THIS JUST IN---Williebetmore just selected as first team player for the next Mosconi Cup Team. Congratulations Willie.
OK... just a laugh for today.
OK... just a laugh for today.
There are more announcements coming that are going to show change as well.
To me, this moves not only the Mosconi Cup but professional pool in a huge step forward direction.
THIS JUST IN---Williebetmore just selected as first team player for the next Mosconi Cup Team. Congratulations Willie.
OK... just a laugh for today.
Rh,
I will see you there (I am the self-appointed team physician)!!!!!!!
I also think it is a great choice. ...... I think people will be really surprised and pleased with them if he can make them happen. I personally CAN'T WAIT for December!!!!!
....Gimme Shane and any four of these youngsters and we'll have a team on which we can build for the future: Justin Hall, Skylar Woodward, Jeremy Sossei, Brandon Shuff, Jesse Engel, Mike Dechaine, Billy Thorpe, Landon Shuffett, Hunter Lombardo, and Danny Mastermaker.
Two interesting things I gleaned from this announcement:
1. I feel like this must confirm the Matchroom people (Barry Hearn himself?) read AZB.
He's probably completely qualified, but the name Mark Wilson isn't well known.
Nowhere near the recognition of Buddy Hall or CJ Wiley.
So where would they come up with this name, if not AZ forums?
JAM dropped the name about a month ago, and he got mentioned several times in
NYCcueDude's post. Now it's a reality.
And of course he was suggested in 2012 and 2011.
2. The 58 year-old from Illinois will be taking full charge of every aspect of the team,
including selection, over the months leading up to the event
This is huge. In the past the team was picked by Matchroom... first 2 members, then 3, then all 5.
This FINALLY reverses that trend.
I think giving one man the authority for selection to compete in the Mosconi Cup is going to draw a lot of different opinions.
Those same 10 players may be closer to the American professional pool player pulse than Mark Wilson has been in recent times, as one example.
If Mark's selected players shoot well in the 2014 Mosconi Cup, then he will be a hero in American pool. If those selected players fall down flat, there will be a rumbling, much like this year, though the rumbles will be for a different reason.
There could a possibility that a larger group may be chosen initially by Mark, then narrowed down to the final five needed for the Cup. Being graded on different factors, they may contribute to their own destiny.
We will have to see how this pans out. Regardless of who joins the team, I am completely satisfied and excited about Mark's appointment as Team Captain of the MC.
Those who complain are probably those who don't know Mark personally and what he stands for overall in the pool community.
I would not want to be in Mark's shoes with every American pro knowing he can choose the team. I can give you a list of at least ten Americans who are personally convinced they belong on the team. I fear the pressure on him will be unrelenting.
But I agree he is a great choice.
I think giving one man the authority for selection to compete in the Mosconi Cup is going to draw a lot of different opinions.
Those same 10 players may be closer to the American professional pool player pulse than Mark Wilson has been in recent times, as one example.
If Mark's selected players shoot well in the 2014 Mosconi Cup, then he will be a hero in American pool. If those selected players fall down flat, there will be a rumbling, much like this year, though the rumbles will be for a different reason.
A fine choice here. As Mark is, arguably, the greatest advocate for the development of young American players, I think we can all look forward to a young team that can start building toward something.
Winning in 2014 may be the impossible dream, but if Team USA whets our appetite for the future with a young, sportsmanlike, determined and improving team, it will make this already special event even more special.
The time has come to stop the 40+ years of age players in the twilights of their careers from denying the young players a spot. Gimme Shane and any four of these youngsters and we'll have a team on which we can build for the future: Justin Hall, Skylar Woodward, Jeremy Sossei, Brandon Shuff, Jesse Engel, Mike Dechaine, Billy Thorpe, Landon Shuffett, Hunter Lombardo, and Danny Mastermaker.
How about Justin Bergman and Joey Gray. Not forgetting Oscar Dominguez.
Yes, but most likely if the first run at U-Ruppp isn't successful, Mark will have an additional year to prepare without worrying about getting voted off the island.
JoeyA
There will be a deeper divide than already exists, but most on this forum are happy to discard the existing lot of professional players, as to them they are no-good bums without jobs. So now everybody can dance the Teaberry Jig. The Berlin Wall of Pool is now being built.
Who called them bums?
"Bums' is being nice. If I were to list all the adjectives today's American professional pools have been called, it would take a long while. "Bums" was one of the nicer labels.