America's next superstar?

Terry Ardeno

I still love my wife
Silver Member
Who do you think will be the next "American superstar" from the perspective of having the best chance to win the upcoming U.S. Open 9 Ball and World 9 Ball Championship? In fact, who do you think will be the dominant American player for the next 5-10 years?

My pick would be Shane VanBoening.

I would be very interested in my fellow AZBers opinion on this topic. Also, do you think that the usual greats from the past decade or so (Strickland, Archer, Deuel, Morris) will have a legitimate chance in the next 5 or so U.S. Open's and WPC's or has their window of opportunity closed somewhat?

We'll be facing the likes of Chia Ching Wu, Ching Shing Yang, Dennis Orcollo, Marlon Manalo, etc. It's going to get hot!

Thank you everybody
 
Got to talk to Shane tonite. Even after Olathe his confidence is very high. Needless to say I don't think Banks Jr of McMinn would want to play for cash without a spot. I think Shane will be the hottest pool commodity and player in a very short while.
 
Shane is the present superstar of American pool, and he has already mixed it up successfully with the big guns of international pool.

The next superstar, now that's as tough call. Will have to think about it.
 
Next Superstar

Anyone Seen Justin Bergman For The St Louis Area, This Kid Has Potential If Handled Right
 
My Pick

would be Shane Van Boening - why? Besides the talent he has, he is also the one that is 'working' the hardest in the money match and tournament areas, plus he is traveling all over to do it. In other words, he is putting in the effort it takes to be a Champion.

I am sure there are other players out doing the same, but not to the extent that Shane seems to be doing.
 
shane has knowledge of the game and he has proved it.He seems to be a very nice kid.To be a super star one needs to have thirst for blood and he does not seem to have that thirst.
 
America's

next superstar will be a long time a coming. There are too many international stars. Frankly, the international talent over shadows that of the US. America cannot hang vs. the world. Competition is too tough!!

But I think the next US Open winner will be Dennis Orcullo. He plays too strong over the long haul. His focus is second to none.IMO

American pool has many obstacles to overcome in orderto entice our youth to play this game with the passion needed to become a champion.

Gary
 
Justin Bergmann plays real good he could definately have a chance in the next 5 years if he keeps his head on straight
 
i think over the next 5 yrs ju-be could be great.now if he would just quite smoking.
 
I assumed

vagabond said:
shane has knowledge of the game and he has proved it.He seems to be a very nice kid.To be a super star one needs to have thirst for blood and he does not seem to have that thirst.

KY Boy - I was under the impression that we were talking about American born players, and not strangers in a strange land.

And Vag - I disagree with you, and I think the history of Pool will back me up. Mosconi did not have a thirst for 'blood', neither did Greanleaf, Caras, Lassiter, or Crane, and Efren does not display a thirst for blood when he plays either, he simply plays better than his opponents.

Just because some players are not the sterotypical portrait of the most feared 'Hustler' and 'Big money' man on the face of the earth, a cutthroat in the ring, does not mean that the desire is not there.
 
bob_bushka said:
Got to talk to Shane tonite. Even after Olathe his confidence is very high. Needless to say I don't think Banks Jr of McMinn would want to play for cash without a spot.


MR.BANKS & MCHINN
WILL
SPOT
HIM,
 
Snapshot9 said:
KY Boy - I was under the impression that we were talking about American born players, and not strangers in a strange land.

And Vag - I disagree with you, and I think the history of Pool will back me up. Mosconi did not have a thirst for 'blood', neither did Greanleaf, Caras, Lassiter, or Crane, and Efren does not display a thirst for blood when he plays either, he simply plays better than his opponents.

Just because some players are not the sterotypical portrait of the most feared 'Hustler' and 'Big money' man on the face of the earth, a cutthroat in the ring, does not mean that the desire is not there.


Scott,
Nice post and I agree with almost all of it.
The one thing I would disagree with is your comment that "Mosconi did not have a thirst for blood." In fact, I disagree 100%. He was an icy competitor who HATED to lose, perhaps more than anyone else who's played the game.
Here's the thing about our older champions....because they played in an era past, we tend to do two things. One, we forget just how great and dominating these players were in their time. And second, we tend to view them sort of like a Byron Nelson type figure, the "lovable grandpap" that was just a kindly old player.
If you read Mosconi's biography "Willie's Game", the author really presses the point, almost as a theme thru the book, how Mosconi absolutely hated to lose and would try to crush even the college kids he played in exibitions. His family often bore the brunt of his emotions if he played poorly. There were several articles in BD about this part of him as well.

You don't have to have a "rap sheet" to want "blood", so to speak, at the table. I think it boils down to competitiveness. Every great champ who has longevity has to have a heaping dose of it. They're like perfectionists.
That's why, given SVB's background, I think he'll do just fine representing the good old USA.
Whatever "it" is, I think he has it.
 
Danny Harriman.

IMO, Danny is the best all around player in the world next to Efren Reyes. Right now, Danny is about the same age Efren was when he started to dominate the world. I believe that Dannny is a danger to win any event he enters - including the WPC and US Open - and I hope 10 years from now he has won both multiple times.

Justin Bergman is just FEARLESS. I remember that when I watched Mosconi and Mizerak play, it was as if the balls would roll into the pockets simply out of respect for who was shooting them. I get that same feeling with Justin. He is quite a talent and he will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Landon Shuffett. Phenomenal talent. I sat with his dad a few months ago and watched him literally take Kiamco to the edge. A few weeks later the kid beat Earl. I believe that someday Landon will be mentioned in the same breath as Hall, Rempe, Varner, and Sigel. I can't wait!
 
SVB now and Landon Shuffett probably in the future

bottom line is few tournamants + short matches + low prize money + so many great players all combine to make it more difficult than ever to see the cream rise to the top

I wouldn't be surprised if we never see anyone from the US dominate the way all the past great Americans have
 
My vote is for Landon Shuffett as well....great kid...huge talent...managed & coached correctly by his father.
A long shot but I would also like to mention another kid...a local named Adam Pendley...I believe he's only 15 now...he beat Earl too...in the finals to win an event a couple of years back. His ceiling is unlimited if the correct choices are made.:)
 
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