Dear Gentle Readers,
> It wasn’t - - so far as Team USA is concerned - - a disaster. We’re down one point, 3-2 in a chase to 11. Our two wins, if memory remembers, already equal the American total from last year in Vegas.
> This event, in Blackpool (think West Coast, say Oregon), has provided ‘the loudest crowd ever.’ Think of a lot of lads with a lot of bottles of beer. I think Boyes lives in Blackpool. The spectators did seem nine ball-savvy, applauding intricate, well-executed shots.
> The arena is like a theater-in-the-round - - tiered seating looking down onto the playing floor.
> PartyPoker escort girls wore sashes and sported cleavage.
> The spotlight table, interestingly enough, had underneath lighting showcasing the rack, two bridges and some wedge-shaped something on the floor under the table.
> The American riff - - ‘We’re a team this year’ - - has become an oft-repeated mantra.
> Our team includes a couple of interesting assistant coaches … a retired physician and a retired Navy Seal Commander.
> The first shot of the first game of the first match of the first day was a scratch on the break by Team Europe. Prophetic? Not yet.
> There were a surprisingly large number of ball-in-hand scenarios.
> Europe won five out of five lags.
> Don’t you love the term ‘Golden Break?’ (There was one … Europe.) Players are allowed to examine the referee-generated rack, but they cannot request a do-over. Which kept things moving along smartly. Promoters take note. One of the commentators identified a dry break as ‘nothing found gravity.’
> The commentators were fine, but a bit … meh. Careful, certainly professional, but not very colorful.
> Those same commentators were surprisingly quick to say ‘this game is over.’ They were usually right.
> Could someone make an emergency call to wardrobe? Homely shirts with tacky patches.
> One of our rookies - - Bergman - - once ignored SVB’s advice and shot the shot he was more comfortable with. Overall, SVB seemed more chatty than usual.
> Corey seemed a bit shaky, but did his best to persevere.
> Everyone’s favorite ref - - Michaela - - wasn’t in evidence this first day.
> Also MIA was Earl. I pine for him. I’m shameless … I not only don’t mind the drama, I’m enthralled by it. But mainly, when he catches a gear … step back!
Shallow reportage is my life,
Sunny
P. S. If Matchroom Pool is looking for stronger audience numbers, how about concocting a Mosconi round robin tournament with four teams: USA, Europe, the Philippines and an Asian consortium consisting of China, South Korea and Taiwan? I know … political considerations could trump everything else. But consider the potential upward spiral in both international viewers and in corporate sponsorships.
P. P. S. Bring back the girls! Women players add a lot to the atmospherics on so many levels. With these truncated races to five, the Mosconi Cup can’t pretend to anoint the best players nor the better team. It’s entertainment (marvelous entertainment!) so let’s celebrate it in style.
P. P. P. S. Of course my dream would be to switch the Cup from 9-ball to one-pocket. Ain’t gonna happen, I know that.
> It wasn’t - - so far as Team USA is concerned - - a disaster. We’re down one point, 3-2 in a chase to 11. Our two wins, if memory remembers, already equal the American total from last year in Vegas.
> This event, in Blackpool (think West Coast, say Oregon), has provided ‘the loudest crowd ever.’ Think of a lot of lads with a lot of bottles of beer. I think Boyes lives in Blackpool. The spectators did seem nine ball-savvy, applauding intricate, well-executed shots.
> The arena is like a theater-in-the-round - - tiered seating looking down onto the playing floor.
> PartyPoker escort girls wore sashes and sported cleavage.
> The spotlight table, interestingly enough, had underneath lighting showcasing the rack, two bridges and some wedge-shaped something on the floor under the table.
> The American riff - - ‘We’re a team this year’ - - has become an oft-repeated mantra.
> Our team includes a couple of interesting assistant coaches … a retired physician and a retired Navy Seal Commander.
> The first shot of the first game of the first match of the first day was a scratch on the break by Team Europe. Prophetic? Not yet.
> There were a surprisingly large number of ball-in-hand scenarios.
> Europe won five out of five lags.
> Don’t you love the term ‘Golden Break?’ (There was one … Europe.) Players are allowed to examine the referee-generated rack, but they cannot request a do-over. Which kept things moving along smartly. Promoters take note. One of the commentators identified a dry break as ‘nothing found gravity.’
> The commentators were fine, but a bit … meh. Careful, certainly professional, but not very colorful.
> Those same commentators were surprisingly quick to say ‘this game is over.’ They were usually right.
> Could someone make an emergency call to wardrobe? Homely shirts with tacky patches.
> One of our rookies - - Bergman - - once ignored SVB’s advice and shot the shot he was more comfortable with. Overall, SVB seemed more chatty than usual.
> Corey seemed a bit shaky, but did his best to persevere.
> Everyone’s favorite ref - - Michaela - - wasn’t in evidence this first day.
> Also MIA was Earl. I pine for him. I’m shameless … I not only don’t mind the drama, I’m enthralled by it. But mainly, when he catches a gear … step back!
Shallow reportage is my life,
Sunny
P. S. If Matchroom Pool is looking for stronger audience numbers, how about concocting a Mosconi round robin tournament with four teams: USA, Europe, the Philippines and an Asian consortium consisting of China, South Korea and Taiwan? I know … political considerations could trump everything else. But consider the potential upward spiral in both international viewers and in corporate sponsorships.
P. P. S. Bring back the girls! Women players add a lot to the atmospherics on so many levels. With these truncated races to five, the Mosconi Cup can’t pretend to anoint the best players nor the better team. It’s entertainment (marvelous entertainment!) so let’s celebrate it in style.
P. P. P. S. Of course my dream would be to switch the Cup from 9-ball to one-pocket. Ain’t gonna happen, I know that.