Giving Credit Where Credit is Due

[sjm]

During the WPC, our American contingent disappointed, with the final four consisting of three Asians and one American (Wu, Kuo, Morris, Manalo). May dared to argue that it was, in large part, due to the difficulty of playing on foreign soil, that it would be difficult for the foreigners when the stage moved to America.

So let's have a look what's happened on American soil in events having an elite international field.

.....at the BCA Open, a European won it (Hohmann) and the last four consisted of three Europeans and one American (Hohmann, Archer, Immonen, Roschkowski).

.....at the Big Apple Nine Ball challenge, a European won it (Feijen) and the last four were all Europeans (Feijen, Engert, Souquet, Crosby)

.....at the World Summit of Pool, a European won it (Chamat) and the last four consisted of two Americans and two Europeans (chamat, Deuel, Immonen, Jones)

.....at the US Open, the last four consists of three Fillipinos and an American (Pagulayan, Paricva, Bustamante and Strickland).

The great players of the world are proving time and time again that they can win at home and on the road.

Home coooking doesn't appear to have made any difference at all for the American contingent. Time to through out the "home cooking needed" argument and give credit where it's due. Let's all root hard for Earl Strickland today, but no matter how it turns out, let's marvel at the extraordinary progress of the Europeans and the sustained excellence of the Asians.

 

[gregory]

it is surprising americans are doing so poorly here at home. like smj says, it seemed like playing at home was such an advantage for the taiwan players at WPC, that that was the reason US players didn't do so well (well, americans did do really well in the round robin and early knockout rounds). makes me wonder how well the players from taiwan would have done here.


and DCC is another major at home that and american didn't win and only 2 out of top 5 were americans.

1st place, Efren Reyes
2nd place James Baraks
3rd place Robb Saez & Mika Immonen
5th place Santos Sambajon


and no americans winning in snooker either -see o'sullivan thread.

but segal is the world champion 8-ball player

 

[Buckster_uk]

but segal is the world champion 8-ball player

Lol no he isn't, Efren is the actual WPA World 8-Ball Champion, you cannot say someone is the World Champ from a tournament of a huge field of 2!

 

[gregory]

Lol no he isn't, Efren is the actual WPA World 8-Ball Champion, you cannot say someone is the World Champ from a tournament of a huge field of 2!

how many years has segal gone now without losing a match in a tournament. i think that's a pretty impressive streak.

 

[Buckster_uk]

Obviously he is one of the best ever, but he isn't the world champion.

"World Champion" for some reason is used a lot in the States, don't get me wrong I love American Sports and I follow Baseball but why o why are the champions of all your sports known as World Champions? It isn't like you compete with all the other teams in the World, granted American football and Baseball are predominantely played in the US but the term is just not correct.

I am not having a moan or anything, just a wondering.

 

[gregory]

Obviously he is one of the best ever, but he isn't the world champion.

"World Champion" for some reason is used a lot in the States, don't get me wrong I love American Sports and I follow Baseball but why o why are the champions of all your sports known as World Champions? It isn't like you compete with all the other teams in the World, granted American football and Baseball are predominantely played in the US but the term is just not correct.

I am not having a moan or anything, just a wondering.

you know i'm just kidding about segal. i'd love to watch him and effrin in 8-ball, but everything about segal's wold championship win this year was a joke--except for the $$$

 

[Teddy Harris]

During the WPC, our American contingent disappointed, with the final four consisting of three Asians and one American (Wu, Kuo, Morris, Manalo). May dared to argue that it was, in large part, due to the difficulty of playing on foreign soil, that it would be difficult for the foreigners when the stage moved to America.

You are correct, the Europeans are performing much better here than they have in the past. They have much more experience traveling the world, and are getting to the level of the Filipino players as far as playing away from home...but it wasn't always that way. There were many years that Europeans could not win a tournament here in the states. I really don't think it had to do with their level of play, as they have been on par with America's best for many years. The Filipino's are the most dangerous travelers. Now, as for the Americans, they will catch up and learn to travel. There are Americans that have won abroad...Earl, Charlie Williams, Rodney Morris. Now as for Jose and Santos...they both live here in the states for many years...so I don't think that argument holds water when pertaining to them. Alex has lived in Canada for years, and hangs out in the states as well.

 

[F8it]

During the WPC, our American contingent disappointed, with the final four consisting of three Asians and one American (Wu, Kuo, Morris, Manalo). May dared to argue that it was, in large part, due to the difficulty of playing on foreign soil, that it would be difficult for the foreigners when the stage moved to America.

So let's have a look what's happened on American soil in events having an elite international field.

.....at the BCA Open, a European won it (Hohmann) and the last four consisted of three Europeans and one American (Hohmann, Archer, Immonen, Roschkowski).

.....at the Big Apple Nine Ball challenge, a European won it (Feijen) and the last four were all Europeans (Feijen, Engert, Souquet, Crosby)

.....at the World Summit of Pool, a European won it (Chamat) and the last four consisted of two Americans and two Europeans (chamat, Deuel, Immonen, Jones)

.....at the US Open, the last four consists of three Fillipinos and an American (Pagulayan, Paricva, Bustamante and Strickland).

The great players of the world are proving time and time again that they can win at home and on the road.

Home coooking doesn't appear to have made any difference at all for the American contingent. Time to through out the "home cooking needed" argument and give credit where it's due. Let's all root hard for Earl Strickland today, but no matter how it turns out, let's marvel at the extraordinary progress of the Europeans and the sustained excellence of the Asians.

Hmm.. call me crazy but it looks like the US was still represented - if not overwhelmingly so - in all but 1 of the "American Soil" matches you outlined. They just didn't win. Also, aren't Chamat and Parica spending most of their time here on US soil? I'd go so far as to say Parica should be an American Citizen if he isn't already!

I don't think these tournament results are very surprising as more and more asians and europeans are playing in their countries. If you have a higher concentration of good/great players w/in a population the higher the level of quality competition and play.

It only goes the show in the pool world the gap has (more than) closed and there is much more "parity" between American and foreign players. Perhaps pool here doesn't evoke as much passion and enthusiasm in the American Pro ranks as in Europe and Asia? 9-ball is still a young sport in the other countries, IMO. That and we really don't have 1 "unified" Pro Tour like we used to which makes a difference.