Is 9 ball on a 9 footer too easy for Mosconi cup?

Says who?

Kim Bye said:
I understand that sir, but how many non pool players do you think watches.
I think most of the audience are pool or snooker players, and to them, fast n' loose isn`t what they want.
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I don't understand wanting to see guys miss? Most of the time when I hear guys complaining about pocket size being to big, they aren't in a money match or playing when it counts.

Buckets aren't the way, but the set up used where even the Pro's can get out is boring.
 
itsfroze said:
I would bet that they are playing on a standard Diamond table with 4 1/2 inch pockets.
If they if are playing good and running out then blame their talent or the cloth being new
not the tables. LOL :grin-square:
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Yes, the slidy cloth and rails are likely the real problem, but the fact remains that many balls that looked like misses went in speaks volumes.
 
I agree..,

AngryTurtle said:
Unless and until all the players start breaking and running every rack, its OK as is in my opinion. From the match and a half that I have watched so far, thats not whats going on! Personally I dont have a favorite between 9 and 10 ball.
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So many people say 9 Ball is to easy, but I don't see guys running out the set???
or even running half the set, most of the time there are a few racks run and then safety play, the game might not be as easy as some think based on the low number of break and runs, even by the pros.
 
The balls could be twice the size of the pockets and someone in chat would claim it is too easy.

It always happens that way, and it is that way for commentary of every sport at the top level. The goal is too short, the fences too close, the hole is too big, the court is too small, they stand too close....
 
King T said:
I don't understand wanting to see guys miss? Most of the time when I hear guys complaining about pocket size being to big, they aren't in a money match or playing when it counts.

Buckets aren't the way, but the set up used where even the Pro's can get out is boring.
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I don't want the players to miss. I just want it to be challenge. The 10 ball bigfoot tournament is the way go go in my opinion.
 
The "challenge" in this type of tournament doesn't have to come from the game or the tables or whatever. It comes from the pressure of the crowd, playing for your teammates and country, knowing that any mistake will cost you a game or even the match, and all that is more of a "challenge" than simply adding a ball or making the pockets smaller.
 
It's kind of like "FEAR FACTOR" in a food aficionado format.

You are right, it's not about "who's the best player," in the Mosconi Cup, it's about who can stand up to the pressure. Let's face it, playing "races to 5" either team could conceivably win every match.....last year proved that. (I predict USA wins this year by one match on the final day)

Let's enjoy the Mosconi Cup for what it is....A PRESSURE PACKED COMPETITION...it's really not about "USA vs EUROPE" because "the united states" doesn't know it's taking place...it's about what team can perform under the severest pressure.

It's kind of like "FEAR FACTOR" in a food aficionado format. ;)


victorl said:
The "challenge" in this type of tournament doesn't have to come from the game or the tables or whatever. It comes from the pressure of the crowd, playing for your teammates and country, knowing that any mistake will cost you a game or even the match, and all that is more of a "challenge" than simply adding a ball or making the pockets smaller.
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brophog said:
The balls could be twice the size of the pockets and someone in chat would claim it is too easy.

It always happens that way, and it is that way for commentary of every sport at the top level. The goal is too short, the fences too close, the hole is too big, the court is too small, they stand too close....
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Not really. Many of us have just watched the US Open and the Japan Open, and are surprised at how much easier this equipment is compared to what we've seen of late.

Too loose or too tight is clearly in the eye of the beholder, but much looser than usual is not, and this equipment is easier than what we've seen of late when the elite get together.
 
Kim Bye said:
Should Mosconi cup continue to be played on a 9" table? and should the game be 9 ball?

Being the highest profiled event, I would like to see 10 ball on a 10 foot table.
Today`s players are so good, a 9" table is too easy.
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Do you want to kill this event? Not to worry. BH has been adamant about no Ten-Ball.

It all looks good to me.
 
I agree with some others that this format is working well for TV. Open tables encourage going for hard shots and committing to the run out.

I could suggest other formats, but they'd be nothing like 10 ball on 10 footers with tighter pockets. That would lead to a lot more safety play, locking up balls and extended kicking battles.

I think this format is getting about the right amount of each, even if some matches will be decided on a couple of rolls.
 
Does anyone actually know what size pockets are being used, or are the suggestions of big bucket pockets speculation, based on a perception that balls are falling that should not fall?

Watching the first match, where SVB mis-cut a one in the side, made me think the pressure to win is huge, but the pockets are not so huge. .

If the pressure affects the US players worse than the Euros this will be all-Euro all-the-time.

But I don't think so - Mark Wilson and the US players have as much skill and knowledge as the European team. The point score is fairly even today, and should remain so through tomorrow.

I predict the Mosconi Cup goes to the wire, but the US Team comes from behind on the final day to get the win, in a squeaker for the ages!

Go Team USA!
 
9 footer is just fine.....

Kim Bye said:
Should Mosconi cup continue to be played on a 9" table? and should the game be 9 ball?

Being the highest profiled event, I would like to see 10 ball on a 10 foot table.
Today`s players are so good, a 9" table is too easy.
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The nerves and enormity of the event is the best part of the whole thing. You think it is hard to shoot in a local tourney in the finals and keep your focus, just try it at the Mosconi Cup. The MC had to tell the spectators a few times in just the 4 games that I watched to pipe it down. They are trying to shark the players with comments from the peanut gallery.

Being played on Diamonds toughens it up anyway.

I think it's just fine the way it is.

Just watch and enjoy and put yourself in their shoes for a minute and just imagine the pressure. One table, just you and your opponent with the whole world watching.

it don't get any better than this. .............;):thumbup::rolleyes:
 
jay helfert said:
Even in these super short matches there can be several twists and turns involved in each match. Every game becomes that much more critical and the pressure is amped up.
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It is about time! Twenty races to 5 is much, much better than a race to 100.
 
Time will tell

I think we will have a better answer to that when the Cup is over. Right now I say no, not to easy for the Cup. I think most of them have a pretty high opinion of them selves as a pool player, and they should. But, being on the world stage and playing other very good players has to kick your stress level into a very high gear. Go USA !!!
 
IMHO, it does look generally too easy...

I think at this level, 10-ball would give us more of a show.

Then again, I just watched this 5th game of the Bergman/Hall vs. Feijen/Gray match from the edge of my seat... Way to go USA!!!!

Still, if there was an extra ball on the table that can get in the way every now and then and slow these run outs down just a tad, I think it would make the race to 5 format more meaningful...

This is like watching evenly matched tennis, where the difference comes down to breaking the opponents serve...
 
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