I like what I saw today at the Mosconi.

[thewhiffer]

I like what I saw today at the Mosconi.

Day 1 assessment of the The U.S. Mosconi Cup team ..........BRILLIANT! Yes, they may be down 3-2 but in a race to 11 that’s nothing. On the positive side they overcame new team- itis, the we are representing our country-itis, this table is fast-itis and finally these fans are nuts-itis and after that they are only down 1........deep breathe, relax and GO TEAM U.S.A.

 

[sjm]

I also liked what I saw. The animation of this version of Team USA is a refreshing change from last year's team, which lacked energy.

Schmidt, Deuel, and Hall all got fired up during their matches. Shane and Bergman should try to be as animated and energetic as their teammates. They looked bored and uninspired in their doubles match against Niels/Nikos.

In recent years, Europe, with the obvious exception of Souquet, has usually had the edge when it comes to passion, animation and energy and this year I think Team USA has matched them so far and it's a good sign.

The match is close and if Team USA can continue to play with emotion and animation, it will stay close.

 

[one stroke]

I also liked what I saw. The animation of this version of Team USA is a refreshing change from last year's team, which lacked energy.

Schmidt, Deuel, and Hall all got fired up during their matches. Shane and Bergman should try to be as animated and energetic as their teammates. They looked bored and uninspired in their doubles match against Niels/Nikos.

In recent years, Europe, with the obvious exception of Souquet, has usually had the edge when it comes to passion, animation and energy and this year I think Team USA has matched them so far and it's a good sign.

The match is close and if Team USA can continue to play with emotion and animation, it will stay close.

It's clear the impact of Marks presence , we could easily be up 3/2 instead of down but the goal is to keep it close if it stays close the pressure will build on the favorite Eruo's and that could be all it takes for the USA to bring home the bacon

1

 

[KRJ]

I . Shane and Bergman should try to be as animated and energetic as their teammates. They looked bored and uninspired in their doubles match against Niels/Nikos.

.

So, the best player in the USA should now try and play a different way to entertain the crowd. Let him play the way he wants to play. He plays like that all the time and it never held him back from becoming the best. Why change now ??

 

[Cuebuddy]

So, the best player in the USA should now try and play a different way to entertain the crowd. Let him play the way he wants to play. He plays like that all the time and it never held him back from becoming the best. Why change now ??

Shane is great....yes! Shane has not been able to find a way to whoop the Euros at this venue so trying something a little different may not be such a bad thing. I agree if it ain't broke don't fix it but as far as the M-cup goes its broke.


GO USA!!!

 

[sjm]

So, the best player in the USA should now try and play a different way to entertain the crowd. Let him play the way he wants to play. He plays like that all the time and it never held him back from becoming the best. Why change now ??

Point well taken, and no, Shane has to play it the way he always does.

Still, let him get excited when it goes his way. Shane is now 9-10 in Mosconi singles, so it cannot be argued that he has it down pat when it comes to dealing with and feeding off the noise, momentum and energy found only at the Mosconi. At the Mosconi, Shane is not the best and never has been.

Let's hope Shane turns it around on Day 2.

 

[boogeyman]

So, the best player in the USA should now try and play a different way to entertain the crowd. Let him play the way he wants to play. He plays like that all the time and it never held him back from becoming the best. Why change now ??

Excellent point, Chicago RJ. Not every member on a team gets fired-up on every shot.
I hate false emotion anyways. Shane is real. He is all business and he is pacing himself.
If Team U.S.A. wins he will be as emotional as everyone else. You can count on that one.

Until then, and as long as the team maintains their unity, please quit with the emotional-analysis.
The team is there to play quality team pool, not show how many times they can pump their fists.


(I had enough of that from Earl last year).

 

[KRJ]

Excellent point, Chicago RJ. Not every member on a team gets fired-up on every shot.
I hate false emotion anyways. Shane is real. He is all business and he is pacing himself.
If Team U.S.A. wins he will be as emotional as everyone else. You can count on that one.

Until then, and as long as the team maintains their unity, please quit with the emotional-analysis.
The team is there to play quality team pool, not show how many times they can pump their fists.


(I had enough of that from Earl last year).

Exactly... sometimes you need to stay in the moment, and just play your game. Getting too excited and getting pumped up works for football, but pool is less about emotion and getting the adrenaline pumped... need to stay calm and stay the course. Play your game, play the table, the last thing on my mind would be am I NOT smiling enough

 

[Celtic]

we could easily be up 3/2 instead of down

You could be down 4-1 atm even easier.

The doubles match Deuel and Hall won was pretty surprising, given Boyes and Appleton are the current World Cup champions and how lousy Deuel and Hall both played in that match. Appleton missed a hugely uncharacteristic 9 down the rail or else it is 4-4 with Europe breaking and holding ALL the momentum.

You were big underdogs when Appleton was down on that last 9-ball.

 

[Cardigan Kid]

You could be down 4-1 atm even easier.

The doubles match Deuel and Hall won was pretty surprising, given Boyes and Appleton are the current World Cup champions and how lousy Deuel and Hall both played in that match. Appleton missed a hugely uncharacteristic 9 down the rail or else it is 4-4 with Europe breaking and holding ALL the momentum.

You were big underdogs when Appleton was down on that last 9-ball.

But wasn't it Darren who bumped the nine and sent it to the rail just a hair from frozen? Karl could only leave him straight and it was not easy by any means to cross that side pocket with the nine almost frozen. very difficult shot.

That wasn't a fluke.

 

[spartan]

You could be down 4-1 atm even easier.

The doubles match Deuel and Hall won was pretty surprising, given Boyes and Appleton are the current World Cup champions and how lousy Deuel and Hall both played in that match. Appleton missed a hugely uncharacteristic 9 down the rail or else it is 4-4 with Europe breaking and holding ALL the momentum.

You were big underdogs when Appleton was down on that last 9-ball.

True
Player of the day has to be Schmidt
He made gutsy 3-9 combo to win match . If he missed the combo, it would be 4-4 and Gray would be breaking for match and possible giving Europe 4-1 lead. Quite big difference between 4-1 and 3-2 Euro lead

 

[Celtic]

But wasn't it Darren who bumped the nine and sent it to the rail just a hair from frozen? Karl could only leave him straight and it was not easy by any means to cross that side pocket with the nine almost frozen. very difficult shot.

It was not that difficult a shot on that 9, the ball was not frozen to the rail and he was almost straight in on a 9-ball where he had to do nothing with the cueball on a table that everyone admits is playing really easy right now.

Darren threw up a brick there, nothing less nothing more.

 

[Busboy]

Gonna be great day 2 can't wait :thumbup:

 

[victorl]

You and me both!
My wife was pissed this morning because I was up at 4 am yelling at my computer screen. She's gonna have to put up with that for another few days at least!

 

[RoadHustler]

I am super happy with this years team. Cautiously looking forward to tomorrow.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[sprben83]

compared to last year, almost anything is better. Hope they stay sharp. Noticed the team has more focus, and not so much loud mouth nonsense that was present from last year. Dont get me wrong, hatch, morris, and strickland are a bunch of rockstars, but I feel that all the excessive verbal roughhousing worked backwards for the US

 

[SakuJack]

It was not that difficult a shot on that 9, the ball was not frozen to the rail and he was almost straight in on a 9-ball where he had to do nothing with the cueball on a table that everyone admits is playing really easy right now.

Darren threw up a brick there, nothing less nothing more.

Not to mention it was his poor (super uncharacteristic) positional fault from an easy out that put the nine in that spot in the first place.

I'd say he made up for it against SVB, though. Daz is a killer.

It's shaping up to be a good cup this year. Last year it was practically over after the first day, the way the USA team looked.

I'll be interested to see how Bergman holds up in the singles matches. He looked shaky playing doubles (although SVB made his share of mistakes, too, which didn't help), so we'll see if he can leave that behind and put in a good performance or two tomorrow.

 

[JAM]

With first-day jitters out of the way, I expect to see Team USA play more relaxed on Day 2.

About Shane, though some believe Shane should be more animated, that's just not his style. He's always had that cool, calm, and collected tableside demeaner. That's a good thing, I think. Not everybody should be animated like they're at an MMA fight -- or like the well-refreshed Euuuuuuuuuuuurope fans.

I wan't able to watch the entire Day 1 games. Some of us have to work for a living, so I shall live vicariously through you all when I'm unable to attend via my ESPN3.

Man, I was thinking I would be waking up to an American goose egg. What a pleasant surprise to be on the board with 2 points! Keep it going, Team USA!

 

[SammyUtd]

compared to last year, almost anything is better. Hope they stay sharp. Noticed the team has more focus, and not so much loud mouth nonsense that was present from last year. Dont get me wrong, hatch, morris, and strickland are a bunch of rockstars, but I feel that all the excessive verbal roughhousing worked backwards for the US

A European fan here, need to complement team USA, you guys have a likeable team this year. Don't get me wrong I kind of miss Hatch, Strickland as I loved to hate them - and made the games a little more tense. But you guys seem so much more together this year and I think you could sneak it.

On a side note, what has happened to Morris? Always seemed a very solid Mosconi player, apart from last year where no one could really escape with any credit.

 

[Busboy]

You and me both!
My wife was pissed this morning because I was up at 4 am yelling at my computer screen. She's gonna have to put up with that for another few days at least!

Haha that's funny