Mosconi Team Predictions for 2014

Just cuz chris beat justin does not make him better just means he was better that day I've sean SVB get beat bad by james davis jr does that mean he's better then sean nope just means he played better at that time but I will say everyones picks are great ones I just hope justin makes it he's been working hard
 
Road Team

Archer
SVB
Oscar
Bartram
Bergman


I have chosen this lineup based on where we are playing... I just see these players holding up best under pressure over there. Also, believe each player above will give 110 percent from beginning to end... I know most people would leave Archer off. But we really need him if he can repeat his previous performance out there. Although Dechaine belongs talent wise, he's left off based on his performance out there and possible chemistry issues with this team...



I do like the idea of a young, hungry team...But I feel that there is a time and a place for that...

Next Year at home

Landon
Woodward
Dechaine
Engel
Shuff


I do believe that a road team and home team should be comprised. This way, we have our top ten getting a chance to play for our country and also pick up a nice pay day...
 
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jhanso18 said:
I'm just curious what your thoughts are. I've been hearing a lot of chirping about team selection. Here's my prediction for team USA.

Shane VanBoening
Adam Behnke
Chris Bartrum
Skyler Woodward
Landon Shuffet


Based on what I've been hearing, and some of the stuff I've read. The team will look something like this. It WILL NOT have a bunch of guys, just showing up for a free roll. It will be young, HUNGRY, and ready to take on the world's best.

I like this team above, enough age to be seasoned, enough youth to be hungry, and MORE THAN ENOUGH TALENT TO GET THE JOB DONE!!!

I'm still not a big buyer on the MC, but with a team like this I would be compelled to watch.

Thoughts welcome,
Click to expand...

How do you pick Landon Shuffet? A good player but not a somewhat seasoned player for the Mosconi.

Hell, there is a teammate on his college team that (I believe) plays better than him.

Nah,,,,I'm looking for another than him.
 
glad to see others throwing mr. bartrum's name out there as well, he is 1 of the few pool players u know u can count on and bet on w out having to worry about any shenanigans!
 
uwate said:
Wilson needs guys who can handle big pressure moments. Many of the guys named in this and the other thread in the main forum currently are of guys that are great players no doubt, but do they have any history of success under great duress? I know the idea is to go younger but honestly if the guy has never won big events, never successfully played a big$$ ahead set on a live stream or has otherwise not gone under the crucible of matching up regularly with guys that play the speed of the euro team then its gonna be big problems under the brights lights in london. You cant just fabricate that level of pressure that will be there in London from 6 months of diligent practice by players leading up to this event.

Under that basis, I think you need players who have been
1) Actively playing fulltime and testing themselves under pressure at every opportunity. If they have school, if they have another job, if they have something they would rather be doing and are usually out doing instead of pool, then I question their candidacy.
2) prior history of achieving under great duress. I dont think Mark can tap someone to be on the team who has zero history of winning a major event. To expect someone who has never succeeded in the rarified air of a Major event to do well in the hostile environment as the away team in the MC is likely to end badly.
3) The team needs to be unified and not have decisive egos that will distract the team.

Under those three criteria I think you have
SVB
Oscar
Bergman

and the rest of the team Im not sure about. Corey I think is well deserving of consideration. I think that the team should consider adding one player on the roster that is a veteran for leadership. Archer would be my choice.
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Can they perform under the heat<<I agree with that concern!! The other thing I would consider when selecting the team is think about who their opponents will be. Then ask yourself, can they compete with Europeans finest players one on one...I'm not apposed to seeing some young players but at least get ones who have felt extreme pressure before and maybe won some big tournaments.. It would be fine to pick a bunch of juniors who can play great if we were going to play Europe's finest juniors. We will be going up against Europe's seasoned veterans with tons of experience though. We'll see what happens...
 
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Busboy said:
Just cuz chris beat justin does not make him better just means he was better that day I've sean SVB get beat bad by james davis jr does that mean he's better then sean nope just means he played better at that time but I will say everyones picks are great ones I just hope justin makes it he's been working hard
Click to expand...

I hope Justin makes it also....but lets look at this realistically. Mark has known and been training Justin off and on since he has been 11 years old.
1654215_402985549845155_1295263664_n.jpg


I think at this age, he could already run a rack on the 9 footer. If Mark chooses him, Justin better have himself a good strong record of accomplishments behind him so questions aren't thrown out as Mark playing favorites. Not that he would....but everyone knows how people talk!.
 
klockdoc said:
I hope Justin makes it also....but lets look at this realistically. Mark has known and been training Justin off and on since he has been 11 years old.
1654215_402985549845155_1295263664_n.jpg


I think at this age, he could already run a rack on the 9 footer. If Mark chooses him, Justin better have himself a good strong record of accomplishments behind him so questions aren't thrown out as Mark playing favorites. Not that he would....but everyone knows how people talk!.
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Yea I'm friends with justin and I've noticed he's trying too change things for the good and idk if u seen him in the last few tournaments he wants it and I don't think mark is the type of guy that would pick him just cuz he's known him forever but I know what u mean with all the talk I just think if he stays on the track he's on I think he should get a shot that's just me though
 
Aaron_S said:
That sounds like a solid plan. A thought occurred to me a while back, and it made me wish I had a way to convey it to Mark. For all I know this may be common practice or something he plans to do already, but I'll throw it out there.

In team competitions, it is not uncommon to see teams scrimmage against each other. I realize there are only two teams in the MC, and they likely won't be scrimming against each other, but it should be easy enough to arrange some scrimmages with teams of other Americans, at least for some scotch doubles matches, etc. I think the scrims could even be billed as exhibitions at larger tournaments - you already have most of the players there anyway. It would allow people to see their MC team preparing for the event, which should garner a little more support and a little larger following perhaps.

Just a thought.
Aaron
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Shuff
Sossie
Engles
Oscar

Vs

Justin Hall
Justin Bergman
Skylar Woodard
Chris Bartram or dechaine

Winning team joins SVB and cup!

Sounds good to me!

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 
Mark Wilson is dedicated and single minded in relation to this project. He almost has all his ducks in a row.
When the news of his progress emerges soon then it will be a squad that he will stand firmly behind and they will do the same for him.
They may not be to everybody's liking but he is the absolute boss and the Buck Stops With Him. His decisions all come with forethought and he has the courage of his convictions to support his choices
When the USA dominated the MC in early years they had truckloads of team spirit. Varner, Sigel and Rempe were the core players and players like Earl, Kim and Reed Pierce dovetailed into the team.

Europe were fragmented and the Euro Tour was in it's infancy. So there was no early rapport between Souquet, Immonen, Ortmann and snooker players like Steve Davis.

But then came Johan Ruysink and gradually things reversed. The coach took on a bunch of players who were now meeting at tournaments on a regular basis. Under his guidance they added discipline and respect for their team mates and this extends to the dozen or more players who could slot effortlessly into Team Europe.

Appleton, Souquet, Immonen, Hohmann, Boyes, Feijen, Van den Berg, Peach, Ekonomopolous, Melling, Gray, Shaw, Ortmann, Chamat, Petroni are all interchangeable and all are Mosconi Cup speed both on and off the table.
.
Basically, when the Euro team suffered their heaviest defeat (11-1) some of the blame lay in the fact that Davis was scheduled to play the opening match. He turned up five minutes before the match by which time an unprepared Souquet was forced to open proceedings. That was a real demoralising blow and things went all downhill from there.

But just like Team USA in 2013 it proved a significant moment. Apart from a brief appearance when Tony Drago played in front of his home crowd in Malta the snooker players have been supplanted by dedicated pool professionals.

I have watched every Mosconi Cup (most of them Live) and believe me Team Spirit has been the deciding factor in virtually every case.
 
I changed my mind, can we give the previous 2013 Mosconi Cup players another chance, with new leadership, more practice, things might change!! I find out that i will be glued to the tv when the old pros play; maybe that is me, sure i like us to win, who knows luck might be on our side this time.
 
pro9dg said:
Mark Wilson is dedicated and single minded in relation to this project. He almost has all his ducks in a row.
When the news of his progress emerges soon then it will be a squad that he will stand firmly behind and they will do the same for him.

Basically, he has already picked the team!

They may not be to everybody's liking but he is the absolute boss and the Buck Stops With Him. His decisions all come with forethought and he has the courage of his convictions to support his choices

Basically, He has a couple ZINGERS on the team so brace yourself

When the USA dominated the MC in early years they had truckloads of team spirit. Varner, Sigel and Rempe were the core players and players like Earl, Kim and Reed Pierce dovetailed into the team.

Europe were fragmented and the Euro Tour was in it's infancy. So there was no early rapport between Souquet, Immonen, Ortmann and snooker players like Steve Davis.

But then came Johan Ruysink and gradually things reversed. The coach took on a bunch of players who were now meeting at tournaments on a regular basis. Under his guidance they added discipline and respect for their team mates and this extends to the dozen or more players who could slot effortlessly into Team Europe.

Appleton, Souquet, Immonen, Hohmann, Boyes, Feijen, Van den Berg, Peach, Ekonomopolous, Melling, Gray, Shaw, Ortmann, Chamat, Petroni are all interchangeable and all are Mosconi Cup speed both on and off the table.
.
Basically, when the Euro team suffered their heaviest defeat (11-1) some of the blame lay in the fact that Davis was scheduled to play the opening match. He turned up five minutes before the match by which time an unprepared Souquet was forced to open proceedings. That was a real demoralising blow and things went all downhill from there.

But just like Team USA in 2013 it proved a significant moment. Apart from a brief appearance when Tony Drago played in front of his home crowd in Malta the snooker players have been supplanted by dedicated pool professionals.

I have watched every Mosconi Cup (most of them Live) and believe me Team Spirit has been the deciding factor in virtually every case.
Click to expand...

I just hope this is not an all "PRO ONE" aiming method team to the exclusion of other players with more merit and achievement!!! Going young does not mean abandoning a MERIT based system of selection. The offending mosconi cup team from last year excluded, the other eligible players are all in good standing to the best of my knowledge? For years the hand picked Johnny Archer squad thing has been going on and selection criteria manipulation. A few squeaked in like Shuff, Dechaine & SVB over the years.

I hear names like Behnke, Shuffett, Stevie Moore, & Billy Thorpe??? I must say really! No major wins! Not actively competing! Stevie Moore stopped playing and got a job! Mike Davis stopped playing and got a job! These guys see the writing on the wall and MUST split time between working and playing. Mike and Stevie both missed Derby! All the other events are INVITATIONAL and much smaller fields of 16! Some events are sketchy if they will happen or be funded like the US Open 9 Ball.

When and where can these contenders compete for a FAIR shot on the team??? Mark Wilson is letting me down! He has to live up to the Wilson name we share! The year is a third of the way through and no public statements on selection process? Date and location of try outs? Will the try outs be streamed? What format will the try outs be races to 10 or 20? Who will be invited to try out? Some people may want to attend the training camp or try outs?

Mark needs to get on the ball with these things and I blame MATCHROOM. Their whole Public Relations team is dropping the ball on their "Making the Squad" segment. They can have filler segments about the team building and training process on both sides of the pond and show the try outs as well.

That way, when the score is 11 to 2 and several hours of match play is missing you can jump to that segment and fill in the gaps from the landslide victory. Just some food for thought Doug!


KD
 
Not bad KD...

One thing to keep in mind is Mark Wilson doesn't have anything to do with "Pro One", that's Stan Shuffett.

Everybody is excited about Mark taking over as coach. I'm a bit more guarded about it. I'm just not so sure that the coach has all that much effect on the overall outcome of the match. Certainly, if a team was formed and they toured the country training together and competing than -- sure the coach would be an integral part of this whole thing. However, with the current state of pool in the U.S. - I just don't see it happening. I hope I’m wrong.

Of course, the biggest decision Mark has to make is selecting the team but even that is "fraught with peril" as Grady liked to say. Everybody wants him to go young. Well, that's fine and dandy but the only problem is we don't have many young players that play Mosconi Cup Level pool. Not when you compare them to the Europeans.

So what are we going to do after Mark selects his team and they have several months to gel, only to then show up in Blackpool, where they handle themselves with class, but they get drubbed again by a better European team?

What will we conclude then?

Here's what I'll probably conclude:

The U.S. team isn't in need of a coach.

The U.S. players are.

There’s a big difference there.
 
Why do people keep saying Shane?
I think it's time to dump him, he hasn't done anything lately.

Juuuuuuussssst kidding.

sjm said:
You guys are on the right track. There are three guys that are head and shoulders above al other American players right now, and they are Shane, Mike D, and Justin B.
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Surprised at so few votes for Dechaine.
Going by the moneyboard he's a no-brainer.

On the other hand, based on the moneyboard, I think Hall should replace Justin B.
in your list above. He's won about 112,000 in the past 6 years, vs. bergman's 61,
and 40 of that 61 comes from one fairytale year where he won a 20k tar match and 20k ring game.
Since then he's had a few years where he doesn't even earn $1,000 in tournament money.
 
klockdoc said:
How do you pick Landon Shuffet? A good player but not a somewhat seasoned player for the Mosconi.

Hell, there is a teammate on his college team that (I believe) plays better than him.

Nah,,,,I'm looking for another than him.
Click to expand...

He's not my pick, but that's what i've been hearing for selection.
 
CreeDo said:
Why do people keep saying Shane?
I think it's time to dump him, he hasn't done anything lately.

Juuuuuuussssst kidding.



Surprised at so few votes for Dechaine.
Going by the moneyboard he's a no-brainer.

On the other hand, based on the moneyboard, I think Hall should replace Justin B.
in your list above. He's won about 112,000 in the past 6 years, vs. bergman's 61,
and 40 of that 61 comes from one fairytale year where he won a 20k tar match and 20k ring game.
Since then he's had a few years where he doesn't even earn $1,000 in tournament money.
Click to expand...

Having Mike D. doesn't play nice with others... And he doesn't have many fans because of it...
 
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