Idea's for a picking Mosconi Cup players for next year

[JCIN]

I've been watching a lot of MC matches over the last year. Something I never did before, just pro pool in general, I've been watching more.

The title of this post has an underlying claim, that who we sent wasn't our best. You guys know the players and system way better than me.

What I have come to learn, team Europe is more disciplined, know defense and use it far better, better cb speed and control and the obvious are better at making the shot.

They play a calmer more calculated game.

Its been touched on here but IMO the single biggest factor that separates the Euros from the US is they understand the value of making a mistake. In this format is hard to overstate how big of a deal it is. Also they know how important it is to take advantage of an opponents mistake and make them pay.

How many times have you seen the Euros make a mistake and the Americans not get out? Thats a killer.

Americans want to play the cup like its a race to 11 double elim they play all year along. And they get pounded. The Euros understand that every decision is critical and they must focus on executing every shot not just the challenging ones.

Something that illuminates the differences in styles is look at what happens when the formats are flipped. Darren has never won a race to 100. After his second long race he vowed he wouldnt ever play another one. He played three big table matches for TAR. Didnt win one.

To win the Cup the Americans have to really pay attention to WHY the Euros win. Its not because they are better players because they are not. Its because they understand what the format requires and execute it better.

 

[Cornerman]

I called it out before, and I'll say it again, it's the mind set of the players. Players that have a gambling mind set start out slower in short races than players who have learned to put everything they've got in the short races, that also causes them to fade in longer races when gambling, which is why they're not really known to gamble. It's the quarter horses against the thoroughbreds....only, it's a 200 yard race....not a mile or more!!!

Agreed. Lots of truth in this. And there's nothing wrong with either horse. It follows what I said earlier that the Euros are better at this format.

Even in World Team Billiards in its first year, Team USA didn't get out of the North America flight, even though the team was stacked with Hall of Famers. The format of these just hasn't fit the American style of competing.

Freddie <~~~ great job to Europe

 

[strmanglr scott]

Its been touched on here but IMO the single biggest factor that separates the Euros from the US is they understand the value of making a mistake. In this format is hard to overstate how big of a deal it is. Also they know how important it is to take advantage of an opponents mistake and make them pay.

How many times have you seen the Euros make a mistake and the Americans not get out? Thats a killer.

Americans want to play the cup like its a race to 11 double elim they play all year along. And they get pounded. The Euros understand that every decision is critical and they must focus on executing every shot not just the challenging ones.

Something that illuminates the differences in styles is look at what happens when the formats are flipped. Darren has never won a race to 100. After his second long race he vowed he wouldnt ever play another one. He played three big table matches for TAR. Didnt win one.

To win the Cup the Americans have to really pay attention to WHY the Euros win. Its not because they are better players because they are not. Its because they understand what the format requires and execute it better.

So true. Euros take advantage of those mistakes. When it's time to get out, they get out.

Was watching last night(youtube) and saw svb miss a shot he should not have missed. All I could think was, " thank-you goodnight" and that's just what happened, they were out.

 

[realkingcobra]

Agreed. Lots of truth in this. And there's nothing wrong with either horse. It follows what I said earlier that the Euros are better at this format.

Even in World Team Billiards in its first year, Team USA didn't get out of the North America flight, even though the team was stacked with Hall of Famers. The format of these just hasn't fit the American style of competing.

Freddie <~~~ great job to Europe

The training needed is for the team USA players to start playing in bar table tournaments race to 2....and pay ANY player that knocks them out of the tournament a $100, but they get nothing if they win, except first place money!

 

[Bank it]

The only player on the 2016 Team USA who is as disciplined as Team Europe and the Filipino players was Justin Bergman. Billy Thorpe plays that way, too, and his spot on Team USA can't come soon enough.

I'll concur with this. Justin has an amazing cue ball. I'm quite taken with Billy Thorpe's game & think he'll make a fine add to the squad as well.

 

[Masayoshi]

Choose 5 captains to create their own teams of 4 players consisting of any player they want (and is willing). Have those teams play eachother in a series of team events leading up to the MC and the team that does the best overall go on to play Europe in the main event. The 5th man can be decided on tournament results, maybe the highest placing American at the US Open.

 

[HawaiianEye]

Choose 5 captains to create their own teams of 4 players consisting of any player they want (and is willing). Have those teams play eachother in a series of team events leading up to the MC and the team that does the best overall go on to play Europe in the main event. The 5th man can be decided on tournament results, maybe the highest placing American at the US Open.

I was going to pose something similar. I don't care how many championships you own, if your team can't beat mine, then you get to go back home. That should be the way it is determined.

I'm sure a lot of the pros could pick players that play better with them, than selecting team members by random, based on other events.

 

[Masayoshi]

I was going to pose something similar. I don't care how many championships you own, if your team can't beat mine, then you get to go back home. That should be the way it is determined.

I'm sure a lot of the pros could pick players that play better with them, than selecting team members by random, based on other events.

Yea, I think it would be easier to assimilate the 1 ace (let's face it, probably Shane) into an existing team rather than gather 5 aces and hoping they gel.

 

[Ak Guy]

Citizenship.

Try to get Chang and Ko and Wu to be American citizens and put them on Team USA.

Let Shane take a year off. I ain't superstitious, but dang he does not get his beast mode on when he id in England.

 

[dkleather]

If he was on our team, and suffered the same as Shane, no problem. At least then we can say he was just a European plant to make us lose. Sounds like a better excuse than the Americans just suck.

Perhaps they forgot to try not to suck.

 

[scsuxci]

They should not pick a team based on points or how one does throughout the year but next year pick a group that looks like they want to be there. Personally I'd keep Justin Bergman and Mike D and Dump the rest including Shane. Shane looks like he hates being there. Rodney missed everything. Sklar is so close but needs a little more work and maybe by next year he too should be there. And get 2 guys who WANT to be there and not guys who feel like they have to be.

 

[BigDeal52]

They should not pick a team based on points or how one does throughout the year but next year pick a group that looks like they want to be there. Personally I'd keep Justin Bergman and Mike D and Dump the rest including Shane. Shane looks like he hates being there. Rodney missed everything. Sklar is so close but needs a little more work and maybe by next year he too should be there. And get 2 guys who WANT to be there and not guys who feel like they have to be.

Reluctantly, I would have to agree with you about Shane. I felt like that watching him on the very first day of the Cup.

 

[BigDeal52]

I don't know if this has already been posted because I am too lazy to read all of the previous posts.

How about some qualifier tournaments with the same format as the Mosconi except it would be singles. Race to 5, shot clock.