Mike Dechaine: Are You Sold Yet?

Teacherman said:
Plays great.

He's a HUGE risk to the Mosconi Cup team.
Click to expand...

Many times risky players have been chosen for team USA, I think Mike is not only deserving but IMHO much less of a risk then some players in the past.

I am with SJM, I will no doubt stay home if Mike is not chosen this year.
If Mike chooses not to play then that's a different story.
 
Cuebuddy said:
Many times risky players have been chosen for team USA, I think Mike is not only deserving but IMHO much less of a risk then some players in the past.

I am with SJM, I will no doubt stay home if Mike is not chosen this year.
If Mike chooses not to play then that's a different story.
Click to expand...

So I guess what you SJM and others are saying is , the only way you'll go and support your country in the MC is if you approve of who is on the team


1
 
Great info Stu!

I've an inking SVB's results in future games with Mike will improve in his favor. But wishing or thinking is often different than what really happens.

As much as some may have thought Mark Wilson could select and mould a team of his own choice, he would suffer considerable scrutiny should he not choose those whose recent records are impressive.

Colin
 
Thanks for the info SJM. Do you happen to know which ones were alternate break and which were winners break? Just wondering if that makes a difference between these two
 
No contest best American player after Shane. I'm a fan. Hope he gets on the mosconi team, undoubtedly deserves it based on talent alone.
 
one stroke said:
So I guess what you SJM and others are saying is , the only way you'll go and support your country in the MC is if you approve of who is on the team


1
Click to expand...

Yes, that's accurate. Last year and the year before that, the team was not chosen on merit. Until we get past that, I'm exercising my right to stay home.

When we start sending our best, count me in, and that doesn't mean it has to consist of the guys I'd pick, but it must consist of players who have earned it by playing well in the year or two leading up to the Mosconi.

Team USA's failure in recent years has been in singles. Especially at singles, I'd hate to have a team that didn't include America's second best rotation games player, Mike Dechaine.
 
tableroll said:
I do not think if things do not go exactly "our way" we should pick up our toys and go home. Merit and merit only should be the basis of Mosconi Cup qualifications just as in anything else.
Click to expand...

Well then, it's settled. Your unequivocal support for Mike D's inclusion, based on merit alone, is noted. The time has passed where players are picked on age old performances, reputation and intangibles. Full transparency is necessary, as is the sending of American players, earning their way on to the team, based solely on tournament results within the last year

I don't necessarily like Mike or his attitude. But if inclusion is based on talent and results, his inclusion should be as automatic as Shane's. I agree with Stu.
 
one stroke said:
So I guess what you SJM and others are saying is , the only way you'll go and support your country in the MC is if you approve of who is on the team


1
Click to expand...

Bingo! I have supported the team in the past and have a unused day four ticket in my pool collectibles cabinet to prove it:wink:. It would be a lot more fun to cheer on a team that gets to the final day.:cool:

In my opinion if Mike can play his best team USA and his country will rally around him and the fans will be the true winners.
 
Texdance said:
I agree. I saw a TAR vid where Dechaine hollered across the table and across the interviewer "Shane, get my cue" and instantly the camera showed the shitte eating grin on his face - he knew exactly what he was doing, trying to treat get Shane's goat by treating him like some sort of low paid gofer.

Would you want to have him on your team if those kinds of comments were thrown around to team mates, comments designed to cause the type of old-time aggravation sharking that we don't need in pool anymore?
Click to expand...

They were trading barbs and banter back and forth before the match. Generally, I think it was good natured. I guess you missed that part of it.
 
Everybody is saying that merit should determine team membership. That's a straw man, IMO, because no one would ever argue otherwise. The question is how you measure merit. I'm certain that Mark Wilson's criteria last year were 100% merit, despite being subjective. Matchroom's point system is merit, but if Mark picks Justin Hall for a captain's pick, even if he doesn't place in the top 5 of Matchroom's points, but because he played so well at last year's Mosconi - would that be merit-based? Of course, but you have different metrics that result in different rankings. BCA money leaders, BCA points, WPA points, Fargo ratings, those are all other metrics that would result in different teams, but they all attempt to measure merit.

So, if Mike didn't do well at the U.S. Open, would denying him a spot because you believe he would be a poor team member be a merit-based decision?
 
sjm said:
...Mike has had the edge head-to-head over America’s very best player for 2014 and 2015 and it’s time to take notice... ...some of the haters will still be foolish enough to think that any American is even nearly as deserving as Mike Dechaine to join Shane on Team USA. Just wondering, are you sold on Dechaine yet for the Mosconi? I have already purchased my seat, but if Mike’s not on Team USA, I will not attend.
Click to expand...

Only a very few of the most ignorant or most biased people didn't think Mike has been one of the top 5 or even top 2 players in the US for the last few years based on individual skill. It isn't a question in just about anybody's mind. But there is more that has to be considered for inclusion on the team than individual skill alone, among them being what kind of team player they are and what kind of representative they will be for their country.

What good would it be if Mike played great on the Mosconi cup team but because of his personality and behaviors there were conflicts and it causes part or all of the rest of the team to perform worse because of it? On net the team could end up worse for it--potentially much worse than they otherwise might have performed. This is a very real risk that is on a lot of people's minds but yet there are all too many like yourself that seem to completely ignore and forget about the team dynamic and how one player might affect other teammates and are wrongly only taking into consideration how well someone performs individually.

Also a very real risk that many are worried about is the potential that Mike displays behavior or character that would be an embarrassment to his country. I know everyone feels differently about this but I would personally rather have a team I am proud of but who doesn't do as well verses a team that does better but where one or more members displayed poor sportsmanship or poor character or were otherwise a big embarrassment to our country. I don't need a good performance or even a win bad enough to accept being ashamed of our players conduct. You have to remember that unlike almost every other tournament where the player is seen as representing themselves only as an individual, in the Mosconi Cup each player is very specifically a representative for his country so these things must also be taken into consideration.

That said, all things considered, I think Mike should be given a shot and be on the team this year with the caveat that Mark Wilson lets him know ahead of time what his concerns about him have been, exactly what is expected from him conduct wise, and that if he proves to have a negative effect on the rest of the team or displays inappropriate conduct that is an embarrassment that he will not be allowed on the team again for an indefinite period of time until these risks appear to have gone away.
 
Stu...FIRST, he has to get to the #1 spot on Finnegin's list of the "top 10 players in NYC!" LOL :D J/K...Mike certainly is one of the top players in the USA. I hope he makes it on Mark's Mosconi Cup Team this year!

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

sjm said:
To my knowledge, here are the last seven meetings between Dechaine and Van Boening. No doubt, I may have forgot one and if so, please correct me.

Derby City 9-ball, 9-ball on big table, January 2014
This was an event won by SVB, but he did lose a match and it was to Mike Dechaine.

Turning Stone XXII, 9-ball on a big table, September 2014
Mike Dechaine beat and eliminated SVB in this one.

BCAPL Exhibition, long 10-ball race on bar table, July 2015
SVB was too much for Mike Dechaine in this one.

US Open 10-ball, 10-ball race on bar table, July 2015
SVB was victorious over Mike Dechaine on this occasion.

US Open 8-ball, 8-ball race on bar table, July 2015
Mike Dechaine was the winner over SVB in this match.

Turning Stone XXIV, 9-ball on a big table, August 2015
Mike Dechaine beat SVB in a match played just a couple of weeks ago.

Eastern States Exhibition, long 10-ball race on big table, September, 2015
Mike was victorious in this exhibition match which was a prelude to the Eastern States championships.

Sizing it All Up
Mike has five wins in his last seven meetings with Shane and has won their last five meetings on full size tables. Of course, that might change this weekend at the Eastern Championships if SVB snaps the event off, but Mike has had the edge head-to-head over America’s very best player for 2014 and 2015 and it’s time to take notice.

SVB is already picked for the Mosconi team. No doubt, some of the haters will still hate and will be foolish enough to think that any American is even nearly as deserving as Mike Dechaine to join Shane on Team USA.

Just wondering, are you sold on Dechaine yet for the Mosconi? I have already purchased my seat, but if Mike’s not on Team USA, I will not attend.
Click to expand...
 
tableroll said:
I do not think if things do not go exactly "our way" we should pick up our toys and go home. Merit and merit only should be the basis of Mosconi Cup qualifications just as in anything else.
Click to expand...

Sorry tableroll, that was a distant world we once lived on.
 
sjm said:
Yes, that's accurate. Last year and the year before that, the team was not chosen on merit. Until we get past that, I'm exercising my right to stay home.

When we start sending our best, count me in, and that doesn't mean it has to consist of the guys I'd pick, but it must consist of players who have earned it by playing well in the year or two leading up to the Mosconi.

Team USA's failure in recent years has been in singles. Especially at singles, I'd hate to have a team that didn't include America's second best rotation games player, Mike Dechaine.
Click to expand...

So I guess the merit of good behavior means zero to you
Mark obviously thought otherwise ,, because this is not a singles event it's a team event and good behavior and team chemistry is important on any team in any game or sport ,

1
 
Stu;

I have been sold and still am sold,

hope to see Mike playing for MC.Team USA :smile:

best,
brian kc
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAM
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top