Mika Down After Day One 35-25

"T" said:
It shouldn't be a factor, but putting brand new cloth on the table a day before the match was a clueless manuver. I'm very surprised Amsterdam management didn't allow Mika to have a say in the matter. Society Billiards may have a new regular after this is over.
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I think this was a class move by ABC. It is a fair way to judge each guys ability if the table is more neutral. If the cloth is worn and is a table Mika is used to, it is an advantage for him. This is the way most TAR matches have been.

The first match with SVB and Deuel was in Shane's home room, but Diamond brought a new table in with new cloth and Justin wouldn't let Shane practice on it until Corey arrived so they would have equal practice time.
 
brandoncook26 said:
I think this was a class move by ABC. It is a fair way to judge each guys ability if the table is more neutral. If the cloth is worn and is a table Mika is used to, it is an advantage for him. This is the way most TAR matches have been.

The first match with SVB and Deuel was in Shane's home room, but Diamond brought a new table in with new cloth and Justin wouldn't let Shane practice on it until Corey arrived so they would have equal practice time.
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I did not say putting new cloth on just before the match was wrong of ABC. It was the right thing to do for reasons you pointed out above. I just think Mika thought he wouldn't have to get the play of table down with the old cloth on that he was use to. I could wrong, but I think that new cloth got into his head among other things. And yes both players had to get use to it, but I still think it played on Mika's mind that he had to learn a different playing table than he thought he was going to be playing on. Johnnyt
 
In the video "A friendly little discussion" on the TAR site... Mika says he always loses before the Open... anyone think he might have set himself up for this accidentally? If he happens to not come out on top, we can say he did. If he does win, we can say that was just talk. hrmph.
 
Johnnyt said:
I did not say putting new cloth on just before the match was wrong of ABC. It was the right thing to do for reasons you pointed out above. I just think Mika thought he wouldn't have to get the play of table down with the old cloth on that he was use to. I could wrong, but I think that new cloth got into his head among other things. And yes both players had to get use to it, but I still think it played on Mika's mind that he had to learn a different playing table than he thought he was going to be playing on. Johnnyt
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I'm with you Johnny. I do think that having the new cloth could have been in Mika's head. I was more responding to "T", when he said that changing the cloth was a "clueless maneuver" by ABC, and that they should have discussed it with Mika to see if it was ok with him.

I think one of the best things about TAR is Justin's neutrality. He is obviously biased towards SVB, but he really does a good job to keep it neutral in the matches. These matches are about who is the best on a given day, not who is the best because they know the table better and have an advantage because of the speed of the cloth.

It may have got in Mika's head, but that is his own fault. These guys have played more than enough tournaments with new cloth to be able to adjust.
 
brandoncook26 said:
I think this was a class move by ABC. It is a fair way to judge each guys ability if the table is more neutral. If the cloth is worn and is a table Mika is used to, it is an advantage for him. This is the way most TAR matches have been.

The first match with SVB and Deuel was in Shane's home room, but Diamond brought a new table in with new cloth and Justin wouldn't let Shane practice on it until Corey arrived so they would have equal practice time.
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I'm sorry, I wanted to repond sooner because it is not like me to post something on here like my previous post.

Your points are well taken. I unfairly assumed AB made the decision alone to change the cloth. I didn't know that table changes as well as cloth changes have happened in the past and that this is just a part of TAR matches. I apologize for this.

It is still very odd that Mika had to walk in to the room the day before to find out. I guess it shows that Mika wasn't trying to control the table conditions, but on the other hand, that was probably because he didn't think he would have to.

I think in this match though, the only reason anyone was giving Mika a chance was that he was playing in his home room under conditions he was familiar with. The surprise new cloth may have taken a lot of that away.
 
"T" said:
I think in this match though, the only reason anyone was giving Mika a chance was that he was playing in his home room under conditions he was familiar with. The surprise new cloth may have taken a lot of that away.
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It might've affected Mika. Table 11 at Amsterdam plays differently than the others there. It's slower, for one. Brand spankin' new cloth and TV lights would change that significantly, and could turn an advantage for Mika into a disadvantage.
 
TSW said:
It might've affected Mika. Table 11 at Amsterdam plays differently than the others there. It's slower, for one. Brand spankin' new cloth and TV lights would change that significantly, and could turn an advantage for Mika into a disadvantage.
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Not sure the "TV" lights or the cloth will affect Mika any, but his attitude certainly would.

I would be interested in knowing a little about what both players did last night after the match and today.

Ray
 
TSW said:
It might've affected Mika. Table 11 at Amsterdam plays differently than the others there. It's slower, for one. Brand spankin' new cloth and TV lights would change that significantly, and could turn an advantage for Mika into a disadvantage.
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Agreed about cloth and lights, but I would change the wording to say "could turn an advantage for Mika into a level playing field."

Aaron
 
Bigtruck said:
Not sure the "TV" lights or the cloth will affect Mika any, but his attitude certainly would.

I would be interested in knowing a little about what both players did last night after the match and today.

Ray
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I would recommend Hookers and Blow for Mika for the after match wind down party.

-don
 
Who was doing the commentary with Jennifer Barreta? I thought the two of them were excellent together. Good clear voices, good analysis, and good chemistry between them. Was that Upstate Al?
 
jay helfert said:
Who was doing the commentary with Jennifer Barreta? I thought the two of them were excellent together. Good clear voices, good analysis, and good chemistry between them. Was that Upstate Al?
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Jay that is Greg McAndrews. Gmac.

Ray
 
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