SJM Sizes Up the 2021 Mosconi Cup
- Thread starter sjm
- Start date
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The turning point in this year’s MC was the final match of day 2. The US would’ve slept on a 6-3 lead if they could’ve finished off that match in which they held a 4-1 lead.
By the time JJ’s memorable hill-hill match with Alcaide on day three started, they had already lost 5 matches in a row, so it likely wouldn’t have mattered whether that session finished at 8-6 or 9-5 in favor of Europe going in to the final day. It might have allowed them to extend the inevitable result for a few more matches on the final day, but that’s about it.
All you need to know is SVB (our top player) going 0-4 in his singles matches.
Yes, that was a huge point that got away.
That was Stu's words not Shane.
Yes, I like to meet fans of both Team USA and of Team Europe.I saw you on the American side of the stage the first few days, and then you were on the other side, front row, the last few days. Interestingly, you had a smile on your face the entire time, like a kid in an amusement park.
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At last, I’m back in the US, and I’ll have to file a Mosconi trip report unlike any other, as my trip was unlike any other.
Getting to London
What a pain it was to prepare for departure. The rule is that you must get tested in London within 48 hours of arrival and quarantine until you get results.
On top of that, you had to show that the appointment in London had been arranged by entering a code provided by a test company in order to complete a passenger locator form, without which you couldn’t check in for your overseas fight.
Fair enough, except that my booking code was producing an error message that made it impossible to complete my form. I learned there was a software issue that they were resolving, and I finally managed to complete the form, which must be filed electronically, but only on the night before I was due to fly.
When I arrived in London Sunday morning 12/5, I got my COVID test and quarantined until Monday night, 12/6, when the results were emailed to me.
Tuesday 12/7, Mosconi Cup, Day 1
As I bought a platinum VIP pass, I was entitled to attend the banquet each day. I meant to arrive by 5:00 but did not arrive until 5:30.
I sat down at a table with a delightful contingent of fans from Seattle, and we were having a nice chat when I had a problem swallowing my food, quite probably because I ate too quickly so I would be ready for the first match at 6:00. I was not choking, but food was stuck in my esophagus. When the problem persisted, the Alexandra Palace medic sent me to nearby Whittington Hospital, where I could be observed.
It had a happy ending, as I finally swallowed the food that had gotten stuck but by the time I checked out, I missed session one of the Mosconi Cup.
Wednesday, 12/8, Mosconi Cup Day 2
I took a guest with me for session 2 and we had a blast. The play ran hot and cold, but there was some great pool on display. Both Kaci (World 10-ball champion) and Ouschan (World 9-ball champion) had a tough night and the US appeared on the verge of a 6-3 lead when a 4-1 lead evaporated in the final match. I remember thinking that this would likely come back to haunt them, and I also recall feeling that the USA had slept on the day two lead mostly because Europe had a bad day on Day 2. Hey, even the greats have bad days.
Thursday 12/9, Mosconi Cup Day 3
This was a disastrous day for team USA as they not only lost all five matches played but had a couple of nightmarish things happen.
First, Shane had Kaci on the ropes at 3-1, about to run out for 4-1 when he made a shocking error. Shane did the same in the next rack, and the match, which by all rights should have been 5-1, was tied at 3. Kaci went on to win and instead of 6-6, the Mosconi sat at 7-5 Europe, a huge swing in momentum, as big in my view as what had happened to close out session 2.
Then came the Alcaide vs Jeremy Jones match that closed session three in which both were exceptional. David played fantastic pool all week, but Jeremy hung with him. The match came down to a really well-played safety battle in the hill-hill rack and Jeremy finally had a good look at a runout with a very manageable, but far from automatic, shot on the six. Unfortunately, he forgot the rules, and committed a shot clock foul. Team Europe would sit on a seemingly insurmountable 9-5 lead.
Europe played fine pool in session 3 but, as noted, the US had really good chances that were not converted. Team USA got shut out 5-0 as they did in the hard to forget Session 1 at the 2013 Mosconi on the day that Barry Hearn was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame.
Friday, 12/10
The play on Friday was short and, if you were cheering for Team Europe, sweet, as Team Europe completed an 11-6 victory, Well played, Europe. By winning match 16 over Jayson Shaw, Skyler Woodward did end Europe's seven match winning streak, but it was too little, too late.
Sizing Up the Play: The Big Picture
In the three sessions I saw, I took few notes, but I’d say that Team USA didn’t really lose with the usual formula. In many Mosconi Cup events in recent years, Team USA had not played well tactically and Europe had so many more chances than Team USA that it would have been near impossible for Team USA to win,
This year, I feel that Team USA played adequately in the tactical aspects of the game. In fact, despite the anticlimax, Jeremy Jones offered a virtual tutorial in tactical play in his match against David Alcaide, very nearly managing to top a player who was in dead stroke. To be fair, this Mosconi was lost with poor offensive execution. Team USA was just not completing the runouts at the level needed to win. Team Europe shot straighter and played slightly better patterns.
The break was a non-factor in this Mosconi, as the corner ball was going in time after time, so everybody was getting chances. Europe did more with those chances, and that’s why they were the ones raising the trophy at the end.
Who Were the Stars of this Mosconi Cup?
Jayson Shaw was consistently outstanding, as was David Alcaide, and Josh Filler played well, too. On the American side, only Skyler Woodward can be said to have shined in this Mosconi. Skyler has been the best player on Team USA for years now and must be counted as an elite player who can hold his own with anybody.
Shane Van Boening
Shane struggled, but as we know, Shane has never found his best at the Mosconi. I don’t see a need to make excuses for him, but I will take note that the big breakers didn’t have much of an edge at the Mosconi this year, as everybody had an easy time with the break.
Still, Shane’s level of execution was disappointing and coach Jones continued to feature him even when it was clear that Shane was off his game. To be fair, many other coaches have done the same in the past, a defensible strategy. That said, Skyler Woodward has found his best form for four years now at the Mosconi and a strong case can be made that he should be featured more than any other player.
Earl Strickland and Jeremy Jones
Despite being among many that felt Earl hadn’t earned his spot, I was very sad about what happened to him. I’m sure that Earl prepared diligently for his trip to the Mosconi, and it was a shame that he went so far only to have to quarantine after a contact tracing report identified him as having been exposed.
As a player/coach, Jeremy conducted himself with the highest possible level of professionalism and I really admire him. Jeremy is and continues to be a very positive force in American pool, and he presents it with both class and dignity.
How Did Matchroom Do?
In my assessment, Matchroom did brilliantly.
Alexandra Palace is perfect for pool, and the venue was set up superbly. The equipment was appropriate for pro players, but not super-tight based on my own observation. Event management was well up to the task as security performed admirably and key Matchroom staff worked efficiently and were very accessible. Food and drink were abundant and reasonably priced, too. Soft drinks and beer were free for VIP ticket holders like me.
In my unique case, as noted, I needed some medical support and the Matchroom personnel were very helpful. When I returned after having missed a full session, Emily Frazer, Nick Teale, and some other Matchroom personnel made a point of greeting me and making sure I was doing OK, which I was. Emily even went as far as offering to permit my guest, who had not purchased a VIP ticket, into the banquet, an offer I greatly appreciated but declined. In short, Matchroom went the extra yard to make sure I had a grand old time at the event. I greatly appreciated it.
The banquet itself, held before each and every session, was exceptional, with great food and drink, including lots of beer. The dining tables were elegant, comparable to what you’d get at a wedding.
Matchroom put on a first-class production in every respect at the Mosconi, an event they seem to have down to a science.
Thank you to Emily Frazer, the hostess and master of ceremonies extraordinaire, and to all at Matchroom, for a great event.
A Small Negative: Reduced Access to the Players
Due to COVID, access to the players was limited, and that made sense. In fact, several of the players and coaches with whom I caught up approached me, not vice versa, including Alex Lely, Jeremy Jones, Jayson Shaw, and Karl Boyes. In most years, players sit in the sections designated for their own team but this year they sat in a roped off area behind the foot end of the table.
Finally, VIP ticket holders were given a Mosconi Cup program signed by all the players and that was fantastic. I will put mine in a very safe place.
The Crowd is the Story when the Mosconi is in Europe
At Alexandra Palace, the European fans go wild, producing a level of energy that I’d really like to see in the United States, but never have. They sing, they dance, and they even write songs. For example, the song they sang about Jayson Shaw, sung to the tune of the KC and the Sunshine band hit “Give it Up,” went “Jayson Shaw, Jayson Shaw, Jayson, Jayson Shaw, na na na na na na na.” The European crowd makes their players feel like rock stars, and I, for one, love it.
I always make sure to sit in the European section at least once at every Mosconi, and the European fans I met this year and in the past are energetic fans and delightful people,
Conclusion
It was a great Mosconi and I was glad to be part of it.
Matchroom will be staging the UK Open, a new event to be held in May in London. I’m really hoping to find a way to attend. In fact, 2022 will be the second consecutive year in which Matchroom produced a new event, as the Predator LCP event was added in 2021.
Matchroom just keeps on growing our sport.
Getting to London
What a pain it was to prepare for departure. The rule is that you must get tested in London within 48 hours of arrival and quarantine until you get results.
On top of that, you had to show that the appointment in London had been arranged by entering a code provided by a test company in order to complete a passenger locator form, without which you couldn’t check in for your overseas fight.
Fair enough, except that my booking code was producing an error message that made it impossible to complete my form. I learned there was a software issue that they were resolving, and I finally managed to complete the form, which must be filed electronically, but only on the night before I was due to fly.
When I arrived in London Sunday morning 12/5, I got my COVID test and quarantined until Monday night, 12/6, when the results were emailed to me.
Tuesday 12/7, Mosconi Cup, Day 1
As I bought a platinum VIP pass, I was entitled to attend the banquet each day. I meant to arrive by 5:00 but did not arrive until 5:30.
I sat down at a table with a delightful contingent of fans from Seattle, and we were having a nice chat when I had a problem swallowing my food, quite probably because I ate too quickly so I would be ready for the first match at 6:00. I was not choking, but food was stuck in my esophagus. When the problem persisted, the Alexandra Palace medic sent me to nearby Whittington Hospital, where I could be observed.
It had a happy ending, as I finally swallowed the food that had gotten stuck but by the time I checked out, I missed session one of the Mosconi Cup.
Wednesday, 12/8, Mosconi Cup Day 2
I took a guest with me for session 2 and we had a blast. The play ran hot and cold, but there was some great pool on display. Both Kaci (World 10-ball champion) and Ouschan (World 9-ball champion) had a tough night and the US appeared on the verge of a 6-3 lead when a 4-1 lead evaporated in the final match. I remember thinking that this would likely come back to haunt them, and I also recall feeling that the USA had slept on the day two lead mostly because Europe had a bad day on Day 2. Hey, even the greats have bad days.
Thursday 12/9, Mosconi Cup Day 3
This was a disastrous day for team USA as they not only lost all five matches played but had a couple of nightmarish things happen.
First, Shane had Kaci on the ropes at 3-1, about to run out for 4-1 when he made a shocking error. Shane did the same in the next rack, and the match, which by all rights should have been 5-1, was tied at 3. Kaci went on to win and instead of 6-6, the Mosconi sat at 7-5 Europe, a huge swing in momentum, as big in my view as what had happened to close out session 2.
Then came the Alcaide vs Jeremy Jones match that closed session three in which both were exceptional. David played fantastic pool all week, but Jeremy hung with him. The match came down to a really well-played safety battle in the hill-hill rack and Jeremy finally had a good look at a runout with a very manageable, but far from automatic, shot on the six. Unfortunately, he forgot the rules, and committed a shot clock foul. Team Europe would sit on a seemingly insurmountable 9-5 lead.
Europe played fine pool in session 3 but, as noted, the US had really good chances that were not converted. Team USA got shut out 5-0 as they did in the hard to forget Session 1 at the 2013 Mosconi on the day that Barry Hearn was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame.
Friday, 12/10
The play on Friday was short and, if you were cheering for Team Europe, sweet, as Team Europe completed an 11-6 victory, Well played, Europe. By winning match 16 over Jayson Shaw, Skyler Woodward did end Europe's seven match winning streak, but it was too little, too late.
Sizing Up the Play: The Big Picture
In the three sessions I saw, I took few notes, but I’d say that Team USA didn’t really lose with the usual formula. In many Mosconi Cup events in recent years, Team USA had not played well tactically and Europe had so many more chances than Team USA that it would have been near impossible for Team USA to win,
This year, I feel that Team USA played adequately in the tactical aspects of the game. In fact, despite the anticlimax, Jeremy Jones offered a virtual tutorial in tactical play in his match against David Alcaide, very nearly managing to top a player who was in dead stroke. To be fair, this Mosconi was lost with poor offensive execution. Team USA was just not completing the runouts at the level needed to win. Team Europe shot straighter and played slightly better patterns.
The break was a non-factor in this Mosconi, as the corner ball was going in time after time, so everybody was getting chances. Europe did more with those chances, and that’s why they were the ones raising the trophy at the end.
Who Were the Stars of this Mosconi Cup?
Jayson Shaw was consistently outstanding, as was David Alcaide, and Josh Filler played well, too. On the American side, only Skyler Woodward can be said to have shined in this Mosconi. Skyler has been the best player on Team USA for years now and must be counted as an elite player who can hold his own with anybody.
Shane Van Boening
Shane struggled, but as we know, Shane has never found his best at the Mosconi. I don’t see a need to make excuses for him, but I will take note that the big breakers didn’t have much of an edge at the Mosconi this year, as everybody had an easy time with the break.
Still, Shane’s level of execution was disappointing and coach Jones continued to feature him even when it was clear that Shane was off his game. To be fair, many other coaches have done the same in the past, a defensible strategy. That said, Skyler Woodward has found his best form for four years now at the Mosconi and a strong case can be made that he should be featured more than any other player.
Earl Strickland and Jeremy Jones
Despite being among many that felt Earl hadn’t earned his spot, I was very sad about what happened to him. I’m sure that Earl prepared diligently for his trip to the Mosconi, and it was a shame that he went so far only to have to quarantine after a contact tracing report identified him as having been exposed.
As a player/coach, Jeremy conducted himself with the highest possible level of professionalism and I really admire him. Jeremy is and continues to be a very positive force in American pool, and he presents it with both class and dignity.
How Did Matchroom Do?
In my assessment, Matchroom did brilliantly.
Alexandra Palace is perfect for pool, and the venue was set up superbly. The equipment was appropriate for pro players, but not super-tight based on my own observation. Event management was well up to the task as security performed admirably and key Matchroom staff worked efficiently and were very accessible. Food and drink were abundant and reasonably priced, too. Soft drinks and beer were free for VIP ticket holders like me.
In my unique case, as noted, I needed some medical support and the Matchroom personnel were very helpful. When I returned after having missed a full session, Emily Frazer, Nick Teale, and some other Matchroom personnel made a point of greeting me and making sure I was doing OK, which I was. Emily even went as far as offering to permit my guest, who had not purchased a VIP ticket, into the banquet, an offer I greatly appreciated but declined. In short, Matchroom went the extra yard to make sure I had a grand old time at the event. I greatly appreciated it.
The banquet itself, held before each and every session, was exceptional, with great food and drink, including lots of beer. The dining tables were elegant, comparable to what you’d get at a wedding.
Matchroom put on a first-class production in every respect at the Mosconi, an event they seem to have down to a science.
Thank you to Emily Frazer, the hostess and master of ceremonies extraordinaire, and to all at Matchroom, for a great event.
A Small Negative: Reduced Access to the Players
Due to COVID, access to the players was limited, and that made sense. In fact, several of the players and coaches with whom I caught up approached me, not vice versa, including Alex Lely, Jeremy Jones, Jayson Shaw, and Karl Boyes. In most years, players sit in the sections designated for their own team but this year they sat in a roped off area behind the foot end of the table.
Finally, VIP ticket holders were given a Mosconi Cup program signed by all the players and that was fantastic. I will put mine in a very safe place.
The Crowd is the Story when the Mosconi is in Europe
At Alexandra Palace, the European fans go wild, producing a level of energy that I’d really like to see in the United States, but never have. They sing, they dance, and they even write songs. For example, the song they sang about Jayson Shaw, sung to the tune of the KC and the Sunshine band hit “Give it Up,” went “Jayson Shaw, Jayson Shaw, Jayson, Jayson Shaw, na na na na na na na.” The European crowd makes their players feel like rock stars, and I, for one, love it.
I always make sure to sit in the European section at least once at every Mosconi, and the European fans I met this year and in the past are energetic fans and delightful people,
Conclusion
It was a great Mosconi and I was glad to be part of it.
Matchroom will be staging the UK Open, a new event to be held in May in London. I’m really hoping to find a way to attend. In fact, 2022 will be the second consecutive year in which Matchroom produced a new event, as the Predator LCP event was added in 2021.
Matchroom just keeps on growing our sport.
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Thanks for the writeup. The balls are almost universally disliked, but what are your thoughts on the new cloth color after having seen it in person?
Great report Stu. Thanks for your continuing contributions to the world of pool.
Tyler played well, but not at the level Sky played at. I would put his play at 2nd best. I saw him miss a few shots that cost us racks.
So sorry that you got ill from the food swallowing. That has happened to me, and it is very scary.
Great write-up. I do remember that the team members used to sit behind the designated corner of the person(s) who was competing, which was different this year, I assume, due to COVID.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the noise the audience made when a player, USA or Europe, called for an extension.
That is really cool that Emily Frazer, et al., looked out for you and wanted to be sure you were all right. I love that!
Glad you are Home Sweet Home again.
Great write-up. I do remember that the team members used to sit behind the designated corner of the person(s) who was competing, which was different this year, I assume, due to COVID.
Would love to hear your thoughts on the noise the audience made when a player, USA or Europe, called for an extension.
That is really cool that Emily Frazer, et al., looked out for you and wanted to be sure you were all right. I love that!
Glad you are Home Sweet Home again.