Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so here are the thoughts of this beholder.
Appleton thought the best shot was Albin’s four ball in Match 8, which came at double hill with Team USA having a chance to bring the Mosconi to 5-3 and keep it close, but I’m not selecting that. In fact, I think Darren himself had the two most important shots of the Mosconi, the two biggest momentum builders for Europe.
Match 5
With the USA trying to pull within 3-2 and keep it close after day one, SVB left Darren crazy tough on a two ball at 4-3 in racks. With SVB owning the double hill break, rack eight looked like it might well decide the match.
Appleton’s backward cut on a cross-side bank of the two ball was, in my opinion the most important shot of the Mosconi Cup, and Darren finished off the rack and Europe went to sleep with a 4-1 lead.
Match 8
Rodney Morris had won Match 7 to pull Team USA within 5-2. Match 8 afforded Team USA to make the Mosconi close once again.
Appleton/Ouschan and Bergman/Dechaine sat at double hill and Dechaine has just played a superb kick-safe on the three ball. To me, it looked like Team USA was about to pull within 5-3 in the cup but Appleton’s kick in of the three ball (followed by Albin’s wonderful four ball noted previously) changed everything and Europe gained a 6-2 lead. The rout was on, and Team USA would never get close again.
Appleton showed why he won’t have to wait long to become a BCA Hall of Fame member. He rose to the occasion on what I believe to have been two giant moments in the Mosconi.
Appleton thought the best shot was Albin’s four ball in Match 8, which came at double hill with Team USA having a chance to bring the Mosconi to 5-3 and keep it close, but I’m not selecting that. In fact, I think Darren himself had the two most important shots of the Mosconi, the two biggest momentum builders for Europe.
Match 5
With the USA trying to pull within 3-2 and keep it close after day one, SVB left Darren crazy tough on a two ball at 4-3 in racks. With SVB owning the double hill break, rack eight looked like it might well decide the match.
Appleton’s backward cut on a cross-side bank of the two ball was, in my opinion the most important shot of the Mosconi Cup, and Darren finished off the rack and Europe went to sleep with a 4-1 lead.
Match 8
Rodney Morris had won Match 7 to pull Team USA within 5-2. Match 8 afforded Team USA to make the Mosconi close once again.
Appleton/Ouschan and Bergman/Dechaine sat at double hill and Dechaine has just played a superb kick-safe on the three ball. To me, it looked like Team USA was about to pull within 5-3 in the cup but Appleton’s kick in of the three ball (followed by Albin’s wonderful four ball noted previously) changed everything and Europe gained a 6-2 lead. The rout was on, and Team USA would never get close again.
Appleton showed why he won’t have to wait long to become a BCA Hall of Fame member. He rose to the occasion on what I believe to have been two giant moments in the Mosconi.
