Mosconi Cup: Amateur Playing Member

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
I have watched the past Mosconi Cup discussions with great interest and a friend was talking to me the other day about a possible consideration in future MCs.

The fact is the best players will not always be selected for the Mosconi cup even though most of the players on any Mosconi Cup are super talented. There's a lot more that goes into the selection process than how well you are playing.

My friend suggested to add some additional excitement and interest, that the final playing member of each team be chosen should be a bona fide amateur.

At first, I thought, yeah ok, who wants to watch an amateur struggle. Then I thought, maybe millions of wannabee lovers of the sport.

Then I started thinking that the APA hosts the U.S. Amateur Championship. Heck, if the winner of that year's event could play on the Mosconi Cup Team, they might even be willing to put up the prize money for that player. After all, it would be GREAT PUBLICITY for the APA and what a lucrative piece of lagniappe for the U.S. Amateur Champion!

They could also consider choosing a collegiate champion for that year to be a member of the MC as well.

MatchRoom Sports could also consider choosing an amateur from other avenues, such as college students like Landon Shuffett or other people who don't depend upon pool for a living and who are not classified as "pros".

There is lots of amateurs who can swing a good stick and it might make the Mosconi Cup even more entertaining.

Right now, it seems the Matchroom Sports chooses the players as they attempt to make the match even more exciting. This could add some additional excitement to the matches.

What do you think about having one bona fide amateur chosen as a member of the Mosconi Cup Team?

JoeyA
 
It's a good idea from a publicity perspective.

I'll sell the ringside seats for the fights over who is a amateur and who isn't. The seats will be cheap but the popcorn will be expensive.
 
This is a GREAT idea...but we may have quibbles over what an amateur is. Also, how would the European Team reciprocate? I guess they could find someone in a league or via a qualifier...but the distinction may be lost. I like the idea of a national winner of a BCA or APA tournament, preferably a junior champion or collegiate champ getting a shot. Can you imagine some teenager whitewashing Niels on international TV?! :thumbup:
 
I really like this idea because it is a way to bridge the successful APA system into the international marketplace. I know the APA has made inroads in Canada and Japan but nothing in Europe or the other Asian markets, so there would be benefits to the APA for supporting this. For a long while now there has been a need for a way to bridge the gap between how APA could also benefit pro level pool and inject some amateur level interest into the professional game. This might be a way.

Is there an amateur league/system out there in Europe or Asia that would be comparable to the APA?
 
With all due respect, BAD idea. I look at this way.....if YOU and I were on the MC team and the final match depended on an amateur for the win would you be comfortable with that?

As we know the MC is not a routine team-based competition. It's a prestigious event that carries many implications within the pool world.

Quite frankly, with the Europeans winning the MC more often lately, the U.S NEEDS to sharpen its cue. That doesn't mean introducing "gimmicks" into our strategy.

Keep it professional people and let's start winning this damn thing!
 
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Well, it's all hypothetical, Matchroom will do what they want
so we're talking about alternate realities just for fun.

If there were some version of the Cup with 4 pros and 1 amateur, would the pros mind?
Yes and no. The ones who made the team would be ok. Pros have learned to accept
things they may not like in a tournament, whether it's jump cues or the seeding policy or
the length of the race.

The lucky few who are chosen are honored and happy and get $7,500 regardless of anything.
So they will take their amateur teammate and say to matchroom "thank you sir, may I have another?"

The pros who missed the cut would surely resent it...
they played great all year, yet some lucky kid gets their slot?
This random lotto winner gets the big guaranteed payday?

Would the fans like it?
IMO fans want to see either "great" or "terrible". Mediocre doesn't get them excited.
That's why they show the horrible off-key amateurs on American Idol,
people like to see a train wreck.

Personally I think it would taint the prestige of the mosconi cup adding train wrecks to the mix.
The losers will blame their weakest link if he plays as expected.
Winning may feel less special knowing there was some untested wild card in the mix.

IMO some of what we're looking for, the "let's root for the young upstart kid!" is already there.
On AZ at least, that's kind of how people viewed Mike D. or Brandon Shuff.
People liked rooting for them even if they aren't multiple US Open winners.
Yet those guys can really play and won't be anchors dragging their team down.

IMO matchroom has already figured out how to get those viewers.
 
like it. I also think that each team should contain at least one female player as well !
 
There are some amatures that are better than some of the "Professionals" on the MC.

MC seemed to be a popularity contest, to get veiwers, which is okay.

I equate it to the Olympics basketball. It used to be college guys who were not considered professionals.

Then they had the "Dream Team" that killed all of the other contries and none of the games were even close. The reasoning was that the "other teams" had professionals too.

Whatever.

IMO, they missed putting some young guys that play great that would represent the USA in the best light.

Instead we have guys that are embarass us, or guys that have just got out of "school".

Whatever.

Ken
 
It is not current possible to define an "amateur" pool player, let alone in a fair and equitable manner across USA and all of Europe. Controversies would abound.
 
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