It's not that shocking that Earl was picked, and it will surely generate ratings for Matchroom. If it compromised the chances of Team USA, this year, it is not by much, as any team that the US put together would be a heavy underdog.
All that said, this pick is a joke. Participation in events on the US Pool calendar should be a requisite for selection, and Earl barely ever competes in US based events. The Mosconi spot has always been a big incentive for American hopeful to compete as often as possible, but now, a precedent has been set that a Mosconi Cup spot is available to those that compete as well as those who do not. It sends out the wrong message to those who aspire to earn a spot on the team and one must wonder what the criteria really are for inclusion on the team. Of course, this renders ridiculous the recent Matchroom announcement that Justin Bergman would not be considered for a Team USA spot because he wasn't committed to being a full-time professional pool player.
This selection devalues the US based pool events, which are seemingly no longer the stepping stone to Mosconi selection, and that's not good news for pro pool in America, and it may hurt participation levels down the road.
Let's see if success in Matchroom events ultimately figures in the selection process. At the World Pool Championships, the only three Americans reaching stage 2 were Shane, Skyler and Jeremy Sossei. A Sossei pick for Team USA might soften the blow for me. Then again, maybe performance by Americans in Europe-based events is also not weighed in evidence when the picks are made.
The only possible justification for this selection is that another massacre like we got in 2020 at the Mosconi would endanger the continuation of the Mosconi Cup itself by causing poor viewer ratings. Perhaps that's the reasoning here, and if so, America has shot itself in the foot by failing to nurture and develop new talent in professional pool.