An American disgrace

Let's be real. They are a missed 7 ball by Mika (easy shot with natural leave, btw) and a rattled 9 on the break by Boyes from getting skunked 10-0 the first two days. Sadly, I anticipate the 'Cup ending a day early. This is not the best "Team" we could put together. They just don't look like a team to me.
 
races

I think the races are too short to prove anything. The races should be to 15... or at least 11 in a contest as big as this. Let all the players settle in and see what they are really made of. These short races are a joke.
 
I promise that NO ONE on the USA team thinks that the Europeans are weaker players in this format. Some of them might think that they are better individually than any Euro player but I doubt that as well in the heart of hearts.

The USA honestly doesn't have a team mentality. The Euros all come from countries that have team competition from low to pro in pool. All these guys on the Euro team have TONS of experience as team players.

And when they train they do it as a team.

Well - now it can be a comeback story!
 
Last edited:
And some USA players seem to rush some shots, whereas European players take 20+ seconds even for the easiest shots.
 
Texas Prez said:
It is unfortunate that our Americans our losing - and I've been frustrated with our players throughout the week. But I don't think that us American fans have a right to call it a disgrace.

Around the world, it seems pool is a growing sport. However, in the states it carries a "dying" mantra, and has for sometime. And it is true - it is a lot tougher to own and operate poolrooms in America these days; especially in metropolitan locations where rent prices are exorbitant and owning property is about as rare as me running out - leading to many poolrooms closing down with nowhere to reopen.

Its tough to watch us get beat, but it is just as much a reflection of our culture here as it is of the ability of those playing for us on the table. I mean those guys are legends in their own right, and have brought us some glorious wins. But many of them probably don't feel the pride of a country pushing them on like some of those European players do - I mean, yes, during the Cup we support them - but next week they fall back into dimly lit shadows.

I wish I had a solution to change that; I mean, who knows, maybe someone in the 1% will fall in love with pool and realize its okay invest in this sport and its okay to take a fiscal loss to gain the enjoyment of it. Besides that, who knows - but I hope in the meantime those here in the states regain our fighting spirit - America always has performed better when it was an underdog anyways.
Click to expand...

Badi Nazhat tried.
 
our pro's sit around to much

The guys in the USA just don't have enough high level competition to stay in top gear. All the other Pro's from every other country have tournaments that put them in front of each other all the time (9 Ball Snooker in Europe) or the gamble (Philippines, China).

Our guys just aren't in action enough to win when guys show up to play, they aren't there mentally or emotionally, just listen to them when they talk about the game.
 
blackboarowner said:
I think the races are too short to prove anything. The races should be to 15... or at least 11 in a contest as big as this. Let all the players settle in and see what they are really made of. These short races are a joke.
Click to expand...

I keep reading this, but it just seems like the Americans need to bite down and stop playing like they're in a long race.Adapt to the short race.
 
I think the races are too short to prove anything.
Click to expand...

I don't understand this logic. The Europeans seem to be proving something.

So the American team needs an extra 9 games to be able to win. What would keep Team Europe from winning that as well? You don't think that they can handle a race to 15.
It would just take longer for them to win 9 more games.
 
King T said:
The guys in the USA just don't have enough high level competition to stay in top gear. All the other Pro's from every other country have tournaments that put them in front of each other all the time (9 Ball Snooker in Europe) or the gamble (Philippines, China).

Our guys just aren't in action enough to win when guys show up to play, they aren't there mentally or emotionally, just listen to them when they talk about the game.
Click to expand...

Good post right on
 
leto1776 said:
I keep reading this, but it just seems like the Americans need to bite down and stop playing like they're in a long race.Adapt to the short race.
Click to expand...

I agree. While I used to think short races were a coin flip I don't any more. Someone said a short race is no different than the end of a long race where both players need six games.

It is basically pressure from the first ball. That made sense to me. Now I still think that it is a coin flip IF both players are playing great. Then its all about the rolls and in fact one or two rolls can mean a loss even if you play perfect.

But the way I see it is that the usa players are a bit looser with rock when maybe they should be more in lockdown mode.
 
Dennis Hatch always looks/talks to someone in the crowd after he Fs up. Looks like an escapist mentality to me and can't own up to his own mistakes.
 
Pool is a streaky game and all of us know that...Right now Europe is on a hot streak and we are out in the cold...We could do a rematch with the same teams next week and the outcome could be totally different. In my opinion to say our team is a disgrace is horrible...Every one of those guys Europeans and Americans are bad asses on the pool table! Go USA!!!!!
 
Caught just enough action to see that we're dogging our brains out.
Our team mascot should be a beagle.

But, some of you are crazy to think that anyone there just doesn't care / isn't trying.

What do you think "trying hard" looks like? Falling to your knees and weeping after every miss?
When players get extra serious and nervous, they tend to shut down and show less.
They're trying to keep their shit together.
Don't mistake a lack of screaming and wailing for not giving a shit.
Don't mistake a miss caused by pressure, for a miss caused by halfhearted effort.

They're trying their balls off, but this year the pressure is even worse than usual.
There's extra pressure because we need to stop Europe's streak. 4 in a row can't be called a fluke.
There's extra pressure because we're "supposed to win" when we have home court advantage.
There's extra pressure because supposedly this Euro team isn't even their best (no Toastie).

Also, we can stop with the "races to 6 are meaningless" excuse.
It's flat out wrong. The math is simple.
A 'best of several short races' is almost the same, statistically, as a single long race.
There's only about a 2-3% difference.

Another way to put it is, if each mosconi cup were truly a coin flip, then somehow
after this coming victory, Europe will come up "heads" 6 out of the last 7 flips.
Any of you think that's just lucky?

Sure, race to 6 is too short if it's shane playing winner breaks 10-ball in his favorite pink shirt
in the TAR studio vs. some unknown for 50 bucks. He may run out the whole set.
That isn't a problem in the Mosconi cup. Everyone is getting chances.
They alternate breaks and the pressure makes players dog it so there
are several extra visits to the table that normally don't happen.

Everyone has dozens of chances and we just blow them more often than Europe,
no need to shy away from it and make excuses.

I think other people in this thread have already nailed it: The pool scene here is so dead that
our players are in pressure situations less often than the europeans.
We have old guys who have faded pressure many times, but their skills have tapered off...
we have young guys who have faded pressure fewer times but their skills are at their peak...
we need someone who is in their prime and has plenty of experience under pressure.
I mean US Open Finals pressure, not Joss tour stops.
 
and i thought SVB didnt participate in the All-Japan tournament to prepare for the Mosconi Cup. Not enough preparation i guess?
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top