Mosconi Cup player evaluation
- Thread starter Jesters
- Start date
Archer is clearly playing the best. Every time Dechaine got out of line, Archer put him right back in line. It was the same with Shuff yesterday.
Shane made a few mental errors in that singles match that I've never seen him make, but otherwise playing great as always.
Hatch is letting the crowd get the better of him. I think his way of dealing with it is to play it up and give it back to them (which is exactly what I did in college basketball), but it doesn't work if you can't deliver the goods and he didn't shoot very well today.
Dechaine played better today, but he's clearly not hitting it well so far.
Shuff hasn't necessarily dogged it, but it's clear that he is the underdog in each match. In our minds, the Euro's minds, and probably in the other American's minds as evident by him only playing once today.
It is extremely clear that Johnny Archer is still the man. If not for him we wouldn't be tied up at end of day 2. Who needs a coach with him on the team? Shuff and Dechaine are showing their jitters. To afraid to let their stroke out. Shane blew his singles match; he made a couple dumb mistakes.
Good post, and I hope people understand that Shane is not the better player compared to Johnny in his prime. Johnny might be the best pressure player of all time!
Archer has been the man so far. Played well both days. Gets a grade of A from me. Funny how many on the forum complained when he was named to the team, despite the fact that he won two out of three races to 25 in his TAR match with Shane. Nobody should be complaining now.
Shane has been up and down, and certainly isn't playing near his best form. The loss to Ekonomopolis turned the tide of the Mosconi Cup at a time when Team America had a chance to take a decisive 5-2 lead. I'll give him a B-.
Dechaine didn't play well yesterday but showed some progress today and contributed his share in the first match of the day today. I'll give him a C+.
Dennis Hatch played fine yesterday but today was a nightmare for him. Despite his high level of enthsiasm, he really looks like he's not fully engaged. I'll give him a grade of C.
Brandon Shuff struggled both days and has yet to find his form. I'll give him a grade of D+.
Shane has been up and down, and certainly isn't playing near his best form. The loss to Ekonomopolis turned the tide of the Mosconi Cup at a time when Team America had a chance to take a decisive 5-2 lead. I'll give him a B-.
Dechaine didn't play well yesterday but showed some progress today and contributed his share in the first match of the day today. I'll give him a C+.
Dennis Hatch played fine yesterday but today was a nightmare for him. Despite his high level of enthsiasm, he really looks like he's not fully engaged. I'll give him a grade of C.
Brandon Shuff struggled both days and has yet to find his form. I'll give him a grade of D+.
Archer gets an A+ from me. He's basically the glue holding everything together. Nothing seems to rattle him. Amazing. Utter disbelief that Shane lost his singles match. Singles play in general for the Americans has to improve if they're going to win. That tells me they're having a harder time focusing without a partner to lean on and get encouragement from.
My hat is off to Matchroom
+1
I've only seen @ 60% of the matches. But, every match of Johnny's I've seen (maybe all but one or two max) I don't recall seeing any better position being made so consistently from very difficult layouts. Nor such a calming team influence.
Like the one today (if anyone recalls what I'm trying to describe, while he was partnered with Mike DeChaine) where he was up table with the CB and OB and he made the OB and then weaved the CB between a ridiculously close 8 and 9 to get on the 8. Over and over, he's gotten pin point position - not to mention he's hardly missed a shot. He did overrun a couple safes is @ all I saw.
Ex 2: in the doubles match, again with Mike, Johnny had a choice to shoot a carom on a 6 to make the 7. Mike thought he should shoot it. Discussion ensued... Johnny said "no" and safety stuck Melling behind the 7. Melling kicked and missed. BIH. Rack over.
Ex 3: He advised Shane to approach a shot differently than what Shane Freaking Van Boening thought. Shane went with Johnny's direction and executed a tough shot/po nicely. Respect or what???
Ya reckon Johnny may someday be a captain???
BTW, Trivia question: Who's the only two players to have not played a singles match so far? (Johnny and Nick VDB)
Anyway... Johnny was #10 in BCA points IIRC. Hats off to Luke and/or Barry of Matchroom for choosing him (and Neils for that matter). We'd surely not be tied 5-5 without Johnny. For these English chaps that hold the choices in their pockets, I think this speaks volumes to their having the game's best interest at heart and foregoing potential inherent bias.
+1
I've only seen @ 60% of the matches. But, every match of Johnny's I've seen (maybe all but one or two max) I don't recall seeing any better position being made so consistently from very difficult layouts. Nor such a calming team influence.
Like the one today (if anyone recalls what I'm trying to describe, while he was partnered with Mike DeChaine) where he was up table with the CB and OB and he made the OB and then weaved the CB between a ridiculously close 8 and 9 to get on the 8. Over and over, he's gotten pin point position - not to mention he's hardly missed a shot. He did overrun a couple safes is @ all I saw.
Ex 2: in the doubles match, again with Mike, Johnny had a choice to shoot a carom on a 6 to make the 7. Mike thought he should shoot it. Discussion ensued... Johnny said "no" and safety stuck Melling behind the 7. Melling kicked and missed. BIH. Rack over.
Ex 3: He advised Shane to approach a shot differently than what Shane Freaking Van Boening thought. Shane went with Johnny's direction and executed a tough shot/po nicely. Respect or what???
Ya reckon Johnny may someday be a captain???
BTW, Trivia question: Who's the only two players to have not played a singles match so far? (Johnny and Nick VDB)
Anyway... Johnny was #10 in BCA points IIRC. Hats off to Luke and/or Barry of Matchroom for choosing him (and Neils for that matter). We'd surely not be tied 5-5 without Johnny. For these English chaps that hold the choices in their pockets, I think this speaks volumes to their having the game's best interest at heart and foregoing potential inherent bias.