MOSCONI CUP LIVE (Score Updates)

Cory in DC said:
I think we need to change to North America vs. Europe, so we can bring in Canada and add Alex!
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Continent vs continent would be more fair than country vs continent as it is now. The EU has maybe twice the population of the US--North America as a whole is still smaller than the EU. I think it would reinvigorate the competition, and only hurt American feelings for a year or two (or until North America wins one). As an American, I'd prefer a fairer fight to preserving the structure of the competition as it stands.
 
Cardigan Kid said:
Now did they cancel the final doubles match because of time constraints or because they have to manufacture a fourth day?
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That's the only explanation I can think of 🤔
They gave no explanation during the broadcast?? Would like to know the reason why???
 
jojopiff said:
At 6-2 for the cup and 4-1 in this match it may not have made any difference, but Europe has gotten the lions share of the rolls today. They've played well and taken advantage of the rolls too.
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vladmin said:
I honestly cant believe Im reading this. Rolls rolls rolls. Maybe the weather in London threw them off ? Maybe every time they are at the table they get transposed in a different dimension ?

How about Mike The Fireball Dechaine playing like an amateur ? The APA is pretty proud of him I bet.

How about Shane ? Really ? 5 time US Open champion and he looks awful every year at this event ?

Is anyone making excuses for Jayson Shaw who looks really bad ?

Please. Face the reality. Europe > USA this year and the last few ones.
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I'm not sure you actually read my post. Not sure how your response is even a little bit in response to what I said.

Notice how I said it may not have made any difference?
Notice how I said Europe is playing well and taking advantage of good rolls?
Where was I making excuses for USA playing bad?

There's plenty of posts that will make excuses as to why USA coulda, shoulda won. This aint one of em junior. Take this garbage elsewhere.

And, since when is getting rolls a knock on someone? A handful of rolls happen each match. Some go for you, some go against. The people that take advantage of them are often the winners. Europe did that. They got the rolls today but deserve to be up 7-2. They've played better. Plain and simple.
 
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vladmin said:
I honestly cant believe Im reading this. Rolls rolls rolls. Maybe the weather in London threw them off ? Maybe every time they are at the table they get transposed in a different dimension ?

How about Mike The Fireball Dechaine playing like an amateur ? The APA is pretty proud of him I bet.

How about Shane ? Really ? 5 time US Open champion and he looks awful every year at this event ?

Is anyone making excuses for Jayson Shaw who looks really bad ?

Please. Face the reality. Europe > USA this year and the last few ones.
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Europe isn't just better, they are way better. I wonder if people will start agreeing with me that the captain has virtually nothing to do with our performance. You could bring a cue wielding Vince Lombardi back from the grave and it would make no difference.

Bergman and Woodward have pretty good form which I mentioned before the event and they actually have played pretty well. They would probably play even better if they had some help. I could sit here and point out -- yet again -- all the flaws in the respective games of the other U.S. players and our instructors would come right behind me and say there's nothing wrong with their technique. That should tell you all you need to know about the state of pool in the US.
 
Mousa said:
I believe they really want day 4 to happen!
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The only way that will happen is to schedule 4 games tomorrow.

America at this point look unmotivated and disinterested. A far cry from the team that I grew up loving to hate, who, in my opinion were ruthless, destructive and arrogant.

Watching Grey getting selfies before the last rack... how things have changed.

The return on Earl?
 
David Marcus said:
That's the only explanation I can think of 🤔
They gave no explanation during the broadcast?? Would like to know the reason why???
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Right, no one can possibly understand the reason why they cancelled the last game!!
Who is the sleuth that can crack this conspiracy?!?
 
sjm said:
This has been a Beating of the highest order. nothing to do with the rolls and only one match was lost on the hill. Europe has dominated, period.

this is really embarrassing. American pool appears to be in disarray. Four years since we won a session/day of play. That's just pathetic.

There's an old saying that if one side wins every time, the matchup cannot be called a rivalry. that's about where things stand.

Finally, I'm tired of hearing about how the US dominated this event before Europe took up nine ball. it's meaningless.
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I'll have to say, watching the Europeans embrace the stage is quite impressive.
The post match expression between Darren and Albin after they won the hill hill match was as if two brothers just finished a marathon.
Darren in the post match interview says Albin's shot on the four was the best shot he's ever seen in his life. Albin responds with a brotherly kiss on the cheek. (What kind of confidence does a compliment like that from Darren Appleton give to a player?!)

These guys are like family.

Earlier, I watched skylar ask for Shane's advice on the safety off the 3, and Shane responds with "just hurry we're almost out of clock".

We are watching two different styles of play here. Just two different styles of embracing the spotlight and the sport.

Karl Boyes didn't even make the euro team, yet he was in the stands cheering (like Shaw was last year). You never see that on the American side and I believe it plays a major role.
 
westcoast said:
It is quite perplexing because it's not like the guys on Team USA aren't immensely talented- SVB, Morris, and Bergman are great players. Dechaine and Woodward are no slouches either. They just don't show their full ability during the MC. I think it is largely a psychological thing at this point.
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I disagree. Yes, they are all talented, but they are not developing much as players over the past few years.

Except for Justin Bergman, their decisions are inferior to the top Europeans and Asians year round and while they can sometimes compensate for it by breaking well (or in the case of SVB like Superman), in the end poor decision makers find themselves with very low title counts in anything but regional tourneys.

The best pool players need to be great in both conceptualization and execution and Team USA has a long way to go when it comes to conceptualization skills. Because Team USA has failed to bring these skills up to par, they have shown up unprepared for success for three years running.
 
BasementDweller said:
Europe isn't just better, they are way better. I wonder if people will start agreeing with me that the captain has virtually nothing to do with our performance. You could bring a cue wielding Vince Lombardi back from the grave and it would make no difference.

Bergman and Woodward have pretty good form which I mentioned before the event and they actually have played pretty well. They would probably play even better if they had some help. I could sit here and point out -- yet again -- all the flaws in the respective games of the other U.S. players and our instructors would come right behind me and say there's nothing wrong with their technique. That should tell you all you need to know about the state of pool in the US.
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It's a shambles. 1200 dollars for 3 day's tuition? Yikes. I could put you all on the path to recovery in ten minutes, for free.
 
why doesn't USA stop thinking they can win with the top money winners. Instead, do a lottery and see what we get. Can't be worse than what we have now.

I think a couple of B players could do better.


:frown::frown::sorry::sorry::angry::angry::angry::angry:
 
If anyone is in touch with Matchroom folks, Please let them know that Bob Byrne passed away last night. Maybe they can mention this with a small tribute to the man that helped most of us with our game at one point or another.

Here is a post on Facebook with a nice quote: Bob passed away at home Tuesday night at 9:30, peacefully and painlessly with his son Russell and wife Cindy at his side. Since he was a man of quotes, this is a good one: "Tears are sometimes an inappropriate response to death. When a life has been lived completely honestly, completely successfully, or just completely, the correct response to death's perfect punctuation mark is a smile." - Julie Burchill

Dave
 
I don't have near the competitive spirit I used to, and I'd still sooner lose the next 10 Mosconi Cups in a row before asking for Canada. Nothing against Canada. Just seems like the easy way out. It's too hard so make it easier? Nah, work your ass off and earn it. It'll feel way better when we do win, assuming we actually ever win another.
 
I appreciate all that Mark has done for the sport, but maybe he needs to be moved to the General Manager position and bring in an experienced coach from maybe tennis, or golf. We've tried all these combinations of players to no avail.

Also we need to schedule the tournaments and selections much earlier, with a full cadre or alternates, and demand a strict practice regime.
If you're a chronic "no show", or don't play well with others, then welcome an alternate to the team.
 
Put me in, coach. I can do as well as they can and lose every match and I can lose with style and flair.

90% of this type of short-race match is mental and calls for good decision making. Races to 5 are too short to allow for any mistakes. One good or bad roll during the match may be the whole difference between winning and losing.

FWIW, I think the Europeans make it out to be a bigger thing than the American players do. I think the Americans think of it as a free trip and free money and less about who wins.
 
Cardigan Kid said:
I'll have to say, watching the Europeans embrace the stage is quite impressive.
The post match expression between Darren and Albin after they won the hill hill match was as if two brothers just finished a marathon.
Darren in the post match interview says Albin's shot on the four was the best shot he's ever seen in his life. Albin responds with a brotherly kiss on the cheek. (What kind of confidence does a compliment like that from Darren Appleton give to a player?!)

These guys are like family.

Earlier, I watched skylar ask for Shane's advice on the safety off the 3, and Shane responds with "just hurry we're almost out of clock".

We are watching two different styles of play here. Just two different styles of embracing the spotlight and the sport.

Karl Boyes didn't even make the euro team, yet he was in the stands cheering (like Shaw was last year). You never see that on the American side and I believe it plays a major role.
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I'll say it one more time and this will be the last. My number 1 pick if I were choosing team USA would have been Archer. I think he would have been the leader USA needs here.
 
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