Justin Bergman going to Mosconi Cup for Team USA

Over my head...

Once again this shows how little I know about pool in the big scheme of things. I do tend to look at the "big picture" and believe one should trust a winning coach or find another coach. Team USA now has a winning coach, so...

Is the selection process set in stone, obviously not. Is a years worth of dedication and jumping through all the hoops the main criteria to be selected, don't look like it.

I guess it is time for Team USA to practice lagging and breaking and lagging and breaking and etc.

Does the 9 ball rack on the spot? Go Team USA. You have an uphill battle playing against Team Europe, they have a bigger talent pool to select from, much bigger.

How long before that Lechner guy plays. I wish he would become an American citizen.

Remember Team USA, you are not playing against another country, you are playing against a continent and the hottest players of the year are selected, even if they live in the good old U.S. instead of Europe.

pt109 said:

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

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Justin has played well before at the Mosconi with a shot clock, but his break has run very hot and cold, and it did at the just completed International. He'll probably be one of the weakest breakers of the ten Mosconi participants.

The importance of the break is magnified when the pockets are huge, as they were as year ago at the Mosconi, because the runouts will be easier. The big breakers have a bigger edge on loose equipment, and the value of great defensive and tactical play, which are where Bergman shines brightest, is diminished because there will be fewer grind-it-out racks.

Agreed that his position play and general cue ball control was phenomenal this past week.

sjm said:

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.

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Mike D is also the only player with a winning record against Shane.

What????

jasonlaus said:

Mike D is also the only player with a winning record against Shane.

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I've been traveling internationally for a year and have not been able to keep up with all the Action, has Shane and Mike been playing?

Mkie's been beating Shane for the cash???? Where can I find the video's?

Sucks for Cory and Max but the correct move at the correct time wins championships.


https://youtu.be/Xq3hEMUeBGQ

I’m ready to play!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

King T said:

I've been traveling internationally for a year and have not been able to keep up with all the Action, has Shane and Mike been playing?

Mkie's been beating Shane for the cash???? Where can I find the video's?

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Mike hasn't played much lately, but he has an overall winning record against Shane.

sjm said:

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.

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Many people on these forums are much knowledgeable than I am when it comes to assessing talent, but I too have trouble seeing why Justin is being touted as the "clear #2" American player. Not that I doubt it necessarily, but I just don't see what basis people are using to make this assessment.

Is it is performance in gambling matches? Is it simply the "eye test"?

Obviously Justin outplayed Corey and Max in this most recent tournament, but besides that showing, what other evidence supports the notion that Justin is the clear #2, ahead of a future HOF'er in Corey and a rising star in recent Mosconi MVP Woodward?

misterpoole said:

I havent been able to see where corey and max placed in the open. ...

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Here are the International Open results for all 3 players:

Justin Bergman - 4th place, $7,500

• 1. John Schmidt 11-10
  2. Hunter Lombardo 11-3
  3. Liu Ri-Teng 11-3
  4. Dennis Orcollo 9-11
  5. Albin Ouschan 11-9
  6. Shane Van Boening 11-9
  7. Thorsten Hohmann 11-3
  8. Alex Pagulayan 11-8
  9. Ko Ping-Chung 11-8
  10. Jayson Shaw 9-11

Corey Deuel -- 17th/24th, $2,500

• 1. Bye
  2. Jani Siekkinen 11-5
  3. Dennis Orcollo 10-11
  4. Damianos Giallourakis 11-4
  5. Liu Ri-Teng 11-8
  6. Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz 10-11

Max Eberle -- 25th/32nd, $2,250

• 1. Bye
  2. David Alcaide 5-11
  3. Michael Badstuebner 11-5
  4. Skyler Woodward 11-6
  5. Chris Melling 11-4
  6. Chang Yu-Lung 7-11

jasonlaus said:

Mike hasn't played much lately, but he has an overall winning record against Shane.

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Yes, and it's not that close. Mike has probably won two thirds of his matches with Shane.

I guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think this is good for American pool. The contenders had a competition to see who are the final two for consideration; and those two are led to believe it's down to them. They both played well at the International, then they have the rug pulled out from under them. W
ell, I certainly wouldn't believe anything those who made the decision said next time. Why go through the "process" when it means nothing. And for the record, as good as Justin is, he's not going to make the difference. We won last year without him, and we can lose this year with him. Which is what's expected. Those who pick the American team lost any respectability they had, with very little to gain from it.

JAM said:

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

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Wouldn't swear to it but i think MR picked-up the tab.

I think your right.

Mole Eye said:

I guess I'm in the minority, but I don't think this is good for American pool. The contenders had a competition to see who are the final two for consideration; and those two are led to believe it's down to them. They both played well at the International, then they have the rug pulled out from under them. W
ell, I certainly wouldn't believe anything those who made the decision said next time. Why go through the "process" when it means nothing. And for the record, as good as Justin is, he's not going to make the difference. We won last year without him, and we can lose this year with him. Which is what's expected. Those who pick the American team lost any respectability they had, with very little to gain from it.

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There needs to be system or just make a fan vote like the NBA All-Star selection...,

sjm said:

Justin has played well before at the Mosconi with a shot clock, but his break has run very hot and cold, and it did at the just completed International. He'll probably be one of the weakest breakers of the ten Mosconi participants.

The importance of the break is magnified when the pockets are huge, as they were as year ago at the Mosconi, because the runouts will be easier. The big breakers have a bigger edge on loose equipment, and the value of great defensive and tactical play, which are where Bergman shines brightest, is diminished because there will be fewer grind-it-out racks.

Agreed that his position play and general cue ball control was phenomenal this past week.

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PLUS....he doesn't rattle....

garczar said:

Smart move. You gotta take the hot player and JB's definitely in better stroke than ME or CD.

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Yeah, JB is among the top 3 US 9-ball players, so this is an easy call, if you're looking to give your team the best chance to win.

King T said:

There needs to be system or just make a fan vote like the NBA All-Star selection...,

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Captain's(and MR's) pick is fine but just say the team will be picked after the Int'l. and not leave players thinking they're finalists for a spot. AllStar-style fan pick is not a good idea. AS games are purely an exhibition. The MC is an actual competition where you need best players and not just players fans want to see. I could see having one player picked by fans but not the whole squad.

garczar said:

Captain's(and MR's) pick is fine but just say the team will be picked after the Int'l. and not leave players thinking they're finalists for a spot. AllStar-style fan pick is not a good idea. AS games are purely an exhibition. The MC is an actual competition where you need best players and not just players fans want to see. I could see having one player picked by fans but not the whole squad.

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I don't know about that idea either. If one player is picked by the fans, it would most likely be Earl, which would clearly weaken our team, in my opinion.

ChrisinNC said:

I don't know about that idea either. If one player is picked by the fans, it would most likely be Earl, which would clearly weaken our team, in my opinion.

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Probably right on that count. With the number of big events now in the US on big tables(DCC,US Open,Int'l Open, TurningStone, VegasClasic, WPA 10ball,Swanee,SBE) they could probably go back to a points-based system with a couple captains picks like Europe does.

Bergman in the Mosconi Cup

Please tell me what qualifications Thorpe and Styer have over Mr. Deuel.., aside from the fact that Mr. Styer won the Moscow Open.

manopr350 said:

Please tell me what qualifications Thorpe and Styer have over Mr. Deuel.., aside from the fact that Mr. Styer won the Moscow Open.

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It has nothing to do with career stats. Simple fact is over the last few seasons CD has not played up to his once super high level. Thorpe and Tyler are young guns who not only play great but are just hungrier than CD at this point in his career. I think Corey himself would admit to this.

The USA has lost 8 of the past 9 years.

We brought in a new head coach, assistant coach, and instituted some new processes
for making the USA team; the processes have changed each of the last 2 years.
Last year, we brought SVB onto the team “out of sequence” but it made solid sense to do so.
This year, J. Bergman was trying out for the team, but did not make the final candidate pool because he lost in a race to five to Max Eberle (could be wrong here but it is how I remember it).

Then, last week at the International, Bergman shot lights out, leaving a trail of champions on the way to the Final Four.
And prior to the Open, he had been playing world class.

What, stick blindly to a process put in place to determine the best five for the team and leave out a currently peaking American player?
Or use managerial experience to opt for Justin, who is clearly one of the current top five, and field our best possible team.

I absolutely feel terrible for CD and ME, one who was a member of last year’s winning team and another who would have joined the Cup for his first time.
But I must admit, I feel the best player was selected.

Tighten up/revise/evolve the process again for next year. But keep in mind we are trying to win, not just adhere to evolving processes. Everything that has been set in motion is to determine the USA’s beat chance for a repeat victory.

Tough choice, but the right one.

Will Prout