected from him.
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Saw that too. Corey hasn't posted - probably for the best, he had to think he was in after going further than Max. Huge amount of $$$$ gone.
 
BRussell

BRussell

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cardigan Kid said:
Aside from having a defined North American pro tour that regularly plays on Mosconi caliber tables in Mosconi caliber conditions, I don’t know if there can be a selection process that doesn’t have flaws.

Coach Marcus has the top 3 ranked Euro tour players and 2 captain’s picks.
Coach Johan has 5 captain’s picks. So many variables to consider.

I thought it was Corey’s spot to lose since he was on last year’s team, but was also the most under performing player on last years team.
I also understand Max beat Justin in the mini tournament to go with the team to Moscow. He performed well in Moscow, but in my opinion, he never looked comfortable under the pressure in that format. He looked very tense and rigid, and came with some big shots to win his 1 on 1 match, but I wasn’t entirely convinced he could play better than Corey did last year under the lights and cheers of the Mosconi Cup.

Now, Bergman, to me, was one of the few players who looked comfortable in the Mosconi environment back when Coach Wilson picked him for the team. Billy Thorpe is another American that just looks comfortable and performs as such at Mosconi.

I seriously think, Billy and Justin, or Skyler and Justin can win against any two European players in a race to 5.
Can’t say the same about Billy and Max/Corey or Skylar and Max/Corey.
Just my opinion and view point, that’s all.
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Right, and I think Johann has wanted to act as more of a coach and teacher than just a figurehead, so he does this months-long working and traveling with the contenders. I guess the US could go back to the process they used for a few years, with tournaments and points and then the captain's picks. But it's hard to argue with success.
 
Joe_Jaguar

Joe_Jaguar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jasonlaus said:
Saw that too. Corey hasn't posted - probably for the best, he had to think he was in after going further than Max. Huge amount of $$$$ gone.
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He made a post a few hours ago:

Corey.jpg
 
pwd72s

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
Count me among those surprised in light of the earlier selection processes.

But now?

GO USA!
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Oze147 said:
And even if all goes well and team USA even defents their title, it might bite them in the ass next year, when the players think they can ignore the selection process and hope they might make the team, if they just put together a stellar performance at the right moment.
Click to expand...

Exactly right, and the hurt party might just American pool.

Regular participation in the European and top worldwide events is a prerequisite for Team Europe, with three automatic qualifying spots reserved for those who shine brightest in competition. The European wildcards have always gone to players that had big years in the elite competitions but narrowly missed earning an automatic spot.

Bergman is obviously America's second best player but he largely took a year off from competition, rarely playing in anything, focusing more on action matches, as was his every right.

The message here is clear and it is that earning a spot on Team USA does not require regular participation in the top American events. Those who aspire to make Team USA one day will surely take note and may be less inclined to play in as many events as would otherwise be advisable. This could hurt the turnout for some American events, and the loser would be American pool itself if it turned out this way.
 
pwd72s

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
sjm said:
Exactly right, and the hurt party might just American pool.

Regular participation in the European and top worldwide events is a prerequisite for Team Europe, with three automatic qualifying spots reserved for those who shine brightest in competition. The European wildcards have always gone to players that had big years in the elite competitions but narrowly missed earning an automatic spot.

Bergman is obviously America's second best player but he largely took a year off from competition, rarely playing in anything, focusing more on action matches, as was his every right.

The message here is clear and it is that earning a spot on Team USA does not require regular participation in the top American events. Those who aspire to make Team USA one day will surely take note and may be less inclined to play in as many events as would otherwise be advisable. This could hurt the turnout for some American events, and the loser would be American pool itself if it turned out this way.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Sad, and true.
 
K

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
Exactly right, and the hurt party might just American pool.



Bergman is obviously America's second best player but he largely took a year off from competition, rarely playing in anything, focusing more on action matches, as was his every right.
.
Click to expand...

Is Bergman "obviously" america's second best player? I keep hearing that Mike D is or that Corey is? How are we determining this, buy one tournament?
 
O

Oze147

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
Exactly right, and the hurt party might just American pool.

Regular participation in the European and top worldwide events is a prerequisite for Team Europe, with three automatic qualifying spots reserved for those who shine brightest in competition. The European wildcards have always gone to players that had big years in the elite competitions but narrowly missed earning an automatic spot.

Bergman is obviously America's second best player but he largely took a year off from competition, rarely playing in anything, focusing more on action matches, as was his every right.

The message here is clear and it is that earning a spot on Team USA does not require regular participation in the top American events. Those who aspire to make Team USA one day will surely take note and may be less inclined to play in as many events as would otherwise be advisable. This could hurt the turnout for some American events, and the loser would be American pool itself if it turned out this way.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with you.

I think it depends on how "the second row" in American pool sees the situation.
Woodward, Styer and Thorpe accepted that they need this events, not only to make the MC but to close the gap to Shane and the rest of the world elite.
Bergman is the big exeption and maybe the only US player besides Shane who can keep up with the top, besides not having international experience.

USA needs more hungry young players, who want to leave the country to improve and if this happens one good performance won't be enough to convince Johann to overthrow the whole selection process.

That said, Bergman has the talent, the skill and the calmness to be one of the key players in this years Cup.
But I think we all just would wish for seeing him more often in big events. It would bring him and the sport to the next level.
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
jasonlaus said:
Saw that too. Corey hasn't posted - probably for the best, he had to think he was in after going further than Max. Huge amount of $$$$ gone.
Click to expand...

Joe_Jaguar said:
He made a post a few hours ago:

89D54D27-9A0B-44DB-87AF-DE578F177F31.jpeg

/QUOTE]

Corey can take care of himself.....he told me he started betting on JB as a saver bet....:)

Justin earned the spot...he was parking whitey on a dime....
...but he better practise with a shot clock
Click to expand...
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
King T said:
Is Bergman "obviously" america's second best player? I keep hearing that Mike D is or that Corey is? How are we determining this, buy one tournament?
Click to expand...

Mike D is semi-retired. He still plays great, though. At the Steinway Classic, his two losses were double hill to eventual champion Hohmann and 11-9 to SVB. He can still compete with the elite. No doubt he'd be top three if he ever got serious about pool again, but he works full time.

Future BCA Hall of Famer Corey Deuel isn't even in the discussion.

Skyler is as clearly third as Bergman is second, after being 2018 Mosconi MVP and Derby City 9-ball Champion.
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Did anyone pay for the expenses to go to Russia for the five Team USA contenders? I'm just curious.
 
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