Does Everyone Get a Trophy at the Cup This Year?

[JCIN]

Been reading both facebook and this thread with some interest.




Who do you think sets up Shane's drills when he practices for hours by himself?
He doesn't pay an APA 5 to follow him around 6 days a week racking for him.

Shane probably has been a "drill setter upper" for at least ten hours a week for years.



Would shane fly on his own dime to be Corey's rack boy? Probably not.

If Shane is already there, all expenses paid, and Corey asked Shane to rack for him, while he tried to figure out the perfect break to help team USA win the Mosconi Cup? I bet Shane would say "sure, no problem."

The guys who weren't selected may be disappointed, but I don't think guys like Oscar are so bitter and ego-driven that they look on this as an insult or a token gesture.

And even if they are just expensive cheerleaders with fancy titles, giving them a plane ticket and a role to fill doesn't hurt anyone.



Why should anyone take something as an insult that is clearly not intended as one, or directed at them?
I'm a fan, and I didn't read the press release and feel insulted.

None of these guys is 100% in every aspect of pool. There's always something to work on. Even Tiger has a coach.

Can Jeremy tell Shane when to try an aggressive cut shot? Maybe not. Can Oscar show one of the Justins a kicking route they didn't know? Can Brandon maybe jump a super-close ball better than Schmidt? Quite possibly.

From the experience I have around these guys my opinion is having three or four other guys give input on shot selection/strategy/whatever is only going to add tension and make things worse. These guys dont need coaches. They need leadership. There is a huge difference. I would bet Mark knows that and thats not how it will go down. The problem is the statement sure didnt make it sound like that.

I dont have any problem with the team taking everyone they can pack on an airplane. Go for it. Just stop pissing on my leg and telling me its raining with all the wannabe NFL positions and Co captains whose job is motivational speaker and cheerleader.

"In support of Team USA"

Thats all everyone should be.

Cleary has a dress code jihad, mine is badly written press releases.

 

[(((Satori)))]

Yes, I am for real.

This current arrangement is supposed to be for more than just one year, if I recall correctly. Meaning that Mark is in charge next year, too. And a big part of the program this year is about attitude and teamwork. About changing the image as opposed to what it has been.

I'm not endorsing this nor condemning it, I'm simply saying that if one of the players not chosen "laughed in his face", it wouldn't help his chances of being on the team next year.

Laugh in his face is a little harsh, lol. It's more like I would find his request humorous.

He will probably sell it as a learning experience but never the less I don't see myself going to something like that if I were them unless I'm competing. I mean to be there watching instead of playing. No, especially when you think you deserve to be playing which I guarantee you each of these guys feel that way. Instead you have to put on your team face and root em on or worse run errands. No thanks I'd rather stay home and if I were to get left out of future selections based on that then so be it.

 

[Kickin' Chicken]

Can the offensive, defensive, or special shots coordinators give their MC players a time out to discuss shot selection?

if not, then what exactly will they be coordinating?

best,
brian kc

 

[BRussell]

From the experience I have around these guys my opinion is having three or four other guys give input on shot selection/strategy/whatever is only going to add tension and make things worse. These guys dont need coaches. They need leadership.

If that's true, do you think that's a problem with these guys' attitudes, or do you think they're right and no one can help them?

The way I see it, coaches are never better than players, in any sport. And many athletes have huge egos, and none of them like listening to some old fat guy telling them how to play their sport. In my opinion, that's just ego-driven stubbornness, and the best athletes turn down their egos and take help. Can't our pool players do that?

 

[justadub]

Laugh in his face is a little harsh, lol. It's more like I would find his request humorous.

He will probably sell it as a learning experience but never the less I don't see myself going to something like that if I were them unless I'm competing. I mean to be there watching instead of playing. No, especially when you think you deserve to be playing which I guarantee you each of these guys feel that way. Instead you have to put on your team face and root em on or worse run errands. No thanks I'd rather stay home and if I were to get left out of future selections based on that then so be it.

That's all well and good, for you. For these guys, it may certainly be worth it, to continue to participate, and support the team, and help keep them in better standing going forward.

 

[Kickin' Chicken]

That's all well and good, for you. For these guys, it may certainly be worth it, to continue to participate, and support the team, and help keep them in better standing going forward.

so kissing a little ass will keep one in good stead thus increasing their chances to make next years team?

I like the old system where your accomplishments on the table over the year was what put you in favor.

but don't listen to me because as my grandson says; I'm just a silly goosemonkey.

best,
brian kc

 

[PINKLADY]

I had not heard that Matchroom picked 2 of the 5. I had also not heard (officially) that there were ever 12 - I've heard rumors about that, but never from Mark or Matchroom.

i think it's pretty standard for Matchroom to have a say. do you think Johnny picked Earl last year? (and Daz was a given.)

Why do you guess Schmidt is the other? I'd be more inclined to think Deuel was the other Matchroom pick.

just a gut feeling; nothing more. the Brits were pretty head-up about Schmidt & as i recall, he was one of the 1st announced. i'm not saying i agree with the choice, at all.

i would hope that Team EUR gets the same financial advantages that Team USA has had/is getting. (not that it's my business.)

 

[watchez]

I had not heard that Matchroom picked 2 of the 5. I had also not heard (officially) that there were ever 12 - I've heard rumors about that, but never from Mark or Matchroom.

Is that German for "alternates"?

You won't hear it from Mark. But he didn't have full say in the entire 5. From a marketing stand point to Matchroom , player X announced as "former ABC Open Champion" sounds better than player Y who "has been playing great as of late."

 

[nplum24]

I think it is dumb! They did not need more people over there to create a good team...they need the 5 they picked to play as a team! I am not surprised at all by the announcement. I was spectating a pro one pocket tournament in June and I thought I overheard one of the MC players say at that time they were planning on taking all 8 players regardless of who actually made the team. I really dislike politics in pool...

 

[RonMason]

Sure they do. What they do not have is the Minister of Vaseline, Vice Principle of Towels and Lord Viceroy of the Spit Bucket.

Between you and Cleary, I don't know who cracks me up more. Smh

Ron Mason

 

[justadub]

so kissing a little ass will keep one in good stead thus increasing their chances to make next years team?

I like the old system where your accomplishments on the table over the year was what put you in favor.

but don't listen to me because as my grandson says; I'm just a silly goosemonkey.

best,
brian kc

I know nothing about what is really going on. All I am doing is pointing out what is, to my uneducated opinion, likely to have happened.

IF the new sheriff in town wants players who are team guys, who don't embarrass our country, and show some integrity, it seems to me that anyone who was invited to be considered throughout this year may very well have heard about these particular values over the course of said year.

IF all of these things are true and accurate, wouldn't it stand to reason that these players might realize that it makes sense to continue to be team-first players throughout the remainder of the process, and that by not doing so might look badly upon them going forward? Since this particular sheriff is supposed to still be in charge next year?

If all of that is called kissing ass, I suppose that is what may very well have happened.

I don't feel that is the case, myself. I find it to be very reasonable thinking, for someone who might not want to jeopardize possible future opportunities. Something that some of last years players obviously didn't worry about.

 

[(((Satori)))]

I know nothing about what is really going on. All I am doing is pointing out what is, to my uneducated opinion, likely to have happened.

IF the new sheriff in town wants players who are team guys, who don't embarrass our country, and show some integrity, it seems to me that anyone who was invited to be considered throughout this year may very well have heard about these particular values over the course of said year.

IF all of these things are true and accurate, wouldn't it stand to reason that these players might realize that it makes sense to continue to be team-first players throughout the remainder of the process, and that by not doing so might look badly upon them going forward? Since this particular sheriff is supposed to still be in charge next year?

If all of that is called kissing ass, I suppose that is what may very well have happened.

I don't feel that is the case, myself. I find it to be very reasonable thinking, for someone who might not want to jeopardize possible future opportunities. Something that some of last years players obviously didn't worry about.

Integrity

That's an interesting choice of words.

I'm going to be as real as I can be here. If a player really wants to go then he should go but if he don't want to go if he's not playing then he should have the integrity to say no thanks. And if he is just going because he wants to please Mark (showing a lack of integrity) or others in order to be given what he wants then he is making the wrong choice imo, even if it gets him on a future team.

Pride and integrity... both admirable traits.