Great topic SL.
It has been talked about for years, and it is obvious to the casual observer that foreign countries stack teams to send to Vegas. It is also obvious that they are not held to the same rules as we are in forming those teams.
I said a long time ago how much I loved the team event. My quote was 'It's the closest I'll ever come to the Mosconi Cup'. Spain, Portugal, Australia, Great Britain and at one point Canada, all approach the BCA teams as if this was the Mosconi Cup. Question is, when will the states be allowed to do the same?
On the flip side of that coin, I have seen all-star teams come from certain states, with players of dubious qualification status, get thumped at the BCA. The only conclusion I could draw was they had no team chemistry or just broke bad.
As to the foreign teams and their entourages sharking opponents, I have seen that first hand from at least three countries. There are blatant about it, and will act dumb when called on it. Europe seems to have a different view of what a spectator sport means.
I recall a match between myself and one the champions from Spain a few years back. It was hill-hill and he had broken rather badly but was starting a difficult out. As he got down on a ball, someone in his rather large posse said in spanish 'Don't shoot that ball, make the 4 and then put him behind your ball'. Which would have been the right shot in that spot, I would be toast if he did that. Anyway, I turned and glared at what turned out to be yet another Spanish champion. He gave me a look like 'Who me? What?'. I said in Spanish, 'It's pretty sad it takes two of you to beat me, too bad he can't beat me on his own'. The looks on their faces at that moment was priceless.
This kind of thing goes on year after year and is just one more shit sandwich in a long line of shit sandwiches that must be eaten if you are going to participate in the nationals in Vegas at the Riviera.
It has been talked about for years, and it is obvious to the casual observer that foreign countries stack teams to send to Vegas. It is also obvious that they are not held to the same rules as we are in forming those teams.
I said a long time ago how much I loved the team event. My quote was 'It's the closest I'll ever come to the Mosconi Cup'. Spain, Portugal, Australia, Great Britain and at one point Canada, all approach the BCA teams as if this was the Mosconi Cup. Question is, when will the states be allowed to do the same?
On the flip side of that coin, I have seen all-star teams come from certain states, with players of dubious qualification status, get thumped at the BCA. The only conclusion I could draw was they had no team chemistry or just broke bad.
As to the foreign teams and their entourages sharking opponents, I have seen that first hand from at least three countries. There are blatant about it, and will act dumb when called on it. Europe seems to have a different view of what a spectator sport means.
I recall a match between myself and one the champions from Spain a few years back. It was hill-hill and he had broken rather badly but was starting a difficult out. As he got down on a ball, someone in his rather large posse said in spanish 'Don't shoot that ball, make the 4 and then put him behind your ball'. Which would have been the right shot in that spot, I would be toast if he did that. Anyway, I turned and glared at what turned out to be yet another Spanish champion. He gave me a look like 'Who me? What?'. I said in Spanish, 'It's pretty sad it takes two of you to beat me, too bad he can't beat me on his own'. The looks on their faces at that moment was priceless.
This kind of thing goes on year after year and is just one more shit sandwich in a long line of shit sandwiches that must be eaten if you are going to participate in the nationals in Vegas at the Riviera.
