The Mosconi Cup 2014 onwards

pro9dg said:

In view of the poor showing by the US team maybe it is time for a radical rethink of how future US teams are compiled. Under the status quo it can only be a matter of time before public interest in a One Horse Race fades.

What would work is for someone to come up with a proposal to Matchroom to take responsibility for the US team. They could then compile a squad of maybe 10 younger players who would be the core from which future players are selected.

They could associate with each other at other major events and hopefully engender some team spirit over the course of a season. Maybe the US might have a chance then.

How about that one for Badi Navhat if he wants to get a foothold in the American game. In the longer term he could enlarge his squad up to 16 or 32 and have a tournament schedule just for them. They would be the only TRUE US PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS.

Click to expand...

Every year, Matchroom has to adjust the qualification rules for Americans because of our fractured pool industry here.

Truth be told, Doug, I'm not sure what the answer is at this juncture. With no pro tour and with the BCA having comupletely turned its back on professional pool here in the United States, the existing lot of professional pool players continues to dwindle. Heck, they're not even allowed to compete in many regional tournaments today. They have become a pariah. Because of the actions of a few Bonus Ball players, some American promoters have banned them from future events, resulting in all American aspiring pros and pro players suffering the consequences.

I like your idea of Badi and creating a legitimate tour. Pool is for sale right now to the right buyer. Kevin Trudeau and Bonus Ball failed, albeit for different reasons, to create a professional sport of pocket billiards.

My suggestion would be this. If Badi decides to give pool a second chance, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE somebody advise him to stay away from advice received from Americans pros and American media. He needs to seek expertise from different sources and come up with a brand-new vision for pool.

It will take money, patience, and a neutral entity in charge to turn professional pool around. It can't happen overnight, of course, but if Badi or anybody, for that matter, were to come with a plan, it might take hold. Currently, Joey T. and Mike Sigel are working on a tour that holds promise to create professionalism in professional pool.

I'm just a railbird today, but my excitement for pool slips away when I read this forum from time to time. Thus, this is why I take a hiatus. American pool culture is cruel to its own, and this forum is a good example of it. :frown:

create a new tour in the US modelled after Eurotour or the GB9 tour. They seem both be doing quite fine. Then just cold and hard ranking.....top5 in the rolling ranking at the end of October go into Mosconi-team (if Matchroom approves of course....their money, they call the shots).

pro9dg said:

In view of the poor showing by the US team maybe it is time for a radical rethink of how future US teams are compiled. Under the status quo it can only be a matter of time before public interest in a One Horse Race fades.

Click to expand...

Not so sure about your one horse race thought. The United States took the trophy home 11 of the first 13 years. The interest stayed around pretty well through all of that.

Shannon.spronk said:

Not so sure about your one horse race thought. The United States took the trophy home 11 of the first 13 years. The interest stayed around pretty well through all of that.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Just because we've been on the losing end for a while doesn't mean the whole thing has to be blown up.

Its still a great show. And hopefully our guys will make it more of a match next year. Maybe yet this year, heh heh

pro9dg said:

In view of the poor showing by the US team maybe it is time for a radical rethink of how future US teams are compiled. Under the status quo it can only be a matter of time before public interest in a One Horse Race fades.

What would work is for someone to come up with a proposal to Matchroom to take responsibility for the US team. They could then compile a squad of maybe 10 younger players who would be the core from which future players are selected.

They could associate with each other at other major events and hopefully engender some team spirit over the course of a season. Maybe the US might have a chance then.

How about that one for Badi Navhat if he wants to get a foothold in the American game. In the longer term he could enlarge his squad up to 16 or 32 and have a tournament schedule just for them. They would be the only TRUE US PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS.

Click to expand...

In any sport or situation a philosophy needs to be adopted and put in place. One that fits the bill here is; PREVENTION rather than CURE. At the moment the USA are seeking ways to CURE their current crop of players at the highest level. Until the USA face the fact that a return to the BIG TIME will TAKE TIME and the only way is to build from the grass roots up, then there will be a danger that future Mosconi Cups will be re-vamped or even scrapped due to lack of opposition.

IF the USA can accept that a prevention plan of action needs to be in place rather than a cure of current affairs then WE WILL ALL BE IN FOR A TREAT!

Right now; it's men against boys - even the MC live commentary has begun to acknowledge this... and it's most of the boys who are petuantly sat in their chairs like naughty school boys - out of frustration!

pro9dg said:

Maybe CJ or Mark Griffin would like to take on such a project. It would not require a massive outlay and would create a home based interest in your team. They could capitalise on that by the members of the squad touring around and accepting challenges from 2, 3 or 4 man teams.

Click to expand...

This would work temporarily if a proposed team was to be taken outside of the USA and challenged teams from Europe and Asia, which would incur costs. :thumbup:
But again this is just seeking a cure...

Tennis

justadub said:

Agreed. Just because we've been on the losing end for a while doesn't mean the whole thing has to be blown up.

Its still a great show. And hopefully our guys will make it more of a match next year. Maybe yet this year, heh heh

Click to expand...

The ATP realized years ago, with Pete Sampras and Agassi on the way out, there were not very many players on course to ''hold the line'' when it comes to the next generation of Great players, so what did they do. The ATP took control and implemented a structurally sound Instructors program for youth. The results are before us now.

Shannon.spronk said:

Not so sure about your one horse race thought. The United States took the trophy home 11 of the first 13 years. The interest stayed around pretty well through all of that.

Click to expand...

In the first 13 years Europe couldn't even put a team together let alone win. That's why Matchroom settled for using MEGA FAMOUS Snooker personalities like Davis, Higgins and White to sell the product (rather than compete) as an exhibition worldwide and thus creating a curious generation of European players that there now is!

The issues Matchroom are faced with now are the same; trying to sell a product. However, the big difference today is that everyone now knows if you can screen pool on Asian TV, millions of viewers WILL tune in. So the key issue is one of sporting interest...
An interested viewer will tune in again and again and again. Knowing the result before it happens is like watching paint dry, even for the most die-hard fans.

It's hard to get my point across on this as its quite complex...
However, I agree with Prodg on this point! :thumbup:

Let's all be real for two seconds. The Mosconi Cup isn't making players rich. There's no good return on investment for the players. In fact financially, they're maximizing profit doing it how they do it now. There will be no training and team building exercises, those things cost money that broke pool players don't have. I know the guys care about Team USA this week, but they are not hitting balls practicing year round thinking about playing for Team USA. Ask any of them if they'd rather have the trophy or the money.

The Cup is first and foremost an event produced for TV and entertainment.
Before Matchroom decides to change it, they must figure out if it's failed in its goal.

If people keep tuning in and advertisers keep coming back, then the show is a success...
why would they radically change anything?
It's possible some people enjoy watching a good old predictable beating.
Think of the 1990's Chicago Bulls.

I think their selection process was geared towards having some 'characters' and more
of the old American legends this year, since it's the 20th anniversary.
Next year, I think they will go back to focusing on the young guys who are playing well
and winning titles right now rather than a decade ago.

mikeyfrost said:

Let's all be real for two seconds. The Mosconi Cup isn't making players rich. There's no good return on investment for the players. In fact financially, they're maximizing profit doing it how they do it now. There will be no training and team building exercises, those things cost money that broke pool players don't have. I know the guys care about Team USA this week, but they are not hitting balls practicing year round thinking about playing for Team USA. Ask any of them if they'd rather have the trophy or the money.

Click to expand...

I dunno, I think for the possible reward of an extra $7,500 x 5,
they could risk buying a coach plane ticket, to get in the same city for maybe a week.

You can fly across the country for like $350 if you book in advance,
get a group rate at a hotel, and no pool room would charge 'em a dime to practice all day.

CreeDo said:

Next year, I think they will go back to focusing on the young guys who are playing well and winning titles right now rather than a decade ago.

Click to expand...

Tap, tap, tap!!!

Maniac

CreeDo said:

I dunno, I think for the possible reward of an extra $7,500 x 5,
they could risk buying a coach plane ticket, to get in the same city for maybe a week.

You can fly across the country for like $350 if you book in advance,
get a group rate at a hotel, and no pool room would charge 'em a dime to practice all day.

Click to expand...

They would not have to inquire extra costs like you note. There are many times during the year where they are already in the same place. All it would take was effort and planning to stay or arrive a day earlier for said sessions. Although I do not believe they need practice sessions, but it could be beneficial to walk through the rules or changes that may help their event. This year the break was a known big change yet they do not have a plan of attack that is working which could of been worked on prior to.

Why not let the pool public vote for the players who go to Mosconi Cup?? Like baseball does picking the All Star team...Then whatever happens we can't complain...Seems like everyone has a different pick each year on who should be there...
Not sure the format should be changed..We didn't complain when we were winning...

CreeDo said:

The Cup is first and foremost an event produced for TV and entertainment.
Before Matchroom decides to change it, they must figure out if it's failed in its goal.

If people keep tuning in and advertisers keep coming back, then the show is a success...
why would they radically change anything?
It's possible some people enjoy watching a good old predictable beating.
Think of the 1990's Chicago Bulls.

I think their selection process was geared towards having some 'characters' and more
of the old American legends this year, since it's the 20th anniversary.
Next year, I think they will go back to focusing on the young guys who are playing well
and winning titles right now rather than a decade ago.

Click to expand...

I don't think anyone is calling the MC show a failure, on the contrary. It's the only show we've got and we want to keep it, not lose it :thumbup:

In the 1990's I used to complete my college work before 6pm and be in bed by 7pm in order to wake up at 3am to watch the Chicago Bulls! Why? Because they had one man who defied reality (proven by NASA) and week in week out he delivered ALL THE TIME under outrageous pressure. World audiences wanted to share and be part of this success story. AND of course watch probably the greatest EVER sports person IN ACTION...
Is pool really on the same level?

Bella Don't Cry said:

I don't think anyone is calling the MC show a failure, on the contrary. It's the only show we've got and we want to keep it, not lose it :thumbup:

In the 1990's I used to complete my college work before 6pm and be in bed by 7pm in order to wake up at 3am to watch the Chicago Bulls! Why? Because they had one man who defied reality (proven by NASA) and week in week out he delivered ALL THE TIME under outrageous pressure. World audiences wanted to share and be part of this success story. AND of course watch probably the greatest EVER sports person IN ACTION...
Is pool really on the same level?

Click to expand...

Actually its' above, most all levels but not now. Pool has been around since the fourteen hundreds, it isn't ever going away. Few sports have stood the test of time, we just haven't found a way to Make it a Sport, yet.

NINEBALLART said:

Why not let the pool public vote for the players who go to Mosconi Cup?? Like baseball does picking the All Star team...Then whatever happens we can't complain...Seems like everyone has a different pick each year on who should be there...
Not sure the format should be changed..We didn't complain when we were winning...

Click to expand...

I like this idea. Perhaps a compromise and only allow 2 players in on public vote - that way the best players by merit will be there too!
Forums - you gotta love 'em - I feel like the Chairman of Matchroom :thumbup:

Island Drive said:

Actually its' above, most all levels but not now. Pool has been around since the fourteen hundreds, it isn't ever going away. Few sports have stood the test of time, we just haven't found a way to Make it a Sport, yet.

Click to expand...

The direction of level was directed at popularity, prize money, wealth and talent - rather than longevity!
This is one of the most annoying factors in pool - been around for 400+ years and still can't make the BIG LEAGUE - you'd think we'd worked it out by now :thumbup: