Mike Dechaine

[itsfroze]

worth keeping in mind is that while MD may not have done well at Mosconi Cup, it was his first in that pressure cooker environment.\\

Now that he has one under his belt, it's logical that he could (should) do much better at his next one.

best,
brian kc

Originally Post By, AtLarge:

"Mike has played on the Mosconi Cup team twice (2011 and 2012), has participated in 11 matches, as has the following record (wins - losses):"

2011 -- 1-1 in singles, 0-2 in doubles, 0-1 in the team match, for a total of 1-4

2012 -- 0-2 in singles, 1-2 in doubles, 1-0 in the team match, for a total of 2-4

Combined -- 1-3 in singles, 1-4 in doubles, 1-1 in team matches, for a total of 3-8

 

[Kickin' Chicken]

His first? I thought he was on the team in 2011 and 2012.

yes, of course, senior moment.


3rd time will be the charm... :thumbup:

best,
brian kc

 

[UpMySleeves]

I'm suprised Archer isn't captain. By the way, has Johnny retired or something? Haven't seen much out of him.

I didn't read through all the comments in this thread, but I agree Archer Should've been considered as well. He is a natural leader and won the 10-ball tournament in Canada last week-end (the one where Mike finished 3rd) and he finishe 3rd in the 9-ball, (Where Mike won).

 

[stljohnny]

Who the f**k is Mark Wilson?

This right here is the problem with pool in the states. How does anyone with a serious interest in pool not know the person most commonly respected as the best instructor and coach in the country. Additionally, Mark played on the very first Mosconi Cup team, and incidentally sank the winning 9 ball for USA.

As for the OP - you too, if you're so serious about the sport, should have already known about Mark's direction with this year's MC team, which was publicly announced on AZB back in February. It is a direct response to the downward spiral pool has gotten itself into. The Europeans train for the MC like any other team of athletes from any other team sport. USA just throws some people into the arena and hopes for the best. It hasn't worked well for us, it certainly was time for a change. If we (USA) start preparing for the MC the way EU does... we'll start winning the cup again. It's not about skill - everyone that's going has the skill, it's about personality.

I haven't read all 10 pages of this thread, sorry if this has already been said, I was just shocked to see that comment in the first page.

 

[TCo]

I'm on the side of letting a coach pick their team and coach them. It worked for Herb Brooks - he wanted the "right" players and won with them.

In no way am I looking down on MD, he is a great player. And for being 27 in a week or so (Happy BDay Mike) tell me if you had figured life out by then let alone know how to handle nerves playing on the largest stage the pool world has to offer - THAT is something a great coach will overcome with a player. I think we all have changed in our twenties and certainly since then, so I would tend to give Mike a bit of room.

I had the pleasure of watching a number of his matches at a tournament (Mike Z's) at Comet Billiards, probably when he'd just turned drinking age. Fun to watch and the railbirds there had pegged him as someone with an attitude. If he was, he sure didn't show it that day, at least not what I saw.

Win percentages for the last 3 MCs or Mike's first, singles and doubles matches only

Johnny Archer 62%
Shane Van Boening 57%
Shawn Putnam 50%
Earl Stickland 25%
Dennis Hatch 22%
Mike Dechaine 22%
Rodney Morris 20%
Brandon Shuff 17%

 

[buckshotshoey]

This right here is the problem with pool in the states. How does anyone with a serious interest in pool not know the person most commonly respected as the best instructor and coach in the country. Additionally, Mark played on the very first Mosconi Cup team, and incidentally sank the winning 9 ball for USA.

As for the OP - you too, if you're so serious about the sport, should have already known about Mark's direction with this year's MC team, which was publicly announced on AZB back in February. It is a direct response to the downward spiral pool has gotten itself into. The Europeans train for the MC like any other team of athletes from any other team sport. USA just throws some people into the arena and hopes for the best. It hasn't worked well for us, it certainly was time for a change. If we (USA) start preparing for the MC the way EU does... we'll start winning the cup again. It's not about skill - everyone that's going has the skill, it's about personality.

I haven't read all 10 pages of this thread, sorry if this has already been said, I was just shocked to see that comment in the first page.

Give me a break. I didn't see tbe first Mosconi cup. I've never seen Wilson play. And I have a life outside of pool. I don't know every character in the pool world. And I made that statement out of frustration because of the 2013 performance. If you bother to read my other posts, you would have known that already.

 

[takeitdown]

Mike gave the 7 to Ruslan Chinahov at derby this year and Mike got the cheese, Ruslan came 4th in the 9ball.... thats pretty strong if you ask me..... Ruslan ran a 6 pack in the set and Mike still won....

That's stronger than cat pi$$. Yeah he's not good enough for Mosconi. What a joke.

 

[takeitdown]

In the last few years the MC team has been filled with "top pro" players, most of whom function only as individuals. They have no "team mindset", and no ability to function as said...and as a team performed poorly. Last years USA team, with very few exceptions, was a national embarrassment. Now, with Mark, there is a chance to turn around that mindset, and put the team members attitude and behavior above reproach. Understand?

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

No offense, but the best American players who are 35 years old and up have their best days behind them. There is much more talent in Europe than here, at all ages. The league mentality in this country and no professional tournament series or association ensure we will continue to fall behind.

 

[robsnotes4u]

Amen

This right here is the problem with pool in the states. How does anyone with a serious interest in pool not know the person most commonly respected as the best instructor and coach in the country. Additionally, Mark played on the very first Mosconi Cup team, and incidentally sank the winning 9 ball for USA.

As for the OP - you too, if you're so serious about the sport, should have already known about Mark's direction with this year's MC team, which was publicly announced on AZB back in February. It is a direct response to the downward spiral pool has gotten itself into. The Europeans train for the MC like any other team of athletes from any other team sport. USA just throws some people into the arena and hopes for the best. It hasn't worked well for us, it certainly was time for a change. If we (USA) start preparing for the MC the way EU does... we'll start winning the cup again. It's not about skill - everyone that's going has the skill, it's about personality.

I haven't read all 10 pages of this thread, sorry if this has already been said, I was just shocked to see that comment in the first page.

Thanks for a great post.

 

[ibuycues]

No offense, but the best American players who are 35 years old and up have their best days behind them. There is much more talent in Europe than here, at all ages. The league mentality in this country and no professional tournament series or association ensure we will continue to fall behind.

Most of the European team are over 35......

 

[AtLarge]

... Win percentages for the last 3 MCs or Mike's first, singles and doubles matches only

Johnny Archer 62%
Shane Van Boening 57%
Shawn Putnam 50%
Earl Stickland 25%
Dennis Hatch 22%
Mike Dechaine 22%
Rodney Morris 20%
Brandon Shuff 17%

Your numbers are correct, but I would also point out that the number of matches they are based on varies a lot among the players: 13 for Archer, 14 for SVB, just 4 for Putnam and Strickland, 9 for Hatch and Dechaine, 10 for Morris, and 6 for Shuff.

 

[CreeDo]

It'd be interesting to know how most of the common Mosconi Cup players
performed in their very first year. Sure Johnny's got a 62% win rate, but how'd he do
in his first 5 or 6 matches? What about Shane? Earl, I expect the reverse...
probably did great in the early ones, then fell apart in the recent ones.

 

[Scott Lee]

No offense, but it's attitudes like yours, combined with no experience, that make posts like yours the real losers. IOW, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

No offense, but the best American players who are 35 years old and up have their best days behind them. There is much more talent in Europe than here, at all ages. The league mentality in this country and no professional tournament series or association ensure we will continue to fall behind.

 

[Mr. Bond]

No offense, but the best American players who are 35 years old and up have their best days behind them. There is much more talent in Europe than here, at all ages. The league mentality in this country and no professional tournament series or association ensure we will continue to fall behind.

As the great Merle Haggard once said:
If you don't love it, leave it.

But let's cut to the chase...
How much are you willing to wager that this year's Team USA won't smoke the record of last year's team?
How much are you willing to wager against Team USA this year?

Since you're convinced we have no chance in hell, you should have no issue with going all in, right?

 

[sjm]

It'd be interesting to know how most of the common Mosconi Cup players
performed in their very first year. Sure Johnny's got a 62% win rate, but how'd he do
in his first 5 or 6 matches? What about Shane? Earl, I expect the reverse...
probably did great in the early ones, then fell apart in the recent ones.

Given how incredibly strong Team Europe has been in recent years, Archer's 6-0 record in the 2012 Mosconi should be viewed as truly remarkable, and almost definitely the best ever performance by an American player in the Mosconi Cup.

 

[takeitdown]

No offense, but it's attitudes like yours, combined with no experience, that make posts like yours the real losers. IOW, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Sure Scott, I know they will get their asses kicked. Wanna bet otherwise, Mr. Expert?

Oh yeah it's a rebuilding year. There are better players for the last 4 spots. You can't deny that can you? If you do they you sir are the one who doesn't know.

 

[takeitdown]

As the great Merle Haggard once said:
If you don't love it, leave it.

But let's cut to the chase...
How much are you willing to wager that this year's Team USA won't smoke the record of last year's team?
How much are you willing to wager against Team USA this year?

Since you're convinced we have no chance in hell, you should have no issue with going all in, right?

Let's see last year we lost 12-2...you want me to bet these guys don't win 3 matches? Ever been told that you could be a lock artist?

I will give you 2-1 on the money if you like that USA loses. Do you want some of that? That is sort of a rhetorical question because we both know it isn't gonna happen without Archer, Morris, Hatch, Strickland or Dechaine. I got $1000 to your $500 if you like sir. I can hit you up about December,we can post with a 3rd party and get this done. I never offer a bet that I don't want, I'd be tickled to bet this one...please say yes. If you pass then the window is open for anybody else.

 

[AtLarge]

It'd be interesting to know how most of the common Mosconi Cup players
performed in their very first year. Sure Johnny's got a 62% win rate, but how'd he do
in his first 5 or 6 matches? What about Shane? Earl, I expect the reverse...
probably did great in the early ones, then fell apart in the recent ones.

Here are the Mosconi Cup records year by year for Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, and Shane Van Boening.

Note that there were no Team Matches until 2006, so before that it was all singles and doubles. [And they also had a trebles match in 2006.] So, the 1st record column is Archer, 2nd is Strickland, 3rd is SVB (match wins - match losses). dnp means did not play that year.

1996 dnp, 2-3, dnp
1997 2-3, 5-0, dnp
1998 4-2, 3-2, dnp
1999 4-1, 2-2, dnp
2000 3-2, 4-1, dnp

2001 3-1, 3-0, dnp
2002 2-3, 2-3, dnp
2003 3-2, 3-1, dnp
2004 2-3, 3-2, dnp
2005 2-2, 4-0, dnp

2006 3-5, 4-4, dnp
2007 2-4, 4-2, 4-2
2008 2-2, 2-3, 1-5
2009 5-1, dnp, 4-2
2010 3-4, dnp, 2-4

2011 3-3, dnp, 3-4
2012 6-0, dnp, 4-2
2013 0-4, 1-4, 2-2

Total: 49-42, 42-27, 20-21

Total Win %: 54%, 61%, 49%

 

[AtLarge]

Given how incredibly strong Team Europe has been in recent years, Archer's 6-0 record in the 2012 Mosconi should be viewed as truly remarkable, and almost definitely the best ever performance by an American player in the Mosconi Cup.

You may be right, sjm. Other undefeated records I have readily at hand are by Strickland (5-0 in 1997, 3-0 in 2001, and 4-0 in 2005) and Morris ( 5-0 in 2004 and 4-0 in 2005).

For the Euros, Souquet went 6-0 in 2008.

 

[PINKLADY]

Let's see last year we lost 12-2...you want me to bet these guys don't win 3 matches? Ever been told that you could be a lock artist?

I will give you 2-1 on the money if you like that USA loses. Do you want some of that? That is sort of a rhetorical question because we both know it isn't gonna happen without Archer, Morris, Hatch, Strickland or Dechaine. I got $1000 to your $500 if you like sir. I can hit you up about December,we can post with a 3rd party and get this done. I never offer a bet that I don't want, I'd be tickled to bet this one...please say yes. If you pass then the window is open for anybody else.

but it didn't happen WITH Archer, Morris, Hatch....
(Earl & Dechaine are exempt)